GB2140762A - Process and conveyor for directly feeding cigarettes from a production machine to a packing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A system directly connecting a cigarette packing machine 14 to a cigarette production machine 12 compensates for gaps in the sequence of cigarettes discharged from the production machine 12 as a result of quality control. The cigarettes are guided over a course which includes shortenable partial courses. For each gap, a corresponding shortening of the course is undertaken. The number of shortenable partial courses corresponds to the number of cigarettes included in one pack. After compensating for a number of gaps corresponding to the number of cigarettes in a pack, an idling time is added to the packing machine during which the original course length, including the shortenable partial courses, is restored. The apparatus includes a transport drum T and a number of smaller drums A, which smaller drums are arranged with parallel axes over the conveying curve of the transport drum. Successive smaller drums are driven alternately counter to and in the same direction as the transport drum so that holders on the transport drum or on the adjacent smaller drums can pick up and discharge cigarettes between them. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Process and conveyor for directly feeding cigarettes from a production machine to a packing machine The present invention relates to a process and compensating conveyor for directly feeding cigarettes from a production machine to a packing machine, wherein cigarettes are discharged from the production machine in continuous sequences having gaps. The invention further relates to a conveyor directly attaching the packing machine to the production machine.

A testing drum is at the end of a conventional production machine, particularly a machine producing filter cigarettes. The cigarettes conveyed over this testing drum are automatically checked for different properties, and defective cigarettes are ejected. The cigarette sequence discharged from the end of the production machine, therefore, has gaps. The packing machines forming finished packs of cigarettes, each pack having e.g. 20 cigarettes, must operate at practically the same flowthrough velocity as the production machines. However, such packing machine operation pre-supposes delivery of the cigarettes in continuous sequence without gaps. thus, the packing machine must receive the cigarettes such that the packing machine can work continuously.

A device for conveying cigarettes in this manner is disclosed in DE-OS 1 632 205, which contingently discloses a process compensating for gaps which occur by ejection of defective cigarettes so that the course with gaps is set right. A conveying passage is provided between a winding drum forming the feed into the packing machine and the discharge drum of the production machine.

The conveying passage is formed of the seams of two pairs of conveyor belts turned toward each other. These conveyor belts run at a somewhat greater peripheral velocity than the discharge drum, and thereffore, can compensate somewhat for the gaps in the periphery. However, this capacity to compensate is limited. Additionally, the operating speed of the packing machine can be changed and adapted. Following the adaptation and filling of a certain number of gaps, the packing machine must run correspondingly slower to regain the capacity for realignment of further gaps. This requires an additional, higher level of control, increasing the susceptibility of the packing machine to break down. This solution has not been improved upon until this time.

Changing the general operating speed of the packing machine also requires adaptation of the paper and foil feed to that speed. This creates additional sources of trouble in the packing machine.

Present technology provides that the cigarettes discharged from the production machine are loaded into large containers or trestles (see e.g., DE-OS 3 120 674 Al). As disclosed in GB-PS 1056 841, gaps in the sequence of cigarettes discharged from the production machine are filled from an auxiliary container upon feed into the container or trestle. This process requires that the cigarettes needed to fill the gaps must be accelerated from a rest position to an operational speed. In production speeds of up to 7000 cigarettes per minute which are presently used, this process can only be used with a considerable additional cost to avoid mechanical damage to the cigarettes during the acceleration.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a process of conveying and a conveyor which compensate for gaps occurring at the discharge end of a production machine as a result of ejecting defective cigarettes, without changing the operational speed of the packing machine.

The foregoing objects are provided by a process for directly feeding cigarettes from a production machine to a packing machine.

The process comprises the steps of forming continuous sequences of cigarettes exiting a production machine with gaps in the sequences, and conveying the cigarettes to a packing machine over an intermediate course which includes a number of course sections corresponding to a number of cigarettes per pack and which is shortened by one of the course sections for each gap formed by a missing cigarette. After shortening the intermediate course for a number of the course sections corresponding to the number of cigarettes in a pack, an idling time is added when the cigarettes are conveyed over the entire length of the intermediate course.

The foregoing objects are also obtained by a compensating conveyor for conveying cigarettes between a discharge position of a production machine and a feed position of a packing machine in which the discharge position and the feed position have rotary conveyor means. The compensating conveyor comprises at least one rotary conveyor with compensation means for compensating for gaps in sequences of cigarettes discharged from the production machines, with controllable holders and with a first drive means. The compensation means includes at least a number of additional rotary conveyor devices arranged over a peripheral conveying area of said rotary conveyor the number equaling 2n + 1 wherein n = number of cigarettes collected for forming one pack.Each of the additional rotary conveycr devices has controllable holders for picking up and conveying cigarettes to and from another additional rotary convey device and the rotary conveyor.

The invention allows the packing machine to be driven at the speed as determined by the producticn machine. The cigarettes are not accelerated or braked. With the automatic mechanism, idling time is added following accumulation of a number of gaps corresponding to the pack size. Completely automatic operation of the entire assembly, i.e., the production and packing machines together, is possible even at the production speeds customary today. For this purpose, the packing machine is preferably driven by the production machine drive.

In one preferred embodiment, the invention includes drums arranged directly over the conveying peripheral part of the rotary conveyor, with each drum having a diameter which is somewhat smaller than the distance between two holders on the rotary conveyor. A shortenable course formed of three drums is provided to compensate for a gap. Two holder spaces on the rotary conveyor correspond to three holder spaces on the drums.

According to another configuration, (2n + 1) drums are provided for the compensation of n gaps, with each drum having three controllable holders at equal angular spacings on its periphery. Successive drums alternately run in the same direction with and in the opposite direction to the main rotary conveyor.

The invention can use the same means and control device used in filter attachment machines and arranged so that no difficulties arise during continuous operation. Additionally, suitable sensors can be attached to control devices to ensure that the feed from the production machine to the packing machine according to the invention fills the gaps which may occur, so that complete sequences corresponding to the pack size are discharged to the packing machine. When the total number of filled-up gaps corresponds to the number of cigarettes in a pack, an idling time is then added into the packing machine such that the partial courses of the compensating conveyor are again filled up.

Other obects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the present inventicn.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this disclosure: Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a system for directly feeding cigarettcs from the discharge position of a prcduction machine to the feed position of a packing machine according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a partial, side elevational schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a partial, schematic side elevation view of an embodiment which corresponds to the diagram of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are partial, side elevational schematic views illustrating an operating sequince for a device as in Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a partial, side elevation schematic view illustrating an operating sequence in a device as in Fig. 3.

The device in Fig. 1 comprises a main rotary conveyor drum T, arranged between a discharge drum 12 of a cigarette producticn machine, particularly a filter attachment machine, and a feed drum 14 if a cigarette packing machine. From drum 14, the cigarettes are conveyed onto a series-connected drum 1 6. From the periphery of drum 16, cigarettes are picked up by drums 18, 20 and 22, one after the other, e.g. 7, 6 and 7 cigarettes at a time, to form the three layers in a pack of 20 cigarettes. In the example shown, drum conveyors 12, T and 14 run at the same peripheral velocity. Drum 1 6 moves at a slower speed because of the tight arrangement of the cigarettes on its periphery.

The peripheral velocities of drums 18, 20 and 22 are adapted to that of drum 16. It is possible to replace drum T by a conveyor chain of suitabie length. However, the control devices can be more simply mounted in and operated from a drum. Additionally, a chain or a strip is more likely to break.

Holders T10, T1 1 are arranged on the periphery of drum T and form outwardly projecting receiving devices parallel to the axis of drum T to receive cigarettes. These holders operate pneumatically in a known manner and can be individually controlled on the conveying course between the delivery position from drum 1 2 to drum T and from there to drum 14. The course which a holder covers on the periphery of drum T, which holder is moved by rotation of drum T from the feed at drum 1 2 to the feed onto drum 14, is the shortest connecting passage between drums 12 and 14.

The cigarettes supplied from conveyor drum 12 and discharged onto drum T form a sequence which has gaps at variable distances.

These gaps must be compensated for so that the device feeding the cigarette packing machine, comprising conveyor drums 16, 1 8 20 and 22 for forming layers, carries the cigarettes in unbroken sequences. For this purpose, small conveyor drums A are arranged on the periphery of conveyor drum T, and have axes parallel to the axis of drum T and arranged on a cylinder which is concentric to the axis of drum T.

Successive drums A are rotated alternately clockwise and counterclockwise at the same speed. They are positioned at a distance from each other and from the surface of drum T such that the cigarettes conveyed in the holders on drum T according to the control for each can either be conveyed further with drum T or can be fed to drum A, rotating counter thereto, from where they can be further passed on to the adjacent drum A. For this purpose, each drum A is also provided with three holders lying at equal angular spacings, which form concentric holding devices.

The arrangement and definition of the rotary movements are such that connecting radii of drums T and A are aligned only briefly, for one holder on drum T and one holder on drum A.

On another cylinder cutside of drums A and T and concentric to the axis of drum T are groups of three additional conveyor drums B.

Each group is arranged such that an axis of a conveyor drum B and a drum A each lie on one radius. Each drum B has four holders at equal angular spacings forming concentric rcceiving devices for cigarettes. Successive drums B are driven alternately clockwise and counterclockwise at the same speed. Each drum, according to its control, can pick up cigarettes from one of the adjacent drums A, B, running in the opposite direction, or can discharge cigarettes onto these.

Conveyor drums A and B have pneumatically operated, controllable holders to lengthen the course which the cigarettes cover with drum T from positicn 26 to position 28.

The number of partial courses corresponds at least to the number of cigarettes which are brought together by drums 18, 20 and 22 into a block forming a pack. The partial courses can be connected and disconnected as needed. For this, a sensor 44 is placed on the periphery of drum T shortly after feed point 26. Sensor 44 signals a gap to a counting device 46, which controls drums A, B through connections 50 and controls the hclders on the periphery of drum T.

Fig: 2 shows the arrangement of drums A individually, see also Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 2 can be viewed as a "snapshot" of the instantaneous state of a device in which the holders T11, T12, T13, T14 and so forth, on drum T, move in the direction of the arrows, and the drums Al, A2, A3 and so forth, the direction of rotation of which is likewise indicated by arrows. Each drum A carries holders lying opposite each other. The holders 74 of drums A are arranged radially movable in cutouts 72 so that, according to the setting, a space 73 which changes between 0 and a highest value is present between the inside radial ends of cutout 72 and holder 74.

This arrangement allows acceleration-free pick-up or delivery of the cigarettes tangentially: The cigarettes can be picked up by vacuum suction in a hollow 76 formed at the outer radial end of holder 74, carried further and re-delivered by disconnecting the vacuum suction air. The holders of drums A2, A4 and so forth, which run counterclockwise, have larger radial cutouts 72 than the holders of drums Al, A3, which run clockwise, to allow collision-free movement of the cigarettes on drum T.

As long as the cigarettes are delivered at 26 without gaps, they move in an undulating path which is formed by drums A. Fig. 4 shows how the cigarette is picked up from drum Al, which drum is rotated counter to drum T, such that the outer surfaces of both drums lying directly opposite each other run in the same direction. An acceleration during delivery of the cigarette from drum T onto drum A occurs only very briefly in radial direction. This transfer technique is known per se. The undulating path, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, runs between each of drums Al, A3 and drum T through and to the outside over drums A2, A4 and so forth.Instead of one course on drum T being the size of two spaces between holders T11 to T13, one course goes over drums Al, A2 and A3 (see also Fig. 4), i.e., the movement goes entirely over 360 composed of partial areas of drums Al, A2 and A3, and is essentially equal to three spaces between holders on drum T.

Correspondingly, the course over the drums Al to A5 (Fig. 5) has six partial courses, of which four partial courses oppose each other, or run in opposite directions, on drum T.

Ccmpensating for n gaps is possible, when a sequence of (2n + 1) drums A are arranged on the periphery of drum T. For example, when a gap occurs on drum Tat holder T10, this gap can be compensated for by lifting the next cigarette at T9 from drum A3 rather than from drum Al. Subsequently, another gap, e.g. at T9, would be present. These further gaps could be compensated for, so that the next cigarette is not picked up until by drum A5 at holder T8. An undulating course can be associated with the four spaces which exist on drum T in Fig. 5 between the represented site of holder TlO and the site under drum A5.

The undulating course goes from the bottom point of drum Al opposite drum T to the bottom point of drum A5, likewise opposite drum T, and includes six partial courses.

The compensation of gaps preferably begins with the shortening of partial courses, which courses lie ncxt to the discharge end of the conveyor course at 28 going over drum T.

The compensation continues in stages, until no more cigarettes go over drums A, but while they are still found only directly on the periphery of drum T. Control 48 connected through a branch 52 with a control device 56 coupled to a sensor 54, times the cycle of the packing machine, and if needed, can add idling time to the packing machine through a control connection 60.

Figs. 3 and 6 show the embodiment, also shown in Fig. 1, in which outside drums B are provided in addition to drums A. The diameters of drums B are proportionally greater than those of drums A so that four holders 74 are arranged on each periphery at the same angular spacing. The length of the curve between two adjacent holders 74 on drums B is the same as the length of the curve be tween two adjacent holders on drums A.

Drums B are so arranged that the angular velocities of drums T, A and B are in the tight ratio to their spacing phases. The cigarettes are conveyed at the same time onto the peripheries of drums T, A and B over the same course lengths. Deviation from the path because of radial movement of hclders 74 is avoided.

Fig. 6 shows that the course from the pickup of a cigarette from drum Al passes over drums A2, B1, B2, B3, B4 and A5 to the discharge from individual areas. This course corresponds to a periphery of one drum A and a periphery of one drum B, i.e. in all they have seven holder areas, which areas are essentially of the same size as seven holder areas on drum T. Additionally, shortenable partial courses are created by the additional outside drums B, so that the entire arrangement of drums A and B can be arranged over a shorter curve of the periphery of drum T, or a drum T with smaller diameter can be used.

In pursuit of this advantage, additional, outside radial groups permit decreasing the diameter of drum T. Since the cigarettes must be passed from cne drum to an adjacent drum only at a point where both drum peripheries are moved in the same direction, and adjacent drums rotate counter to each other, and the shortenable course must Icad only over an odd number of drums A, B, etc.

Beginning with or during an idling time of the packing machine, the cigarettes then run over a course which is formed by the arrangement shown in Fig. 6: At the end of such a starting process, cigarettes are present in the holders A1-1, A2-2, B1-3, B2-1, B2..2, B3-4, A4-3 and A5-1.

The holder of drum A directed toward drum T is indicated with 1 and the holders following in rotation are indicated with 2 and 3.

Correspondingly, the holder of B1, which, one and one-half course lengths following Al-i, passes the next point of drum T, is indicated as B1-1, and the following holders are indicated as B1-2 to B1-4. The next holders of B2 and B38 arriving simultaneously with B1-1 relative to the next point of drum T, are likewise indicated with -1, and the other holders correspondingly indicated.

When a gap arises on drum T, this gap goes over onto Al and thereafter onto A2 and B1. Directly after passage cf the gap from A2 to B1, the device is reversed, so that the cigarettes following the gap take the course shown in Fig. 5. With this shortening of the course, when the gap reaches the point of delivery from B3 onto A4, the relevant holder already holds the first cigarette, and after the reversal the cigarette runs only over drums A: As shown in Fig. 5, cigarettes are thus present in holders Al-i, A2-2, A2-3, A3-1, A42, A4-3 and A5-1, and drums B1--B3 are empty: Appearance of another gap causes another reversal as soon as the gap moves from A3 to A4.Only two cigarettes are then delivered from A5 to T, while cigarettes are also simultaneously fed from A3 to T without any gaps from the subsequent holders. Thereafter, as soon as another gap passes from T onto Al, it is again switched, so that no further cigarettes are picked up at Al from T and the drums A2 and A3 are Emptied. With the shortenable partial courses formed with drums A and B1 as in the present description, for the compensation of 3n gaps, in all n(4 + 3) + 1 drums A and B are provided, including (4n + 1) drums A and (3n) drums B.

Thus, 5 drums A and 3 drums B form a group, and adjacent groups together have a common drum A.

A remarkable simplification of the operation of a cigarette prcduction and packing machine is attained by operation of the conveyor de viccs of the present invention, as in Fig. 1, driven by a drive shaft 80. In the diagrammatic representation, shaft 80, driven by a motor, drives the feed shaft of a gear-changing device 82, which device drives the shafts 8496 of conveyor drums 12, T, 14-22: The shafts for drums A and B can be coupled to shaft 86 by additional gearing. Likewise, shafts 92, 94 and 96 of drums 18, 20 and 22 could be driven by shaft 90 with additional gearing. In any case, the construction of the gearing ensures that the speeds of the individual drums are set relative to each other in a satisfactory manner.

Claims (14)

1. A process for directly feeding cigarettes from a production machine to a packing machine, wherein the cigarettes leave the production machine in a sequence having gaps, comprising: conveying the cigarettes to a packing machine over an intermediate course which includes a number of course sections, the number depepding on the desired number of cigarettes per pack, shortening the intermediate course by one of the course sections for each ogap formed by a missing cigarette; and when the intermediate course has been shortened by a number of the course sections corresponding to the number of cigarettes in a pack, adding to the operation of the packing machine an idling time while cigarettes are conveyed over the entire length of the intermediate course.

2. A process according to Claim 1, wherein the intermediate course is shortened by replacing one portion of the intermediate course by another portion that is shorter than the one portion by at least one of the course sections:

3. A process according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the course sections define arcuate paths for the cigarettes.

4. A process according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the cigarettes are moved along the intermediate course including the course sections at an essentially uniform path speed.

5. A compensating conveyor for conveying cigarettes between a discharge position of a production machine and a feed position of a packing machine in which the discharge position and the feed position have rotary conveyors, the compensating conveyor comprising at least one main rotary conveyor with compensation means for compensating for gaps in sequences of cigarettes discharged from the production machine, with controllable holders and with a first drive means, the compensation means including a number of additional rotary conveyor devices arranged over a peripheral conveying area of said rotary conveyor, the number equalling 2n + 1 wherein n = number of cigarettes collected for forming one pack, and each of said additional rotary conveyor devices having controllable holders for picking up and conveying cirgarettes to and from another additional rotary conveyor device and said rotary conveyor.

6. A compensating conveyor according to Claim 5, wherein said additional rotary conveyor devices are drums attached to second drive means for prodiving essentially uniform peripheral velocity thereon.

7. A compensating conveyor according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein a first set of additional rotary conveyor devices comprises first drums with diameters smaller than a distance between two adjacent holders on said rotary conveyor such that two spaces between said holders on said rotary conveyor correspond to three spaces between said holders on each of said first drums, and a shortenable course formed by partial peripheries of three of said first drums compensates for a gap in a cigarette sequence.

8. A compensating conveyor according to Claim 7, wherein said first set comprises 2n + 1 drums for n gaps, and said second drive means rotates successive ones of said first drums, in a rotational direction of said o rotary conveyor, in directions opposite to and the same as said rotary conveyor.

9. A compensating conveyor according to Claim 7, wherein a second set of additional rotary conveyor devices comprises second drums arranged over said first drums and said rotary conveyor, each of said second drums having a diameter larger than said diameters of said first drums and having four controllable holders, said holders on each of said second drums being spaced to correspond essentially to spacings between said holders on said first drums and said rotary conveyor.

10. A compensating conveyor according to Claim 9, wherein said additional rotary conveyor devices comprise (4n + 1) first drums and (3n) second drums for compensating for (3n) gaps, each of said sets of drums having one common drum.

11. A compensating conveyor according to any of Claims 5 to 10, wherein said rotary conveyor, said additional rotary conveyor devices and the rotary conveyor means of the production machine and the packing machine are driven by a single shaft.

1 2. A compensating conveyor according to any of Claims 5 to 11, wherein the rotary conveyor means of the discharge and feed positions are drums.

1 3. A process for directly feeding cigarettes from a production machine to a packing machine, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

14. A compensating conveyor, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, Figure 1, Figures 2, 4 and 5 or Figures 3 and 6, of the drawings.