Apparatus for recovering tobacco from unsatisfactory cigarettes or the like

US4485827A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. K.G. · DE

Inventors

• Werner Komossa · Bornsen, DE
• Hans-Adolf Barck · Geesthacht, DE
• Thomas Bahr · Glarus, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 28, 1982
• Grant date: Dec 4, 1984
• Expiry date: Sep 28, 2002

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A24C5/36
• WIPO field: Other consumer goods
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

Apparatus for recovering tobacco particles from unsatisfactory filter cigarettes has a rotary centrifugal aligning device which converts randomly supplied unsatisfactory cigarettes into a single file and transports successive cigarettes of the file past the peripheral surfaces of two rotary disc-shaped wrapper-engaging implements serving to break the wrappers and thus expose the tobacco-containing fillers for segregation from the wrappers and filters. The marginal portions of the implements are monitored by discrete photocells which generate signals on detection of cracks, chipping and/or other defects of the implements, and such signals are used to arrest the drive for the aligning device and for the implements. The interior of the aligning device is monitored by one or more detectors which generate signals denoting the quantity of unsatisfactory cigarettes in selected portions of the aligning device; such signals are used to interrupt the feed of unsatisfactory cigarettes to the aligning device when the detected quantity or quantities are outside of a preselected range.