US3577998A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Impact method
Assignee: RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co
•
Filing: 1969-06-23
•
Granted: 1971-05-11
•
Expires: 1989-06-23
Abstract
Abstract A method of striking an article, particularly a wrapper enclosed product such as a cigarette, by striking the article and achieving a clear impact without cutting the wrapper to create a blast of air upon impact so as to force the product out of the wrapper by an air pump action.
Inventors
- 👤 Jesse R Pinkham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:14
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of separating a product having multiple separate fragments with air spaces therebetween from a wrapper enclosing the product, said wrapper having a portion thereof which provides substantially little resistance to the movement of the product therethrough, comprising striking the wrapper with blows sufficient to reduce the cross-sectional dimension of the wrapper at the zones of impact and without tearing said wrapper to create an air pump effect within the wrapper to discharge the product out of said portion of the wrapper.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of separating a product having multiple separate fragments with air spaces therebetween from a wrapper enclosing the product, said wrapper having a portion thereof which provides substantially little resistance to the movement of the product therethrough, comprising striking the wrapper with blows sufficient to reduce the cross-sectional dimension of the wrapper at the zones of impact and without tearing said wrapper to create an air pump effect within the wrapper to discharge the product out of said portion of the wrapper.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as recited in Claim 1 in which the product is cigarette tobacco and the wrapper is cigarette paper.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of separating tobacco from cigarette pieces such as cigarette filters, cigarette wrappers and the like, comprising passing the cigarette pieces through a container having a solid wall portion and vanes extending inwardly from said solid wall portion and past a central rotating shaft having outwardly extending vanes alternating with said first-mentioned vanes so that said cigarette pieces strike the vanes and the solid wall to achieve said tobacco separation, the speed of rotation of said shaft and the spacing of said vanes being such that the cigarette wrappers remain untorn.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of separating tobacco from cigarette pieces such as cigarette filters, cigarette wrappers and the like, comprising passing the cigarette pieces through a container having a solid wall portion and vanes extending inwardly from said solid wall portion and past a central rotating shaft having outwardly extending vanes alternating with said first-mentioned vanes so that said cigarette pieces strike the vanes and the solid wall to achieve said tobacco separation, the speed of rotation of said shaft and the spacing of said vanes being such that the cigarette wrappers remain untorn.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the rotating vanes are rotatable about an axis in line with the direction of movement of cigarette pieces through the container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the cigarette pieces are moved by gravity through the container whose axis is oriented in a vertical direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the cigarette pieces are passed through a container whose effective volume diminishes at succeeding positions therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein air is extracted from inside the container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the material emerging from the container is sieved to segregate tobacco from other material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein tobacco is removed downwardly from the lower end of the container, and an air flow is created from the lower end of the container to the upper end of the container to remove dust or other fine material from said lower end upwardly through said container and out of said upper end.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US656481A
Cited
US862720A
Cited
GB379799A
Cited
US2592481A
Cited
US2737350A
Cited
GB860036A
Cited
US2852238A
Cited
US3255762A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-10 | 1974-11-09 | 1975-05-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-10 | 1978-11-09 | 1979-05-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-10 | 1982-11-09 | 1983-05-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |