U.S. patent application number 10/797022 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-30 for cigarette packaging.
Invention is credited to Vink, Henrikus, Vink, Michael A..
Application Number | 20040187882 10/797022 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32968199 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040187882 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vink, Michael A. ; et
al. |
September 30, 2004 |
Cigarette packaging
Abstract
A roll of tape formed of a flexible material and having a length
and a plurality of portions defining a plurality of sealed,
air-tight elongate chambers along said length, wherein each chamber
is adapted to retain a cigarette, and wherein a selected number of
each of said chambers is defined in part by an interchamber
portion. Also provided is a roll of cigarette-containing tape, as
hereinabove defined in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein said
dispenser comprises a (a) housing constructed and adapted to
receive said roll of tape; and (i) having tape-entry means through
which said roll of tape enters said housing; and (ii) longitudinal
aperture exit means through which said tape is controllably,
operably dispensed from said housing in single cigarette-containing
chamber array, one after another, (b) dispensation means within
said housing to operably effect dispension of a desired length
portion of tape through said exit means; and (c) control means
operably cooperable with said dispensation means to effect
operation of said dispensation means. The tape and assembly
provides for single dispensation of a cigarette in its own
air-tight chamber.
Inventors: |
Vink, Michael A.; (Bolsover,
CA) ; Vink, Henrikus; (Bowmanville, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MANELLI DENISON & SELTER
2000 M STREET NW SUITE 700
WASHINGTON
DC
20036-3307
US
|
Family ID: |
32968199 |
Appl. No.: |
10/797022 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/347 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 11/68 20130101;
G07F 11/004 20200501; B65D 75/327 20130101; B65D 85/10
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/347 |
International
Class: |
A24B 001/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 13, 2003 |
CA |
2,421,989 |
Claims
1. A roll of tape formed of a flexible material and having a length
and a plurality of portions defining a plurality of sealed,
air-tight elongate chambers along said length, wherein each chamber
is adapted to retain a cigarette, and wherein a selected number of
each of said chambers is defined in part by an interchamber
portion.
2. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1 comprising a pair of
complementary longitudinal films formed of a plastics material
bonded one to the other as to define a plurality of sealed,
air-tight chambers along said length of the tape wherein each
chamber is adapted to retain a cigarette between said films.
3. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1 comprising a longitudinal
first film formed of a plastics material bonded to a complementary
longitudinal second film formed of a metallic foil, one to the
other as to define a plurality of sealed, air-tight chambers along
said length of the tape wherein each chamber is adapted to retain a
cigarette between said films.
4. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said
interchamber portions has a plurality of perforations perpendicular
to said length of said tape to operably constitute tear-off means
to separate one chamber from another.
5. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1 wherein each chamber is
defined in part by an edge portion of said tape of sufficient
finger gripping area as to operably constitute chamber opening
means selected from the group consisting of push-through, peelable,
child resistant peel-push, tear-open, and peel open structure means
to provide access to said cigarette retained in said chamber.
6. A roll of tape as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said
interchamber portions further comprises weakened flanking portions
parallel to and either side of said chamber to operably comprise
said chamber-opening means.
7. A roll of tape as defined in claim 5 wherein said
finger-gripping area is formed of a material comprising a metallic
foil.
8. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1 comprising a pair of
complementary longitudinal barrier films formed of a polymer,
metal, ceramic or composite material bonded one to the other as to
define a plurality of sealed, air-tight chambers along said length
of the tape wherein each chamber is adapted to retain a cigarette
or the like between said films.
9. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1, comprising a longitudinal
first film, thermoformed from a single, extruded barrier coated or
laminated polymer material, sealed and bonded to a complementary
longitudinal second film formed of a metal, paper, polymer or
combination material, one to the other as to define a plurality of
sealed, air-tight chambers along said length of the tape wherein
each chamber is adapted to retain a cigarette between said
films.
10. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1, comprising a longitudinal
first film, cold formed from metallic or metallic-polymer barrier
coated material, sealed and bonded to a complementary longitudinal
second film formed of a metal, paper, polymer, or combination
material, one to the other as to define a plurality of sealed,
air-tight chambers along said length of the tape wherein each
chamber is adapted to retain a cigarette between said films.
11. A roll of tape as defined in claim 5 wherein said finger
gripping area is formed of a film material selected from the group
consisting of a polymer, metal, ceramic, paper, and composite
material thereof.
12. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of
said films have anti-counterfeiting means, selected from
holographic images and encryption.
13. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1 wherein either of said
films have illumination properties or its like known to industry,
which allow for tape and/or chambers to be easily identified in
less than ideal lighting situations.
14. A roll of tape as defined in claim 1 containing a plurality of
cigarettes.
15. A cigarette-dispensing assembly comprising, in combination, a
dispenser and a roll of cigarette-containing tape, as defined in
claim 1, wherein said dispenser comprises (a) a housing defining
chamber and constructed and adapted to receive said roll of tape;
and (i) having tape-entry means through which said roll of tape
enters said housing; and (ii) longitudinal aperture exit means
through which said tape is controllably, operably dispensed from
said housing in single cigarette-containing chamber array, one
after another, (b) dispensation means within said housing to
operably effect dispension of a desired length portion of tape
through said exit means; and (c) control means operably cooperable
with said dispensation means to effect operation of said
dispensation means.
16. An assembly as defined in claim 15 further comprising control
cam means for preventing unwanted rearward movement of said tape
within said housing beyond a cigarette width.
17. An assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein said control cam
means comprises (i) a pivotable cam mounted within said housing
chamber; (ii) an interchamber portion engaging cooperable with said
pivotable cam member; and (iii) a stop member cooperable with said
cam to prevent said rearward movement of said tape of said cam.
18. An assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein said housing has a
first wall, a 30 second wall, a lockable and removable third wall,
a fourth wall, a fifth wall and a sixth wall, which define a
chamber for receiving said tape; wherein (i) said first wall, said
second wall, said fifth and said sixth walls define a tape-entry
aperture through which said tape is located within said chamber and
which aperture operably receives said removable third wall (ii)
said first wall has a portion defining an elongate aperture
parallel to and adjacent said sixth wall, which elongate aperture
constitutes said longitudinal aperture exit means (iii) said
dispensation means comprises (a) a longitudinal member parallel to
and in abutment with said tape within said interchamber portion of
said tape: (b) cam means cooperable with said longitudinal member
to allow said longitudinal movement of said tape through said
elongate aperture; and (c) wherein said control means comprises
handle means cooperable with said cam means to operably effect
dispersion of said tape through said elongate aperture.
19. An assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein said housing has a
front side wall, a rear side wall, a lockable and removable side
wall, a fourth side wall, a top and a bottom, which define a
chamber for receiving said tape; wherein (i) said front side wall,
said rear side wall, said top and said bottom define a tape-entry
aperture through which said tape is located within said chamber and
which aperture operably receives said removable side wall (ii) said
front side wall has a portion defining an elongate aperture
parallel to and adjacent said base, which elongate aperture
constitutes said longitudinal aperture exit means (iii) said
dispensation means comprises (a) a longitudinal member parallel to
and in abutment with said tape within said interchamber portion of
said tape; (b) cam means cooperable with said longitudinal member
to allow said longitudinal movement of said tape through said
elongate aperture; and (c) wherein said control means comprises
handle means cooperable with said cam means to operably effect
dispersion of said tape through said elongate aperture.
20. An assembly as defined in claim 19 further comprising lockable
stop means cooperable with said handle means to prevent unwanted
movement of said handle means.
21. An assembly as defined in claim 19 further comprising (i) a
pair of elongate guides fixed to said fourth side wall parallel one
to another at a distance thereof and defining a guide passage
therebetween, (ii) an intervening elongate guide member movable
longitudinally within said guide passage: and cooperable with said
handle and said cam means whereby movement of said handle effects
longitudinal movement of said guide member to effect longitudinal
movement of said elongate member either forwardly with said tape or
rearwardly over said tape; and (iii) wherein said stop member is
rigidly connected to said guide or said fourth side wall.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to packaging of cigarettes, cigars,
cigarillos, kreteks, bidis and the like, particularly to said
packaging in the form of rolls of dispensing tape
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] With conventional packaging of cigarettes, a predetermined
number of cigarettes are wrapped with a sheet of inner packing for
water and humidity proof ness and with a sheet of outer paper for
correct information on the packed cigarettes and for enhancement of
their commercial value. Further, the outer packing is, generally
wrapped with a transparent sheet of packing paper.
[0003] When a package of cigarettes packed in the above-described
conventional packaging manner is opened, an opening is defined
through the packaging sheet on the side of the tops of the
cigarettes so that the interior of the package is communicated with
the surrounding atmosphere. As a result, aroma and natural flavours
inherent to the packaged cigarettes tends to be lost; cigarettes
are scattered to surrounding atmosphere; cigarettes and the package
are deformed.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,728 issued May 1, 1990 to K. Shibuya,
describes a method wherein a thin sheet with a suitable degree of
flexibility is interposed between tips of cigarettes to be packed
in a package and the inner surface of a top of the package so that
when the portion of the package is opened to define a cigarettes
picking up opening, the thin sheet remains in said opening in the
form of an inner cover or lid.
[0005] However, there still remains a need for providing
cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, kreteks, bidis and the like in
packaging which maximizes retention of the flavour and enables each
cigarette to stay fresh and dryer longer. Further, a means in which
to better protect the cigarettes from becoming broken and crushed
is also needed. Yet further, there is a need to prevent
counterfeiting of cigarette by designing difficult to reproduce
techniques, such as holographic images and encryption, into the
package design. Yet still further, it is most desirable to be able
to reduce the amount of unhealthy and unnatural moisturizers and
humectants, now used as additives and preservatives in the
cigarettes, by eliminating the amount of air exposure to each
cigarette in the packaging and loss of moisture from the
packaging.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide improved
packaging for cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, kreteks, bidis and
the like, which enables the cigarettes to stay fresher and dryer
longer by being conveniently individually wrapped and dispensed in
such a way as to provide an improved barrier to moisture, light,
UV, oxygen, other gases and the like.
[0007] It is a further object to provide an improved means of
packaging which better protects the cigarettes from becoming
damaged, crushed or broken.
[0008] It is a further object to provide an improved means of
packaging which reduces or eliminates unnatural moisturizing
agents, additives, humectants and the like that are currently
needed to preserve cigarette freshness and, thus, prolong shelf
life.
[0009] Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides a roll of
tape formed of flexible material and having a length and a
plurality of sealed, air-tight elongate chambers along said length,
wherein each chamber is adapted to retain a cigarette or the like,
wherein a selected number of each of said chambers is defined in
part by an intercavity portion.
[0010] In this specification and claims, the term "cigarette"
includes cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, kreteks, bidis and the
like.
[0011] The flexible material may, preferably, be a polymeric
plastics material or metallic material, such as, for example,
aluminum, silver or gold in the form of a foil.
[0012] Preferably, the roll of tape comprises a pair of
complementary longitudinal barrier films formed of a flexible
material bonded one to the other as to define a plurality of
sealed, air tight chambers along said length of the tape wherein
each chamber is adapted to retain cigarette or the like between
said barrier films.
[0013] The chambers are termed herein "blister" chambers.
[0014] The tape preferably has each of said interchamber portions
having a plurality of perforations perpendicular to said length of
said length of tape to operably constitute tear off means to
separate one chamber from the other.
[0015] It also preferably has each blister chamber defined in part
by an edge portion of said tape of sufficient finger gripping area
as to operably constitute means to provide access to said cigarette
in said blister chamber. The access to a cigarette in the chamber
may constitute, for example, of a push-through, peelable, child
resistant peel-push, tear open or peel-open means.
[0016] Further, the tape preferably has each of said interchamber
portions further comprising weakened flanking portions parallel to
and either side of said blister chamber to operably comprise said
tear open means.
[0017] More, preferably, the tape constitutes a thermoformable film
of a single, extruded, barrier coated or laminated polymeric
material, such as selected from the group consisting of, for
example, PVC, PVC/PVdC, PVC/Aclar, COCO, PP, PP-COC-PP, PETG, APET,
PET and polyethylene, sealed to a complementary film, as formed of,
for example, metal, paper, polymer, or combination thereof.
Similarly, the tape may constitute a cold formable, metallic,
metallic-polymer material, or its like known to industry, sealed to
a complementary film such as metal, paper, polymer, or combination
thereof.
[0018] More, preferably, the tape comprises a film of a plastics
material such as, polyethylene, laminated to a complementary full
length or discrete individual portions of film of a metallic foil,
such as a silver or aluminum foil.
[0019] Most preferably, the films are formed of air-tight materials
to maintain the chambers moisture and air-proof and also to prevent
drying out of the tobacco.
[0020] The term "roll" herein includes an open or closed strip or
the like.
[0021] In a further feature, the packaging according to the
invention may comprise features such as anti-counterfeiting means,
such as, for example, holographic images and encryption and its
like known to industry, manufactured into the blister forming
process to ensure originality of products.
[0022] In a further aspect, the invention comprises a method of
manufacturing cigarette packaging as hereinabove defined.
[0023] In a further aspect, the invention provides a roll of tape
as hereinabove defined wherein either of said films have
illumination properties or its like known to industry, which allow
for tape and/or chambers to be easily identified in less than ideal
lighting situations.
[0024] In a yet further aspect, the invention provides a cigarette
dispensing assembly comprising, in combination, a dispenser and a
roll of cigarette-containing tape, as hereinabove defined, wherein
said dispenser comprises
[0025] (a) a housing defining a chamber and constructed and adapted
to receive said roll of tape and having lockable tape entry means
by which said roll enters said housing and
[0026] longitudinal aperture exit means through which said tape is
controllably, operably dispensed from said housing in single
cigarette-containing chamber array, one after another,
[0027] (b) dispensation controlling means within said housing to
operably control dispension of a desired length portion of tape
through said exit means; and
[0028] (c) means operably cooperable with said dispensation
controlling means to effect operation of said dispensation
controlling means.
[0029] The assembly as hereinabove defined in one embodiment
further comprises control cam means for preventing unwanted
rearward movement of said tape within said housing beyond a
cigarette width.
[0030] The control cam means preferably comprises
[0031] (i) a pivotable cam mounted within said housing chamber,
[0032] (ii) an interchamber portion engaging cooperable with said
pivotable am member, and
[0033] (iii) a stop member cooperable with said cam to prevent said
rearward movement of said tape of said cam.
[0034] In further embodiments, the invention provides an assembly
wherein said housing has a first wall, a second wall, a lockable
and removable third wall, a fourth wall, a fifth wall and a sixth
wall, which define a chamber for receiving said tape; wherein
[0035] (i) said first wall, said second wall, said fifth and said
sixth walls define a tape-entry aperture through which said tape is
located within said chamber and which aperture operably receives
said removable third wall;
[0036] (ii) said first wall has a portion defining an elongate
aperture parallel to and adjacent said sixth wall, which elongate
aperture constitutes said longitudinal aperture exit means; and
[0037] (iii) said dispensation means comprises (a) a longitudinal
member parallel to and in abutment with said tape within said
interchamber portion of said tape; (b) cam means cooperable with
said longitudinal member to allow said longitudinal movement of
said tape through said elongate aperture; and (c) wherein said
control means comprises handle means cooperable with said cam means
to operably effect dispersion of said tape through said elongate
aperture.
[0038] In yet further embodiments, the invention provides an
assembly wherein said housing has a front side wall, a rear side
wall, a lockable and removable side wall, a fourth side wall, a top
and a bottom, which define a chamber for receiving said tape;
wherein
[0039] (i) said front side wall, said rear side wall said top and
said bottom define a tape-entry aperture through which said tape is
located within said chamber and which aperture operably receives
said removable side wall;
[0040] (ii) said front side wall has a portion defining an elongate
aperture parallel to and adjacent said base, which elongate
aperture constitutes said longitudinal aperture exit means; and
[0041] (iii) said dispensation means comprises (a) a longitudinal
member parallel to and in abutment with said tape within said
interchamber portion of said tape; (b) cam means cooperable with
said longitudinal member to allow said longitudinal movement of
said tape through said elongate aperture; and (c) wherein said
control means comprises handle means cooperable with said cam means
to operably effect dispersion of said tape through said elongate
aperture, and preferably further comprising an assembly comprising
lockable stop means cooperable with said handle means to prevent
unwanted movement of said handle means, and more preferably further
comprising an assembly comprising
[0042] (i) a pair of elongate guides fixed to said fourth side wall
parallel one to another at a distance thereof and defining a guide
passage therebetween;
[0043] (ii) an intervening elongate guide member movable
longitudinally within said guide passage; and cooperable with said
handle and said cam means whereby movement of said handle effects
longitudinal movement of said guide member to effect longitudinal
movement of said elongate member either forwardly with said tape or
rearwardly over said tape; and
[0044] (iii) wherein said stop member is rigidly connected to said
guide or said fourth side wall.
[0045] In alternative embodiments, the dispenser may be
wall-mountable and retain the roll of cigarette-containing tape as
a spool on a spindle at the top and is fed downwardly to the
dispensing aperture and out therethrough under the control of a cog
mechanism operable in only a single rotary direction under the
control of a lockable dispensation mechanism, manually activated
upon coin or like insertion control means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0046] In order that the invention may be better understood, a
preferred embodiment will now be described by way of example only,
with reference to the drawing, wherein
[0047] FIG. 1. is a perspective view of a roll of tape packaging
for cigarettes, according to the invention, comprising a pair of
laminated barrier films;
[0048] FIG. 2. is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of a tape
packaging for cigarettes, according to the invention, comprising a
pair of barrier films laminated together;
[0049] FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrammatic longitudinal side views of
a six pack portion of a tape according to the invention, in a
sealed and prior-to-sealing arrangement, respectively;
[0050] FIG. 4. is a view of a portion of tape packaging for
cigarettes according to the invention, in a folded over
arrangement;
[0051] FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrammatic perspective views of an
assembly and associated removable side wall, respectively,
according to the invention;
[0052] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic longitudinal side view of an open
housing of an assembly according to the invention;
[0053] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic, dispensing aperture side view of
the housing of the assembly as shown in FIG. 6;
[0054] FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic top view of the housing as shown in
FIG. 6; and wherein the same numerals denote like parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0055] With reference to FIGS. 1-4, these show generally as 10 a
roll of tape formed of a complementary pair of films 12, 14 formed
of a flexible material and having a length and a plurality of
sealed, air-tight chambers along its length, wherein each chamber
is adapted to retain a cigarette or the like and wherein a selected
number of each of the chambers is defined in part by an
interchamber portion 26, bonded by lamination one to the other at
each side and edge portions 16, 18, respectively, to define a
plurality of sealed, air tight chambers 20 along the length of tape
22. Each chamber 20 holds an individual cigarette 24. Between each
chamber 20, interchamber portion 26 has a plurality of perforations
or serrations 28 perpendicular to length 22 of tape 10, by which
each segment of tape 10 holding cigarette 24 may be separated from
its adjacent neighbour.
[0056] One side of tape 10 is provided with a plurality of tinfoil
tabs 30, one per chamber 10 of sufficient finger gripping area as
to enable tabs 30 to be pulled upwardly and outwardly to operably
constitute tear-open means to give access to a cigarette retained
in chamber 10.
[0057] Also, along the flanking portions 16 of each chamber, the
bonding of the plastic films 12, 14 are weakened to enable ease of
separation by the action of pull-tabs 30.
[0058] The tape 10 may be made by lamination of suitably shaped
films 12, 14 by methods known in the art.
[0059] In an alternative embodiment of roll 10, shown in FIG. 3
generally as 100, a single film of a plastics material 102 is
laminated to an intermittent plurality of tin foil strip portions
104 to define a plurality of chambers 106, each of which holds a
cigarette 24 as analogously hereinabove described. Roll 10
similarly has the desired perforations and tabs to enable pull-off
removal of tin foil tab 30 to release a cigarette 24.
[0060] FIG. 4 shows a plurality of tape strips, generally as 202,
204, 206, according to the invention, alternatively packaged in a
flat, folded-over, even manner rather than in a roll and provides
improved minimal thickness and, preferably, enables e.g. 20-25
cigarettes-containing strips to be fitted into a cardboard sleeve;
shown in dashed outline 108.
[0061] FIG. 5A shows generally as 300, a housing 302 having
vertical side walls 304, 306 and 308, with a fourth removal side
wall 310, base 312 and top 314. The side walls, top and bottom
define a roll of cigarette tape 316 receiving box chamber 318.
Removable side wall 310 (FIG. 5B) is lockable to housing 302 by
lock and key mechanism 320 which cooperates with housing vertical
protrusion 322.
[0062] Front side wall 308 has an elongate aperture 324 parallel
and adjacent to base 312 of such dimensions as to allow the close
passage of tape 316, therethrough when received, essentially in so
close proximity to the sides of aperture 324 as to prevent unwanted
manipulation of tape 316.
[0063] Affixed to side wall 306 is a pair of longitudinal steel
guide bars 326, 328, parallel one to the other essentially the
length of wall 306, but distant one from the other. Between guide
bars 326, 328 is a shorter steel bar 330 horizontally moveable
between bars 326, 328. Welded to front end 332 of bar 330 is a
vertical steel bar 334.
[0064] Housing top 314 has a longitudinal aperture 338, running
between side rear wall 304 and front side wall 308 at its front
half 336 adjacent side wall 308 at its front half 336 adjacent side
wall 308. Vertical bar 334 has an upper handle portion 340 which
protrudes through aperture 338, and a lower portion 342 to which is
pivotally retained by bolt 345 a cam member 344 consisting of a
steel arm 346 pivotal on bolt 345 in a vertical plane and a
cigarette-abutting metal rod 348, integral with and perpendicular
to arm 346 as to constitute a tape or cigarette chamber abutting
member. Bar 330, at its front end 348, has an integrally-formed
planar protruding stop 350, so engageable with planar locking
member 352 of locking member 354 that rearward movement of bar 330
is prevented unless planar member 352 is turned out of abutment
with stop 350, by means of key 356.
[0065] Fixed midway of horizontal lower bar 328 is a similar cam
arrangement consisting of vertical bar 358, cam member 360, which
is pivotally retained by bolt 362 on bar 358 and to which is
integrally-formed cigarette/tape 316 abutting rod 364 perpendicular
to bar 360. Forward and upward movement of rod 364 is effected by
forward movement of cigarette/tape 316 when the latter is operably
pulled through aperture 324 when desired. Thus, rod 364 rolls over
each cigarette and falls back onto the tape at each inter-cigarette
chamber location 26, in turn.
[0066] Bar 358 has a metal stop 366, outstanding perpendicularly
from bar 358, which stop abuts cam member 360 when the latter is in
a vertical position as to prevent rearward movement of rod 364
beyond stop 366's vertical position and, thus, prevents rearward
movement of tape 316 within housing 302.
[0067] Thus, in operation, a roll of tape 316 is loaded into box
chamber 318 when housing 302 is open when side wall 310 is absent,
and a length of tape 316 is opened and spread out along base 312
under rods 344 and 360, as far as aperture 324. Side wall 310 is
affixed and housing 302 locked by key 320. No part of tape 316
protrudes through aperture 324. Handle 340 is locked in place by
locking member 352.
[0068] To dispense cigarette/tape 316 through aperture 324, locking
member 352 is turned by key 356 to release handle 340. Handle 340
is pushed rearwardly along aperture 338 to a desired distance
commensurate with the number of cigarettes to be dispensed in that
operation as desired. In this action rod 348 rides over the desired
number of cigarettes. Tape 316 cannot move rearwardly because of
engagement of rod 364 in an inter-cigarette chamber portion 368
with the adjacent forward cigarette because of fixed stop 366
acting on cam member 360.
[0069] Forward movement of handle 340 causes tape 316 to pass
through aperture 324 by the abutment of rod 348 with the cigarette
forward thereof and the "pushing" of the cigarette in a forward
movement. Once handle 340 has reached the forward end of aperture
338, the operation can be repeated or handle 340 locked through
activation of member 352 by rotary movement of key 356.
[0070] Although this disclosure has described and illustrated
certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be
understood that the invention is not restricted to those particular
embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments, which
are functional or mechanical equivalence of the specific
embodiments and features that have been described and
illustrated.
* * * * *