Cigarette manufacturing machine

Abstract

A machine for manufacturing a cigarette includes a housing, a support frame disposed within the housing, a filling pipe at least partially disposed outside of the housing, a push plate at least partially disposed within the support frame, a first actuation assembly operatively connected to the push plate, a push spoon assembly, and a second actuation assembly operatively connected to the push spoon assembly. The support frame includes a tobacco cavity aligned with an opening of the housing, at least one protrusion, and a frame rail. Actuation of the first actuation assembly causes the push plate to move from a first position to a second position to push tobacco in the tobacco cavity into alignment with the filling pipe. The second position of the push plate is defined by engagement of the push plate with the at least one protrusion of the support frame. The push spoon assembly includes a sliding block attached to the frame rail and a push spoon extending into the tobacco cavity. Movement of the sliding block along the frame rail causes the push spoon to move within the tobacco cavity. The second actuation assembly causes the sliding block to move along the frame rail.

1 . A machine for manufacturing a cigarette, the machine comprising:
 a housing;   a support frame disposed within the housing, the support frame comprising a tobacco cavity aligned with an opening in the housing, at least one protrusion, and a frame rail;   a filling pipe at least partially disposed outside of the housing, wherein the filling pipe is in communication with the tobacco cavity and configured to engage an empty cigarette tube;   a push plate at least partially disposed within the support frame;   a first actuation assembly operatively connected to the push plate, wherein actuation of the first actuation assembly causes the push plate to move from a first position to a second position to push tobacco in the tobacco cavity into alignment with the filling pipe, the second position being defined by engagement of the push plate with the at least one protrusion of the support frame;   a push spoon assembly comprising a sliding block attached to the frame rail and a push spoon extending into the tobacco cavity, wherein movement of the sliding block along the frame rail causes the push spoon to move within the tobacco cavity; and   a second actuation assembly operatively connected to the sliding block of the push spoon assembly for moving the sliding block along the frame rail.   
     
     
         2 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the push plate comprises a plastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion, and wherein the second position of the push plate is defined by engagement of the push plate with the first protrusion and the second protrusion. 
     
     
         4 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the second actuation assembly comprises an electric motor, and wherein the second actuation assembly further comprises a swing arm assembly that is operatively connected to the electric motor and the sliding block. 
     
     
         5 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first actuation assembly comprises a handle and a shaft, wherein the shaft is in a channel disposed in a top surface of the support frame, wherein the shaft is attached to the handle such that rotation of the handle causes the shaft to rotate, and wherein the push plate is operatively connected to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the push plate to move from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame rail is disposed on an exterior surface of the support frame. 
     
     
         7 . The machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plastic strip disposed in an interior channel of the support frame, wherein the plastic strip is positioned such that a back side of the pushing spoon engages the plastic strip as the pushing spoon moves within the tobacco cavity. 
     
     
         8 . A machine for manufacturing a cigarette, the machine comprising:
 a housing;   a support frame disposed within the housing, the support frame comprising a tobacco cavity aligned with an opening in the housing, a channel disposed in an interior of the support frame, and a frame rail;   a filling pipe at least partially disposed outside of the housing, wherein the filling pipe is in communication with the tobacco cavity and configured to engage an empty cigarette tube;   a push plate at least partially disposed within the support frame;   a first actuation assembly operatively connected to the push plate, wherein actuation of the first actuation assembly causes the push plate to move from a first position to a second position to push tobacco in the tobacco cavity into alignment with the filling pipe;   a push spoon assembly comprising a sliding block attached to the frame rail and a push spoon extending into the tobacco cavity, wherein movement of the sliding block along the frame rail causes the push spoon to move within the tobacco cavity;   a second actuation assembly operatively connected to the sliding block of the push spoon assembly for moving the sliding block along the frame rail; and   a plastic strip disposed in the channel of the support frame, wherein the plastic strip is positioned such that a back side of the pushing spoon engages the plastic strip as the pushing spoon moves within the tobacco cavity.   
     
     
         9 . The machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the push plate comprises a plastic material. 
     
     
         10 . The machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the support frame further comprises at least one protrusion, and wherein the second position of the push plate is defined by engagement of the push plate with the at least one protrusion. 
     
     
         11 . The machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the second actuation assembly comprises an electric motor, and wherein the second actuation assembly further comprises a swing arm assembly that is operatively connected to the electric motor and the sliding block. 
     
     
         12 . The machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the first actuation assembly comprises a handle and a shaft, wherein is in a channel disposed in a top surface of the support frame, wherein the shaft is attached to the handle such that rotation of the handle causes the shaft to rotate, and wherein the push plate is operatively connected to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the push plate to move from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         13 . The machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the frame rail is disposed on an exterior surface of the support frame. 
     
     
         14 . The machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the plastic strip comprises a self-lubricating plastic material. 
     
     
         15 . The machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the plastic strip has a concave shape. 
     
     
         16 . A machine for manufacturing a cigarette, the machine comprising:
 a housing;   a support frame disposed within the housing, the support frame comprising a tobacco cavity and an exterior frame rail, wherein the tobacco cavity is aligned with an opening in the housing;   a filling pipe at least partially disposed outside of the housing, wherein the filling pipe is in communication with the tobacco cavity and configured to engage an empty cigarette tube;   a push plate at least partially disposed within the support frame;   a first actuation assembly operatively connected to the push plate, wherein actuation of the first actuation assembly causes the push plate to move from a first position to a second position to push tobacco in the tobacco cavity into alignment with the filling pipe;   a push spoon assembly comprising a sliding block attached to the exterior frame rail and a push spoon extending into the tobacco cavity, wherein the sliding block is connected to the push spoon by a connection element that extends through an elongated opening of the support frame, wherein movement of the sliding block along the exterior frame rail causes the connection element to move within the elongated opening and the push spoon to move within the tobacco cavity; and   a second actuation assembly operatively connected to the sliding block of the push spoon assembly for moving the sliding block along the frame rail.   
     
     
         17 . The machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the support frame further comprises at least one protrusion, and wherein the second position of the push plate is defined by engagement of the push plate with the at least one protrusion. 
     
     
         18 . The machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the second actuation assembly comprises an electric motor, and wherein the second actuation assembly further comprises a swing arm assembly that is operatively connected to the electric motor and the sliding block. 
     
     
         19 . The machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the first actuation assembly comprises a handle and a shaft, wherein the shaft is in a channel disposed in a top surface of the support frame, wherein the shaft is attached to the handle such that rotation of the handle causes the shaft to rotate, and wherein the push plate is operatively connected to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the push plate to move from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         20 . The machine according to  claim 16 , further comprising a plastic strip disposed in an interior channel of the support frame, wherein the plastic strip is positioned such that a back side of the pushing spoon engages the plastic strip as the pushing spoon moves within the tobacco cavity, wherein the plastic strip comprises an elongated opening that aligns with the elongated opening of the support frame when the plastic strip is disposed in the interior channel of the support frame, and wherein the connection element of the extends through the elongated opening of both the support frame and the plastic strip to attach the sliding block to the pushing spoon.