Method of and apparatus for making rod-like fillers for smokers' products

Abstract

A mixture of long and short tobacco particles is sifted in the hopper of a cigarette maker to segregate the short particles from the long particles. The long particles are converted into a continuous stream and the short particles are gathered into a series of discrete, preferably metered, batches which are heterogeneously distributed in longitudinally spaced apart portions of the stream. The latter is thereupon converted into a rod-like filler which is draped into a web of cigarette paper or other wrapping material to form therewith a continuous tobacco-containing rod. The rod is severed between successive batches or successive groups of batches so that each discrete cigarette contains at least one batch of short tobacco particles.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of converting a mixture of short and long tobacco particles into a rod-like filler, comprising the steps of: 
 segregating the short particles of the mixture from the long particles;    advancing an elongated stream of segregated long particles along a predetermined path; and    admitting into the path short particles for heterogeneous distribution in the stream.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of gathering short particles into batches prior to said admitting step.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said admitting step includes introducing into the path a series of spaced apart batches, and further comprising the steps of confining the stream and the batches in a tubular wrapper, and severing the wrapper and the stream between successive batches.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said advancing step includes moving lengthwise a stream consisting of long tobacco particles and having two spaced apart marginal portions, said admitting step including applying to one side of the stream batches of short particles in spaced apart positions from at least one marginal portions.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said segregating step includes sifting the mixture of short and long particles.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of gathering short particles into a mass prior to said admitting step.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said admitting step includes monitoring the quantity of short particles in the mass and introducing short particles from the mass into the stream at a rate which is dependent upon the quantity of short particles in the mass.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of gathering short particles into unequal batches prior to said admitting step and thereupon equalizing the batches, said admitting step including introducing equalized batches of short particles into said path at at least substantially identical intervals.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus for building a tobacco filler for the making of rod-shaped smokers' products from a mixture of short and long tobacco particles, comprising: 
 means for segregating short particles of the mixture from the long particles;    means for advancing an elongated stream of segregated long particles along a predetermined path; and    means for admitting into longitudinally spaced-apart portions of the elongated stream batches of segregated short particles in a heterogeneous distribution.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said advancing means includes an endless foraminous conveyor and means for attracting segregated long particles and batches of short particles to said conveyor.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said admitting means includes a rotary suction drum having a peripheral array of suction chambers for the delivery of batches of short particles to a predetermined portion of said path.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising means for converting the stream into discrete fillers of rod-shaped smokers' products having a predetermined length, said suction chambers having a length, as seen circumferentially of said drum and longitudinally of said path, which is less than said predetermined length.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said path has a width exceeding the width of a batch and said drum is arranged to deliver batches of short particles at least substantially centrally of said path.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said segregating means comprises at least one mobile sieve having a mesh such that the sieve permits at least some short particles to pass therethrough but intercepts at least the majority of long particles.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising means for collecting short particles upon segregation from long particles.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising means for monitoring the quantity of short particles in said collecting means.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said admitting means comprises a vibratory conveyor arranged to transport segregated short particles from said segregating means toward said path, and a suction conveyor arranged to attract short particles from said vibratory conveyor and to deliver the thus attracted short particles to said path.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising means for collecting short particles upon segregation from long particles, said admitting means including a conveyor for advancement of short particles to said path and means for transferring metered quantities of short particles from said collecting means to said conveyor.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said admitting means includes means for trimming the batches prior to entry into said path.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said admitting means includes a first suction conveyor rotatable about a horizontal axis and said advancing means comprises a second suction conveyor disposed at a level above said first suction conveyor and arranged to accept short particles from said first conveyor.