Apparatus for cutting cigar wrappers from natural tobacco leaves

摘要

An apparatus for cutting cigar wrappers with a selected profile from a natural tobacco leaf, the apparatus comprises a vacuum supporting structure on a leaf receiving member. An arrangement is provided for selecting a cut position on the leaf and oriented with respect to the leaf receiving member and a cutting platen is provided including a leaf supporting surface and an arrangement for creating a vacuum on the surface to support a leaf. The platen is positioned in a known leaf receiving location and a transfer means is provided for transferring the leaf from the leaf receiving member to the leaf supporting surface of the cutting platen. The cutter having the desired profile is provided for cutting the profile from the leaf. The platen is then shifted from its leaf receiving position to a leaf cutting position with the support surface of the platen spaced from the wrapper cutter. After orienting the platen relative to the cutter to align the cutter with the cut position for the leaf the cutter is forced against the platen to cut a wrapper from the leaf. The wrapper is then moved and transferred to a selected location for subsequent use.