Patent US3738376A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3738376A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Manufacture of cigarettes and other tobacco-filled rod-like articles
Assignee: Molins Machine Co Ltd
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Filing: 1970-03-13
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Granted: 1973-06-12
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Expires: 1990-03-13
Abstract
Abstract A device which scans the density of successive in crements of a cigarette rod produced in a cigarette making machine, is used to control the mean weight of the tobacco in that rod with a view toward maintaining substantially constant the number of cigarettes produced having a weight falling below a preselected level. Signals produced by the scanner are used to control the quantity of excess tobacco removed from the filler stream formed therein by a trimming device, thereby controlling the quantity of tobacco placed in said rod.
Inventors
- 👤 F Labbe
- 👤 G Powell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 18:57
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/32; A24C5/34; G; G01; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/02; G01N23/06; G01N23/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S131/00; Y10S131/905; Y10S131/906; Y10S131/907
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of making cigarettes or the like comprising enclosing a tobacco filler in a continuous web to form a continuous rod adapted to be cut into cigarette lengths, detecting the density of those portions of the rod intended to become cigarette end portions by means of a scanning device which is arranged in a position along the path of the rod and gives output signals relating to the density of the tobacco filling in the rod, the output corresponding to the density of the intended cigarette end portions, varying the amount of tobacco placed in the cigarette rod in response to said output signals to maintain substantially constant the number of cigarette end portions having a mean density which falls below a predetermined level.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of making cigarettes or the like comprising enclosing a tobacco filler in a continuous web to form a continuous rod adapted to be cut into cigarette lengths, detecting the density of those portions of the rod intended to become cigarette end portions by means of a scanning device which is arranged in a position along the path of the rod and gives output signals relating to the density of the tobacco filling in the rod, the output corresponding to the density of the intended cigarette end portions, varying the amount of tobacco placed in the cigarette rod in response to said output signals to maintain substantially constant the number of cigarette end portions having a mean density which falls below a predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1, including chopping the output signals from the scanning device into a sequence of pulses representing the densities of successive short increments of the rod.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1, including ejecting cigarettes having end portions of which the average density is below a predetermined level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1, including comparing the density signal for each intended cigarette end portion to the mean density of a few adjacent intended cigarette end portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
139 words
Apparatus for making cigarettes or the like comprising means for wrapping a continuous web around a tobacco filler to form a continuous cigarette rod adapted to be cut into cigarette lengths; means for varying the mean weight of the tobacco filler; a scanning device which scans the cigarette rod and is arranged to provide output signals at intervals timed so as to correspond to portions of the rod intended to become end portions of the cigarettes; means for repeatedly computing the mean density of the intended end portions; and means for automatically varying the mean density of the tobacco filler in response to the computed mean density of Successive end portions so as to maintain constant the number of cigarette end portions obtained from a given length of rod having a mean density which falls below a predetermined level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
139 words
Apparatus for making cigarettes or the like comprising means for wrapping a continuous web around a tobacco filler to form a continuous cigarette rod adapted to be cut into cigarette lengths; means for varying the mean weight of the tobacco filler; a scanning device which scans the cigarette rod and is arranged to provide output signals at intervals timed so as to correspond to portions of the rod intended to become end portions of the cigarettes; means for repeatedly computing the mean density of the intended end portions; and means for automatically varying the mean density of the tobacco filler in response to the computed mean density of Successive end portions so as to maintain constant the number of cigarette end portions obtained from a given length of rod having a mean density which falls below a predetermined level.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of making cigarettes or the like comprising enclosing a tobacco filler in a continuous web to form a continuous rod adapted to be cut into cigarette lengths, detecting the density of the tobacco in said rod with a scanning device arranged along the path of the rod to provide outputs signals related to the density of successive linear increments of the tobacco in said rod, comparing the signal from the scanning device for each linear rod increment to the mean of signals from a number of adjacent increments, and controlling the mean weight of the tobacco entering said rod in response to the results of said signal comparing.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of making cigarettes or the like comprising enclosing a tobacco filler in a continuous web to form a continuous rod adapted to be cut into cigarette lengths, detecting the density of the tobacco in said rod with a scanning device arranged along the path of the rod to provide outputs signals related to the density of successive linear increments of the tobacco in said rod, comparing the signal from the scanning device for each linear rod increment to the mean of signals from a number of adjacent increments, and controlling the mean weight of the tobacco entering said rod in response to the results of said signal comparing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus for making cigarettes or the like, comprising means for enclosing a tobacco filler in a continuous web to form a continuous cigarette rod adapted to be cut into cigarette lengths, a scanning device arranged along the path of the rod to provide output signals related to the density of successive linear increments of the tobacco in said rod, means for comparing the signal from the scanning device for each linear rod increment to the mean of signals from a number of adjacent increments, and means for varying the mean weight of the tobacco entering said rod in response to the output of said comparing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus for making cigarettes or the like, comprising means for enclosing a tobacco filler in a continuous web to form a continuous cigarette rod adapted to be cut into cigarette lengths, a scanning device arranged along the path of the rod to provide output signals related to the density of successive linear increments of the tobacco in said rod, means for comparing the signal from the scanning device for each linear rod increment to the mean of signals from a number of adjacent increments, and means for varying the mean weight of the tobacco entering said rod in response to the output of said comparing means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-11 | 1976-12-11 | 1977-06-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-11 | 1980-12-11 | 1981-06-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-11 | 1984-12-11 | 1985-06-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |