GB1019355A - Method and apparatus for separating the components of cigarettes,especially filter cigarettes - Google Patents

Abstract

1,019,355. Stripping cigarettes. K. KORBER. Jan. 7, 1964 [Nov. 20, 1962; Oct. 18, 1963], Nos. 43819/62 and 41230/63. Heading A2C. A method for separating composite articles, such as cigarettes and filter cigarettes consisting of a wrapper and a filler, into component parts comprises subjecting the article to a compression action and thereafter tearing or slitting and opening out the wrapper. Cigarette groups G comprising two cigarettes Z and an interposed double length filter plug F are fed along a conveyer 1 towards two tearing and compressing wheels 2, 3 having toothed edges 4, 5 which interengage at the tearing point A. One of the wheels may be driven from the means driving the conveyer 1 and at a peripheral speed equal to the cigarette speed. The wheels 2 and 3 compress the groups as shown in Fig 2, perforate the paper, and subsequent divergence of the teeth 4 and 5 opens the cigarette paper P. The filter portions F are strong enough to withstand the action of the wheels. In a second embodiment (Fig. 3) the wheels 10 and 11 may be flexible in character. The cigarette groups are fed from a hopper 29 (Fig. 6a) on to a conveyer 26 and fall through a separator box 24 to the inside of a cup-shaped rotary wheel 19 around which the cigarette group conveyer belt 18 runs. The groups are forced against the belt 18 by centrifugal action and a series of guides guides the group between the wheels 2 and 3, the belt 18 being turned through 90 degrees before passing beneath the wheels 2 and 3. The belt is turned through a further 90 degrees after passing the wheels 2 and 3 and returns around a guide roller 20. The slit cigarette groups are impelled aaginst a plate 35 (Fig. 6b) and fall on to a vibratory screen 36. They then pass through a beater device 37 and on to a further vibratory screen 42. Usable tobacco falls into a container 49. Light particles sucked up the pipe 25 when the cigarette groups are fed into the separator box 24 fall from the duct 43 on to the residual material, filters and paper, on the screen 42.