Cigarette blank filling tube apparatus

Abstract

A tobacco filling tube having a cylindrical portion having an outside diameter, an inside diameter, a first end and a second end and a hollow tapered portion having a first end with an outside diameter and a second end with an outside diameter. The first end of the tapered portion adjoins the second end of the cylindrical portion, the outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion, the outside diameter of the second end of the tapered portion is less than the outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion, the outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion is sized to fit inside a tobacco blank, and the tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter.

1 . A tobacco filling tube comprising:
 a cylindrical portion having an outside diameter, an inside diameter, a first end and a second end,   a hollow tapered portion having a first end with an outside diameter and a second end with an outside diameter,   wherein the first end of the tapered portion adjoins the second end of the cylindrical portion,   wherein said outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion,   wherein said outside diameter of the second end of the tapered portion is less than the outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion,   wherein the outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion is sized to fit inside a tobacco blank,   wherein said tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The filling tube according to  claim 1 , wherein said tapered portion comprises a plurality of flexible fingers. 
     
     
         3 . The filling tube according to  claim 1 , wherein said tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand to substantially the same diameter as the first end of the tapered portion and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter. 
     
     
         4 . The filling tube according to  claim 2 , wherein said tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand to substantially the same diameter as the first end of the tapered portion and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter. 
     
     
         5 . The filing tube according to  claim 1 , said filling tube further comprising a cigarette making apparatus to which the filling tube is mounted, said cigarette making apparatus further comprising a tobacco loading apparatus, a cigarette plug compression apparatus, a tobacco blank separation apparatus, and a tobacco blank loading apparatus mounted to said cigarette making apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus comprising:
 a filling tube holder capable of holding a plurality of filling tubes,   a plurality of filling tubes mounted to said filling tube holder, each of a plurality of filling tubes having a cylindrical portion having an outside diameter, an inside diameter, a first end and a second end, and a hollow tapered portion having a first end with an outside diameter and a second end with an outside diameter,   wherein the first end of the tapered portion adjoins the second end of the cylindrical portion,   wherein said outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion,   wherein said outside diameter of the second end of the tapered portion is less than the outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion,   wherein the outside diameter of the first end of tapered portion is sized to fit inside a tobacco blank,   wherein the tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the tapered portion comprises a plurality of flexible fingers. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand to substantially the same diameter as the first end of the tapered portion and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand to substantially the same diameter as the first end of the tapered portion and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the tube holder is a drum. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the drum is rotatable. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the tube holder is a drum. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the drum is rotatable. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , said apparatus further comprising a cigarette making apparatus to which the filling tube is mounted, said cigarette making apparatus further comprising a tobacco loading apparatus, a cigarette plug compression apparatus, a tobacco blank separation apparatus, and a tobacco blank loading apparatus mounted to said cigarette making apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . A method of locating a tobacco blank on a tobacco filling tube, said method comprising:
 providing at least one filling tube comprising a cylindrical portion having an outside diameter, an inside diameter, a first end and a second end, and a hollow tapered portion having a first end with an outside diameter and a second end with an outside diameter, wherein the first end of the tapered portion adjoins the second end of the cylindrical portion, wherein said outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion, wherein said outside diameter of the second end of the tapered portion is less than the outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion, wherein the outside diameter of the first end of the tapered portion is sized to fit inside a tobacco blank, wherein the tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter, and   dispensing a tobacco blank over the at least one filling tube.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the tapered portion comprises a plurality of flexible fingers. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand to substantially the same diameter as the first end of the tapered portion and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said tapered portion is flexible to allow the second end of the tapered portion to expand to substantially the same diameter as the first end of the tapered portion and thereafter return to its initial outside diameter. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising providing a filling tube holder wherein said at least one filling tube is mounted to said filling tube. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said filling tube holder is a drum. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said drum is rotatable.