Apparatus for forming smoking products

Abstract

A machine assembly for forming a smoking product comprises a base plate and includes a die block assembly having a plurality of cavities and a needle punch. A bottom punch assembly including a plurality of punches is positioned below the die block assembly. A top punch assembly having a plurality of punches is positioned above the die block assembly. A hopper carrying a material to form smoking products is positioned over the plurality of cavities and fills the cavities. The plurality of punches of the top punch assembly and the bottom punch assembly compress the material in the plurality of cavities of the die block. During this compression, the needle punch extends through one end of each of the plurality of cavities to form an opening in the compressed material therein. After compression is released, each compressed material provides a smoking product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A machine assembly for forming a smoking product, the machine assembly comprising:
 a base plate carrying a die block assembly that includes
 a die block including a plurality of cavities extending therethrough, and 
 a needle punch, 
   a bottom punch assembly having a plurality of punches, the bottom punch assembly positioned below the die block;   a top punch assembly having a plurality of punches and positionable above the die block;   a hopper assembly including a hopper configured to carry a material to form a smoking product, the hopper positionable above the die block;   wherein when the hopper is positioned over the die block, the material therein flows into and fills the plurality of cavities of the die block,   wherein the top punch assembly is movable to a position above the die block,   wherein at least a portion of the bottom punch assembly and a portion of the top punch assembly move toward the die block to compress the material in the plurality of cavities of the die block,   wherein during compression of the material, the needle punch extends through a portion of the material at one end of each of the plurality of cavities to form an opening defined by an inner perimeter, the opening extending axially from one end of the material a distance toward an opposite end of the material, and   wherein after compression of the material in the cavities is withdrawn, a smoking product is formed from each cavity, and each smoking product is ejected from each cavity of the die block.   
     
     
         2 . The machine assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the machine assembly includes a mounting plate positioned above the base plate and slidably connected thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The machine assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the hopper assembly and the top punch assembly are each movably carried by the mounting plate. 
     
     
         4 . The machine assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the die plate assembly further includes a first end punch for forming a first end of the smoking product, and a second end punch for forming a second end of the smoking product. 
     
     
         5 . The machine assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the needle punch is connected to the first end punch. 
     
     
         6 . The machine assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each punch asserts as psi in a range of between 5 and 25 psi. 
     
     
         7 . The machine assembly is  claim 1 , wherein the bottom punch assembly is movable to control the amount of material that forms the smoking product. 
     
     
         8 . The machine assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bottom punches move upward to eject each smoking product from each cavity of the die block. 
     
     
         9 . The machine assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper assembly includes a feed shoe, and the feed shoe moves each smoking product over a base plate to a chute loading assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The machine assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each smoking product moves down a chute of the chute assembly and into one preformed paper of a plurality of preformed papers held in row in a loading magazine. 
     
     
         11 . The machine assembly of  claim 10 , wherein when each smoking product moves into the preformed paper, a pusher arm presses a first end of the smoking product to seat the smoking product within the preformed paper. 
     
     
         12 . The machine assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the machine assembly is carried by a frame, and a portion of the frame includes a plurality of wheels. 
     
     
         13 . A method of making a smoking product, the method comprising:
 providing a smoking material comprising at least one of marijuana, cannabidiol, and tobacco;   providing machine assembly for producing the smoking product, the machine assembly comprising
 a base plate carrying a die block assembly including
 a die block having plurality of cavities extending therethrough, and 
 a needle punch; 
 
 a bottom punch assembly positioned below the die block; 
 a top punch assembly positionable above the die block; 
 a hopper assembly including a hopper configured to carry a smoking material to form the smoking product, the hopper having an open lower end; 
   filling a portion of the hopper with a smoking material;   positioning the hopper over the die block to permit the material therein to flow and fill the plurality of cavities of the die block;   moving the top punch assembly to a position above the die block;   moving at least a portion of the bottom punch assembly and a portion of the top punch toward the die block and compressing the material in the plurality of cavities;   moving the needle punch into a portion of the material at one end of each of the plurality of cavities to form an opening defined by an inner perimeter axially positioned through a portion of a central interior of the material,   retracting the top punch assembly and the needle assembly from each cavity of the plurality of cavities, thereby forming the smoking product in each cavity;   ejecting each smoking product from each cavity.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein in the step of providing a machine assembly, the machine assembly further comprises a mounting plate positioned above the base plate and slidably connected thereto. 
     
     
         15 . The machine assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the hopper assembly and the top punch assembly are each movably carried by the mounting plate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein in the step of providing a machine, the die plate assembly further includes a first end punch for forming a first end of the smoking product, and a second end punch for forming a second end of the smoking product. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the needle punch is connected to the first end punch. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein in the step of moving at least a portion of the bottom punch assembly, the bottom punch assembly movement controls the amount of material that forms the smoking product. 
     
     
         19 . The machine assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of bottom punches move upward to compress the material to form the smoking product, and after compression the bottom punches are moved further upward to eject each smoking product from each cavity of the die block. 
     
     
         20 . A smoking product, comprising:
 a material comprising at least one of marijuana, cannabidiol, and tobacco, wherein the material is formed into a frusto-conical configuration, wherein an opening defined by an internal perimeter is formed at one end of the smoking product and extends axially along a portion of the length of the frusto-conical configuration, the opening ending before reaching an opposite end of the frusto-conical configuration.