JPH10165160A - Device for feeding tobacco leaf - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tobacco leaf-feeding device capable of increasing the speed of leaf-feeding cycle per tobacco leaf and improving an accuracy for delivering the tobacco leaves to a treating device, thereby enabling to increase the treating speed of the tobacco leaf-treating device such as a leaf-knitting machine. SOLUTION: This tobacco leaf-feeding device comprises a tobacco leaf-holding and transferring means A having a means K having a vertically movable adsorption cylinder 2 to adsorb and lift tobacco leaves (t), continuously rotating endless mechanisms 22a, 22b, and pairs of holding members 30a, 30b mounted on the mechanisms, respectively. Therein, while the endless mechanisms 22a, 22b are rotated, the holding members 30a, 30b approach each other to hold a lifted tobacco leaf (t) therebetween, further move to transfer the tobacco leaf at a prescribed distance in the linear direction, and subsequently leave each other to release the tobacco leaf.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tobacco leaf supplying apparatus, and more particularly to a tobacco leaf supplying apparatus effectively used for continuously transferring harvested tobacco leaves to a tobacco leaf processing apparatus such as a leaf knitting machine. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art From the viewpoint of labor saving of harvest and drying of tobacco leaves, automation and mechanization of leaf knitting work are required. Tobacco leaves are automatically connected to such a device together with a device for mechanically performing leaf knitting. There have been proposed various devices for supplying the fuel. As an example, JP-A-7-184623 discloses an adsorption unit that adsorbs tobacco leaves placed on a tobacco leaf mounting table, a gripping unit that grips the leaf side of the tobacco leaves adsorbed by the adsorption unit, A transfer arm that rotates substantially 90 degrees in a horizontal direction to transfer the tobacco leaf gripped by the gripper to a supply point; adsorbs the tobacco leaf by the suction unit; and grips and transfers the tobacco leaf by the gripper. There is described an automatic tobacco leaf feeding apparatus in which the rotation is performed by another operation.

In this tobacco leaf supply device, a large number of tobacco leaves placed on a tobacco leaf mounting table are adsorbed one by one by an adsorption means, and the adsorbed tobacco leaves are sent to a tobacco leaf processing device such as a continuous knitting device. Since the step of transporting can be performed repeatedly and automatically, it greatly contributes to labor saving.

[0004]

However, in the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-184623, the transfer arm, which is means for transferring the adsorbed tobacco leaves to the processing apparatus side, has a 90-degree horizontal direction. Due to the repetitive rotation, the processing capacity is limited, and the supply cycle is 1.2 times.
The limit is about seconds / sheet. In addition, rotation by 90 degrees causes a difference in torsion of leaves depending on the weight and leaf length of tobacco leaves, and supply accuracy may be slightly unstable.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned inconvenience of the tobacco leaf supply apparatus. The tobacco leaf is securely gripped by a pair of gripping members which move continuously, and the posture of the tobacco leaf is improved. To move the tobacco leaf in a straight line toward the processing device side, thereby speeding up the supply cycle per sheet and at the same time improving the delivery accuracy of the tobacco leaf to the processing device side. It is intended to provide a device.

[0006]

A tobacco leaf supplying apparatus according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems basically includes a means for adsorbing and lifting tobacco leaves and a means for lifting the tobacco leaves by the adsorption and lifting means. A tobacco leaf gripping / transporting means for gripping and transporting tobacco leaves, wherein the tobacco leaf gripping / transporting means comprises an endless body mechanism that rotates continuously and one or more pairs of pairs mounted on the endless body mechanism. A gripping member having a pair of gripping members, wherein the paired gripping members grip the lifted tobacco leaf by approaching each other, transport the tobacco leaf by a predetermined distance, and release the tobacco leaf by separating. It is characterized by having been done.

[0007] In using the tobacco leaf supply device according to the present invention, first, a bundle of about 50 harvested tobacco leaves is placed on a tobacco leaf mounting table in the tobacco leaf adsorption and lifting means so as to be aligned. I do. Next, a negative pressure generating source attached to the tobacco leaf adsorption and lifting means is driven to generate a negative pressure at the tip of the adsorption cylinder. In this state, the suction cylinder is reciprocated in the vertical direction by appropriate operating means. Near the bottom dead center, the tip of the adsorption cylinder contacts the placed tobacco leaf and adsorbs one of them,
The adsorbed tobacco leaves are lifted to the top dead center.

[0008] Near the top dead center, the negative pressure is released and the adsorption of tobacco leaves is stopped. Almost simultaneously, the tobacco leaf is gripped by the pair of gripping members attached to the rotating endless body mechanism, and the gripped tobacco leaf is straightened by further continuous rotation of the endless body mechanism. It is transferred to the tobacco leaf processing device side. The pair of gripping members at the transfer downstream position of the endless body mechanism are separated from each other, and discharge the gripped tobacco leaves. The tobacco leaves in the free state are taken over by another tobacco treatment device such as a leaf knitting machine.

As described above, the timing at which the suction cylinder of the tobacco leaf suction and lifting means reaches the vicinity of the top dead center and the timing at which the pair of gripping members mounted on the endless body mechanism are brought into close proximity are made to coincide. Thus, the group of tobacco leaves arranged on the mounting table is successively transferred one by one to the processing device side at high speed and linearly. As a result, the processing time per one tobacco leaf can be made faster than that of the conventional apparatus, and the processing time of the tobacco leaf processing apparatus such as a leaf knitting operation can be reduced.

[0010] In a preferred aspect of the present invention, each of the pair of conveyors comprises two pairs of endless belts of the same shape which are horizontally displaced and rotate synchronously, and a support plate bridged therebetween. The pair of gripping members are attached to a support plate bridged between the pair of endless bands. According to this configuration, the pair of gripping members can be continuously rotated in the same direction as the endless band pair while always maintaining the same posture, and the tobacco leaf has the pair of gripping members holding the parallel posture with each other. It is grasped by approaching as it is,
It is released by separating while maintaining the parallel posture. Thereby, the grip and release of tobacco leaves are performed more reliably,
It is also possible to further speed up the supply cycle of tobacco leaves.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the endless belt mechanism is a single conveyor that rotates in a vertical plane direction, and the pair of gripping members are mounted in a state perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor. A guide body is provided symmetrically attached to the distal end of the elastic member and guides the pair of gripping members so as to approach each other. According to this configuration, it is possible to speed up the supply cycle of the tobacco leaves and secure the gripping transfer as described above with a simple structure.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a tobacco leaf supplying apparatus according to the present invention will be described in more detail based on a preferred embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a tobacco leaf supplying apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the apparatus. This apparatus is roughly divided into tobacco leaf adsorption and lifting means K and tobacco leaf gripping and transferring means A. In actual tobacco leaf processing, tobacco leaf gripping and transferring means A
For example, a conventionally known leaf knitting machine B or the like that twists two strings and knits the leaves is installed on the tobacco leaf transfer end side.

First, the tobacco leaf adsorption and lifting means K will be described. The tobacco leaf adsorption and lifting means K has a mounting table 1 on which the group of tobacco leaves T is mounted, and the mounting table 1 is raised and lowered by a vertical driving mechanism (not shown). Further, as shown in FIG. 1, at a position higher than the height at which the mounting table 1 is at the uppermost position, a suction tube 2 adapted to suction tobacco leaves at the tip described later reciprocates vertically. It is provided so that it can move. The suction tube 2 is connected to a negative pressure source (not shown) (for example, a suction pump or a suction blower) via a pipe P.

The suction tube 2 is attached to the tip of a support member 3 forming a parallel link. As shown in FIG. 2, one member of the support member 3 extends to the opposite side of the suction tube 2. The link shaft 3a is extended to form a link shaft 3a. The link shaft 3a is swingably supported by the machine frame at a fulcrum 3b. In addition,
It is a preferred embodiment that the tip of the adsorption cylinder 2 is formed in a bellows-like extensible shape as shown in the figure, and thereby, as described later, the cigarette at the time when the adsorption cylinder 2 reaches the vicinity of the bottom dead center. It is possible to make the adsorbing position of the leaf wide and prevent the tobacco leaf from being damaged.

The tobacco leaf adsorbing and lifting means K has a motor M, and a gear 5 and a bevel gear 6 are attached to a rotating shaft 4 thereof. A gear 7 meshing with the gear 5 is rotatably supported by a machine frame via a bearing (not shown), and a cam plate 8 is integrally attached to the gear 7. And
The distal end of the link shaft 3a is engaged with the cam surface so as to follow the cam surface locus of the cam plate 8. Therefore, the rotation of the motor M is converted into a vertical movement of the support member 3 constituting the parallel link, and by appropriately setting the trajectory of the cam surface of the cam plate 8, the suction tube 2 attached to the tip thereof has a constant pitch. To move up and down in the vertical direction. The bevel gear 6 is engaged with a bevel gear 10 provided at the tip of a rotating shaft 9 rotatably supported in a vertical direction by a bearing (not shown). A sprocket 11 is attached to the rotating shaft 9.

Next, the tobacco leaf gripping and transferring means A will be described. The tobacco leaf gripping / transporting means A has a rectangular support frame 21 supported in a horizontal state by a machine frame 20, and four timing pulleys 21a to 21
d is rotatably supported. As shown in FIG. 2, the timing pulley 21a and the timing pulley 21b
And a timing belt 22a as an endless belt is wound there. Similarly, the timing pulley 21c and the timing pulley 21d also form one pair, and the timing belt 22b as an endless belt
Is wound. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the timing belt 22a and the timing belt 22b are arranged so that their opposing portions are parallel to each other, and the interval between the opposing surfaces is set as described later. The leaf base of the tobacco leaf t sucked and lifted by the suction tube 2 is set to such a degree that it does not contact the timing belts 22a and 22b (for example, about 100 mm).

As shown in the figure, a sprocket 11 attached to the rotary shaft 9 is attached to a rotary support shaft 23a of a timing pulley 21a located on the side of the suction cylinder 2 and on the side of the tobacco leaf suction and lifting means K. A sprocket 24 is mounted at substantially the same height, and a drive chain 25 is wound around the sprocket 24 and the sprocket 11. The positional relationship between the tobacco leaf adsorption and lifting means K and the support frame 21 of the tobacco leaf gripping and transferring means A is as follows.
The suction tube 2 is positioned substantially at an intermediate position between the timing pulleys 21a and 21c, and the lower end position of the suction tube 2 when the suction tube 2 reaches the top dead center is lower than the timing belts 22a and 22b. So that it is slightly above,
Is set.

Gears 26a, 26d are mounted on the upper ends of the rotating shafts 23b, 23d of the timing pulley 21b and the timing pulley 21d at the other end, and an idle gear is provided between the two gears 26a, 26d. 26b, 26c
Are engaged.

With the above structure, the rotation of the motor M is transmitted from the bevel gears 6 and 10 to the timing pulley 21a via the drive chain 25 and the like, and the timing belt 22a is moved counterclockwise in the figure. Rotate. The rotation is further performed by the timing pulley 21b and the gear 26a.
The timing belt 22b is transmitted to the timing pulley 21d through -26d and the like to rotate the other timing belt 22b in the opposite direction (clockwise) to the timing belt 22a.

In the above embodiment, triangular prism-shaped gripping members 30a, 30b formed of a soft elastic material such as a sponge or a resin material are provided on the outer surfaces of both timing belts 22a, 22b. Two timing belts 22a, 22b at equal distances from each other
At the time of rotation, the two gripping members 30a and 30b are attached so that they are substantially opposed to each other, and the size of the gripping members 30a and 30b is
The size is such that the leading ends thereof come into contact with each other when facing each other. The shape of the gripping members 30a and 30b is formed in a triangular prism shape in order to smoothly perform entry when gripping the tobacco leaf and carry out when opening the tobacco leaf. Any shape, such as a cubic shape, a semicircular shape, a semielliptical shape, etc., may be used as long as the shape can hold the leaf t.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 35 denotes a transport conveyor, which is formed separately from the tobacco leaf supply device, and is inserted below the timing belts 22a, 22b of the tobacco leaf gripping / transporting means A as shown. used. The leaf knitting machine B is conventionally known, and is disposed at a position where the transport of the tobacco leaves by the timing belts 22a and 22b is completed.

Next, the operation of the above apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the worker aligns the direction of the tobacco leaf t on the mounting table 1 of the tobacco leaf adsorption and lifting means K so that the base of the tobacco leaf faces the tobacco leaf gripping transfer means A. And stack many sheets. Next, a negative pressure generating source (not shown) is operated, and the mounting table 1 is raised to the bottom dead center level of the suction tube 2 by a driving device (not shown).
In that state, the motor M is driven. As described above, the support member 3 forming the parallel link moves up and down along the cam surface locus of the cam 8 by driving the motor M, and the suction tube 2 attached to the tip of the support member 3 moves up and down in the vertical direction at a constant pitch. Do exercise.

At the bottom dead center position, the tip of the adsorption cylinder 2 contacts the uppermost tobacco leaf t in the vicinity of the base of the leaf. When the tobacco leaf t starts rising in that state, the tobacco leaf t at the top is vacuum-adsorbed to the tip of the adsorption cylinder 2 and lifted up, and reaches near the top dead center. FIG.
3a shows the state, as shown in FIG. 3a, at the top dead center position, the base of the tobacco leaf t is at the height position of the timing belts 22a and 22b, as shown in FIG. 3b. In plan view, the toe of the tobacco leaf t is substantially at the center of the interval between the timing belts 22a and 22b, and the toe of the tobacco leaf t is at the timing belt 2
It is a position slightly entering the space between 2a and 22b.

The timing belts 22a and 22b are rotating while the suction cylinder 2 rises from the bottom dead center to the top dead center, and when the suction cylinder 2 reaches the vicinity of the top dead center as shown in FIG. The pair of gripping members 30a, 30a attached to the timing belts 22a, 22b are
By setting in advance to a position near 1c, before and after the suction tube 2 reaches the vicinity of the top dead center and the negative pressure is released, the base of the tobacco leaf t has a pair of gripping members 30a, It is gripped by 30a. In the gripped state, the timing belts 22a and 22b continue to rotate, so that the tobacco leaves t are pulled out of the timing pulleys 21b and 21b.
It is transferred linearly toward the d side.

FIG. 3 also shows the tobacco leaf t that has been gripped and transferred by the other pair of gripping members 30b, 30b, and has reached the vicinity of the timing pulleys 21b, 21d on the downstream side of the transfer. Then, the set of gripping members 3
0b and 30b further advance and the timing pulley 21
When rotated along b and 21d, the two gradually separate from each other, and the grip of the tobacco leaf t is released. At that time, the tobacco leaf t has a momentum in the transport direction, and is thrown out somewhat forward as soon as it is opened. By arranging the knitting opening 40 of the leaf knitting machine B as shown in FIG. 1 at that position, the tobacco leaf t is knitted reliably.

When the tobacco leaf t reaches the leading end in the transfer direction, the adsorption tube 2 has lifted the next tobacco leaf to the position shown in FIG. Is another pair of gripping members 30b, 30
b and is transported. Hereinafter, this action is repeated until the tobacco leaf group T disappears.

As described above, according to this tobacco leaf supply device, the tobacco leaves that are sucked and lifted by the tobacco leaf suction and lifting means K can be securely held one by one by the elastic holding member. Also, since the transfer direction is also a linear direction, even if the weight and leaf length of the tobacco leaf are different, the tobacco leaf processing device is surely and quickly kept in the same posture without causing twisting or the like of the tobacco leaf. Can be transferred to Therefore, the supply cycle of the tobacco leaf can be greatly increased, and the working efficiency of the tobacco leaf processing device can be improved.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of an apparatus for gripping and transferring tobacco leaves. In this example, each of a pair of conveyors 122A, 122B has two endless belts 123A, 1 of the same shape which are horizontally displaced and rotate synchronously.
24A and 123B and 124B, and support plates 125A and 125B bridged therebetween.
25A and 125B are provided with gripping members 130A and 130B, whose surface portions are preferably made of an elastic material, and gripping bodies 30A and 30A (or 30B and 30B) described with reference to FIGS.
As in the case of B), they are mounted so as to face each other.

The pair of conveyors 122A and 122B are rotated by a drive mechanism (not shown) in the same manner as the timing belts 22a and 22b in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. , And 130B, 130B continuously rotate in the same direction while always maintaining the same posture (the posture facing each other) as shown in the figure, and as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the tobacco leaf t is gripped close to each other while maintaining the parallel posture, moves to the downstream side in that state, and is separated while maintaining the parallel posture to discharge the tobacco leaf t.
As described above, by grasping and releasing the tobacco leaf by the parallel movement of the grasping member, the grasping and releasing of the tobacco leaf become more reliable, and the supply cycle of the tobacco leaf can be further accelerated.

FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment of the apparatus for gripping and transferring tobacco leaves. In this example, the continuously rotating endless body in the tobacco leaf gripping transfer means A is:
It is composed of one conveyor 222 that rotates in a vertical state,
A drive mechanism (not shown) is used to continuously rotate in the direction of the arrow. On the outer surface of the conveyor 222, an elastic member 223 such as a leaf spring is attached at a symmetrical position in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the conveyor 222, and at the tip of the elastic member 223, 4 and 5, gripping members 130A and 130B having the same surface portion made of an elastic material are attached. As shown, in the free state, the elastic member 223 extends in the horizontal direction, and the holding members 130A and 130B are in a posture of extending horizontally with the elastic surface facing upward.

On both sides of the conveyor 222, a pair of guides 224, 224 are attached to the machine frame by holding means (not shown) so as to be symmetrical with respect to the conveyor 222 along the rotation locus. . The upstream end 224a of the guide body 224 is curved upward from a little below the lower surface position of the conveyor 222 along the curved surface of the pulley 225, and reaches near the upper end position of the pulley 225.
The upstream end 224a gradually expands outward while curving upward. A horizontal portion 224b that is continuous with the upstream end 224a extends in parallel with the conveyor 222 at a position slightly lower than the lower end position of the conveyor 222, and the rear end 224c is connected to the pulley 22 on the downstream side.
In the vicinity of 6, it spreads outward.

When the conveyor 222 is further rotated in the direction of the arrow from the position shown in FIG. 6, the gripping members 130A and 130B which are opened horizontally upward are located on the upstream side of the pair of guides 224 and 224. Tips 224a, 224
a, and gradually closes its position.
When it reaches the lower end position of 25, it is bent by 90 degrees. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the gripping members 130A, 130A
B can grip the vicinity of the base of the tobacco leaf t lifted up by the adsorption cylinder 2 in a sandwiched state.

The tobacco leaf t gripped in that position is transported downstream. Since the rear end 224c of the guide body 224 is opened outward in the vicinity of the pulley 226 on the downstream side, the gripping members 130A and 130B are expanded by the elastic force of the elastic member 223, and the tobacco leaves are discharged. The shape of the pair of guides 224, 224, in particular, its upstream end 2
By appropriately setting the curved shape and the degree of outward spread of the rear ends 224c and the rear ends 224c, it is easy to ensure quick grip and release of tobacco leaves.

The above description is a description of a preferred embodiment of the tobacco leaf supply device according to the present invention, and there are many other modifications. For example, in the above, the rising timing of the tobacco leaf t by the adsorption cylinder 2 and the gripping timing by the pair of gripping members mounted on the endless body mechanism are synchronized by the power transmission system by gear transmission. It is also possible to use electric sequence control. In that case, it is preferable to use a separate motor as the rotating means of the endless body mechanism. Further, the vertical movement of the adsorption cylinder 2 may be performed by an appropriate cylinder mechanism such as a hydraulic cylinder.

Further, the number of gripping members is also arbitrary, and only a pair of gripping members may be provided, or three or more pairs may be provided. However, in any case, it is necessary to match the rising timing of the tobacco leaf t by the suction cylinder 2 with the gripping timing by the pair of gripping members.

[0036]

The tobacco leaf supply device according to the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, and the suction cylinder only repeats up and down motions, and the leaf base of the tobacco leaf is provided by a pair of gripping members mounted on an endless body mechanism that rotates continuously. Since the portion is securely gripped and can be transported in a straight line while supporting that state, it is possible to supply high-speed tobacco leaves one by one in a stable state.

Further, since the transfer direction is a linear direction,
It is possible to stably supply tobacco leaves to various tobacco leaf treatment devices without being affected by the weight of tobacco leaves or the shape of tobacco leaves.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a tobacco leaf supply device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a mode of adsorption and transfer of tobacco leaves, wherein FIG. 3A is a diagram viewed from a side, and FIG. 3B is a diagram viewed from a plane.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of another embodiment of a tobacco leaf gripping and transferring means.

5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a mode of transferring tobacco leaves by the leaf holding and transferring means of FIG. 4, wherein FIG. 5A is a view from the side, and FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of still another embodiment of the tobacco leaf gripping and transferring means.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are views for explaining a mode of transferring tobacco leaves by the leaf holding and transferring means of FIG. 6, wherein FIG. 7A is a view from the side, and FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

A: tobacco leaf gripping / transporting means, B: leaf knitting machine, K: tobacco leaf lifting / absorbing means, M: motor, T: tobacco leaf group, t: one tobacco leaf, 1 ... tobacco leaf mounting table, 2 ... suction cylinder , 3 ...
Support member forming parallel link, 8 ... Cam plate, 21a-
21d: timing pulley, 22a, 22b: timing belt (endless belt mechanism), 30a, 30b: gripping member

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A device for adsorbing and lifting tobacco leaves, and a tobacco leaf gripping / transporting device for gripping and transporting tobacco leaves lifted by the adsorption / lifting device, wherein the tobacco leaf gripping / transporting device is a continuous tobacco leaf gripping / transporting device. An endless body mechanism that rotates by rotating the endless body mechanism, and one or more pairs of gripping members mounted on the endless body mechanism. The paired gripping members are lifted by approaching each other. A tobacco leaf supplying apparatus characterized in that the tobacco leaf is gripped, transported by a predetermined distance, transported by a predetermined distance, and separated to release the tobacco leaf. 2. The endless belt mechanism has a pair of conveyors located opposite to each other, and the pair of gripping members are arranged on the pair of conveyors such that they can face each other. The tobacco leaf supply device according to claim 1, wherein 3. Each of the pair of conveyors is composed of two endless belt pairs of the same shape which are displaced in the horizontal direction and rotate in synchronization with each other, and a support plate bridged therebetween, forming a pair of the grippers. The tobacco leaf supply device according to claim 2, wherein the member is attached to a support plate spanned between the pair of endless bands. 4. The endless belt mechanism is a single conveyor that rotates in a vertical plane direction, and the pair of gripping members are symmetrical with respect to the tip of an elastic member attached in a state perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor. 2. A tobacco leaf supplying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guide attached to the tongue and guiding the pair of gripping members so as to approach each other.