Hauni-werke Korber & Co Kg.

Rolf Dahlgrun

Gunter Wahle

Uwe Heitmann

Heinz-Christen Lorenzen

Joachim Reuland

Dieter Ludszeweit

Erwin Oesterling

The wrappers of filter cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of smokers' products and wherein portions of the wrappers have perforations are tested while moving sideways in the flutes of an endless conveyor. The testing involves establishing a less pronounced pressure differential between the interior and exterior of unperforated wrapper portions and a more pronounced pressure differential between the interior and exterior of perforated wrapper portions. An electropneumatic transducer generates first signals which denote the rate of fluid flow through the perforated and unperforated wrapper portions. Such signals are compared with first and second reference signals which respectively denote the maximum permissible and minimum acceptable permeability of wrappers, and the articles wherein the permeability of wrappers exceeds the maximum permissible permeability or is less than the minimum acceptable permeability are segregated from other articles.

Apparatus for and method of multiple testing of wrappers of cigarettes

Various conveyors and/or other components of one or more machines for the production and/or processing of cigarettes or other smokers' products are indirectly monitored to allow for automatic pinpointing of that component which affects the quality of products. The products are tested to generate test signals, and such signals are thereupon evaluated to ascertain the presence or absence of various constituents each of which is characteristic of the influence of a different component upon the quality of products. Once the presence or absence of a constituent is ascertained, the corresponding component is automatically pinpointed in response to a signal from the evaluating device. In the case of conveyors, the prime mover of the respective machine is driven at a reduced speed until that portion of the pinpointed conveyor which actually affects the quality of products assumes a predetermined position of ready accessibility to an attendant or to equipment which automatically eliminates the cause for the presence or absence of the respective constituents in the test signals.

Method and apparatus for pinpointing the causes of malfunction of

A web which is converted into wrappers of plain or filter cigarettes, or the wrapper or each cigarette is perforated by needles, teeth, punching tools, sparks or laser beams prior to arrival of corresponding cigarettes at a pneumatic testing station. The testing device at such station transmits signals which denote the permeability of successive wrappers, and the signals are compared with a reference signal denoting the desired permeability of wrappers. If the monitored permeability deviates from the desired permeability, the device which makes holes in the web or in the wrappers is automatically adjusted to change the combined area of holes.

Method and apparatus for regulating the permeability of wrapping

The permeability of portions of or entire wrappers of successive filter cigarettes is tested with a gaseous fluid independently of the permeability of perforated portions of wrappers around the filter mouthpieces. Signals denoting the permeability of major portions of or entire wrappers are compared with a reference signal denoting the maximum permissible permeability, and the cigarettes having wrappers of excessive permeability are segregated from satisfactory cigarettes. Signals denoting the permeability of perforated wrapper portions are made visible to attendants or cause the generation or audible signals, for example, to facilitate proper adjustment of perforating instrumentalities if the permeability of perforated wrapper portions is too low. Alternatively, signals which denote the permeability of perforated wrapper portions are compared with a reference signal denoting the minimum acceptable or excessive permeability, and the cigarettes wherein the permeability of perforated wrapper portions is too low or excessive are segregated from other cigarettes. The cigarettes are moved sideways in the course of measurement of the permeability of their wrappers, and the permeability of major portions of or entire wrappers can be ascertained simultaneously with, prior or subsequent to measurement of permeability of perforated wrapper portions. The perforations are provided for the purpose of admitting atmospheric air into the column of tobacco smoke.

Method and apparatus for multiple testing of wrappers of cigarettes for

The wrappers of filter cigarettes wherein wrapper portions surrounding the filter mouthpieces have holes for admission of atmospheric air into the column of tobacco smoke are tested during sidewise movement at the periphery of a rotary drum. A first testing device establishes a first pressure differential between the interior and exterior of successive wrappers, and a second testing device establishes a second pressure differential between the interior and exterior of those wrapper portions which surround tobacco as well as a different third pressure differential between those wrapper portions which surround the filter material. An evaluating circuit has two electropneumatic transducers which furnish first and second signals respectively denoting the pressure differential between the interior and exterior of successive wrappers and the pressure differential between the interior and exterior of successive wrapper portions which surround tobacco. A subtracting circuit furnishes third signals which denote the difference between the first and second signals. The first and third signals are compared with reference signals which respectively denote maximum permissible permeability of wrappers and minimum acceptable permeability of successive wrapper portions surrounding the filter material. Cigarettes wherein the permeability of wrappers is outside of the range between the maximum permissible and minimum acceptable permeability are segregated from acceptable cigarettes.

Process and apparatus for multiple testing of wrappers of cigarettes or

Cigarettes with composite fillers wherein the mouthpiece consists of first tobacco shreds having a low nicotine content and the major portion of the filler consists of second shreds having a higher nicotine content are manufactured by showering second shreds onto a narrow band conveyor to form a continuous stream, by depositing batches of first shreds on the band conveyor at regular intervals so that the batches overlie the adjacent portions of the first stream or vice versa, by trimming the thus obtained composite stream so as to remove second shreds in the region of the batches whereby the resulting filler contains batches of first shreds alternating with filler portions consisting of second shreds, wrapping the filler into a web of cigarette paper, and severing the resulting rod across or adjacent to the batches.

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Schwarzenbek, Germany

Rolf Dahlgrun