Apparatus for injecting a fluid into filter tow
AssigneeR. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
InventorErnest E. Rivers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid injection device and method of injecting and distributing a fluid, such as a gas, liquid or combination thereof, to a continuous, multifilament filter tow used in the manufacture of filters for smokable tobacco products. The injection device includes a converging tongue portion from which a nozzle block is suspended and rigidly supported. A nozzle conduit with a plurality of feed holes is formed in the nozzle block for delivering the fluid to a precise location in the advancing filter tow during its formation and consolidation into a filter rod. Additives, such as flavorants, may be injected into the tow or the tow may be further bloomed by a gas, such as air, to decrease tow usage.
Claims17
Apparatus for injecting a fluid into an advancing filter tow used in the manufacture of tobacco smoke filters, comprising tongue means for converging and compressing the tow into a continuous rod-like member, said tongue means having a wall forming a converging throat through which the tow is adapted to pass along a path of travel, nozzle means rigidly affixed to said tongue means and extending into said converging throat for injecting a fluid into the tow as it travels through said converging throat, said nozzle means comprising a nozzle block rigidly affixed to the wall of said tongue means and extending radially inwardly from said wall into the throat along the path of travel of the tow, a conduit formed in said nozzle block substantially along said path, a plurality of feed holes disposed in said nozzle block and communicating said conduit with the throat of said tongue means, and means for supplying said fluid to said conduit.
Apparatus for injecting a fluid into an advancing filter tow used in the manufacture of tobacco smoke filters, comprising tongue means for converging and compressing the tow into a continuous rod-like member, said tongue means having a converging throat through which the tow is adapted to pass along an axis of travel, nozzle means rigidly affixed to said tongue means and extending into said converging throat for injecting a fluid into the tow, said nozzle means comprising a nozzle block affixed to said tongue means, a conduit formed in said nozzle block, a plurality of feed holes disposed in said nozzle block and communicating said conduit with the throat of said tongue means, means connected to said nozzle means for supplying a fluid to said nozzle means and means for connecting said fluid supplying means to said conduit, said conduit being closed at both ends thereof, said connecting means comprising a passage intersecting said conduit intermediate said closed ends thereof.
Apparatus for manufacturing a filter rod containing an additive for a smokable article, comprising:
- means for advancing a continuous multifilament tow along a path of travel from an upstream supply of tow;
- converging horn means arranged along said path of travel for converging said tow;
- tongue injection means arranged downstream of said converging horn means for further converging and compressing said tow, said tongue injection means having upstream and downstream ends and comprising an alongated, generally U-shaped throat through which said tow travels, said throat converging from the upstream toward the downstream end thereof, and nozzle means rigidly affixed to the upstream end of the tongue injection means and extending into the throat for supplying the additive to the tow as it travels through the throat, said nozzle means comprising a nozzle block affixed to said tongue means, a conduit formed in said nozzle block, a plurality of feed holes disposed in said nozzle block and communicating said conduit with the throat of said tongue means, said conduit being closed at both ends thereof, said connecting means comprising a passage intersecting said conduit intermediate said closed ends thereof;
- and
- rod forming means arranged downstream of said tongue injection means for forming said tow into a filter rod having the additive disposed along a predetermined axis thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.