Production of paper sticks

A paper processing device comprising:

• a) a paper roll;
• said paper roll is unrollable to form a paper web from said paper roll;
• b) a paper supply receiving device;
• said paper supply device is configured to receive said paper roll;
• c) a web cutting arrangement;
• said web cutting arrangement is configured to receive said paper web from said paper roll on said paper supply receiving device as said paper web is unrolled from said paper roll;
• said web cutting arrangement is configured to form perforations in said paper web and then separate sections of said paper web at said perforations to form paper web sections;
• d) a folding device that is positioned after said web cutting arrangement;
• said folding device is configured to form a fold or crease in each of said paper web sections to form folded paper web sections;
• said folding device includes first and second conveying rollers and a folding roller;
• said folding roller and one or both of said first and second conveying rollers have a conical cross-sectional shape;
• said folding roller is positioned adjacent to or between said first and second conveying rollers;
• e) a rolling arrangement;
• said rolling arrangement is configured to receive each of said folded paper web sections and to form a rolled paper stick from each of said folded paper web sections;
• said rolling arrangement includes a rotatable rolling drum and a cover;
• said cover is positioned over at least a portion of said rotatable rolling drum and is positioned statically relative to said rotatable rolling drum during formation of each of said rolled paper sticks;
• a rolling space is formed between said rolling drum and said cover;
• a size of said rolling space is non-constant between said rolling drum and said cover along a portion of an outer circumference of said rolling drum;
• a surface of said rotatable rolling drum that is facing said cover and/or a surface of said cover that is facing said rotatable rolling drum includes a plastic and/or textile coating;
• f) a wetting device;
• said wetting device is configured to add a liquid additive to said rolling drum of said rolling arrangement so that said liquid additive contacts each of said folded paper web sections that contact said rolling arrangement;
• said liquid additive is or includes water;
• said wetting device is configured to add said liquid additive to said rolling drum at a location prior to said paper web engaging said rolling drum;
• g) a stick cutting arrangement;
• said stick cutting arrangement is configured to receive each of said rolled paper sticks from said rolling arrangement and to i) cut off end portions of each end of said rolled paper stick to form a rolled stick body, and ii) cut said rolled stick body to form a plurality of cut rolled paper stick sections;
• and
• h) a sorting device;
• said sorting device is configured to separate said cut off end portions of each end of said rolled paper stick from said plurality of cut rolled paper stick sections.

A method for forming a plurality of rolled paper stick sections comprising:

• a) providing a paper roll;
• b) providing a paper supply receiving device;
• said paper supply device is configured to receive said paper roll;
• c) unrolling said paper roll that is on said paper supply receiving device to form a paper web from said paper roll;
• d) tensioning said paper web that is supplied from said paper roll;
• e) providing a web cutting arrangement;
• said web cutting arrangement includes a cutting device that is configured to form perforations in said paper web;
• said web cutting arrangement is configured to separate sections of said paper web at said perforations in said paper web to form paper web sections;
• f) supplying said paper web to said web cutting arrangement so that said web cutting arrangement can form said perforations in said paper web and then subsequently separate sections of said paper web at said perforations in said paper web to form said paper web sections;
• g) controlling a position of edges of said paper web to properly position said paper web as said paper web is suppled to said web cutting device;
• h) providing a folding device that is positioned after said web cutting arrangement;
• said folding device is configured to form a fold or crease in each of said paper web sections that are supplied to said folding device so as to form folded paper web sections;
• said folding device includes first and second conveying rollers and a folding roller;
• said folding roller and one or both of said first and second conveying rollers have a conical cross-sectional shape;
• said folding roller is positioned adjacent to or between said first and second conveying rollers;
• i) suppling said paper web sections to said folding device to cause each of said paper web sections to move through said first and second conveying rollers and said folding roller to cause each of said paper web sections to be folded to form folded web sections;
• j) providing a rolling arrangement;
• said rolling arrangement is configured to receive each of said folded paper web sections and to form a rolled paper stick from each of said folded paper web sections;
• said rolling arrangement includes a rotatable rolling drum and a cover;
• said cover is positioned over at least a portion of said rotatable rolling drum and is positioned statically relative to said rotatable rolling drum during formation of each of said rolled paper sticks;
• a rolling space is formed between said rolling drum and said cover;
• a size of said rolling space is non-constant between said rolling drum and said cover along a portion of an outer circumference of said rolling drum;
• k) suppling each of said folded paper web sections to said rolling arrangement to form said rolled paper stick;
• l) providing a wetting device;
• said wetting device is configured to add a liquid additive to said rolling drum of said rolling arrangement so that said liquid additive contacts each of said folded paper web sections that contact said rolling arrangement;
• said liquid additive is or includes water;
• m) causing said wetting device to apply said liquid additive to said rolling drum at a location prior to said paper web engaging said rolling drum such that said folded paper web sections that contact said rolling drum also contact said liquid additive on said rolling drum;
• n) providing a stick cutting arrangement;
• said stick cutting arrangement is configured to receive each of said rolled paper sticks from said rolling arrangement and to cut each of said rolled paper sticks
• o) causing said stick cutting arrangement to i) cut off end portions of each end of said rolled paper stick that is formed in said rolling arrangement to form a rolled stick body, and ii) cut said rolled stick body to form a plurality of cut rolled paper stick sections;
• p) providing a sorting device;
• said sorting device is configured to separate said cut off end portions of each end of said rolled paper stick from said plurality of cut rolled paper stick sections;
• and
• q) supply said cut rolled paper stick sections and said cut off end portions to said sorting device so that said sorting device can separate said cut off end portions of each end of said rolled paper stick from said plurality of cut rolled paper stick sections.