GB2263220A

GB2263220A - Device for selectively segmenting tobacco bales and/or packages

Info

Publication number: GB2263220A
Application number: GB9300767A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mansueto Favaro; Hans Joachim Paul Alex Ulbrich
Original assignee: GARBUIO Srl
Current assignee: GARBUIO Srl
Priority date: 1992-01-16
Filing date: 1993-01-15
Publication date: 1993-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-15
Also published as: GB9300767D0; DE4301080A1; GB2263220B; IT1257570B; ITTV920002A1; ITTV920002A0

Description

1 2263220 DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY SEGMENTING TOBACCO BALES AND/OR PACKAGES

The present invention relates to a device for selectively segmenting tobacco bales and/or packages.

Nowadays it is known to store tobacco and reclaimed tobacco in cartons, wood barrels and jute sacks which are brought to a preset humidity which prevents both their deterioration and their fermentation.

The problem thus arises of breaking up the bale and/or package thus obtained without producing tobacco fragments.

it is known, in this regard, to use a conditioning cylinder which has the purpose of increasing the humidity content of the tobacco: however, it is not possible to send the entire package into the conditioning cylinder, since this would produce difficulties in the breakup of said package as well as deterioration and fragmentation of the tobacco in addition to non-uniform humidification.

The solution is thus known of placing the package, prior to sending it into the conditioning cylinder, inside a hard-vacuum chamber so as to allow static pre-humidif ication of said package.

However, this solution has been improved by cutting the pre-packaged packages of tobacco into "slices"I and subsequently inserting them in the conditioning cylinder.

It is thus known to perform this breakup of the packages according to stratification: in a first system, known as horizontal, the penetration elements enter the package along a horizontal plans, whereas in a second system, known as vertical, the penetration elements enter along a vertical plane; a different orientation of the GEN '9313:02 P. 8 2 package is provided in the two systems so as to arrange the stratification of the tobacco along respectively horizontal or vertical planes.

In the horizontal system, which is currently more widespread, the package is mounted on an elevator and forks, moved by a truck, are used; said forks penetrate in the package at its upper free end.

I Once the forks have penetrated, the underlying part of the package is lowered, thus physically separating a "slice" of tobacco which, by means of an adapted lateral pusher, is conveyed onto a conveyor belt to be sent at the conditioning cylinder.

Penetration usually occurs starting from the shortest side of the package, and this entails loading the machine in a direction at right angles to the direction of the actions for penetration, separation and conveyance of the slice to the conditioning cylinder.

Damage to the tobacco during separation is also noted as a problem, particularly if reclaimed tobacco, in which 20 the leaves are amalgamated together by using appropriate adhesives, is used.

Further difficulties are encountered in known devices which do not lend themselves completely to use in the preparation of the blends of various types of tobacco, which may. be composed of several varieties in amounts corresponding very often to fractions of a package.

An aim of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the problems described above in known types by providing a device which allows to achieve optimum SO separation of layers and/or slices of tobacco starting from 3 a bale and/or a package, while limiting the deterioration of the product.

Within the scope of the above aim, an important object is to provide a device which allows to effectively separate said layers and/or SliCGB, while at the same time simplifying the operations for feeding and unloading said slice.

Another important object is to provide a device which maximally limits the deterioration of the product during penetration,.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a device which allows to rapidly and easily obtain a tobacco segment of the required weight starting from a bale and/or a package.

Another important object is to provide a device which allows to improve the use of conventional machines, used for cutting tobacco bales and/or packages, in the preparation of the blends of various types of tobacco.

Another important object is to provide a device which allows to optimally control the weight of each segment, the total supply of tobacco to be sent to the conditioning cylinder, and the constancy of the supply in the course of time.

A further object is to provide a device which is also reliable and safe in use and has modest manufacturing costs.

This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for selectively segmenting tobacco bales and/or packages, as defined in the appended claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present 4 invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a particular but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure I is a partially sectional perspective view of the device according to the present invention; figure 2 is a top view of the device prior to penetration of the package; f igure 3 is a view, similar to the preceding one, of the device after penetration of the package; figure 4 is a side view of the device, illustrating the arrangement of one of said penetration elements; figure 5 is a sectional view, taken along the plane V-V of figure 3; is figure 6 is a front view of the situation shown in figure 3; figure 7 is a view, similar to that of figure 5, of the condition of separation of the tobacco layer or slice; f igure 8 is a schematic side view of the device according to a further aspect of the present invention; figure 9 is a block diagram of the components of the device of figure S.

With reference to the above figures, the device conceived with reference to horizontal segmentation is described hereinafter; however, said device can also be used for vertical segmentation.

With reference to this preferential embodiment, the numeral 1 designates the device suitable to segment tobacco bales and/or packages, designated by the reference numeral 2.

The device comprises a supporting frame 3 for a transfer element, such as a conveyor belt 4 at which the package 2 is conveyed.

Said package is essentially shaped like a parallelepiped and is stratified along planes which are approximately parallel to the plane of arrangement of the conveyor belt 4; finally, the package is arranged on said conveyor belt 4 along the same longitudinal axis.

Advantageously, a pair of walls 5a and 5b are provided at the frame 3,f laterally to the conveyor belt 4, for the correct conveyance of the package 2 between said walls.

A slider 6 is present laterally to the conveyor belt 4 and can move along an axis which is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said conveyor belt 4.

The slider 6 furthermore moves along a first plans 7 which is inclined by an angle d( with respect to a second plane 8 on which said conveyor belt 4 is arranged.

Multiple elements which penetrate said package 2 are associated with the slider; said elements are constituted, 20 by way of example of embodiment, by a plurality of identical forks 9 which are essentially shaped like a parallelepiped, are arranged along the same first plane 7 and have, at their terminal end, an inclined plane 10 for blending the lower surface 11 and the upper surface 12.

This angle has been designated by the letter /13 and is comprised between the plane of arrangement of the upper surface 12 of the fork 9 and the inclined plane 10 thereof.

An adapted first opening 13 is defined at each one of the forks 9 at the wall 5a.

- Each one of said first openings 13 is slightly wider 6 than each fork 9, whereas said openings extend at angles on the side opposite to the surface of the conveyor belt 4 which supports the package 2.

The slider 6 provides for the placement of the forks 9 at a plans adjacent to the plane on which the package 2 rests on the conveyor belt 4.

The forks 9 can furthermore move independently and/or selectively along planes which are at right angles to the penetration plane.

The use of the device in fact entails, once the tobacco package 2 has been loaded by means of the conveyor belt and has been positioned between the walls 5a and 5b by means of an optical sight or similar means, the movement of the slider 6 so as to arrange the forks 9 within the first openings 13, thus subsequently making the free end of said forks penetrate within the package 2 along the tobacco stratification plane.

The particular configuration of the inclined plans 10 and the breadth of the angle OL with respect to the second 20 plane of arrangement 8 of the conveyor belt 4 allow to provide the separation action earlier by means of the penetration step, since this slight inclination produces a force which is at right angles to the stratification plane.

The terminal end of the forks 9 furthermore tends to not make direct contact with the product,, since by virtue of said perpendicular force the layers tends to separate a few centimeters ahead of the end of said fork. once the forks have penetrated the entire thickness of the package 2, a layer or slice 14 separates by virtue of a 30 movement which can be imparted to one or more of the forks 9 7 along an axis which is at right angles to the first penetration plane 7; this movement of the forks 9 can occur independently for each fork or for groups of said forks, as shown in figure 7.

The penetration elements, and therefore the forks 9, by moving independently on a plane which is at right angles to the penetration plane. thus produce a forced separation of the slice 14, and this is convenient especially If one has to work on packages or bales constituted by tobacco leaves or by reclaimed tobacco.

Once the package 2 has been lifted, the slice 14 is carried by the conveyor belt 4 to the subsequent treatment and thus for example at the conditioning cylinder.

The forks 9 are then returned at the same first plane 7 and then retracted so as to allow the package 2 to be repositioned at the conveyor belt 4. The subsequent penetration of the forks allows to obtain a further slice, continuing the package segmentation cycle. 20 In order to obtain optimum penetration even if the residual thickness of the package 2 is small. there is a plate 15 which can be arranged above the upper surface of said package and is able to compress said package onto the underlying transfer element. 25 Said plate 15, illustrated only in figure 3 for the sake of convenience. is connected to a pair of bars 16a and 16b which protrude laterally to said plate toward the wall 5b, pass within an adapted pair of second openings 17a and 17b, defined on said wall 5b, along an axis at right angles to the plane of arrangement of the conveyor belt, and are a externally connected by a cross-member 18.

The movement of the plate 15 is furthermore ensured by an adapted actuator,- such as a hydraulic cylinder 19 which interacts with the crossmember 18.

The pressure applied by the plate 15 on the package 2 allows optimum penetration even for small residual tobacco layers.

It has thus been observed that the device according to the invention has achieved the Intended aim and objects, a device having been obtained which allows to obtain an effective forced separation by virtue of the movement which can be imparted to the penetration elements along an axis which is at right angles to the penetration axis, said penetration being performed starting from the lower part of the package.

The device is furthermore very simple as regards the feeding and subsequent unloading of the tobacco slice.

The separation action is furthermore gentle, easier to control and thus such as to ensure lower deterioration of the product.

Said lower product deterioration also occurs by virtue of the inclination given to the forks 9 with respect to the package stratification plane.

Finally, the device allows to obtain optimum separation even in the presence of stratifications arranged on planes which are not mutually parallel.

The device is naturally susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.

Thus. the penetration elements may be arranged at both 30.

GEN 9312:59 P. 1 9 sides of the conveyor element, possibly approximately opposite to each other.

Naturally, if tobacco packages which do not require a separation action due to their characteristics are treated, said action may be suppressed by simultaneously lifting all the forks beforehand; separation therefore occurs "by gravity" and not due to a mechanical action, in order to ensure lower product deterioration.

The number of the penetration elements and the values of the angles -OC and t13 may also naturally be the most pertinent according to the specific requirements.

With reference to figures 8 and 9, the device according to a further aspect of the present invention, generally designated by Ilhe reference numeral 100, comprises feeder means, such as one or more conveyor belts 200 supported on appropriate frames 300, for tobacco bales and/or packages 400; said bales and/or packages are usually shaped like a parallelepiped, with a stratification along planes which are approximately parallel to the plane of arrangement of the 20 conveyor belt 200y and are arranged approximately longitudinally to said conveyor belt.

The device furthermore comprises means 500 for cutting and/or penetrating said bales and/or packages 400, for example forks as described previously.

The device furthermore comprises means for detecting the weight P of the bales and/or packages 400 which comprise one or more weighing cells 600a and 600b preferably associated with the conveyor belt 200.

means are furthermore provided for detecting the height H of said tobacco bales and/or packages 400; said means are constituted by at least one probe 700 which is arranged above said bales and/or packages and can move vertically with respect to them.

There are also means, such as a control logic unit soo,, for processing the values of the weight P and of the height H as well as-the value of the required weight, designated by PD, which is preset by an operator by means of an appropriate keyboard or console 900.

Said control logic unit 800 is able to control, on the basis of said value PD, the positioning of said cutting and/or penetration means 500, since the required cutting height,, designated by HD, is preset on the basis of the following simplified formula:

RD = ( PD x H) / P Other more complicated formulae can be used in order to introduce correction parameters which take into account the non-uniform density of the bales and/or packages.

Although this is a simplified formula, a tobacco_ segment whose weight corresponds, with good approximation, to the required one is obtained.

It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, by providing a device which allows to obtain, in a very simple manner, a tobacco segment of the required weight starting from a bale and/or a package.

A further advantage resides in that the device allows to improve the functionality of the segmenting machine/conditioning cylinder combination, since it is 11 possible to automatically control the weight of each segment. the total supply of tobacco to be sent to the conditioning cylinder and the constancy of the supply in the course of time.

The device according to the invention Is naturally susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.

The material. dimensions and number of components of the device may naturally also be the most pertinent 10 according to the specific requirements.

12 2

Claims

1. Device (1) for segmenting tobacco bales (2) and/or packages, characterized in that it comprises at least one 3 transfer element (4) and one or more elements (9) which penetrate said bales and/or packages proximate to their lower part and at a preset penetration angle, said one or more penetration elements being independently and/or selectively movable along planes which are at right angles to the plans for the penetration and conveyance of said bales and/or packages.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that 2 it can be used to obtain a horizontal or vertical segmentation, said device comprising, in the first case, a supporting frame (3) for at least one transfer element such as conveyor belt (4) at which said package is conveyed, said 6 package being essentially shaped like a parallelepiped and 7 being stratified along planes which are approximately parallel to the plane of arrangement of said conveyor belt, said package being arranged an said conveyor belt along the same longitudinal axis.

1

3. Device according to the preceding claims, 2 characterized in that a pair of walls (5a,5b) is provided at 3 said frame, laterally to said conveyor belt, for the correct 1 conveyance of said package between said walls.

4. Device according to the preceding claims, 2 characterized in that a slider (6) is present laterally to 3 said conveyor belt, said slider being moveable along an axis 4 which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said

5 conveyor belt, said slider:moving along a first plane (7) 13 2

6 which is inclined by an angle A with respect to a second

7 plane (8) on which said conveyor belt is arranged.

1 5. Device according to the preceding claims, 2 characterized in that a plurality of elements which 3 penetrate said package is associated with said slider, said 4 elements being constituted, in a particular embodiment, by a plurality of mutually identical forks (9) which are 6 essentially shaped like a parallelepiped, are arranged along 7 said first plane and have, at their terminal end, an

8 inclined plane (10) for blending the lower (11) and upper

9 (12) surfaces thereof.

1 6. Device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that an angle6 is comprised between said 3 plane of arrangement of said upper surfacc (12) of said 4 forks (9) and said inclined plans (10).

1 7. Device according to the preceding claims, 2 characterized in that an adapted first opening (13) is 3 defined at each one of said penetration elements, at one of 4 said walls, said first opening being slightly wider than 5 each one of said penetration elements, each one of said 6 first openings extending at right angles and opposite to the 7 surface of said conveyor belt which supports said package.

1 8. Device according to the preceding claims, 2 characterized in that said slider provides for the placement 3 of said penetration elements at a plane which is adjacent to 4 the plane on which said package rests on said conveyor belt.

1 9. Device according to the preceding claims, 2 characterized in that said penetration elements can move :3 independently and/or selectively along planes which are at 4 right angles to the penetration plane.

14 1

10. Device according to the. preceding claims, 2 characterized in that said penetration elements have, at 3 their ends, an inclination defined by said angle 0C, which 4 has such a breadth as to allow penetration along the tobacco stratification plans to provide the action for the total 6 separation of said slice earlier, producing a force at right 7 angles to the stratification plane.

1

11. Device according to the preceding claims, 2 characterized in that said penetration elements have, at 3 their ends, an inclination defined by said angle OC which 4 has such a breadth as to allow said ends to avoid making 5 direct contact with the product, the layers tending to 6 separate a few centimeters in front of said ends.

12. Device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that once said forks have penetrated the entire thickness of said package, one or more of said forks can be moved along an axis at right angles to said first penetration plane and in a direction opposite to that of 6 said conveyor belt, so as to allow forced separation of a 7 layer of tobacco and obtain said slice, which can be 8 subsequently conveyed to further treatments by means of said 9 conveyor belt.

1

13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that 2 said movement can occur independently for each one of said 3 penetration elements or for groups thereof.

14. Device according to the preceding claims, 2 characterized in that said one or more penetration elements 3 are allowed to move in two directions with respect to said 4 plane which is at right angles to said conveyor belt.

1

15. Device according to one or more of the preceding 2 3 4 5 1 2 claims,, characterized in that one or more penetration 3 elements are present laterally to said conveyor element and 4 are arranged, or not arranged, approximately mutually 5 opposite.

1

16. Device according to one or more of the preceding 2 claims, characterized in that it comprises a plate (15) 3 which can be positioned above the upper surface of said 4 package and is able to compress said package onto said underlying transfer element, said plate being connected to a 6 pair of bars (16a,16b) which protrude laterally to said 7 plate toward said wall which is not adjacent to said slider, 8 pass within an adapted pair of second openings (17a,17b) 9 defined on said wall along an axis which is at right angles 10 to the plans of arrangement of said transfer element, and 11 are externally connected by a cross-member (18) which 12 interacts with an adapted actuator (19), such as a hydraulic 13 cylinder.

1

17. Device for selectively segmenting tobacco bales 2 and/or packages, comprising means (200) for feeding said 3 tobacco bales and/or packages and means (500) for cutting 4 and/or penetrating them, characterized in that it comprises 5 means (600a,600b.700) for detecting the weight and height of 6 said bales and/or packages and means (800) for processing 7 said data which are suitable to control, on the basis of 8 presettable values of the required final weight, the 9 positioning of said cutting and/or penetration means.

1

18. Device according to claim 17, comprising feeder 2 means, such as one or more conveyor belts (200), for said tobacco bales and/or packages, and cutting and/or penetration means (500), such as one or more forks, - 1 16 characterized in that it comprises means for detecting the 6 weight P of said bales and/or packages, said means being constituted by one or more weighing calls (600a,600b).

19. Device according to claims 17 and 18, characterized 2 in that said means for detecting the height H of said 3 tobacco bales and/or packages are constituted by at least 4 one probe (700) which is arranged above said bales and/or 5 packages and can move vertically with respect to them.

20. Device according to claims 17-19, characterized in 2 that it comprises means, constituted by a control logic unit 3 (800), which are able to process the values of said weight P 4 and of said height X together with the value PD which constitutes the value of the required weight, which can be 6 preset by an operator by means of an appropriate keyboard or 7 console (900).

1

21. Device according to claims 17-20, characterized in 2 that said control logic unit is able to control, on the 3 basis of said values PD, H and P, the positioning of the 4 cutting height HD of said cutting and/or penetration means.

1

22. Device according to claims 17-21, characterized in 2 that said cutting height can be determined on the basis of 3 the following formula: HD = (PD x H) / P.

23. Device according to claims 17-22, characterized in that said weighing calls are preferably associated with said conveyor belt.

24. Device according to claims 17-23, characterized in that it is possible to insert in said formula correction parameters which take into account the non-uniform density 4 of said bales and/or packages.

25. Device for selectively segmenting tobacco bales 1 2 3 1 2 3 17 2 and/or packages, substantially as herein before described 3 with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying 4 drawings.