Cigarette making method and apparatus

Abstract

A traditional do-it-yourself cigarette making machine operates at a relatively slow throughput There is provided a method and apparatus for rolling your own cigarettes wherein pre-cut tobacco of a desired humidity is molded in a mold ( 74, 80 ) to form a tobacco plug ( 79 ), subsequently the plug is advanced into a cylindrical shell ( 98 ), the empty cigarette tube ( 94 ) is then placed about the shell ( 98 ) and the cigarette tube is expelled leaving a complete cigarette The apparatus is ideally placed in a retail outlet where a person may go in and purchase the tobacco and cigarette tubes and insert them in an apparatus to roll the cigarettes.

1 . An apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes, the apparatus comprising:
 a hopper ( 12 ) for receiving pre-cut tobacco;   a compactor ( 14 ) for compacting said pre-cut tobacco into a cylindrical tobacco plug ( 79 );   a first transfer mechanism ( 46 ,  48 ) for transferring said pre-cut tobacco from said hopper to said compactor;   a transition section having at least one hollow cylindrical transition tube ( 98 ) designed to receive an empty tobacco tube ( 94 ) thereabout;   a second transfer mechanism ( 75 ) to transfer said tobacco plug to said hollow cylindrical transition tube; and   a pushing mechanism ( 91 ) to push said tobacco plug ( 79 ) into said cigarette tube ( 94 ) and thereby discharge said cigarette tube ( 94 ) from said transition tube.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said hopper ( 22 ) has a conveyor belt ( 30 ) to move said pre-cut tobacco to said first transfer device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said hopper ( 22 ) further includes a dethatching device ( 32 ) for said pre-cut tobacco. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said dethatching device ( 32 ) comprises a rotating shaft ( 34 ) having fingers ( 36 ) extending outwardly therefrom. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first transfer mechanism comprises a pair of generally vertically oriented conveyor belts ( 46 ,  48 ). 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein at least one of said conveyor belts ( 46 ,  48 ) has an angled converging section with respect to the other of said conveyor belts. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said compactor comprises a pair of half molds ( 74 ,  80 ), at least one of said half molds ( 74 ) being moveable to thereby compact said pre-cut tobacco placed therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said transition section comprises a base ( 96 ) having a plurality of said hollow cylindrical transition tubes ( 98 ) extending outwardly therefrom. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein each of said transition cylinders ( 98 ) is tapered at an end remote from said base. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including a rotatable turret ( 88 ) having a plurality of elongated recesses therein, each of said elongated recesses being sized to receive and retain a single cigarette tube ( 94 ). 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further including a cigarette tube dispenser ( 16 ) located adjacent said rotatable turret ( 88 ). 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said tube dispenser has a hinged wall ( 56 ) and a cylinder ( 70 ) to move said hinged wall to permit dispensing of a single cigarette tube on said rotatable turret. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said pushing mechanism to push said tobacco plug into said cigarette tube comprises a pneumatic cylinder ( 70 ). 
     
     
         14 . A method of filling a tobacco tube ( 94 ) with pre-cut tobacco to form a cigarette comprising the steps of:
 compacting said tobacco to form a cylindrical plug ( 79 );   placing said cylindrical plug ( 79 ) in a transition tube ( 98 );   placing a cigarette tube ( 94 ) over said transition tube ( 98 ); and   pushing on said cylindrical plug of tobacco ( 79 ) while in said transition tube to thereby fill said cigarette tube with tobacco as said cigarette tube is discharged from said transition tube.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of compacting said tobacco to form a cylindrical plug comprises the steps of placing said pre-cut tobacco between a pair of conveyor belts ( 46 ,  48 ), and transporting said pre-cut tobacco to a compacting mechanism comprised of two half molds ( 74 ,  80 ). 
     
     
         16 . A method of filling a cigarette tube with pre-cut tobacco, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a transition tube ( 98 ) having a cylindrical configuration with an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of a cigarette tube ( 94 );   inserting a guide tube within said transition tube to extend through the free end of the transition tube;   placing an open end of said cigarette tube ( 94 ) over said guide and over said transition tube, withdrawing said guide member while continuing to place said cigarette tube on said transition tube; and   pushing a pre formed plug ( 79 ) of tobacco into said transition tube and continuing to push until said cigarette tube is discharged from said transition tube with said pre-cut tobacco therein.