Apparatus for perforating a moving web
AssigneeMolins Limited
InventorReginald C. Bolt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a ventilated cigarette making system the tipping paper is perforated before assembly of the cigarettes using a spark perforator which is controlled by a feedback arrangement, in response to the resultant air permeability of the finished cigarettes, or the permeability of the tipping paper as monitored before assembly. Preferably the testing of the finished cigarettes is done in a modified Molins "CID 4" cigarette testing device. The averaged test signal is used to control the frequency of power supply to the spark perforator, whose electrodes are loaded with capacitors so that the change in frequency results in a change in the current flow through the electrodes, and thus the size of the holes produced.
Claims6
Apparatus for perforating a moving web of tipping paper in a filter cigarette making system including means for making filter cigarettes using said tipping paper, comprising a series of separate electrodes on one side of the path of the web;
- cooperating electrode means on the other side of the web;
- a variable frequency high voltage A.C. power supply;
- a respective capacitor connecting each of the said series of electrodes to the output of the high voltage power supply, whereby the paper is perforated by electric sparks jumping between the separate electrodes and said cooperating electrode means;
- detection means for detecting the resistance to air flow through the perforations of at least some of the completed filter cigarettes;
- and control means responsive to said detection means for regulating the frequency of the high voltage power supply so as to vary the effective impedance of the capacitors and thus the current through the separate electrodes in order to achieve the desired air dilution in the filter cigarettes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.