Paperless cigarette filter and apparatus for manufacture thereof

Abstract

Abstract AN IMPROVEMENT IN MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING PAPERLESS CIGARETTE FILTER RODS. A CIGARETTE FILTER ELEMENT COMPOSED OF A COMPACTED BUNDLE OF CELLULOSE ACETATE FILAMENTS CHARACTERIZED BY A UNIFORM POROSITY AND A SMOOTH SURFACE IS OBTAINED BY THE USE OF SUCH APPARATUS. THE APPARATUS COMPRISES: (1) A WEB GATHERING MEANS FOR COLLECTING AND DIRECTING A WEB OF PLASTICIZED FILAMENTARY TOW INTO A ROD COMPACTION MEANS FORMED BETWEEN THE SURFACE OF A SERIES OF OPPOSITELY ROTATING STEAM INJECTING WHEELS, (2) A ROD-SHAPING MEANS FORMED BY THE COOPERATIVE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE OPPOSED SURFACES OF A CONTIGUOUS PAIR OF PERIPHERAL GROOVES LOCATED IN THE OPPOSING SURFACES OF AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF CO-ACTING OPPOSITELY ROTATING APERTURED WHEELS, TO FORM A DIE FORM, (3) A MEANS FOR INJECTING A HEATING FLUID DIRECTLY INTO SAID ROD-SHAPING MEANS THROUGH ITS APERTURED WALLS WHILE THE CONTENTS OF THE ROD-SHAPING MEANS ARE UNDER COMPACTING PRESSURE AND THE ROTATING WHEELS ARE IN MOTION, (4) A MEANS FOR DRYING, COOLING, AND CONSEQUENTLY CURING THE PLASTIC RODSHAPED PRODUCT OF THE HEATING AND COMPACTING ACTION OF THE DIE. THE MEANS INDICATED BY (4) MAY BE A SECOND PAIR OR PAIRS OF GROOVED APERTURED WHEELS CONNECTED TO AN AIR SUPPLY OR MAY COMPRISE A CYLINDRICAL ENCLOSED PLENUM CHAMBER CONTAINING THEREIN A FORAMINATED CENTRAL TUBE THROUGH WHICH THE ROD OF HEATED TOW PASSES. THE PASSAGE OF AIR INTO THE PLENUM CHAMBER CAUSES AFLOW OF AIR TO CIRCULATE ABOUT, COOL, AND AIR CURE THE SURFACE OF A FILAMENTARY ROD PASSING THROUGH THE CENTRALLY LOCATED TUBE. THE CURED ROD IS SUBSEQUENTLY SEVERED INTO MEASURED SEGMENTS OF CIGARETTE FILTER ROD ELEMENTS HAVING ENHANCED STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND REQUIRING NO PAPER OVERWRAP DURING MANUFACTURE.

Inventors

• 👤 Colin Shaw Mcarthur
• 👤 Hoyt Sturdivant Beard
• 👤 John Raymond Everhart

Bibliographic Details