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US 12,171,256 B2Granted
Method of making tobacco rod using tongue of compression box
AssigneeAltria Client Services LLC
InventorsDwight D. Williams, Charles David Howe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The method includes transporting tobacco into and through a shaft of a tongue of a compression box, and compressing the tobacco into a tobacco rod as the tobacco is transported through the compression box, the compression box including a first plate, a first portion of the first plate being formed over an upper portion of the shaft, the first portion running along a majority of a longitudinal length of the shaft.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- transporting tobacco into and through a shaft of a tongue of a compression box;
- and
- compressing the tobacco into a tobacco rod as the tobacco is transported through the compression box, the compression box including a first plate, the first plate having upper surfaces and lower major surfaces that are horizontally oriented, a first portion of the first plate extending vertically downward from a portion of the lower major surfaces of the first plate to connect the first plate to an upper portion of the shaft, the first portion running along a majority of a longitudinal length of the shaft.
A method, comprising:
- transporting tobacco into and through a shaft of a tongue of a compression box;
- compressing the tobacco into a tobacco rod as the tobacco is transported through the compression box, the compression box including a first plate, a first portion of the first plate being formed over an upper portion of the shaft, the first portion running along a majority of a longitudinal length of the shaft;
- feeding at least one covering into a finishing section of a rod forming apparatus, the finishing section including the compression box,
- the transporting further including first driving the tobacco and the at least one covering in a horizontal direction into an entrance of the tongue and through a first channel via a first belt, the first belt supporting the tobacco on the at least one covering, the first belt running between the shaft and a second plate, the second plate being below the shaft, the shaft and the second plate collectively defining at least a portion of the first channel, the first channel having a first vertical cross-section that is circular, a diameter of the first vertical cross-section decreasing along the longitudinal length of the shaft in a direction that is toward an outlet of the shaft;
- and
- folding a first end of the at least one covering over at least part of a top portion of the tobacco rod as the tobacco rod exits the compression box, the first plate defining a notch, the first end traveling through the notch and being at least partially folded as the first end contacts an angled surface on an interior of the notch as the at least one covering is driven through the compression box.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- transporting tobacco into and through a shaft of a tongue of a compression box;
- compressing the tobacco into a tobacco rod as the tobacco is transported through the compression box, the compression box including a first plate, a first portion of the first plate being formed over an upper portion of the shaft, the first portion running along a majority of a longitudinal length of the shaft;
- feeding at least one covering into a finishing section of a rod forming apparatus, the finishing section including the compression box,
- the transporting further including first driving the tobacco and the at least one covering in a horizontal direction into an entrance of the tongue and through a first channel via a first belt, the first belt supporting the tobacco on the at least one covering, the first belt running between the shaft and a second plate, the second plate being below the shaft, the shaft and the second plate collectively defining at least a portion of the first channel, the first channel having a first vertical cross-section that is circular, a diameter of the first vertical cross-section decreasing along the longitudinal length of the shaft in a direction that is toward an outlet of the shaft;
- and
- folding a first end of the at least one covering over at least part of a top portion of the tobacco rod as the tobacco rod exits the compression box, the first plate defining a notch, a third plate being connected to a lower surface of the first plate, the third plate including an inclined surface, the first end traveling through the notch and being at least partially folded as the first end contacts the inclined surface as the at least one covering is driven through the compression box.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.