Apparatus for making and separating wrapped cigar bunches

Abstract

Apparatus for wrapping cigar bunches has a first conveyor consisting of two endless belts having filler-engaging stretches which cross each other in space and move a single file of bunches lengthwise while simultaneously rotating the bunches about their axes. One of the stretches feeds an adhesive-coated web which is convoluted around successive bunches to form a tube consisting of partially overlapping helices. The tensile strength of the tube is reduced between successive wrapped bunches by a row of needles mounted on an endless toothed belt or drum which makes with the path of the tube a first angle equal to the angle between the plane of one belt of the first conveyor and the axis of the tube. The row of needles on the toothed belt or drum makes with the plane of the toothed belt or drum a second angle which equals 90.degree. minus the first angle. This insures that the needles penetrate into the tube while moving with the tube at the speed of lengthwise movement of the bunches and while moving about the axis of the tube at the speed at which the bunches rotate about their axes. A second conveyor advances the tube lengthwise at a speed which exceeds the speed of lengthwise movement of the bunches in the first conveyor so that the tube breaks between successive wrapped bunches due to weakening of the respective portions of the tube by the needles. The second conveyor rotates the tube at the same speed at which the first conveyor rotates the bunches.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.