US 4,729,388 AGranted

Cigarette manufacturing machine with a tobacco particle separator

AssigneeG.D Societa' Per Azioni

InventorRiccardo Mattei

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Abstract

A cigarette manufacturing machine having a shredded tobacco supply unit, a unit for wrapping the shredded tobacco, an air permeable conveyor belt extending from the supply unit and the wrapping unit for transferring a continuous layer of tobacco held by vacuum on the belt to the wrapping unit; the supply unit comprising a down-flow duct for shredded tobacco, a well communicating with the bottom end of the down-flow duct, and an up-flow duct for the tobacco; the bottom end of the up-flow duct communicating with the well, and the top end of the up-flow duct being closed by the belt; and separating apparatus for separating unsuitable particles from the shredded tobacco for cigarette manufacture, with the separating apparatus having a duct substantially in the shape of an upside-down U; a tubular connection extending between the U-shaped duct and the well; a first end of the U-shaped duct communicating with a dump, and a second end of the U-shaped duct communicating with the down-flow duct.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A cigarette manufacturing machine (1) with a tobacco particle separator, said machine comprising a shredded tobacco supply unit (2), a unit (3) for wrapping the said tobacco, and a conveyor belt (7) permeable by air and extending between the said supply unit (2) and the said wrapping unit (3), for transferring to the said wrapping unit (3) a continuous layer (5) of tobacco held by suction on to the said belt (7);

the said supply unit (2) comprising a down-flow duct (18) for shredded tobacco, a well (22) communicating with the bottom end of the said down-flow duct (18), and an up-flow duct (21) for the said tobacco;
the bottom end of the said up-flow duct (21) communicating with the said well (22), and the top end of the said up-flow duct (21) being closed by the said belt (7);
and separating means (32;
42) for separating, from the said shredded tobacco, particles of the same unsuitable for cigarette manufacture, the said separating means (32;
42) comprising a duct (36;
43) substantially in the shape of an upside-down U, and tubular connecting means (33) extending between the said U-shaped duct (36;
43) and the said well (22);
a first end of the said U-shaped duct (36;
43) communicating with a dump (41;
64), and a second end of the said U-shaped duct (36;
43) communicating with the said down-flow duct (18).

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.