US1965321A - Cigar wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

Juy 3, 1934.V E l.. SMITH CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. 19.50 .5 Sheets-Sheet l July 3, 1934. E. l.. SMITH 1,965,321

CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. 1930 15 Sheets-Shree?l 2 m N INVENToR.

A TTORNEYS.

Filed Nov'. 14. 1930 l5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR. 7l/Vm l. J/l//m @ihm al* 77M ATTORNEYS.

July 3', 1934.

E. SMITH CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. ,1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS.

`Iuly 3, 1934.

E. L. SMITH CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE yFiled Nov. 14. 1930 l5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mm Wj m 1 A f @Ss o Mj &\ \\\W\ M @I ...uw lm o NW, KM Q\\ 1 QN 1 \%M www l s L., .o. s QM F l l M 111111111111111 .1 |1 f mmm %\M M\\ QM @w ,www

July 3, 1934. E. 1 SMITH CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. 195o 15 sheetssheet 6 INVENTOR. rb/ml. J/f//w W L# /M ATTORNEYS.

July 3,1934. E. 1 SMITH 1,965,321

CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. 1930 l5 Sheets-Sheet '7 IN V EN TOR.

BY Z2 ffm ffm/f ATTOR EYS.

July 3, 1934.

E. l.. SMITH CIGA WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. 1950 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR. 7u/m J/f/f/ BY ATTOIEYS.

July 3, 1934. E. l.. sMn'H CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE 15 sheets-shea 9 Filed NOV. 14. 1930 l INVENTOR.

- BY 'Z2/fm J/w//f Ww' 9 v ATToR EYs.

July 3,'1934. E L SMlTH 1,965,321

CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, i950 15 sheets-sheet 1ov ff c y IN V EN TOR.

MM *M ATTORNEYS.

July 3, 1934i.- E. L. SMITH 1,965,321

GIGAR WBPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. 1930 l5 Sheets-Sheet 1l Hrw Jiu/ms C Q/m5710147# B0'- f. Eburon/DAM IN VEN TOR.

@uw a ZM ATTORNEYS.

- July 3, 1934. t E, L SMITH 1;965,321

CIGAR WRAPRING' MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1930 l5 Sheets-Sheet l2 f N V EN TOR. /vm Z. J/f/r/f W Y M ATTORNEYS.

July 3, 1934. E. L. SMITH 1,965,321

CIGAR WRAPPING MACHAINE Filed Nov. 14. 1930 l5 Sheets-Sheet l5 if@ By Zt/4W' //aza ATTORNEYS.

July 3, 1934. v I E. sMlTH 1,965,321

CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE Filed NOV. 14. 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 July 3, 1934. E. L. SMITH CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. 1950 l5 Sheets-Sheet l5 Patented July 3,v 1934 UNITED s'rxrizs CIGAB WBAPPING MACHINE Elmer L. Smith, Longmeadow, assignor to Package Machinery Company, Sprinseld.

Mass., a. corporation of Massachusetts Application November-14,1930, sonni No. 495,597

25 Claims Prior machines intended for the automatic wrapping of cigars have generally employed a wrapping material such as tinfoil or tissue paper which can readily be crimped "or twisted to conform to the tapering shape of the cigar end. Re-

cently the wrapping of articles in the transpar' `-ent regenerated cellulose material known` as cellophane has come into vogue, but prior to my invention it has been possible to wrap cigars in this material only by hand on account ofthe lack of any machine suitable for the purpose. On account of its high elasticity and the difculty of forming permanent creases in it, 'this material could not be ,used in the wrappingmachinespreviously employed for wrapping cigars in tissue paper or tinfoil. The problem further complicated by the delicate nature and the varying shapes of the ends of the cigars, which prevent the formation of folds in the manner usual with other articles, in which the end of the article is generally used as aoform.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a machine which will wrap cigars of any usual shape in cellophane or similar material, without injury to the cigar ends and with the production' of a neat and permanent end fold. While the fold employed has been used previously on other articles, the manner of its formation and the mechanism for producing it are novel. Preferably the cellophane used is of the`moisture-proof variety, which carries on its surfaces thin lms of a fusible waterproofing material. This material can be caused to retain a folded form by heat, and can to some extent at least be heat sealed; but it is difficult to handle mechanically' on account of the impermanence of the folds until they are finally fixed in position by the heat treatment. The present machine is especially designed to handle this material, each fold being u held positively after it is made until it is retained by succeeding folds or has been given permanence by the molding action ofthe final heat; The present application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No.

l424,998, led January 31, 1930.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation ofthe lower part.

'of the machine, forming a, continuation of thelower portion of Fig. 2; f A

Fig. 5 is an elevational detail, on an enlarged scale, of ai portion of the turret gripper mecha.-

nism which carries the cigars intermittently between the several wrapping stages;

rig. s is n detail man of the meonanismfor opening the grippers;

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan taken substantially onY line 7 7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan taken on line 84-8 of Fig. 4; A

Fig. 9 isa sectional elevation taken on'line, 9 9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on an enlarged scale, taken on line 10T-10 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a'detail plan on line 11--11 of Fig'. 10;vv Fig. 12 is arr^ enlarged detail of mechanism shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is ,a section on line 1313 of Fig. 10; Fig. 14 is a detail of the second stage tucking mechanism shown in Fig. 3, with the tucking elements shown in operative position in full lines Fig. 19 is a diagram illustrating the path of .travel of a cigar through the machine;

20 is a sectional detail-showing' a cigar about-to be fed from the feeding disk into association with the wrapping sheet; i

Fig. 21 is a similar view shrowingv thecigar and wrapper positioned in the griPperS of the turret;

Fig. 22 is a similar view. showing the completion of the'folding of the wrapperacross the bottom of the cigar;

Fig. 23 is a perspective detail showing the partially wrapped cigar in the position of Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is 'a perspective detail of the mapping mechanism at the second station;

Fig. 25 is n dem snowing the second station:

wrapping mechanism aan slightly inter" period than that shown in Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a similar detail showing a still later wrapped cigarin the condition in which it leaves the second wrapping station;

Fig. 2'8 is-a, detail showing the position of the Fig. 1, and showing the position of the parts just' prior to the arrival of the cigar;

Fig. 32 is asimilar view showing the cigar in its initial position in the third stage mechanism, corresponding to Fig. 28;

Fig. 33 is a similar `view corresponding to Fig. 29;

Fig. 34 is a perspective detail of the third stage wrapping mechanism;

Fig. 35 is a view similar to Fig. 33 but showing the ejection of the cigar;

Fig. 36 is a section on line 36-36 of Fig. 32;

Fig.,37 is a section on line y,3'7--3'7 of Fig. 32;

Fig. 38 is a section on line 38-38 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 39 is a'perspective detail of the mechanism for detecting improperly positioned cigars;

Fig. 40 is a detail of the mechanism. for detecting the absence of a cigar taken online 40-40 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 41 is a view corresponding to a portion of Fig. 40 but with the lparts in a different position of operation.

The machine, for purposes of compactness, carries the cigars through the several wrapping stages by grippers on an intermittently rotating turret. (See Fig. 19, in which the general path of the cigar through the machine is shown diagrammatically.) During the delivery of the cigar into the grippers a wrapper sheet is associated with it. The cigars are carried into position ad- .jacent the turret by any suitable device, shown in this case as an intermittently rotating disk having a series of cigar receiving pockets. A suitable automatic device, such as that shown in my application for patent Serial No. 452,682, filed May 15, 1930, may be used to position the cigars initially in the pockets, or they may be placed there by hand..l It may be assumed for the purpose oi' the present description that they are manually fed. As the cigars are carried around by the disk they pass two detectors, one stopping the entire machine if a cigar is misplaced in its pocket, and the other causing the paper feed to skip an operation ifa cigar is omitted from a pocket. The paper feed maybe of any desired type, the one shown feeding a web and cutting it off automatically to the desired length.

' As they are being associated initially, the cigar and the cut wrapper are carried through a folding throat which drapes the wrapper around the cigar in inverted U-form (Fig. 21.) As the partially folded package is Agrasped by the turret grippers, one depending ap is folded by a reciprocating plate, the other being tucked under as the package is advanced through an arc of (Fig. 30), and as the wrapped cigars are ejected f from the machine the folds are set and preferably sealed by the temporary application of heat. The several mechanisms referred to will now be described in detail.

Cigar conveying turret From a base (Fig. 2, 4 and'9) rises a vertical ,frame 51 and a pair of spaced tie rods 52, carrying at their top a horizontal support plate 53. A turret shaft 54 is journaled both in the base and in the support plate, being held against vertical movement by collars 55 (Fig. 9) above the former and below the latter. Rigidly secured to the upper end of the turret shaft is a head 56 (Figs. Al, 5, 13 and 24) provided with upper bearings 57 arranged in aligned pairs and lower bearings 58 similarly paired but having their axes atright angles to those of the upper set. Journaled in the upper bearings are a pair of gripper carrying shafts 59. Similarly journaled in the lower bearings are a pair of gripper carrying shafts 60, the two sets of shafts crossing each other. The shafts bear at their ends depending arms 6l carrying elongated fiat gripper plates 62 at their lower ends. The arms attached to the upper shafts 59 are enough longer than those on the lower shafts 60 to compensate for the difference in elevation of the shafts, so that all the grippers travel at the same level.

A short arm 63 (Fig. 24) carrying a roller 64 is fixed to each end of each shaft just outside its bearing in the head .56, restraining the shaft against endwise movement and affording means for rotating it. These arms are thus arranged in pairs, each pair being joined by a spring 65 stretched between pins 66 on the arms. Abutments 6'7 are formed on each arm with the abutments of each pair coming in contact under the pull of the spring` when the grippers are in closed position. A wedge 68 (Figs. 2, 5 and 6) is formed upon the upright end of a lever 69 pivoted at 70 in a bearing 71 secured to the plate 53. The wedge normally lies inside the path of rotation of the rollers 64 at the point where the grippers stop at the third wrapping stage. Once at each stoppage of the turret the wedge is forced outwardly between the rollers to separate them and thus open the grippers momentarily. Not only 'are the grippers at the third station opened by this action, but also the grippers at the first station directly opposite; opposite pairs of grippers at all times moving together on account of the rigid shaft con nection between them. The lever 69 carries at its end remote from the wedge a cam roll 72 running against a disk cam 73 fixed to a vertical cam shaft 74 journaled in the base 50 and the plate 53. A spring 75 is stretched between the roll end of the lever and a vertical rod 76 holds the roll constantly against the cam.

80 (Figs. 8 and9') having four radial slots 81 and peripheral locking recesses 82. A series ofV three rolls 83 mounted on the surface of a gear 84 t successively into the slots 81, and projecting locking members 85 secured to the same gear t into the locking recesses. Gear 34 meshes with a pinion 86 (Figs. 4 and 8), the shaft of which is secured by mitre gears 87 with the shaft 88 of a reducing gear box 89. through a clutch 90 with an electric motor 91. Thesel driving parts may be of any standard design and need not be described in detail. Assuming the clutch engaged, constant rotation of the motorwill cause intermittent rotation of the turret shaft, the latter moving through a quarter turn andthen halting. The cam shaft '74 carries a pinion 92 meshing with the gear 84 and thus is rotated continuously. I

Cigar feed disk l il This box is connected The cigars' are carried to the Viirst wrapping 1.2.0

station by a feed disk shown in plan in Fig. 7 and in section in Fig. 13, `This disk is secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft 101 journaled in the base 50 andthe plate 53. A Geneva disk 102 (Figs. 8 and 9) is secured to the lower-end f this shaft, with radial slots 103 and peripheral locking recesses 104. A short vertical shaft 105 is joined by a pinion 106 with the constantly rotating gear 84. Upon the upper endof the shaft 105 is an arm 107carrying a roll I108 which enters the slots 103 and a circular abutment 109 which engages the recesses 104. The feed disk 100 is thus rotated intermittently a sixth of a revolution at a time. The gearing is so-proportioned that the turret moves a quarter and the disk a sixth of a revolution at the same time.

Referring particularly to Figs. 7 ,and 13, the disk is provided with a series of six generally rectangular pockets 110 each large enough to receiveva single cigar. One end 111 of each pocket is preferably made straight and the other end 112 slanting. Underlying each end of each pocket is a cigar supporting plate 113. As a cigar is placed in each pocket one end slides down the incline 112 a distance depending upon the length of the cigar, insuring that the other end strikes the flat end 111 of the pocket. lIlhis gives to one end ofthe cigar a definite position in the machine, preferably chosen so that it is the one adjacent the shears which cut oif the paper. This is for the reason that it is easier to vary the length of 5paper fed,'and thus control the amount of paper which projects beyond the shears, than it is to change the position of the shears. Slight inequalities in' the lengths of cigars are thus accommodated while preserving the registration of one end of the cigar with the position ofthe cut wrapper.

Wrapperfeedv `Wrappers may be fed to the machine by hand or by any suitable mechanical web or sheet feed. In the present case a Web feed is illustrated; The paper or cellophane web w (Figs. 3 andr13)y is carried from a roll under the usual slight tension over a pair of idle rolls 115 and 116 having edgeguiding flanges 117 (see also Fig. 1)`. From these rolls the wrapperweb is received on a table (Figs. 1, 13 and 38) having a horizontal top 118 and slanting sides 119. The top 118 is at one point cut away as at 120 (Fig. 13) so that a lower paper feed roll 121 may pass through it into contact with the paper. This roll is fixed to ashaft 122 journaled in the frame and connected by a universal joint coupling 123 (Fig. 1) with a shaft 124. This shaft is connected by gearing 125 with', a transverse shaft 126 which has fixed to it a pinion 127 (Fig. 3) meshing with a gear 128 on a short shaft 129. Aixed to the gear 128 is a ratchet wheel 130. A plurality of pawls 131 (Fig. 2) are mounted upon a pawl carrier 132 journaled upon the shaft 129 and having a slotted arm 133 projecting from it. A pivot 134 is adjustably secured in the slot of arm 133, and is joined by a link 13 5 with a rocking lever 136'pivotally carried upon a transverse support shaft 137. This lever is rocked periodically -by mechanism to be described, and rotates the lower feed m1151121 intermittently an amount depending upon the setting of the adjustable pivot 134. The plurality of pawls 131 are spaced apart by distances slightly greater or less than a multiple of the spacing of the ratchet teeth, so that the adjustment can be made ner than that corresponding to one tooth'of the ratchet, as is well understood.

vpaper feed bodily, thus Returning now to the paper engaging rolls, the

lower roll 121 is supplemented by an upper roll (Figs. 1, 3, 13and 38) fixed to a shaft 141 journaled in a frame 142 swinging on a supporting shaft 143. A spring 144 (Fig. 1) assists the weight of the parts in pressing lthe upper roll upon the paper. The shaft 141 carrying the upper roll is connected to the shaft 122 carrying the lower roll by gearing 145 so that they rotate together. A brake 146 is also preferably vapplied to 1 the upper roll shaft so that there will be no tendency to over-run or to pull back during the backward movement of the pawls.

In dealing with wrapping material of the thinness of cellulosic material such as cellophane, it is desirable to prevent it from buckling as it is projected by the feed rolls across the cigar to be wrapped. In the present case this result has been accomplished by arching the paper as it is fed by the rolls 121 and 140. Itis for this reason that the table over which the web is fed is provided with the slanting sides 19. Frustoconical rolls 147 (Fig. 38) are mounted upon shaft 141 adjacent each side of the roll 140 to assist in shaping the sides of the web to the angle determined by the sloping table sides y119. In this they'are assisted by guide rails 1.48 and plates 149 secured thereto. vPositioned adjacent the termination of the table 118, 119 `are a pair of shear blades 151 (Figs.

1, 10,13 and 38) pivoted at 152 (Fig. 10) and 105 having operating extensions joined by links 153 witha lever arm 154 projecting from a shaft 155. The other endkof this shaft carries an arm 156 (Figs. 1 and 10) joined by a link 157 with a lever 158 (Fig. 8) pivoted at one end to the support 110 shaft 137 and carrying a cam roll 160. The lever 158 is'held down by a spring 161 so that the roll 160 will ride at all times upon thev surface of a cam 162 (Figs. 3 and 8) mounted near one end of a horizontal cam shaft 163. At its other end 115,

this shaft is joined by gearing 164 with the shaft 88 extending from the gear box. Bythis mechanism the shears are actuated to cut off a length of paper once during each cycle ofthe operation of the machine, this operation occurring just 120 after the feed of the paper has been stopped and after the paper has been clamped between the cigar and a holding plunger as willbe described below.

Beyond the shear blades the central part of the 125 wrapper is supported by spaced guide bars 165 (Fig. 10)', and its edges are received by side guids 166 having paper receiving slots 167. These guides are formed with a U-shaped body having unequal legs 168. Each leg is bolted through a 13C,- slot 169 formed in a bracket member 170, so that th'ey may be adjusted forA different paper widths. slanting plates 171, cooperating with the bars l165 and the guides 166, and shown in Figs. 10, 20,

and 21 are preferably provided, aiording addi- 135 tional support to prevent buckling of the paper. In order to permit changes inthe amount which the wrapper projects at the end of the cigar, the wrapper feeding mechanism, including the feed rolls and shears, is preferably mounted upon a separate bed 172 (Figs. 7 and 13) having sliding connection with sa guide bar 173 on the plate 53 and held down in adjusted position by a slot and bolt con-nection 174. 'Adjustment of the amount the wrapper projects beyond the end of the cigar 7 5 at the left in Fig. 13 is obtained by shifting the changing the distance between the cigar and the shears. Similar adjustment at theother end of the cigar is obtained by adjusting the pivot 134,whichv changes the 150 .on the lower end of a bent arm 201.

zontal.

length of paper projected Ibeyond the shears at each operation.

First wrapping station The disk 100 at each stoppage locates a cigar directly below the end of the' paper web which has been projected past the shears by the rotation of the paper freed rolls. At this point the cigar is removed from the disk by an elevating plunger 180 (Figs. 7, 10, 13 and 20) carried upon a vertically reciprocating rod 181. The rod slides in bearings 182 (Figs. 3 and 9) and has a forked arm 183 extendingfrom it and embracing the disk shaft 101 so that the rod may slide without rotation. A bracket 184 is adjustably secured to the rod as by a set screw 185 and has pivoted to it a pair of links 186 straddling the rod and pivoted in turn to one end of a lever 187 pivoted in its middle upon the support shaft 137. A spring 188 (Fig. 3) acting upon the link end of this lever holds a cam roll 189 on its other end against the surface of a cam 190 (Figs. 3 and 8) xed to the cam shaft 17637.Y The plunger 180 is by this mechanism give/1T kone complete up and down reciprocationfduring each cycle of the machine, its motion being completed during the intervals of rest of the disk 100 so that the plunger may pass successively through the pockets 110.

Cooperating with the lower plunger 180 is an upper plunger 200 '(Figs. 20 and 21) having a vertical reciprocation from the position shown inl Fig. 20, where it is substantially in contact with the paper carried on the guide bars 165, to that of Fig. 21, where the cigar and paper are delivered between the gripper plates 62. The upper plunger 200, as best shown in Fig. 13, is formed Levers 202 and 203 are pivoted to the upper end of this arm and to a bracket 204 to form a parallel motion linkage; so that the arm 201 may have a vertical motion relative to the bracket while maintaining the bottom ofthe plunger 200 always hori- This motion is used to permit a vertically yielding motion of the plunger to.accommodate slight differences in cigar thicknesses and to secure the desired pressure between the cigar and the paper lying over it. For this purpose the lever 203 has a rearwardly extending portion 205 joined by a spring 206 with a lug 207 on the bracket 204. Another lug 208 on the bracket underlies a cross piece 209 on the link 202 in order to limit downward motion of the plunger relative to the bracket.

The bracket 204y is fixed on a vertical shaft 210 journaled in a yoke 211 (Figs. 10, 11 and 13) ycarried on the top of a vertically reciprocable rod 212. A torsion spring 213 has one end fixed to the yoke and the other end fixed to a collar 214 on the shaft 210, operating to hold the lug 207 normally against a lug -215 on the yoke. In the normal functioning of the machine the bracket 204 acts as if integral with the yoke. If, however, the plunger 200 should get caught by the gripperplates 62 in their rotation the spring connection 213 permits it to be rotated by the grippers until it pulls loose, thus preventing breakagefof' the parts.-

The rod 212 is adjus ably connected at its lower end with a bracket 2 6 (Figs. 3 and 9) which is coupled by a link 217 with a lever 218 pivoted on the shaft 159 and having a cam roll 219 resting on the surfaec of a cam 220 carried by the cam shaft 163. A

As the lower plunger 180 raisesa cigar out of one of the pockets 110it carries it against the wrapper, which is draped over the supporting bars165 (Fig. 20) and then presses the assembly against the upper plunger 200. As soon as firm contact has been made, resulting in a slight stretching of the spring 206, which preferably` assists the weight of the parts in holding the wrapper against the cigar, the yoke 211v is raised by its cam mechanism at substantially the same speed as the lower plunger. This permits the upper plunger to continue to rest on the wrapper as the partially rwrapped cigar is carried betweeen the gripping plate 62. When the cigar and its wrapper are presented to the grippers, the latter are partially open to permit easy entrance. The grippers close, however, while the cigar is still traveling upwardly exerting a frctional drag on the wrapper which draws it tightly around the upper surface of the cigar. The upward motion of the upper plunger is then continued by its operating cam to clear it from the path of the grippers. The lower plunger at the same time descends to clear it both from the grippers and from the cigar feeding disk 100.

When a cigar is brought to rest by disk100 in a position in line with the plungers 180 and 200, the lower plunger is just below the disk, the end of the paper web (at this timestill uncut) lies over the guide bars 165 with its edges held in the slots 167 of the side guides 166, and the upper plunger 200 is at its lowermost position irrimediately above the paper. This condition is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 20. The lower plunger then rises to elevate the cigar into contact with the paper and the upper plunger, the end of the wrapper web is cut cfr, and then both plungers rise, carrying the cigar through a preliminary,

folding chute which drapes the wrapper in U- form around the cigar. This chute is composed of spaced side walls 221 (Figs 10, 12, 13, 20 and 21) formed on the brackets 170 and having flaring bottoms 222 to facilitate the entrance of the cigar and wrapper between them. At their upper portions, these walls are cut away as at 223 (Figs. 12 and 13) to form a recess in which plates 224 are located. These plates are attached by a ilat spring 225 to the walls 221, so that they have a normal tendency to project. into the chute in the manner shown in Figs. 10 and 12. Their motion into the chute is, however, limited by stop screws 226 threaded into sidewardly extending lugs 227 formed on the plates and overhanging the adjacent side walls. Locknuts 228 permit the setting of the screws to be maintained 'in any desired position of adjustment. As the cigar and wrapper are elevated the plates exert a spring pressure upon thesides of the wrapper to pull them snugly around the cigar as it passes between them into the grippers waiting just above.

The cigar is now positioned in the grippers 62 as in Fig. 2l with a rear flap a and a front flap b hanging down below it.- The rear flap is folded up against the bottom of the cigar by a recipro-` eating plate 230. Bearings 231 (Figs. 1 and 10) formed on the bottom of the plate are slidable on rods 232 xed to the frame and are provided with a rearwardly extending support 233. A link 234 is pivoted at one end to the plate 230, its other end overlying the support 233 in the normal operation of Vthe machine. A pin 235 passes freely through the link and is fixed by a set screw 236 in one arm of a bell crank lever 237. 'Ihis lever, which is pivoted at 238 to the frame, carries a roll 239 running against the surface of a cam 240 xed upon the vertical cam shaft 74. The plate 230 is by this mechanism reciprocated once during each machine cycle across the top of the folding chute.

As the plate moves, the grippers also are moved by the rotation of the turret, carrying the cigar in a curved path across the surface of a flatarcuate table 241 (Figs. 22 and 23). The under side of the plate is beveledI as at 242 and the upper side of the table is beveled as at 243 so that the plate may overlap the table slightly as shown in Fig. 22 and assist in tucking the fold a under the fold b.

vWhen it is desired to remove the folding plate 230 for cleaning or for removing a crumpled wrapper, the lever 237 is rocked back manually against the action of its spring 244 (Fig. 2) until the bearings 231 are clear of the rods 232, which form an open ended stationary guide upon which the bottom folder reciprocates. The whole plate assembly, including the bearings 231, the support 233, and the link 234, can now be removed withoutany difficulty, owing to the absence of any permanent connectionbet-ween the pin 235 and the link. It is for this purpose that support for the rear end of the link is furnished by the member 233 rather than by a .pin or collar connection vwith the pin 235.

Second wrapping station started. The side tucks are made by two pairs ofplates 250, one pair being located beyond each end of the cigar as shown in Figs. 24 and 25. One pair of these plates has been shown in planA in Fig. 18. The cigar engaging end of each plate is tapered as at 251 to correspond roughly at least with the shape of the end of the cigar. These portions of the plates make the shallow part of the bellows folds adjacent the cigar, gradually deepening the fold to correspond with the shape of the cigar.. Just be' yond the end of the cigar the two plates of a pair nearly meet so as to bring the opposed tucks nearly into engagement with each other. The

' edges of the tucking plates in this area are folders. The levers, and consequently the plates o f inactive jposition shown 14. During beveled as at 252. To assist in flaring the bellows folds neatly and symmetrically into the body of the wrapper, asl indicated at d in Figs. 25 and 27, the :plates are preferably enlarged or thickened attheir ends as at 253 (Fig. 24) The increased area of contact with the wrapper resulting from this enlargement adds to the appearance of the finished article by giving a more definite location to the flaring part of the folds.

The tucking plates are carried on rocking levers' 255 (Figs. 14, 15 and 2,4) fixed upon parallel shafts 256 extending between the two pairs vof carried on their ends, are rotatable through arcs having the shafts 256 as centers so that the plates swing from their wrapper engaging positions shownin full lines in Figs. 14 and 24 to an in dotted lines in.Fig. this swinging motion the plates travel through notches 257 in the table 241,'so that they may recede entirely out of the way `of the cigars being advanced by the. grippers over-the surface of the table. The levers -255 forming one pair are geared together as at 258 and one of themhas' :in-*extension 259 (Figs. 14 and 15) joined by'a lnkf260 with one end of a rocking 4means the opposed pairs of tucking plates 250 lever 261 pivoted on the top plate 53 at 262 and having a roller 263 running against a cam 264 on the vertical cam shaft 74. A spring 265 holds the cam roll against the cam. By this are swung towards eacli other once during each cycle to form bellows-like side tucks extending to- Wards each other in each projecting tubular end extension of the wrapper.

At the same wrapping station at which these tucking plates act upon the wrapper are additional pairs of folding members which preserve the bellows folds from opening out and partially complete the end folds in a manner which gives to the wrapper end a fold line or hinge spaced from the end of the cigar. On account of the delicate nature of the end of a cigar and on account of they variation in end contour between cigars of varying makes and types. it is desirable to form the end folds without using the end of the cigar as a template. It is also desirable toV avoid pressing against the tobacco near the cigar end either with the folding devices or with the wrapping material as this is being drawn around into final fold form. To this end the folding members which are now to be described do their own folding of the wrapper without contacting with the cigar or de-v pending upon it to give end shape to the wrapper; and furthermore leave in the wrapper .a wrappersupported hinge around which the final fold may be made. .A

The end folding members forming this secon'd set are likewise arranged in pairs, one at each end of the cigar. Each set comprises an upper roller 270 and a lower plate 271 (Fig. 24) both 110 the roller and the plate being vertically reciprocable. The roll actuating mechanism will be described first. Located at wrapping station B is a U-shaped vertically reciprocating carrier 272 (Fig. 1'5) having its cross piece extending under- 115 neath the table 241` and its parallel arms rising above the table at each side. Each of these arms carries a bracket 273 preferably held adjustably in place by a set screw 274 (Fig. 17). In each of these brackets a link 275 is pivoted at 276,l

and has an angularly extending arm 277 adapted to rest upon the top'of the bracket to limit the swinging motion of the link. A roll 270 is rotatably mounted on the lower end of each link. In each of the brackets is formed a recess 278 in which a disk 279 slides under the influence of an adjusting screw 280. A spring 281 is compressed between the disk 279 and the link 275 so that the rolls are forced with a controllable pressure towards its corresponding folding plate 271. The carrier 272 is attached to the upper end ofa rod 282 (Fig. 15) fixed on a slide 283 vertically movable on a rod 289. A link 284 is attached to the slide, connecting it to an ad.- justing slot 285 (Fig. 4) in the end of a lever 286 swinging upon the support shaft 137. A cam roll 287 secured to this lever rolls upon a cam 288 (Figs. 3 and 8) on the horizontal cam shaft 163. Arod 289 (Fig. 15) is connected to the carrier 272, passing freely through a hole in the plate 53 to prevent the carrier from rotating. The rolls 270 are by thismechanism elevated and lowered once during each cycle cf vthe ma.- chine, with a detailed motion anda coaction with the plates 271 which can be explained best below.

lEach of the plates. 271 is preferably vertically slotted at 290 (Fig. 24) so that it maybe adjustably attached by screws 291 to a block 292. The blockis in turn secured by screws 293 (Fig.

16) passing through horizontal slots l294- in am

Images