Method and apparatus for producing a multiple-blend cigarette

摘要

A method of manufacturing a multi-blend segmented cigarette by providing a first blend of tobacco to an appropriate point adjacent to a tobacco conveying belt of a conventional cigarette making machine. A transfer wheel apparatus is utilized to form a plurality of spaced portions of the first blend and transferring the formed portions from the first blend supply to the conveyor belt, depositing the portions on said conveyor belt at spaced intervals. A second blend is delivered to the tobacco conveying belt and fills the gaps or intervals while also covering the formed portions to produce a multi-blend segmented layer. The multi-blend segmented layer is trimmed to remove only a portion of said second blend, thereby providing a layer of a uniformed thickness. The trimmed uniformed layer is transferred to a tobacco rod forming device which forms a continuously wrapped tobacco rod. The continuously wrapped rod is then cut in the interval between each of the portions and at approximately the midpoint of each portion to form single cigarette tobacco rods.