Method of and apparatus for making rod-shaped smokers' products having predetermined densities

Abstract

A cigarette making machine employs an endless foraminous belt one side of which advances a surplus-containing stream of comminuted smokable material toward, through and beyond a trimming station where a trimming device removes the surplus and the resulting rod-like filler is advanced past an instrument which monitors the density of the filler prior or subsequent to draping of such filler into a web of cigarette paper or the like. If the density of the filler departs from a desired density, a shoe-like guide member abutting the other side of the belt opposite the trimming device is moved toward or away from the trimming device and/or vice versa. The other side of the belt is adjacent a suction chamber, and the guide member has one or more openings through which the suction chamber attracts the running belt to an at least slightly convex side of the guide member.

1 . A method of manipulating a surplus-containing stream of comminuted smokable material at a trimming station, comprising the steps of: 
 advancing the stream lengthwise by one side of an elongated foraminous belt conveyor in a predetermined direction toward and through said trimming station;    removing the surplus from the advancing stream at said trimming station; and    supporting the other side of the belt conveyor during advancement at least through a major part of said trimming station.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said removing step includes employing at least one cutting implement at a location adjacent to and spaced from the conveyor at said station, said supporting step including propping the other side of the conveyor at a selected distance from said at least one cutting implement.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of varying said distance to thus select the density of the stream advancing beyond said trimming station.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of supporting the other side of the conveyor at least at one of two locations upstream and downstream of said trimming station as seen in said predetermined direction.  
   
   
       5 . A method of selecting the density of a surplus-containing stream of comminuted smokable material at a trimming station, comprising the steps of: 
 advancing the stream lengthwise in a predetermined direction toward and through said trimming station;    removing the surplus from the advancing stream at said station;    measuring the density of the trimmed stream downstream of said station, as seen in said direction;    comparing the measured density with a desired density; and    altering said removing step when the measured density departs from the desired density.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said advancing step includes advancing the stream at one side of and with an advancing foraminous belt conveyor, and further comprising the step of supporting the other side of the belt conveyor during advancement at least through said station, said removing step including employing at least one cutting implement at a fixed location adjacent to and spaced apart from the conveyor at said station and further comprising the step of supporting the other side of the conveyor during advancement at least through a major part of said station at a variable distance from the cutting implement, said altering step including varying said distance when the measured density of the trimmed stream departs from the desired density.  
   
   
       7 . A method of selecting the density of a surplus-containing stream of comminuted smokable material at a trimming station, comprising the steps of: 
 advancing the stream lengthwise in a predetermined direction toward and through said trimming station;    propping successive portions of the stream at said trimming station;    removing the surplus from the advancing propped stream portions at said station;    measuring the density of the trimmed stream downstream of said station, as seen in said direction;    comparing the measured density with a desired density; and    altering the removing step when the measured density departs from the desired density.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said advancing step includes advancing the stream at one side of and with a driven foraminous belt conveyor and said propping step comprises supporting the other side of the belt conveyor during advancement at least through a major part of said station, said removing step including employing at least one cutting implement at a fixed location adjacent to and spaced apart from the conveyor at said station and said propping step further comprising supporting the other side of the conveyor during advancement at least through said major part of said station at a variable distance from the cutting implement, said altering step including varying said distance when the measured density of the trimmed stream departs from the desired density.  
   
   
       9 . Apparatus for manipulating a surplus-containing stream of comminuted smokable material at a trimming station, comprising: 
 a foraminous belt conveyor arranged to advance in a predetermined direction and having one side arranged to attract and advance the stream lengthwise in said direction toward, through and beyond said station and another side;    means for removing the surplus from the stream at said station; and    means for supporting the other side of said conveyor at least at said station.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said removing means is located at a first distance from said one side of said conveyor and said supporting means is located at a variable distance from said removing means at said other side of said conveyor.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising means for monitoring the density of the stream downstream of said trimming station, as seen in said direction, means for comparing the monitored density s with a predetermined density, and means for varying said distance when the monitored density departs from said predetermined density.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said supporting means includes a substantially block-shaped member contacting said other side of said conveyor.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said block-shaped member has a substantially convex surface contacting said other side of said conveyor.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said member has at least one portion extending beyond said station in at least one of the directions upstream and downstream of said station, as seen in said predetermined direction.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said member extends upstream and downstream of said station, as seen in said predetermined direction.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a suction chamber adjacent said other side of said conveyor, said supporting means having at least one opening communicating with said suction chamber and extending to said other side of said conveyor so that said suction chamber can attract said conveyor to said supporting means.  
   
   
       17 . Apparatus for selecting the density of a stream of comminuted smokable material at a trimming station, comprising: 
 an endless foraminous conveyor arranged to advance lengthwise in a predetermined direction and having a first side arranged to attract and advance a surplus-containing stream of smokable material toward and through said trimming station and a second side;    means for removing the surplus from the stream at said first side of said conveyor at said trimming station;    means for supporting the second side of said conveyor opposite said removing means, said supporting means being located at a variable distance from said removing means;    means for monitoring the density of the stream downstream of said station, as seen in said direction; and    means for altering said distance when the monitored density of the stream departs from a predetermined density.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said altering means is arranged to reduce the departure of monitored density from said predetermined density at least close to zero.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said supporting means includes a shoe having a substantially convex surface contacting said second side of said conveyor.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a suction chamber adjacent said second side of said conveyor, said shoe having at least one opening extending from said substantially convex surface and communicating with said suction chamber to attract the second side of said conveyor to said substantially convex surface of said shoe.  
   
   
       21 . A machine for making rod-shaped smokers' products, comprising: 
 an endless foraminous belt conveyor having a first side arranged to attract and to advance a continuous stream of surplus-containing smokable material lengthwise in a predetermined direction toward, through and beyond a trimming station and a second side;    means for removing the surplus from the advancing stream at said trimming station and at said first side of said conveyor;    means for supporting the second side of the conveyor opposite said surplus removing means, one of said removing means and said supporting means being movable toward and away from the other thereof;    means for comparing the density of the advancing stream with a predetermined density downstream of said station, as seen in said direction; and    means for moving one of said supporting and removing means relative to the other thereof when the monitored density departs from said predetermined density.    
   
   
       22 . The machine of  claim 21 , further comprising means for draping the stream into a web of cigarette paper downstream of said station to form a continuous cigarette rod, and means for subdividing the continuous rod into plain cigarettes of n times unit length wherein n is a whole number including one.