EP1516547B1 - Apparatus and method for transferring rod-like articles - Google Patents

Abstract

Four lines of tobacco (35) are axially guided towards a drum (11, 12) with several compartments (18) holding four cigarettes (17) cut with a blade (34) before entering the drum (11, 12). Each of the cigarette holders is rotated around a vertical axle removing the cigarettes (17) from the axially moving device (15) and positioning them on drums (25, 26) rotating around horizontal axles (32, 33) in order to be transferred to the next processing station.

Description

The invention relates to a device for transferring rod-shaped articles, in particular cigarettes, from a longitudinal conveyor for longitudinal axial promotion of the article on a transverse conveyor for Queraxialen promotion of the article, the transport directions of the longitudinal conveyor and the transverse conveyor transverse to each other, comprising a conveyor with receptacles for receiving a plurality Article from the longitudinal conveyor and for the delivery of the recorded articles on the cross conveyor. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for transferring rod-shaped articles, in particular cigarettes, from a longitudinal conveyor for longitudinal axial conveying of the articles on a transverse conveyor for Queraxialen promotion of the articles, wherein the transport directions of the longitudinal conveyor and the transverse conveyor transverse to each other, comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality rod-shaped article from the longitudinal conveyor by means of a conveyor, rotating the conveyor and thus moving the articles by a predetermined angle, and delivering the articles to the cross conveyor.

Such devices and methods are used in particular in the tobacco processing industry. In a cigarette rod maker strands are made of tobacco, which are usually cut into single or double-length tobacco stems. The tobacco sticks are conveyed in their longitudinal direction and must be transferred to a Filteransetzmaschine for further processing, eg for applying a filter. For this purpose, the tobacco sticks usually have to be transferred from their longitudinal axial transport direction in a transverse axial transport direction, wherein the transport directions are also transverse to each other.

There are a variety of devices and methods for transferring the rod-shaped articles from a longitudinal conveyor to a cross conveyor. Known devices have a conveying means which receives a plurality of articles lying next to one another on a curved path and delivers them in succession to a drum forming a web. However, such devices and methods have an insufficient performance, since the transport speeds of the conveyor and the drum must be adapted to the adoption of individual articles. In other words, only one item at a time can be delivered to the cross conveyor. Furthermore, the known devices and methods have only a limited flexibility, since the delivery can take place only on a single track.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact and flexible device for efficient transfer of rod-shaped articles. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to propose a simple and flexible method for efficient transfer of rod-shaped articles.

This object is achieved on the one hand by a device having the features mentioned in the fact that the conveying means for receiving more than two articles, which are all fed side by side on a web of the longitudinal conveyor, and for dispensing a plurality of article groups is formed on different tracks of the cross conveyor , As a result, the performance of the device is increased in a surprisingly simple and particularly effective manner, since a plurality of articles can be picked up at the same time and at a common pickup position and released again at different times and at different dispensing positions. Furthermore, the device according to the invention allows a very flexible processing, since the delivery to different webs ensures the simultaneous processing of different items. Thus, for example, an article group can be conveyed to a downstream filter attachment machine, while with the same device another article group can be conveyed to a packaging unit.

Preferably, the conveyor comprises a single drum with a plurality of receptacles for simultaneously receiving a plurality of articles from the longitudinal conveyor, wherein in particular, each recording is designed for the simultaneous recording of four articles and for delivering the articles in two groups of two. With this embodiment, a transfer of articles from a cigarette rod making machine for producing four strands arranged side by side to a downstream device is ensured in a particularly compact and simple manner.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, both takeover drums of the transverse conveyor or their axes of rotation are arranged above the path of the longitudinal conveyor, resulting in an advantageous operating height. Furthermore, the lifting of the article from the longitudinal conveyor from above is technically / constructively simpler and safer than a shot from below or from the side.

On the other hand, the object is achieved by a method with the steps mentioned above in that a plurality of juxtaposed articles, which are all fed on a web of the longitudinal conveyor, are received, and the articles are delivered in groups to several separate tracks of the cross conveyor. This process ensures efficient handover in a compact and flexible manner.

Advantageously, four articles are picked up at the same time and in each case two articles are delivered in groups of 90 ° and 270 ° respectively. This method allows a structurally particularly simple way the efficient and flexible transfer of articles.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung mit dem einbahnigen Längsförderer, dem Fördermittel und dem zweibahnigen Querförderer,

Fig. 2

eine Darstellung der Vorrichtung mit Längsförderer, Fördermittel und Querförderer in Draufsicht, und

Fig. 3

eine Darstellung der Vorrichtung gemäß Figur 2 in perspektivischer Ansicht von schräg oben und hinten.

Further preferred features and embodiments will become apparent from the dependent claims and the description. A particularly preferred embodiment and the method will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of the device according to the invention with the single-lane longitudinal conveyor, the conveyor and the two-lane cross conveyor,

Fig. 2

an illustration of the device with longitudinal conveyor, conveyor and cross conveyor in plan view, and

Fig. 3

a representation of the device of Figure 2 in a perspective view obliquely from above and behind.

The device shown serves to transfer articles from a longitudinal conveyor of a cigarette rod machine to a cross conveyor.

The device 10 comprises a conveying means 11, which is also referred to as a spider, wherein the spider has a drum 12. The drum 12 has a plurality of receptacles 13 in the usual form. Each of the receptacles 13 is designed for simultaneously receiving four articles 17 which are conveyed longitudinally along a path 14 of a longitudinal conveyor 15 in the transport direction (arrow 16). The web 14 is a planar web in the illustrated embodiment. However, it can also be used in other forms, e.g. be formed as a curved or stepped / offset path. The receptacles 13 each have four trough elements 18, which are designed to receive and hold the article 17 during transport. The trough elements 18 are for this purpose e.g. connected to (not shown) Saugluftleitungen or the like. Four trough elements 18 are arranged parallel to one another and uniformly spaced from each other on an arm 19, which in turn is preferably releasably attached to a rotary body 20. Several of the rotary bodies 20 with the corresponding arms 19 and arranged on the arms 19 receptacles 13 are distributed uniformly over the circumference of the drum 12. The rotational axes 21 of the rotary bodies 20 extend parallel but offset from the axis of rotation 22 of the drum 12. The axes of rotation 21 extend eccentrically to the respective rotary body 20, such that the rotary body 20 is an elliptical Describe trajectory. The drum 12 and the longitudinal conveyor 15 are in the region of a receiving position 36 in operative connection with each other.

The rotary body 20 are movable relative to the drum 12, so that a superimposed movement of the rotary body 20 to the drum 12 is possible. By the superimposed Rotation of the drum 12 on the one hand and the rotary body 20 on the other hand, the receptacles 13 and the trough elements 18 are held with the "adhering" articles 17 at least during transport from receiving to dispensing parallel to a horizontal plane. In the transport direction of the article 17 behind the drum 12, a transverse conveyor 23 for removing the article 17 from the drum 12 is arranged, wherein the transport direction (arrow 24) of the transverse conveyor 23 transversely to the transport direction (arrow 16) of the longitudinal conveyor 15 extends. The cross conveyor 23 comprises two transfer drums 25, 26, which form the tracks 27, 28 for the removal of the article 17. Both Takeover drums 25, 26 are in operative connection with the drum 12, in the region of a discharge position 37 and 38. To take over the article 17 of the drum 12, the transfer drum 25 has receptacles 29, 30. Several recordings 29, 30 are uniform distributed over the circumference, with fixed receptacles 29 and movable receptacles 30 are arranged alternately. The movable receptacles 30 are assigned to pivot levers 31 for this purpose. In each case a fixed receptacle 29 and a movable receptacle 30 form a unit for receiving an article group. The transfer drum 26 has only movable receptacles 30, which are also distributed over the circumference. The receptacles 30 are in turn arranged on pivot levers 31, wherein the length of the pivot lever 31 on the transfer drum 26 and thus the pivoting area thereof is greater than in the transfer drum 25.

The axes of rotation 21 of the rotary body 20 and the axis of rotation 22 of the drum 12 extend transversely to the transport direction (arrow 16) of the longitudinal conveyor 15 and in the transport direction (arrow 24) of the transverse conveyor 23. Both transfer drums 25, 26 and their axes of rotation 32, 33 are above the Track 14 of the longitudinal conveyor 15. The rotation axes 32, 33 are aligned with each other and extend transversely to the axis of rotation 12 of the drum 12 and in the transport direction (arrow 16) of the longitudinal conveyor 15. The takeover drums 25, 26 are driven in opposite directions or driven in the embodiment shown , The transfer drums 25, 26 are arranged with respect to the drum 12, that a first discharge position 37 after a rotation angle of the drum 12 of 90 ° and a second discharge position 38 after a rotation angle of the drum 12 of another 180 °, ie 270 ° of the Recording position 36 of Article 17 is formed.

The longitudinal conveyor 15 is assigned a separating element 34 in the transport direction (arrow 16) in front of the conveyor 11. The separator 34 serves to sever the articles 17 of strands 35 made in an upstream machine.

In embodiments not shown, three or more than four well elements 18 may be arranged on a receptacle 13. It is also possible to vary the number of rotation elements 20 and thus the arms 19 and the receptacles 13. The transfer drums 25, 26 may also be arranged below the web 14.

• Vom Längsförderer 15 werden auf der einzigen Bahn 14, die in einer Ebene liegt, mehrere, vorzugsweise vier in der vorgeschalteten (und nicht dargestellten) Zigarettenstrangmaschine hergestellte Stränge 35 aus Tabak oder dergleichen an das Fördermittel 11, nämlich die Trommel 12 gefördert. In Transportrichtung (Pfeil 16) des Längsförderers 15 vor der Trommel 12 ist das Trennelement 34 angeordnet, das von den Strängen 35 gleichzeitig über die gesamte Breite der Bahn 14 die Artikel 17 abtrennt, wobei die Artikel 17 z.B. Tabakstöcke in einfacher oder doppelter Zigarettenlänge sind. Vier Artikel 17 werden dann parallel und gleichmäßig nebeneinander an die Aufnahmeposition 36gefördert, wo sie von der Trommel 12 bzw. den Muldenelemente 18 zeitgleich aufgenommen, nämlich z.B. angesaugt werden. Durch die Rotation der Trommel 12 werden kontinuierlich jeweils vier Artikel 17 gleichzeitig vom Längsförderer 15 abgenommen. Die Artikel 17 werden dann um 90° um die Rotationsachse 22 verschwenkt (während an der Aufnahmeposition 36 ein weiterer Satz von vier Artikeln 17 aufgenommen wird), wobei die Artikel 17 durch eine überlagerte Rotation der Aufnahmen 13 zu der Trommel 12 stets in horizontaler und in Transportrichtung (Pfeil 16) ausgerichteter Position verbleiben. Nach 90° wird eine erste Artikelgruppe, bestehend aus zwei Artikeln 17, an einer ersten Abgabeposition 37 an die Übernahmetrommel 26 übergeben, wobei die Artikel 17 hierzu in zwei bewegbare Aufnahmen 30 gelegt werden. Nach weiteren 180°, also insgesamt 270° ausgehend von der Aufnahmeposition 36, wird die zweite Artikelgruppe, vorzugsweise ebenfalls aus zwei Artikeln 17 bestehend, im Bereich der Abgabeposition 38 in eine feste Aufnahme 29 und eine bewegliche Aufnahme 30 an die Übernahmetrommel 25 übergeben. Die kontinuierlich rotierenden Übernahmetrommeln 25, 26 transportieren die Artikel 17 dann in queraxialer Richtung zur weiteren Bearbeitung. In gleicher Weise und kontinuierlich werden jeweils vier Artikel 17 durch die Mehrzahl der Aufnahmen 13 des Fördermittels 11 vom Längsförderer 15 an den Querförderer 23 übergeben.

The principle of the method is described below with reference to FIG. 1 and for the transfer of four articles 17 into two groups of two:

• From the longitudinal conveyor 15 are on the single web 14, which lies in a plane, several, preferably four produced in the upstream (and not shown) cigarette rod machine strands 35 made of tobacco or the like to the conveyor 11, namely the drum 12 promoted. In the transport direction (arrow 16) of the longitudinal conveyor 15 in front of the drum 12, the separating element 34 is arranged, which simultaneously separates the articles 17 from the strands 35 over the entire width of the web 14, the articles 17 being tobacco sticks in single or double cigarette length, for example. Four articles 17 are then conveyed parallel and evenly next to each other to the receiving position 36, where they are taken up by the drum 12 and the trough elements 18 at the same time, namely sucked, for example. By the rotation of the drum 12 four articles 17 are continuously removed simultaneously from the longitudinal conveyor 15. The articles 17 are then pivoted 90 ° about the axis of rotation 22 (while at the receiving position 36 another set of four articles 17 is received), the articles 17 by a superimposed rotation of the receptacles 13 to the drum 12 always in horizontal and in Transport direction (arrow 16) aligned position remain. After 90 °, a first article group, consisting of two articles 17, is transferred to the transfer drum 26 at a first delivery position 37, the articles 17 being placed in two movable receptacles 30 for this purpose. After a further 180 °, ie a total of 270 °, starting from the receiving position 36, the second article group, preferably also consisting of two articles 17, passed in the region of the dispensing position 38 in a fixed receptacle 29 and a movable receptacle 30 to the transfer drum 25. The continuously rotating transfer drums 25, 26 then transport the articles 17 in the transverse-axial direction for further processing. In the same way and continuously four articles 17 are passed through the plurality of receptacles 13 of the conveyor 11 from the longitudinal conveyor 15 to the cross conveyor 23.

Claims (14)

1. Apparatus for the transfer of rod-shaped articles, in particular cigarettes, from a longitudinal conveyor (15) for longitudinal axial conveying of the articles (17) onto a transverse conveyor (23) for transverse axial conveying of the articles (17), wherein the directions of transport (arrow 16 or arrow 24) of the longitudinal conveyor (15) and the transverse conveyor (23) run transversely to each other, including a conveying means (11) with receptacles (13) for receiving several articles (17) from the longitudinal conveyor (15) and for discharging the received articles (17) onto the transverse conveyor (23), characterized in that the conveying means (11) is designed for receiving more than two articles (17) which are all delivered adjacent to each other on a track (14) of the longitudinal conveyor (15), and for discharging several groups of articles onto different tracks (27, 28) of the transverse conveyor (23).
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one group of articles is composed of at least two articles (17).
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conveying means (11) includes a single drum (12) with several receptacles (13) for simultaneously receiving in each case several articles (17) from the longitudinal conveyor (15).
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the conveying means (11) or each receptacle (13) is designed for the simultaneous reception of four articles (17) and for the discharge of the articles (17) in two groups of two.
5. Apparatus according to either of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the drum (12) has several, preferably seven to nine, arms (19) on each of which is arranged a receptacle (13) for receiving four articles (17).
6. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the drum (12) can be driven in rotation about an axis of rotation (22), wherein the axis of rotation (22) extends transversely to the direction of transport (arrow 16) of the longitudinal conveyor (15) and in the direction of transport (arrow 24) of the transverse conveyor (23).
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the arms (19) or the receptacles (13) can each be driven in rotation relative to the drum (12).
8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the receptacles (13) are designed for receiving the articles (17) from above.
9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the transverse conveyor (23) has two separate transfer drums (25, 26) forming the tracks (27, 28), wherein both transfer drums (25, 26) are functionally connected to the drum (12).
10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that both transfer drums (25, 26) or their axes of rotation (32, 33) are arranged above the track (14) of the longitudinal conveyor (15).
11. Apparatus according to claim 9 to 10, characterized in that the transfer drums (25, 26) can be driven in opposite directions.
12. Method for the transfer of rod-shaped articles, in particular cigarettes, from a longitudinal conveyor (15) for longitudinal axial conveying of the articles (17) onto a transverse conveyor (23) for transverse axial conveying of the articles (17), wherein the directions of transport (arrow 16 or arrow 24) of the longitudinal conveyor (15) and transverse conveyor (23) run transversely to each other, including the steps of:

    - receiving several rod-shaped articles (17) from the longitudinal conveyor (15) by means of a conveying means (11),

    - rotating the conveying means (11) and so moving the articles (17) through a predetermined angle, and

    - discharging the articles (17) onto the transverse conveyor (23),

    characterized in that

    - more than two articles (17) which are arranged adjacent to each other and all delivered on a track (14) of the longitudinal conveyor (15), are received, and

    - the articles (17) are discharged in groups to several separate tracks (27, 28) of the transverse conveyor (23).
13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that the groups of articles are discharged with staggering in time and place.
14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that four articles (17) are received simultaneously and in each case two articles (17) are discharged in a group after 90° or 270°.

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