Fig. 23.
Each segment-roller consists of an axle with four segments, best shown in Figs. 22 and 23. The outer shell of the segments is made of hard wood, fitting an inner shell of malleable cast-iron, the projections on which suit grooves on the cast-iron axle. The segments of the rollers c d are moved laterally to and fro by the wedge-shaped cams p q r s, fixed to the bearings of the roller-axles; and the segments of the roller e are moved in the same manner by cams t u, fixed to the swing-frame f. The tobacco occupies the central space between the 3 rollers, and the cams p r t move the segments in the direction of the arrow where they touch the tobacco, while the cams q s u move them back. After the tobacco has passed beyond the segment-rollers, it goes through the hollow trunnion of the open frame g, in which the bobbin h revolves; the other trunnion of the frame g is provided with fast and loose pulleys, by which the whole machine is driven. To this trunnion, are also fixed an ordinary friction-break pulley, and a grooved pulley, around which latter passes a band for driving the pulley on the axle of the bobbin h. To the other end of the axle of the bobbin, is fixed a pinion, which, by means of a toothed chain, gives motion to another pinion fixed to the double screw i; this double screw gives a traversing to-and-fro motion to the guide j, for distributing the tobacco evenly on the bobbin, by means of a swivel Ｔ-headed stud, connected with the guide, and taking into the thread of the double screw. The guide is provided with two horizontal grooved rollers, between which the tobacco passes, and with two other rollers to guide the tobacco on to the bobbin.
Rotary motion is communicated to the segment-rollers c d e as follows:—To the hollow trunnion of the open frame g, is affixed a pinion, which drives the wheel k, on the same shaft as the change-pinion that drives the wheel gearing into the pinions on the axles of the rollers c and d, and one of which pinions gears into the intermediate pinion l, which drives the pinions on the axle of the roller e. The driving-strap is held upon the fast pulley by a drop-catch acting on a weighted lever, one arm of which is connected by a link to the lower end of a strap fork-lever. When it is requisite to stop the machine, the attendant kicks the point of a catch off the end of the lever, which is then raised by the weight, and so moves the driving-strap from the fast to the loose pulley, the stoppage being virtually instantaneous. The mode of working is as follows:—The spinner and assistants stand at opposite sides of the table; the fillers and wrappers being placed on the table, one assistant spreads out the wrapper and pushes the end towards the filler, which the spinner supplies and holds against the sliding-rest b; the rotary motion of the segment-rollers c d e twists the tobacco, and causes the wrapper to be wound over the filler, and the rest b, being movable, enables the spinner to regulate its position according to the quantity and quality of the filler and wrapper. The lateral motion of the segment-rollers passes the roll towards the bobbin, on which it is wound, as described. The combined rotary and traversing motions of the rollers consolidate the tobacco, and put the desired face upon the twist. The roller e is supported in a swing-frame, which is lifted off the tobacco when starting the machine. When the machine is at work, the swing-frame is held down by the stud m (Fig. 19). The figures represent a machine suitable for manufacturing Limerick roll; for pigtail and other small descriptions, it is necessary to reduce the diameter of one or more of the segment-rollers.
Fig. 24.
Fig. 25.
A more recent improvement in this machine, by J. E. A. Andrew, is shown in Figs. 24 (side view), 25 (transverse section), and 26 (plan). The table a, rib n, and sliding-rest b, and two lower segment-rollers c d, are constructed as usual; but the axles of the segment-rollers revolve in bearings g h, bolted to the flanges of swivel-frames i k, hinged upon the fulcrum-shaft x; the object of thus supporting the bottom rollers c d is to be able to vary the distance between them according to the thickness of the twist of tobacco that is being rolled. When the distance between the rollers is fixed, the bearings are secured by bolts passing through segmental slots. The solid top roller e revolves in centres in sliding bearings fitting in the swing-frame f.
Fig. 26.
