Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation

Charles H Wysowski

John N Jewell

Dennis L Sinksen

John R Pyburn, Jr

Evelyn M Andrews

Jerry R Gilbert

Gregory J Bricker

Darrel R Stephens

Ernest E Collins

Robert C Millikan

The present invention comprises a method for improving the quality of products produced in a cigarette manufacturing process. Selected machine operating parameters for at least one machine are monitored, as well as the product being produced. Samples of the product being produced are automatically obtained and tested for quality parameters. Machine operators are notified when to manually test samples of the product for quality parameters. The machine operators can request a test of a quality parameter. The actual test measurements of the quality parameters for either the automatically obtained samples or the manually tested samples are compared against expected values and alarms are presented and the testing is resequenced when the measured quality parameters fail to meet the expected values. Also, employee solution procedures are presented to aid in problem resolution. The time periods and downtime reason when each machine is inoperative is recorded. A hierarchial set of machine operator video displays is produced. A master video display is presented to each machine operator. Also, displays are available for the machine supervisors showing information about all the machines he is supervising. Further, machines can be monitored by sets of tandem machines operating together.

Method for improving the quality of products produced in the cigarette

An improved transport assembly including a carriage and container arrangement which provides for moving a plurality of containers into several recesses of a moveable carriage frame and lifting the carriage frame for mass movement of the containers by the carriage frame.

Towable, hydraulically powered lifting and transport trailer

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Bonaire, GA, United States of America

Charles H Wysowski