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US 7,597,105 B2Granted
Apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes
AssigneeR.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
InventorsVernon Brent Barnes, John Larkin Nelson, Timothy Frederick Thomas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for manufacturing small quantities of cigarettes in a substantially simultaneous fashion while maintaining consistent quality between the cigarettes. The apparatus provides for arranging loose tobacco into tobacco charges and simultaneously inserting the charges into pre-formed tubular cigarette wrappers.
Claims21
A device for manufacturing cigarettes from loose tobacco and pre-formed tubular wrapping portions, the device comprising:
- an upper reservoir;
- a plurality of passageways extending downwardly from the upper reservoir, wherein each of the plurality of downwardly extending passageways is defined by at least two walls, and at least one of the at least two walls is movable by actuation of a handle structure attached to the movable wall;
- a plurality of receptacles beneath the plurality of downwardly extending passageways;
- a cartridge adapted to be placed adjacent the plurality of receptacles, the cartridge adapted for supporting a plurality of pre-formed tubular wrapping portions, each wrapping portion having a hollow region at one end for receiving tobacco filler, and each of a predetermined number of the wrapping portions being aligned with one of the plurality of receptacles;
- an insertion mechanism configured for inserting a charge of tobacco from each receptacle into the hollow region of each of the predetermined number of the wrapping portions, wherein the insertion mechanism comprises at least one elongated, longitudinally reciprocal member configured for delivering tobacco from a receptacle into the hollow region of a tubular wrapping portion by a longitudinal motion of the reciprocal member;
- a support configured for positioning the cartridge relative to the receptacles such that at least a pre-determined number of the pre-formed tubular wrappers are aligned with and adjacent to a corresponding predetermined number of the receptacles;
- means for providing a controlled amount of tobacco filler within each receptacle;
- and
- a compression mechanism configured for arranging the controlled amount of tobacco filler within each receptacle to form a charge of tobacco filler of pre-determined shape and size, the compression mechanism comprising a slidable late adjacent each receptacle;
- and
- wherein the insertion mechanism further comprises an actuation handle that is configured to move the at least one reciprocal member longitudinally through a portion of one of the receptacles.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.