GB2157665A - Method and apparatus for forming multi-layer blocks of rod-like articles of the tobacco-processing industry - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to increase the performance of packing machines of the tobacco processing industry, cigarettes (4) in the form of partial groups (19,21) are removed in continuous sequence from a double magazine on two paths by coaxially arranged double drum bodies (12,12'), staggered by increasing their spacing on drums (13,13') and pushed together axially on drums (14,14') into one row to form article groups (8,9,11) forming individual layers of an article block (6) deposited in a block conveyor (7) for forwarding to a packing machine <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and apparatus for forming multi-layer blocks of rod-like articles of the tobacco-processing industry The invention relates to a method for forming multi-layer blocks containing a predetermined numer of rod-like articles of the tobacco-processing industry to be packaged, whereby the articles, for example cigarettes, are removed in continuous sequence from a store and are laid in superimposed layers of individual groups each containing a predetermined number of articles.

This invention also relates to an apparatus for forming multi-layer blocks containing a predetermined number of rod-like articles of the tobaccoprocessing industry to be packaged, with a magazine device for the articles, continuously travelling endless conveying means for removing the articles and forming groups of articles and for piling article groups in layers and discharging article groups in the form of article blocks.

Methods and apparatus of the above mentioned type have increasing significance for direct connections of cigarette-production machines or filter attachment machines to cigarette packing machines, in that in the formation of the cigarette blocks to be packed, consisting of several cigarette groups laid one on another in layers, production bottlenecks may occur, which prevent the setting-up of the desired production equilibrium between the connected machines.

In the development of packing machines operating at a higher speed, the formation of a block is preferred, in which in place of the hitherto conventional conveying means operating intermittently, for example in the form of plungers, continuously operating conveying means are used, for example according to a device disclosed in British Patent Specification 2 098 971. However, even with a device of this type, if the production speeds increase further, a bottle-neck again occurs in the removal of articles from the supply of articles. It has been shown that at even higher removal speeds, the removal drums are incompletely filled or grooves remain empty or articles may even be damaged.

The object of the invention is to ensure by suitable measures regarding method and apparatus that even with further increasing production speeds of the machines producing cigarettes, the higher cigarette output can be handled on a single one-track packing machine or packing can be carried out whilst maintaining the production equilibrium.

The object is achieved according to the invention due to the fact that the articles for each article group to be formed are removed from the store along two paths in the form of at least two partial groups, that the spacing of the articles within the partial groups in staggered formation is increased and that by pushing together the articles of both partial groups, the article groups laid subsequently one on another in layers are formed.

Appropriately the articles of the partial groups are already removed from the store in staggered formation so that the individual articles of the partial groups lie opposite each other staggered by approximately half the diameter of one article.

In order to be able to push the articles of both partial groups together in a trouble free manner to form one article group, it is also proposed that the spacing of the articles is increased to somewhat more than the diameter of one article. For example in order to assemble blocks of articles from article groups with 7, 6 and 7 articles, it is also proposed that for forming article groups with an odd number of articles, on both paths partial groups with an even and odd number respectively more or fewer articles correspond to each other in alternating sequence In this respect it is also provided that for forming article groups with an even number of articles on both paths, partial groups with the same number of articles respectively correspond to each other.

The apparatus for carrying out the aforedescribed method is characterised by a double magazine, with which two coaxially arranged counting drum bodies for removing partial groups of articles are associated, for each layer of articles of a multilayer article block to be formed, that the counting drum bodies are followed by two coaxially arranged acceleration drum bodies for increasing the spacing between the articles of the partial groups conveyed in staggered formation and the acceleration drum bodies are followed by pushing drum bodies for pushing together the articles of the partial groups to form article groups forming the layers of the article block.

Appropriately the counting and acceleration drum bodies as well as the pushing drum bodies provided in pairs are provided with staggered retaining grooves for the articles. This staggering of the retaining grooves serving for the staggering of the articles can be implemented within the scope of the invention on a single counting drum, acceleration drum or pushing drum each comprises two separate rows of grooves (two drum bodies). However, particular advantages with regard to production result if the said drums - likewise within the scope of the invention - each consist of two separate, identical drum bodies located on one axis and for the purpose of staggering of the grooves are rotated relative to each other by the appropriate amount on the common axis.According to one advantageous development, it is provided that on the pairs of counting and acceleration drum bodies as well as pushing drum bodies serving for the formation of article groups with an odd number of articles, groups of grooves with an even and odd number of retaining grooves lie opposite each other or succeed each other alternately.

It is proposed that on the pairs of counting and acceleration drum bodies as well as pushing drum bodies serving for the formation of article groups with an even number of articles, groups of grooves with the same number of retaining grooves lie opposite each other, In this way it is possible to form in continuous sequence article blocks from three article groups for example each with 7, 6 and 7 articles.

For the formation of article blocks of this type with three layers, according to the proposal three counting drum bodies, acceleration drum bodies and pushing drum bodies arranged one above the other in pairs and succeeding each other in the conveying direction are provided between the double magazine and the block conveyor.

The advantage achieved by the invention consists in that at a relatively low speed for the removal of articles from the store, which certainly lies below the critical limit speed, it is possible to place a higher output of articles in a manner which treats the articles with care, on a single path.

The invention is described hereafter with reference to embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which: Figure 1 a perspective view of a block-forming apparatus according to the invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the block-forming apparatus in the region of the magazine and Figure 3 shows the sequence of movements for forming an article group from an odd number of articles.

The block-forming apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a double magazine 1 according to Figure 2, whereof the article stores 2 separte from each other by a dividing wall (not shown) are represented by the stacks 3, 3' separated from each other and shown in cut away view in Figure 1. The individual articles of the article store 2 consist in the present case according to Figure 3 of filter cigarettes 4. The apparatus illustrated is set up for forming article blocks or cigarette blocks 6 with three layers, which are received by an endlessly rotating block conveyor 7 and whereof the two outer article groups or cigarette groups 8, 9 each consist of 7 filter cigarettes 4 and whereof the central cigarette group 11 inserted in a straddling position consists of 6 filter cigarettes.

Provided for forming each of these layers or cigarette groups 8, 9, 11 between the double magazine 1 and the block conveyor 7 are three pairs of coaxially arranged or two-path drum bodies, located vertically one above the other. These drum bodies are composed of counting drum bodies 12, 12' directly limiting the outlet of the double magazine 1, for removing the filter cigarettes, of acceleration drum bodies 13, 13' located there below and of pushing drum bodies 14, 14' facing the block conveyor 7, The counting, acceleration and pushing drum bodies 12 to 14, 12' to 14' serving for forming the outer article groups 8 and 9 each containing 7 cigarettes are provided alternately with three or four retaining grooves 16 for receiving the filter cigarettes 4, in a configuration distributed uniformly over the periphery, in which case three retaining grooves of a front drum body 12 to 14 correspond to four retaining grooves of a rear drum body 12' to 14' and vice versa. In the drum bodies serving to form the central layer or article group 11 of an article block 6 containing 6 cigarettes, both the front as well as the rear counting, acceleration and pushing drum bodies 12 to 14 respectively 12' to 14' are each provided with successive groups of three retaining grooves 16.

The retaining grooves 16 of all the pairs of drum bodies which do not align with each other are staggered with respect to each other by relative rotation of the front and rear drum bodies, in which case the stagger between the grooves of the counting drum bodies 12, 12' amounts to approximately half the diameter of a groove and the stagger of the retaining grooves of the acceleration and pushing drum bodies amounts to somewhat more than the diameter of one groove.

During the operation of the block-forming apparatus, filter cigarettes 4 are removed continuously or in continuous sequence from the article store 2 of the double magazine 1, from the stacks 3, 3' in two paths and in synchronism by the front and rear counting drum bodies 12, 12'. In this case, filling of the retaining grooves 16 of the counting drum bodies 12, 12' rotating in the direction of arrow 17 is assisted in manner known per se by so called filling belts 18. In this way, according to Figure 3a, on the front path of the counting drum body 12 and the rear path of the counting drum body 12' partial groups 19, 21 each with 3 or 4 filter cigarettes 4 staggered with respect to each other by half the diameter of an article are formed for the two outer article layers or article groups 8, 9 of an article block 6.For the formation of the central article layer or article group 11, both partial groups 19 and 21 are each composed solely of 3 filter cigarettes 4. The partial groups 19 and 21 formed in this way are then transferred to the acceleration drums 13. 13', where in manner known per se (for example according to US PS 4 003 277) the filter cigarettes of the partial groups 19, 21 according to Figure 3b are drawn apart by acceleration, due to which their spacing is increased, in the present case to somewhat more than the diameter of a cigarette. Thus the cigarettes of the partial groups lie opposite each other in a staggered manner and are transferred in this formation to the pushing drum bodies 14, 14', which may be constructed for example according to British PS 1124 470. On the puching drum bodies 14, 14', the filter cigarettes 4 of the two partial groups 19 and 21 according to Figure 3c are respectively pushed together to form a single, one-row article group 8 or 9 or 11 each forming a layer of the article block, so that successive article groups have 7, 6 and 7 filter cigarettes 4. With respect to the conveying direction (arrow 22) of the block conveyor 7, the first or lowest article group 8 is transferred by the first pushing drum body 14, 14' arranged upstream into a corresponding recess of the block conveyor 7. On this first layer or article group 8, the central article group 11 with 6 filter cigarettes 4 is deposited and on the latter the third layer or article group 9 again with 7 filter cigarettes 4 is deposited by the pushing drum bodies 14. 14' following in the downstream direction.

Claims (12)

1. A method of forming multi-layer blocks containing a predetermined number of rod-like articles of the tobacco- processing industry to be pack aged, wherein the articles are removed in continuous sequence from a store and laid one above the other in layers in the form of individual groups each containing a predetermined number of articles, characterised in that for each group of articles to be formed, the articles are removed from the store along two paths in the form of at least two partial groups, that the spacing of the articles within the partial groups in staggered formation is increased and that by pushing together the articles of both partial groups, the article groups subsequently laid one on another in layers are formed.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the articles of the partial groups are removed from the store in a staggered formation with respect to each other.

3. Method according to claim 1 and/or 2, characterised in that the spacing of the articles is increased to somewhat more than the diameter of one article.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that for the formation of article groups with an odd number of articles, on both paths partial groups with an even and odd number respectively more or fewer articles correspond to each other in alternating sequence.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that for the formation of article groups with an even number of articles, on both paths partial groups with the same number of articles correspond to each other.

6. Apparatus for forming multi-layer blocks containing a predetermined number of rod-like articles of the tobacco- processing industry to be packaged, comprising a magazine device for the articles, continuously travelling endless conveying means for removing and forming groups of articles and for stacking groups of articles in layers and discharging groups of articles in the form of article blocks, a double magazine with which are associated two counting drum bodies arranged coaxially for removing partial groups of articles for each layer of articles of a multi-layer article block to be formed, two coaxially arranged acceleration drum bodies for increasing the spacing between the articles of the partial groups conveyed in a staggered formation and pushing drum bodies for pushing together the articles of the partial groups to form article groups forming layers of the article block.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the counting and acceleration drum bodies and pushing drum bodies provided in pairs are provided with retaining grooves which are offset with respect to each other for the articles.

8. Aparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein on the pairs of counting and acceleration drum bodies and pushing drum bodies serving for forming article groups with an odd number of articles, groups of grooves with an even and odd number of retaining grooves lie opposite each other or succeed each other alternatively.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein on the pairs of counting and acceleration drum bodies and pushing drum bodies serving for forming article groups with an even number of articles, groups of grooves with the same number of retaining grooves lie respectively opposite each other.

10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein three counting drum bodies acceleration drum bodies and pushing drum bodies arranged one above the other in pairs and succeeding each other in the conveying direction are provided for the formation of three-layer article blocks between the double magazine and the block conveyor.

11. A method of forming multi-layer blocks containing a predetermined number of rod-like articles of the tobacco- processing industry to be packaged.

12. Apparatus for forming multi-layer blocks containing a predetermined number of rod-like articles of the tobacco-processing industry to be packaged.