Wrapper cutter for automatic cigar wrapping machine

In a cigar machine comprising a die unit for cutting a strip of tobacco having a first surface and a second oppositely facing surface to the desired shape, said die unit having a cutting edge which conforms to said shape and defines a space of said shape therewithin and having a strip receiving surface in fixed relation to said die unit and adjacent at least a portion of said cutting edge at the side of the latter opposite from said space, said die unit having openings therethrough at said receiving surface for the passage of air, vacuum means for drawing air through said openings in a direction which causes said strip to be drawn toward said surface and said first surface of said strip against said cutting edge, and vacuum means adjacent said die for removing portions of said strip from said surface, the combination therewith of means for supplying air under pressure to said openings for flow therethrough in a direction opposite to said firstmentioned direction to thereby direct air on the portion of said first surface of said strip which faces said receiving surface, and control means for selectively controlling both said first-mentioned vacuum means and said air supplying means and for thereby controlling the direction of the flow of air through said openings, whereby portions of said strip may be drawn against said receiving surface when the air flow is in said first-mentioned direction and may be dislodged from said receiving surface when the air flow is in the opposite direction.

In a cigar machine comprising a rotatable turret mounted on a stationary support having a plurality of walls and having a platform spaced from said support, a hollow die unit for cutting a strip of tobacco having a first surface and a second oppositely facing surface to the desired shape, said die unit being mounted on said platform and having a cutting edge which conforms to said shape and defines a space of said shape therewithin and having a strip receiving surface adjacent at least a portion of said cutting edge at the side of the latter opposite from said space, said die unit having openings therethrough at said receiving surface for the passage of air, vacuum means for drawing air through said openings in a direction which causes said strip to be drawn toward said surface and said first surface of said strip against said cutting edge, and vacuum means adjacent said die for removing portions of said strip from said surface, the combination therewith of means for supplying air under pressure to said openings for flow therethrough in a direction opposite to said first-mentioned direction to thereby direct air on the portion of the surface of said strip which faces said receiving surface, and control means for selectively controlling both said first-mentioned vacuum means and said air supplying means and for thereby controlling the direction of the flow of air through said openings, whereby portions of said strip may be drawn against said receiving surface when the air flow is in said first-mentioned direction and may be dislodged from said receiving surface when the air flow is in the opposite direction, said control means comprising a baffle with apertures therethrough intermediate said turret and said support and rotatable with said turret, said support having a wall adjacent said baffle and having apertures through said wall alignable at least in part with said apertures in said baffle upon rotation of said turret, said turret having at least one air passageway extending from an aperture in said baffle to the interior of said die and said walls of said support including said wall thereof forming at least one air chamber therein, said chamber forming part of said first-mentioned vacuum means.

The method of processing a strip of tobacco having a first surface and a second oppositely facing surface in a cigar machine which comprises a cutting die unit for cutting a strip of tobacco to the desired shape, said die unit being movable from a first position to a second position and having a cutting edge which conforms to said shape and defines a space of said shape therewithin and having a portion adjacent to said cutting edge at the side thereof opposite from said space, said portion having apertures extending therethrough, said method comprising placing a strip of tobacco larger than the area of said shape on said cutting edge with said first face of said strip facing said portion, maintaining said strip thereon by drawing air through said apertures in a first direction extending away from said first face, pressing said strip against said cutting edge with said die unit in said first position to cut a portion of said strip into said shape while leaving other portions thereof on said portion of said die unit, removing said cut portion of said strip from said die unit, moving said die unit away from said first position toward said second position, and after said die unit has been moved from said first position, passing air through said apertures in a second direction opposite to said first direction to dislodge said other portions of said strip from said portion of said die unit while removing said other portions by suction directed away from said portion of said die unit.