Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to a method of and to
an apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles of
the tobacco processing industry, especially filter rod
sections of unit length or multiple unit length. More
~` particularly, the invention relates to improvements in
a method and in an apparatus which can be used with
advantage for the making of composite rod-shaped
articles wherein rod-shaped components of a first
type alternate with rod-shaped components of one or
more different types or with hollow tubes.
It is well known to form composite filter
rod sections by placing discrete filter rod sections
of unit length or multiple unit length onto a
continuously running web of cigarette paper or other
wrapping material and by thereupon draping the web
around the thus formed file of filter rod sections to
obtain a filter rod wherein neighboring filter rod
sections are separated from each other by clearances
or gaps of predetermined width. The resulting filter
rod is then severed across successive filter rod
sections and/or across successive gaps, depending upon
the nature of composite filter mouthpieces which are
to be obtained from such rod. It is further known
to make filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos by
placing filter rod sections and plain cigarettes,
cigars or cigarillos end-to-end so that they form a
single file, by draping a web of cigarette paper or
other wrapping material around such file, and by
thereupon severing the resulting rod midway across
each filter mouthpiece to form a file of discrete
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filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos of unit
length or multiple unit length. ~eretofore known
methods and apparatus for delivery of discrete rod-
shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry
onto a continuously running web of wrapping material
are not entirely satisfactory, for example, when the
rod-shaped articles are to be delivered at a high
~` or very high frequency.
One feature of the present invention
resides in the provision of a method of transporting
a series of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco
processing industry, particularly filter rod sections,
into an elongated path. The method comprises the
steps of conveying successive articles of the series
-~; along a first substantially circular path, transferring
successive articles of the series from the first
` circular path into a second substantially circular
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. path, and advancing successively transferred articles
along the second circular path into the elongated
path. The transferring step includes decelerating
and holding successive articles of the series, and the
advancing step includes moving successive held articles
into and along the second circular path at predetermined
intervals.
The conveying step preferably includes
moving the articles in a direction substantially
transversely of their respective longitudinal axes,
and the advancing step preferably includes moving
the articles substantially axially. The first
circular path is preferably located in a first
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` plane, and the second circular path is preferably
s~ located in a second plane substantially at right
angles to the first plane. Each of these planes is
x preferably a substantially vertical plane.
~ The decelerating step can include decelerating
: ~ successive articles of the series all the way or close
to zero speed. The predetermined intervals are
, preferably equal intervals. The holding step can include
holding the articles by suction between the first and
10 second circular paths.
The advancing step can comprise pushing the
articles substantially axially along the second
path. Such advancing step can further comprise
holding the articles in the second path by suction.
The arrangement can be such that the articles are
moved substantially axially along the second
substantially circular path by a series of pushers,
and such method can further comprise the step of
applying to successive articles in the second
20 substantially circular path a braking force so as to
urge each of the thus braked articles against the
respective pusher. This ensures that the articles
are delivered into the elongated path at predetermined
intervals and/or at a predetermined mutual spacing
from one another.
The elongated path is or can be a
substantially straight (e.g., substantially horizontal)
path which is defined by an endless flexible conveyor.
Another feature of the invention resides
30 in the provision of an apparatus for manipulating a
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series of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing
industry, particularly filter rod sections. The
apparatus comprises a first conveyor which defines
an elongated first path, a second conveyor having
means for conveying successive articles of the
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series along a first substantially circular path,
a third conveyor having means for advancing
successive articles of the series along a second
substantially circular path from the first circular
path into the elongated path, and means for temporarily
decelerating and holding successive articles of the
series intermediate the first and second circular
paths.
The conveying means of the second conveyor
can comprise means for accelerating successive
articles of the series (e.g., from zero speed to a
normal operating speed) and for moving such articles
substantially at right angles to their respective
axes. The second conveyor can comprise a driven
rotary drum, and the conveying means are preferably
located at the periphery of the drum.
The third conveyor can be provided with
` an endless circular or substantially circular
groove for the articles, and the advancing means of
' the third conveyor can include means for moving the
articles substantially axially. The third conveyor
can include a driven rotary drum; the groove and
the advancing means are preferably located at the
periphery of such drum.
The second conveyor is preferably mounted
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for rotation about a first substantially horizontal
axis, and the third conveyor is preferably mounted
for rotation about a second substantially horizontal
axis extending at right angles to the first axis so
that the first circular path is located in a first
substantially vertical plane and the second
circular path is located in a second substantially
vertical plane extending at right angles to the
first plane.
The third conveyor is preferably located
at a level above the first but below the second
conveyor.
The holding means can comprise a stationary
supporting member having means for temporarily
retaining successive articles of the series by
suction.
The advancing means of the third conveyor
; can comprise a plurality of spaced apart pushers
which serve to move successive articles of the
series substantially axially along the second circular
, path. The pushers are or can be equidistant from
each other in the direction of advancement of
articles along the second circular path. The third
conveyor can be provided with suction ports which
attract the articles in the groove during advancement
of articles from the first circular path into the
elongated first path.
The apparatus can further comprise means
for braking successive articles in the groove of the
third conveyor so as to maintain the rear end faces
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~ of the articles in abutment with the respective
`~ pushers. This ensures that successive articles
`~ reach the elongated first path at a predetermined
spacing from one another. The braking means can
include at lea~t one brush which is adjacent a
portion of the second Gircular path.
The means for temporarily holding
successive articles of the series intermediate the
first and second circular paths preferably defines a
channel for successive articles of the series. Such
channel defining holding means can comprise a
first stationary member having a first guide
; surface at one side of the channel and a second
~ ~ stationary member having a second guide surface at
s ~i the other side of the channel opposite the first
guide surface. The holding means can further
comprise suction ports or analogous means for
attracting successive articles of the series to the
channel defining holding means by suction.
The first conveyor can include an endless
flexible conveyor having an elongated reach
(particularly an elongated upper reach) which
defines the elongated first path.
The novel features which are considered as
characteristic of the invention are set forth in
particular in the appended claims. The improved
apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction
and its mode of operation, together with additional
features and advantages thereof, will be best
understood upon perusal of the following detailed
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;s description of certain specific embodiments with
:~ reference to the accompanying drawing wherein
~ FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an
:~ apparatus which embodies the invention; and
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the apparatus
as seen in the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1,
with portions of the holding means, second rotary
conveyor and first conveyor broken away.
The apparatus which is shown in FIGS. 1 and
2 comprises an endless first conveyor 22 having a
substantially horizontal upper reach or stretch
which defines an elongated path for the transport
of rod-shaped articles 3 (such as filter rod sections
of unit length or multiple unit length) in the form
^ i~ of a single file wherein successive articles 3 may
` but need not be disposed end-to-end.
,; A second conveyor 2 in the form of a drum
with axially parallel peripheral article conveying
. - flutes 1 is driven to rotate about a horizontal
axis at a level above a third conveyor 16 in the form
of a driven drum rotatable about a horizontal axis
which extends at right angles to the axis of
~; rotation of the conveyor 2. The conveyor 16 has a
set of equidistant article advancing elements in the
form of pushers 17 which are installed at the
periphery of the conveyor 16 and overlie the adjacent
, portions of an endless circular peripheral groove 14.
The conveyor 2 serves to accelerate
successive articles 3 of a series of articles which
. ~ 30 are stored in a magazine adjacent the endless circular
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path along which the flutes 1 travel when the
conveyor 2 is driven to rotate in the direction of
arrow 4. The flutes 1 accept successive articles 3
~ and move them on to a transfer station 7 between the
;~ circular path for the articles 3 on the conveyor 2
i`' and the circular path for the articles 3 on the
conveyor 16. The two circular paths are located in
vertical planes at right angles to each other. The
conveyor 16 is driven to rotate in the direction of
arrow 19. That portion of the path which is
defined by the conveyor 2 wherein the articles 3
advance from the magazine to the transfer station 7
' is overlapped by a shroud 6 which ensures that the
; articles 3 remain in their respective flutes 1
during movement toward the station 7.
The transfer station 7 accommodates a
holding or supporting device including a first
stationary member or ramp 8 at the lower end of the
shroud 6 and a strip-shaped second stationary
member or ramp 9. The ramps 8, 9 have confrontin~
downwardly sloping surfaces which define a narrow
channel wherein successive accelerated articles 3
advance from the respective flutes 1 of the conveyor
, 2 into a flute 12 which is machined in the surface
11 of the ramp 9 and wherein the articles 3 are
held (one at a time) by suction. To this end, the
- ramp 9 has one or more suction ports 13 which
communicate with the flute 12 and can be connected to
the suction intake of a vacum pump, blower or other
suitable suction generating device, not shown. The
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articles 3 which enter the channel between the
' ramps 8, 9 are decelerated and come to a full stop
;, on entry into the flute 12. One end face of the
.. article 3 which is attracted to the ramp 9 by the
suction port or ports 13 is then engaged by the
oncoming pusher 17 of the conveyor 16 to advance
substantially axially in the adjacent portion of the
., groove 14 which communicates with suction ports 18
to ensure that the articles 3 cannot leave the
groove 14 under the action of centrifugal force.
It will be noted that the direction of movement of
successive articles 3 is changed from sidewise or
transverse movement (substantially at right angles
to their respective longitudinal axes) in the flutes
1 of the conveyor 2 to substantially axial in the
groove 14 of the conveyor 16. The period of dwell of
successive articles 3 in the flute 12 of the ramp 9
is determined by the mutual spacing of neighboring
pushers 17 on the conveyor 16 and by the peripheral
speed of this conveyor. The illustrated conveyor 16
has six equidistant pushers 17.
In order to ensure that the articles 3
. which rebound when their rear end faces are engaged
by the oncoming pushers 17 will return into contact
with such pushers not later than on arrival at the
~: transfer station between the conveyors 16 and 22,
the apparatus further comprises a retarding device 21
in the form of an arcuate brush adjacent the
~ circular path which is defined by the conveyor 16
:~ 30 and serving to apply to successive articles 3 in the
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groove 14 a braking force which overcomes the
~, suction in the respective ports 18 and ensures that
each article 3 which is not in actual contact with
the pusher 17 behind it will be shifted rearwardly
until it comes into actual contact with such pusher.
This ensures that the articles 3 are deposited in the
elongated path which is defined by the endless belt
conveyor 22 at predetermined intervals, e.g., at
~¢~ intervals which are required to place a plain
10 cigarette of unit length or multiple unit length or
a filter mouthpiece of unit length or multiple unit
length between pairs of successive articles 3 in
the file of such articles on the upper reach of the
conveyor 22. Each article 3 can constitute a
~ hollow tubular component of paper, cardboard or
-~ the like. Alternatively, each such article can
contain a tubular wrapper surrounding a mass of
filter material for tobacco smoke.
s Each article 3 can constitute one-half or
-~ 20 even a smaller fraction of a longer rod-shaped
article which has been severed ahead of the conveyor
`~` 2 so as to have an optimum length for processing on
the belt conveyor 22. It is also possible to sever
the articles on the conveyor 2 and to deliver
, groups of two or more coaxial articles to the flute
~^ 12 of the ramp 9 so that each pusher 17 actually
" advances two or more coaxial sections of a composite
article 3.
; The ramps 8, 9 at the transfer station 7
~ 30 constitute an optional but desirable and advantageous
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feature of the improved apparatus. They ensure that
' each article 3 is positively guided (by the flutes 1
and shroud 6, between the ramps 8, 9 and in the
groove 14 of the conveyor 16) all the way from the
source of supply of articles 3 to the running web
(not shown) on the upper reach of the conveyor 22.
Moreover, the ramps 8, 9 cooperate with the pushers
17 to ensure that the conveyor 16 advances past the
brush 21 a series of at least substantially equidistant
~; 10 articles 3 whereby the brush ensures that the mutual
~- spacing of successive articles 3 in the groove 14
is invariably uniform not later than at the locus
of transfer of articles onto the conveyor 22. In
many instances, each article 3 will constitute a
filter rod section of double unit length.
The brush 21 can be replaced with other
suitable means (e.g., one or more rollers or elastic
~: lips) which can frictionally engage the wrappers of
successive articles 3 in the groove 14 to produce a
braking or retarding action which is sufficiently
pronounced to ensure that each and every article 3
abuts the respective pusher 17 but is not of such
magnitude that it could affect the appearance and/or
~; other desirable characteristics of the conveyed
articles.
An important advantage of the improved
, ~ method and apparatus is that each article 3 is
positively guided and retained in a prescribed
position all the way from the source to the upper
reach of the conveyor 22. Such reliable guidance is
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not affected by the speed at which the conveyors 2,
16 and 22 are driven. Moreover, the holding and
guide means 8, 9 at the transfer station 7 ensure
that the change in direction of transport from
sidewise to axial is effected smoothly and with a
very high degree of predictability and accuracy.
Without further analysis, the foregoing
will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention
that others can, by applying current knowledge,
readily adapt it for various applications without
omitting features that, from the standpoint of
prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics
of the generic and specific aspects of the above
outlined contribution to the art and, therefore,
such adaptations should and are intended to be
comprehended within the meaning and range of
equivalence of the appended claims.
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