Method and apparatus for producing an elongated wrapped rod from fibers, especially tobacco shreds

Claim 3

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said gaseous fluid is air.

Claim 4

The method as defined in claim 2, further comprising the step of trimming the stream prior to said equalizing step so that the height of the stream is constant prior to removal of said surplus.

Claim 5

The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of monitoring the height of the steam prior to said equalizing step, generating a third signal denoting the height of the stream prior to said equalizing step and varying said controlling step in dependence on variations of said third signal.

Claim 6

The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of monitoring the height of the stream prior to said equalizing step, generating a third signal denoting the height of the stream prior to , generating a fourth signal denoting the density of the stream prior to said equalizing step in accordance with a function which represents a predetermined relationship between said first and third signals and generating a fifth signal for advance control of said equalizing step including correcting said fourth signal in dependence on a function which is selected for a desired rigidity or mass flow of the filler and represents a predetermined relationship between said second and fourth signals.

Claim 7

The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of comparing said second signal with said corrected first signal and changing the location of removal of the surplus in the course of said equalizing step when said second signal deviates from the corrected first signal.

Claim 8

The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said step of generating said second signal includes monitoring the position of said location.

Claim 9

The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said step of generating said second signal includes monitoring the height of the stream in a contactless manner.

Claim 10

The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of generating a third signal denoting the mass flow of the equalized stream, generating a fourth signal including correcting said third signal in dependence on a function which is selected for a desired rigidity or mass flow of the filler and represents a predetermined relationship between said first and third signals, and utilizing said fourth signal for additionally controlling said densifying step.

Claim 11

The method as defined in claim 9, further comprising the steps of comparing said second signal with said fourth signal and changing the location of removal of said surplus when said fourth signal deviates from said second signal.

Claim 12

The method as defined in claim 10, wherein said step of generating said second signal includes sensing the position of said location.

Claim 13

The method as defined in claim 10, wherein said step of generating said second signal includes monitoring the height of the stream in a contactless manner.

Claim 14

The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising the step of selectively discontinuing said step of changing said location when the mass flow of the filler is to remain constant.

Claim 15

Apparatus for making an elongated rod-like filler from fibers, especially tobacco shreds, comprising a conveyor; means for continuously supplying to said conveyor fibers to form an elongated stream which contains a surplus of fibers and advances with said conveyor lengthwise; means for equalizing the advancing stream, including means for removing the surplus of fibers from the stream; means for densifying and wrapping the equalized stream to thereby convert the stream into said filler; means for generating first signals denoting the resistance which the stream offers to the flow of a gaseous fluid thereacross upstream of said equalizing means; means for generating second signals denoting the height of the equalized stream upstream of said densifying means; a function generator connected to both said signal generating means and arranged to transmit third signals in correspondence with a function which represents, for a desired rigidity of the filler, a predetermined relationship between said first and second signals; and means for controlling the distance between the location of said equalizing means and said conveyor in dependence on said third signals to thereby determine the height of the equalized stream upstream of said densifying means.

Claim 16

Apparatus for making an elongated rod-like filler from fibers, especially tobacco shreds, comprising a conveyor; means for continuously supplying to said conveyor fibers to form an elongated stream which contains a surplus of fibers and advances with said conveyor lengthwise; means for equalizing the advancing stream, including means for removing the surplus of fibers from the stream; means for densifying and wrapping the equalized stream to thereby convert the stream into said filler; means for generating first signals denoting the resistance which the stream offers to the flow of a gaseous fluid thereacross upstream of said equalizing means; means for generating second signals denoting the height of the equalized stream upstream of said densifying means; a function generator connected to both said signal generating means and arranged to transmit third signals in correspondence with a function which represents, for a desired rigidity of the filler, a predetermined relationship between said first and second signals; and means for controlling the distance between the location of said equalizing means and said conveyor in dependence on said third signals to thereby determine the height of the equalized stream upstream of said densifying means.

Claim 17

The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said conveyor is permeable to air and said means for generating said first signals includes a suction chamber adjacent to said conveyor and arranged to draw a current of air through the stream and the conveyor, and means for monitoring a pneumatic parameter of the air current which passes transversely of and through the stream and is influenced by the resistance of the stream.

Claim 18

The apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising an additional equalizer upstream of said resistance monitoring means and operative to remove some of the fibers from and to thereby equalize the height of the stream.

Claim 19

The apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for generating fourth signals denoting the height of the stream upstream of said equalizing means and means for transmitting said fourth signals to said controlling means to influence said distance.

Claim 20

The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said transmitting means includes a second function generator connected to said means for generating said first and fourth signals and operative to generate fifth signals in accordance with a function which represents, for the desired rigidity of the filler, a predetermined relationship between said first and fourth signals, and means for applying said fifth signals to said controlling means as control signals for the height of the equalized stream upstream of said densifying means.

Claim 21

The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said controlling means includes signal-responsive means for shifting said location of said equalizing means, said second function generator constituting a desired value signal generator for said shifting means.

Claim 22

The apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising means for generating fifth signals denoting the density of the equalized stream upstream of said densifying means and means for generating sixth signals denoting the density of the stream upstream of said equalizing means, said transmitting means including a first function generator connected to said means for generating said first and fourth signals and operative to transmit a first output signal in accordance with a function which represents, for the desired rigidity of the filler, a predetermined relationship between said first, fourth and fifth signals, a second function generator connected to said first function generator and operative to generate a second output signal in correspondence with a function which represents, for the desired rigidity of the filler, a predetermined relationship between said second, fifth and sixth signals, and means for applying said second output signals to said controlling means as a control signal for the height of the equalized stream upstream of said densifying means.

Claim 23

The apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said controlling means includes signal-responsive means for shifting said location of said equalizing means and said second function generator constitutes a desired value signal generator for said shifting means.

Claim 24

The apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein said means for generating said second signals constitutes an actual value signal generator for said shifting means.

Claim 25

The apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said actual signal generator includes a device for contactless monitoring of the height of the stream.

Claim 26

The apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said actual value signal generator includes a device which senses the position of said location of the equalizer relative to said conveyor.

Claim 27

The apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising means for generating fourth signals denoting the mass flow of the filler and a function generator connected to said means for generating said fourth signals and operative to transmit an output signal in correspondence with a function which represents, for a desired rigidity of the filler, a predetermined relationship between said second and fourth signals, and means for applying said output signal to said controlling means as a control signal for the height of the equalized stream upstream of said densifying means.

Claim 28

The apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein said controlling means includes signal-responsive means for shifting said location of said equalizing means and said last named function generator constitutes a desired value signal generator for said shifting means.

Claim 29

The apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein said means for generating said second signals constitutes an actual value signal generator for said shifting means.

Claim 30

The apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein said actual value signal generator includes a contactless height monitoring device.

Claim 31

The apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein said means means for generating said second signals includes means for monitoring the position of said location relative to said conveyor.

Claim 32

The apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein said correcting means further includes means for determining the variation of said output signal, an additional function generator connected to said determining means, and a desired value signal generator connected to said additional function generator, said additional function generator being operative to control said desired value signal generator so that the intensity of the desired value signal increases with increasing, and diminshes with diminishing variation of the signal which is transmitted by said additional function generator.