GB1075827A - Method and apparatus for forming cigarette blocks - Google Patents

Abstract

1,075,827. Packaging &c. K. KÍRBER. Oct. 4, 1965 [Oct. 23, 1964], No. 43227/64. Headings B8A and B8C. Blocks of cigarettes are produced by forming long rows (100), Fig. 1 (not shown), of, e.g. 60, 40 or 20 cigarettes, collected from one or more production points, dividing each row, without remainder, into a number of short rows (102), e.g. of 6 and 7 cigarettes, corresponding to layers of cigarettes in a block and superimposing these short rows from a number of long rows to form blocks (27), e.g. of 20 cigarettes. In the embodiment, a suction head 1 (see Specifications 1,024,781 and 1,024,783), Figs. 3 and 4 (latter not shown), provided with individual holders (6) for the cigarettes, picks up sixty cigarettes from a conveyer belt 2, extendihg from a cigarette-making machine (not shown), and deposits them on a plate 4. This plate is provided with nine channels 5 separated by webs 7, each channel having six or seven grooves for the individual cigarettes so that the row of sixty is divided up into three rows of seven cigarettes, three rows of six cigarettes and a further three rows of seven cigarettes. The plate is reciprocated from beneath the suction head to adjacent a conveyer 8, comprising a series of laterally open, channel-shaped cells 15. A slide 13 removes the cigarettes from the suction head on to the plate 4, moves with the plate 4 to its position adjacent the conveyer 8 and then pushes the cigarettes into the cells of the conveyer, a rail 16 ensuring that they are not pushed rearwardly out of the cells. After one layer has been delivered to the conveyer 8, Fig. 1, step D (not shown), it is moved intermittently through three cell lengths and a second layer is deposited in the cells, Fig. 1, step E (not shown). This continued stepwise movement of the conveyer eventually produces blocks of cigarettes in the cells comprising a first layer of seven cigarettes, a second layer of six cigarettes and a third layer of seven cigarettes, Fig. 1, step H (not shown). As the filled cells move round a sprocket wheel 18 of the conveyer, Figs. 5 and 6 (not shown), they are closed by covers (20) on a chain (19). At this point (I), a filled cell 15 moves into register with a cell (26) of a second cell chain 25, and a pusher 44 pushes the cigarettes from the conveyer 8 to the conveyer 25. Thus for each reciprocation of the pusher 13, the pusher 44 is reciprocated three times. The conveyer 25 acts as a store for cigarette blocks between the block forming apparatus and a further treatment means, e.g. a packing machine (not shown). To this end, the upper run (25a) of filled cells (26), Fig. 7 (not shown), is guided in a sinuous path over stationary guide pulleys (28) and displaceable pulleys (29). The pulleys (29) are mounted on a beam (30), held horizontal by springs (31) which also maintain a constant tension in this run. The position of the beam at maximum and minimum storage volumes, i.e. the largest and smallest permissible stock available for supplying the packaging machine or for absorbing surplus from the cigarette-making machine, is shown in dotted lines. A switch 45, Fig. 3, at the delivery station, operated by a member 46 on the slide 13 starts the motor (32) of the drive and a switch (47) operated by a cam disc (48) on the shaft of the motor, stops the motor. Additionally, a second drive is provided for the conveyer 25 operable dependently on the packaging machine. The run (25a) of the conveyer (25), serving as a storage means, is also provided with means for automatically controlling the packing machine and cigarette-making machine, consisting of an arm (55), Fig. 7 (not shown), on the beam (30) and four switches (56-59) which are operated by it. The switch (56) is operated to slow down the packing machine, while the switch (57) speeds it up. The switch (58) stops the packing machine, and the switch (59) stops the cigarette-making machine. A compensating loop (60) and a friction brake (67) are provided, the latter to prevent slackness in the return run (25b) of the conveyer 25.