US2179446A - Gripping device in machines for handling tobacco - Google Patents

Description

N 7. 1939- E. R. DAHLSTROM GRIPPING DEVICE IN MACHiNES FOR HANDLING TOBACCO Filed May 5, 195a Patented Nov. 7, 1939 GRIlBPINGDEVICE IN MACHINES FOR 1 I HANDLING TOBACCO Ernst Ruben liahlstiiim, Alsten,

to.. ,Aktiebolaget Formator, Stockholm,

Sweden, assign- Sweden a ,joint stock company of Sweden Application May 3, 1938, Serial No.-205,853

In Sweden 11 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for the transfer of tobacco or the like in equal or adjustably predetermined portions from a storage reservoir to a discharge place, the portioning being effected by means of a mechanically drivenpincher shaped gripping member. More particularly the invention relates to such devices in which the pincher due to its own weight, and possibly also to the weight of means carrying same, is allowed to penetrate the tobacco mass in said reservoir for the purpose of accommodating its operation to varying levels of the tobacco mass in the reservoir. It is desirable that the tobacco mass in the reservoir shall be in a loose and readily separable condition, so that the gripper will easily penetrate the tobacco mass without compressing same. It is a main object "of my invention to provide simple and efiicient means for preventing the gripper from penetrating too deeply into such tobacco mass. Another'object of my invention is to provide simple and efiicient means for controlling the penetration of the gripper into the tobacco mass. M

To the accomplishment of they foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the construction and novel combination of parts fully .described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and arrangement with in the scope of the claims maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same device, part of the tobacco reservoir having been broken away.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the essential parts of the gripping device, and 1 Figs. 4 and 5 are a plan view and a side view, respectively, on anenlarged scale of one of the parts shown in Fig. 3. l

Referring to the drawing, the reservoir l for loose tobacco mass is secured .to a rotary vertical shaft 2 which is mounted in the frame 3 and driven by any suitable driving mechanism, such as that described and illustrated in the patent to Granstedt No. 1,619,507, dated March 1, 1927, so that the reservoir is at rest when a tobacco gripping pincher is moved into the tobacco mass in the reservoir. Y

4 and 5 designate thetwo legsof the-pincher,

May 7, 1937 which moves down into and up from the tobacco mass in the reservoir 1 in such manner as to fetch a tobacco portion from said mass each time it moves upwardly and to feed it to a delivery chute 33. The legs 4 and 5 are each se- 5 cured'to one of two parallel shafts 6 and 1, respectively, by hub portions 38 and 39. The shaft Sis turnable in a bearing sleeve 8 secured in the one end of 1 an angle lever 9 the other end of which is pivotally mounted on a shaft II], which 10 isrotatably mounted at the side of the reservoir I in a bracket 31 secured to the frame 3.

Pivotally mounted on the shaft 6 are two relatively short bell-crank levers, which carry by means of their upwardly directed arms H a rotatably journalled shaft l2 and by means of their laterally directed arms 36 the leg shaft 1. Secured to the shaft I2 is one end of a long lever l3, which is bent similarly to the lever 9 and extends substantially parallel to the same. The other end of the lever I3 is pivotally mounted on a pin 40, which is secured in a projection I4 of the bracket 31. The levers 9 and I3 together with the above-mentioned parts, by which they are suspended, are arranged so as to form a parallel motion mechanism. The arm 9 has two hubs l5 and I1, which are turnably mounted on the shaft Ill and are rigidly interconnected by means of a bar l6. Extending from the hub I1 is an arm I8 which is pivotally and slidably connected'to a rod I!) by means of a pin 20 which projects into a longitudinal slot 2| in said rod. The said rod I9 is driven up and down by means of the main shaft of the machine and an intermediary cam, as described and illustrated in the Patent No. 1,619,507. The arrangement is such that, when the rod l9 moves up and down, the arms l3 and 9 will move between the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and the position above the chute 33 as shown in dash and dot 40 lines in the same figure, and that during said movements the above-mentioned parallel motion mechanism will cause the pincher leg 5 to always be suspended in a substantially vertical 5 position. Furthermore, the pincher legs 4 and 5 obtain their motion towards and from each otherat-proper times by means of a mechanism driven from the main shaft of the machine, so that the apparatus will operate completely automatically.

The last mentioned mechanism comprises a rod 22 which is driven up and down by a cam operated by the main shaft, as described and illustrated in the Patent No. 1,619,507, and is connected to an arm 23 by means of a pivot 25, said arm 23 being secured to the shaft ID. The turning movement of the shaft I is transmitted to the shaft 6 of the pincher leg 4 by means of a bent arm 58 which at one of its ends is pivotally connected to an arm 52 secured to the shaft 18, and at its other end pivoted to an arm 54 which is secured to the shaft 6. Secured to the shafts 8 and l are intermeshing gear wheels 32 which transmit the turning movements of the shaft 6 to the shaft 1.

The pincher legs 4 and 5 are each composed of a lower gripper plate and an upper holder plate 53, the latter connecting the legs to the shafts 8 and 1. The lower plates are pressed by springs 51 which urge them towards each other against shoulders 55 on the plates 53. At some distance from the free end of the flat gripper plate 56 on its inner side is secured a forked plate 58 having legs 62 which are bent upwards and straddle the opposite gripper plate 51 which is curved. The inner part 59 of the plate 58 I forms a transverse wall within the pincher when closed. The edge 63 of the plate 58 is located somewhat higher than the part 59 thereof. When the pincher has sunk into the tobacco mass to the level of the plate 58, the plate forms a supporting member by means of which the pincher will rest upon the tobacco mass in the reservoir 1. Thereby the plate 58 will limit the quantity of tobacco mass to be fetched by the pincher. Said quantity can be regulated by vertical adjustment of the plate 58. To this endthe flat gripper plate 58 has oblong holes 68 through which threaded bolts SI for the carrier plate 58 project. Thereby the carrier plate can be secured at variable heights to the plate 56. The same result may be obtained also if the plate 58 is attached directly to and move in timed relationship to the means for driving and supporting the pincher, such as thearms for suspending same. Thus the invention contemplates also such an arrangement. Instead of the plate 58, some other equivalent member, such as a lattice or the like, may be used. The said carrier may constitute a bent part of any one of the pincher legs.

In operation, when the pincher is about to move down into the reservoir l and fetch a portion of tobacco the legs 4 and 5 are moved apart by means of the arm 50. To this end, the rod 22 turns the arm 23 downwards so that the shaft I8 is turned correspondingly. When the rod I9 is moved downwards the pincher is allowed to move downwards towards the tobacco mass in the reservoir Due to the weight of the pincher and its suspending arms the pincher is moved towards and into the tobacco mass until the carrier plate 58 rests upon the tobacco mass withoutunduly compressing same. Thereby the tobacco mass embraced by the pincher legs is limited substantially to a predetermined amount. Thereafter the rod 22 is moved upwards turning the shaft l8 and thereby, by the intermediary of the parts 52, 58, 54 and 32, also turning the shafts 6 and I, so that the pincher legs 4 and 5 are moved towards each other and yielding grip a portion of tobacco the amount of which has been controlled by the plate 58. Thereafter the rod l9 will move the arm i8 upwards whereby the arm 9 lifts the closed pincher out of the tobacco mass and. moves it into its delivery position in which the rod 22 will open the pincher to drop the tobacco portion into the chute 33.

' I claim;

1. In a tobacco portioning machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher, mechanism for moving said pincher into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and for lifting said pincher from said reservoir, mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the sinking of said pincher into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a supporting member connected to said pincher device and having a bottom side extending substantially transversely to said pincher at a fixed distance from its bottom edge so as to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir and prevent said pincher from penetrating completely into the tobacco mass.

2. In a tobacco portioning machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher, mechanism movable to permit said pincher to sink by its weight into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and movable to lift said pincher from said reservoir, mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the sinking of said pincher into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a carrier member connected to said pincher device and having a bottom side extending substantially transversely to said pincher at a fixed distance from its bottom edge so as to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir and prevent said pincher from penetrating completely into the tobacco mass.

3. In a tobacco portioning machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher, mechanism for moving said pincher into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and for lifting said pincher from said reservoir, mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the movement of said pincher down into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a support member projecting from said pincher and having a bottom side extending substantially transversely to said pincher at a fixed distance from the bottom edge so as to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir and prevent said pincher from penerating completely into the tobacco mass.

4. In a tobacco portioning machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher having gripping legs, mechanism for moving said pincher into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and for lifting said pincher from said reservoir, mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the movement of said pincher down into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a support member connected to said-device and having a bottom side extending between said gripping legs at a fixed distance from each end of said legs substantially transversely to said pincher so as to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir and prevent said pincher from penetrating completely into the tobacco'mass.

5. In a tobacco machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher, a mechanism for moving said pincher into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and adapted to lift said pincher from said reservoir, a mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the movement of said pincher down into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a carrier member connected to said device and having a bottom side that extends substantially transversely to said pincher so as to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir, said carrier member being adjustable vertically relative to said pincher.

6. In a tobacco portioning machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher, mechanism for moving said pincher into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and for lifting said pincher from said reservoir, mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the movement of said pincher down into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a plate projecting substantially transversely from said pincher at a fixed distance from its lower edge so as to rest upon said tobacco mass in said reservoir and support said pincher and prevent said pincher from penetrating completely into the tobacco mass.

7. In a tobacco machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher, a mechanism for moving said pincher into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and adapted to lift said pincher from said reservoir, a mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the movement of said pincher down into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a carrier member connected to said device and having a bottom side that extends substantially transversely to said pincher so as to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir, said carrier member straddling said pincher.

8. In a tobacco machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher having gripping legs, a mechanism for moving said pincher into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and adapted to lift said pincher from said reservoir, a mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the movement of said pincher down into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a carrier member connected to said device and having a bottom side that extends between said gripping legs substantially transversely to said pincher so as to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir, said carrier member being secured to one of said legs, an end of said bottom side opposite from said leg being turned upwards.

9. In a tobacco machine, the combination with a reservoir for tobacco, of a device for removing portions of the tobacco from said reservoir, said device comprising a pincher having gripping legs, a mechanism for moving said pincher into the tobacco mass in said reservoir and adapted to lift said pincher from said reservoir, a mechanism for opening said pincher and for closing said pincher to grasp a tobacco portion in said reservoir, and means for limiting the movement, of said pincher down into the tobacco mass, said means comprising a carrier member connected to said device and having a bottom side that extends between said gripping legs substantially transversely to said pincher so as to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir, said carrier member being secured to one of said legs, which is substantially flat and operably connected to said mechanism so as to be moved vertically down into the tobacco mass.

10. A tobacco portioning machine including a storage reservoir, a driven member, a pincher,

means for causing said pincher to grasp a portion 30 of the tobacco mass in the storage reservoir and to deliver it from the reservoir upon the operation of said driven member, and a member adapted to be moved together with said pincher into the reservoir, said member having a bottom side extending substantially transversely to said pincher at a fixed distance from its ends and being adapted to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir and thereby limit the penetration of said pincher into said tobacco mass and prevent said pincher from penetrating completely into the tobacco mass.

11. A tobacco portioning machine including a storage reservoir, a driven member, a pincher, means for causing said pincher to grasp a portion of the tobacco mass in the storage reservoir and to deliver it from the reservoir upon the operation of said driven member, and a member adapted to be moved together with said pincher into the reservoir, said member having a bottom side extending substantially transversely to said pincher at a fixed distance from its ends and being adapted to rest upon the tobacco mass in said reservoir and thereby limit the penetration of said pincher into said tobacco mass, said member forming part of said pincher and preventing said pincher from penetrating completely into the tobacco mass.

ERNST RUBEN DAHLSTRGM.

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