Wrapper cutter for automatic cigar wrapping machine

Claim 2

In a cigar machine comprising a die unit for cutting a strip of tobacco having a first surface and a second oppositely facing surface to the desired shape, said die unit having a cutting edge which conforms to said shape and defines a space of said shape therewithin and having a strip receiving surface in fixed relation to said die unit and adjacent at least a portion of said cutting edge at the side of the latter opposite from said space, and vacuum means connectable to said die unit for drawing said strip toward said receiving surface and said first surface of said strip against said cutting edge, the combination therewith of means for directing air under pressure to said receiving surface in a direction away from the latter and toward the portion of said first surface of said strip which faces said receiving surface, a source of air under pressure, and control means for selectively connecting said vacuum means to said die unit and said source to said air directing means whereby portions of said strip adjacent said receiving surface may be drawn theretoward when said vacuum means is connected to said die unit and may be repelled from said receiving surface when said source is connected to said air directing means.

Claim 3

A cigar machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said die unit comprises a shell at the outside of said cutting edge and the surface of a portion of said shell adjacent to said cutting edge is said receiving surface, wherein said portion of said shell has a plurality of apertures therethrough, said portion of said shell with said apertures forming said air directing means and wherein said control means comprises valve means for selectively connecting said source and said vacuum means to the interior of said shell.

Claim 4

A cigar machine as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a platform rotatably mounted for rotation around a predetermined axis and having a surface substantially perpendicular to said axis and wherein said die unit is mounted on said platform at said surface and said valve means is drivingly interconnected with said platform for operation of said valve means in timed relation to the rotation of said platform.

Claim 5

A cigar machine as set forth in claim 3, further comprising further vacuum means including a nozzle, said nozzle being mounted adjacent said surface of said platform for removing portions of said strip from said receiving surface.

Claim 6

In a cigar machine comprising a die unit for cutting a strip of tobacco having a first surface and a second oppositely facing surface to the desired shape, said die unit having a cutting edge which conforms to said shape and defines a space of said shape therewithin and having a strip receiving surface in fixed relation to said die unit and adjacent at least a portion of said cutting edge at the side of the latter opposite from said space, said die unit having openings therethrough at said receiving surface for the passage of air, vacuum means for drawing air through said openings in a direction which causes said strip to be drawn toward said surface and said first surface of said strip against said cutting edge, and vacuum means adjacent said die for removing portions of said strip from said surface, the combination therewith of means for supplying air under pressure to said openings for flow therethrough in a direction opposite to said firstmentioned direction to thereby direct air on the portion of said first surface of said strip which faces said receiving surface, and control means for selectively controlling both said first-mentioned vacuum means and said air supplying means and for thereby controlling the direction of the flow of air through said openings, whereby portions of said strip may be drawn against said receiving surface when the air flow is in said first-mentioned direction and may be dislodged from said receiving surface when the air flow is in the opposite direction.

Claim 7

In a cigar machine comprising a die unit for cutting a strip of tobacco having a first surface and a second oppositely facing surface to the desired shape, said die unit having a cutting edge which conforms to said shape and defines a space of said shape therewithin and having a strip receiving surface in fixed relation to said die unit and adjacent at least a portion of said cutting edge at the side of the latter opposite from said space, said die unit having openings therethrough at said receiving surface for the passage of air, vacuum means for drawing air through said openings in a direction which causes said strip to be drawn toward said surface and said first surface of said strip against said cutting edge, and vacuum means adjacent said die for removing portions of said strip from said surface, the combination therewith of means for supplying air under pressure to said openings for flow therethrough in a direction opposite to said firstmentioned direction to thereby direct air on the portion of said first surface of said strip which faces said receiving surface, and control means for selectively controlling both said first-mentioned vacuum means and said air supplying means and for thereby controlling the direction of the flow of air through said openings, whereby portions of said strip may be drawn against said receiving surface when the air flow is in said first-mentioned direction and may be dislodged from said receiving surface when the air flow is in the opposite direction.

Claim 8

In a cigar machine comprising a rotatable turret mounted on a stationary support having a plurality of walls and having a platform spaced from said support, a hollow die unit for cutting a strip of tobacco having a first surface and a second oppositely facing surface to the desired shape, said die unit being mounted on said platform and having a cutting edge which conforms to said shape and defines a space of said shape therewithin and having a strip receiving surface adjacent at least a portion of said cutting edge at the side of the latter opposite from said space, said die unit having openings therethrough at said receiving surface for the passage of air, vacuum means for drawing air through said openings in a direction which causes said strip to be drawn toward said surface and said first surface of said strip against said cutting edge, and vacuum means adjacent said die for removing portions of said strip from said surface, the combination therewith of means for supplying air under pressure to said openings for flow therethrough in a direction opposite to said first-mentioned direction to thereby direct air on the portion of the surface of said strip which faces said receiving surface, and control means for selectively controlling both said first-mentioned vacuum means and said air supplying means and for thereby controlling the direction of the flow of air through said openings, whereby portions of said strip may be drawn against said receiving surface when the air flow is in said first-mentioned direction and may be dislodged from said receiving surface when the air flow is in the opposite direction, said control means comprising a baffle with apertures therethrough intermediate said turret and said support and rotatable with said turret, said support having a wall adjacent said baffle and having apertures through said wall alignable at least in part with said apertures in said baffle upon rotation of said turret, said turret having at least one air passageway extending from an aperture in said baffle to the interior of said die and said walls of said support including said wall thereof forming at least one air chamber therein, said chamber forming part of said first-mentioned vacuum means.

Claim 9

In a cigar machine comprising a rotatable turret mounted on a stationary support having a plurality of walls and having a platform spaced from said support, a hollow die unit for cutting a strip of tobacco having a first surface and a second oppositely facing surface to the desired shape, said die unit being mounted on said platform and having a cutting edge which conforms to said shape and defines a space of said shape therewithin and having a strip receiving surface adjacent at least a portion of said cutting edge at the side of the latter opposite from said space, said die unit having openings therethrough at said receiving surface for the passage of air, vacuum means for drawing air through said openings in a direction which causes said strip to be drawn toward said surface and said first surface of said strip against said cutting edge, and vacuum means adjacent said die for removing portions of said strip from said surface, the combination therewith of means for supplying air under pressure to said openings for flow therethrough in a direction opposite to said first-mentioned direction to thereby direct air on the portion of the surface of said strip which faces said receiving surface, and control means for selectively controlling both said first-mentioned vacuum means and said air supplying means and for thereby controlling the direction of the flow of air through said openings, whereby portions of said strip may be drawn against said receiving surface when the air flow is in said first-mentioned direction and may be dislodged from said receiving surface when the air flow is in the opposite direction, said control means comprising a baffle with apertures therethrough intermediate said turret and said support and rotatable with said turret, said support having a wall adjacent said baffle and having apertures through said wall alignable at least in part with said apertures in said baffle upon rotation of said turret, said turret having at least one air passageway extending from an aperture in said baffle to the interior of said die and said walls of said support including said wall thereof forming at least one air chamber therein, said chamber forming part of said first-mentioned vacuum means.

Claim 10

A cigar machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said walls of said support form a pair of air chambers each having at least one of said wall apertures in the portion of said wall forming it, one of said chambers forming part of said first-mentioned vacuum means and the other of said chambers forming part of said air supplying means.

Claim 11

A cigar machine as set forth in claim 7, wherein said control means comprises an air valve, an air line connecting said valve to said other chamber for delivering air under pressure from said valve into said other chamber and cam means operable in timed relation to the rotation of said turret for operating said valve when one of said apertures in said baffle is aligned at least in part with an aperture in the portion of said wall which forms part of said other chamber.