R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

John D Welch

Donald R Wilkinson

Max N Baker

Julian R Martin

Marvin G Woempner

Watson Minyard Dufour

Diane R Frye

Henry A Hauser

Carl C Green, Jr

Cigarette filter rods having individual pellets positioned at predetermined intervals therein are prepared by cutting a strand of plasticized material into pellets which are then inserted into a web of filter tow. A wheel having a series of grooves is rotated within a rim-like housing, and introduction of a plasticized flavor-containing strand into each groove results in a cutting of the strand into pellets of the desired size. Each pellet is positioned within the moving web of tow. The web filter material and the pellets positioned within the web are introduced into a rod-making unit wherein the rod is formed. The rate of feed of the strand, the rate of feed of the filter tow, the rate of rotation of the grooved wheel and the rate of pellet formation are controlled relative to one another such that pellets of well controlled size are positioned at predetermined intervals along the rod. Cigarette filter elements having well controlled amounts of flavorant contained therein can be made from the rods.

Rods containing pelletized material

An improved machine for automatically applying transfers such as tax stamps to multiple packages contained in a carton is disclosed. The machine comprises a conveyor for advancing a carton through an opening station, where it is opened to expose the packages therein, through a stamping station, where tax stamps in the form of heat or water transfers or ink printing are applied to each of the packages by a movable platen, and through a closing station where the carton is closed and resealed. The machine is adjustable to accommodate a variety of carton and package sizes and to apply the transfers to a selected part of each package in the carton accurately, while using stock transfer sheets on which the transfers are mounted with a predetermined spacing that does not necessarily correspond to the spacing of packages within the carton. The various sizes are accommodated by means of an adjustable stop mechanism which interrupts the motion of each carton as it passes through the stamping station to thereby stop the carton at a selected location with respect to the transfer sheet and the stamp transfer platen. After the transfer has been applied, the stop mechanism is activated to allow the carton to continue its motion through the stamping station. The adjustable stop and the platen are shiftable laterally with respect to the stamping station to apply selected transfers from the transfer sheet to the packages in the carton, and the stop is adjustable with respect to the platen to apply the transfers to selected locations on the package.

Transfer applying machine

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

John D Welch