22 17697" 1 Device for the formation of cigarettes into groups, in a
cigarette packaging machine 1 The present invention relates to a device for the formation of cigarettes into groups, in a cigarette packaging machine. More exactly, the invention relates to a device for arranging single cigarettes into groups, each of which constituting the contents of one packet. In conventional cigarette packaging machines, use is made of a feeder chute to supply cigarettes to a wrapping line; the cigarettes are dispensed from the bottom end of the chute to an intermittently driven conveyor, on which they are formed into groups. The conveyor may follow a rectilinear or a curved path, and is provided with a plurality of formers which, with the conveyor in motion, are taken through a load station located alongside the bottom of the chute, where they receive cigarettes dispensed from the chute in successive layers. In particular, the most common type of chute has three distinct outlets, each partitioned into a plurality of channels corresponding in number to 2 the number of cigarettes constituting the single layers. Three pushing elements located beneath theoutlets are actuated simultaneously at each pause in the motion of the conveyor, in such a way as-to displace three respective layers of cigarettes.from the chute outlets and transfer them into the former opposite. The three pushing elements are positioned at progressively raised levels in relation to the path of movement of the conveyor, such that during each pause of the conveyor, a bottom layer first, then a middle laver, and a top layer, respectively, are transferred into three corresponding formers; thus, with each indexed step of the conveyor, a group of cigarett-es comprising three stacked layers emerges down-line -of the load station in readiness for packaging. In an attempt to speed up the formation of groups of cigarettes by this method, an improvement has already been disclosed by the same applicant that consists in embodying the uppermost surface of the pushing elements with a plurality of longitudinal flutes, ranged side by side and serving each to accommodate a relative cigarette from the chute above. With this improvement, each time a layer of cigarettes is loaded into a former, the cigarettes 1.
r 1 3 contained in the chute, and in particular those at the bottom of the chute, can descend during the return travel of the three pushing elements without waiting for their full retraction, and settle in the relative flutes. Thus, the cigarettes destined to form the layers transferred to the formers in the next machine cycle are able to accomplish a part of their descent in advance, during the return stroke of the pushing elements. However, notwithstanding devices incorporating the expedient in question have been steadily improved from the construction standpoint, it has been found that mere adoption of the expedient per se does not enable the operating speed of cigarette packaging machines to be raised beyond a certain limit; such machines are capable in any event of turning out 500 packets and more per minute. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for the formation of cigarettes into groups in a cigarette packaging machine, which is capable of forming groups at higher speed than possible currently with conventional devices. The device disclosed for forming cigarettes into groups in a cigarette packaging machine comprises a cigarette feeder chute, a conveyor, of which the 4 surface uppermost affords a plurality of uniformly distributed formers designed to receive a number of stacked cigarettes drawn and transferred from the chute in layers, pushing means by which the layers are removed from the chute, and means positioned beneath the chute for the support of the layers, and is characterized in that it comprises drive means for operation of the pushing means, by which the pushing means are invested with substantially horizontal movement on two different levels: on an upper level when effecting removal of the lavers of cigarettes from the chute, and on a lower level when returning in readiness to effect the removal of successive layers. The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: fig 1 is the schematic representation of a device according to the invention for the formation of cigarettes into groups, viewed partly in section; fig 2 is the schematic representation, seen partly in section, of an alternative embodiment -of the device in fig 1; fig 3 illustrates a detai section.
of figs 1 and 2 in cross 4 1? In the drawings, fig 1 illustrates the infeed stage of a cigarette packaging machine 1. The infeed stage comprises a device 2 for the formation of cigarettes into groups, comprising a feede r chute 3 the bottom end of which is embodied with three downwardly tapering outlets 4 (of which one only is visible in fig 1), each incorporating. internal partitions (not illustrated) that serve to divide the encompassed space into a plurality of channels 5 (one only of which is visible). 6 denotes the loose cigarettes, which descend under their own weight internally of each channel 5, in a column, shifting in a direction transverse to their own axes. On emerging from the outlet 4, the bottom cigarette 6 of each column enters into contact with support means consisting in a plate 7 positioned beneath the chute and separated from the outlet 4 by a distance marginally greater than the diameter of one cigarette 6; thus, one has three plates 7 on each one of which a layer 8 of cigarettes is formed (one layer only is visible in fig 1), positioned at a level below the bottom end of the outlet 4 and occupying the space that separates the plate from the bottom end of the outlet 4. The three plates 7 are positioned below their relative outlets 4 an 6 staggered levels, differing in height one from the next by a vertical distance substantially equal to the diameter of one cigarette 6. 9 denotes a conveyor belt, positioned with its top branch running alongside the plates 7, which is driven intermittently by means not illustrated and carries a plurality of formers 10 distributed uniformly along its length (one such former only is visible in fig 1). The single former 10 is positioned transversely to the direcion of movement of the conveyor 9, with its open entry end offered to the plates 7 and the end opposite riding substantially flush against a stationary fence 11 extending parallel with the direction of movement of the conveyor 9. The former 10 is indexed by the conveyor 9, pausing alongside each of the three plates 7 to receive the three layers 8 of cigarettes 6 in succession, in such a way that the layers accumulate one on top of the other inside the former 10 to create a group (not illustrated) that constitutes the contents of one packet (not illustrated). The transfer of each layer 8 of cigarettes 6 into the former 10 is effected by means of a relative pushing element, or finger 12, attached rigidly by 4 Z 7 way of a substantially vertical web 13 to a push rod 14 disposed with its axis parallel to-the axes of the cigarettes 6 lying in the chute 3; when at rest, the finger 12 occupies a retracted position at the side of the feeder chute 3 farthest from the conveyor 9. The single push rod 14 connects by way of a link rod 15 with the top member 16 of a substantially vertical double-ended lever 17 carried pivotably by a shaft 18 rigidly associated with the packaging machine 1; the end of the bottom member 19 of the lever 17 carries a pair of rollers 20 in engagement with a cam 21 rotated by a shaft 22 lying parallel with the push rod 14. The push rod 14 is supported horizontally and slidably by a bush 2-3,, the bush in its turn being capable of sliding movement along a vertical shaft 24 rigidly associated with the frame of the packaging machine 1, and provided with two freely revolving rollers 25 in engagement with a cam 26 carried and rotated by a vertical shaft 27 connected rotatably to the shaft 22 first mentioned by way of a bevel gear pair 28. The various components denoted 21, 17, 15, 26 and 23 together constitute drive means for operation of the fingers 12 and plates 7, and are referred to 8 collectively as such elsewhere herein. Each time layers 8 of cigarettes 6 are removed from the chute 3 during operation, the relative pushing fingers 12 are stroked through a horizontal path by the action of the respective cams 21 on the push rods 14; more exactly, each finger 12 moves from the retracted position toward an extended position in which it lies alongside the conveyor 9 occupying the space between the bottom end of the relative outlet 4 and the corresponding plate 7. It will be observed from fig 3 that each plate 7 presents a substantially central lengthwise gap 29, disposed-parallel to the cigarettes 6, affording passage to the web 13 of the relative finger 12 during the transfer and return strokes. The action of the cam denoted 26 is such that the return stroke of the finger 12 occurs beneath the relative plate 7, following a trajectory phown in phantom line and denoted 30 in fig 1. Thus, during operation, the fingers 12 describe substantially horizontal movements on two different levels, that is, on an upper level, in effecting removal of the layers 8 of cigarettes 6 from the chute 3, and on a lower level when returning to the retracted at-rest position.
1 1 9 Fig 2 illustrates a device 31 for the formation of cigarettes 6 into groups in which each plate 7 (one only is illustrated) is integral with the bush 23, and therefore made by the cam 26 to effect the same vertical movements as those accomplished by the fingers 12. With this arrangement, on completion of the forward stroke bringing about removal of the layers 8 of cigarettes from the chute 3, the plates 7 are made to descend together with the fingers 12 by the action of the cam 26, their movement synchronized with that of the fingers 12. The return of the fingers 12 to the retracted position is effected with the fingers 12 and the plates 7 both lowered. and on gaining the retracted position, fingers and plates rise as one to resume the start-of-cycle configuration, the plates 7 entering into contact with the cigarettes 6 that will have emerged from the bottom of the chute 3. It will be observed that the cam 26 is profiled in such a way as to produce a somewhat sharp descent of the plates 7 and fingers 12, and thus to prevent the fingers 12 from entering into contact, during their return stroke, with the cigarettes 6 already descending above.
1 It will be discerned from the foregoing description of the invention, in whichever embodiment, that on completion of the stroke whereby the three layers 8 of cigarettes 6 are removed from the chute 3 by the fingers 12, the cigarettes of the columns above are free to resume their descent without waiting for completion of the return stroke of the fingers 12. Accordingly, the cigarettes 6 can be formed into groups at considerably higher speeds than have been possible hitherto.
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