Hauni-werke Korber & Co Kg.

Hauni Maschinenbau Ag

Korber Ag

Heinz-Christen Lorenzen

Uwe Heitmann

Wolfgang Steiniger

Gunter Wahle

Peter Pinck

Wolfgang Siems

Rolf Dahlgrun

Peter Brand

Nikolaos Georgitsis

Stephan Wolff

Sönke Horn

Gerd Strohecker

Steffen Rocktäschel

Willy Rudszinat

Andreas Rinke

Hans-Herbert Schmidt

Adolf Helms

Norbert Lange

Thorsten Scherbarth

Joachim Pfannmuller

Franz-Peter Koch

Uwe Marsau

Klaus-Dieter Ehlich

Heinz Gretz

Peter Menzel

Kurt-Eckart Petersen

A device for combining groups of at least two different types of filter segments for producing multi-segment filters in the tobacco industry in a continuous process includes a plurality of independent functional units that are each designed as a module.

Device for combining groups of filter segments for producing multi-segment filters of the tobacco industry, and trough drum

A method and arrangement are provided for producing compound filters for products in the tobacco-processing industry. A filter tube, having a filter element in a central region of the filter tube, is supplied to a predetermined position. Predetermined portions of filtering material are then inserted into the filter tube from at least a first end of the filter tube so that filter segments form in at least a first part of the filter tube.

Method and arrangement for producing compound filters

There is provided an apparatus which can be incorporated into machines or production lines for the making of rod-shaped articles, such as filter cigarettes. The apparatus ascertains at least the diameters of longitudinally spaced-apart portions of an article, such as a continuous cigarette rod having equidistant portions of greater density, while the article advances lengthwise at a constant speed or at one of several different speeds. Accurate determination of the diameters of spaced-apart portions and, if necessary, a change of the diameter when it deviates from an optimum value, renders it possible to reduce the number of rejects and to turn out high-quality products, such as filter cigarettes wherein the mouthpiece is attached to the dense ends of the plain cigarettes; this ensures that the diameter of the dense end is identical with or sufficiently close to that of the filter mouthpiece so that the customary uniting band can secure the mouthpiece to the plain cigarette without leakage.

Method of and apparatus for measuring the diameters of rod-shaped articles

Apparatus for making one or more rod-like fillers of shredded tobacco for use in the making of cigarettes or the like employs one or two pneumatic conveyors having endless foraminous belts trained over pulleys and including elongated stretches below communicating parts of a common suction chamber. A shower of intermixed tobacco shreds and smaller particles including tobacco dust and coarser particles is directed against the undersides of the elongated stretches. The shreds are attracted to and advance with the respective belts to form streams which are ready to be trimmed and thereupon draped into cigarette paper or the like. At least some smaller particles penetrate through the respective belts into the corresponding parts of the suction chamber. The contents of the suction chamber are evacuated by suction and are returned to the undersides of the elongated stretches of the belts for classification.

Method of making a tobacco rod

The invention relates to a method and a device for providing information on the fiber structure, particularly for determining deviations from an average fiber structure, of a fiber rope in the tobacco-processing industry and especially a tobacco rope. A first measuring device generates a first measuring signal that essentially only indicates the density of the fiber rope. A second measuring device generates a second measuring signal that represents a function of fiber rope density and fiber geometry. An evaluation device uses the first and second measuring signals to generate an evaluation signal which provides information on the fiber structure, particularly the deviations from an average fiber structure.

Apparatus and method for generating information on the characteristics of a fiber rope

Apparatus for making one or more rod-like fillers of shredded tobacco for use in the making of cigarettes or the like employs one or two pneumatic conveyors having endless foraminous belts trained over pulleys and including elongated stretches below communicating parts of a common suction chamber. A shower of intermixed tobacco shreds and smaller particles including tobacco dust and coarser particles is directed against the under sides of the elongated stretches. The shreds are attracted to and advance with the respective belts to form streams which are ready to be trimmed and thereupon draped into cigarette paper or the like. At least some smaller particles penetrate through the respective belts into the corresponding parts of the suction chamber. The contents of the suction chamber are evacuated by suction and are returned to the undersides of the elongated stretches of the belts for classification. At least some coarser particles advance with the belts and are incorporated into the respective streams of tobacco shreds. The smaller particles enter the respective parts of the suction chamber and are pneumatically conveyed to the main dedusting unit of the cigarette making plant.

Apparatus for making a tobacco rod

A filter rod making machine wherein successive increments of a stream constituting a converted tow of filamentary filter material for tobacco smoke are contacted by a compressing tool which is vibrated at a frequency and/or amplitude sufficient to prevent over-heating of the tool and/or of filaments of filter material, such as acetate fibers. Conversion of the tow into the stream and the wrapping of the compressed stream into a running web of filter paper are carried out in a conventional manner.

Method of densifying streams of filter material for tobacco smoke

A continuous tow of filamentary filter material is advanced past a rotary applicator which delivers metered but variable quantities of a second filter material (such as granulated or pulverulent charcoal) into successive increments of the tow. The tow and the delivered second filter material are thereupon draped into a web of wrapping material to form a filter rod which is sub-divided into sections of desired length. The density and/or the mass of the filter rod or of successive filter rod sections is monitored and the results of such monitoring operation are utilized to regulate the rate of delivery of second filter material so that the mass or density of the rod remains constant. The draw resistance of the filter rod or of filter rod sections can be monitored to generate signals which are used to regulate the rate of advancement of the tow toward the draping station and to thus maintain the draw resistance at least substantially constant.

Method of and apparatus for making composite filter rod sections for use

The density of a tobacco stream which is advanced by a foraminous conveyor toward the surplus removing station of a cigarette rod making machine is measured by one or more detectors each having one or more sources of infrared light and one or more photoelectric transducers. In order to avoid the generation of distorted signals in response to impingement of high-intensity radiation upon the transducer or transducers, each transducer is out of line with the path of direct propagation of radiation from the respective source or sources toward successive increments of the tobacco stream. The transducer or transducers receive infrared light which is scattered in and/or reflected by tobacco particles in the stream. Signals from the transducer or transducers are used to regulate the quantity of surplus which is removed from the stream.

Apparatus for measuring the density of a tobacco stream

A stream of tobacco fibers is formed in a channel by showering the fibers against the underside of the lower reach of a foraminous belt conveyor which cooperates with a suction chamber to attract the fibers and to advance the stream past a trimming station where the surplus of fibers is removed by an adjustable equalizing device. The density of the stream is monitored upstream of the trimming station, and the thus obtained signals which are indicative of the density of successive increments of the stream are used to adjust the equalizing device so that the density of the trimmed stream is maintained within a desired range. Monitoring of density upstream of the trimming station ensures that the position of the equalizing device is properly adjusted not later than when the monitored increments of the stream reach the trimming station.

Method of and apparatus for making a trimmed stream of tobacco fibers or

The tobacco stream which is formed at the underside of a foraminous conveyor and carries a surplus of tobacco particles is transported past a trimming device which removes the surplus to convert the stream into a filler which is thereupon wrapped into a web of cigarette paper. The mass flow of tobacco particles in the untrimmed stream is monitored by a detector which utilizes infrared light, and the signals from such detector are used to change the position of the conveyor relative to the trimming device so as to ensure that the mass flow of tobacco particles in the filler remains within a desired range. One or more additional detectors monitor the mass of flow tobacco particles in the filler upstream and/or downstream of the wrapping station, and the signals from such second detector or detectors are used to correct the position of the conveyor relative to the trimming device and/or to change the position of the trimming device relative to the conveyor.

Method of and apparatus for treating accumulations of fibers of tobacco

One or more streams of tobacco in a rod making machine are tested by several density monitoring units one of which employs a source of nuclear radiation and at least one other of which employs a source of optical radiation. The resulting density signals are evaluated and converted into signals which are devoid of the influence of changes of color and/or blend of fibrous material in the stream or streams and are used for segregation of defective rod-shaped articles and/or for controlled removal of surplus from the stream or streams.

Method of and apparatus for making and processing streams of fibrous

The moisture content of the fillers of cigarettes is maintained at a preselected value by feeding to the stream building zone of the cigarette rod maker a flow of tobacco particles whose moisture content exceeds the desired value and with a surplus which is removed by an adjustable trimmer to convert the flow into a trimmed stream which is ready for draping into a web of cigarette paper to form a cigarette rod which is subdivided into cigarettes of desired length. The removed surplus is heated by a drying device and the heated surplus with its reduced moisture content is returned into the distributor of the cigarette rod maker to be admixed to the already advancing flow of fresh tobacco particles whose moisture content is excessive. The heating action is regulated as a function of signals generated by one or more moisture detectors which can monitor the moisture content of fibrous material in the surplus prior or subsequent to drying and/or the moisture content of the filler or trimmed stream.

Method of and apparatus for uniformizing the moisture content of tobacco

A laser or a spark discharge apparatus which is used to perforate the wrapping material for rod-like fillers of tobacco and/or filter material is adjusted in dependency on variations of the characteristics of signals which denote the mass per unit length of a trimmed filler having a predetermined hardness. The wrapping material is tipping paper or cigarette paper and can be perforated prior or subsequent to draping around the trimmed filler, and the draped filler is thereupon subdivided into sections of desired length. Signals denoting the mass per unit length of the filler can be influenced by signals denoting the hardness of the filler, the filling power of the filler, the temperature of fibrous material of the filler, the moisture content of fibrous material of the filler and/or other parameters of the fibrous material and/or filler.

Method and apparatus for regulating the permeability of cigarette

A rod-like filler for the making of a cigarette rod is obtained by showering particles of tobacco onto a foraminous belt conveyor which is located in front of a suction chamber and is flanked by two additional foraminous belt conveyors or by two stationary sidewalls so that the particles form a thin layer having a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional outline with a centrally located web and two legs. The legs are thereupon moved toward each other to convert the layer into a tube having a relatively soft core or a centrally located channel which is devoid of tobacco, and the filler is then draped into a web of cigarette paper and simultaneously densified to reduce its cross section to that of a cigarette before the resulting cigarette rod is subdivided into discrete cigarettes of desired length. The thickness of the layer is a fraction of its width. The sidewalls and/or a mandrel which keeps the center of the filler free of tobacco particles can admit into the layer hot air, moisture-laden air and/or volatile flavoring agents prior to conversion of the layer into a rod-like filler.

Growing community of inventors

Wentorf, Germany

Heinz-Christen Lorenzen