Apparatus for applying starch paste to tobacco articles

In a high speed machine for folding and sealing a continuous length of cigarette paper about a tobacco rod, including garniture means for exposing one edge of the paper to define a lap, and means for applying a starch paste to the lap prior to sealing, the improvement wherein the means for applying a starch paste comprises:

• a paster nozzle having an outer tip positioned to be in contact with the lap of the cigarette paper for applying paste along the lap;
• means for supplying starch paste to a metering pump means at a controlled pressure;
• a high precision metering pump means for receiving paste from the paste supplying means and for supplying paste to said nozzle at a controlled rate, wherein said nozzle has an internal bore sized for delivering paste at a relatively low pressure and at a rate for applying a thin, uniform film of paste to the lap as the paper moves past said tip;
• wherein said nozzle includes a nozzle tube, wherein said tip is secured in said nozzle tube and has a portion extending therefrom;
• wherein said tip has an outer dimension, in cross-section, less than said nozzle tube;
• and wherein said nozzle tube and tip have a continuous bore therethrough of uniform area.

Apparatus for applying starch paste to an exposed edge of moving cigarette paper, comprising:

• a two-part paster nozzle comprising a nozzle tube and a relatively thin-walled outer tip having an outlet end positioned to be in contact with the exposed edge of the cigarette paper for applying paste along the exposed edge;
• means for supplying starch paste to a metering pump means;
• a metering pump means for receiving paste from the paste supplying means and for supplying paste to said nozzle at a controlled rate;
• wherein said nozzle has an internal bore sized for delivering paste at a relatively low pressure and at a rate for applying a thin, uniform film of paste to the exposed edge as the paper moves past said tip, and wherein said tip is elongated in cross-section and oriented such that the longer dimension is substantially perpendicular to the direction of paper movement.

Apparatus for applying a starch paste to an exposed edge of moving cigarette paper, comprising:

• a two-part paster nozzle comprising a nozzle tube and a relatively thin-walled outer tip having an outlet end positioned to be in contact with the exposed edge of the cigarette paper for applying paste along the exposed edge;
• means for supplying starch paste to a metering pump means;
• a metering pump means for receiving paste from the paste supplying means and for supplying paste to said nozzle at a controlled rate, wherein said nozzle has an internal bore sized for delivering paste at a relatively low pressure and at a rate for applying a thin, uniform film of paste to the exposed edge as the paper moves past said tip;
• wherein said tip is secured in said nozzle tube and has a portion extending therefrom;
• wherein said tip has an outer dimension, in cross-section, less than said nozzle tube;
• and wherein said nozzle tube and tip have a continuous bore therethrough of uniform area.

A method of applying paste to an exposed edge of moving cigarette paper, comprising:

• providing starch paste at a preselected pressure to the inlet side of a high precision metering pump;
• providing a nozzle, having an outer tip, having an internal bore sized for delivering paste at a relatively low pressure;
• positioning the nozzle tip to be in contact with one edge of the moving paper;
• driving the metering pump at a preselected speed for supplying paste from the metering pump to the nozzle at a controlled rate for applying a thin, uniform layer of paste to the exposed edge as the paper moves past the tip, and further comprising the step, prior to providing paste to the nozzle, of squeezing the nozzle tip such that the bore through the tip is elongated and oriented perpendicular to the direction of paper movement.