Apparatus for mass production of a smokable product, comprising:
- at least one holder device for holding and transporting a receptacle made of combustible material;
- a first station at which an empty receptacle is filled with predetermined amounts of powdered biomass while being held in the at least one holder device;
- and
- a second station for finishing the smokable product by twisting an end of a filled receptacle while being held by the at least one holder device after the filled receptacle has been transported from the first station to the second station, wherein:
- the receptacle is configured to be filled with powdered biomass through an open end,
- the first station includes a storage hopper for storing a quantity of powdered biomass, a first transfer mechanism for transferring powdered biomass from the storage hopper to a weighing structure, and a second transfer mechanism for transferring powdered biomass from the weighing structure to fill the empty receptacle, and
- the second station includes a twisting mechanism for closing the open end of the receptacle to retain the powdered biomass and complete the smokable product while the receptacle is held by the at least one holder device at the second station,
- wherein the receptacle is a paper cone, and
- wherein the twisting mechanism includes:
- a plurality of jaws configured to grip an open end of a cone extending from the at least one holder device following movement of the at least one holder device to the second station,
- a linkage mechanism coupled to the plurality of jaws for causing the plurality of jaws to open and close, and
- three independently-controllable actuating devices, including:
- a first actuating device including a twisting mechanism stepper motor for causing rotation of the plurality of jaws of the twisting mechanism about a vertical axis to twist the open end of the cone as it is held by the plurality of jaws,
- a second actuating device including a linkage mechanism actuator for causing the linkage mechanism to open and close the plurality of jaws independently of said rotation of the plurality of jaws, and
- a third actuating device for moving the twisting mechanism, including the twisting mechanism motor, the linkage mechanism, the linkage mechanism actuator, and the plurality of jaws, in a vertical direction towards and away from the cone while the cone is held by the at least one holder device at the second station,
- wherein a twisting force applied by the twisting mechanism to the open end of the paper cone, to prevent tearing of the paper cone is limited by controlling the stepper motor of by a magnetic slip clutch included in a drive train of the twisting mechanism between the twisting mechanism motor and the plurality of jaws;
- wherein the twisting mechanism operates as follows:
- (i) the twisting mechanism is moved vertically downward to a position adjacent the open end of the paper cone while the plurality of jaws are open;
- (ii) the plurality of jaws are closed at the same time to grip the open end of the paper cone;
- (iii) the plurality of jaws are rotated around a vertical axis to twist the open end of the cone;
- (iv) a twisting force of the twisting mechanism is limited by controlling the stepper motor of by the magnetic slip clutch;
- and
- (v) the plurality of jaws are opened and the twisting mechanism is moved vertically upward to enable another paper cone to be moved by the at least one holder device into a position for twisting.