GB1133096A - Improvements in or relating to methods and apparatus for feeding stubs pneumatically - Google Patents

Abstract

1,133,096. Cigarette making machines. MOLINS ORGANISATION Ltd., and J. A. RAKOWICZ. 18 Nov., 1965 [19 Nov., 1964]. No. 47082/64. Heading A2C. Inan apparatus. for feeding, filter stubs to positions spaced apart onan endless conveyer in the direction of its travel, and so that the stubs lie transversely of said direction of travel; the stubs are pneumatically conveyed, in line, and in the direction of their lengths, substantially at right angles to the path-of the conveyer, and each successive foremost stub is caused, whilst still travelling in the direction of its length, to travel also laterally of its length in a curved path of progressively increasing radius, and at a progressively increasing lateral speed, until the path of the foremost stub is closely adjacent to the path of the conveyer, and the lateral speed of the stub is substantially equal to the speed of the conveyer, and is in the same direction, and then each successive foremost stub is transferred at timed intervals to said conveyer. Stubs of eight times the length of single stubs in the finished cigarettes are fed from a hopper to a fluted drum 12 on which they are cut by knives 13, 14, 15 into four stubs of double length. After cutting the flutes of the drum rotate past four guide conduits GC1, GC2, GC3 and GC4 which are axially aligned with four consecutive flutes. As the four stubs are brought into line with the first conduit GC1, the stub nearest thereto is ejected into the conduit by air from a nozzle 26A, the remaining three stubs being held in the flute by sorborubber rollers 17, 18 and 19. At the next conduit GC2, the next stub nearest thereto is ejected, the remaining two being held; at the third conduit GC3 the third stub is ejected and the remaining stub is ejected into the conduit GC4. The conduits GC1 and GC2 lead to a first rotor 30 and the conduits GC3 and GC4 to a second similar rotor. Both rotors co-operate with a rotary drum 32 onto which the stubs are to be fed for subsequent insertion between two cigarette lengths. Alternate flutes of the drum 32 are fed by each of the two rotors. Each rotor rotates in bearings 33-36 and is chain driven through sprocket wheels 37 and 38. The conduit GC1 terminates in a passage 38 one end of which is fixed on the rotor axis in the wheel 37 and the other end of which is fixed towards the periphery of a plate 39. A similar passage 138 is provided for the conduit GC2 terminating in a plate 139. The centre of the rotor is formed by a drum 44 which contains two flutes 44A and 44B spaced 100 degrees apart and fed with stubs by the passages 38 and 138 respectively. At the point of transference of the stubs to the drum 32 ejection from the flutes 44A and 44B is effected by air pressure passing from supply pipes 47, 147, pipes 45, 145 and passages 46 and 146 respectively. In alternative embodiments, Figs. 9 and 11 (not shown), the centre drum 44 of the rotor may be omitted and the stubs fed directly into the flutes of the drum 32.