GB958407A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for collecting rod-like articles such as cigarettes - Google Patents

Abstract

958,407. Packaging cigarettes. D. W. MOLINS, and MOLINS MACHINE CO. Ltd. Nov. 1, 1962 [Nov. 3,1961], No. 39468/61. Heading B8C. Apparatus for stacking cigarettes or the like in a container comprises a hopper from which the cigarettes are delivered through vanes extending downwards beneath it,a plate with locating means for receiving the cigarettes from the vanes and position them in spaced formation in rows, the cigarettes of a second row received by the plate alternating with those of the first row, and means to transfer the cigarettes from the plate to the container. Means may also be provided to vary the number of cigarettes in adjacent rows. One or two rows may be fed into the container at a time, the latter descending progressively to stack them. The plate may be moved transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cigarettes. In the first embodiment the vanes are arranged in pairs 4, 5, and the plate 8 is fluted as at 9 (Fig. 1). The cigarettes are delivered from the vanes into alternate flutes and then the plate is moved to the right so that a whole row can be formed. A plunger 14 (Fig. 6) then pushes this row into a container and the second row having one less cigarette is then formed. This is achieved by delivering cigarettes into alternate flutes as before but the left-end column is blocked by a blade 22 (Fig. 4) during the formation of the first of the two half rows. The number in all rows may be the same, the blade 22 then being dispensed with. In a second embodiment the vanes are constructed and the plate 8 is fluted as shown in Fig. 6. A row of cigarettes is formed at the first drop, and a plunger 27 moving to the left pushes the bottom cigarette past a hinged portion 28 of a vane 24. The second row is formed with the plunger 27 held against the bottom of the end pair of vanes to prevent discharge of a cigarette therefrom. The two rows are then moved together by the pusher plate to the container. In a third embodiment (Fig. 11) one vane 29 extends below the others. The first row is delivered and then the plate 8 is moved to the left causing the second row to be delivered between the first. The pusher plate moves two rows together into a container but is so constructed to leave the cigarette B5. In a further form the plate 8 is fixed with the relation between the flutes and vanes as described in Specification 958,406 so that one row of cigarettes fills the flutes and the next row the spaces between.