US2815029A - Method and means for tearing out filters from defective filter cigarettes - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3 1957 EXNER 2,815,029

METHOD AND MEANS FOR TEARING OUT FILTERS FROM DEFECTIVE FILTER CIGARETTE-S Filed April 6, 1955 INVf/VTOR nited States Patent METHOD AND MEANS FOR TEARING OUT FILTERS FROM DEFECTIVE FILTER CIG- ARETTES Helmut Exner, Baden-Baden, Germany, assignor to Zigarettenfabrik Hans Neuerburg KG, a company of Germany Application April 6, 1955, Serial No. 499,627 Claims priority, application Germany April 14, 1954 Claims. (Cl. 131-20) This invention relates to a method and means for tearing out filters from defective filter cigarettes.

Whereas hitherto the filters of filter cigarettes have been torn out by hand in preference to a tearing out eifected mechanically, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for mechanically tearing out the filter. The tearing off of the filter by hand is in any case attended by waste of tobacco because the covering paper is stuck somewhat over the cigarette strand and therefore this tobaccocontaining part is also seized during the tearing off. Furthermore tearing off the filter by hand is attended by high unproductive costs because it is laborious and can only be carried out by a large amount of labour. Cutting off the filter also does not lead to the desired result because the knife only cuts at a definite distance from the end of the cigarette and therefore does not take into account the unavoidable difierences in length of the individual filters.

According to the present invention the tearing out of the filters from filter cigarettes is effected mechanically by positively conveying the cigarettes in side by side relation with their filters directed towards the tearing means which strike against the ends of the filters. The tearing means are preferably constituted by pegs or the like mounted on a roller or drum.

In such an arrangement the filter of each cigarette is grasped by the first series of pegs and torn out, any residue remaining being grasped and removed by one or more further rows of pegs arranged behind the first row in the direction of movement of the cigarettes. The cigarettes are moved positively on a conveyer which preferably consists of two bands of rubber or the like between which the cigarettes are held. On the filter side of the conveyor, a supporting rail is provided which has a slight inclination towards the direction of impact of the pegs on the filters. This prevents the filters from being pressed down and knocked back instead of being torn out from the cigarettes. The pegs mounted on the roller Which preferably rotates at high speed, strike the filters parallel to the same and tear the filter olf over the edge of the supporting rail. In so doing helical paper strips forming part of the original filter \cover, are left and it is desirable that such strips be eliminated. In order to strip oif the helical paper strips resulting from the tearing out operation, stripping blades are provided behind the rows of pegs in the direction of movement of the conveyor.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of apparatus partly in section according to this invention, shown diagrammatically,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1, and

Figures 3 and 4 are views of tearing pegs which may be used.

Referring to the drawings, defective filter cigarettes 1 are laid side by side on an endless conveyer band 2, the filters 3 of the cigarettes 1 being towards one side and in the direction of the tearing roller 4. The cigarettes are 2,815,029 Patented Dec. 3, 1957 advanced positively, for example by the use of a conveyer band 5 which presses on them, past the tearing roller 4. The filter ends lie on a supporting rail 6 which has a cutaway 7 in the region of the tearing roller 4 for the passage of tearing pegs 8. The cigarette ends sliding over the rail 6 thus project into the range of the peg roller 4 beyond the supporting rail 6 and are engaged by the pegs 8 of the first row, the filters 3 of the cigarettes thus being torn out therefrom. Any residue of the filter remaining is grasped and removed by the pegs 9 of the next succeeding row of pegs.

Three further rows of pegs are shown in the drawing; these serve to ensure complete removal of any residue of the filters still remaining. To remove the helical strips of paper resulting from the tearing out operation, stripping blades 10 are provided at the end of the roller 4.

The pegs 8, 9 and 8' are preferably provided at their lower end with a screwthread 11 (Figures 3 and 4) so that they may be screwed interchangeably into the roller 4.

Figures 3 and 4 show two types of tearing pegs for use in the apparatus according to this invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for tearing out the filters from defective filter cigarettes comprising a conveyor for receiving a row of filter cigarettes in side-by-side relationship with the filter ends projecting in a common direction, and advancing same in sidewise manner, and tearing means revoluble about an axis parallel to the direction of advancing movement of said conveyor and arranged to strike the filter ends and positively remove the same from their associated cigarette.

2. Apparatus fortearing out the filters from defective filter cigarettes comprising a conveyor for receiving a row of filter cigarettes in side-by-side relationship with the filter ends projecting in a common direction, and advancing same in sidewise manner, and a series of laterally spaced rigid pegs revoluble about an axis parallel to the direction of advancing movement of said conveyor and arranged to strike and thereby tear and positively remove the filter ends as the row advances.

3. Apparatus for tearing out the filters from defective filter cigarettes comprising a pair of vertically spaced endless conveyor bands for receiving therebetween a row of filter cigarettes in side-by side relationship with the filter ends projecting in a common direction and advancing same in sidewise manner, a rotating drum having its axis parallel to the direction of advancing movement of said row and rigid pegs on the outside of the drum arranged to strike the filter ends to thereby tear and remove same from their associated cigarette as the row advances.

4. Apparatus for tearing out the filters from defective filter cigarettes comprising a pair of vertically spaced endless conveyor bands for receiving therebetween a row of filter cigarettes in side-by-side relationship with the filter ends projecting in a common direction and advancing same in sidewise manner, a supporting rail along side of said conveyor bands to support a portion of the filter ends with the remainder thereof extending outwardly therefrom, a rotating drum having its axis parallel to the direction of advancing movement of said row, and rigid pegs on the outside of the drum to strike the filter ends to tear and positively remove same from their associated cigarettes as the row advances.

5. Apparatus for tearing out the filters frorn defective filter cigarettes comprising a pair of vertically spaced endless conveyor bands for receiving therebetween a row of filter cigarettes in side-by-side relationship with the filter ends projecting. in a common direction and advancing same in sidewise manner, a rotating drum having its References Cited in the file of this patent axis parallel to the direction of advancing movementof UNITED STATES PATENTS said row, rigid pegs on the outside of the drum to strike the filter ends thereby to tear and positively sever same 174,277 Mont 1876 from their associated cigarettes as the row advances, and 402,081 Hughes 1889 stripping blades on said drum to engage the severed end 1,986,781 Maxwell 1935 of the cigarette after being struck by said pegs to remove 2159'404 RuPdell May 1939 2,213,392 Grlffith Sept. 3, 1940 any excess material therefrom.

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