GB1302792A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1302792 Transferring cigarette packages between endless conveyers 23 April 1970 [9 May 1969] 19522/70 Heading B8A A device for packing cigarettes comprises a packing machine I (Fig. 6) to which is coupled a pack stacker D, a parcelling machine M coupled to receive a stack of packs of cigarettes from the pack stacker D, a pack storage unit 8 interposed between the pack stacker D and the ing means 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Fig. 1). The latter are coupled to intercept the stacks of packs X of cigarettes from the pack stacker D to feed the pack storage unit 8 when the parcelling machine M becomes inoperative, and to interpose the stacks of packs of cigarettes in the pack storage unit 8 with stacks of packs of cigarettes from the pack stacker D when the parcelling machine M resumes operation. In normal operation, stacks arriving from the stacker D on a conveyer 1 (Fig. 1), activate a ram 2 by contact with a control member 6. This feeds a stack of packs into a receptacle 7 of the storage unit 8. A pusher 3 then displaces the stack on to a conveyer 4 leading to the parcelling machine M. If the parcelling machine stops, the pusher 3 does not operate, and the storage unit steps round, the next stack from conveyer 1 being fed into another compartment 7, and so on. When the parcelling machine resumes operation, the pusher 3 re-commences, and the storage unit 8 starts stepping back in the reverse direction. After each step the pusher 3 displaces on to the conveyer 4, the stack which has been stored in the compartment 7 which is in line with the pusher. Before, however, the storage unit is stepped back further, a stack is pushed into the vacant compartment 7 from the conveyer 1. Then the storage unit is stepped back one more compartment, and so on. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, there is a further pusher 14, and the arrangement is such that the compartments 7 of the storage unit 8 are only used when the stacks are required to be stored. In normal operation, a series of stacks X are pushed by a member 2 on to a conveyer 10. When they reach a control member 12, a pusher 14 is activated and displaces the series of stacks X on to a conveyer 13 leading to the parcelling machine M. When the latter stops, the pusher 14 is deactivated and the stacks are pushed over the conveyer 10 and into the storage unit 8. When the parcelling machine resumes operation, a pusher 15 pushes the stacks one-by-one out of each compartment 7, and they are fed into a recess 16 in the pusher 14 which is shaped to receive just one stack X at a time. In this way, the stacks from the unit 8 are interposed with the incoming supply on the conveyer. The unit 8 is only stepped back when each compartment 7 is emptied. As shown in Fig. 6, the conveyer 1 may be fed by several packing machines I.