GB1094102A - Improvements in or relating to cigarette-magazine filling machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,094,102. Cigarette magazine filling machines. A. SCHMERMUND. Sept. 10, 1964 [Sept. 27, 1963], No. 38152/63. Heading B8C. A machine for filling containers used as magazines in cigarette packaging apparatus comprises a rotary drum having means to form a layer of cigarettes on its periphery and transfer each layer successively to a magazine reciprocating beneath, a plate within the magazine during filling, receiving the layers and descending as they are formed, the uppermost layer on the plate moving with the magazine tangential to the drum. Two drums may deposit layers alternately. In one embodiment, the drum 11 receives cigarettes alternately from hoppers 1, 2 which are raised and lowered, projections 9 in the latter position entering grooves 10, Fig. 5, in the drum to permit cigarettes to rest in axial troughs. The troughs have communication with suction means through passages 14. These passages are closed in succession to release one cigarette into a magazine, by slide valves 34. The drum makes one revolution in one direction and the next in the opposite direction and so on, the hopper 1 depositing cigarettes over one half of the periphery in the one revolution and the hopper 2 doing likewise along the other half during the next revolution. Empty magazines 13 are fed on to a carriage 42 by a reciprocating ratchet feeder 94, Fig. 10, that on the carriage operating a switch to stop the feed and commence carriage traverse. Reciprocating with the carriage is the cigarette support plate 56. This is mounted on a rod 57, the lower end of which has a roller 60 engaging a rail 61 the latter being lowered progressively by screw feed means 63, 64 as the layers build up in the magazine. In its lowermost position switch means is operated to cause a plate 74 to eject the filled magazine on to a table 97 and the ejecting stroke operates further switch means to recommence the cycle. In a further embodiment (Fig. 8, not shown), two drums operate in a similar manner to the single drum, being rotated in opposite directions and having each a single vertically movable supply hopper. Another embodiment, Fig. 30, has a single drum 401 supplied through control channels 677 from a single hopper. The channels may be selectively obturated by plates 622 actuated by solenoids A-G. This enables staggered deposition of cigarettes with omission of a cigarette in alternate rows and stoppage of all the channels when the drum is full. The plates 622 are oscillated to release cigarettes singly by projections 626 on a disc secured to the drum shaft and engaging arms on rods on which the plates are mounted (Fig. 31, not shown). A bar 651 blocks suction apertures to the drum troughs to release cigarettes successively. The magazine carriage is reciprocated by a belt to which it is coupled and uncoupled at the ends of its travel (Figs. 18, 19, not shown) and a cable coiled round a pulley on the drum shaft is attached to the belt so as to oscillate the drum simultaneously. The support plate guide rail is raised and lowered by lazy tongs linkage at each end operated by a ratchet-rotated scroll cam. Magazine infeed and discharge as substantially as in the other embodiments.