GB292699A - Improvements in or relating to weighing devices for use in connection with cigarette making machinery - Google Patents

Abstract

292,699. Molins, W. E. March 26, 1927. Addition to 260,744. Weighing-apparatus fitted to cigarette - making machines; automatic-feed weighers. - An improvement in a modification of the apparatus claimed in the parent Specification, for checking the consistency of cigarettes produced by a. cigarette - making machine comprises a hopper arranged to accommodate cigarettes, a counting mechanism operable automatically to receive periodically a predetermined number of cigarettes from the hopper, and weighing mechanism arranged to receive the counted cigarettes from the counting mechanism and automatically indicate the weight of the same. A quantity of cigarettes is placed in the hopper 1, or all the cigarettes produced by the cigarette-making machine are fed automatically into the hopper, and if sufficient cigarettes are present their weight depresses a spring-controlled flap 30 at the base of the hopper thereby removing an obstructing lever 26 from above a spring-raised clutch lever 18. The clutch lever rises and sets a fluted cigarette-counting drum 2 in rotation, each flute transferring a cigarette from the hopper to an inclined shoot 3. After being temporarily retained by a retainer 32 the batch of cigarettes falls into the pan 4 of the weighing machine and the indicating pointer 5 moves over its scale 6. A permanent record may also be made by a needle operated by the weighing mechanism. A cam 7 on the drum spindle actuates a forked lever 10 so as to press two springs 11 into contact with opposite sides of the pan 4 and hold the same whilst the further movement of the lever 10 opens a discharge gate 12 and permits the weighed cigarettes to fall onto a conveyer band 13. After the weighing operation is completed a roller on the side of the fluted drum passes over a cam surface 19 on the clutch lever and depresses the lever which thereupon arrests the fluted drum and also pulls down a link 24 thus rocking a shaft 23. The movement of the shaft 23, as described in the parent Specification, sets the recording mechanism in operation and also, for a predetermined interval of time, prevents the clutch lever 18 from rising and starting another counting and weighing operation before the recording mechanism has completed its cycle of movements after which the clutch lever again rises under spring action and another counting, weighing and recording operation takes places, the cycle of operations being repeated automatically until a shortage of cigarettes in the hopper 1 causes the obstructing lever 26 to arrest the mechanism.