U.S. patent application number 10/347867 was filed with the patent office on 2003-07-24 for garniture tongue of a garniture device.
This patent application is currently assigned to HAUNI MASCHINENBAU AG. Invention is credited to Muller, Hans-Heinrich.
Application Number | 20030136419 10/347867 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7713041 |
Filed Date | 2003-07-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030136419 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Muller, Hans-Heinrich |
July 24, 2003 |
Garniture tongue of a garniture device
Abstract
Garniture tongue of a garniture device of a rod machine arranged
for compressing a material. The garniture tongue includes a rod
guide surface and the garniture tongue being composed at least in
part of a steel alloy with high titanium carbide content. The
instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention
disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of
the invention in any way.
Inventors: |
Muller, Hans-Heinrich;
(Oststeinbek, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1950 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
HAUNI MASCHINENBAU AG
Hamburg
DE
|
Family ID: |
7713041 |
Appl. No.: |
10/347867 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/84.1 ;
131/84.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24C 5/1807
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/84.1 ;
131/84.2 |
International
Class: |
A24C 005/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 24, 2002 |
DE |
102 02 847.8 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A garniture tongue of a garniture device of a rod machine
arranged for compressing a material, comprising: a rod guide
surface; and said garniture tongue being at least in part composed
of a steel alloy with high titanium carbide content.
2. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1, wherein said
garniture tongue is structured and arranged in a tobacco processing
apparatus.
3. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 2, wherein said
garniture tongue is structured and arranged to compress a rod of
tobacco.
4. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1, wherein at
least a part of said rod guide surface comprises the steel alloy
with high titanium carbide content.
5. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1, wherein said
steel alloy with high titanium carbide content is a steel alloy
produced by powder metallurgy.
6. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1, wherein a
titanium carbide content of said steel alloy is over 20% by
weight.
7. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 6, wherein said
titanium carbide content of said steel alloy is between 31% by
weight and 35% by weight.
8. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 6, wherein said
titanium carbide content of said steel alloy is between 32% by
weight and 34% by weight.
9. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
binder phase of said steel alloy is martensite or austenite.
10. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1, wherein said
steel alloy is hardened.
11. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1, further
comprising a first tongue part and a second tongue part, which are
coupled to each other.
12. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 11, wherein said
second tongue part includes said rod guide surface.
13. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 11, wherein said
first tongue part is composed of a steel alloy.
14. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 13, wherein said
first tongue part and said second tongue part are soldered
together.
15. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 14, wherein said
second tongue part is composed of said steel alloy with high
titanium carbide content.
16. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 15, wherein said
first and second tongue parts are composed of different steel
alloys.
17. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 15, wherein said
first and second tongue parts are composed of same steel
alloys.
18. The garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1, wherein said
steel alloy with high titanium carbide content is structured so as
not to effect taste of the material.
19. A garniture device of a rod machine of a tobacco processing
industry with a garniture tongue in accordance with claim 1.
20. The garniture device in accordance with claim 19, further
comprising: a garniture intake area; a rod conveyor structured and
arranged to convey the material to said garniture intake; and a
removal device structured and arranged to remove and transfer
particles of the material from said rod conveyor to said garniture
intake area.
21. The garniture device in accordance with claim 20, wherein said
removal device comprises a rod guide surface in which at least a
part of said rod guide surface of said removal device is composed
of said steel alloy with high titanium carbide content.
22. The garniture device in accordance with claim 21, wherein said
steel alloy with high titanium carbide content of said rod guide
surface of said removal device corresponds with that of the rod
guide surface of said garniture tongue.
23. The garniture device in accordance with claim 22, wherein said
rod guide surface of said removal device is aligned with said rod
guide surface of said garniture tongue.
24. The garniture device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said
removal device is coupled to said garniture tongue.
25. The garniture device in accordance with claim 19, wherein said
removal device comprises a removal edge.
26. The garniture device in accordance with claim 25, wherein said
removal edge is composed of a hard ceramic material with embedded
polycrystalline diamond.
27. The garniture device in accordance with claim 25, wherein said
removal edge is covered with an abrasion resistant layer.
28. The garniture device in accordance with claim 27, wherein said
abrasion resistant layer comprises a polycrystalline diamond layer
sintered into an underlying metal.
29. A rod machine of a tobacco processing industry comprising a
garniture device in accordance with claim 19.
30. A compression surface of a compression mold comprising: a guide
surface arranged to contact a material to be compressed; and said
guide surface being at least in part composed of a steel alloy with
high titanium carbide content.
31. A compression mold comprising: a compression surface comprising
a guide surface structured and arranged to contact a material to be
compressed; a compression channel into which the material is
compressed by said guide surface; and a removal device structured
and arranged to transfer particles into said compression channel,
wherein said compression surface is at least in part composed of a
steel alloy with high titanium carbide content.
32. The compression mold in accordance with claim 31, wherein said
removal device comprises a guide surface, and said guide surface of
said compression surface and said guide surface of said removal
device are each at least in part composed of the steel alloy with
high titanium carbide content.
33. The compression mold in accordance with claim 32, wherein said
guide surface of said removal device is aligned with said guide
surface of said compression surface.
34. The compression mold in accordance with claim 32, wherein said
compression channel comprises a guide surface arranged opposite
said guide surfaces of said removal device and said compression
surface.
35. The compression mold in accordance with claim 34, wherein each
of said guide surfaces include a unshaped channel arranged to
compress the material into a cylindrical form.
36. The compression mold in accordance with claim 32, wherein said
removal device and said compression surface are coupled to each
other.
37. The compression mold in accordance with claim 32, wherein a
titanium carbide content of said steel alloy is over 20% by
weight.
38. The compression mold in accordance with claim 37, wherein said
titanium carbide content of said steel alloy is between 31% by
weight and 35% by weight.
39. The compression mold in accordance with claim 37, wherein said
titanium carbide content of said steel alloy is between 32% by
weight and 34% by weight.
40. The compression mold in accordance with claim 32, wherein the
binder phase of said steel alloy is martensite or austenite.
41. The compression mold in accordance with claim 32, wherein said
steel alloy is hardened.
42. A process for compressing a material in a garniture device of a
rod machine, said process comprising: guiding the material along a
rod guide surface of a garniture tongue that, at least in part is
composed of a steel alloy with high titanium carbide content,
wherein the material becomes compressed as it is guided along the
rod guide surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119 of German Patent Application No. 102 02 847.8, filed on
Jan. 24, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a garniture tongue (or a
forming and compression surface of a compression mold) of a
garniture (forming) device of a rod machine (or a rod maker or a
rod making machine) for compressing a rod of a material processed
in the tobacco processing industry, e.g., tobacco, during its
conveyance along a rod guide surface of the garniture tongue. The
invention further relates to a garniture device of a rod machine of
the tobacco processing industry.
[0004] 2. Discussion of Background Information
[0005] The garniture tongue (forming and compression surface of a
compression mold) of the garniture device is used to compress or
shape the rod of a material processed in the tobacco processing
industry, e.g., tobacco or another smokeable material. In this
manner, the compression and shaping occurs during the conveyance of
the rod along the garniture tongue with a reduction of the rod
cross section.
[0006] To produce a cigarette rod, isolated and loosened tobacco
fibers are usually combined into a fiber rod on a rod conveyor
circulating in a tobacco channel. The fiber rod is continuously
discharged out of the rod assembly area and evened out before it is
deposited on a wrapper material strip moved with a circulating
forming belt in a garniture device and wrapped in the garniture
device with the wrapper material strip, e.g., a cigarette paper
strip. The wrapper material strip, which at first enters the intake
area of the garniture device flat, is then formed into a u-shape
around the fiber rod while passing through the garniture device,
before it is completely wrapped around the rod and is closed around
the rod, as a rule by adhesion, to form a cylindrical wrapper along
an overlapping seam.
[0007] A garniture device for a cigarette machine is described,
e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,165. With intense compression of the
rod along the garniture tongue, the quality of the tobacco rod can
deteriorate considerably. This deterioration of the quality of the
tobacco rod can be because congestions can occur due to the
friction of the tobacco material with the guide surfaces that are
assigned to the garniture tongue, which in turn can lead to
fluctuations in density. With correspondingly high friction values,
the garniture tongues abrade relatively quickly due to a relatively
high mechanical stress, so that they have a short service life.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides improvement of the rod
quality compared with existing garniture tongues. In this manner,
the service life of such devices can be increased.
[0009] In accordance with the invention, a garniture tongue of a
garniture (shaping) device of a rod machine for compressing a rod
of a material processed in the tobacco processing industry,
especially of tobacco, during its conveyance along a rod guide
surface of the garniture tongue is disclosed in that the garniture
tongue is made at least in part of a steel alloy with high titanium
carbide content.
[0010] Long service lives are achieved for the garniture tongue of
the instant invention by using a steel alloy with a high titanium
carbide content because, surprisingly, tobacco or tobacco particles
slide along the steel alloy with high titanium carbide content very
well, so that in particular at high rod speeds of over 100 m/min,
there is a very low friction coefficient between the garniture
tongue and the tobacco particles, even with differing moisture
values. A lower wear of the garniture tongue results from the high
sliding properties or the low friction coefficient.
[0011] Preferably at least a part of the rod guide surface is made
of the steel alloy with high titanium carbide content. With this
embodiment of the invention it is possible, e.g., to equip a
smaller part of the garniture tongue with the steel alloy with high
titanium carbide content, so that costs can be saved. To this end
preferably a solid piece having the rod guide surface is soldered
or compound sintered onto another part of the garniture tongue.
Alternatively to this, it is possible to produce a relatively thin
layer of the steel alloy with high titanium carbide content by
laser ablation or by thermal vaporization or, e.g., electron beam
vaporization.
[0012] A particularly abrasion-resistant steel alloy can be
obtained when the steel alloy is a steel alloy produced by powder
metallurgy.
[0013] In the exemplary embodiment, the titanium carbide content of
the steel alloy is more than 20% by weight. Preferably, the
titanium carbide content of the steel alloy is between 31% by
weight and 35% by weight, and, more preferably, is between 32% by
weight and 34% by weight.
[0014] The binder phase is preferably martensite or austenite.
Steel alloys that can be processed very well are obtained with a
binder phase of martensite, featuring a high corrosion resistance
depending on their carbon content. The following, e.g., are
possible components of the martensite and their percentages: C:
0.5-0.65% by weight, Cr: 3.0-19.5% by weight, Mo: 2.0-3.0% by
weight, Cu: 1.0-1.5% by weight, Ni: 0-0.25% by weight, the balance
being Fe.
[0015] An outstanding corrosion resistance and excellent wear
resistance are obtained with austenite as binder phase. With
austenite, the components are preferably as follows: Cr: approx.
18% by weight, Ni: approx. 12% by weight, Mo: approx. 2% by weight,
Cu: approx. 1% by weight, Nb: approx. 0.85% by weight, the balance
being Fe.
[0016] In particular steel alloys with the brand name
"FERRO-TITANIT" by Thyssen Stahl AG, Oberschlesienstra.beta.e 16,
Krefeld, are preferably suitable as the steel alloy with high
titanium carbide content. With a structure of titanium carbide and
martensite, the preferable alloys are called
FERRO-TITANIT-C-Spezial (33.0% by weight titanium carbide content)
and FERRO-TITANIT-S (with a content of 32% by weight titanium
carbide). A preferable alloy with a structure of titanium carbide
and austenite is called "FERRO-TITANIT-U" by Thyssen Stahl AG, and
comprises a content of 34% by weight titanium carbide.
[0017] Preferably, the steel alloy is hardened, which results in a
very high abrasion resistance. The hardening is hereby carried out
according to the heat treatment specified by its manufacturer,
Thyssen Stahl AG.
[0018] A garniture device of a rod machine of the tobacco
processing industry preferably includes a garniture tongue
according to the invention or a preferred garniture tongue, as
described above.
[0019] Moreover, if a device for removing tobacco particles from a
rod conveyor of a cigarette machine during the transfer of a
tobacco rod from the rod conveyor to the garniture device is
further developed such that at least a part of a rod guide surface
of the removal device is made of the steel alloy with high titanium
carbide content, the service life of such a removal device will
also be noticeably increased. Such a removal device is arranged in
the rod intake area of the garniture device. Regarding the removal
device, reference is made to, e.g., European Patent No. EP 0 582
136 B1, in which a corresponding removal device is described in
detail and the disclosure of which is included in this application
in its entirety. In the cited European printed patent
specification, a surface of great hardness formed by imbedding at
least one layer of a fine-grained, abrasion-resistant material is
provided in the area of a removal edge that interacts with the rod
conveyor, at least while removing the tobacco particles. In the
cited printed patent specification, this surface is preferably
coated with polycrystalline diamond.
[0020] The base body of the removal device also features a rod
guide surface that according to the invention is provided at least
in part with the corresponding steel alloy with high titanium
carbide content. The rod guide surface is aligned in the garniture
device in the rod travel direction with the rod guide surface of
the garniture tongue and, together with at least one other rod
guide surface of the garniture device running opposite, forms a
longitudinal section of a rod channel. Through the further
development of the garniture device, such that at least a part of
the rod guide surface of the removal device is made of the steel
alloy with high titanium carbide content, the service life of the
removal device is also increased.
[0021] The steel alloy with high titanium carbide content
preferably corresponds to the rod guide surface of the garniture
tongue of the removal device. Thus, identical steel alloys can
preferably be used.
[0022] Furthermore, a rod machine of the tobacco processing
industry is preferably provided with a corresponding garniture
device according to the invention or a further development of the
garniture device according to the invention, as described
above.
[0023] The present invention is directed to a garniture tongue of a
garniture device of a rod machine arranged for compressing a
material. The garniture tongue includes a rod guide surface and the
garniture tongue being composed at least in part of a steel alloy
with high titanium carbide content. The garniture tongue can be
structured and arranged in a tobacco processing apparatus. Further,
the garniture tongue can be structured and arranged to compress a
rod of tobacco.
[0024] In accordance with a feature of the invention, at least a
part of the rod guide surface can include the steel alloy with high
titanium carbide content.
[0025] According to still another feature of the present invention,
the steel alloy with high titanium carbide content may be a steel
alloy produced by powder metallurgy.
[0026] A titanium carbide content of the steel alloy may be over
20% by weight. Further, the titanium carbide content of the steel
alloy can be between 31% by weight and 35% by weight, and,
preferably, the titanium carbide content of the steel alloy is
between 32% by weight and 34% by weight.
[0027] In accordance with still another feature of the instant
invention, the binder phase of the steel alloy may be martensite or
austenite.
[0028] According to still another feature, the steel alloy can be
hardened.
[0029] The garniture tongue can further include a first tongue part
and a second tongue part, which are coupled to each other. Further,
the second tongue part can include the rod guide surface. The first
tongue part may be composed of a steel alloy, and the first tongue
part and the second tongue part can be soldered together. The
second tongue part may be composed of the steel alloy with high
titanium carbide content. Moreover, the first and second tongue
parts can be composed of different steel alloys. Alternatively, the
first and second tongue parts may be composed of same steel
alloys.
[0030] According to the invention, the steel alloy with high
titanium carbide content is structured so as not to effect taste of
the material.
[0031] The present invention is directed to a garniture device of a
rod machine of a tobacco processing industry with the
above-described garniture tongue.
[0032] According to a feature of the invention, the garniture
device can further include a garniture intake area, a rod conveyor
structured and arranged to convey the material to the garniture
intake, and a removal device structured and arranged to remove and
transfer particles of the material from the rod conveyor to the
garniture intake area. The removal device may include a rod guide
surface in which at least a part of the rod guide surface of the
removal device is composed of the steel alloy with high titanium
carbide content. The steel alloy with high titanium carbide content
of the rod guide surface of the removal device can correspond with
that of the rod guide surface of the garniture tongue. The rod
guide surface of the removal device is aligned with the rod guide
surface of the garniture tongue.
[0033] In accordance with another feature of the invention, the
removal device may be coupled to the garniture tongue.
[0034] Moreover, the removal device may include a removal edge. The
removal edge can be composed of a hard ceramic material with
embedded polycrystalline diamond. Further, the removal edge can be
covered with an abrasion resistant layer, and the abrasion
resistant layer can include a polycrystalline diamond layer
sintered into an underlying metal.
[0035] The present invention is directed to a rod machine of a
tobacco processing industry that includes the above-described
garniture device.
[0036] The present invention is directed to a compression surface
of a compression mold that includes a guide surface arranged to
contact a material to be compressed, and the guide surface is at
least in part composed of a steel alloy with high titanium carbide
content.
[0037] The instant invention is directed to a compression mold that
includes a compression surface having a guide surface structured
and arranged to contact a material to be compressed, a compression
channel into which the material is compressed by the guide surface,
and a removal device structured and arranged to transfer particles
into the compression channel. The compression surface is at least
in part composed of a steel alloy with high titanium carbide
content.
[0038] In accordance with still yet another feature of the present
invention, the removal device can include a guide surface, and the
guide surface of the compression surface and the guide surface of
the removal device may each at least in part composed of the steel
alloy with high titanium carbide content. The guide surface of the
removal device may be aligned with the guide surface of the
compression surface. Further, the compression channel may include a
guide surface arranged opposite the guide surfaces of the removal
device and the compression surface. Moreover, each of the guide
surfaces can include a u-shaped channel arranged to compress the
material into a cylindrical form. The removal device and the
compression surface can be coupled to each other. A titanium
carbide content of the steel alloy may be over 20% by weight, and
preferably, between 31% by weight and 35% by weight, and most
preferably, between 32% by weight and 34% by weight. The binder
phase of the steel alloy is martensite or austenite. Still further,
the steel alloy is hardened.
[0039] The present invention is directed to a process for
compressing a material in a garniture device of a rod machine. The
process includes guiding the material along a rod guide surface of
a garniture tongue that, at least in part is composed of a steel
alloy with high titanium carbide content. The material becomes
compressed as it is guided along the rod guide surface.
[0040] Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present
invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure
and the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] The present invention is further described in the detailed
description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of
drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments
of the present invention, in which like reference numerals
represent similar parts throughout the several views of the
drawings, and wherein:
[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section through a
garniture intake of a cigarette rod machine;
[0043] FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of a garniture tongue
viewed in direction II depicted in FIG. 1; and
[0044] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a removal device viewed
approximately in the direction III depicted in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0045] The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for
purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the
present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing
what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood
description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present
invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural
details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary
for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the
description taken with the drawings making apparent to those
skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention
may be embodied in practice.
[0046] FIG. 1 illustrates the garniture (forming) intake of a
cigarette rod machine 1. It shows a discharge end 2 of a suction
rod conveyor 3 and a garniture device 4 with a garniture bed 6, a
garniture tongue 7 and a garniture section 8. Suction rod conveyor
3 circulates in a direction of arrow 11 in a tobacco channel 9 and
conveys a fiber rod of tobacco fibers (not shown) from a rod
assembly zone (likewise not shown) to transfer to garniture device
4. The fiber rod is conveyed hanging on suction rod conveyor 3 in
tobacco channel 9, whereby it is held on suction rod conveyor 3 by
an induced suction acting throughout suction rod conveyor 3.
Garniture bed 6 features a rod guide surface 12 (not shown in
detail) that forms a rod channel, which is curved in cross section,
having a curvature radius which continuously narrows from intake
cone 13 to garniture section 8 in a rod travel direction and which
discharges the desired formed rod shape, into a rod channel 14 of
garniture section 8. A garniture belt 17, circulating in a
direction of arrow 16, is guided in intake cone 13, along rod guide
surface 12 and into rod channel 14. Garniture belt 17 also carries
wrapper material strip 18 through garniture device 4. As the
technology of such machines is sufficiently known, more detailed
representation and description is not necessary here.
[0047] In the area of intake cone 13, suction rod conveyor 3
converges to rod guide surface 12 of garniture bed 6 and deposits
the tobacco rod combined and evened in the usual manner in a rod
assembly zone (not shown) onto wrapper material strip 18 moving
through garniture device 4. As it passes through intake cone 13,
the tobacco rod is strongly compressed due to the action of suction
rod conveyor 3 and deformed according to a cross sectional change
of intake cone 13 in conveyor direction 16 of garniture belt 17. In
this manner, the tobacco rod can enter rod channel 14 partially
enclosed by rod guide surface 12 of garniture bed 6. Garniture
tongue 7 is arranged with a scraper 25 next to garniture bed 6 in
the area of rod guide surface 12 to act as another rod guiding
device. Moreover, scraper 25, together with rod guide surface 12 of
garniture bed 6, forms a rod guidance unit further compressing and
forming the fiber rod.
[0048] Scraper 25 is attached, e.g., by screws 22 or other suitable
manners of attachment on a face side to garniture tongue 7 of
garniture device 4. Scraper 25 can also be embodied in one piece
with garniture tongue 7. Scraper 25 includes a base body 19, having
an underside embodied as or forming rod guide surface 21. In its
installed position, scraper 25 is located opposite rod guide
surface 12 of garniture bed 6, so that both rod guide surfaces 12
and 21 enclose a rod guide channel 28. To this end, rod guide
surface 21, when viewed in the direction III shown in FIG. 1, is
curved in a concave manner, as depicted by the front view of
scraper 25 in FIG. 3, and is aligned with rod guide surface 23
which is embodied or formed on an underside of garniture tongue 7.
In interaction with the other parts of garniture intake 1, this
embodiment of rod guide surfaces 12, 21 and 23 causes, in a known
manner, the formation of an arriving tobacco rod into a cylindrical
fiber rod with the simultaneous wrapping of this fiber rod with
wrapper material strip 18.
[0049] The diagrammatic section of garniture tongue 7, viewed in
the direction II in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. According to the
invention, garniture tongue 7 includes a steel alloy 30. In this
regard, steel allow 30 can be connected to garniture tongue 7 by a
soldered seam 31. Moreover, rod guide surface 23, which is curved,
is shown formed within steel alloy 30. Thus, in accordance with the
invention, garniture tongue 7 is formed by soldering steel alloy 30
to a conventional steel alloy 32. A suitable conventional steel
alloy 32, which is customarily used, is marketed by Engineer
Precision, New Jersey, USA, under the product number 9.0406.
Another suitable material, which is formed by sintering from powder
material into section 32 of garniture tongue 7, is marketed by Zapp
GmbH & Co. KG, Ratingen, Germany, under the name CPM 10 V. Of
course, other steels or sintered metals are also suitable for
realizing steel alloy 32 of garniture tongue 7. Moreover, it is
also contemplated that garniture tongue 7 can also be made
completely of steel alloy 30.
[0050] A front view of scraper 25, when viewed in the direction III
depicted in FIG. 1, is illustrated in FIG. 3. Intake end 24 of
scraper 25 and an abrasion-resistant layer 27 are recognizable.
Abrasion-resistant layer 27 can include a diamond layer, as
described in detail in European Application No. EP 0 582 136 B1.
Removal edge 26 of scraper 25 is arranged on intake end 24 of the
scraper (see FIG. 1), is oriented crosswise to travel direction 11
of rod conveyor 3, and is positioned close to the surface of rod
conveyor 3 or adjacent to it. At least one layer 27 of a
fine-grained abrasion-resistant material is embedded in the surface
of removal edge 26. Layer 27 includes, e.g., polycrystalline
diamond and is sintered into an underlayer of hard metal. Removal
edge 26 can also be made of a hard ceramic material in which
polycrystalline diamond is embedded in its surface. Diamond layer
27 extends on removal edge 26 over an entire width of rod conveyor
3 and, thus, reliably removes all tobacco fibers from rod conveyor
3. In this way, the tobacco rod is transferred reliably and
completely from rod conveyor 3 onto wrapper material strip 18. By
embodying or forming removal edge 26 of hard metal and a coating
with, e.g., polycrystalline diamond, wear-resistance of removal
edge 26 is substantially increased, which considerably extends its
service life.
[0051] Moreover, in accordance with the invention, rod guide
surface 21 can also be provided with steel alloy 30, which has high
titanium carbide content. In this manner, the surface life of
scraper 25 can also be clearly increased. Further, by extending the
replacement intervals, the cost-effectiveness of the machine's use
is thus increased.
[0052] Preferable and acceptable examples of steel alloy 30 have
been described above. Further above discussion relates to, in
particular, a structure of titanium carbide and martensite or a
structure of titanium carbide and austenite. Preferable compounds
of the corresponding and preferable steel alloys according to the
invention are sold by Thyssen Stahl AG, Krefeld, Germany, under the
trade name "FERRO-TITANIT." The titanium carbide content is
preferably over 20% by weight and in particular between 31% by
weight and 35% by weight.
[0053] The above-noted materials also provide an additional
advantage in that they do not change the taste during the
processing of tobacco. In particular, the corresponding components
of the disclosed steel alloy are not reactive with tobacco or the
flavor of tobacco.
[0054] According to the invention, garniture tongue 7 and/or
scraper 25 can feature channels (not shown in the Figures) from
which a sliding fluid and/or cleaning fluid can be emitted so that
rod guide surfaces 23 and 21 are even more sliding or can be
cleaned. Moreover, it is additionally possible to also have flavor
emitted from the channels so that the flavor of the tobacco can be
improved. Further, the sliding and/or cleaning fluid can preferably
additionally also improve the taste of the tobacco.
[0055] The geometric design of garniture tongue 7 can also be
different from that depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this regard, it
is contemplated that garniture tongue 7 can have alternative
shapes, including, but not limited to, the shape depicted in FIG. 6
of U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,165, which is expressly incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
[0056] It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided
merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be
construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present
invention has been described with reference to an exemplary
embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used
herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words
of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the
appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without
departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its
aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein
with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the
present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars
disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all
functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are
within the scope of the appended claims.
[0057] List of Reference Numbers
[0058] 1 Rod machine
[0059] 2 Discharge end
[0060] 3 Suction rod conveyor
[0061] 4 Garniture device
[0062] 6 Garniture bed
[0063] 7 Garniture tongue
[0064] 8 Garniture section
[0065] 9 Tobacco channel
[0066] 11 Arrow direction
[0067] 12 Rod guide surface
[0068] 13 Intake cone
[0069] 14 Rod channel
[0070] 16 Arrow direction
[0071] 17 Garniture belt
[0072] 18 Wrapper material strip
[0073] 19 Base body
[0074] 21 Rod guide surface
[0075] 22 Screw
[0076] 23 Rod guide surface
[0077] 24 Intake end
[0078] 25 Scraper
[0079] 26 Removal edge
[0080] 27 Abrasion-resistant layer
[0081] 28 Rod guide channel
[0082] 30 Steel alloy
[0083] 31 Soldered seam
* * * * *