Method and apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes

Abstract

Finishing and extruding method comprising the steps of obtaining a press tool and a finishing and extruding apparatus defining a plurality of elongated inner tapered hole surfaces, having a plurality of pre-rolled paper cones, containing smokeable materials, loaded into the plurality of corresponding elongated inner tapered hole surfaces of the apparatus, folding excess paper of each of the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones over using tines of the press tool, pressing each top of the folded paper of the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones using the press tool to flatten and begin to close each top of the folded paper of the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones with pressure, and pressing and extruding each of the plurality of closed pre-rolled paper cones with the press tool deeper into each of the corresponding elongated tapered hole surfaces in the apparatus to finish closing and to eject each cigarette into a catcher.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a plurality of consistently dimple-closed cigarettes, comprising:
 Obtaining a press tool and a finishing and extruding apparatus defining a plurality of elongated inner tapered hole surfaces, having a plurality of pre-rolled paper cones loaded into the plurality of corresponding elongated inner tapered hole surfaces of the apparatus, each of the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones having smokeable material filled therein;   Folding excess paper of each of the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones over using tines of the press tool;   Pressing each top of the folded paper of the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones using the press tool to flatten and begin to close each top of the folded paper of the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones with pressure; and   Pressing and extruding each of the plurality of closed pre-rolled paper cones with the press tool deeper into each of the corresponding elongated tapered hole surfaces in the apparatus to finish closing and to eject each cigarette into a catcher.   
     
     
         2 . The method of producing a plurality of consistently dimple-closed cigarettes of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 Loading the plurality of elongated inner tapered hole surfaces of the finishing and extruding apparatus further comprising a packing apparatus, with the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones and filling the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones with smokeable material; and   Shaking the loaded extruding apparatus via shaking of the packing apparatus for between 20-30 seconds to achieve an appropriate pack.   
     
     
         3 . The method of producing a plurality of consistently dimple-closed cigarettes of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 Obtaining a metering tray with spacer sheets wherein during the loading of the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones, the metering tray and as many spacer sheets as needed are placed on top of the plurality of elongated inner tapered hole surfaces of said extruding apparatus to fill the plurality of pre-rolled paper cones with metered amount of smokeable material.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein finishing and closing produces a dimple or Dutch Crown close. 
     
     
         5 . A method of producing a plurality of consistently dimple-closed cigarettes from partially closed pre-filled paper cones having smokeable materials therein, comprising:
 Obtaining a press tool and a finishing and extruding apparatus defining a plurality of elongated inner tapered hole surfaces and having a plurality of pre-filled paper cones loaded, wherein each of the plurality of pre-filled paper cones is held by corresponding one of said plurality of elongated inner tapered hole surfaces of the apparatus; and   Pressing and extruding each of the plurality of partially closed pre-filled paper cones with the press tool deeper through each of the corresponding elongated inner tapered hole surfaces to fold and close, and thereby finish, each cigarette and to eject each cigarette into a catcher.