EP2364603A2 - Tobacco strand machine for producing tobacco sticks, filter application machine for connecting filters with tobacco sticks and cigarette production machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine (2) has a set of retainers (50) for receiving tobacco bars from a conveyor path (58a), and an output section with an output drum arranged downstream to a conveyor (46), where the output section is rotatably supported around a rotating axis. The output drum is formed as a trough drum, and the tobacco bars are transferred from the retainers to a trough of the trough drum. The conveyor and the output drum are commonly arranged in a frame and aligned to each other. The output drum transfers the tobacco bars to a downstream filter setting machine (60). An independent claim is also included for a cigarette manufacturing machine comprising a filter setting machine with an input drum arranged adjacent to an output drum of a tobacco strand machine.

Description

The invention relates to a tobacco rod machine for producing tobacco rods, with a conveying path along which the tobacco rods are transported in the longitudinal axial direction, and an output section comprising a transfer conveyor, on which one or more receptacles for the tobacco rods are arranged, which the tobacco rods from the conveying path and a filter attachment machine for connecting filters with tobacco rods, with a drum formed as a drum, about an axis of rotation rotatably mounted input drum, the tobacco sticks in the transverse axial direction, in particular of a tobacco rod machine, receives, and with a first conveying path, which adjoins the input drum and along which the tobacco rods are transported further in the transverse axial direction, as well as a cigarette manufacturing machine with such a tobacco rod machine and such a filter attachment machine.

For the purposes of the present invention, "tobacco rods" are understood to mean mainly tobacco rods and other rod-shaped bodies made of tobacco, which are used for producing rod-shaped smoking articles of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular cigarettes. Usually, such tobacco rods are separated from a previously produced tobacco rod and are already coated with cigarette paper. At this stage of production, such tobacco sticks can still be regarded as a kind of semi-finished product and, depending on the production process, have a single or multiple use length.

For the production of the tobacco sticks, for example, the tobacco rod machine mentioned above is used, in which the tobacco sticks are continuously separated from a so-called cigarette rod, which consists of a tobacco rod wrapped in cigarette paper and is also formed continuously. The tobacco sticks, which in this process stage consist of a tobacco rod section already covered with cigarette paper, are moved away from the separation point in the longitudinal axial direction, ie in the direction of their longitudinal extent, after separation along a conveyor track, which is generally formed as a channel, and arrive at the transfer conveyor which transfers the movement of the tobacco sticks in the direction of their longitudinal extension or longitudinal axis into a movement transversely thereto, that is to say transversely to their longitudinal extent or axis, and thus into a transverse axial movement.

Subordinate to the tobacco rod machine in the process is the filter attachment machine, which takes over the tobacco sticks from the tobacco rod machine to provide them with filters. The filters, which also have an elongated shape, attached to the front of a tobacco rod and connected to this. If the tobacco sticks taken over by the tobacco rod machine still have a multiple use length, the tobacco sticks are cut to length of use in the filter attachment machine.

The tobacco rod machine and the filter attachment machine constitute two important components for a filter cigarette manufacturing machine that operates in the single-strand process.

A problem is the transition from the tobacco rod machine to the filter attachment machine and thus the interface between the tobacco rod machine and the filter attachment machine. In particular, because in the output section of the tobacco rod machine, the tobacco rods are transferred from the transfer conveyor of a longitudinal axial movement in a transverse axial movement, the components involved in transport in the output section of the tobacco rod machine on the one hand and in the input section of the filter attachment machine on the other hand spatially aligned exactly to each other to a reliable and to realize gentle and thus precise transfer of the tobacco sticks from the tobacco rod machine to the filter attachment machine. This is also of great importance with regard to high processing speeds.

It is therefore proposed according to a first aspect of the present invention, a tobacco rod making machine for tobacco rods, with a conveyor along which the tobacco rods are transported in the longitudinal axial direction, and an output section having a transfer conveyor, arranged on the one or more receptacles for the tobacco rods are that receive the tobacco rods from the conveyor track and in a cross-axial movement, characterized in that the output section downstream of the transfer conveyor, about an axis of rotation rotatably mounted output drum, which is formed as a trough drum, in their troughs the tobacco rods of the receptacles of the transfer conveyor and a frame, on which the transfer conveyor and the output drum are arranged together and aligned with each other, and the output drum, in particular for transferring the tobacco rods to a downstream te filter attachment is provided.

In the case of the tobacco rod machine according to the invention, the delivery does not take place at the transfer conveyor, but rather at a through drum conveyor downstream of the transfer conveyor, which is provided as an output drum, in particular for transferring the tobacco rods to a downstream filter attachment machine. In this case, the invention makes use of the knowledge that due to the transfer conveyor caused by the change in movement of the tobacco rods, namely from a longitudinal axial movement in a transverse axial movement, the connection of a downstream Filteransetzmaschine must be extremely accurate and carefully to a gentle and reliable and thus to ensure precise transfer of the tobacco rods in transverse axial direction of movement. Thus, the transfer conveyor forms a particularly critical transfer point, which not only in the first installation of the tobacco rod machine and thus the construction of the entire cigarette manufacturing plant, but also in the case of a format change, maintenance, repair or replacement of the transfer conveyor or possibly also the entire tobacco rod machine requires considerable setup and adjustment effort.

With the aid of the construction according to the invention, the transfer point is now transferred from the transfer conveyor to a downstream drum which, according to the invention, forms the output drum and thus the place for dispensing the tobacco rods as a further component of the output section. Furthermore, a frame provided according to the invention provides a precise spatial allocation of the output drum relative to the upstream adjacent transfer conveyor and thus a defined relative positioning of the transfer conveyor and the output drum to each other by both the transfer conveyor and the output drum are arranged together on the frame. With this measure according to the invention the fact is taken into account that, as already mentioned above, the transfer conveyor has been found to be a very critical transfer point. After all, the construction according to the invention thus makes possible a simpler alignment of the output section of the tobacco rod machine, which is not only for the initial installation of the tobacco rod machine and thus the construction of the entire cigarette manufacturing plant, but also for cases of format change, maintenance, repair or replacement of the transfer conveyor or possibly also the entire tobacco rod machine is of considerable advantage.

Preferred embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

To ensure easy adjustability of the transfer from the transfer conveyor to the output drum even with structurally different transfer conveyors, the output drum is preferably mounted in a direction substantially transversely to its axis of rotation adjustable on the frame. The fact that the adjustment movement of the output drum takes place in a direction transverse to its axis of rotation takes account of the fact that the tobacco rods discharged from the transfer conveyor are also moved in the transverse axial direction and an adjustment in the direction of movement of the tobacco rods or in the opposite direction does not influence the delivery from the transfer conveyor ,

Preferably, the output drum can be adjustably mounted in a substantially vertical direction on the frame, which is advantageous in view of the special construction of the transfer conveyor, in particular when the transfer conveyor is a circulating transfer conveyor.

Conveniently, the transfer conveyor is a circulating transfer conveyor, which may preferably have a support rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, wherein the rotatably mounted carrier in particular has at least six pivotally mounted support arms, on each of which a receptacle is formed. It has been found that with regard to certain different cigarette formats, such as, in particular, length and / or diameter variations, it is advantageous to use transfer conveyors having a plurality of, preferably at least six, receptacles on associated carrier arms. In particular, in the optional use of different transfer conveyor with a different number of shots, for example, 6, 7 or 8 shots, although different trajectories generated; However, this forms no problem due to the mentioned special construction of the transfer conveyor, which ensures a reliable transfer of the tobacco rods even with a change between different transfer conveyors with a different number of shots and, therefore, also different flight circles. In this case, the axis of rotation of the rotatably mounted carrier expediently extends approximately at right angles to the axis of rotation of the output drum. Such a constructed transfer conveyor is also referred to as a "spider".

Despite this defined arrangement on a common frame preferably the transfer conveyor and the output drum should be driven separately and thus the transfer conveyor and the output drum should each be assigned a separate drive. As a result, these two components can be controlled separately and individually, and thus their operation can be adapted individually to the current process as well as to each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is proposed a filter attachment machine for connecting filters to tobacco rods, having a drum formed as a drum, rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation input drum receiving tobacco sticks in the transverse axial direction, in particular of a tobacco rod machine, and having a first conveying path, which adjoins the input drum and along which the tobacco rods are transported further in the transverse axial direction, characterized in that the input drum is mounted to be adjustable substantially transversely to its axis of rotation.

The inventive use of an adjustable input drum allows easy alignment of the input section of the Filteransetzmaschine to the output section of the upstream machine, which is preferably a tobacco rod machine, without affecting the acquisition of the tobacco rods is affected. The fact that according to the invention the input drum is mounted so as to be adjustable substantially transversely to its axis of rotation takes into account the fact that the tobacco rods also move in the transverse axial direction and an adjustability of the input role in the direction of movement of the tobacco rods or in the opposite direction to the desired gentle and reliable and thus precise adoption of the tobacco rods is not affected.

In order to compensate for any height differences that can occur depending on the spatial conditions on site to an upstream machine such as in particular a stranding machine in a simple manner, the input drum should be mounted adjustable in the vertical direction substantially.

A further preferred embodiment is characterized in that the input drum is mounted pivotably about an approximately parallel to the axis of rotation extending and spaced therefrom pivot axis. Such a pivot bearing provides a simple yet accurate storage and especially height adjustable storage.

In a development which has a feed drum at which the first conveying path along which the tobacco rods are transported in the transverse axial direction is brought together with a second conveying path along which the filters are transported, the pivot axis should preferably coincide with the axis of rotation of this feed drum. This embodiment has the advantage that the combination of the two streams, ie the tobacco rods along the first conveying path and the filter along the second conveying path, remain substantially unaffected by an adjustment. A particularly simple and at the same time effective pivotal mounting can be realized by the use of a pivotally mounted about the pivot axis frame on which together the input drum arranged and the first conveying path is at least partially formed.

In an alternative development, in which the first conveying path has a second drum rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, which is located downstream and adjacent to the input drum, the pivot axis should preferably coincide with the axis of rotation of the second drum. This will ensure that during pivoting of the input drum this is moved along the circumference of the second drum and thereby the distance between these two drums remains unchanged and unaffected by the pivoting movement.

In a further embodiment, in which the first conveying path has at least one further drum rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, which lies downstream and adjacent to the input drum and whose axis of rotation extends approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of the input drum, this further drum is a cutting drum, which is a cutting blade for Cutting the tobacco rods is assigned.

In a further preferred embodiment, in which the first conveying path has a third drum rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, which lies downstream and adjacent to the cutting drum and whose axis of rotation is expediently parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutting drum, this third drum is a spreading drum, which spreads the Tobacco rods effected by increasing their axial distance from each other. In this case, tobacco crumbs, which originate from the cutting process, preferably reach by centrifugal force and / or gravity into an underlying collecting container.

Conveniently, the input drum is formed as a hollow drum in the filter attachment machine.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cigarette manufacturing machine comprising a tobacco rod machine according to the first aspect of the invention and a tobacco rod downstream filter attachment machine according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the inlet drum of the filter attachment machine is adjacent to the output barrel of the tobacco rod machine To ensure transfer of the tobacco rods of the tobacco rod machine on the filter attachment machine.

In a preferred embodiment, the output drum of the tobacco rod machine is arranged substantially above the input drum of the filter attachment machine.

Finally, it should be noted that the machines described above are essentially suitable as single-strand machines.

Fig. 1

schematisch im Blockschaltbild den Aufbau eines Teils einer Tabakstrangmaschine und des eingangsseitigen Bereiches einer nachgeordneten Filteransetzmaschine sowie die Antriebs- und Steuerungskonfiguration der dargestellten Anordnung;

Fig. 2

in einer perspektivischen Ansicht die Ausgangssektion der Tabakstrangmaschine von Fig. 1 und die Eingangssektion der nachgeordneten Filteransetzmaschine von Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

in einer gegenüber Fig. 2 anderen Perspektive der Ausgangssektion der Tabakstrangmaschine; und

Fig. 4

ein schematisches Übersichtsbild der Filteransetzmaschine von Fig. 1.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

schematically the block diagram of the structure of a portion of a tobacco rod machine and the input-side portion of a downstream Filteransetzmaschine and the drive and control configuration of the arrangement shown;

Fig. 2

in a perspective view of the output section of the tobacco rod machine of Fig. 1 and the input section of the downstream filter attachment machine of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

in one opposite Fig. 2 another perspective of the output section of the tobacco rod machine; and

Fig. 4

a schematic overview of the filter attachment of Fig. 1 ,

In Fig. 1 is shown schematically in the block diagram of the downstream portion of a tobacco rod machine 2. Not shown on the other hand, the upstream portion of the tobacco rod machine 2, in which on the one hand in Fig. 1 not shown endless tobacco rod formed, leveled and shaped and on the other hand also in Fig. 1 unrepresented cigarette paper strip is withdrawn from a reel.

The cigarette paper strip, not shown, which is to be used for wrapping the tobacco rod, also not shown, is pulled in the direction of the tobacco rod. For this purpose, according to the representation of Fig. 1 a pair of first Papierzugwalzen 4 are provided, which are driven by a separate drive 6 and between them lead the cigarette paper strip. Downstream from the first Papierzugwalzen 4, a first punch unit 8 is provided in the illustrated embodiment, which has two rollers 10, between which the cigarette paper strip is conveyed. The two rollers 10 of the first punch unit 8 are driven by a separate drive 14 via a gear 12. Downstream of the first stamp unit 8 is a second punch unit 16, which also has two rollers 18, between which the cigarette paper strip is passed. The rollers 18 of the second punch unit 16 are likewise driven by a separate drive 22 via a gear 20. The second stamp unit is followed by a pair of second paper draw rollers 24, to which a separate drive 26 is assigned.

By the described roller pairs 4, 10, 18 and 24, the cigarette paper strip, not shown, is transported to a format device 28. As schematically in Fig. 1 can be seen, the format device 28 an endlessly circulating format tape 30 which is guided over rollers 32, 33 and 34. The format tape 30 is driven by the roller 32, which is assigned a separate drive 36. When entering the format device 28, the cigarette paper strip reaches an upper run 30a of the format strip 30 Fig. 1 conveyor, also not shown, the tobacco rod is conveyed to the format device 28 and placed there on the on the upper run 30 a of the format tape 30 already located cigarette paper strips. By a in Fig. 1 not shown special leadership, the format tape 30 is placed around the tobacco rod, whereby it is wrapped with the cigarette paper strip. The thus wrapped with the cigarette paper strip tobacco rod is downstream of the format device 28 by a in Fig. 1 not shown Beleimungseinrichtung performed, whereby the cigarette paper strip is fixed accordingly.

Downstream of the format means 28 is in Fig. 1 a cutting device 38 is shown, which has a peripheral knife carrier 40 which is driven via a gear 42 by a separate drive 44. In this cutting device 38, the tobacco rod wrapped in cigarette paper is cut into tobacco rods with either single or multiple, preferably double, use length.

Downstream of the cutting device 38 is a transfer conveyor 46, the tobacco rods enveloped with cigarette paper from their previous conveying direction in the direction of its longitudinal axis (longitudinal axial conveying direction) in a conveying direction transversely, preferably perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, (transverse axial conveying direction) are transferred. The longitudinal axial conveying direction is indicated by the arrow A and the transverse axial conveying direction for the tobacco rods in the tobacco rod machine 2 by the arrow B. During their cross-axial conveyance, the tobacco rods are further processed in the manner described below in detail. As Fig. 1 can also be seen schematically, the transfer conveyor 46 has a support 48 which is mounted circumferentially and are movably mounted on the receptacle 50 for the tobacco rods. The revolving carrier 48 of the transfer conveyor 46 is driven by a separate drive 52 via a gear 51.

Downstream of the transfer conveyor 46, an output drum 54 rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation is provided, to which a separate drive 56 is assigned.

Because of the transfer conveyor 46 effected transfer of the cut tobacco rods from the longitudinal axial conveying direction A in the transverse axial direction B, the conveying path of the tobacco rods through the transfer conveyor 46 in an upstream first Förderwegabschnitt along which the tobacco rods are moved in the longitudinal axial direction A, and a downstream downstream conveyor section B, along which the tobacco rods are transported in the transverse axial direction. In Fig. 1 is schematically the first Förderwegabschnitt upstream of the transfer conveyor 46 is indicated by the reference numeral "58a" and the second conveying path section, which lies between the transfer conveyor 46 and the output drum 54, by the reference numeral "58b".

As Fig. 1 can also be seen schematically, the stranding machine 2 in the illustrated embodiment, a filter attachment machine 60 downstream of the in Fig. 1 only the input section is shown schematically. The filter attachment machine 60 has an input drum 62, which takes over the tobacco rods from the output drum 54 of the tobacco rod machine 2 in the transverse axial direction of arrow C and transfers in the illustrated embodiment to a cutting drum 64, which is downstream of the input drum 62. Downstream of the cutting drum 64 is a spreading drum 66 in which the tobacco rods cut by the cutting drum 64 are spaced apart. The spreading drum 66 is followed downstream by a transfer drum 68, which transfers the tobacco rods transported in the transverse-axial conveying direction C onto a supply drum 70. By means of the feed drum 70, filter plugs, not shown, are fed to the tobacco rods to be connected to the tobacco rods. As Fig. 1 can also be seen, a common drive 72 is provided for the drums 62 to 70 in the illustrated embodiment.

The drums 62 to 70 form in the illustrated part of the filter attachment machine 60 together a conveying path, the in Fig. 1 is indicated schematically by the reference numeral "74" and along which the tobacco rods are transported in the transverse axial conveying direction C.

At the in Fig. 1 schematically shown drives 6, 14, 22, 26, 36, 44, 52, 56 and 72 are preferably electrical servomotors.

Like those in the upper half of Fig. 1 schematically shown drive and control configuration are provided, a plurality of separately operating drive controller are provided, of which in the illustrated embodiment, a drive controller 80 to the drive 6, a drive controller 82 the Drive 14, a drive controller 84 to the drive 22, a drive controller 86 to the drive 26, a drive controller 88 to the drive 36, a drive controller 90 to the drive 44, a drive controller 92 to the drive 52, a drive controller 94 to the drive 56 and a drive controller 96 to the drive 72 is assigned. The drive controllers 80 to 96 are coupled via a so-called drive bus 98 which connects the drive controllers and the associated drives, in particular for the purpose of synchronization. A power bus, which supplies the drive controllers with electrical energy for operating the drives, is not shown for the sake of clarity. Furthermore, the drive controllers 80 to 96 are coupled to one another via a control bus 100 and via an interface 102 to an EDP-based higher-level control device 104, which is preferably a programmable logic controller or a personal computer.

From the foregoing description in connection with Fig. 1 It will be seen that the exit drum 54 of the tobacco rod machine 2 and the input drum 62 of the filter attachment machine 60 form a common interface between the tobacco rod machine 2 and the downstream filter attachment machine 60. In this regard, the in Fig. 1 shown dashed line X, which illustrates the separation between the tobacco rod machine 2 on the one hand and the Filteransetzmaschine other hand, and thus stands as a kind of dividing line. In this context, for the sake of good order, it should be noted that the above-described components 4, 8, 16, 24, 28, 38 and 46 are already known components of a tobacco rod machine, while the use of an output drum 54 and separate drives 6 , 14, 22, 26, 36, 44, 52 and 56 in the tobacco rod machine 2 is based on an aspect of the invention.

In Fig. 2 is shown in a perspective detail view of the output section of the tobacco rod machine 2 with the cutter 38, the transfer conveyor 46 and the output drum 54 and this correctly aligned input section of the filter attachment machine 60 with the input drum 62, wherein for in the Fig. 1 shown in the same elements Fig. 2 the same reference numerals are used, which incidentally also for the Figures 3 and 4 applies.

In Fig. 2 a part of the endless tobacco rod 106, which is already covered with cigarette paper, can be seen which, in the longitudinal axial conveying direction according to arrow A, runs along the first conveying path section 58a of the format device 28 (FIG. Fig. 1 ) is transported to the cutting device 38. Preferably, for this purpose, a trough-shaped conveyor track is provided, which is not shown in the figures.

As Fig. 2 Furthermore, it can be seen in the knife carrier 40 is a rotatably mounted disc on the periphery of a knife 108 is seated. The arrangement is made as Fig. 2 recognizes that the trajectory of the knife 108 cuts the conveying path to cut through the endless tobacco rod 106. The section of the knife 108 takes place in the illustrated embodiment between two successive guides 110, through which the tobacco rod 106 is passed. The guides 110 are arranged on supports 112, which in turn are mounted on a support 114, which is mounted via a foot 116 at a suitable location of the tobacco rod machine 2. By the rotating blade 108, the endless tobacco rod 106 is cut into discrete tobacco rods 118. The conveying speed of the endless tobacco rod 106 along the first conveying path section 58a (FIG. Fig. 1 ) and the rotational speed of the knife carrier 40 are coordinated so that in the illustrated embodiment, the endless tobacco rod 106 is cut into tobacco rods 118 with double the use length.

As already on the basis of Fig. 1 has been described and also in Fig. 2 can be seen, the transfer conveyor 46, which is also referred to as "spider" due to its particular design used here, a rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation 48 a, rotating support 48 on which receptacles 50 are movably mounted. Specifically, the receptacles 50 are fixed in the illustrated embodiment to support arms 120, which in the plane defined by the disk-shaped support 48 plane freely pivotable on the support 48 are stored. In this case, this arrangement is such that the receptacles 50 maintain their horizontal orientation during rotation of the rotating support 48, such as Fig. 2 lets recognize. A receptacle 50 lowers upon rotation of the rotating support 48 (in the illustration of Fig. 2 in the clockwise direction according to arrow D) down, where it has practically the speed of movement of the tobacco rods 118 in the lowermost position I in the longitudinal axial conveying direction A. In this position I, the receptacle 50 detects a tobacco rod 118 and lifts it on further rotation of the carrier 48 upwards from the guide channel, not shown, which the first conveying path section 58a (FIG. Fig. 1 ) Are defined. During continued operation of the carrier 48, the receptacle 50 with the received tobacco rod 118 a path on an elliptical path, not shown back over at least approximately a quarter of an ellipse circumference. If the receptacle 50 has arrived with the tobacco rod 118 at a point II, in which their movement relative to the tobacco rod 118 only has a Queraxialkomponente, while the axial component has become zero, the tobacco rod 118 to those already associated with Fig. 1 mentioned output drum 54 passed. As Fig. 2 can be seen, this transfer point II is located on the transfer conveyor 46 side facing approximately at the height of the axis of rotation 54a of the output drum 54. The tobacco rods 118 are held by suction in the receptacles 50, which, however, turned off at the transfer to the output drum 54 and at the latest is re-connected to receive a new tobacco rod 118.

The output drum 54 of the tobacco rod machine 2 is formed as a hollow drum, in which parallel to the axis of rotation 54a extending troughs the tobacco rods 118 are received by the receptacles 50 of the transfer conveyor 46, to which then in the respective trough of the output drum 54 suction air is applied. Thus, the tobacco rods 118 are transferred from the transfer conveyor 46 to the output drum 54 and conveyed away in the transverse axial direction according to arrow B.

As Fig. 2 can also be seen, the axis of rotation 48a of the rotating support 48 of the transfer conveyor 46 extends approximately at right angles to the longitudinal axial conveying direction A of the endless tobacco rod 106, while the receptacles 50 are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axial conveying direction A and approximately at right angles to the axis of rotation 48 a of the rotating carrier 48. Likewise, the axis of rotation 54a of the output drum 54 runs parallel to the receptacles 50 and also to the longitudinal axial conveying direction A of the tobacco rods 118 along the first conveying path section 58a (FIG. Fig. 1 ). The second conveying path section 58b according to FIG Fig. 1 and thus also the transverse axial conveying direction B for the tobacco rods 118, on the other hand, run in the circumferential direction of the output drum 54.

As already mentioned above, the output drum 54 forms, so to speak, the 'end' of the tobacco rod machine 2 and the input drum 62, so to speak, the 'beginning' of the downstream filter attachment machine 60 Fig. 2 can be seen, the output drum 54 of the tobacco rod machine 2 and the input drum 62 of the filter attachment machine 60 are adjacent to each other and arranged spatially aligned to each other to ensure a smooth transition of the tobacco rods 118 in the transverse axial direction B. The output drum 54 and the input drum 62 thus provide an interface for operatively coupling the filter tipping machine 60 to the tobacco rod machine 2, the dividing line between these two machines 2 and 60 passing through the transfer point between the drums 54 and 62, as in FIGS FIGS. 1 and 2 is indicated by a dashed line marked "X".

In contrast to the schematic representation of Fig. 1 missing in the picture from Fig. 2 in the section of the input section of the filter attachment machine 60 shown there, a separate cutting drum. Instead, in the in Fig. 2 illustrated embodiment of the section through the tobacco rods 118 already made on the input drum 62, to which the input drum 62 is associated with a circular knife 122. Accordingly, with the aid of this cutting knife 122, the tobacco rods 118 are cut into two (in the axial direction one behind the other) half-length tobacco rods 118a and 118b of simple use length with previously twice the useful length. Thus follows in the in Fig. 2 illustrated modified embodiment adjacent to and downstream from the input drum 62 already the spreading drum 66 which is rotatably supported about a rotation axis 66a which is aligned parallel to the rotation axis 54a of the output drum 54 of the tobacco rod machine 2 and to the rotation axis 62a of the input drum 62 of the filter attachment machine 60. The spreading drum 66 serves to pull apart the respective pairs of tobacco rods 118a, 118b, so that pairs of tobacco rods 118a, 118b are brought into an axial distance from each other as they travel in the cross-axial conveying direction C via the spreading drum 66. Further details of the Filteransetzmaschine 60 are described below with reference to the Fig. 4 described.

Since the transfer of the tobacco rods 118 from the transfer conveyor 46 at the point II on the output drum 54 is critical and therefore the spatial orientation of the output drum 54 relative to the transfer conveyor 46 must be very precise, a frame is provided in the tobacco rod machine 2, at which the transfer conveyor 46th and the output drum 54 are arranged in common and aligned with each other. Such a frame is exemplary in Fig. 3 represented and designated by the reference numeral "124". In the illustrated embodiment of Fig. 3 For example, the frame 124 has a first portion 124a on which the revolving carrier 48 is rotatably mounted about its axis of rotation 48a and a second portion 124b which is approximately perpendicular to the first portion 124a and on which the output drum 54 is rotatable about its axis of rotation 55a is stored. The output drum 54 is in the embodiment of Fig. 3 with the drive 56 ( Fig. 1 ) is coupled via a circulating belt, which is surrounded by a housing 126.

The second section 124b of the frame 124 is height-adjustable in the direction of the double arrow E relative to the first section 124a. For this purpose, a vertical rail arrangement 128 is provided on the side of the first section 124a of the frame 124 facing the second section 124b, along which the second section 124b of FIG Rack 124 is slidably mounted. The height adjustment can be done for example by means of a motor-driven lifting device, which is not shown in the figures, or alternatively manually together with a locking device, also not shown. Thus, the output drum 54 is adjustable approximately in the vertical direction according to double arrow E. With such adjustability several advantages are achieved. On the one hand, this makes it possible, when using different constructions for the transfer conveyor 46 and in particular after replacing a transfer conveyor previously used against a transfer conveyor with a different construction to ensure easy adjustability of the transfer of the tobacco rods 118 from the transfer conveyor 46 to the output drum 54, and on the other allows the height adjustment of the output drum 54 a precise readjustment even in an existing arrangement.

As Fig. 4 combined with Fig. 2 can recognize in the illustrated embodiment, the input drum 62 of the filter attachment machine 60 substantially below the output drum 54 of the upstream tobacco rod machine 2. Further details of the filter attachment machine 60 are in Fig. 4 which shows a schematic overview image of the filter attachment machine 60. As already on the basis of Fig. 1 described, after the input drum 62, a cutting drum 64, a spreading drum 66, a transfer drum 68 and a feed drum 70 are provided, all of which lie one behind the other and together form a Förderweg 74 for the Filteransetzmaschine 60 along which the tobacco rods in the transverse axial direction according to arrow C of the input drum 62 are transported to the feed drum 70. The input drum 62, the cutting drum 64, the spreading drum 66 and the transfer drum 68 are in the illustrated embodiment according to Fig. 4 arranged together on a frame 130 which is pivotally mounted in the Filteransetzmaschine 60 about a pivot axis which coincides with the axis of rotation 70a of the feed drum 70. As Fig. 4 can recognize the frame 130 between its coinciding with the axis of rotation 70a of the feed drum 70 pivot axis and the input drum 72 is a relatively long lever arm. Since the axis of rotation 70a of the feed drum 70 and thus also the pivot axis of the frame 130 are approximately horizontal, causes the pivotable about a limited angle support of the frame 130, a height adjustment of the input drum 62 according to double arrow F. This allows easy alignment of the input drum 62 of the filter attachment 60th across from the output drum 54 of the upstream tobacco rod machine 2, and thus an easily adjustable coupling of the input section of the filter attachment machine 60 with the output section of the tobacco rod machine 2. The resulting easy adjustability of the transfer of tobacco rods from the tobacco rod machine 2 to the filter attachment machine 60 is not only for the initial installation of the tobacco rod machine 2 and the Filteransetzmaschine 60 in the context of the construction of the entire cigarette manufacturing plant, but also for the cases of format change, maintenance, repair or replacement of the tobacco rod machine 2 or the Filteransetzmaschine 60 of considerable advantage.

The merge drum 70 serves to merge the tobacco rods with filter plugs and to connect the filter plugs to the tobacco rods. While the tobacco rods are transported via the conveying path 74 in the transverse axial direction according to arrow C to the feed drum 70, the filter plugs, not shown, are guided to the feed drum 70 via a further conveying path, which is formed by drums 132 to 138. For this filter rods from a magazine, not shown on a cutting drum 132, where they are cut from not shown circular knives to filter plug twice the length of use. The filter plugs are staggered on a downstream staking drum 134, aligned by a downstream sliding drum 136 into a series of consecutive plugs, and directed by a downstream accelerator drum 138 into interspaces of the spaced apart tobacco rods 118a, 118b (FIG. Fig. 2 ) is deposited on the feed drum 70. Therefore, the feed drum 70 may also be referred to as a compiler drum. The tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups are pushed together so that they are axially close to each other. Subsequently, they are taken over by a transfer drum 140, which lies adjacent and downstream of the feed drum 70.

A connecting strip 142 is from a supply in the form of a Papierbobine 144, of the embodiment of Fig. 4 two paper bobs 144 are provided, between which can be selected by means of an unspecified deducted referred to a conveyor having a sharp edge and also unspecified preform deflected, provided by a likewise not designated Beleimvorrichtung with a glue pattern and on a platen roller 146 which is driven at an increased peripheral speed and on which the connecting strip 142 thus slips of a cutterhead 148 cut. The cut connecting strip portions are adhered to the tobacco rod filter groups on the transfer drum 140 and rolled on a rolling device in the form of a rolling drum 150 by means of a rolling hand 152 around the tobacco rod filter groups. The groups of double-filter cigarettes produced in this way are fed to a drying drum 154 adjacent to and downstream of the rolling drum 150 in the transverse-axial direction of conveyance, and then via subsequent additional, but in Fig. 4 Unspecified drums further transported for further processing.

At this point, it should be additionally noted that in the described embodiment, in particular the drums 54 to 70 are formed as Muldedrommeln and their axes of rotation substantially parallel to each other and horizontally, while the transverse axial conveying direction for the tobacco rods 118 according to the arrows B and C at right angles to this Rotary axes oriented.

The previously described tobacco rod machine 2 and the downstream described Filteransetzmaschine 60 work in the illustrated embodiment in the single-strand process and form important components of a single-strand filter cigarette machine.

Claims (17)

A tobacco rod making machine (2) for producing tobacco rods (118), comprising a conveying path (58a) along which the tobacco rods (118) are transported in the longitudinal axial direction (A), and an exit section having a transfer conveyor (46) on which or a plurality of receptacles (50) for the tobacco rods (118) are arranged, which receive the tobacco rods (118) from the conveying path (58a) and convert them into a transverse axial movement (B),
characterized in that the output section is a transfer drum (46) downstream, about an axis of rotation (54a) rotatably mounted output drum (54) formed as a hollow drum, in their troughs the tobacco rods (118) of the receptacles (50) of the transfer conveyor ( 46), and a frame (124), on which the transfer conveyor (46) and the output drum (54) are arranged together and aligned with each other, and the output drum in particular for transferring the tobacco rods (118) to a downstream Filteransetzmaschine (60 ) is provided. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the output drum is mounted in a direction (E) adjustable transversely to the axis of rotation (54a) on the frame (124). Machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the output drum (54) is mounted adjustably in a substantially vertical direction (E) on the frame (124). Machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer conveyor (46) is a circulating transfer conveyor (46) and has a carrier (48) rotatably mounted about a rotation axis (48a). Machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the rotatably mounted carrier (48) has at least six pivotably mounted carrier arms (120) on each of which a receptacle (50) is formed. Machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the axis of rotation (48a) of the carrier (48) extends approximately at right angles to the axis of rotation (54a) of the output drum (54). Machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer conveyor (46) and the output drum (54) are separately drivable and thus the transfer conveyor (46) and the output drum (54) each have a separate drive (52, 56) is associated , A filter tipping machine (60) for connecting filters to tobacco rods (118), having an input drum (62) formed as a trough drum and rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (62a), the tobacco rods (118) in the transverse axial direction, in particular of a tobacco rod making machine (2), and with a first conveying path (74), which adjoins the input drum (62) and along which the tobacco rods (118) are transported further in the transverse-axial direction (C),
characterized in that the input drum (62) is mounted adjustably substantially transversely to its axis of rotation (62a). Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the input drum (62) is mounted adjustably in a substantially vertical direction (F). Machine according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the input drum (62) about an approximately parallel to the axis of rotation (62 a) extending and pivotally mounted at a distance from this pivot axis is mounted. Machine according to claim 10, comprising a feed drum (70), at which the first conveying path (74) is brought together with a second conveying path (132 to 138), along which the filters are transported, characterized in that the pivot axis coincides with the axis of rotation (Fig. 70a) of the feed drum (70) coincides. Machine according to claim 10 or 11,
characterized by a pivotable about the pivot axis mounted frame (130) on which together the input drum (62) arranged and the first conveying path (74) is formed at least in sections. Machine according to at least one of claims 8 to 12, in which the first conveying path (74) has at least one second drum (64) rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation which is downstream and adjacent to the input drum (62) and whose axis of rotation is approximately parallel to the axis of rotation ( 62a) of the input drum (62), characterized in that the second drum (64) is a cutting drum associated with a cutting blade for severing the tobacco rods (118). A machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first conveying path comprises a third drum (66) rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation located downstream of and adjacent to the cutting drum (64).
characterized in that the third drum (66) is a spreading drum, which causes a spreading of the tobacco rods (118) by increasing their axial distance from each other. Cigarette manufacturing machine with a tobacco rod machine (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 7 and a filter attachment machine (60) arranged downstream of the tobacco rod machine (2) according to at least one of claims 8 to 14,
characterized in that the input drum (62) of the filter attachment machine (60) is adjacent to the exit drum (54) of the tobacco rod making machine (2). Machine according to claim 15, characterized in that the output drum (54) of the tobacco rod machine (2) lies substantially above the input drum (62) of the filter attachment machine (60). Machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a single-strand machine.

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