EP3685684B1 - The preparation of rod-like smoking products - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing stick-shaped smoking products on a drum machine in the tobacco processing industry, with stick-shaped articles from the tobacco-processing industry being arranged transversely one behind the other in receiving troughs of rotating conveyor drums of a conveyor arrangement for transversely axial conveying of rod-shaped articles and by rotation of the conveyor drum in the transverse axial conveying direction be promoted.

Conveyor drums are used in machines in the tobacco processing industry, in particular filter attachment machines, in order to transport cigarettes, filter pieces or their components. Within the meaning of the invention, the term "components" of the cigarettes and filter rods also includes elements of alternative smoking products, for example as elements.

The promotion of the aforementioned items during the manufacture of cigarettes, filters and alternative smoking products is in modern production machines in the tobacco processing industry Generally carried out by means of conveying drums, the outer surface of which is provided with troughs for receiving the objects for conveying rod-shaped objects as rod-shaped components (cigarettes, filter rods or filter plugs, filter cigarettes).

During the promotion, these objects of the tobacco processing industry are held on the conveyor drums by suction air, which rests against corresponding channels, usually bores. These channels are generally arranged in rows, the lengths of which correspond to the dimensions, transverse to the transport direction, of the objects to be transported.

In filter attachment machines and multi-filter segment manufacturing machines, rod-shaped articles such as tobacco rods or filter plugs or filter rods are conveyed transversely axially into receiving troughs of the conveyor drums. Here, the receiving troughs are arranged at predetermined pitches on the peripheral surface of the conveyor drum.

A filter tipping machine is a device for making filter cigarettes with means for receiving double-length tobacco rods, with means for cutting these double-length tobacco rods into single-length tobacco rods, with means for inserting double-length filter plugs between the single-length tobacco rods, with means for connecting the double-length filter plug with the two tobacco rods of a single length by being wrapped in a tipping paper leaf, which is separated from a supplied tipping paper strip by means of a cutting device, with means for making a separating cut through the double-length filter plug, so that filter cigarettes of normal usage length are produced. In a single-track filter tipping machine, a sequence of tobacco rod-filter plug-tobacco rod groups arranged and transported transversely one behind the other is fed as a single-track material flow to a covering device.

For example, in EP 1 213 105 B1 discloses a filter tipping machine.

In EP 1 493 340 A1 describes a method for producing filter cigarettes, the transverse axial distance between the double-length tobacco rods being shortened before the formation of double-length filter cigarettes by inserting double-length filter plugs between two tobacco rods spaced longitudinally and axially apart. After the formation of the tobacco rod-filter plug-tobacco rod groups formed in a single row, two mass flows are formed, as a result of which the transverse axial spacing of the respective article groups is increased by the offset arrangement of the articles on double-width conveyor drums.

Further revealed EP 1 702 523 A1 describe a method for the production of filter cigarettes, wherein before the introduction of the filter plugs between two longitudinally axially spaced tobacco rods, the transverse axial distance is changed to a transverse axial distance which is less than the length of the subsequently attached connecting leaflet. In particular, when the transverse axial distance is changed, it is reduced.

In addition, EP 1 493 341 A1 a method for the production of filter cigarettes is described, wherein during the transfer from one conveyor drum to a subsequent conveyor drum, the transverse axial distance between tobacco rods or cigarette rods arranged one behind the other is reduced. The rod-shaped articles are then conveyed on the following conveyor drums with the reduced spacing.

The object of the invention is to enable rod-shaped articles that have been cut or are to be cut several times to be conveyed in a manner that is gentle on the product.

The object is achieved by a method for producing rod-shaped smoking products on a tobacco processing drum machine Industry, wherein rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry are arranged transversely one behind the other in receiving troughs of rotating conveyor drums of a conveyor arrangement for the transverse axial conveying of rod-shaped articles and are conveyed by rotation of the conveyor drum in the transverse axial conveying direction, and wherein the rod-shaped articles in the respective transfer area between two conveyor drums from one Article-delivering conveyor drum is transferred to an article-receiving conveyor drum, with the rod-shaped articles being conveyed in a first conveying section on at least one conveyor drum transversely axially with a first constant transverse-axial distance between the rod-shaped articles, with the rod-shaped articles conveyed transversely axially in the first conveying section then in a with a first cutting device trained second conveyor section are promoted, wherein during or after the transfer of the rod-shaped articles from the first Fördera Section to the second conveyor section, the transverse axial distance between the rod-shaped articles is increased or reduced, wherein in the second conveyor section the rod-shaped articles are cut into several, in particular two or three, article rod segments by means of the first cutting device of the second conveyor section and after cutting the rod-shaped articles into Article bar segments the article bar segments in the second conveying section are formed into a row, preferably in one row, of article bar segments arranged transversely one behind the other, with the constant transverse axial spacing of the article bar segments of the row of article bar segments formed corresponding to a part or fraction of the transverse axial spacing of the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section, wherein the transverse axial spacing of the article rod segments of the row formed in the second conveying section is determined by the product of the transverse axial spacing of the rod-shaped articles i m second conveyor section multiplied by the reciprocal of the number of each cut from the rod-shaped articles article bar segments, and then the, preferably in a row, cross-axially arranged one behind the other article bar segments from the second conveyor section to a third with a transferred to the second cutting device conveying section, wherein in the third conveying section the article bar segments are each cut into a plurality of, in particular two, article bar segment pieces, preferably in the middle, wherein in the third conveying section the article bar segments and the article bar segment pieces are conveyed with a constant transverse axial spacing which corresponds to the transverse axial spacing of the article rod segments corresponds to the formed, preferably single-row, row of article rod segments in the second conveyor section, and then the article rod segment pieces are conveyed with the same constant transverse axial distance to a feeder for feeding smoking article components to the article rod segment pieces conveyed by the conveyor drums.

The invention is based on the idea that during or after the transfer of rod-shaped articles from a conveyor drum of the first conveyor section to a conveyor drum of the second conveyor section, the rod-shaped articles are decelerated or accelerated in their path speed and after the transfer the rod-shaped articles and those from the rod-shaped Articles formed article bar segments and also the article bar segment pieces formed from the article bar segments are conveyed at the same web speed in the second conveyor section and in the third conveyor section. The web speeds of the rod-shaped articles, the article rod segments and article rod segment pieces are the same or constant while they are being conveyed in the second conveying section and third conveying section. This gives related to the conveying direction of the rod-shaped articles, the article rod segments and the article rod segment pieces before the supply of further smoking article components to the article rod segment pieces, a product-friendly conveyance of the corresponding rod-shaped articles, the article rod segments and the article rod segment pieces in the second conveying section and in the third conveying section of the conveying arrangement.

In this case, for the production of rod-shaped smoking products on a drum machine designed with the conveyor arrangement, article rods of multiple lengths are taken over as products of the rod machine, for example from a rod making machine or rod manufacturing machine. In particular, on the output side of the strand machine, the multi-length article rods are conveyed in the longitudinal axial direction and transferred to one or the conveyor drum of the first conveyor section by means of a transfer device. By means of the upstream transfer device, the multi-length article rods produced by the rod maker are transferred as rod-shaped articles from a longitudinal axial conveyance to a transverse axial conveyance on the conveyor arrangement. For example, the transfer device is designed as a spider or push-in drum.

During the transverse axial conveyance of the rod-shaped articles in the first conveying section, they are conveyed at a first transverse axial distance from one another. After or during the transfer of the rod-shaped articles from a conveyor drum of the first conveyor section to a subsequent conveyor drum of the second conveyor section, the transverse-axial distance between the transferred rod-shaped articles is changed. In the second conveying section, the rod-shaped articles are thus conveyed at a second transverse-axial distance, which differs from the first transverse-axial distance of the rod-shaped articles during their conveyance in the first conveying section.

In the second conveyor section there is a first cutting device on a first cutting drum on which the rod-shaped articles are conveyed. provided to cut the rod-shaped articles into a plurality of article rod segments. For example, the cutting device has one or two or more cutting blades for this purpose, in order to cut the rod-shaped articles that are several times long. If the first cutting device has a cutting blade, the rod-shaped articles are each cut into two article rod segments. If the first cutting device has two cutting blades, the rod-shaped articles are each cut into three article rod segments.

Within the scope of the invention it is provided that in the second conveying section, after the rod-shaped articles have been cut into article rod segments, the article rod segments are formed into a series of article rod segments arranged one behind the other. It is further provided that, after cutting, the row of article bar segments arranged one behind the other transversely and axially, which are conveyed individually in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum(s), are offset in the receiving troughs in a staggered manner or in a single row, i. H. are arranged in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum(s) without any longitudinal axial offset to one another.

In particular, the rod-shaped articles are cut into article rod segments of the same length by means of the first cutting device in the second conveying section. In addition, the article bar segments in the third conveying section are preferably cut into article bar segment pieces of equal length by means of the second cutting device.

The transverse axial spacing of the cut article rod segments, which are transferred from the second conveyor section of the conveyor arrangement to the third conveyor section, in the second conveyor section corresponds to the product of the reciprocal of the number of article rod segments cut from the respective rod-shaped article and the transverse axial spacing of the rod-shaped articles in the second conveyor section before cutting. If, for example, two article rod segments are obtained from the rod-shaped articles, the transverse axial distance is Article rod segments, which are transferred to the third conveyor section on the output side of the second conveyor section, in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum(s) of half the transverse-axial spacing of the rod-shaped articles in the second conveyor section. If three article rod segments are obtained from the rod-shaped articles in the second conveyor section, the transverse axial spacing of the article rod segments to be delivered to the third conveyor section in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum(s) is one third of the transverse axial spacing of the rod-shaped articles in the second conveyor section.

Within the scope of the invention, the first conveyor section can have only one conveyor drum or several conveyor drums, with the rod-shaped articles being conveyed transversely axially in the first conveyor section with a first, constant transverse axial spacing in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum(s). In addition, the second conveyor section has a plurality of conveyor drums, with one conveyor drum being designed as a cutting drum. In addition, the second conveyor section can have further conveyor drums, such as at least one staggered drum, at least one shift drum, at least one transfer drum or the like. In addition, the third conveyor section of the conveyor arrangement can have further conveyor drums in addition to a cutting drum with a cutting device arranged thereon.

In addition, preferably in the third conveying section, the groups with article bar segment pieces cut from the article bar segments are conveyed with a transverse axial spacing in the third conveying section that corresponds to the transverse axial spacing of the article bar segments that are conveyed in the third conveying section before cutting by the cutting device.

In particular, the first cutting drum of the second conveyor section and the second cutting drum of the third conveyor section have the same pitch between the receiving troughs.

The invention also provides that, in relation to the conveying direction of the rod-shaped products such as the rod-shaped articles, the article rod segments and the article rod segment pieces, only after the second cutting drum of the third conveyor section via a feed device are rod-shaped segments, such as filter segments or the like , are applied to the cut article rod segment pieces so that article groups are formed from them, which are then wrapped or cut with a strip of wrapping material. It can be provided that after the third conveying section, corresponding filter segments or other smoking article segments are inserted between two longitudinally axially spaced article rod segments on an assembly drum and these are then encased by means of a wrapping material strip, so that rod-shaped smoking products are subsequently made easier by a central cut through the respective smoking article groups formed Working length arise, which are optionally then further processed. This makes it possible to also produce short rod-shaped products, such as heat-not-burn products, with a product length of 40 to 65 mm, for example, on a drum machine or filter attachment machine.

In an advantageous embodiment of the method, it is provided that in the second conveying section the rod-shaped articles are each cut into three article rod segments and the article rod segments arranged one behind the other in the transverse axis of the row formed are conveyed with a transverse axial distance which is one third of the transverse axial distance of the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section article before cutting by the first cutting device corresponds to the second conveying section, or in the second conveying section the rod-shaped articles are each cut into two article rod segments and the article rod segments arranged one behind the other in the transverse axial direction of the row formed are conveyed with a transverse axial distance of corresponds to half of the transverse axial distance of the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section before being cut by the first cutting device of the second conveying section.

In addition, a further development of the method is characterized in that in the second conveyor section the rod-shaped articles are cut into groups of article rod segments by means of the first cutting device on a cutting drum, the groups of article rod segments on the cutting drum of the second conveyor section having the same transverse axial spacing, which corresponds to the transverse axial spacing of the rod-shaped articles before cutting in the second conveyor section, and then the groups of article bar segments are transferred to a subsequent conveyor drum of the second conveyor section, with a first return shifting drum and a second return shifting drum relative to the conveying direction of the article bar segments on the conveyor drum are arranged, based on the conveying direction of the groups of article bar segments from the conveyor drum to the first return shifting drum in each case a first article bar segment de r group of article bar segments is transferred and the article bar segment returned from the first return displacement drum to the conveyor drum is released into a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum and then a second article bar segment of the group of article bar segments is transferred from the conveyor drum to the second return displacement drum and each of the second return displacement drum to the conveyor drum is transferred back into a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum, wherein after the arrangement of the conveyed by the first return displacement drum and the second return displacement drum article bar segments in free receiving troughs of the conveyor drum, the article bar segments on the conveyor drum isolated and related to the conveying direction transversely one behind the other and in the same transverse axial distance are arranged in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum, the transverse axial constant distance of the article bar segments of the article bar segments arranged transversely one behind the other corresponds to the part or fraction of the transverse axial distance of the bar-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section.

In this case, the conveyor drum with the first return displacement drum arranged thereon and with the second return displacement drum arranged thereon is arranged in the conveying direction of the article bar segments after the first cutting device in the second conveying section. Here, the cut groups of article bar segments are transferred from a cutting drum with the first cutting device to the conveyor drum with the two return displacement drums or are conveyed to it. The individual article bar segments of the groups of article bar segments are separated by means of the conveyor drum and the two return transfer drums and arranged one behind the other in the transverse axial direction, the article bar segments being arranged in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum. After the separation and arrangement or rearrangement of the article bar segments in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drums, the article bar segments have a transverse axial distance which is determined by the product of the transverse axial distance of the bar-shaped articles in the second conveyor section (before cutting) multiplied by the reciprocal of the number of article bar segments cut from the rod-shaped articles or the number of article bar segments of the group of article bar segments. On the conveyor drum, after the return of the article bar segment from the second return shifting drum and before the transfer of the article bar segments to a subsequent conveyor drum, the article bar segments are arranged in a (single-row) row transversely axially one behind the other in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum or one behind the other and offset longitudinally, for example in a staggered manner , arranged in the receiving recesses.

Preferably, the conveyor drum, on which the first Rückrückversetztrommel and the second Rückrückversetztrommel are arranged, receiving troughs with a constant pitch, the transverse axial distance of the consecutively arranged and isolated article rod segments. The first return shifting drum and the second return shifting drum each have receiving troughs with the same pitch, which corresponds to the pitch of the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum. The conveyor drum preferably has an even number of receiving troughs.

According to a further advantageous aspect of the invention, it is provided that the or all conveyor drums in the first conveyor section and in the second conveyor section and in the third conveyor section, with the exception of the first return displacement drum and the second return displacement drum, have an even number of receiving troughs.

In the case of conveyor drums, the pitch distance is understood to mean the transverse axial distance between the receiving troughs in which the groups of smoking articles are arranged or transported. The (transverse axial) distance is measured from the trough center of the receiving trough to the subsequent trough center of the adjacent receiving trough of the trough conveyor transporting the rod-shaped smoking articles (groups) on the surface or from trough base to trough base in the case of a prism-shaped receiving trough, for example. The pitch in a drum conveyor, also referred to as a conveyor drum, is the transverse axial distance or the length of the (circular) arc between (adjacent) trough centers on the circular line on which the trough centers or trough center axes of the troughs are arranged.

If, after the groups have been separated, the separated article bar segments are, for example, arranged in a staggered manner in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum by means of the return shifting drums arranged thereon and arranged one behind the other, it is advantageous according to a further development of the method that the separated article bar segments arranged one behind the other transversely axially follow from the conveyor drum to a shift drum of the second conveyor section are transferred and the article bar segments are shifted on the sliding drum and aligned in such a way that a single-row row of article bar segments arranged one behind the other transversely axially is or is formed on the sliding drum.

If a single-row row of article bar segments arranged transversely one behind the other at regular intervals and arranged in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum before it is transferred to a subsequent conveyor drum is formed on the conveyor drum by means of the return displacement drums arranged thereon, one embodiment of the method is characterized in that the article bar segments are longitudinally axially shifted during their conveyance on the first return shifting drum and the article bar segments are longitudinally axially shifted during their conveyance on the second return shifting drum and after returning the longitudinally axially shifted article bar segments from the first return shifting drum and from the second return shifting drum the individualized article bar segments on the conveying drum in a single row are aligned or arranged transversely one behind the other in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum.

For this purpose, one embodiment of the method advantageously provides that when groups are conveyed, each with three article bar segments, one of the two return displacement drums has a number of receiving troughs for the article bar segments which is the sum of an integral multiple of 3 and the number 1 (3×n + 1; n = 1, 2, 3, ...) and the other of the two return displacement drums has a number of receiving troughs for the article bar segments which corresponds to the difference between an integer multiple of 3 and the number 1 (3×m - 1; m = 1, 2, 3, ...) corresponds, or when conveying groups with two article rod segments each, the first return displacement drum has an odd number of receiving troughs for the article rod segments and the second return displacement drum has an odd number of receiving troughs for the article rod segments .

For example, it is possible that when conveying groups with three article rod segments each, the first return displacement drum has an odd number of receiving troughs for the article rod segments and the second return displacement drum has an even number of receiving troughs for the article rod segments, or that when conveying groups with three article rod segments, the first return displacement drum has an even number of article rod segment receiving troughs and the second return displacement drum has an odd number of article rod segment receiving troughs.

According to a further aspect, a development of the method is characterized in that article bar segments arranged one behind the other transversely axially in a single row in the second conveying section and/or article bar segments arranged one behind the other transversely axially in a single row in the third conveying section in the center with respect to the cutting plane of the, preferably exclusively one, cutting device, in particular cutting blade, are or are aligned in the third conveying section. In particular, the third conveyor section has at least one conveyor drum which is designed as a cutting drum and on which a cutting knife for cutting the article bar segments into article bar segment pieces is preferably arranged as the cutting device. In addition, the third conveyor section of the conveyor arrangement can have further conveyor drums. The second conveyor section of the conveyor arrangement ends at the conveyor drum arranged upstream of the cutting drum, on which the article bar segments to be delivered to the cutting drum are conveyed in a (single) row transversely one behind the other.

In addition, it is provided within the scope of the invention that the third conveyor section begins when the article bar segments arranged in one row and transversely one behind the other are transferred from a conveyor drum to the cutting drum or to the conveyor drum with the cutting device. It can further be provided that downstream the cutting drum or the cutting device further conveying drums are provided, which convey the cut article rod segments to the feeding device for feeding further smoking article components.

In addition, in an advantageous development of the method, it is provided that by means of a transfer device arranged upstream of the at least one conveyor drum of the first conveyor section, rod-shaped articles conveyed longitudinally and axially, preferably from a strand manufacturing machine, are transferred to the at least one transversely axially conveying conveyor drum of the first conveyor section.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that during or during the transfer of rod-shaped articles to be cut from the first conveyor section to the second conveyor section, the transverse axial distance between the rod-shaped articles to be cut and thus also the web speed of the rod-shaped articles changed, i.e. increased or decreased , wherein subsequently during the conveyance of the stick-shaped products (stick-shaped articles, article rod segments, article rod segment pieces) in the second conveyor section and in the third conveyor section, the web speed of the stick-shaped products before being fed to a feed device for feeding (further) smoking article components to those produced in the conveyor arrangement Article rod segment pieces is or remains constant.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the description of embodiments of the invention taken together with the claims and the accompanying drawings. Embodiments according to the invention can fulfill individual features or a combination of several features.

Figur 1

schematisch eine vereinfachte Ansicht einer Trommelmaschine gemäß einer ersten Ausgestaltung;

Figur 2

schematisch eine Ansicht einer Fördertrommel mit zwei daran angeordneten Rückführversetztrommeln gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel;

Figur 3

schematisch eine Ansicht einer Fördertrommel mit zwei daran angeordneten Rückführversetztrommeln gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel;

Figur 4

schematisch eine vereinfachte Ansicht einer Trommelmaschine gemäß einer weiteren Ausgestaltung;

Figur 5

schematisch eine Ansicht einer Fördertrommel mit zwei daran angeordneten Rückführversetztrommeln gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel und

Figur 6

schematisch eine Ansicht einer Fördertrommel mit zwei daran angeordneten Rückführversetztrommeln gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel.

The invention is described below without restricting the general inventive concept using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, with respect to all in the text unspecified details of the invention is expressly referred to the drawings. Show it:

figure 1

schematically a simplified view of a drum machine according to a first embodiment;

figure 2

schematically shows a view of a conveyor drum with two return offset drums arranged thereon according to a first exemplary embodiment;

figure 3

schematically shows a view of a conveyor drum with two return offset drums arranged thereon according to a further exemplary embodiment;

figure 4

schematically a simplified view of a drum machine according to a further embodiment;

figure 5

a schematic view of a conveyor drum with two return offset drums arranged thereon according to a further exemplary embodiment and

figure 6

a schematic view of a conveyor drum with two return displacement drums arranged thereon according to a further exemplary embodiment.

In the context of the invention, features that are marked with "particularly" or "preferably" are to be understood as optional features.

In the drawings, elements and/or parts that are the same or of the same type are provided with the same reference numbers, so that they are not presented again in each case.

In figure 1 1 is a schematic representation of a drum machine T, such as a filter tipping machine, by means of which rod-shaped smoking products are manufactured. The drum machine T has several conveying sections FA1, FA2, FA3 with conveying drums, by means of which rod-shaped products are conveyed transversely and axially.

The drum machine T has a transfer drum 12, by means of which rod-shaped articles of multiple use length, such as tobacco rod rods or filter rods, are taken over by a rod machine S, indicated schematically. A transfer conveyor (not shown here), such as a so-called spider or push-in drum, is provided for the transfer of the rod-shaped articles of multiple use length conveyed longitudinally in the rod-shaped machine S to the transfer drum 12, so that on the output side of the rod-shaped machine S the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the longitudinal direction in be transferred to a transverse axial conveying direction on the transfer drum 12 .

The rod-shaped articles are conveyed on the transfer drum 12 in the transverse axial direction in the receiving troughs with a first transverse axial spacing in a first conveying section FA1. The rod-shaped articles are then transferred from the transfer drum 12 to a subsequent conveyor drum 14 of a second conveyor section FA2. When the rod-shaped articles are transferred from the transfer drum 12 to the conveyor drum 14, the transverse axial distance between the rod-shaped articles is increased or decreased, so that the rod-shaped articles are decelerated or accelerated in their web speed in the second conveyor section FA2 compared to their web speed in the first conveyor section FA1.

Following this, the rod-shaped articles are transferred from the conveyor drum 14 to a cutting drum 16 . A cutting device in the form of a plurality of cutting knives 18 is provided on the cutting drum 16 for cutting the multi-length rod-shaped articles into a plurality of article rod segments to cut. In this case, the cutting device can exclusively have one or more cutting knives 18 . In the embodiment of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1, two cutting knives 18 are provided in order to cut the rod-shaped articles into three article rod segments of equal length or in groups with three article rod segments of equal length. The groups of article bar segments in the second conveyor section FA2 are conveyed on the cutting drum 16 with the same transverse axial spacing as the bar-shaped articles on the conveyor drum 14 in the second conveyor section FA2.

After the rod-shaped articles have been cut, the groups of article rod segments are transferred to a subsequent conveyor drum 20 . A first return shifting drum 22 and a second return shifting drum 24 are arranged on the conveyor drum 20 in order to separate and rearrange the article bar segments of the respective groups of article bar segments in order to form a series of article bar segments arranged transversely axially one behind the other in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum 20 (cf figure 2 and figure 3 ).

The article bar segments of the row formed on the conveyor drum 20 of transversely axially arranged one after the other, which are arranged in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum before being transferred to a subsequent conveyor drum 26, have a transverse axial spacing from one another that is part of the transverse axial spacing of the rod-shaped articles corresponds to the conveyor drums 14, 16 in the second conveyor section FA2. The transverse axial spacing of the article bar segments of the row formed corresponds to the product of the transverse axial spacing of the article bar segments in the second conveyor section FA2 multiplied by the reciprocal of the number of article bar segments in the groups of article bar segments. Ie the transverse axial spacing of the isolated article bar segments of the row corresponds to half or a third of the transverse axial spacing of the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section FA2, if by means of a Cutting knife 18 or by means of two cutting knives 18, the rod-shaped articles are cut into two or three article rod segments. The rearrangement and formation of the row of article bar segments on conveyor drum 20 is described below with reference to FIG figures 2 and 3 explained (see below).

The row of article bar segments formed on the conveyor drum 20 is formed in such a way that the article bar segments are arranged in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum 20 in a staggered manner, ie with an offset in the longitudinal-axial direction, and one behind the other transversely (cf figure 2 and figure 3 ).

The article bar segments are transferred from the conveyor drum 20 to the following conveyor drum 26, which is preferably designed as a sliding drum. On the conveyor drum 26, the isolated article bar segments are shifted longitudinally and aligned so that the article bar segments are arranged on the conveyor drum 26 in a single row of article bar segments arranged one behind the other transversely axially. The article bar segments arranged in a single row are then transferred from the conveyor drum 26 to the subsequent conveyor drum 28 in the second conveyor section FA2. In the second conveyor section FA2, after the separation and rearrangement of the article bar segments on the conveyor drum 20, the article bar segments are conveyed on the conveyor drums 26, 28 with the same transverse axial distance, which is the product of the transverse axial distance of the article bar segments in the second conveyor section FA2 multiplied by the reciprocal of the number of Article bar segments corresponding to groups of article bar segments.

The article bar segments are transferred from the conveyor drum 28 to a subsequent cutting drum 30 in which a cutting blade 32 is arranged in order to cut the aligned article bar segments arranged in a single row one behind the other in the middle so that two article bar segment pieces are formed from the article bar segments. After After cutting the article bar segments into article bar segment pieces, the cut groups of article bar segment pieces are transferred to a subsequent conveyor drum 34 on which the cut article bar segments are fed in pairs and subsequently conveyed to and transferred to an assembly drum 36 .

The drum machine T has a feed device Z for feeding (additional) rod-shaped article rod segments or products that are conveyed to the collating drum 36, so that rod-shaped smoking products that are subsequently wrapped with a wrapping material strip are produced on the collating drum 36.

According to the invention, the article bar segments and the article bar segment pieces are conveyed in the third conveyor section FA3 with the same transverse axial distance as the article bar segments on the conveyor drums 26, 28.

In 2 a schematic view of the conveyor drum 20 of the second conveyor section FA2 is shown, on which the return shifting drums 22, 24 are arranged. The cut groups of article bar segments 100 are transferred from the cutting drum 16 into the receiving trough of the conveyor drum 20 . The article bar segment groups 100 each have three article bar segments 101, 102 and 103, which are arranged side by side in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum 20. An article bar segment group 100 is shown schematically to the right of conveyor drum 20 .

The article rod segment groups 100 are conveyed transversely axially in the direction of the rotating return displacement drums 22, with the return displacement drum 22 receiving the article rod segment 101 in the receiving troughs of the return displacement drum 22 and then in a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum 20 behind the Receiving trough of the conveyor drum 20, in which an article rod segment group 100 is arranged, arranged. As a result, a group reduced by the article bar segment 101 with the article bar segments 102, 103 and an article bar segment 101 arranged at a transverse axial distance behind them are conveyed in the direction of the second return displacement drum 24.

The article bar segment 103 of the group with the article bar segments 102 , 103 is received in a receiving trough by means of the return transfer drum 24 , while the middle article bar segment 102 of the group remains on the conveyor drum 20 . When returning the article bar segment 103 to the conveyor drum 20, the returned article bar segment 103 is introduced into a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum 20 behind the article bar segment 101 in relation to the conveying direction of the article bar segments. After the article bar segments 103 have been returned to the free receiving troughs of the conveyor drum 20, the article bar segments 101, 102, 103 are isolated in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum 20 and arranged transversely one behind the other in a staggered manner, the transverse axial distance between the article bar segments 101, 102, 103 being one third of the transverse axial spacing of the article bar segment group 100 during its conveyance on the cutting drum 16 in the second conveying section FA2 and during its conveyance on the conveyor drum 20 in the area between the acceptance of the article bar segment groups 100 and the acceptance of the article bar segment 102 by means of the return conveyor drum 22. The article bar segments 101, 102, 103 are then transferred from the conveyor drum 20 to the subsequent shifting drum 26 or conveyor drum, on which the longitudinally axially offset article bar segments 101, 102, 103 are longitudinally axially displaced and aligned to form a single row of transversely axially arranged article bar segments one behind the other to build.

During the conveyance of the article bar segments 101 by means of the recirculating shift drum 22 and during the conveyance of the article bar segments 103 on the return transfer drum 24, the article bar segments 101, 103 are not shifted in the longitudinal axial direction.

In the embodiment in 2 of the return displacement drum 22, 24, the first return displacement drum 22 has an odd number of receiving troughs for the article bar segments 101. The second return displacement drum 24 has an even number of receiving troughs for the article bar segments 103 .

In the embodiment of 2 the article bar segment groups 100 consist of three article bar segments 101, 102, 103. In the in 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the rod-shaped articles are cut in the middle on the cutting drum 16 by means of a cutting knife 18, so that a group with two article rod segments 101, 102 is formed from the article rod segment groups 100 (cf. 3 ).

The article bar segment 101 is taken over from the conveyor drum 20 by means of the return displacement drum 22 and then arranged in a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum 20 behind the article bar segment 101, which remains on the conveyor drum 20. The separated article bar segments 101, 102 are then conveyed to the second return displacement drum 24, the article bar segments 102 being introduced into a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum 20 by means of the return displacement drum 24. After returning the article bar segment 102 between the return transfer drum 24 and conveying the separated article bar segments 101, 102 to the following conveyor drum 26, the article bar segments 101, 102 are arranged on the conveyor drum 20 at equal intervals in the transverse axial direction. In this case, the transverse axial spacing of the individual article bar segments 101, 102 corresponds to half the transverse axial spacing of the article bar segment group 100 on the cutting drum 16 and on the conveyor drum 20.

The individual article bar segments 101, 102 conveyed from the conveyor drum 20 to the conveyor drum 26 are offset one behind the other in the transverse axial direction and offset in the longitudinal axial direction. The longitudinally axially offset article bar segments 101, 102 are aligned in the receiving troughs on the conveyor drum 26 designed as a sliding drum, so that a single row of the article bar segments 101, 102 arranged one behind the other transversely axially is formed on the sliding drum 26.

In 4 a further embodiment of the drum machine T is shown, which compared to the embodiment in 1 is modified in such a way that this embodiment has no shifting drum 26 and conveyor drum 28 in the second conveyor section FA2 (cf. 1 ) having. In this embodiment of the drum machine T, a single row of article bar segments arranged one behind the other in a transverse axial direction and separated in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum 20 is formed on the conveyor drum 20 by means of the return displacement drums 22, 24. Otherwise, the conveyor processes are on the conveyor drums of the conveyor sections FA1, FA2, FA3 as in the embodiment in 1 accordingly equal.

The formation of a single-row row of article bar segments on the conveyor drum 20 is described below using the embodiments in FIG figure 5 and 6 explained.

In figure 5 1 is a schematic view of the conveyor drum 20 with the return offset drums 22, 24 arranged thereon. This embodiment corresponds essentially to the embodiment in FIG 2 with the difference that the article bar segments 101 are shifted in the longitudinal axial direction on the first return shifting drum 22, so that the returned article bar segments 101 are arranged in the transverse axial direction directly behind the article bar segment 102 in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drums. This is shown schematically below the conveyor drum 20 .

When the article bar segments 102, 103 and 101 are conveyed further on the conveyor drum 20, the respective article bar segment 103 is received in the receiving troughs of the return conveyor drum 24 by means of the return shifting drum 24 and is displaced in the longitudinal axial direction during the return to the conveyor drum 20 and arranged in a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum 20 , so that after the return of the isolated article bar segments 103 to the conveyor drum 20, the article bar segments 101, 102, 103 are arranged one behind the other in a single row. The single rows of article bar segments 101, 102, 103 arranged one behind the other are then transferred to the subsequent cutting drum 30, so that a central cut through the article bar segments 101, 102, 103 cuts article bar segment pieces from the article bar segments.

In the embodiment in 6 is the difference to the embodiment in 3 in that the article bar segments 101 and the article bar segments 102 on the respective return displacement drums 22 or 24 are displaced in the longitudinal axial direction during their conveyance on the return displacement drums 22 or 24, so that after the respective article bar segments 101, 102 have been returned, they are centered with respect to the cutting planes of the cutting knife 32 on the cutting drum 30 are aligned. In addition, the transverse axial distance between the article bar segments 101, 102 before the transfer of the article bar segments 101, 102 arranged one behind the other in a single row to the cutting drum 30 is equidistant. In the embodiment in 3 and in 6 For example, the return offset drums 22, 24 each have an odd number of article bar segment receiving troughs 101, 102.

Reference List

12

transfer drum

14

conveyor drum

16

cutting drum

18

cutting knife

20

conveyor drum

22

return displacement drum

24

return displacement drum

26

conveyor drum

28

conveyor drum

30

cutting drum

32

cutting knife

34

conveyor drum

36

assembly drum

100

Item bar segment group

101, 102, 103

article bar segment

FA1

first funding section

FA2

second funding section

FA3

third funding section

S

strand machine

T

drum machine

Z

feeding device

Claims (8)

1. A method for producing rod-shaped smoking products on a drum machine (T) of the tobacco processing industry, wherein rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry are arranged transversely axially behind one another in receiving troughs of rotating conveyor drums (12, 14, 16, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34) of a conveying arrangement for the transverse-axial conveyance of rod-shaped articles and are conveyed by rotating the conveyor drum in the transverse-axial conveying direction, and wherein the rod-shaped articles are transferred in the respective transfer region between two conveyor drums from an article-dispensing conveyor drum to an article-receiving conveyor drum, wherein the rod-shaped articles are conveyed in a first conveying section (FA1) on at least one conveyor drum (12) transversely axially with a first constant transverse-axial distance between the rod-shaped articles, wherein the rod-shaped articles conveyed transversely axially in the first conveying section (FA1) are subsequently conveyed in a second conveying section (FA2) configured with a first cutting device (18), wherein, during or following the transfer of the rod-shaped articles from the first conveying section (FA1) to the second conveying section (FA2), the transverse-axial distance between the rod-shaped articles is enlarged or reduced, wherein, in the second conveying section (FA2), the rod-shaped articles are cut by means of the first cutting device (18) of the second conveying section (FA2) into multiple, in particular two or three, article rod segments (101, 102, 103) and, following the cutting of the rod-shaped articles into article rod segments (101, 102, 103), the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) in the second conveying section (FA2) are formed into a sequence, preferably in a single row, of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) arranged transversely axially behind one another, wherein the transverse-axial constant distance of the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) of the sequence formed of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) corresponds to a part or fraction of the transverse-axial distance of the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section (FA2), wherein the transverse-axial distance of the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) of the sequence formed in the second conveying section (FA2) is determined by the product of the transverse-axial distance of the rod-shaped articles in the second conveying section (FA2), multiplied by the inverse of the number of the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) cut in each case from the rod-shaped articles, and wherein the article rod segments (101, 102, 103), arranged transversely axially behind one another, preferably in a single row, are subsequently transferred from the second conveying section (FA2) to a third conveying section (FA3) configured with a second cutting device (32), wherein, in the third conveying section (FA3), the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) are each cut, preferably centrally, into multiple, in particular two, article rod segment pieces, wherein, in the third conveying section (FA3), the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) and the article rod segment pieces are conveyed with a constant transverse-axial distance which corresponds to the transverse-axial distance of the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) of the sequence of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) formed, preferably in a single row, in the second conveying section (FA2), and the article rod segment pieces are subsequently conveyed with the same constant transverse-axial distance to a feed device (Z) for feeding smoking article components to the article rod segment pieces conveyed by the conveyor drums.
2. The method according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in the second conveying section (FA2), the rod-shaped articles are each cut into three article rod segments (101, 102, 103) and the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) arranged transversely axially behind one another of the sequence formed are conveyed with a transverse-axial distance which corresponds to a third of the transverse-axial distance of the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section (FA2) prior to the cutting by the first cutting device (18) of the second conveying section (FA2), or the rod-shaped articles are each cut into two article rod segments (101, 102, 103) in the second conveying section (FA2), and the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) arranged transversely axially behind one another of the sequence formed are conveyed with a transverse-axial distance which corresponds to half the transverse-axial distance of the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section (FA2) prior to the cutting by the first cutting device (18) of the second conveying section (FA2).
3. The method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in the second conveying section (FA2), the rod-shaped articles are each cut on a cutting drum (16) into groups of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) by means of the first cutting device (18), wherein the groups of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) are conveyed on the cutting drum (16) of the second conveying section (FA2) with the same transverse-axial distance which corresponds to the transverse-axial distance of the rod-shaped articles prior to the cutting, and the groups of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) are subsequently transferred to a following conveyor drum (20) of the second conveying section (FA2), wherein, based on the conveying direction of the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) on the conveyor drum (20), a first return transfer drum (22) and a second return transfer drum (24) are arranged, wherein, based on the conveying direction of the groups (100) of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) from the conveyor drum (20) to the first return transfer drum (22), a first article rod segment (101) of the group (100) of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) is transferred in each case and the article rod segment (101) returned in each case from the first return transfer drum (22) to the conveyor drum (20) is discharged into a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum (20), and a second article rod segment (101, 102) of the group (100) of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) is in each case subsequently transferred from the conveyor drum (20) to the second return transfer drum (24) and the article rod segment (103, 102) conveyed back in each case from the second return transfer drum (24) to the conveyor drum (20) is transferred into a free receiving trough of the conveyor drum (20), wherein, following the arrangement of the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) conveyed from the first return transfer drum (22) and the second return transfer drum (24) into free receiving troughs of the conveyor drum (20), the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) are arranged in a scattered manner on the conveyor drum (20) and, based on the conveying direction, transversely axially behind one another and at the same transverse-axial distance in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum (20), wherein the transverse-axial constant distance of the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) of the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) arranged transversely axially behind one another corresponds to the part or fraction of the transverse-axial distance of the rod-shaped articles conveyed in the second conveying section (FA2).
4. The method according to Claim 3, characterized in that the scattered article rod segments (101, 102, 103) arranged transversely axially behind one another are subsequently transferred from the conveying drum (20) to a shifting drum (26) of the second conveying section (FA2) and the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) are displaced on the shifting drum (26) and are aligned in such a way that a sequence of article rod segments (101, 102, 103) arranged transversely axially behind one another in a single row will be or is formed on the shifting drum (26).
5. The method according to Claim 3, characterized in that the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) are displaced longitudinally axially during their conveyance on the first return transfer drum (22) and the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) are displaced longitudinally axially during their conveyance on the second return transfer drum (24) and, following the return of the longitudinally axially displaced article rod segments (101, 102, 103) from the first return transfer drum (22) and from the second return transfer drum (24), the scattered article rod segments (101, 102, 103) are aligned or arranged on the conveyor drum (20) in a single row transversely axially behind one another in the receiving troughs of the conveyor drum (20).
6. The method according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that during the conveyance of groups (100) each having three article rod segments (101, 102, 103) one of the two return transfer drums (22, 24) has a number of receiving troughs for the article rod segments (101, 102, 103), which corresponds to the sum of an integer multiple of 3 and the number 1 (3×n + 1; n = 1, 2, 3, ...), and the other of the two return transfer drums (22, 24) has a number of receiving troughs for the article rod segments (101, 102, 103), which corresponds to the difference of an integer multiple of 3 and the number 1 (3×m - 1; m = 1, 2, 3, ...), or that, during the conveyance of groups (100) each having two article rod segments (101, 102), the first return transfer drum (22) has an odd number of receiving troughs for the article rod segments (101, 102, 103) and the second return transfer drum (24) has an odd number of receiving troughs for the article rod segments (101, 102, 103).
7. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that article rod segments (101, 102, 103) arranged transversely axially behind one another in a single row in the second conveying section (FA2) and/or article rod segments (101, 102, 103) arranged transversely axially behind one another in a single row in the third conveying section (FA3) will be or are aligned centrally with respect to the cutting plane of the, preferably exclusively one, cutting device (32), in particular knife (32), in the third conveying section (FA3).
8. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that rod-shaped articles conveyed longitudinally axially by means of a delivery device arranged upstream of the at least one conveyor drum (12) of the first conveying section (FA1), are transferred, preferably from a rod making machine (S), to the at least one transversely axially conveying conveyor drum (12) of the first conveying section (FA1).

Images