GB773835A - Method and device for facilitating control of the feed of tobacco to cigarette-making machines - Google Patents

Abstract

773,835. Pneumatic conveyers. KORBER, K. May 16, 1955 [June 4, 1954], No. 14046/55. Class 78 (1). [Also in Groups VI and XXXVII] Operative suction, when established in a feed conduit 7, Fig. 1, between a tobacco supply table 8 and the opener 11 of a cigarette-making machine, actuates an optical and/or acoustic signal 9. As shown, the arrangement is duplicated, two openers being fed from a double table 8 through conduits 7, 7<SP>1</SP> to opener delivery trunks 10, 10<SP>1</SP> connected by conduits 13, 131 and a joint conduit 14 to a fan 2 discharging to atmosphere via a filter 5. When feed to a selected trunk, e.g. 10, is desired, a flap valve 15a in the corresponding conduit 13 is moved over, e.g. electromagnetically, by hand operation of a switch on the corresponding machine and closes a vent 16 whilst the consequent suction in the conduit 7, as well as closing a trunk exit flap 18, Fig. 5, acts via a branch pipe 20, Fig. 3, adjacent the table 8 to overbalance a flap-ended lever 21 and cause an insulator 26 thereon to close electrical contacts 28 and complete a transformer secondary circuit 31 including a lamp 9 which may have an electro-acoustic signal device in parallel therewith. Additionally, the lever 21 may mechanically operate a gong. Tobacco is now fed by hand to the conduit 7 and retained in the trunk 10 by an entry sieve 34 to the conduit 13 until sufficient has been collected to operate a feeler (not shown) which opens by electrical means the valve 15, whereupon the lamp 9 is extinguished to indicate that feed should be suspended and the exit flap 18 opens to transfer the fed tobacco to the opener 11. This operation is repeated until the opener is full when the corresponding machine is started and the tobacco level in the opener is thereafter maintained by automatic timed operation of the machine switch.