IT202100022109A1 - EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURE FOR FEEDING AND FORMING ORGANIZED GROUPS OF SMOKING ITEMS - Google Patents

Description

Description of the invention entitled:

"EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURE FOR FEEDING AND FORMING ORGANIZED GROUPS OF SMOKING ITEMS"

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles, such as for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or the like, for making packets of smoking articles.

STATE OF THE ART

Feeding apparatuses are known for feeding smoking articles and forming organized groups with them to be transferred to one or more? packing machines.

These known feed apparatuses comprise a compartment for containing the articles, usually configured as a hopper, which defines an upper chamber, into which the smoking articles can be inserted, to be subsequently divided into organized groups, and then packaged. The hopper? provided with at least one lower opening, in communication with a plurality? of conveyance channels for the articles. Between the lower opening of the hopper and the plurality? of conveying channels ? arranged is a conveying device comprising a support structure on which are mounted a plurality of of conveying elements of elongated shape, parallel to each other and positioned in correspondence with the upper openings of the conveying channels.

Are the conveying organs configured as a plurality? of rods which are oriented parallel to the smoking articles which are present in the upper chamber. The rods are able to alternately rotate in opposite directions, each around its own longitudinal axis to facilitate the conveyance of smoking articles towards the underlying conveying channels. In a more specific, the conveyance rods are mounted two by two in the vicinity? of the inputs of the respective channels, on both sides of the? upper opening of the same, cos? to convey the smoking articles one by one towards the underlying channels. For this purpose, the conveying members have a sector destined to interfere with the smoking articles, of an elongated shape, with a substantially hexagonal section, which is? in a single piece with a cylindrical sector, inserted in the support structure of the conveying device, so as to rotate alternately in both directions around its own longitudinal axis.

Depending on the size of the smoking articles to be packaged, and their number in each package to be made, it is necessary to disassemble the rods to replace them with other rods of suitable dimensions, or to remove them if the respective channel is not to be used. A drawback of known equipment? that the disassembly operations of the rods are complicated, as ? need to access the inside of the equipment in order to reach the extremities? rear and disassemble cos? the rods from the support structure on which they are mounted. It is a long and laborious operation, which involves a few hours of machine downtime, with a consequent drop in productivity. and increased fixed maintenance and equipment reset costs.

Another drawback of known equipment? that the disassembly of the rods requires the intervention of a specialized technician, as well as? the use of suitable tools. There? can? be particularly problematic in case of unavailability? of the specialized technician, who can? lead to an extension of machine downtime.

Is there therefore a need? to improve an apparatus for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles which can overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

To do what? ? necessary to solve the technical problem of simplifying the disassembly and replacement operations of the conveying members. In particular, an object of the present invention ? that of realizing an apparatus and perfecting a method for feeding and forming organized groups of shift articles in which the elements for conveying the articles can be dismantled in a simple, reliable and rapid manner.

Another aim of the present invention ? that of realizing an apparatus and perfecting a process for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles in which the disassembly of the conveying members can be performed by even non-specialised personnel, without requiring particular equipment or specific training.

To obviate the drawbacks of the prior art and to obtain these and other objects and advantages, the Applicant has studied, tested and implemented the present invention.

DISCOVERY DISPLAY

The present found ? expressed and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims disclose other characteristics of the present invention or variants of the main solution idea.

In accordance with the aforesaid objects and to solve the aforesaid technical problem in a new and original way, also obtaining considerable advantages with respect to the state of the prior art, an apparatus according to the present invention for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles comprises a compartment containment configured to contain a plurality? of smoking articles, one or more? conveying channels arranged below the containment compartment and communicating with the latter, and a conveying device comprising a support structure on which two or more channels are mounted; conveying members of elongated shape, parallel to each other and configured to facilitate the descent of the smoking articles from the containment compartment towards the conveying channels.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the aforesaid conveying members each comprise both a first element rotatably mounted on the support structure so as to be able to rotate around its own longitudinal axis, and a second element which can be selectively and removably coupled to the first element to be able to rotate together with the latter around the longitudinal axis and configured to interact with the smoking articles in order to convey them towards one or more? conveyance channels.

What? doing, the aforementioned first element, which in fact ? mounted in the support structure, cio? the fixed part of the equipment, ? mounted rotating around its axis of rotation, and the aforementioned second element can? be in turn coupled to the first element, without being directly constrained in any way to the aforementioned support structure. The coupling between the aforementioned first and second element ? such that a rotational motion given to one of the two elements ? also transferred to the other element.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the first element comprises a first end? coupling provided with a seat, while the second element comprises a second end? coupling configured to be inserted in the seat of the first element. Preferably, the seat includes a blind hole and the second end? of the second element preferably has a member which can be inserted into the seat by configuring a mechanical coupling of the male-female type.

Can you? obviously provide the opposite, ie that the seat is provided on the second element, and that the insertable member is provided on the first element.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the first and second ends? coupling elements are joined together to achieve a mechanical coupling between them. In this way, the coupling ? both stable, in the sense that the two elements do not detach in an unwanted way, and rigid, in the sense that the rotation of one of the elements determines the rotation of the other element. Advantageously, the coupling? of the type with a morse cone and the second end? coupling has a length greater than, or equal to, the seat length of the first element.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the first and second ends? coupling devices are configured to achieve a magnetic type coupling between them. There? allows you to create, in a simple way, a stable coupling in which the extractable element can? be easily disassembled. Preferably, the first element comprises a magnetic member inserted in the seat. This magnetic organ can be, for example, a magnet. The second end? of mating ? advantageously made of magnetic or ferromagnetic material, so as to achieve the magnetic coupling with the magnet.

Preferably, even if the coupling of the magnetic type is envisaged, the first and second ends? of coupling are configured to also realize a form coupling. There? ensures that the two mated elements rotate together.

For example, can you provide that the seat comprises an inlet mouth having a section with a different shape from that of the seat itself. Appropriately, this entrance opening ? configured to achieve the shape coupling with the second element. In particular, the entrance mouth can? have a cross section with at least one straight section, and the extractable element can? also have a cross section with at least one straight section. Advantageously, the inlet opening has a section such as to engage with the cross section of the second element, which usually is? hexagonal.

According to embodiments, both the first element and the first end of coupling substantially have a cylindrical shape and the first extremity? coupling has a larger outer diameter than the remainder of the first element. In particular, the first end? coupling is configured as a cylinder coaxial to? longitudinal axis of the first element, in which? obtained the aforementioned seat. Advantageously, this? the latter has an internal diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the first element, or slightly smaller.

Such a configuration of the first end? coupling allows you to make a seat with dimensions that ensure a stable and safe coupling between the first and second element. Furthermore, in correspondence with the variation in diameter between the? coupling and the remaining part of the first element ? present a surface area that ? transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis. This transversal abutment surface can, for example, act as a limit switch during the insertion of the first element in the relative seat of the conveying device.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention , the containment compartment comprises a rear wall in which ? is there a plurality? of through holes, each coaxial to a corresponding longitudinal axis of a first element. Each first end? of mating ? selectively and rotatably insertable in a respective through hole. Preferably, the first end? coupling has an external diameter equal to the internal diameter of the through holes, to further stabilize the conveying member and keep it parallel to the other conveying members. In addition or alternatively, the first end? coupling has a length equal to the length of the through hole, corresponding to the thickness of the rear wall of the containment compartment. Thus, only the second element of the conveying member protrudes from the front surface of the rear wall of the containment compartment in order to be able to interfere with the smoking articles.

According to another aspect of the present invention ? also envisaged is a process for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles, comprising a first phase in which made available an equipment having a containment compartment configured to contain a plurality? of the aforementioned smoking articles, one or more? conveying channels arranged below the containment compartment and communicating with the latter, and a conveying device comprising a support structure on which two or more channels are mounted; conveying members of elongated shape, parallel to each other and configured to facilitate the descent of the smoking articles from the containment compartment towards the conveying channels.

Does the procedure include a second phase in which ? provided that the conveying members are made in such a way that each of them comprises both a first element rotatably mounted on the support structure so as to be able to rotate around a longitudinal axis, and a second element which can be selectively and removably coupled to the first element to be able to rotate together with the latter around the longitudinal axis and configured to interact with the smoking articles to convey them towards one or more? conveyance channels. Preferably, the equipment? of the type indicated above.

Advantageously, the process also comprises a third step in which the second element is extracted from the first element while the latter remains revolvingly mounted on the support structure.

Obviously, this procedure implies that the conveyor organs are already? mounted in the conveying device. After the extraction of the second element, ? is it possible to insert another second element in the insertion site left empty, which for example can? have a different size and/or shape from the second element just extracted.

According to a further aspect, ? The use of a conveying member is contemplated in an apparatus for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles, wherein the conveying member comprises both a first element configured to be rotatably mounted to the conveying member; apparatus so as to rotate around its own longitudinal axis, and a second element which can be selectively and removably coupled to the base element to rotate together with the latter around the longitudinal axis, and configured to interact with the smoking articles, so as to facilitate their flow towards at least one conveying compartment of the apparatus. In particular, the equipment can? be of the type described above.

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DESIGNS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of some embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- fig. 1 ? a schematic front view of an apparatus for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles according to the present invention;

- fig. 2a ? an enlarged detail of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 3 ? a plan view, partially in section, of the apparatus of fig. 1, taken along the plane of trace III-III of fig.

1;

- figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of a water conveying device. apparatus of fig. 1, taken respectively along the lines IV-IV and V-V of fig. 3;

- figs. 6 and 7 are axonometric views, on an enlarged scale, of a conveyor member according to a first embodiment, respectively in an assembled and disassembled configuration;

- fig. 8 ? a longitudinal sectional view of the conveying member of fig. 6;

- figs. 9 and 10 are axonometric views, on an enlarged scale, of a conveyor member according to a second embodiment, respectively in an assembled and disassembled configuration;

- fig. 11 ? an enlarged detail of a detail of the rod in fig. 10; and - fig. 12 ? a longitudinal sectional view of the conveyor rod of FIG. 9.

It should be noted that in the present description the phraseology and terminology used have the sole function of better illustrating the present invention with reference to the figures of the attached drawings and must in no way be used to limit the scope of the invention itself, or the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.

For ease of understanding, identical reference numerals have been used wherever possible to identify identical commonalities in the figures. It should be understood that elements and features of one embodiment may be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further specification.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME FORMS OF EMBODIMENT OF

PRESENT FOUND

With reference to figure 1, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention, for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles 20, such as for example cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or similar products, comprises a containment compartment, or hopper 11, of power supply of known type where ? expected to accumulate, in use, a plurality? of smoking articles 20 so that they are fed in an organized and orderly manner through a series of conveying channels 30 arranged in three compartments 31, 32, 33 located below the hopper 11 (fig. 1). The three compartments? 31, 32, 33 comprise a central compartment 32 and two lateral compartments 31 33.

The hopper 11 comprises a front wall 12, a rear wall 13, parallel to the front wall 12 and connected to it by two side walls 14, 15 (figures 1 and 3). The front 12, rear 13 and side 14, 15 walls delimit at their ends? at the bottom a lower opening 16 through which the smoking articles 20 can pass in order to be conveyed towards the channels 30 (figures 1 and 2).

The rear wall defines a substantially vertical plane having a front surface 17, along which the smoking articles 20 are accumulated, and a rear surface 18 (4 and 5) external to the hopper 11

The conveying channels 30 have a vertical or substantially vertical development and can be slightly inclined. Each conveying channel 30 comprises a respective inlet opening 34 in the upper part, placed in communication with the hopper 11, in particular near the of its lower opening 16, so that the smoking articles 20 can access the channels 30 immediately after exiting the hopper 11. Alternatively, the inlet openings 34 of the channels 30 can be arranged directly inside the inside of the hopper 11.

In any case, the arrangement of the inlet openings 34 is such that each channel 30 ? put in communication with the hopper 11. It should be noted that all the inlet openings 34 are mutually aligned along a horizontal axis parallel to a transversal direction Y, where the smoking articles 20 accumulate thanks to the force of gravity, creating a mass , or accumulation, 21 (fig. 1).

The apparatus 10 also comprises a conveying device 40 comprising a rectilinear support 41 and a plurality of of conveying members 42 (figures 1 and 2) configured as rods each having its own longitudinal axis X and inserted in as many seats 43 obtained in the support 41, configured as through holes (figures 3, 4 and 5). At each location 43 ? a sleeve 44 integral with a corresponding conveying member 42 is housed for rotation. The seats 43, and consequently also the longitudinal axes X, are uniformly distributed along the support 41 and are spaced apart by a constant center distance d (fig. 2).

Support 41 ? arranged at the rear surface 18 of the rear wall 13 of the hopper 11, and the conveying members 42 protrude from the front surface 17 of the hopper 11 (figures 4 and 5), passing through corresponding through holes 19 obtained in the rear wall 13 of the hopper 11 The through holes 19 are arranged just above the inlet openings 34 of the channels 30 so as to be aligned with them, i.e. oriented horizontally along the transversal direction Y. The number of conveying members 42 and the center distance d which separates them are such that each inlet opening 34 ? arranged between two adjacent conveying members 42 (fig. 2).

In the illustrated example, the three compartments 31, 32 and 33 comprise a total of twenty-one channels 30 and twenty-four conveying members 42 are provided, each located close to the of a respective side of an inlet opening 34 (figures 1 and 2). In particular, two conveying members 42 are arranged at the sides of each inlet opening 34. Between two adjacent inlet openings 34 ? Is there a single conveying organ 42, which can? conveying smoking articles 20 alternately into both channels 30 adjacent thereto. In the example provided here, the support 41 comprises a total of thirty-four seats 43, ten of which are left empty.

In the example shown, the conveying members 42 are located outside the hopper 11, immediately below the lower opening 16 of the latter (fig. 2). ? however, it is possible to provide that the conveying members 42 are located inside the hopper 11, i.e. above the lower opening 16. In this case, ? it is advantageous for the front wall 12 of the hopper 11 to be openable, or removable, to facilitate the disassembly of the conveying members 42, as will be the case? explained more forward in detail.

The conveying device 40 also comprises three motors 45, 46, 47 located at the sides of the hopper 11, behind it, substantially at the height of the conveying members 42, and mounted on the support 41 (figures 1 and 3). The shaft of each engine 45, 46 and 47? connected, by means of a respective eccentric, or connecting rod-crank mechanism 48, 49 and 50, to a respective rack 51, 52 and 53. The conveying members 42 are divided into three groups 54, 55 and 56 (fig. 3) each meshed with a respective rack 51, 52 and 53 by means of gear wheels 57, 58 and 59, each integral with a respective sleeve 44 and coaxial with a corresponding longitudinal axis X. Each of the three groups 54, 55 and 56 comprises eight conveying members 42 consecutive, arranged above a respective compartment 31, 32 and 33.

In accordance with the embodiment represented in figures 1 to 5, in the apparatus 10, a first motor 45 and a second motor 46 are arranged side by side on a first side of the hopper 11 (figures 1 and 3) and operate a first rack 51 and a second rack 52, respectively. These two racks 51 and 52 are parallel to the aforementioned transversal direction Y (figs. 1, 4 and 5) and are meshed with the gear wheels 57 and 58 respectively (figs. 3, 4 and 5).

The third engine 47 ? placed on the other side of the hopper 11 and actuates, by means of the third connecting rod-crank mechanism 50, the third rack 53, which is? meshed with the gear wheels 59 (figures 1 and 3) and ? arranged so as not to interfere with the second rack 52 which drives the second group 55 of conveying members 42.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, each conveying member 42 is made in two mutually coupled pieces. In particular, each conveying member 42 comprises a support rod 60 provided at one of its ends with of a seat 61, and a? shaped rod 62 provided with an? extremity? coupling 63, configured to engage in a stable but removable manner in the seat 61 (figures 6 to 12). In use, ie when a support rod 60 and a shaped rod 62 are coupled, they are coaxial and aligned along the longitudinal axis X (figures 8 and 12). Each seat 61 ? made at a respective end? enlarged 64, whose external diameter ? greater than the outside diameter of the remaining portion of the support rod 60. The seat 61 is? configured as a blind hole obtained in the?extremity? enlarged 64. Each support rod 60, at? opposite of? extremity? enlarged 64, ? provided with a thread 65 configured to be screwed into a respective nut 66, so as to prevent it from moving axially with respect to the support 41, while allowing it to rotate with respect to it (figures 4 and 5).

Each shaped rod 62 has a substantially hexagonal cross section, but ? It is possible to provide other shapes of the cross section of the shaped rod 62, for example circular or square, provided that allow to facilitate, by rotating alternatively in opposite directions, around their own longitudinal axis X, the individual flow of smoking articles 20 from the hopper 11 towards the channels 30. The hexagonal shape ? advantageous because, during the rotation of the shaped rod 62, the edges which separate two adjacent faces accompany the smoking articles, facilitating their entry, one after the other, into the channels 30.

Each end? enlarged 64, thanks to its outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of the rest of the support rod 60, forms an abutment surface 67 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, which is batting against a corresponding extremity? of the sleeve 44 in which ? inserted?support rod 60. Ci? allows the support rod 60 to be kept stably inserted and positioned axially in the support 41. In fact, every movement in the longitudinal direction, ie along the longitudinal axis X, is prevented by the abutment surface 67 which abuts against the sleeve 44 on one side, and against the nut 66 on the other side.

Each end? enlarged 64 ? housed in a corresponding through hole 19 of the rear wall 13 of the hopper 11, and for this purpose it has a length equal to the thickness of the rear wall 13 itself, so as to be completely inserted therein (figures 4 and 5).

From figures 3, 4 and 5 it can be seen that, in use, only the shaped stems 62 are in contact with the smoking articles 20, whereby ? necessary that they can rotate so as to facilitate the descent of the smoking articles 20 from the hopper 11 to the channels 30, while the support rods 60 are completely outside the hopper 11. The shaped rods 62 and the support rods 60 are therefore rigidly coupled with each other, so that? the rotary motion imparted to the support rods 60 by the racks 51, 52 and 53, actuated by the motors 45, 46 and 47, is also transferred to the shaped rods 62.

Figures 6 to 8 show a first embodiment of a conveying member 42, in which the coupling between the support rod 60 and the shaped rod 62 is? a mechanical interference fit. In particular, the? Extremity? coupling 63 of the shaped rod 62 and the end? enlarged 64 of the support rod 60 are configured as a morse cone, mutually mating in shape. The end? coupling 63 of the shaped rod 62? the male element of the morse taper, but ? is it possible to predict that it is the? extremity? enlarged 64 of the support rod 60 to be.

The end? coupling 63 of the male type of each shaped rod 62 has a length greater than, or equal to, the blind hole 61. Furthermore, each shaped rod 62 comprises an intermediate part 68 for gradual connection between the end? coupling 63 and the shaped section, which, in use, ? located outside the blind hole 61 of the support rod 60 (figures 4, 5, 6 and 8).

In this embodiment, the Morse taper allows a firm and stable coupling between each support rod 60 and the corresponding shaped rod 62 in the axial direction, so that the support rods 60 and the shaped rods 62 do not detach, in use, due to the motion imparted by the motors 45, 46 and 47. At the same time, what? also ensures a rigid coupling in the rotational direction, ie such that the rotation imparted to the support rods 60 is transmitted to the shaped rods 62. In a second embodiment, illustrated in figures 9 to 12, ? coupling between each support rod 60 and the corresponding shaped rod 62 ? made by means of magnetic means, for example configured as a magnet 69, housed in the bottom of the blind hole 61 which defines the seat of the support rod 60. coupling 63 of each shaped rod 62 ? then made in ferromagnetic material, in order to achieve ? coupling with magnet 69.

The coupling via magnet 69 ? stable since? allows the corresponding shaped rod 62 to be retained. However, to ensure that each shaped rod 62 rotates together with the corresponding support rod 60, ? a shape coupling is also provided between each support rod 60 and the corresponding shaped rod 62.

In particular, in the illustrated example, the? form coupling ? made between the seat 60, which has an elongated mouth 70, with two rectilinear and parallel walls 71, and a corresponding shaped part of the shaped rod 62 (figures 9, 10 and 11). Pi? precisely, the distance between the two rectilinear surfaces 71 ? equal to the distance that separates two opposite faces of the hexagonal shaped rod 62. In this way the two rectilinear surfaces 71 can engage with two opposite faces of the shaped rod 62 to achieve the shape coupling (fig. 12).

Note that, in this case, the end? coupling 63 of the shaped rod 62 has a shorter length than that of the blind hole 61, so that the mouthpiece 70 interferes directly with the shaped rod 62 itself.

In this case, the? Extremity? coupling 63 has a smaller diameter than that of the shaped rod 62, which makes it possible to form an abutment 72 which abuts against the mouthpiece 70, which in turn has a greater lateral extension than the blind hole 61 (fig. 11).

Is the operation of the power supply apparatus 10 ? entirely analogous to that of the apparatuses on which known conveying members are mounted and each constituted by a single piece. It envisages starting the motors 45, 46 and 47 which operate the racks 51, 52 and 53 in an alternating rectilinear motion, which causes the sleeves 44 to rotate in opposite directions, thanks to the toothed wheels 57, 58 and 59. What? causes an alternate rotation of the conveying members 42 which interact with the smoking articles 20 with which they are in contact, allowing to regulate their flow through the inlet openings 34 of the channels 30 (fig.

2).

Unlike state of the art equipment, with the equipment 10 according to the present invention, whenever it becomes necessary to change the part of the conveying members 42, for example to change their diameter, transversal dimension, or format, or simply to remove them altogether, ? sufficient to extract the relative shaped rod 62 from the corresponding support rod 60, and possibly insert it in the seat 61 of this? last a new shaped shaft 62.

The change of number and/or format of the conveying members 42 ? usually necessary when changing the diameter and/or length of the smoking articles 20 to be fed, or the number of the latter in each package to be packaged downstream of the apparatus 10. In fact, if the diameter of the shaped rods 62 is changed , only the mutual distance between two adjacent shaped rods 62 for the passage of smoking articles 20 changes, while the center distance d between two adjacent conveying members 42 remains unchanged.

? evident that the disassembly operations of the conveying members are considerably facilitated, why? Not ? It is necessary to disassemble the support rod 60 from the support 41, which avoids having to access the inside of the apparatus 10 in order to disassemble the corresponding nut 66. in fact, it is sufficient to extract the shaped rod 62 from its own support rod 60, in a simple and accessible way to anyone.

In the illustrated example, given that the conveying members 42 are located inside the outside of the hopper 11, they are not covered by the front wall 12 and the shaped rods 62 can be easily removed. If the conveying members 42 are instead covered by the front wall 12 of the hopper 11, ? necessary to open, or remove, this front wall 12 before being able to extract the shaped rods 62.

It follows that the operations of disassembly and/or replacement of a part of the conveying members 42 no longer require? the intervention of a specialized technician, which makes it possible to facilitate and streamline the management of operations and personnel assigned to the equipment 10, n? the use of special tools, but only tools commonly available in the environments where this equipment is installed 10. ? it is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts and/or phases can be made to the apparatus 10 and the relative method for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles described up to now, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

? It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, an expert in the art could realizing other equivalent forms of equipment and processes for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles, having the characteristics set forth in the claims and therefore all falling within the scope of protection defined therein.

In the claims which follow, the references in brackets have the sole purpose of facilitating the reading and must not be considered as limiting factors as regards the scope of protection defined by the claims themselves.

Claims (12)

1. Apparatus (10) for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles (20) comprising a containment compartment (11) configured to contain a plurality of smoking articles of said smoking articles (20), one or more? conveying channels (30) arranged below said containment compartment (11) and communicating with the latter, and a conveying device (40) comprising a support structure (41) on which two or more? conveying members (42) of elongated shape, parallel to each other and configured to facilitate the descent of said smoking articles (20) from said containment compartment (11) towards said conveying channels (30), characterized in that said members conveying elements (42) each comprise both a first element (60) rotatably mounted on said support structure (41) so as to be able to rotate around its own longitudinal axis (X), and a second element (62) which can be coupled selectively and in removable way to said first element (60) to be able to rotate together with the latter around said longitudinal axis (X) and configured to interact with said smoking articles (20) to convey them towards said one or more? conveying channels (30). 2. Apparatus (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that said first element (60) comprises a first end? coupling (64) provided with a seat (61), and that said second element (62) comprises a second end? coupling (63) configured to be inserted in said seat (61) of said first element (60). 3. Apparatus (10) as in claim 2, characterized in that said first and second ends? coupling elements (63, 64) are configured to achieve a mechanical coupling between them. 4. Apparatus (10) as in claim 3, characterized in that said coupling is of the morse cone type and said second end? coupling (63) has a length greater than, or equal to, the length of said seat (61) of said first element (60). 5. Apparatus (10) as in claim 2, characterized in that said first and second ends? coupling elements (63, 64) are configured to achieve a coupling of the magnetic type between them. 6 Apparatus (10) as in claim 5, characterized in that said first element (60) comprises a magnetic member (69) inserted in said seat (61), and that said second end? coupling (63) ? made of magnetic or ferromagnetic material. 7. Apparatus (10) as in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said first end? coupling element (64) comprises an inlet opening (70) with a different cross section from that of said seat (61) and configured to form a shape coupling with said second element (62). 8. Apparatus (10) as in any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that both said first element (60), and said first end? coupling (64) have substantially a cylindrical shape, and that said first end? coupling (64) has an outer diameter greater than the remaining part of said first element (60), and which in correspondence with the diameter variation between said end? coupling (64) and the remaining part of said first element (60) ? present an abutment surface (67) that ? transversal with respect to said longitudinal axis (X). 9. Apparatus (10) as in any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that said containment compartment (11) comprises a rear wall (13) in which ? is there a plurality? of through holes (19) each coaxial to a corresponding longitudinal axis (X) of a first element (60), and that the end? coupling (64) of each first element (60) of a conveying member (42) ? rotatably inserted in a respective one of said through holes (19). 10. Process for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles (20), comprising a first phase in which ? made available an apparatus (10) having a containment compartment (1 1) configured to contain a plurality? of said smoking articles (20), one or more? conveying channels (30) arranged below said containment compartment (1 1) and communicating with the latter, and a conveying device (40) comprising a support structure (41) on which two or more? conveyance members (42) of elongated shape, parallel to each other and configured to facilitate the descent of said smoking articles (20) from said containment compartment (11) towards said conveying channels (30), characterized in that it comprises a second phase in which ? it is envisaged to make said conveying members (42) so that each of them comprises both a first element (60) rotatably mounted on said support structure (41) so as to be able to rotate around its own longitudinal axis (X), and a second element (62) which can be selectively and removably coupled to said first element (60) in order to be able to rotate together with the latter around said longitudinal axis (X) and configured to interact with said smoking articles (20) to convey them towards said one or more conveying channels (30). 11. Process as in claim 10, characterized in that it also comprises a third step in which said second element (62) ? extracted from said first element (60) while the latter remains rotatably mounted on said support structure (41). 12. Use of an apparatus (10) for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles (20) as in any one of claims 1 to 9.