EP1083803A2

EP1083803A2 - Cigarette making machine

Info

Publication number: EP1083803A2
Application number: EP99920976A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael John Cahill; Derek Henry Dyett; Norman Lindsey Haw lane SHARPE
Original assignee: Molins Ltd
Current assignee: Mpac Group PLC
Priority date: 1998-05-06
Filing date: 1999-05-06
Publication date: 2001-03-21
Also published as: WO1999056568A2; WO1999056568A3; GB9809720D0; CN1309539A; AU3835599A

Abstract

A cigarette maker machine comprises a cigarette rod maker (10) and a filter tipping device (12) for adding filter tips to cigarette rods output by the maker. The filter tipping device is arranged in-line with the maker. Accordingly, cigarette rods output from the maker are transported in the filter tipping device along paths which are substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the rods output by the maker. Preferably, the filter tipping device has a reservoir (30) and conveying devices (40, 42, 44, 46) for conveying filter tips from the reservoir to a station (82) at which the filter tips are aligned with cigarette rods to which they are to be joined. One advantage of the arrangement is that a compact cigarette making machine can be provided.

Description

Cigarette Making Machine

The invention relates to cigarette making machines and is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with machines having a plurality of cigarette rod making tracks.

Cigarette making machines in which two cigarette rods are manufactured in parallel are known. Such machines are, for example, disclosed in GB2110065A and GB2199799 A. In such machines, cigarette rods exiting the rod maker move axially along parallel spaced apart tracks or paths and are picked-up by a succession of removing heads each of which is adapted to pickup one or more rods from each track. The removing heads deposit the rods into axially spaced apart flutes of a rotary conveyor drum which is the input end of a conveying path in a filter tipping machine. The axis of rotation of the drum is parallel to rod maker tracks. The conveying path in the filter tipping machine extends at right angles to the rod flow paths in the maker.

US4051947 discloses a cigarette making machine in which there is a single rod making track and lengths of the rod are transferred from the maker into a filter tipping machine by means of removing heads which form a part of a rotary spider. The flow path for the rods in the filter tipping machine is at right angles to the path of the rod making track in the maker.

Such conventional cigarette making machines have a generally L-shaped footprint with the maker and the filter tipping device respectively defining the two sides of the L. This arrangement has disadvantages in terms of the shape and size of the machine's footprint which may not be acceptable to cigarette manufacturers. An additional disadvantage of this configuration is that the inlet hopper for the filter rods is sited in the corner of the L thereby providing poor access for machine operatives.

The invention provides a cigarette making machine comprising a cigarette rod maker defining at least one track from which desired lengths of cigarette rod are output and a filter tipping device for receiving said cigarette rods and adding filter tips thereto, the arrangement being such that said rods are transported in said filter tipping device by means of rotary conveyors in a general direction which is substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the rods output by the or each said track.

The invention also includes a cigarette making machine comprising cigarette rod making means defining at least one track from which desired lengths of cigarette rod are output and filter tipping means for receiving said cigarette rods from the or each track and adding filters thereto, the arrangement being such that in said filter tipping means said rods are transported transversely of their respective axes and said axes are disposed transversely of the or each said track. The invention also includes a cigarette rod maker for a cigarette making machine, said rod maker comprising at least one track for outputting rods of a desired length and transfer means for transferring said rods to a filter tipping device, said transfer means defining a plurality of rod carrying positions each adapted to receive at least one said rod and being arranged to receive rods being transported axially and orientate said rods for delivery to rod carrying positions of a conveyor of said filter tipping device which rod carrying positions extend transversely of said axial direction.

The invention also includes a cigarette making machine comprising a cigarette rod maker and a device for adding filter tips to rods output by said maker, wherein at least a part of said device is disposed above said maker.

The invention also includes a filter tipping device comprising means for forming two streams of tipped cigarettes by dividing cigarette assemblies comprising two cigarette rods interconnected by a filter portion, and conveying means for conveying said streams along respective conveying paths through an inspection zone to an output zone, said conveying means comprising respective series of cooperating drum conveyors which are arranged such that said conveying paths are generally parallel and, at least in the region of said inspection zone, one said conveying path is disposed higher relative to a base region of the machine than the other said conveying path. The invention also includes apparatus for conveying streams of rod-like articles in directions transverse to the lengths of the articles each of which articles has a first end and a second end with said first ends having different properties to said second ends, said apparatus comprising conveying means defining respective conveying paths which, in use, receive first and second streams of said articles which are moving in generally similar directions with the articles in said first stream having their first ends disposed on one side of the stream relative to said directions and the articles in said second stream having their first ends disposed on the opposite side of the stream relative to said directions and are arranged to convey said streams with the articles therein in stacked formation to a position at which articles from both streams are combined to form a single stream of stacked articles moving in a direction transverse to said directions and in which said first ends are all at the same side of the single stream, said conveying paths comprising respective curved portions which curve about respective axes of rotation disposed remote from said conveying paths and are arranged such that at their downstream ends the articles are orientated such that the articles of said second stream can be superimposed on the articles of said first stream to form said single stream.

In order that the invention may be well understood, some embodiments thereof, which is given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic front elevational view of a cigarette making machine;

Figure 2 is a schematic end elevational view from the left, as viewed in Figure 1, illustrating the arrangement of conveying drums in the machine;

Figure 3 is a schematic end elevational view showing a tip turning arrangement for the machine;

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 showing an alternative tip turning arrangement;

Figure 5 is a schematic front elevational view of another cigarette making machine. Figure 6 is a schematic plan representation of yet another cigarette making machine; Figure 7 is a schematic front elevational view of yet another cigarette making machine;

Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a part of the machine shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a schematic front elevational view of a transfer device of the machine shown in Figures 7 and 8;

Figure 10 is an outline plan of a conventional L-shaped arrangement of cigarette rod maker and filter tipping device; and

Figure 11 is an outline plan of a cigarette rod making machine and filter tipping machine according to the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a cigarette making machine comprises a cigarette rod maker 10 and a filter tipping device 12 arranged in-line with the maker.

The rod maker 10 is a twin track maker in which two cigarette rods in parallel spaced apart relationship are produced simultaneously. The maker 10 is not shown in any detail. The line 14 represents one track of the maker along which track an elongate cigarette rod is made. The second track (not shown) is, as indicated above, disposed parallel to and spaced apart from the track represented by line 14 and is arranged in the same horizontal plane. Preferably, the two tracks are between 30 and 37mm apart. A cut off device (not shown) is provided at the downstream end of the maker tracks for cutting the rods into the desired lengths equal to twice the length of a finished cigarette minus the length of the filter tip. The centre-line of the cutting knives is indicated at 24.

No further description of the maker will be provided since the elements which define each track (suction band, tongue, shoe, garniture etc) and the general arrangement thereof are features well known to those skilled in the art.

Suitable makers are disclosed in the applicant's applications GB2294626A and

GB2302495A the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The filter tipping device 12 comprises a reservoir, or hopper, 30 which receives filter rods from a filter rod maker and a plurality of rotary conveyors

(described in more detail hereinbelow). The filter rods are preferably fed pneumatically into the hopper 30, for example by means of a Molins Pegasus system. A tray unloader may be provided by means of which trays loaded with filter rods may be emptied into the hopper to allow continued production of cigarettes in the event that pneumatic delivery of filter rods is interrupted.

Successive rotary conveyors in the form of fluted drums 40,42,44,46 are provided for transporting filter rods from the hopper 30. Associated cutting means (not shown) cut the filter rods into shorter portions which are then aligned on the drum 46 in preparation for delivery between aligned pairs of cigarette rods as described hereinbelow. It will be noted that the hopper 30 and conveyors 40,42,44,46 are disposed above the rod maker 10. This arrangement has space saving advantages which are further described below.

A flat-bed conveyor 50 is arranged between the maker 10 and the rotary conveyors 40,42,44,46 to catch debris falling from the hopper and those conveyors. The conveyor 50 deposits such debris onto a further flat-bed conveyor 52 which extends perpendicular to the conveyor 50 and into the plane of the drawing towards the back of the machine.

A pick-and-place transfer device 60 is provided at the downstream end of the maker to transfer cigarette rods onto a rotary drum conveyor 62 which forms an input of the filter tipping device for receiving cigarette rods to which filter tips are to be joined. The transfer device 60 comprises a plurality of equi-spaced radially extending arms 64, three of which are illustrated. The transfer device is rotatably driven about an axis which extends parallel to the axis of the drum 62. Respective rod carrying heads 66 are carried on the radially outermost ends of the arms 64. Each head defines two carrying positions for cigarette rods. The carrying positions are spaced apart such that one receives a rod from the track indicated by the line 14 and the other receives a rod from the second track. The heads 66 are connected with a suction source whereby the rods are maintained in their carrying positions while the head rotates to the point at which the rods are transferred to the drum conveyor 62. The drum conveyor 62 has a series of equi-spaced flutes (not shown) around the periphery thereof for receiving the cigarette rods as is well known in the art. The flutes extend axially parallel to the axis of the drum and at right angles to the rod making tracks. The pitch of the flutes corresponds substantially to the spacing between the rod carrying positions defined by the carrying heads 66.

The transfer device 60 includes means for rotating the carrying heads about respective axes of rotation which extend in the lengthwise direction of their respective arms 64 in order to bring the rods they carry into axial alignment with the flutes of the drum 62. The respective rotary means rotate the heads twice through 90° for each rotation of the transfer device. The first rotation occurs during the first 90° of rotation of the arm subsequent to receiving cigarette rods from the maker and is indicated by the arrow 67 in

Figure 1. The second rotation occurs after the rods have been delivered to the drum 62 and returns the head to an orientation in which it can receive rods from the maker once the transfer device has rotated through 360°.

The arms 64 are arranged to vary in length as they rotate such that the carrying heads 66 travel along an elliptical path. It will be noted that the arms 64 are at their longest when receiving cigarette rods from the maker and have contracted to their shortest length when delivering the rods to the drum 62. By this means, whilst the arms 64 are rotated at a constant speed, the velocity of the carrying heads 66 is reduced subsequent to receiving the rods to allow the rods to be placed in adjacent flutes on the drum 62 on a pitch of 30 to 37mm. It is envisaged that the carrying heads may, for example, be driven radially inwardly by a camming action against a spring bias which returns the arms to their extended condition in the absence of the camming action.

The rods are cut in half whilst on the drum 62 by means of a knife 68. The rod halves are then transferred upwards by successive rotary drum conveyors 76,78,80 during which process they are also moved apart in order to allow the insertion of filter portions from the conveyor 46. The spaced apart rod halves are then received on a rotary drum conveyor 82 which also receives filter portions from the conveyor 46. The filter portions are of double length and each is inserted between and in alignment with two axially spaced apart cigarette rod halves. The pairs of rods with interposed double length filter portions are transferred from the drum conveyor 82 onto a rotary drum 90 which closes the respective rods and filter portions together in preparation for the application of a cork patch at the interface with a patch-carrying drum 91. The patch is supplied from the drum 91 and is tagged to the filter portion and cigarette halves assembly on the drum 90. Completion of the assembly is carried out on the next drum 92 downstream of the drum 90 by means of a rolling plate 98. At this stage, the assembly comprises two cigarette rod halves and a double length filter portion held together by a cork patch. The assembly completed on the drum 92 is transferred to a rotary drum

100 where it is cut in half by a knife 101 to produce two tipped cigarettes. A plough 102 is positioned adjacent the drum 100 to separate the completed cigarettes into two distinct streams of cigarettes.

The two lines of cigarettes are then picked up from the drum 100 by respective rotary drums 106,108 which, as shown in Figure 2, lie in staggered planes with the drum 106 being disposed higher than the drum 108. These drums transport the respective lines of cigarettes to respective inspection drums 112,114.

Whilst being carried on the inspection drums, the cigarettes are inspected and those identified as unsatisfactory are rejected at the next pair of drums

118,120 downstream of the inspection drums. The inspection facility used may, for example, be that used on the Molins Passim machine or any other inspection system, according to the potential faults which are to be checked.

The cigarettes not rejected at the reject drums 118,120 are transferred to respective final transfer drums 122,124. The final transfer drums 122,124 feed the cigarettes to respective flow paths defined in a tip turning device indicated at 130 and shown in more detail in Figure 3.

The tip turning device 130 includes respective flat-bed conveyors (see 132 in Figure 1) for receiving cigarettes from the final transfer drums 122,124. These conveyors 132 run at a slow speed relative to the drums 122,124 causing stacks of cigarettes to form thereon. The conveyors 132 discharge the stacks of cigarettes onto respective turning elements 134,136 (Figure 3). These elements comprise flexible plastics discs that rotate continuously about their axes of rotation 138 which axes extend perpendicular to the plane of the conveyors 132. The discs 134,136 are arranged in a generally horizontal plane and are each supported on one side of their respective axes 138 so as to be maintained in the plane of the conveyors 132 for approximately 180° of their rotational movement. The discs are unsupported on the other side of their axes 138 whereby each disc flops down into a plane generally parallel to its axis of rotation. Each disc 134,136 defines a curved conveying path for the cigarettes it carries, with the axis about which it curves being disposed remote from the respective conveying path.

The disc 134 rotates in a clockwise direction. The cigarettes received on the disc 134 are rotated through 90° and as successive portions of the disc rotate beyond the disc support, the cigarettes held on those portions are transferred onto a short flat bed conveyor 140 which conveys the cigarettes towards the main frame 142 at the rear of the machine. The stack of cigarettes carried by the conveyor 140 is transferred from the conveyor into a generally vertical channel defined by opposed walls 144 which are arranged to ensure that the orientation of the cigarettes on the conveyor 140 is maintained as they fall onto a flat bed conveyor 146 which is positioned below the discs 134,136.

The disc 136 rotates in the opposite sense (i.e. anti clockwise) to the disc 134 and turns the cigarettes it carries through an angle of 90° opposite to the direction of turn of the cigarettes on the disc 134. As portions of the disc 136 rotate beyond the disc support, the cigarettes carried on those portions are transferred into a downwardly extending channel defined by opposed walls 148.

The walls 148 are arranged to maintain the orientation of the cigarettes leaving the disc 136 as they fall onto the stack of cigarettes from the disc 134 on the conveyor 146. The combined stack of cigarettes on the conveyor 146 represents the output of the cigarette making machine and is transferred to trays, or direct to a packaging machine, for packaging.

The general position of the output conveyor 146 and the orientation of the cigarettes carried thereon is indicated at 150 in Figure 1. It will be appreciated that by turning each of the streams of cigarettes exiting the filter tipping device through 90° in opposite directions, the tip turning device 130 creates an output stream in which the tips of all of the cigarettes are to one side of the stream and point towards the machine. As shown in Figure 2, the drums 106,112,118 and 122 are staggered with respect to the corresponding lower drums 108,114,120 and 124, with the lower drums being mounted closer to the main frame 142 of the machine. The staggered arrangement of the sets of drums 106,112,118,122 and 108,114,120,124 avoids the need to increase the separation of the respective streams of cigarettes they convey. In the Molins Passim machine which has the paris of drums from the two sets arranged adjacent one another and in the same horizontal plane, the spacing between the adjacent ends of the cigarettes carried by the drums is increased prior to their reaching the inspection drums in order to provide a 100mm gap between those cigarette ends to allow the interposition of elements of the testing device. In order to achieve this separation two pairs of conical drums are used. By utilising staggered sets of drums as shown in Figure 2, it is not necessary to increase the spacing between the respective streams of cigarettes and therefore separation apparatus can be dispensed with. Using the example of the Molins Passim machine, it is possible to dispense with the conical separation drums thereby reducing the overall length of the conveyor system and reducing the number of components required.

By having the set of drums 106,112,118,122 furthest from the main frame 142 disposed above the drums of the inboard set, the problem of debris from the upper drums falling onto the drive and support gear for the lower mounted drums is avoided. A shield 134 is provided to prevent debris from the drums above them falling onto the drums 62,76,78 and 80.

A flat-bed conveyor 152 is provided in lower region of the filter tipping device 12 to transport debris away from the machine.

It will be appreciated that by locating a substantial portion of the filter tipping device 12 above the maker 10, it is possible to reduce the overall length of the machine. This reduction is further enhanced by arranging the conveyors in the filter tipping device such that the rods received from the maker are first transported upwards and towards the maker to a position above the maker at which the filter portions are inserted between the rod halves. Only then do the rods turn and proceed downwardly and away from the maker towards the output end of the filter tipping device. It is envisaged that the machine shown in Figure 1 will be longer than the present Molins Passim machine by a distance d (see Figure 1) of approximately 900mm; the distance d being the distance from the centreline of the rod output to where the back of a Molins Passim would lie. It will, however, be appreciated that this can represent a considerable space saving over conventional arrangements in which the filter tipping device projects at right angles from the output end of the rod maker. Thus, the machine may have a smaller footprint than such L-shaped arrangements.

A further advantage of the arrangement of the filter tipping device over the maker is that the hopper 30 can be positioned so as to be readily accessible by machine operators for manual loading of filter rods. This contrasts with conventional L-shaped arrangements in which the filter rod hopper is located in the corner of the L and is not readily accessible since access to it is blocked by the downstream end of the maker and the upstream end of the filter tipping device. Additionally, when positioned over the maker, the condition of the hopper (i.e, the level of the filter rods held) can be more readily monitored by the operator. In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, it is envisaged that the height of the hopper opening 154 will be approximately 2m above the floor 156.

The tip turning device 160 shown in Figure 4 is generally similar to the device 130 but is arranged to turn the respective streams of cigarettes such that the combined output stream has the filters pointing outwardly of the machine

(i.e. in the opposite direction to the stream indicated in Figure 1).

The tip turning device 160 has two rotatable discs 162,164 for receiving the respective streams of cigarettes from the drums 122,124. These discs are, like the discs 134,136, made of a flexible plastics material and supported on only one side of their respective axes of rotation 166. However, as viewed in

Figures 3 and 4, the supporting surfaces are disposed inwardly rather than outwardly of their axes of rotation. The discs 162,164 turn in opposite directions to the discs of the device 130; i.e. as viewed in Figure 4, the righthand disc 162 rotates anticlockwise and the disc 164 rotates clockwise. A further difference between the device 160 and the device 130 is that there is no intermediate conveyor 140. Each of the discs 164,166 delivers its stream of stacked cigarettes directly into respective downwardly extending channels 170,172 down which the cigarettes fall onto the output conveyor 146.

It will be appreciated that, as viewed in Figure 4, the respective streams of cigarettes from the drums 122,124 are each turned through 90°, but in the opposite sense, such that the combined stream carried by the conveyor 146 has the filter end of the cigarettes pointing outwardly of the machine (i.e. to the left as viewed in Figure 1).

An alternative twin track cigarette making machine with an in-line cigarette rod maker and filter tipping device is shown in Figure 5. The components of the machine are essentially the same as those shown in Figure 1 and therefore, the same reference numerals have been used to indicate like parts.

It will be noted that in this machine, the hopper 30 is positioned approximately midway along the length of the maker and the rotary conveyors

40,42,44,46 define an arcuate rather than a generally horizontal conveying path for the filter rods. It will additionally be noted that the rotary drums 78,80 define a conveying path for the cigarette rods which extends substantially vertically upwards and that two rather than three drums are used to convey the rods from the drum 62 to the drum 82. A further difference is that the operations of aligning the cigarette rods and filter portions and, closing them together, and the subsequent application of a cork patch to the cigarette rod filter portion assembly are all performed on the drum 82 rather than on successive drums 82,

90 as in the Figure 1 machine.

Whilst retaining many of the advantages of the machine shown in Figure 1, it is envisaged that the machine shown in Figure 5 will be approximately 0.6m longer such that the distance d would be approximately 1.5m. It will be understood that although not shown in Figure 5, the machine can be provided with the flat-bed conveyors 52,152 shown in Figure 1. It is envisaged that the hopper in the Figure 5 machine will be mounted at a slightly higher position than that shown in Figure 1, with the line 158 indicating a distance of 2m from the floor 156. It will, however, be appreciated that the hopper in Figure 5 is, nonetheless, more accessible for the operator than a conventionally mounted hopper in an L-shaped cigarette making machine.

It will be understood that either of the tip turning devices 130,160 may be used with the machine shown in Figure 5

It will be appreciated that the tip turning devices 130,160 are each arranged such that they output a stream of stacked cigarettes which travels in a direction transverse to the length of the cigarettes and at right angles to the direction of travel of the cigarettes through the maker 10 and filter tipping device 12. It is to be understood that whilst these arrangements are considered preferable since either would allow the cigarette making machine to be readily connected to existing packaging facilities, in principle existing mass flow tip turning machines made by Molins as, for example, disclosed in GB 2051552 and GB 2079132 could be adapted for use with the in-line machines disclosed herein.

It will be appreciated that an in-line maker and filter tipping device may have only one rod making track. For example, the maker from the Molins Passim machine could be used in such an arrangement.

An embodiment of a single track cigarette making machine comprising a cigarette rod maker and filter tipping device arranged in-line with the maker, will now be described with reference to Figure 6.

The cigarette making machine shown in Figure 6 comprises a cigarette rod maker 200 having a single rod making track indicated by line 202. A suitable rod maker would be the rod maker of the Molins Passim cigarette making machine which will be well known to those skilled in the art and therefore will not be described in further detail herein. The rod maker 200 outputs a continuous length of cigarette rod which is cut into double-length rod portions by a cutting device indicated at 204. By a double length rod portion is meant a length of cigarette rod which when cut in half will provide the smokable portion of two filter tipped cigarettes. Arrangements for cutting a continuous cigarette rod into double-length rod portions are well known in the art and any suitable arrangement may be adopted. For example, the cutting arrangement used in the Passim would be suitable as would the arrangement disclosed in WO98/04161 which is in the name of Molins. The content of WO98/04161 is incorporated herein by reference.

The double-length rod portions pass from the rod maker 200 to a rotary catcher drum 206. The catcher drum 206 has axially extending flutes (not shown) positioned at spaced intervals about its periphery and each arranged to receive a single double-length rod portion. The catcher drum has suitable braking means for decelerating the rod portions received in its flutes and means for positioning retaining the rod portions in a desired position within the flutes. Catcher drums are known to those skilled in the art and have been used for many years on Molins cigarette making machines such as the Passim. Accordingly, no further description of catcher drums will be provided herein. A conical transfer drum 208 is disposed adjacent the catcher drum 206 and is arranged to rotate in the opposite sense to the catcher drum 206. The transfer drum has flutes (not shown) which extend in the axial direction of the drum and are arranged to receive double-length rod portions from the catcher drum. The transfer of rod-like articles between fluted drums is well known per se and for that reason a mechanism which permits such transfer will not be described in any detail herein.

Adjacent and downstream of the transfer drum is a fluted rotary drum 210 which is arranged to receive double-length rod portions from the transfer drum 208. The flutes (not shown) of the drum 210 extend in a lengthwise direction of the drum parallel to its axis of rotation. The drum 210 rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the transfer drum 208. The axis of rotation of the drum 210 is disposed perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the catcher drum 206 and it will be understood that the arrangement of the drums 206, 208 and 210 is such that the double-rod portions received on the catcher drum 206 are turned through 90° so that the rods can be transported by means of rotary conveyors in a direction which is parallel to the direction of travel of the rods output by the rod maker 200 as indicated by the double-headed arrow 212. It will also be understood that the arrangement is such that the rod portions disposed in the flutes of the drum 210 have their respective axes disposed perpendicular to the rod making track (as indicated by the line 202) and perpendicular to their direction of travel in the filter tipping device which is indicated by the arrow 212.

The filter tipping device, indicated schematically by dashed lines 214 may take the form of either of the arrangements shown in Figures 1 and 5, in which case the rotary drum 210 may correspond to rotary drum 62 which forms an input to the filter tipping device 214. In this case, a knife device 216 corresponding to the device 68 may be provided for cutting the double-length rod portions in half whilst they are being transported by rotary drum 210.

An alternative single track cigarette making machine 300 will now be described with reference to Figures 7 to 9. The cigarette making machine comprises a cigarette rod maker 302, a filter tipping device 304, a hopper 306 and a discharger 308. The maker 302 is arranged in-line with the filter tipping device 304.

The discharger 308 receives tobacco from a primary source and, on demand, feeds tobacco into the hopper 306. The hopper sifts the tobacco and forms a stream of suitable tobacco which is fed into the rod maker 302. The hopper 306 and discharger 308 may be as disclosed in PCT Patent Application

No. PCT/GB99/00382 filed in the name of Molins PLC, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The hopper feeds the stream of tobacco upwardly onto the underside of a suction band (not shown) in the rod maker. Subsequently the stream of tobacco is shaped and wrapped in paper to form a cigarette rod. No further description of the maker 302 will be provided, since the elements which define the maker track (suction band, tongue, shoe, garniture etc) and the general arrangement thereof can comprise features all well known to those skilled in the art.

The maker outputs a continuous cigarette rod which is cut into double- length cigarette portions 310 (Figure 8) in a manner well known in the art. The double-length rod portions 310 are fed to a transfer device 312 which orients the rods and transfers them to an input drum 314 of the filter tipping device 304. As shown in Figure 9, the transfer device 312 comprises a flat-bed conveyor 370. The conveyor carries a plurality of rod transportation mechamsms 372 which are arranged at spaced apart intervals on the conveyor. It will be appreciated that for the purposes of simplicity and clarity of the drawing, Figure 9 shows only a fraction of the total number of rod transportation mechamsms which would in practice be carried by the conveyor 370. The rod transportation mechanisms 372 each comprise a rod carrying head 374 and a telescopic arm 376, the heads 374 being fitted to the ends of the respective arms disposed remote from the conveyor 370. The heads 374 each have a channel (not shown) extending in their lengthwise direction. The channel has an arcuate cross-section adapted to seat a double-length cigarette rod. The heads are selectively communicable with a source of suction to facilitate retention of the rods in the channels therefor.

A closed track 378 is provided for guiding the radially outermost ends of the transportation mechanisms 372. The track 378 comprises respective curved portions associated with the ends of the conveyor 370 and opposed rectilinear portions interconnecting the curved portions. As will be seen in Figure 9, the curved portions of the track have different radii so that the rectilinear portions converge towards the downstream end of the transfer device 312. The radially outermost ends of the telescopic arms 376 are provided with guides (not shown) which may comprise wheeled bogies or slide blocks. The guides engage the track 378 such that the heads 374 follow a closed path defined by the track.

The telescopic arms 376 are arranged to permit the heads 374 to be rotated through 90°. For this purpose each arm 376 may be provided with a gear arrangement (indicated at 380), the gear arrangement 380 being cooperable with a static gear arrangement not shown. In fact two static gear arrangements are provided, the first to turn the heads through 90° shortly after the heads have received cigarette rods from the rod maker 302 and the second to turn the heads back through 90° after the rod portions have been transferred to the input drum 314. From the description which follows, it will be apparent that a reverse rotation is required in order to return the heads to a position in which they are ready to accept a new cigarette rod portion, rather than a further 90° in the same direction as the first.

In use the heads 374 move continuously around the track 378. When the heads approach the output end of the rod maker 302, their respective channels move into line with the track 376 ready to receive a double-length cigarette rod portion; rod portions carried by the heads are indicated in Figure 9 by reference numeral 382. As the heads 374 and their newly received rod portions approach the uppermost rectilinear portion of the track 378, they carry are rotated through 90° by means of the gear arrangements 380 engaging temporarily with the static gear arrangement. In this way, the heads are rotated to through 90° so that cigarette rods 382 are positioned such that they are travelling in a direction which is at right angles to their respective axes and in the same general direction as their direction of travel through the rod maker 302.

As indicated in Figure 9, the heads are connected to the respective telescopic arms 376 at one end of the head, the end being the leading end when the head is in position to receive a new cigarette rod. This and the slope of the track 378 permits the heads and the cigarette rods they 382 carry to swing through 90° without fouling the preceding heads and the rods they carry.

When the heads 374 reach the downstream end of the conveyor 370, the suction supply to the heads is interrupted permitting the transfer of the respective cigarette rods 382 into the flutes of the input drum 314. The heads subsequently pass around the output end of the conveyor 370 and along the lowermost reach of the track 378 before being turned back through 90° ready to receive another cigarette rod 382. The input drum 314 has flutes at spaced intervals about its periphery for receiving individual rod portions 310 from the rod transfer device 312. The rod portions 310 are cut in half whilst being transported by the drum 314 by means of a knife arrangement 316 and subsequently separated (as indicated at 318 in Figure 8) prior to being transferred onto a fluted rotary assembly drum 320. The rod portions are separated by a distance which permits the insertion of a double- length filter portion between the in-board ends of the rods. The filter tipping device 304 has a hopper 324 for filter rods. The filter rods are preferably fed pneumatically to the hopper, for example, by means of a Molins Pegasus system, but may also, for example, be supplied from a tray unloader. Filter rods are removed from the hopper 324 by a fluted rotary drum 326 on which they are cut into double-length portion by means of a knife arrangement (not shown). The double-length filter rod portions pass from the drum 326 onto a fluted separation drum 328. The separation drum 328 is arranged to separate the double-length filter portions and feed them onto a fluted rotary alignment drum 330 on which the filter rod portions are aligned so that they can be inserted into the space between the cigarette rod portions carried on the assembly drum 320 as indicated at 334 in Figure 8. Mechanisms by which the filter rods are separated and aligned on the drums 328, 330 are well known to those skilled in the art and will not therefore be disclosed in further detail herein. The stream of aligned filter rod portions passes from the alignment drum

330 to a fluted carrying drum 332. The carrying drum 332 is arranged to carry the rod portions to the assembly drum 320.

The cigarette rod portions and respective double-length filter portions inserted therebetween are assembled together on the assembly drum and a cork patch which is sufficiently wide to unite the three elements is tagged to the cigarette assembly as indicated at 336 in Figure 8. The cork patches are taken from a cork strip 338 which is fed between two rollers 340, 342. Devices for applying cork patches to cigarette rod assemblies are well known to those skilled in the art and since such a device does not form a part of the invention as such no further description of such devices will be provided herein.

The respective cigarette assemblies carried in the flutes of the assembly drum together with their associated cork patches are transferred to a fluted rotary rolling drum 346. Associated with the rolling drum 346 is a rolling plate 348 by means of which the assemblies carried by the rolling drum are caused to rotate about their axes and within the respective flutes such that the cork patches are caused to encircle the adjacent portions of the cigarette rods and the interposed filter rod portion to unite same and form a completed cigarette assembly indicated at 350 in Figure 8.

The completed cigarette assemblies 350 are transferred onto a fluted rotary cut and separation drum 352. Here the cigarette assemblies 350 are cut in half to define two filter tipped cigarettes and subsequently separated axially (as indicated at 356) to define two streams of cigarettes which are transferred from the cut and separation drum to a fluted rotary inspection drum 358.

The streams of cigarettes carried on the inspection drum 358 are subjected to a pressure drop inspection process which identifies cigarettes having a faulty wrapper or incorrect dilution characteristics and the faulty cigarettes are deposited from the inspection drum onto a flat bed conveyor 360 which is arranged to also collect other debris falling from the rotary conveyors situated above it. Pressure drop inspection systems and means for selectively releasing the cigarettes from the drum 358 are known per se and therefore no further description of such systems and means will be provided herein.

The filter tipped cigarettes which are not rejected from the inspection drum 358 are passed as two streams onto a fluted rotary transfer drum 362 which feeds the streams of cigarettes into the inlet end of a tip turning device 364 (Figure 7) such as one of the devices shown in Figures 3 and 4. Although the tip turning devices shown in Figures 3 and 4 are preferred, it is to be understood that the cigarette making machine 300 may be associated with any other suitable tip orienting arrangement such as, for example, the mass flow tip turning device currently used with the Molins Passim cigarette making machine.

It will be appreciated that the double-length cigarette rod portions 310 exiting the rodmaker 302 are turned through 90° by the transfer device 312 and then fed into the filter tipping machine 304 through which they are transported by a succession of rotary conveyors in a direction which is parallel and in-line with their direction of travel along the maker track. The arrangement is such that the rods are transported through the filter tipping with their axes oriented at 90° to the transport direction and at 90° to the rod maker track with the direction of travel of the rods being perpendicular to their axes. The in-line configuration of the cigarette making machine 300 provides a compact arrangement with a relatively small machine footprint. Figure 9 shows the footprint of a conventional L-shaped filter-tip cigarette making machine such as the Molins Passim or Hauni Protos 1.8. The length 400 corresponds generally to the length of the rod maker and the length 402 corresponds to the width of the maker plus the length of the filter tipping machine. In the case of the Passim, the length 400 is approximately 5.5m and the length 402 is approximately 5.1m. The Protos has a length 400 slightly greater than 5.9m and a length 402 of 4.4m. It is envisaged that the cigarette making machine 300 which is shown in outline plan in Figure 10 will have a length 404 of 6m and a width 406 of 1.3m. It will be immediately apparent that the arrangement illustrated by Figure 10 represents a considerable space saving over the conventional L-shaped arrangement shown in Figure 9.

It will be appreciated that the transfer device 312 could be used with either of the maker/filter tipping device combinations illustrated in Figures 1 and 5.

An advantageous feature of the transfer devices 60, 312 is that each can be configured to produce a predetermined reduction in the speed of the cigarette rods exiting the maker. It is desirable that the transfer device operates in such a way that at the time at which the rod carrying heads collect a new rod, the heads are moving at a velocity which corresponds substantially to the velocity of the cigarette rods exiting the rod maker. This avoids possible damage to the rods which could be caused if they were subject to a rapid deceleration on being picked up by the rod carrying heads. It will be understood that as the arms of these transfer devices are rotated at a constant speed, by controlling the reduction in length of the arms, the speed at which the cigarette rods are moved by the rod support heads 66,374 can be reduced to a desired level and at a desired rate. It is envisaged that in the arrangement shown in Figures 7 to 9, the cigarette rods would exit the cigarette rod maker with a velocity of approximately 600m/min and that when deposited on the input drums, the rods would have a peripheral velocity of 200m/min. Thus the transfer device 312 would be configured so that the arms reduce in length between the input and output ends of the device by an amount sufficient to reduce the velocity of the rod carrying heads by approximately 66%.

It will be appreciated that the advantages obtained by having the conveying paths for the finished product cigarettes in the filter tipping device arranged at different heights can also be obtained in a conventional L-shape configuration of maker and filter tipping device.

It will be appreciated that a mass flow tip turning apparatus as shown in

Figure 3 or Figure 4 in which the two streams of cigarettes are turned in opposite directions so as to be orientated such that on combining the streams a single stream with the filter tips all on one side of the stream is formed, can be usefully used with cigarette making machines other than those disclosed herein.

Furthermore, it will be understood that the apparatus would be equally suitable for combining streams of other rod-like articles where the ends of the rods have different properties and it is desired that in the combined stream the ends on each side of the stream are all the same.

Claims

1. A cigarette making machine comprising a cigarette rod maker defining at least one track from which desired lengths of cigarette rod are output and a filter tipping device for receiving said cigarette rods and adding filter tips thereto, the arrangement being such that said rods are transported in said filter tipping device by means of rotary conveyors in a general direction which is substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the rods output by the or each said track.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a ratable transfer device for transferring said rods from an output end region of said maker onto a first said rotary conveyor which defines a cigarette rod input of said filter tipping device.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said transfer device comprises a plurality of arms arranged to travel along a closed path and respective rod carrying means connected with said arms, said arms being arranged to vary their lengths such that each arm has a greater length when the respective rod carrying means is positioned to receive a said rod from said maker than when the rod carrying means is positioned for transferring said rod to said first rotary conveyor.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said arms are arranged to rotate about an axis of rotation which is transverse to said directions of travel of said rods and are adapted such that said rod carrying means move along a generally elliptical path about said axis of rotation.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 3, comprising a track arranged to guide said arms, said track two comprising two curved portions of different radius and two opposed generally rectilinear portions which interconnect said curved portions and converge in a downstream direction of the track.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein each said rod carrying means comprises a body having a recess for at least partially receiving a said cigarette rod, said bodies being connected to the respective arms at a position adjacent one end of the body which is a leading end of the body when the body is positioned to receive a cigarette rod from said maker.

7. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filter tipping device comprises a reservoir for filters and means for conveying filters from said reservoir to a station at which they are positioned in alignment with cigarette rods to which they are to be joined.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said reservoir and/or said conveying means is, at least in part, disposed above said maker.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said station is defined by a rotary drum conveyor which is disposed above said maker.

10. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said maker has two tracks from which desired lengths of cigarette rod are output.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein said tracks are disposed in the same horizontal plane.

12. A cigarette making machine comprising cigarette rod making means defining at least one track from which desired lengths of cigarette rod are output and filter tipping means for receiving said cigarette rods from the or each track and adding filters thereto, the arrangement being such that in said filter tipping means said rods are transported transversely of their respective axes and said axes are disposed transversely of the or each said track.

13. A machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein in said filter tipping means said axes are disposed perpendicular to the or each track.

14. A machine as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein in said filter tipping means said rods are transported along a flow path which extends generally upwardly and towards said rod making means and then generally downwardly and away from said rod making means.

15. A machine as claimed in claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein said filter tipping means comprises a reservoir for filter tips and conveying means for conveying said tips from said reservoir to at least one station at which they are positioned in alignment with the rods to which they are to be joined.

16. A machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein said reservoir and/or said conveying means is disposed above said rod forming means.

17. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 16, having two said tracks.

18. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 17, comprising a rotatable transfer device for transferring rods from said rod making means to said filter tipping means, said transfer device comprising a plurality of rod carrying heads arranged to be moved along an endless path by rotation about an axis of rotation which extends in a direction transverse to the direction of the or each said track.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 18, wherein said rod carrying heads are supported by respective arms extending radially outwardly of said axis of rotation, said arms being arranged to vary their lengths during said rotation whereby said endless path is non-circular.

20. A machine as claimed in claim 19, wherein said endless path is elliptical.

21. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 17, comprising a transfer device for transferring rods from said rod making means to said filter tipping means which transfer device comprises a plurality of rod carrying heads supported by respective supports arranged to be moved along an endless path said arms being guided by an endless track comprising two arcuate portions of different radius interconnected by opposed generally rectilinear portions which converge in a downstream direction of the machine, said supports being arranged to change length under the influence of said track.

22. A machine as claimed in claim 21, wherein each said head comprises an elongate body having a lengthwise extending recess for receiving a said rod, said bodies being connected to the respective said support at one end of the body which end is a leading end of the body when the body is positioned to receive a said cigarette rod from said cigarette rod making means..

23. A cigarette making machine comprising a cigarette rod maker and a device for adding filter tips to cigarette rods output by said maker, wherein at least a part of said device is disposed above said maker.

24. A machine as claimed in claim 23, comprising conveying means for receiving filter tips from a source of filter tips and conveying said filter tips to a station at which they are inserted between said cigarette rods to which they are to be added, at least a portion of the conveying path defined by said conveying means being disposed above said cigarette rod maker.

25. A machine as claimed in claim 24, wherein said filter tip source includes a reservoir for filter tips and said reservoir is disposed above said cigarette rod maker.

26. A machine as claimed in claim 23, 24 or 25, wherein said tip adding device comprises drum means for receiving said cigarette rods at an input end of the tip adding device and transporting said rods generally upwardly and towards said cigarette rod maker to a position above said maker.

27. A machine as claimed in claim 26, comprising further said drum means for transporting said rods from said position above the cigarette rod maker in a generally downward direction away from the maker.

28. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filter tipping device includes means for forming a first stream and a second stream of cigarettes by dividing cigarette assemblies consisting of two cigarette rods and an interposed filter rod, and rotary conveyor means comprising respective series of aligned drum conveyors for receiving and transporting said streams of cigarettes to an inspection zone.

29. A machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein the drums of one said series are mounted higher than the corresponding drums of the other said series.

30. A machine as claimed in claim 28 or 29, wherein said series of drums are arranged to transport said streams of cigarettes along respective conveying paths which paths are substantially parallel.

31. A machine as claimed in claim 28, 29 or 30, wherein said filter tipping device comprises apparatus for receiving and combimng said streams of cigarettes to form a single output stream of stacked cigarettes in which the filter ends of the cigarettes are all on the same side of the stream, the arrangement being such that said output stream moves in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of said first and second streams.

32. A machine as claimed in claim 31, wherein said apparatus comprises respective cigarette turning means for said streams which turning means are arranged to convey the streams along respective curved paths about respective axes generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the streams along their curved paths, said curved paths being arranged such that said streams are each turned through approximately 90┬░ and in opposite directions.

33. A machine as claimed in claim 32, wherein said turning means each comprise a flexible disc mounted for rotation and each supported on only one side of its axis of rotation.

34. A machine as claimed in claim 32 or 33, wherein said apparatus comprises an output conveyor for conveying said output stream and channel defining means disposed downstream of said turning means and arranged such that said streams of cigarettes fall into said output conveyor and are maintained in an orientation imparted by said turning means.

35. A cigarette rod maker for a cigarette making machine, said rod maker comprising at least one track for outputting rods of a desired length and transfer means for transferring said rods to a filter tipping device, said transfer means defining a plurality of rod carrying positions each adapted to receive at least one said rod and being arranged to receive rods being transported axially and orientate said rods for delivery to rod carrying positions of a conveyor of said filter tipping device which rod carrying positions extend transversely of said axial direction.

36. A maker as claimed in claim 35, wherein said transfer means is arranged to orientate said rods such that on delivery, each rod is disposed substantially horizontal and perpendicular to said axial direction.

37. A filter tipping machine comprising means for forming two streams of tipped cigarettes by dividing cigarette assemblies comprising two cigarette rods interconnected by a filter portion, and conveying means for conveying said streams along respective conveying paths through an inspection zone to an output zone, said conveying means comprising respective series of cooperating drum conveyors which are arranged such that said conveying paths are generally parallel and, at least in the region of said inspection zone, one said conveying path is disposed higher relative to a base region of the machine than the other said conveying path.

38. Apparatus for conveying streams of rod-like articles in directions transverse to the lengths of the articles each of which articles has a first end and a second end with said first ends having different properties to said second ends, said apparatus comprising conveying means defining respective conveying paths which, in use, receive first and second streams of said articles which are moving in generally similar directions with the articles in said first stream having their first ends disposed on one side of the stream relative to said directions and the articles in said second stream having their first ends disposed on the opposite side of the stream relative to said directions and are arranged to convey said streams with the articles therein in stacked formation to a position at which articles from both streams are combined to form a single stream of stacked articles moving in a direction transverse to said directions and in which said first ends are all at the same side of the single stream, said conveying paths comprising respective curved portions which curve about respective axes of rotation disposed remote from said conveying paths and are arranged such that at their downstream ends the articles are orientated such that the articles of said second stream can be superimposed on the articles of said first stream to form said single stream.

39. Apparatus as claimed in claim 38, wherein said conveying means defines respective downwardly extending channels which receive said articles from said curved portions and maintain said orientation of the articles.

40. Apparatus as claimed in claim 38 or 39, wherein said curved paths are at least partially defined by respective rotatable members.

41. Apparatus as claimed in claims 38, 39 or 40, wherein said curved portions turn the respective streams conveyed thereon through approximately 90┬░.

42. A cigarette making machine comprising a cigarette rod maker for outputting at least one stream of cigarette rods of predetermined length, a filter tipping device for adding filter tips to said cigarette rods and a transfer device for transferring said cigarette rods from said cigarette rod maker to said filter tipping device, said transfer device being arranged to receive said cigarette rods at a first velocity and transfer said rods to an input conveyor of said filter tipping device at a predetermined second velocity which is lower than said first velocity.

43. A machine as claimed in claim 42, wherein said transfer device comprises a plurality of cigarette rod carrying units, respective supports for said rod carrying units and a means for moving said units around a closed path, said supports being arranged to vary the distance between said moving means and said rod carrying units.