GB2029787A - Conveyor With Buffer Storage - Google Patents
Conveyor With Buffer Storage Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2029787A GB2029787A GB7928153A GB7928153A GB2029787A GB 2029787 A GB2029787 A GB 2029787A GB 7928153 A GB7928153 A GB 7928153A GB 7928153 A GB7928153 A GB 7928153A GB 2029787 A GB2029787 A GB 2029787A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- hopper
- conveyor
- feed
- packaging machine
- articles
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000000872 buffer Substances 0.000 title description 3
- 235000019504 cigarettes Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 36
- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 25
- 230000002441 reversible effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000007547 defect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/34—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor
- B65G47/46—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points
- B65G47/51—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination
- B65G47/5104—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination for articles
- B65G47/515—First In-Last Out systems [FILO]; Last In-First Out systems [LIFO]
- B65G47/5154—First In-Last Out systems [FILO]; Last In-First Out systems [LIFO] using endless conveyors
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
- A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
- A24C5/35—Adaptations of conveying apparatus for transporting cigarettes from making machine to packaging machine
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
- Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
Abstract
A system (5) for feeding elongated elements, particularly cigarettes, to a packaging machine (1), including at least two feed devices (6, 7), each having means (8-24, 25) for connection to an inlet hopper (2) of said packaging machine (1) in order to feed this latter with said elongated elements; and storage means (32) disposed below at least one of said connection means (24, 25); this latter having an end duct (25) having a substantially horizontal terminal portion communicating at one end with said hopper (2) and provided with an aperture (30), through which said duct (25) communicates with said storage means (32), the portion of said duct (25) lying between said hopper (2) and said aperture (30) being defined by reversible conveyor means (27, 29). <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
System for Feeding Elongated Elements,
Particularly Cigarettes, to a Packaging
Machine
This invention relates to a system for feeding elongated elements, particularly cigarettes, to a packaging machine.
It is known to feed a packaging machine, and in particular an inlet hopper thereof, by means of a continuous cigarette feed device able to supply said hopper along a feed duct opening therein, with a quantity of cigarettes which replace the cigarettes in the hopper as these become absorbed by the packaging machine.
It is also known to feed the hopper of a packaging machine by a so-called "box" feed system, which normally comprises a step conveyor arranged to successively feed a loading station, disposed above said hopper, with a plurality of "boxes", each being full of cigarettes.
Said loading station generally comprises a rotating head arranged to support two boxes in opposing positions spaced apart by 1800, and to rotate about a horizontal axis between a first position, in which the first of said two boxes is loaded in a full state on to said head, while the second, previously full, discharge its contents into the hopper, and a second position in which said first box discharges its contents into the hopper and the second of said boxes reaches the exit in an empty condition.
Said loading station also comprises a transfer device arranged to transfer the full boxes from said conveyor to the rotating head, and to withdraw the empty boxes therefrom to transfer them to the conveyor.
In general, when a packaging machine is fed with one or other of the aforesaid known feed devices,'any interruption in the operation of the packaging machine or feed device is transmitted upstream, and automatically stops the operation of the cigarette forming machines with which said feed devices are normally connected.
In order to obviate this drawback, and more generally to compensate for any unbalance between the production of the cigarette forming machines and the absorption of the packaging machine, compensation buffers have been provided in the known continuous feed devices, which are automatically operated in such a manner as to absorb cigarettes when the absorption of the packaging machine is less than the production of the forming machines, and to automatically feed cigarettes to the hopper of the packaging machine when the absorption of this latter exceeds the production of the cigarette forming machines.A similar result is normally obtained in the "box" feed devices by manualiyremoving the excess boxes from said conveyor when the absorption of the packaging machine falls below the production of the cigarette forming machines, and manually adding boxes to the conveyor when the opposite occurs.
In this respect, it should be noted that neither compensation buffers nor manual intervention completely obviates the aforesaid drawback, because firstly the compensation for the different production rates cannot last more than a certain determined time, so that the stoppage of the packaging machine or cigarette forming machines leads to stoppage of the whole system after a relatively short period, and secondly the stoppage of the feed device always leads to immediate stoppage of the entire system.
The object of the present invention is to provide a feed system capable of completely and finally obviating the aforesaid drawback.
This object is attained according to the present invention by a system for feeding elongated elements, particularly cigarettes, to a packaging machine, said system comprising, in combination, at least two feed devices, each of which comprises connection means for connecting it to an inlet hopper of said packaging machine in order to feed this latter with said elongated elements; and storage means disposed below at least one of said connection means; this latter comprising an end duct having a substantially horizontal terminal portion communicating at one end with said hopper and provided with an aperture, through which said duct communicates with said storage means, that portion of said duct lying between said hopper and said aperture being defined by reversible conveyor means.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of said feed devices is a socalled "box" feed device, and said storage means comprise a step conveyor and a plurality of boxes arranged to be fed stepwise below said aperture.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a diagrammatic elevation, partly in section, of one non-limiting embodiment thereof.
The accompanying figure shows a packaging machine indicated overall by 1 and comprising an inlet hopper 2 with two upper inlet apertures indicated by 3 and 4 respectively, and to which cigarettes (not shown) are fed in quantity by a feed system indicated overall by 5.
The feed system 5 comprises two separate feed devices, the first of which, indicated by 6, is connected to the aperture 3, and the second, indicated by 7, is connected to the aperture 4.
In the example illustrated, the feed device 6 is of known continuous feed type, and comprises a terminal feed duct 8 communicating with the aperture 3, and to which the cigarettes are fed in quantity by two conveyors 9 and 10, each connected to the exit of at least one cigarette forming machine, not shown, and controlled by a sensor device 11 sensitive to the pressure exerted by the cigarettes at the point in which the conveyors 9 and 10 communicate with the duct 8.
The feed device 7 comprises a first conveyor 12 arranged to feed stepwise a loading station, indicated overall by 13, with a plurality of boxes
14 full of cigarettes (not shown).
The station 1 3 comprises an upright 1 5 extending upwards from a support frame 16 and supporting a projecting arm 17 extending horizontally, transversely to the conveyor 12. The arm 17 acts as a slide guide for a slide 18 provided with two arms 19 constituting a fork which laterally engages a box 14 disposed on the conveyor 12, and feeds it by sliding it on a sliding surface 20 to a rotating head 21 rotatably mounted on a shaft 22 parallel to the arm 17 and supported by the upright 15. The slide 18 is displaced along the arm 17, in the example illustrated, by a screw 23 rotated by drive means, not shown, and coupled to a nut screw (not shown) mounted on the slide 1 8.
The rotating head 21, for a detailed description of which reference should be made to Italian
Patent No. 779,386 of the same applicant, is arranged to support two boxes 14 in opposing side-by-side positions, and is disposed above a hopper 24 carried by the frame 1 6 and constituting at its bottom with one end of a duct 25, the other end of which is connected to the hopper 2 at its aperture 4. The duct 25 extends substantially horizontally along the frame 16, and is defined upperly by the lower branch of two belt conveyors 26 and 27 disposed adjacent and aligned, and lowerly by the upper branch of the two belt conveyors 28 and 29 disposed facing the conveyors 26 and 27.The conveyors 26 and 28, which could also be dispensed with, are unidirectional, and when in use tend to urge the cigarettes towards the aperture 4, whereas the conveyors 27 and 29 are reversible and can be driven either in the same direction as that in which the conveyors 26 and 28 move, or in the opposite direction.
The facing ends ot the conveyors 28 and 29 are spaced apart to define an aperture 30, through which the duct 25 communicates with a hopper 31.
Storage means, indicated overall by 32, are provided below the hopper 31, and are arranged to contain a plurality of "boxes" 14, which are either full of cigarettes or empty. The storage means 32 comprise a horizontal step conveyor 33 for transferring the empty "boxes" 14 to a filling position, filling being carried out with the aid of known means situated in a position corresponding with the discharge mouth of the hopper 31.
When in operation, only one of the feed devices 5, 6 is normally used for connecting the cigarette forming machines (not shown) to the hopper 2. Consequently, as the feed devices 6 and 7 are normally disposed in parallel between the cigarette forming machines and the packaging machine 1, any stoppage due to a defect in the device 6 or 7 used does not automatically lead to the stoppage of the entire system, as the cigarettes produced by the cigarette forming machines can be immediately fed to the packaging machine 1 by way of the device 6 or 7,
which up to now has not been used.
If the packaging machine 1 slows down or
stops for any reason, the cigarette forming
machines can continue to operate for an indefinite ) time without being stopped. In this respect, if the
cigarettes are fed to the hopper 2 by the feed
device 6, they can be fed to the aperture 30 by
operating the conveyors 27 and 29 in the
direction of the arrow 34, and made to fall
through this latter aperture so as to feed the
empty boxes 14 disposed on the conveyor 33.
Once these latter are filled, they can be suitably
stored, and then withdrawn during any stoppage
of the cigarette forming machines, for direct feed I to the conveyor 12.
If the cigarettes are fed to the hopper 2 by the
device 7 or by the devices 6 and 7 operating
simultaneously, the conveyors 27 and 29 are
operated in the direction of the arrow 35 when
the packaging machine 1 is able to absorb all the
cigarettes fed to the hopper 2. However, when the
absorption rate of the cigarettes by the packaging
machine 1 is less than the production rate of the
cigarette forming machines (not shown), the
conveyors 27 and 29 are slowed down and the
conveyor 33 and said filling machines are
simultaneously operated to enable the excess
cigarettes to descend through the aperture 30
into the boxes 14 on the conveyor 33.
Within the principle of the invention, numerous
modifications can be made to the feed system
described by way of non-limiting example,
without leaving the scope of the inventive idea.
For example, the duct 8 could also be connected
to the hopper 2 by a substantially horizontal
terminal portion similar to the duct 25, and also
be provided with a connection aperture to storage
means comprising a plurality of boxes 14.
Finally, further feed devices (not shown) could
be connected to the hopper 2 in parallel with the
devices 6 and 7.
The invention includes apparatus for feeding
articles to a hopper, which apparatus comprises
at least two conduits connected to the hopper
through which articles may be supplied, at least
one of the conduits extending substantially
horizontally from the hopper and containing a
reversible conveyor extending from the hopper to
means for storing the articles and communicating
with means for supplying articles to the conveyor,
whereby the conveyor may be operated in one
direction to convey articles from the supply to the
hopper and is the reverse direction to convey
articles from the hopper to the store.
Claims (4)
1. A system for feeding elongate elements,
particularly cigarettes, to a packaging machine,
comprising in combination, at least two feed
devices, each of which comprises connection
means for connecting it to an inlet hopper of said
packaging machine in order to feed this latter
with said elongated elements; and storage means
disposed below at least one of said connection
means; this latter comprising an end duct having a substantially horizontal terminal portion communicating at one end with said hopper and provided with an aperture, through which said duct communicates with said storage means, that portion of said duct lying between said hopper and said aperture being defined by reversible conveyor means.
2. A feed device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said feed devices is a so-called "box" feed device, and said storage means comprise a step conveyor and a plurality of boxes arranged to be fed stepwise below said aperture.
3. A system for feeding elongated elements, particularly cigarettes, to a packaging machine, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
4. Apparatus for feeding articles to a hopper which apparatus comprises at least two conduits connected to the hopper through which articles may be suppiied, at least one of the conduits extending substantially horizontally from the hopper and containing a reversible conveyor extending from the hopper to means for storing the articles and communicating with means for supplying articles to the conveyor, whereby the conveyor may be operated in one direction to convey articles from the supply to the hopper and in the reverse direction to convey articles from the hopper to the store.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IT03531/78A IT1108854B (en) | 1978-09-14 | 1978-09-14 | FEEDING SYSTEM FOR ELONGATED ELEMENTS PARTICULARLY CIGARETTES TO A PACKAGING MACHINE |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB2029787A true GB2029787A (en) | 1980-03-26 |
GB2029787B GB2029787B (en) | 1982-09-08 |
Family
ID=11109138
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB7928153A Expired GB2029787B (en) | 1978-09-14 | 1979-08-13 | Conveyor with buffer storage |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
JP (1) | JPS5542593A (en) |
DE (1) | DE2936100A1 (en) |
FR (1) | FR2436076B1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2029787B (en) |
IT (1) | IT1108854B (en) |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4790422A (en) * | 1985-08-09 | 1988-12-13 | Molins Plc | Conveyor system for rod-like articles |
GB2252091A (en) * | 1990-11-02 | 1992-07-29 | Kannegiesser Martin | Process and apparatus for depositing laundry articles. |
US5915522A (en) * | 1996-12-10 | 1999-06-29 | Molins Plc | Conveyor system for rod-like articles |
US6986632B2 (en) * | 2001-10-31 | 2006-01-17 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Method and unit for feeding elongated elements |
WO2017182414A1 (en) | 2016-04-21 | 2017-10-26 | International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. Z O.O. | A reservoir for rod-like elements for tobacco industry |
Families Citing this family (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS50127025A (en) * | 1974-03-22 | 1975-10-06 | ||
DE3013014A1 (en) * | 1980-04-03 | 1981-10-15 | G.D S.p.A., 40100 Bologna | Cigarette prodn. and packaging unit - has conveyor for filling containers from inlet hopper and trolleys carrying sets of containers between stations |
FR2480091A1 (en) * | 1980-04-15 | 1981-10-16 | Gd Spa | Cigarette prodn. and packaging unit - has conveyor for filling containers from inlet hopper and trolleys carrying sets of containers between stations |
US4507040A (en) * | 1981-04-23 | 1985-03-26 | Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. Kg. | Method and apparatus for transporting cigarettes or the like between producing and processing machines |
DE3377396D1 (en) * | 1982-08-04 | 1988-08-25 | Focke & Co | Device for feeding cigarettes or the like to a packaging machine |
JPH01214288A (en) * | 1988-02-19 | 1989-08-28 | Matsushita Electric Works Ltd | Dc brushless motor |
JPH0369368A (en) * | 1989-08-09 | 1991-03-25 | Akiyama Insatsuki Seizo Kk | Plate clamper in sheet-fed press |
JPH04126852U (en) * | 1991-05-13 | 1992-11-18 | 株式会社小森コーポレーシヨン | printing press plate vise device |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB1404141A (en) * | 1971-08-02 | 1975-08-28 | Molins Ltd | Method and apparatus for handling articles eg rodlike articles such as cigarettes |
DE2626157A1 (en) * | 1973-09-27 | 1977-12-22 | Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg | ARRANGEMENT FOR PROMOTING A FLOW OF ROD-SHAPED ARTICLES OF THE TOBACCO PROCESSING INDUSTRY |
DD123292A5 (en) * | 1975-01-29 | 1976-12-12 | ||
US4149545A (en) * | 1977-02-04 | 1979-04-17 | Liggett Group Inc. | Cigarette making and packing system |
-
1978
- 1978-09-14 IT IT03531/78A patent/IT1108854B/en active
-
1979
- 1979-08-13 GB GB7928153A patent/GB2029787B/en not_active Expired
- 1979-08-28 FR FR7921499A patent/FR2436076B1/en not_active Expired
- 1979-08-30 JP JP10979879A patent/JPS5542593A/en active Granted
- 1979-09-06 DE DE19792936100 patent/DE2936100A1/en active Granted
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4790422A (en) * | 1985-08-09 | 1988-12-13 | Molins Plc | Conveyor system for rod-like articles |
GB2252091A (en) * | 1990-11-02 | 1992-07-29 | Kannegiesser Martin | Process and apparatus for depositing laundry articles. |
GB2252091B (en) * | 1990-11-02 | 1994-06-22 | Kannegiesser Martin | Process and apparatus for folding and depositing laundry articles |
US5915522A (en) * | 1996-12-10 | 1999-06-29 | Molins Plc | Conveyor system for rod-like articles |
US6986632B2 (en) * | 2001-10-31 | 2006-01-17 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Method and unit for feeding elongated elements |
WO2017182414A1 (en) | 2016-04-21 | 2017-10-26 | International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. Z O.O. | A reservoir for rod-like elements for tobacco industry |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE2936100A1 (en) | 1980-03-27 |
JPS6253145B2 (en) | 1987-11-09 |
FR2436076B1 (en) | 1985-06-21 |
DE2936100C2 (en) | 1988-11-10 |
IT1108854B (en) | 1985-12-16 |
IT7803531A0 (en) | 1978-09-14 |
JPS5542593A (en) | 1980-03-25 |
GB2029787B (en) | 1982-09-08 |
FR2436076A1 (en) | 1980-04-11 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19980813 |