GB2104858A - Arrangement for conveying a stream of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry transversely of their axes - Google Patents

Abstract

A distribution zone (7) for controlled selective charging of a processing station or an intermediate storage device (3) with cigarettes (31) or like articles of the tobacco- processing industry is provided with pivotal gates (71, 92) which separate relatively moving cigarette streams from each other, in particular prevent rubbing together of cigarettes of a moving cigarette stream and cigarettes of a stationary cigarette stream. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Arrangement for conveying a stream of rodshaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry transversely of their axes The invention relates to an arrangement for conveying a stream of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry transversely of their axes from a machine or a group of machines of a first kind to a machine or a group of machines of a second kind, having a supply conveyor leading into a branch region and discharge conveyors for the articles leading away from the branch region.

The term "rod-shaped articles of the tobaccoprocessing industry" is used herein to include cigarettes, filter rods, filter cigarettes, cigarillos etc.

By machines of a first kind are to be understood e.g. production machines for the aforesaid articles and machines for treating and processing in a preceding processing stage.

Machines of a second kind are further processing machines, as for example packing machines or distributing installations for pneumatic onward conveyance of the articles.

It is an objective of the tobacco-processing industry to connect machines of the first and second kinds in the most direct manner. Thus, for example, the articles produced on a cigarette or filter cigarette machine are transported directly to a downstream packing machine.

In operation of such direct connections performance differences between the machines of the first and second kinds of disturbances or breakdowns in the further processing or production machines may occur so that for example the production machine continuously produces more than its associated packing machine can accept or, in the reverse case, the production machine does not fully utilise the packing machine.

In order to avoid stopping the affected machine in these cases intermediate members in the form of storage devices are used which in association with the appropriate conveying means either ensure as direct as possible a passage of most of the articles while the machines are working properly, or, alternatively, periodically receive articles during the aforementioned disturbances and store them for subsequent re-entry into the direct conveying stream.

The greater the volume differences between the articles discharged per unit time from the branch region on the one hand directly to the further processing machine and on the other hand to the storage device, i.e. the greater the relative speed between the two conveying streams, the more severe or prolonged is the stress or damage caused to the articles of the more slowly travelling article stream by the adjacent articles of the more rapidly travelling stream moving therepast. In the extreme case these are the same adjacent articles in a stationary article stream, namely when 100% of all the articles supplied are discharged by a single discharge conveyor from the branch region and the adjacent article rods of the second discharge conveyor are stationary.

This frictional contact between articles of article streams that are moved relative to each other is known by persons skilled in the art as "rubbing" (German Rubbeln) and the critical zone in which this rubbing takes place is called the "rubbing zone" (German Rubbelzone).

The object of the invention is to provide in a branch region for dividing article streams means whereby the so-called rubbing zone is removed and a distribution or discharge from the branch region which protects the articles is ensured.

According to the invention this object is achieved in that at least one conveyor can be blocked with respect to the branch region by means of a flap pivotal by drive means.

Preferably the branch region is provided within a conveying section of the conveying arrangement connecting a production machine to a further processing machine, whereby two discharge conveyors leading away from the branch region are provided whereof the first discharge conveyor is directly connected to the further processing machine and the second discharge conveyor associated with the pivotal flap is connected to an intermediate storage device which is preferably a tray filling station.

In order to avoid rupturing the article stream to the machines of the second kind requiring articles, e.g. a packing machine, an advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the flap is pivotal into the closed or open position in dependence upon a sensing element sensing the filling condition of the branch zone, whereby the sensing element is preferably constructed as a level sensor for establishing the filling condition of the branch region.

In order additionally to cope with the operating condition in which the further processing machine stops or no longer requires or is no longer capable of receiving articles such that 100% of the articles must be received by the second discharge conveyor, an embodiment of the invention provides that a pivotal closure gate or flap is also provided between the branch zone and the first discharge conveyor.

In order to prevent articles being trapped between the rear side of the flap and the discharge conveyors during operation of the flaps, particularly during opening of the flaps, in accordance with a further proposal the free end of the flap which is directed downstream as considered in the conveying direction of the discharge conveyor is provided with a deflector wall which is arched along the pivot radius of the flap.

An even article stream on division out of the branch region is ensured according to an advantageous embodiment in that the discharge conveyor connecting the branch region with a magazine in the intermediate storage device is constructed as a substantially horizontally disposed intermediate conveyor, whereby the intermediate conveyor constructed as a conveyor belt is preferably connected to the branch region by way of an inclined chute.

According to a further proposal the inlet end of the chute is directly adjacent the deflector wall of the pivotal flap.

In order to produce and maintain optimal conditions in the branch region it is further proposed that the flap is provided with sensing means for actuating or deactuating its drive means on reaching an intermediate position of the flap.

The advantage of the invention is that two article streams, in particular a travelling article stream and a stationary article stream, are completely separated from each other or are completely blocked with respect to each other so that they no longer rub past each other and are thereby handled in a protective manner.

The invention will now be further described by reference to an embodiment illustrated in the drawing in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a typical machine combination; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of the installation in the branch region contained in the circle II in Fig. 1; Figures 3a and 3b are a cross-section divided along line x--y of drive means of the conveying means shown in Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a cross-section of the drive means of a flap according to the invention; and Figure 5 is a control circuit of the entire machine combination shown in Fig. 1.

In the machine combination illustrated in Fig. 1 cigarette streams illustrated by arrows are moved between the individual machine units which consist of a machine of the first kind in the form of a production machine constructed as a filter attachment machine 1, a machine of the second kind in the form of a processing machine constructed as a packing machine 2, an intermediate storage device in the form of a tray filling station 3, and a tray emptying station 4.

The illustrated cigarette streams consist of a single-layer cigarette stream 6 leaving the filter attachment machine 1 and converted in a branch region 7 into a mass stream 8, a cigarette stream 9 which runs via a belt conveyor 11 and a belt pair 12 directly into a magazine 13 of the packing machine 2, a cigarette stream 14 which is conducted via an intermediate conveyor 1 6 comprising two conveying belts into a magazine 1 7 of the tray filling station 3 for filling into trays 18, and a cigarette stream 1 9 which is conducted via a conveying belt 21 from the tray emptying station 4 into the direct cigarette stream 9.An arrow 22 indicates that a filled tray 1 8 is fed directly to the tray emptying station 4, while an arrow 23 indicates that alternatively an empty tray 18 is conducted to a predetermined storage location for later use.

Respective drive motors 24, 26 are provided for driving the belt pair 12 and the belt conveyor 21. Further details of the conveying, drive and monitoring elements provided in the region of the branch zone 7 are described below by reference to Figs. 2 to 4.

The filter attachment machine 1 is provided with a discharge drum 27 in whose grooves 29, which according to Figure 3a are acted upon by suction air through suction bores 28, lie filter cigarettes 31. After discharge from the grooves 29 and filter cigarettes 31 form the single layer cigarette stream 6 which is conducted between two belt runs 32 and 33 into the distribution zone 7 for forming the mass stream 8.The belt runs 32 and 33 are guided around guide and drive rollers 34, 36 and 37, 38, whereby the drive for the upper belt run 32 derived from the main drive of the filter attachment machine 1 is illustrated in Fig. 3a. For this purpose the discharge drum 27 has a drive shaft 39 which carries a drive gear wheei 41 which via a toothed belt 42 engages a drive pinion 44 mounted on a shaft 43 of the drive roller 37 of the upper belt run 32. The lower belt run 33 is driven in like manner not shown.

The first discharge conveyor in the shape of the belt conveyor 11 leading away from the distribution zone 7 likewise has a drive which is derived in manner not shown from the main drive of the filter attachment machine 1 and which can be engaged or disengaged by a transport clutch 46. The intermediate conveyor 1 6 forming the second discharge conveyor, which is connected to the branch zone 7 by an inclined chute 47, comprises an upper and a lower transport belt 48, 49 which according to Figs. 2 and 3b are equipped with the following different drive means. For driving the intermediate conveyor 16 there is provided a first drive in the form of a controllable D.C. motor 51 whereof drive gear 52 is operatively connected by way of a toothed belt 53 and a free wheel 54 to a drive shaft 56 of a drive roller 57 of the transport belt 59.For synchronous drive of a drive roller 58 of the upper transport belt 48 the drive shaft 59 of the latter carries a drive pinion 61 which cooperates via spur gears 62 and 63 with a drive pinion 64 mounted on the drive shaft 56 of the drive roller 57.

The second drive means of the intermediate conveyor 1 6 is derived from the main drive of the filter attachment machine 1 for which purpose its drive shaft 39 carries a further drive gear 66 which, via a toothed belt 67, is in driving connection with a gear 68 mounted loosely on the drive shaft 56 of the lower transport belt 49.

The driving connection between the gear 68 and the drive roller 57 is made by an electromagnetic clutch 69 mounted on the drive shaft 56.

The distribution zone 7 can be shut off with respect to the intermediate conveyor 1 6 by a pivotal gate 71. The gate 71 is provided at its free end with a deflector wall 72 which is arched along its pivot radius and sweeps over the opening of the inclined chute 47 during pivotal movement thereof. According to Figure 4, the drive for pivoting the gate 71 is a servo motor 73 the drive pinion 74 of which cooperates via a toothed belt 76 with a pinion 78 mounted on a drive shaft 77. The drive shaft 77 carries a cam disc 79 which loads a control roller 81 which is mounted on a spring-loaded control lever 83 attached to the gate shaft 82.Apart from the closed position shown in full line in Fig. 2 the gate 71 can assume a half-open intermediate position illustrated in dotted line at 71' and the fully open position 71" also illustrated in dotted line. These positions are defined for control purposes by three microswitches 84, 86, 87 which are operated by three control cams 88, 89, 91 arranged in offset relationship to each other on the drive shaft 77.

In addition the distribution zone 7 can also be closed off with respect to the belt conveyor 11 by means of a closure gate 92 which is also provided with a deflector wall 93 and which is adjustable by a servo motor 94 in a manner not further illustrated using the same means as in Fig. 4, although in the present embodiment only into the closed and the open positions although intermediate positions can also be provided if required.

In addition, for the purpose of registering its filling condition, the distributor zone 7 is provided with a level sensor 96 lying on the mass stream 8 and secured to a pivotal shaft 97 at the opposite end of which is mounted a spring-loaded cam lever 98 which cooperates with two proximity initiators 99 and 101 for controlling the gate 71 or the belt conveyor 11 , whereby the proximity switches 99 and 101 and the microswitches 88, 89, 91 are integrated in the control circuit of Fig.

5 described below for controlling the overall arrangement.

According to Fig. 5 the magazine 13 of the packing machine 2 is fitted with three signal transmitters illustrated as photocells 102-104 which for the purpose of controlling the cigarette level in the magazine 13 are connected to a control circuit 106 for controlling the tray emptying station 4 and to a control circuit 107 for controlling the tray filling station 3. Apart from the previously mentioned proximity initiators 99 and 101 of the level sensor 96 and the microswitches 88, 89, 91 for controlling the gate 71 the control circuit has two further microswitches 108 and 109 for controlling the shut-off gate 92.Also associated with the control circuit are a main switch 111 for starting the entire machine combination, a switch 112 for starting the tray emptying station 4, a store in the form of a flipflop element 11 3 with a set input a, a reset input b and an output c, eight AND-gates 114-121, six AND-gates 122-127 with an inverted input, two OR-gates 128 and 129 and ten amplifiers 1 31 for amplifying the output signals emitted by any of the aforesaid elements. The said elements are connected with each other and with the other illustrated drive elements described above in the way illustrated in Fig. 5.

The mode of operation of the control circuit for operating the machine coupling will now be described in detail.

When starting the entire machine coupling by actuating the main switch 111 and the switch 112 for the tray emptying station 4 it is assumed that the cigarette level in the magazine 13 of the packing machine 2 just covers the lower photocell 104 so that this transmits an output signal to the set input a of the store 113 which is thereby set so that a signal appears at its output c. The signals of the main switch 111, the switch 112 and the switch 11 3 thus appear at the AND-gate 114 the output signal of which via the amplifier 131 starts the drive motor 24 for driving the belt pair 12.If the branch zone 7 is not sufficiently full of cigarettes, so that the level sensor 96 is in its depressed lower position in which it is consequently not opposite the proximity initiator 101 so that this does not emit an output signal, there will first of all be no output signal of the AND-gate 11 7 and thus the belt conveyor 11 from the distribution zone 7 to the packing machine 2 will not be started. The missing output signal of the proximity initiator 101 is reversed by inverting one of the inputs of the AND-gate 122 so that this produces an output signal. The output signal of the AND-gate 122 starts the drive motor 26 of the conveyor belt 21 at full load so that the packing machine 2 is provided 100% with cigarettes from the tray emptying station 4.At the same time the branch zone 7 is continuously filled by the single layer cigarette stream 6 from the filter attachment machine 1 so that the level sensor 96 is raised and thus the proximity initiator 101 is activated. The output signal thereof is inverted at the input of the AND-gate 122 so that its output signal disappears. This has the result that as the input to the AND-gate 123 which is connected to the output of the AND-gate 122 is inverted, the AND-gate 123 emits an output signal which switches the drive motor 26 of the conveyor belt 21 to reduced power at which only 20% of all the cigarettes required by the packing machine 2 are supplied from the tray emptying station 4.The remaining 80% of the required cigarettes are supplied directly by the filter attachment machine 1 in the cigarette stream 9 in that AND-gate 11 7 supplied with the output signals of the proximity initiator 101 and the AND-gate 114 emits an output signal for starting the belt conveyor 11 by activating the transport clutch 46.

As a result of charging the magazine 13 of the packing machine 2 in the aforedescribed manner the level slowly rises and finally reaches the middle photocell 103 whereby the entire control is adapted to long-term stabilisation of the cigarette level in this central region between the photocells 103 and 104 of the magazine 13. In this operating condition, in order to avoid damaging of cigarettes by so-called rubbing in the region of the distribution zone 7 between the cigarettes of the moving cigarette stream 8, 9 and the cigarettes of the stationary cigarette stream 14 in the chute 47, the gate 71 is held in the closed position shown in full line.As soon as the cigarette level leaves the region between the two photocells 103 and 104 and reaches or oversteps the central photocell 103 so that this likewise emits a signal to the AND-gate 11 5 the output signal thereof is again transmitted to the ANDgate 11 6. The three input signals from the ANDgates 114 and 11 5 and the proximity initiator 101 produce at the AND-gate 116 an output signal which starts the D.C. motor 51 for operating the transport belts 48 and 49 of the intermediate conveyor 16. The D.C. motor 51 is adjusted, for example with the aid of a potentiometer, to a power output with which 20% of the cigarettes supplied to the distributor zone 7 are conveyed by the intermediate conveyor 1 6 to the tray filling station 3.For this to be possible the path to the intermediate conveyor 1 6 must naturally be at least partially cleared by the gate 71. This is achieved in that the AND-gate 118 receives not only the signal of the proximity initiator 99 associated with the gate control and likewise activated by the raised level sensor 96 but also the output signal of the AND-gate 11 5 so that a signal appears at its output which again activates the OR-ga.e 128. The output signal of the OR-gate 1 28 is t, ansmitted so the subsequent AND-gate 11 9 the other input of whIch likewise receives a signal from the closed microswitch 88.

In this way the AND-gate 11 9 transmits an output signal which forms an input signal for the OR-gate 129 whereof the output signal-amplified by the amplifier 1 3''-starts the servo motor 73 for actuating the gate 71. Initially the servo motor 73 moves the gate 71 into the half-open intermediate position 71' in which the microswitck 84 is acted upon by the cams 88 according to Fig. 4 so that the output signal of the microswitch 84 which is the Input signal of the AND-gate 119 disappears and the servo motor 73 is stopped.If as a result of discharge of cigarettes by the intermediate conveyor 1 6 the level sinks in the distributor zone 7 the signal of the proximity initiator 99 also disappears se that the gate 71 remains in the intermediate position 71'. On the other hand if the level in the branch zone does not sink or soon climbs back to the original height a signal of the proximity initiator 99 continues to be emitted whereby the output signal of the OR-gate 1 28 now together with the signal of the second microswitch 86 acts upon the AND-gate 120. The output signal thereof acts on the corresponding input of the OR-gate 129 whereoF the output signal continues to actuate or reactuates the servo motor 73.The gate 71 is thus moved into the open position 71".

If the output of the packing machine 2 is insufficient to maintain the cigarette level with the aforedescribed charging method in the region between the two photocells 102 and 103, so that the level continues to increase and finally the first photocell 102 is covered or the magazine 13 threatens to overflow appropriate measures must be taken. This occurs by a signal transmission of the photocell 102 which cancels the store 113 so that the output signal thereof disappears. Thus no further cigarettes are demanded by the packing machine 2.Because of the disappearance of the corresponding input signals at the two AND-gates 114 and 11 5 the output signals thereof also disappear so that the drive motor 24 of the belt pair 12 is stopped and simultaneously as a result of the disappearance of the output signal of the AND-gate 123 the drive motor 26 of the conveyor belt 21 removing the cigarette stream 19 from the tray emptying station 4 is switched off. In addition the output signal of the AND-gate 11 7 disappears so that the transport clutch 46 of the belt conveyor 11 is disengaged. Furthermore the AND-gate 11 6 ceases to emit an output signal so that the D.C. motor 51 previously operating at 20% power output is stopped.In its place the drive derived directly from the filter attachment machine 1 takes over at full capacity of 100% the discharge of the entire mass stream supplied to the distribution zone 7. For this purpose the ANDgate 124 is acted upon by the input signal of the proximity initiator 101 and as a result of inversion of the disappeared output signal of the AND-gate 114 with a corresponding input signal so that the AND-gate 124 emits an output signal which activates the electro-magnetic clutch 69. A force transmittIng connection is thus established between the drive gear 66 and the drive shaft 56 of the intermediate conveyor 16.

The gate 71 continues to be held in the fully open position in that the AND-gate 125 is now acted upon by the inverted disappeared signal of the AND-gate 114 and by the signal of the proximity initiator 99, so that the output signal of the AND-gate 125 appears at the OR-gate 128 and the output signal thereof holds the gate 71 in the fully open position 71" in the manner previously described. In this way the entire cigarette stream is transferred via the inclined chute 47 and the horizontal intermediate conveyor 1 6 into the magazine 1 7 of the tray filling station 3 at which in known manner not further illustrated successive cigarette trays 1 8 are moved downwardly by a respective controlled drive on the magazine 1 7 and thereby continuously filled.

In order to avoid cigarettes of the now stationary cigarette stream 9 on the stationary belt conveyor 11 and cigarettes of the cigarette stream 14 100% of which are discharged downwardly through the intermediate conveyor 1 6 from rubbing against each other and being damaged the shut-off gate 92 is closed i.e. moved upwardly into the closed position. This is achieved in that by inversion of the missing output signal of the AND-gate 114 one input signal and from the microswitch 108 a further input signal are present at the AND-gate 127. The output signal so appearing at the AND-gate 127 activates the servo motor 94 for moving the shutoff gate 92 into the closed position 92'. On reaching this closed position the signal of the microswitch 108 disappears exactly as with the previously described microswitches by means of respective actuation with a cam whereby the servo motor 94 is switched off. On reaching another operating condition the opening of the shut-off gate 92 takes place in the same way by the AND-gate 1 21 and the associated microswitch 109 for limiting the open position. The operating condition of the machine coupling characterised by a full magazine 13 with a cigarette level above the photocell 102 is maintained for as long as the cigarette level in the magazine 1 3 of the packing machine 2 has again sunk below the first photocell 104 in order to avoid unnecessary disturbance in the conveying system.

Claims (13)

Claims

1. Apparatus for conveying a stream of rodshaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry transversely of their axes from a machine or a group of machines of a first kind to a machine or a group of machines of a second kind as herein defined, having a supply conveyor leading into a distribution zone and discharge conveyors for the articles leading away from the distribution zone, wherein at least one discharge conveyor can be blocked with respect to the distribution zone by means of a gate pivotal by a drive means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distribution zone is provided within a conveying section of the conveying installation connecting a production machine with a processing machine.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two discharge conveyors are provided leading away from the distribution zone, whereof the first discharge conveyor is connected directly to the further processing machine and the second discharge conveyor operatively associated with the pivotal gate is connected to an intermediate storage device.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate storage device is a tray filling station.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gate is pivotal into the closed or open position in dependence upon a sensing element monitoring the filling condition of the distributor zone.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sensing element is constructed as a sensor for establishing the filling condition of the distributor zone.

7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein between the distributor zone and the first discharge conveyor there is provided a pivotal closure gate.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the free end of the gate which is downstream in each case as considered in the conveying direction of the discharge conveyor is provided with a deflector wall arched along the pivot radius of the gate.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the discharge conveyor connecting the distributor zone with a magazine of the intermediate storage device is constructed as a substantially horizontally disposed intermediate conveyor.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the intermediate conveyor constructed as a belt conveyor is connected by way of an inclined chute with the distributor zone.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the inlet end of the chute is directly adjacent the deflector wall of the pivotal gate.

12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the gate is provided with monitoring means for activating or deactivating its drive means on reaching an intermediate position of the gate.

13. Apparatus for conveying a stream of rodshaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry transversely of their axes, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.