EP1510142B1 - Manipulation of rodlike articles from the tobacco manufacturing industry - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for processing rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry, in which the articles are provided on a transfer conveyor are transferred from the transfer conveyor to at least one processing drum for processing the articles, and during a taking place by the processing drum promotion of Articles are edited.

The invention further relates to a device for processing rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry, with a transfer conveyor for receiving the articles, and with at least one processing drum associated with the transfer conveyor for Removing the articles from the transfer conveyor and processing the articles during conveyance of the articles by the processing drum.

Under rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry are here in particular cigarettes, cigarette filters or tobacco sticks for cigarettes, for example. Tobacco sticks from cut tobacco, understood.

Methods and devices of the type mentioned are known from the prior art. For example, shows the EP 0 432 663 B1 a device for perforating filter cigarettes. The filter cigarettes are conveyed along a feed drum to a first transfer drum. A portion of the cigarettes on the transfer drum is transferred from the transfer drum to a first perforating drum and conveyed after perforation to a first discharge drum. The remainder of the cigarettes is dispensed from the first transfer drum to a second transfer drum, conveyed to a second perforating drum, and after perforation delivered from the second perforating drum to a second delivery drum which transfers the cigarettes to the first delivery drum.

The WO 03/043449 A1 in turn shows a Filteransetzmaschine, which consists of a main drum and several other associated drums. On the main drum elements of the filter cigarettes, namely tobacco rod or sub-sticks, filter pieces, cigarette units and the filter cigarettes produced from these are transported. With the help of a pick-up drum are moved from each other moved parts with inserted filter piece for attaching a tipping paper to the outside of the main drum, connected to each other and returned with the help of a return drum as one-piece cigarette units back to the main drum.

The object of the present invention is to improve the state of the art.

This object is achieved according to the present invention by the subject matters of the independent claims.

An important advantage of the present invention is that, contrary to the prior art, to feed the articles to the processing drum and to remove the articles from the processing drum, only a single transfer conveyor is needed instead of four different drums. The invention includes the recognition that the preferably designed as a transfer drum transfer conveyor does not necessarily have to be fully occupied with articles. Rather, the items can be stored in any transfer conveyor only at certain points on the transfer conveyor, while other places remain free. In this way, the free points of the transfer conveyor can be used to cancel the articles processed by the processing drum.

Machining of articles means here an effect on the appearance, the structure or the function of the article, in particular a cutting, a perforating, a rewinding of the article with a tipping paper leaflet or a printing on the article.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the article is placed on the processing drum between a take-off position where the processing drum removes the articles from the transfer conveyor and a discharge position at which the processing drum returns the articles to the transfer conveyor on the processing drum by at least about 360 ° promoted. In this way, the processed article returns to the transfer conveyor and can be stored on a free position on the transfer conveyor.

For this purpose, the processing drum is preferably rotated by at least about 360 ° plus a circumferential length of the article. In this way, in a further preferred embodiment of the invention, preferably in a correspondingly formed receptacle for the articles, the article can be rolled back on the peripheral surface of the processing drum. This preferably by at least about 360 ° about its own axis running roles of the article allows, for example, to perforate the articles on the processing drum on its entire circumference.

For example, a roll block associated with the processing drum may be used to roll the articles in the receptacles on the processing drum. The roller block, whose axis of rotation is preferably parallel to the axis of rotation of the processing drum and whose smallest distance from the processing drum is preferably slightly smaller than the diameter of the article, is preferably associated with a laser assembly, the articles through a corresponding recess in the roller block and / or on the roller block passed through during the rolling of the articles through the roller block.

An embodiment of the invention has on the transfer conveyor an even number of in the conveying direction at a certain distance from each other arranged receptacles for the article on and on the processing drum also an even number of processing recordings for the article. In this case, the machining receptacles on the processing drum are designed such that in them articles of the roller block by an odd multiple of, measured in the conveying direction, preferably at least one third of the circumference of the article amount, distance of the recordings on the transfer conveyor are rollable. In this way let the rolled and possibly perforated articles after rolling in an unoccupied recording of the transfer conveyor cover and pass from this, for example, to a secondary drum.

Preferably, the articles are removed by the processing drum from the transfer conveyor at a distance from each other in the conveying direction, which is greater than or equal to the circumference of the article. In this way, the articles on the processing drum can easily be rolled around its own axis by at least about 360 ° and optionally perforated on its entire circumference during the rotation. For this purpose, the articles on the transfer conveyor are preferably provided such that they have a distance from each other, which is preferably greater than or equal to four-thirds of the circumference of the articles divided by the number of processing drums.

Another important advantage of the invention is that several transfer drums can be assigned to the transfer conveyor. Thus, for example, in the case of an even number of receptacles on the transfer conveyor, an article can be made available in every second receptacle on the transfer conveyor, the articles being delivered alternately to two structurally identical processing drums arranged next to one another.

However, if, for example, only one processing drum is present, then - at a preferred distance of the receptacles of at least one third of its circumference - provided on the transfer conveyor, for example, only in every fourth recording items, so as to ensure that from a certain processing drum to machining article from the transfer conveyor in any case have a distance in the conveying direction to each other, which is greater than or equal to the circumference of the article, preferably four-thirds of the circumference to these articles then advantageous on the processing drum by at least the circumference of the article in the corresponding editing recordings, for example, to perforate the article to be able to roll.

The processing drum is associated with the transfer conveyor in a manner known to those skilled in the art, and in particular adapted in terms of their circumference and rotational speed and the transfer conveyor adapted to take over the article from the transfer conveyor in a desired manner according to the invention. For this purpose, the transfer conveyor is preferably also designed as a drum, which preferably as receiving for the article to the conveying direction laterally extending, preferably at a distance of at least one third of the circumference of the article spaced apart in the conveying direction troughs.

However, the processing of the articles according to the above-mentioned embodiments is not limited to the perforation of the articles. Rather, it is also possible with the above-described embodiments, to roll over the articles during their stay on the processing drum with a covering sheet. In this case, it is possible to carry out the supply of the covering sheets and the rewinding of the articles with the lining sheets on the processing drum itself or to provide further drums, which in turn are connected to the processing drum.

As with the embodiments of the invention listed above by way of example with respect to the perforation of the articles, it should also be noted as one of the advantages of the invention that the respective processing can be taken out of the actual production chain by the processing drum according to the invention. The processing, eg perforation or rewinding with covering sheets, can thus be connected to each production chain as a so-called stitching method. Because the articles are, for example, according to the above-outlined preferred Embodiments taken from the material flow or the production chain with the help of the processing drum, then, for example, perforated or rolled over with covering sheets, and finally fed back into the production process of the same processing drum.

Particularly advantageous in the case of the branched-off from a drum chain as described above, it is that the error rate of the overall system is significantly reduced by such a branch. For in case of occurrence of a fault in the drum branch, it is sufficient to turn off the drum branch and remedy the error without the need to stop the main branch of drums.

Applied to the rewinding of a tobacco rod filter tobacco rod group with a tipping paper thus takes place for the separation of the transport chain and the functional units delivering this rewinder preferably a removal of the actual rolling process from the transport chain of the corresponding Filteransetzmaschine. For this purpose, the article components tobacco rods, double filters and tipping paper are preferably transported until the rolling process. The actual rolling process then takes place on a drum branch, which is branched off from the production chain. Similar to the perforation of articles, the roll not only rolls over the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod group with the pad, but also returns it by a certain amount against the conveying direction on the drum periphery. In this way, the finished double-filter cigarettes rolled over with tiling paper can be fed back to the actual transport chain of the filter attachment machine via the same drums of the branched-off drum branch.

The drum branch is not limited to a processing drum. Rather, it is possible to use any number of processing drums in such a drum branch.

Moreover, in further preferred embodiments, it is also possible to transfer the articles from the transfer conveyor via at least one intermediate conveyor to the at least one processing drum and then to return the articles to the transfer conveyor via the at least one intermediate conveyor from the processing drum after processing , With the aid of such intermediate conveyors, an advantageous distance between the central production and material flow chain and the one or more processing drums of such a drum branch can be created in some machines of the tobacco processing industry.

In further preferred embodiments of the invention, the aforementioned intermediate conveyors can also be used to supply parts of the desired article to them. For example, it is possible to attach the tipping paper to the articles while the articles are on such an intermediate conveyor. Of course, it is also possible to attach the tipping paper leaflets to the articles while the articles are being stored on the transfer conveyor or drum. Finally, it is also possible to form the intermediate conveyors as pure intermediate conveyors, that is to supply during the stay of the article on the intermediate conveyors no objects and also to make any on the actual conveying of the article beyond measure with the articles.

In a preferred embodiment of the above device, this is further developed such that the machining conveyor formed a roll of two conveyor belts, an article from the transfer conveyor and taking over the roll channel donating first conveyor drum, the articles of the rolling channel decreasing second conveyor drum, and one Article of the second conveyor drum has decreasing and delivering to the first conveyor drum third conveyor drum, wherein the articles are offset by means of the rolling channel upstream so that they can be set by the third conveyor drum in unoccupied recordings of the first conveyor drum, so that they from the first conveyor drum of the processing conveyor can be returned directly into unoccupied recordings of the transfer conveyor or at least one intermediate conveyor in unoccupied recordings of the transfer conveyor.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

Figur 1

eine erste Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;

Figur 2

eine zweite Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;

Figur 3

eine dritte Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;

Figur 4

eine vierte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;

Figur 5

eine vergrößerte Ansicht eines Teils der Figur 4;

Figur 6

eine vergrößerte Ansicht eines Teils der Figur 5; und

Figur 7

eine fünfte Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The figures in the drawings show:

FIG. 1

a first embodiment of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2

a second embodiment of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 3

a third embodiment of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 4

a fourth embodiment of the device according to the invention;

FIG. 5

an enlarged view of part of the FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 6

an enlarged view of part of the FIG. 5 ; and

FIG. 7

A fifth embodiment of a device according to the invention.

FIG. 1 1 shows a first embodiment 1 of a device according to the invention for processing cigarettes 2.

The device 1 has a feed conveyor 4 designed as a feed conveyor for feeding the articles. The feed drum 4 rotates according to arrow 6 about a rotation axis 8 in the counterclockwise direction and conveys the article 2 in non-illustrated, formed laterally to the conveying direction of the feed drum 4 in the peripheral surface 10 wells.

The troughs have a distance in the conveying direction, which corresponds to at least twice the diameter of the article 2.

Adjacent to the feed drum 4 serving as a transfer conveyor transfer drum 12 is arranged. The transfer drum 12 rotates about a parallel to the axis of rotation 8 of the feed drum 4 arranged rotational axis 14 as indicated by arrow 16 in a clockwise direction at the same peripheral speed as the feed drum 4. The distance between the axes of rotation 8 and 14 is such that a trouble-free transfer of the article 2 guaranteed is.

The transfer drum 12 has as receptacles for the article 2 also formed laterally to the conveying direction in its peripheral surface 18 wells 20. The troughs 20 are arranged in the conveying direction at a distance from each other on the transfer drum 12, which corresponds to half the distance of the troughs on the feed drum 4.

Adjacent to the transfer drum 12, a first processing drum 22 is arranged. The machining drum 22 rotates according to arrow 24 about a rotation axis 26. The rotation axis 26 is parallel to the rotation axis 14 of the transfer drum 12. The distance of the rotation axes 26 and 14 is dimensioned so that a trouble-free transfer of the article is guaranteed.

In the circumferential surface 28 of the processing drum 22, extended troughs 30 for receiving the articles 2 are provided in the conveying direction. The troughs 30 are bounded by webs 32 formed laterally to the conveying direction. The distance of the webs 32 corresponds to four times the distance of the troughs 20 on the transfer drum 12. The dimension of the troughs 30 is such that the articles 2 can be offset (rolled) in the troughs 30 by a distance three times the distance the troughs 20 on the transfer drum 12 corresponds.

The first processing drum 22 is associated with a roller block 34 with a rolling surface 36. The roller block 34 rotates at the same peripheral speed as the processing drum 22 about a parallel to the rotation axis 26 of the processing drum 22 arranged rotation axis counterclockwise. By means of corresponding recesses in the roller block 34 and / or on the roller block, a laser 38 emits a laser beam 40 serving for perforation of the article 2 perpendicular to the peripheral surface 28 of the processing drum 22. The laser beam 40 is focused onto the peripheral surfaces 44 of the articles 2 by means of a focusing lens 42. The articles 2 are offset by rolling between the machining drum 22 and the roller block 34 opposite to the direction of rotation of the machining drum 22.

Downstream of the transfer drum 12, a second processing drum 52 is arranged. The second processing drum 52 is identical to the first processing drum 22. The same parts are designated by reference numerals, which are compared to the reference numerals of the first processing drum 22 and its associated parts roller block 34 and laser 38 but increased by the number 30.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment 90 of a device according to the invention. The device 90 is identical to the device 1 with the only difference that not two lasers 38 and 68, but only a laser 92 is provided, whose light is divided by means of a beam splitter, not shown in the laser beams 40 and 70, respectively.

Further downstream of the transfer drum 12 is associated with a discharge drum 80. The removal drum 80 rotates according to arrow 82 in the counterclockwise direction about a rotation axis 84. The rotation axis 84 is parallel to the rotation axis 14 of the transfer drum 12. The discharge drum 80 corresponds to the Zufördertrommel 4. Just like the Zufördertrommel 4 and the discharge drum 80 is disposed adjacent to the transfer drum 12 such that a trouble-free transfer of the article 2 is guaranteed.

The processing of the article 2 which takes place with the device 1 according to an embodiment of the method according to the invention takes place as follows:

On the feed drum 4 are in the conveying direction laterally arranged troughs Article 2 seen in the conveying direction at a distance from each other, which corresponds to at least twice their diameter. At this distance, the articles 2 are transferred from the feed drum 4 to the transfer drum 12. However, since the transfer drum 12 has half the tray pitch with respect to the feed drum 4, an article 2 is provided on the transfer drum 12 only in every second tray 20.

The transfer drum 12 conveys the articles 2 further in the conveying direction 16 to the first processing drum 22. The first processing drum 22 only removes every second article 2 from the transfer drum 12, since the depressions 30 of the first processing drum 22 are spaced from one another in the conveying direction 24. which corresponds to four times the trough distance on the transfer drum 12.

As soon as the articles 2 come into contact with the circumferential surface 36 of the roller block 34, the articles 2, viewed in the conveying direction 24, are rolled back into the troughs 30 on the web 32 lying behind them. The articles 2 are at least once completely rotated about its axis and thereby offset by three times the trough spacing on the transfer drum 12 in the troughs 30. Simultaneously with this rolling, the articles 2 are perforated on their circumferential surface 44 with the preferably pulsed laser beam 40, so that a full circumferential perforation of the peripheral surface 44 of the articles 2 takes place during the backward rolling of the article 2 in the troughs 30 of the processing drum 22.

The so perforated article 2, which in the FIG. 1 lighter than the unperforated article 2 are shown, are then further promoted by the processing drum 22 along the direction of rotation 24 until they have been promoted over a decrease position 31 by more than 360 ° about the axis of rotation 26 so that they reach a dispensing position 33. In the example shown, positions 31 and 33 are identical. The perforated articles 2 are thereby offset from the troughs 20 of the transfer drum 12, from which the processing drum 22 has removed the articles 2, by three troughs.

The perforated article 2 is then removed from the processing drum 22 from the position 33 by means of the transfer drum 12 and conveyed further in the conveying direction 16 of the transfer drum 12 in the direction of the second processing drum 52. However, this does not remove the already perforated article 2 from the transfer drum 12, so that it is further promoted by the transfer drum 12 and finally reaches the discharge drum 80, which is identical to the feed drum 4 and the perforated article 2 decreases from the transfer drum 12 and abfördert.

At the same time, the articles 2 not removed from the transfer drum 12 by the first processing drum 22 pass to the second processing drum 52 as indicated by the dark hatched articles 2 in FIG FIG. 1 indicated downstream of the first processing drum 22 on the transfer drum 12.

The second processing drum 52 takes the perforating in the FIG. 1 dark hatched article 2 in an identical manner from the transfer drum 12, as in the first processing drum 22 happens. Also, the subsequent rolling and perforating of the article 2 fully corresponds to the procedure described above with respect to the first processing drum 22. The same applies to the return of the perforated article to the transfer drum 12 and the subsequent removal of the perforated article through the removal drum 80th

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment 100 of a device according to the invention. The in the FIG. 3 shown device parts of the device 100 are not different from the corresponding device parts of the device 1 of FIG. 1 , They are therefore denoted by the same reference numerals. Only in operation does the device 100 differ from the device 1 as follows:

From the feed drum 4, article 2 is supplied to the transfer drum 12 only at every second position. Thus, 20 articles 2 are provided on the transfer drum 12 only on every fourth trough. It is therefore sufficient to use the first processing drum 22 for rolling and perforating the article 2. On the second processing drum 52, in the embodiment 100 of the FIG. 3 be waived. The second processing drum 52 is in the FIG. 3 therefore omitted. Embodiment 100, therefore, illustrates one of the key advantages of the present invention. Because the invention can respond flexibly to an increase or decrease in the throughput of a cigarette making machine. Depending on the number of articles 2 supplied with the feed drum 4, the second processing drum 52 may be provided or omitted.

Moreover, according to an embodiment of the invention not shown, also the first processing drum 22 may be omitted if no perforation of the articles is desired. The articles are then simply unchanged with the transfer drum 12 of the Feeding drum 4 conveyed to the discharge drum 80. This too is a decisive advantage over the prior art. For in the state of the art, even if the article were not perforated, it would be necessary to promote the articles over all the drums which normally serve for rolling or perforation. This results in the prior art, a large time and loss of throughput and an increased space requirement, while in the present invention can be dispensed with any processing drum, which is not needed.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a fourth embodiment 104 of a device according to the invention for processing (in the FIG. 4 not shown) cigarettes. With the help of FIG. 4 Above all, the inventive principle of diversion of machining operations should be clarified. For this purpose is in the middle of FIG. 4 in horizontal position 106 shows a production chain of drums of a filter attachment machine, not shown. From this drum chain branches in the FIG. 4 down substantially vertically two processing branches 108 and 110 for processing cigarettes. The respective filters are fed via substantially vertically upwardly branching filter feed branches 112 and 114. By virtue of the invention, it is possible to arbitrarily add or omit each of the branches 108, 110, 112 and 114, or to turn it on or off. Because by turning on or off or adding or omitting one of the branches 108, 110, 112 and 114, the actual material chain 106 remains unaffected.

In the in the FIG. 4 illustrated device 104 serve the branches 108 and 110 of the envelope of tobacco rod filter tobacco groups groups with tipping paper. In this case, the filters which are enveloped in the branch 108 are supplied by the branch 112, while the filters wrapped in branch 110 are fed into branch 114.

The drums in the device 104 are driven, formed and matched in the usual manner in filter tipping machines.

To supply the two branches 108 and 110 with tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups, they are supplied to the production chain 106 in the device 104 via a supply branch 116 and 118, respectively. The branch 116 serves the branch 108, while the branch 118 supplies the branch 110. Of course, this can also be done the other way round. Likewise, one of the branches 116 or 118 may be omitted or one of these branches may be turned off without bringing the device 104 to a standstill. The branches 116 and 118 can thus be operated or switched on and off completely independently of each other, just like the branches 108 and 110.

Likewise, it is possible not to feed the filters via the branches 112 and 114, but to feed them to the tobacco double sticks at any other location in the device 104, as long as it happens before wrapping by the tipping paper.

To the construction of the device 104 in detail:

The core of the material-carrying drum chain 106 is formed by drums 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134 and 136 arranged essentially linearly one behind the other. The material flow in the FIG. 4 goes from the drum 120 to the drum 136. According to arrow 138, the finished double filter cigarettes are finally taken at the end of the device 104 in a conventional manner in filter tipping machine from a non-illustrated drum, a Not shown cutting device cut into individual cigarettes, but not shown, for example, as in Fig. 3 perforated perforated perforated perforated by an unillustrated spreading drum in single cigarettes, subjected using a non-illustrated testing device of a head test and also processed in the rest of the usual in Filteransetzmaschinen or machines of the tobacco processing industry, but not shown way.

The first drum 120 of the chain 106 is fed tobacco double sticks from both the feed branch 116 and the feed branch 118. The branch 116 takes over for this purpose by means of a drum 140 tobacco double sticks from a single or a two-lane cigarette machine and passes them to a drum 142 on. Like in the FIG. 4 is shown purely schematically, the double stick, not shown, is then cut on the drum 142 by means of a cutter 144 and then transferred in a cut form to a spreading drum 146. On the spreading drum 146, the individual sticks of the tobacco double stick are laterally separated from each other in the direction of movement in order to be able to place the double filter between them in the later course.

In the same way tobacco double sticks, also not shown, are fed to the drum 120 in the branch 118 of drums 140a, 142a, 146a and a cutter 144a.

On the drum 120 are thus two families of cut and spread tobacco double sticks. One family is from the feed drum 140, while the other comes from the feed drum 140a. The drum 120 must therefore be provided with corresponding receptacles in order to be able to receive all the double sticks from the feed drums 146 and 146a. These are then passed from the drum 120 to the drum 122. The Drum 122 serves as a distributor drum. Because it is from the drum 122 in the in the FIG. 4 In the apparatus 104 shown in FIG. 10, the double sticks originating from the feed drum 140 are transferred to the branch 108, while the double sticks originating from the feed drum 140a are forwarded to the drum 124 following in the chain 106, in order to be subsequently processed in the branch 110.

The drum 124 in the illustrated embodiment serves not only to forward the double sticks of the feed drum 140a, but also to introduce double filters, which takes the drum 124 from a filter feed drum 148 of the filter feed branch 112. The filter feed drum 148 receives the filter from further filter feed drums, not shown, which in turn receive the filters from a non-illustrated, conventional filter production.

The drum 124 feeds the double filters to the drum 122 in such a manner that they come to lie double filters between the double sticks obtained from the feeding drum 140. The drum 122 then feeds the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups into the branch 108.

The branch 108 has for this purpose a first intermediate conveyor drum 150 for removing the groups from the drum 122 and a second intermediate conveyor drum 152 for removing the groups from the drum 150. The drum 152 serves to adhere the pads removed from an endless tipping paper strip 154 by means of a cutting drum 156 by means of a tipping applicator drum 158 to the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups obtained from the drum 150. The tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups provided in this way with pad flakes are then delivered from the drum 152 to the processing drum 160 according to the invention. On the drum 160, the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups with the attached to them Tufing paper is rolled over with the aid of a roller block 162. As a result of this rolling, the double cigarette then finished is set against the conveying direction to the rear in a free recess of the drum 160 provided for this purpose.

In this way, according to the invention, the drum 160 is able to place the finished articles in corresponding free depressions of the drum 152, which in turn deposits the finished articles in free troughs of the drum 150 provided for this purpose, which in turn provide the articles in the process free troughs of the drum 122 stores.

From the drum 122, the finished double cigarettes are then delivered to the intended for further transport drum 124.

The drum 124 then forwards the double sticks obtained from the feed conveyor drum 140a and the finished double filter cigarettes obtained from the working drum 160 to an intermediate feed drum 126, and this in turn to a intermediate feed drum 128 and this in turn to the drum 130.

The drum 130 has the same function as the drum 122. This means that the drum 130 delivers the finished double filter cigarettes obtained from the drum 160 to a discharge drum 132 which delivers the finished double filter cigarettes to a intermediate conveyor drum 134 and this in turn to a intermediate conveyor drum 136, which then emits this according to arrow 138 for further processing.

At the same time, however, in the manner described with respect to drum 122, drum 130 receives, via drum 132, a filter feed drum 161 of branch 114 for the spread double-tipped sticks of feed drum 140a. Subsequently, the thus-filtered tobacco rod filter tobacco groups of the drum 130 in the manner described with respect to the drum 122 to an intermediate conveyor drum 150a, therefrom to a second intermediate conveyor drum 152a, on the second intermediate conveyor drum 152a by means of a padded lamina cut from an endless tipping paper strip 154a by a cutting drum 156a therefor which is attached to the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups by a plaque applying drum 158a, provided with padding sheets and finally rolled over with these pad sheets on a processing drum 160a according to the invention by means of an end roller block 162a. Also, the return of the finished double filter cigarettes to the drum 130, as in the manner described with respect to the branch 108, also occurs in the branch 110 in question here.

FIG. 5 shows a section of the device 104 of FIG. 4 in an enlarged view. In the FIG. 5 In particular, the branch 108 of the device 104, together with the drums arranged in the vicinity of the branch 108, is shown enlarged.

The FIG. 5 serves to illustrate the flow of double sticks 166 originating from branch 116 in comparison with double sticks 168 originating from branch 118 FIG. 5 The double sticks 166 are shown as hollow circles with a horizontal diagonal, while the double sticks 168 are shown as hollow circles with an oblique diagonal in order to distinguish the double sticks 166 from the double sticks 168.

In the in FIG. 5 As shown, the drum 146 carries a double stick 166 only in every third tray. Likewise, the drum 146a carries a double stick 168 only in every third tray. The drums 146 and 146a as well as the others in the Figs FIG. 5 Drums shown are the directions of rotation of the drums symbolized by curved arrows attached in the drums. The drums 146 and 146a sequentially deposit their double sticks 166 and 168, respectively, after the spreading carried out on these drums, onto the downstream feed drum 120 provided with corresponding depressions. The feed drum 120 then delivers both tobacco double sticks 166 and 168 to the drum 122.

As previously explained, the drum 122 directly discharges the double sticks 168 originating from the branch 118 to a downstream conveying drum 124. The double sticks 168 thus removed are then moved according to FIG. 4 delivered to the further drum 126 and supplied to the next processing branch 110.

The double sticks 166 originating from the branch 116 are transferred from the drum 122 to the intermediate drum 150 of the branch 108 after having received a double filter 170 fed from the filter feed drum 148 of the filter feed branch 112 via the drum 124. The thus provided with a double filter 170 tobacco rod filter tobacco groups are from this date in the FIG. 5 represented as hollow circles with two vertically crossed diagonals and designated as groups 172.

As already indicated above, the groups 172 are then transferred to a further intermediate conveyor drum 152, provided there by a drum 158 with a covering sheet 174 and then rolled over with the aid of a roll block 162 on a drum 160 with the lining sheet 174. As a result of this rolling, the thus-finished product of the double-filter cigarette passes around a depression counter to the conveying direction of the drum 160 to the rear, as indicated by the arrow 176.

The thus finished double filter cigarette is in the FIG. 5 shown as a black circle and provided with the reference numeral 178. By the just mentioned pitch offset of the finished product 178 is a return transport of the finished double filter cigarette 178 with the help of the corresponding free troughs holding drums 152, 150 and 122 possible. The drum 122 then delivers the finished double filter cigarettes 178 to the drum 124, which forwards them toward the drum 126. From the drum 126, the finished products 178 are then as already explained above for further processing on the drums 128, 130, 132 134, 136 to the further processing according to arrow 138 of FIG. 4 forwarded.

The drum 124 has for this purpose corresponding wells that can accommodate the finished products 178.

The FIG. 5 shows with dashed lines indicated drums further, otherwise not further executed embodiments. For example, a drum 150a 'may be provided. This means that the branch 110 can also be attached directly to the drum 122.

Furthermore, it is possible to attach the branch 110 also directly to the drum 124 according to the drum 150a "shown in dashed lines without the need for the further drums 126, 128 and 130.

In both of the aforementioned embodiments, the filter branch 114 could then supply the filters for the second double sticks 168, for example, by means of a drum 161 'shown in dashed lines.

The FIG. 6 shows a part of the branch 108 in a further enlarged view. The FIG. 6 shows in particular about the FIG. 5 In addition, by arrows placed between the drums 160 and 152 to the groups 172 and the finished double filter cigarettes 178, the respective position changes of the finished double filter cigarettes 178 from the drum 160 to the drum 152 and from there to the drum 150 or the groups 172 of the drum 150 on the drum 152 and from there to the drum 160th

FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the rollover of the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 is carried out not by means of a roller block 162 but by means of a belt roll. The band rolling will be described in more detail below. It should be noted that in the FIG. 7 the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 are shown as solid black circles, while the finished double filter cigarettes 178 are shown as hollow circles. Apart from this kind of representation and the kind of the rolling works in the FIG. 7 illustrated embodiment, however, as the embodiment of the FIGS. 4 to 6 ,

The band roll of the FIG. 7 works as follows:

When in the FIG. 7 In the embodiment shown, the processing drum 160 is that in the FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrated embodiment replaced by a processing conveyor with three a rolling channel 180 having conveyor drums 182, 184 and 186th

The rolling channel 180 is formed on the drum side by a roller belt 188, which is guided in not shown grooves in the drums 182 and 184 and 186 and driven by a drive 190 around the drums 182 and 184 circumferentially in the conveying direction of the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 becomes. On the side facing away from the drums 182, 184, 186, the rolling channel 180 is formed by a second roller belt 196 revolving around drums 192 and 194.

The speed of the first roll band 188 differs from that of the second roll band 196, so that the tobacco filter tobacco rod groups 172 rotate in the rolling channel 180, so that the Tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 are wrapped in the roll channel 180 with the tipping paper 174 and leave the rolling channel 180 as finished double filter cigarettes 178.

The drum 182 serves to introduce the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 directly into the rolling channel 180, while the drum 184 serves to remove the finished double filter cigarettes 178 directly from the rolling channel 180. The drum 184 then transfers the finished double filter cigarettes 178 to the intermediate drum 186, which in turn returns it to the drum 182. In the same way as by the roll with the help of the roller block 176 in the in FIGS. 4 to 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the rolling of the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 in the rolling channel 180 causes a slowing of the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 which causes the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 to pass through the drums after being returned as finished double filter cigarettes 178 184 and 186 come to lie in free troughs of the drum 182 which are upstream of the troughs used to feed the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 to the rolling channel 180.

It is thus possible, in the same way as with respect to the fourth embodiment of the FIGS. 4 to 6 it has been shown to remove both the tobacco rod filter tobacco rod groups 172 and the finished double filter cigarettes 178 with the same barrel 182 from the drum 152 and to return them to this.

For details of in the FIG. 7 shown with the roll channel 180, in particular for details of the supply of tobacco rod filter tobacco groups 172 in the rolling channel 180 by means of the drum 182 and the removal of the finished double filter cigarettes 178 by means of the drum 184 is on its own DE 101 12 336 directed.

Claims (23)

1. Method for processing rod-shaped articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) of the tobacco-processing industry, having the steps:

   the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are made available on a transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130),

   the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are transferred from the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) to at least one processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196) for processing the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178),

   the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are processed during a conveyance taking place by means of the processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196),

   characterised in that, after the processing, the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are delivered by the processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196) back to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) again, the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) being rolled and/or perforated during the conveyance taking place on the processing conveyor (22, 52, 160).
2. Method according to Claim 1,
   in which the processing conveyor is a processing drum (22, 52, 160).
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2,
   in which the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are conveyed on the processing drum (22, 52, 160) through at least approximately 360°.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   in which the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are rotated through at least approximately 360° about their own axis during the conveyance taking place on the processing drum (22, 52, 160).
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   in which the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are removed from the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) by the processing drum (22, 52, 160) at a spacing from one another, when seen in the conveying direction, which is greater than or equal to four times the diameter of the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178).
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   in which, before the processing, an article (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) is deposited in every (4/n)th receptacle (20) of receptacles (20) provided on the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130), where n equals the number of processing drums (22, 52, 160).
7. Method according to Claim 6,
   in which, after the processing, the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are deposited by the processing drum (22, 52, 160) in an unoccupied receptacle (20) of the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130).
8. Method according to one of Claims 6 and 7,
   in which the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are rolled on the processing drum (22, 52, 160) by an odd-numbered multiple of the spacing of the receptacles (20) on the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) during the conveyance on the processing drum (22, 52, 160).
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   in which the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are rolled for perforation.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
    in which the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are rolled for wrapping with a covering paper sheet (174).
11. Method according to Claim 10,
    in which a covering paper sheet (174) is attached to the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) to be wrapped, before the start of the rolling.
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
    in which the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are transferred from the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) via at least one intermediate conveyor (150, 150a, 152, 152a) to the at least one processing drum (22, 52, 160) and, after the processing, the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are returned from the processing drum (22, 52, 160) via the at least one intermediate conveyor (150, 150a, 152, 152a) to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) again.
13. Method according to Claim 11 and one of the preceding claims,
    in which the attachment of the covering paper sheet (174) to the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) is carried out while the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) are situated on the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130), an intermediate conveyor (150, 150a, 152, 152a) lying between transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) and processing drum (22, 52, 160), and/or the processing drum (22, 52, 160).
14. Apparatus for processing rod-shaped articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) of the tobacco-processing industry,
    having a transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) for receiving the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178), and
    having at least one processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196), assigned to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130), for removing the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) from the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) and for processing the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) during a conveyance of the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) taking place by means of the processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196),
    characterised in that the processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196) is designed and assigned to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) in such a way that, after the processing, the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) can be delivered by the processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196) to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130), the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) being rolled and/or perforated during the conveyance taking place on the processing conveyor (22, 52, 160).
15. Apparatus according to Claim 14,
    in which the processing conveyor is a processing drum (22, 52, 160).
16. Apparatus according to Claim 15,
    having a removal position (31, 61), at which the processing drum (22, 52, 160) removes the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) from the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130),
    having a delivery position (33, 63), at which the processing drum (22, 52, 160) delivers the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130),
    the processing drum (22, 52, 160) being designed and assigned to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) in such a way that an article (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) can be conveyed, between removal position (31, 61) and delivery position (33, 63), through at least approximately 360° on the processing drum (22, 52, 160).
17. Apparatus according to Claim 16,
    having a rolling block (34, 64, 162) assigned to the processing drum (22, 52, 160), and processing receptacles (30, 60), provided on the processing drum (22, 52, 160), for receiving the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178),
    the processing receptacles (30, 60) being designed in such a way that articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) can be rolled in them by the rolling block (34, 64, 162) by an odd-numbered multiple of the spacing of the receptacles (20) on the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130).
18. Apparatus according to Claim 17,
    having a laser arrangement (38, 68), assigned to the processing drums (22, 52, 160), for perforating the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) during the rolling of the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) in the processing receptacles (30, 60).
19. Apparatus according to one of Claims 17 and 18,
    having a supply conveyor (4, 120, 128),
    the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) being assigned to the supply conveyor (4, 120, 128) in such a way that an article (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) can be deposited by the supply conveyor (4, 120, 128) only in every (4/n)th receptacle (20) of the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130), where n equals the number of processing drums (22, 52, 160).
20. Apparatus according to one of Claims 17-19,
    in which the processing drum (22, 52, 160) is assigned to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) in such a way that a processed article (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) can be deposited by the processing drum (22, 52, 160) only in an unoccupied receptacle (20) of the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130).
21. Apparatus according to one of Claims 15-20,
    having an even number of processing drums (22, 52, 160),
    in each case two processing drums (22, 52, 160) being assigned a laser light source (92), the light (40, 70) of which can be directed at the processing drums (22, 52, 160) by means of a beam splitter.
22. Apparatus according to one of Claims 15-21,
    having at least one intermediate conveyor (150, 150a, 152, 152a) between the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) and the processing drum (22, 52, 160), in order to transfer the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) from the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) to the processing drum (22, 52, 160) and in order, after the processing, to take over the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) again by the at least one intermediate conveyor (150, 150a, 152, 152a) from the processing drum (22, 52, 160) and return them by the at least one intermediate conveyor (150, 150a, 152, 152a) to the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) again.
23. Apparatus according to Claim 14,
    in which the processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196) has a rolling channel (180) formed from two rolling bands (188, 196),
    a first conveying drum (182), which takes over the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) from the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) and delivers them to the rolling channel (180),
    a second conveying drum (184), which removes the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) from the rolling channel (180), and
    a third conveying drum (186), which removes the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) from the second conveying drum (184) and delivers them to the first conveying drum (182),
    the articles (2, 166, 168, 170, 172, 178) being displaced upstream with the aid of the rolling channel (180) in such a way that they can be placed by the third conveying drum (186) in unoccupied receptacles of the first conveying drum (182), so that they can be returned by the first conveying drum (182) of the processing conveyor (180, 182, 184, 186, 188, 196) directly to unoccupied receptacles of the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130) or via at least one intermediate conveyor (150, 150a, 152, 152a) to unoccupied receptacles of the transfer conveyor (12, 122, 130).

Images