US1608163A

US1608163A - Cigarette-packaging machine

Info

Publication number: US1608163A
Application number: US63008A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilhelm B Bronander
Original assignee: AMF Inc
Current assignee: AMF Inc
Priority date: 1925-10-17
Filing date: 1925-10-17
Publication date: 1926-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 1943-11-23

Description

Nov. 23 1926.

W. B.' BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17. 1925 13 Sh'etS-Shf l ATTORNEY Nov. 23 1926.

w. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE 15 SheetslShet 2 Filed oct. 17, 1925' niwEN'roR4 mm/l 4 4 /Wfwf ATTORNEY Nov. 23 1926. 1,608,163

W. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE Filed oct. 17, i925 13 sheetslshk-.et

INVENTOR BY @cw ATTORNEY Nov. 23 1926. *1,608,163

W. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE Filed OC L7, 1925 13 SheebS;Sht 4 v unige Nov. 23 1926.

W. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE l INVENTOR /f//Mmf/L ATTORNEY Nov. 23 1926. 1,608,163

W. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGI NG MACHINE Filed Oct. 17. 1925 15 Sheets-Sheet '5 ,255 A 1 INVENToR 902 @E ATTORNEY Nov. 23 192e. 1,608,163

W. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE med oct. 171 .1925 1:5 sheqf-sheet V Y jj' INVENToR ATTORNEY Nov. 23 1926.

w. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE Filed OCI.. 17, 1925 13 She@ eet 8 jf'yxgcz.

, lNvENTo BY 1/ f W ATTORNEY Nov. 23 1926. 1,608,163

w. B. BRoNANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE Filed oct'. 17. 1925 13- sheets-sheet s INVENTO M www@ ATTORNEY Nov. Z3 1926.

W. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE Nov. 23 1926.

w. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE 13 Sheets-Shet l1 Filed Oct. 17. 1925 64 i INVENTOR y?? ATTORNEY Nov. 23 1926.

' w. B. BRONANDER l CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, .1925 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 Til ffy. 21.-

w. B. BRONANDER CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Got. 17, 1925 Nov. 23 1926.

FQ. fg.

v INVENT R mw BY y /ZMATTORNEY Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,608,163 PATENT -oi=i=icE.

WILHELM B. BRONANDER, OF MONTCLAAIR, vNEIT` JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

CIGARETTE-PACKAGING MACHINE.

Application ma october 17; 1925. semi no. sacos."

This invention relates to an improved cigarette ackaging machine which is particularly esigned, adapted, and used, as complementary to, and for packing the product of, the new standard duplex cigarette machines of the industry, although it will of course pack cigarettes made on other machines. The standard duplex cigarette machines of the industry have capacities of sixteen hundred cigarettes per minute, by far the greatest output known. To take care of this great manufacturing out ut, the present machine is designed, adapte and used,'for packaging sixteen hundred cigarettes er minute, in eighty packages, each containing twenty cigarettes. This is by far the greatest packaging output known. By the use of such machines, in place of those'of less than one-half of their capacity which were heretofore of necessity employed, the capacity of cigarette factories is greatly increased, without additional investment in enlarged or new buildings; the overhead expenses of existing factories are decreased; the number of requisite machines, machine operators, inspectors, and mechanics, is decreased; better cigarettes, because less handled, are produced; and said cigarettes are produced at decreased cost. The main o'bject of the present invention is, therefore, the production of a cigarette packaging machine of this high capacity, and aiding in effecting these desirable results. But the productive speed is so high 4that the old way of compacting the cigarettes, in order to prepare them for wrapping, is unsuitable; the old way of wrapping the compacted cigarettes, is unsuitable; and the old way of sealing the wrapped cigarettes, or drying the paste employed on the wrappers, is unsuitable. Further objects of the invention, therefore, are the production of means for compacting the groups or collocations of cigarettes progressively, step by step, with brief pauses inthe compasting action between steps in order -to give lthe tobacco time to adjust itself to its closer quarters without losing its life or resiliency; the production of improved means for wrapping the collocations-of cigarettes; and the production of improved means for sealing vthe packages or drying the paste employed. With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view. the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will vbe hereinafter fully described hereunto appended.

In the accompanyin drawings, which form a part of this speci cation and in which like characters of reference indicate thel same or like parts, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a maand then specifically set Aforth in the claims chine constructed in accordance with the in'- vention, and showing the arrangement of the several units; Fig. 2 is a plan view Vof the actuatin parts, below the bed plate; Fig. 3 is a ront elevation of the cigarette hopper which supports a mass of cigarettes to be operated upon; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the compacting means; Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the compacting means; Fig. 6 is a detail of the compacter gear adjuster; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the label feed, label wrapper, and, stacker; Fig. 7a is a side elevation' of the tinfoil feeding and wrapping devices; and it also shows the hopper, compacter and actuating parts; Fig. 8 is a detail view ofthe tinfoil feed roller disengaging device. It may be here noted that

sheets

5 and 6, when joined together along the lines I--I of Figs. 7 and 7, form a complete side elevation of the machine viewed from the folder side, on the left in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the tinfoil feed, etc., as in Fig. 7, but viewed from the other side of the machine; Fi 9 is a side elevation of the label feed as in ig 7. but viewed from the other side of the machine.

Sheets

7 and 8, when joined together along the lines II--II of Figs. 9 and 9, form a complete side elevation of the machine viewed from the right hand sidein Fig. 1.

folders, showing the 'progress of the'package; Fig. .16 is a diagrammatic elevation of Fig. 15, W1th the label folder shown in sec/- ltion; Fig. -17 is a rear view of the indexing device; Fig. 18 is a side l view of the same showing actuating parts; Figs. 19 to 27 illustrate the successive stages of wrapping;

and Fig. 28 shows the actuating crank and the movement of the tinfoilfeed rockerl arms.

U In carrying the invention into effect, there 1s provided means for separating loose co1- paper to each collocation of cigarettes, and

improved means for stacking or holding the y wrapped collocations until the adhesive employed has had timeto dry. These various .means and parts may be widely varied in construction wit-hin the scope of the claims, for the particular machine selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments `of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the specific construction shown and described.

Referring to the drawings: The cigarettes to be packed are placed in a suitable receptacle on the machine by an attendant who replenishes the supply from time totime. vThe packing capacity of the present machine being equal to the manufacturingr capacity of the standard duplex cigarette machine in connection with which it is designed to be used, the cigarettes to be packed may be inspected and transferred directly from the cigarette making machine to the present cigarette packing machine, thus effecting a saving vin storage space, eliminating unessential handling, and resulting in packagingbefore the tobacco in the cigarettes dries out and becomes brittle. Such a receptacle is the hopper marked 30. This hopper is provided with hinged agitator plates 31 of well "known construction and operation. The bottom of the hopper opens into two downwardly diverging ducts 32. A removable and transparent plate 33 rests against the otherwise open front of the hopper 3C. This plate serves to keep the cigarettes in proper position in the hopper and to permit ready inspection of their progress. By removing the plate 33, all of the cigarettes in the hopper become at once accessible, so that a defective cigarette may be removed, or an accidentally misplaced cigarette may be straightened out.

The agitator plates 31 (Fig. 3) are connected by arms 34, rod 35, bellcrank 36, and pushrod 37, to the lever 38. This lever is pivoted on a shaft 39, and it carries a cam bowl 40 engaging an open cam 41 on a cam shaft 42, the latter being driven from the shaft 215 by the gears 216 and 218 (Fig. 2). A coil spring 43 (Fig.`3), which is int-erposed between the bed plate 47 and a collar 44 on the pushrod 37 keeps the cam bowl 40 in contact with its cam. The agitator plates 31 can be stopped while thel machine is running, if desired, by forcing the pushrod 37 down and slipping the hinged latch 45 over a pin 46 on thc collar 44, which results in throwing the cam bowl 4Q out of engagement With its cam 41.

As the cigarettes are shaken down into the diverging ducts 32 they become, in each duct, arranged in three row's with staggered centres, by means of the partitions 364 and stop 365, the centre stops being one-half the thickness of a cigarette higher than the end stops.

Loose collocations of cigarettes are alternately separated from the mass in the hopper 30 and ducts 32, and alternately delivered to compacting means. In the specific machine shown and described, each collocation contains twenty cigarettes. The separation of the collocations from the mass is effected as follows: Enough cigarettes for one collocation and one package are pushed out from each of the ducts 32 by plates 49 (Fig. 1) carried by aplunger 50, these plates being made of a height to engage seven cigarettes in the end rows and six cigarettes in the middle row of each duct 32. There are of course two `of these .plungers, and they come into operation alternately, so that although the productive speed of themachine is high, the operating speed of each plunger mechanism is relatively low; ,and excessive wear and tear is avoided. The plungers 50 run on guide rods 51 which are fastened to clamp brackets 52`and 53 bolted to the bed plate 47. The plungers are actuated by levers 54 (Fig. `7) pivoted on the shaft 55, and connected to them by the rods 94. The levers 54 carry cam bowls 170 tracking on cams 56 on the shaft 57. The cam bowls are held to their duty by long springs 58 con-l nectingr the levers 54 with` the rear frame 48 (Fig. 2). ,The shaft 57 is driven from the main shaft 215 bymeans of the

gears

217 and 219. While the machine is running,

'either one, or both, of the plungers can be stopped by hooking the latch 59 (Fig. 71), pivoted to the side of the hopper frame, over the pin 60 of the plunger 50. The latches 59 are fastened to the hopper frame 111 by springs 112 which are so positioned with relation to the pivots 171l that the latches are locked in place at both of their extreme positions.

The plates 49 force the collocationsof cigarettes from the ducts 32 directly int-o the range of action ofthe compacting` means which prepares them to be vvrapped.-l This compacting means includes an outer rotor 62 (Figs. 4 and 5), an inner rotor 63, and the cam 64. The outer rotor, with its hub 65,

integral part of a'stationary shaft 67, and

has the arms 68 provided withl the top plates 69. It is secured in position by the end plate Aloo lin

rotates around an eccentric 66, forming an 78 which is held to the end of the eccentric 66 by the screw 79. The inner rotor 63, with its hub 70, rotates around the shaft 67 which is supported by the pedestal 92,(Figs. 1 and 7a). The cam 64, between the outer and inner rotors, rotates around the eccentric 73 which is also integral with the stationary shaft 67. The arms 72 of the inner rotor have bosses 74 in which slide rods 75 fitted with the plates 76. Coil springs 77, attached to the plate 76 and to the arms of the inner and outer rotor, keep the sliding rods `7 5 in engagement with the cam 64.

The driving gear 80 of the outer rotor has bosses 82 abutting the hub arms 83 of the outer rot-or 62 and secured thereto by the bolts 84. These bosses 82 pass through the openings 85 of the cam 64 which provide enough clearance to permit a limited but free reciprocating motion. The gear 81 of equal diameter and pitch as the gear 80, mounted rotatably on the hub 70 of the rotor 63, has screws 86 (Fig. 6) 'bearing against the lug 87 of the hub 70. By slacking one screw and tightening the other, the

angular relation of the walls of the compactor can be regulated. Both gears 80 and 81 mesh with a pinion 88 keyed to the shaftA 89 which is supported in bearings 90 and 91 of the

pedestals

92 and 93 respectively (Fig. 1). It will now be understood that the compacting means includes a series of expanding and contracting collocation pockets having movable walls.

The amount of eccentricity of the eccentrics 66 and 73 is governed by the required size of the finished package in relation to the number and diameter of the cigarettes prior to compacting. When the rotors and cam revolve around the stationary shaft 67 and its eccentrics, there is produced a relative reciprocating motion of the rotor 62 and cani 64 as they rot-ate on different centers. The eccentric 66 regulates the amount of expansion and contraction, between the walls of the rotors, which determines the ultimate thickness of the package; The eccentric 73 regulates the amount of expansion and contraction, between

plates

69 and 76, which determines the ultimate width of the package. The component parts o-f the compactor are so arranged that maximum expansion prevails in the pockets at which the collocations of cigarettes enter from the hopper, and the collocations are ejected from the compactor after maximum contraction has taken place and after the pocket walls have again opened part of the way to relieve all pressure on'the collocation at. the moment of ejection.

The compactor rotates in the direction of the arrow shown at the left in Fig. 4, its

motion bein'g made intermittent by the aid of'the indexing device to be hereinafter described, and the expansion is maximum at 95 and the contraction is maximum. at 96. The collocations of cigarettes are introduced at 97, on either side of 95, and are expelled at 98, half way between 96 and 95.

The cigarettes entering the compactor at 97 are stopped by plates 344 mounted on blocks 345 which are pivoted on pins 346 of brackets 347. These vbrackets 347 are fastened to the bed plate of the machine, and they have pivoted latches 348, with set screws 349, for keeping the plates 344 in position. By lift-ing the latches, the plates 344 can be swung out and away from the compactor to facilitate the cleaning of the compactor pockets.

The step by step movement given to the compactor, and the progressive compacting action developed by the rotors and cam during each such movement,.results in gradually, though quickly, reducing each collocation of cigarettes to its proper condition for being wrapped, without destroying the natural resiliency or life of the tobacco. ,ing to the required degree in one movement, in the extremely limited time available, would have this undesirable effect, particularly upon freshly made cigarettes.

As soon as a collocation of cigarettes is thus made ready for wrapping, it is pushed cut'of the compactor pocket at 98 int-o mechanism -for wrapping it in tinfoil, by a plunger 99 (Figs. 1 and 7a) which is mounted on a slide 175 sliding on a guide bar 100, the latter being fastened' to the side of the hopper frame 111. The plunger 99 and slide 175 have a link connection 172 with a lever 173 which is pivoted on a shaft 174 and connected by a rod 101 with a bellcrank 102 (Fig. 7), the) latter being pivoted on the fulcrum shaft 103 and engaging a closed cani` 104` (Fig. 2) on the cam shaft 42, through the agency of its cam bowl 268.

The compactor and other parts of the machine have intermittent motion obtained by an indexing device on the'shaft 89 (Figs. 17 and 18), and includingl the disc 105 'which is provided with equally spaced studs 106. On the shaft 89, adjacent the disc 105 but separated therefrom by the boss 107, is an arm 108 carrying

pawls

109 and 110 pivoted on pins 129. The arin 108 is actuated by an eccentric 113 on the cam shaft 42, through Compactthe agency of a lever and rod 128. The

pawls

109 and 1,10 grip the stud 106l between stroke of the lever 108, by the action of the spring 118. The lever moves upward until the pawls engage with the next following stud, the pawl 109 pressing down on the spring and the pawl 110 yielding on coming into contact with the stud but being kept in resilient relation therewith by the action of the spring 118. At the moment the downward stroke begins, the stop pin.I 127 is withdrawn from the notch 115 by the lever 119, then engaging lugs 120 of the sto-p pin, and connected by a rod 121 with the lever 122 which is pivoted on the shaft 39, and has a'cam bowl 123 engaging an open cam 1241on the shaft 42.

The tinfoil which forms the inner wrapper of the packages is from time to time placed on the reels 130 and 131 (Figs. 1, 9 and 10), the

hubs

132 and 133 of which are inserted into the sleeve of the revoluble support 134, and held in pla-ce by the catch levers 135, in conjunction with springs 1,36, engaging with grooves 137 on the reel hubs. The reel l130 is normally in action, while the reel 131 is a loaded spare reel, always readily available for use in thc event of defective tinfoil, or an exhausted supply on the reel 130. The support 134 rests on the top of a support 138 which is bolted to the pedestal 92. A lock opening lever 139, on the support 138, which engages the notches 140 of thevsupport 134,

permits the support 134 to be swung around .1180", thus bringing :the spare reel 131 into the. position of the reel 1.30. A fresh reel 131 can thus be almost instantly substituted ffor an empty reel 130, which can then be taken off and replaced by a loadedone while the machine is runnlng. The tinfoil is drawn from the reel 130, over the smoothing wedge ,141, by

rollers

142 and 132 around which are looped the guide strips 350 and 351. which fit

grooves

352 and 353 res ectively, and serve as guides for the tin oil, introducing it into the upper guides 145 which are supported Aby 4the'bracket 146 from the pedestal 92. The guides 145 are provided with springstrips 144 which guide-the tinfoil past the knife gap into the lower guide 155. v a v vThe tinfoil is cut to size by the knife 147 which is resiliently pivoted on the bracket 146 b meansl of the pin 148 and spring 149. A 1in 1150 lconnects the knife with a crank 151 which is pivoted on the shaft 152, and

,'11v and 12) on the sleeve 166 which has a lug 167 and is revolubly mounted on a pin 168.

This pin has a hand knob 169` and is turnable in the bracket 354 until stopped in either direction by either of two Hat sides of the cam ,355 abuttin against the ledge 356 of the bracket 354. Fixedly mounted on the pin 168 is a sleeve 358 having a lug 359 which is held in resilient relation to the lug 167 by the spring 360. The relative position of the lugs can be adjusted b means of the screw 361 which is threaded through the lug 359 and abuts the lug 167. This allows the stop plate 165 to be raised or lowered when 75 in position. The coiled spring 362, on the pin 168, keeps the cam 355 pressed against the bracket 354, the friction preventing the stop plate from bein jarred out of position when in its working position. By turning the knob 169, the stop plate can be swung away from the guide box, allowing the removal of any tinfoil in the guide box after the machine is stopped.

In order to keep the tinfoil stationary while it is being cut, thus insuring a straight cut, a counter travel ofthe tinfoil, which is equal to the feeding speed, is` periodically obtained by raising the feed rollerarm 161, pivoted on the shaft 156 which has a bearing 90 in the destal 92, by means of a crankpin 157 (Fig. 28) of the crank 158 on Vthe shaft 159, engaging the guide slot 160 of the arm 161. This imparts an up and down motion to the feed rollers, alternately stopping and 05 accelerating the speed of the tinfoil. To facilitate insertion of the tinfoil. between the feed rollers, the roller 143 is made to be moved outward, b a lever 164 actuating the 'eccentric 162 against the adjustable spring 100 163 which, on releasing the lever, brings the roller back to its normal position.

Each collocation of cigarettes from the compacter ocket 98 is ushed by the lunger 99 Fi 15 and 16 in between the `105 elts 176 and 1 7 and the horizontal rollers 178, the tinfoil having been folded len hwise over the collocation, as shown in ig. 19, by the forward movement of the plunger, the roller 178 effecting the forward tucks 11o vFig. 20). The folding plates 180 effect t e preliminary upward folding of the lower side flaps (Fig. 21), these folds being'.

raccentuated by the pressure of inclined` rollers 181 rotating in the direction of their 115 respective arrows. The

folders

182 and 18,3 effect the downward folding of the upper side aps (Fig. 22), these folds being accentuated by the inclined rollers 184 rotating in the same direction as the rollers 181, but their action is downward and forward by reason of their more elevated position and inclination opposite to that of the rollers 181, which act upward and forward. These rollers overcome the tendency of the tinfoil to drag on the folders and become displaced on the collocation of cigarettes during the rapid movement of the tinfoil over the folders; and in so doing, they accentuate the folding action, causing the folded tinfoil to lie smoothly and flatly against the collocation of cigarettes.

The belt 177 runs over its actua-ting drum .193 on the shaft 194 (Fig. 7a), over the idler 195 on the bracket 196 rotatably mounted on the shaft 194, then over the uide roller 197, and thence over the top o the lower supporting bracket 200 to the roller 198 and back to the drum 193. The

belts

176 and 177 are held taut by the idle rollers through the pulling action of the springs 199. The bracket 191 has a hinged extension 191L which can be swung ig by operating the toggle 179 (Fig. 7 facilitate the removal of a package in the event of torn tinfoil or other trouble.

The tinfoil feed and folding mechanism is driven as follows: The sprocket 201, on the cam shaft 42, drives the sprocket 202 on the belt drum shaft 194. The sprocket 203, on the same shaft, drives'the, endless chain 204, which runs over the idler 205, thence over the sprocket 206 on the belt drum shaft 187 andpvsprocket 207 on the,shaft 156, thence over the sprocket 208 on the shaft 209, which shaft has bevel gears 210 driving the bevel pinions 185 of the

inclined rollers

181 and 184. The shaft 156, of the tinfoil feed, carries a sprocket 211 which drives the feed roller 142 through the sprocket 212 and spur gears 303.l On the shaft 156 is also keyed a spur gear 213 meshing with a gear 214 on the shaft 159, the later having a crank 158 which actuates the arm 161 by means of a crankpin 157 engaging a block 363 slidable in the guide slot After the tinfoil or inner wrapper has been applied to a collocation 'of cigarettes, the collocation passes directly into the label or outer wrapper applying mechanism which puts the outside wrapper or label around the tinfoil wrapper, the labels already cutto size, being fed from a magazine 270, into which a supply is stacked from time to time, into the path ofthe package as it leaves the tinfoil folder and enters the label folder. The tinfoil-wrapped package is propelled from between the

belts

176 and 177 into the label folder by the prongs 221 which swing on pivots 222 on the pieces 223, the latter being slidable on .a guide bar 224. These prongs have cam bowls 225 engaging stationary cams 226 which operate to swing the prongs from the dotted-line outward position to the full-line inward position (Fig. 15) when the slides 223 are moved forward. 'lhe slides 223 are actuated by the levers l22( pivoted on the shaft 228 by a common hub 229 provided with an arm 230 connected by the rod 231 with a lever 232 pivoted on a,

beller-ank 233. The lever 232 is oscillated` by a rod 234 connected with a lever 235 fulcrumed on the shaft 103 and having a cam bowl 236 engaging a closed cam 237 on the cam shaft 42. At the beginning of the return stroke, the prongs, whichv are provided with a slot 238, swing inward, and, reaching over the guide 239, engage the package an impart the rear tuck to the tinfoil wrapper (Fig. 23). As the paekageenters the label folder the label folds itself over it lengthwise (Fig. 24), the fold being insured'by the roller 240 'in the cover plate 241, and immediately receives the forward tuck through the agency of the tuckers 242. rThe package is further propelled over the bottom bars 243 by the rack 244 which has an upright pusher plate 245. The rack is retracted downwardly by rods 246, pivoted on the lever 247, which, through the agency of the

gears

248 and 249, turns in unison with, but in opposite relation to, the bellcrank 233, the latter being actuated by a rod 250 which 1s connected with a lever 251 fulcrumed on the shaft 103 and having a cam-bowl 252 engaging the closed cam 253. The extreme positions of the rack are indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 15 and 16.

The rack propels the package past folders 254 which fold the lower side flaps upwardly (Fig. 25), the upper side `flaps still projecting and passing subsequently over paste wheels 255 under thespring guides 256 of the paster 257. `In passing the folders 258, which are fastened to the cover plate 241, the upper side flaps of the label are folded downwardly with their gummed lower rear Hap of the tinfoil wrapper has previously been folded up by the rear push plate of the rack.

The package is then propelled onto la plunger plate 259 which is actuated by a rod 260 sliding in a vertical guide 261 and.

moved up and down b `the lever 262 engaging the lever 263, t e latter being connected by a rod 264 to a lever 265 fulcrumed on the shaft 103 and actuated by a cam bowl 267 engaging a cam 266 on the shaft 42. The plungerv 259 pushesthe package upwards into the stackerpast the springs 269 which press the packave against the lip of the cover plate 241, thus efectin the folding down of the rear flap4 of the tinfoil wrapper (Fig. 27).

The labels are extracted from the magazine 270 by the suction plate 271 which grips the leading label by suction, and on each of its downward strokes the plate deposits a label between the

rollers

272 and 273.' T110.l roler 273 is mounted on a rocking bracket 274, and on its upward stroke it meets the suction late at the end of the downward swing o the latter. The downward travel of the roller 273 guides the label into the edges, pressed over the lower flaps (Fig. 26). Thev guide box.275, through which it passes until.

pipe 278 and connected by a rod 279 with a lever 280, on a sleeve 281, said lever being actuated by a pushrod 282 connected with a lever 283 on the fulcrum shaft 103i The lever 283 has a cam bowl 284 engaging a cam 285 on `the cam shaft 42. The ends of the magazine are closedby guide stri s 357, the rear guide strips being adjustab e.

The travel of the roller 273 is effected by means of

levers

286, 287 and 288 on the shaft 289, which shaft passes through the sleeve 281 and is actuated by a/,pushrod 290 connected to a lever 291 on the fulcrum shaft r.103. The lever 291 has a cam bowl 292 engaging a cam 293. The suction valve 294 is controlled by a lever 295, on the shaft 289, actuated through a crank 296 by a pushrod 297 connected with a lever 298 on the fulcrum shaft 103. The lever 298 has a cam bowl 299 en aging the cam 300.

The label fee roller is driven through the sprocket 301 from the sprocket 302 on the shaft 156, the latter being driven by spur gears from the shaft 159.

The pasters are mounted on the rear pedestal 93 of the machine, each paster having a gear 304 mounted on its paste wheel shaft. The gears 304 are driven by gears 305 on a shaft 306 extending across the two pasters below the package runway. One of the gears 305 is in mesh with gears 307 driven by a gear 308 on the shaft 309. This shaft is supported in a bearing 366 and is rotated by a sprocket 310 driven from the shaft 194 by the sprocket 220.

After the label or outer wrapper has been applied to a package, the latter is passed on to a stacker wherein it is held long enough to give the paste time to dry. This stacker includes three

endless belts

311, 312 and 313, the belt 311 passing over

rollers

314 and 315, the belt 312 over

rollers

316 and 317, and the belt 313 over

rollers

318 and 319, all rollers being actuated by the

chain

324, 325 and 326, causing the belts to run in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 14. The nished package ispushed up between the

belts

311 and 312 vby theplunger 359 and carried upward in between the resilient discs 327 which grip the packages 343 and carry them around and down in 4between the

belts

312 and 313. They are then conveyed downwards into the chute 328 which is supported by the Ibracket 329. `It will now be understood that these belts form vertical path- Ways into the bottom of'one of which the packages are introduced, and then the discs voperate at the top of these pathways to .are held in non-slipping contact with their rubber or other suitable material, the small end of each nipple being inserted in an aperture 368 of the` plate 271 and clamped in place by the grommet 369. This pliable nipple adjusts itself to the varying relative positions of label and suction plate, thereby preventing the label from becoming detached before the operation of transferring the same to the rollers is completed.

In view of the foregoing, a detailed description of the operation of the machine is deemed to be unnecessary, and it is therefore omitted in the interest of brevity.

Wha-t is.claimed is: c

1. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations.

2. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocationsstep by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said separating meansincluding two collocation separating devices delivering collocations alternately to said compacting means.

3. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for pro- ,.gressively eompacting said collocations step 320 running over

sprockets

321, 322, 323, o

by step, and means r wrapping the compacted collocations, said separating means having means for arranging collocations of cigarettes in a plurality of rows.

4. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compactin said collocations step by step and means or wrapping the comacted collocations, said separating means lncluding partitioned ducts and stops therelon in for arranging collocations of cigarettes in two rows of seven each and one row of six.

5. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations y of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for Wrapping the compacted collocations, said separating means including plungers operative to transfer collocations from the mass of cigarettes directly to said compacting means. Y

6. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, meansfor progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said compacting means including means for forwarding the collocations during the .compacting operation.

7 A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations f of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said compacting means including a series of expanding and contracting collocation pockets, and operating connections therefor.

8. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass,`means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said coinpacting means including a turret provided with expanding and contracting collocation pockets having movable walls, means for intermittently rotating said turret, and means for moving said walls during turret rotation.

9. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said compacting means including a turret provided with expanding and contracting collocation pockets having movable Walls, an indexing device for intermittently rotating said turret, and eccentrics for moving said Walls during turret rotation.

10. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means-,for progressively compacting said collocations step .by step, and means for Wrapping the compacted collocations, said compacting means .Vincluding a turret consisting of two rotors A each carrying a part of the walls of expand- .ing and contracting collocation pockets, and

aycam andoperating connections and two eccentrics for moving said walls.

' 1l A cigarette-packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said compacting means including a turret having expanding and contracting collocation pockets, operating connections therefor, and gearing for intermittently rotating said turret to forward collocations .from receiving position to discharging position.

12. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said compacting means including a stationary vshaft having a section concentric with its axis and also having-two eccentrics, a rotor mounted on said concentric section adcarrying a part of the walls of a series of expanding and contract-- ing collocation pockets, a second rotor mounted on one of said eccentric sections and carrying the other part of the walls of said pockets, a cam mounted on the other eccentric section of said shaft, and connectioiis whereby rotation of said rotors moves said Walls.

13. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations.

of cigarettes from a mass, means for progi'essively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said wrapping means including forwarding belts, coacting stationary folders, and coacting rollers operating in a direction oblique" to the path of said belts.

14. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means, for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from .a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said wrapping means including forwarding belts, c-oacting stationary folders, coacting rollers operating in a direction oblique to the pat-n of said belts, and means for feeding wrapping material into the range of action of said belts ahead of said folders and rollers.

15. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said wrapping means including forwarding belts, coacting stationary folders, coacting rollers operating in a direction oblique to the path of said belts, means for feeding wrapping material into the range of action of said belts ahead of said folders and rollers, and a plunger for pushing collocations of cigarettes from said compacting means into the vrange of action of said forwarding belts.

16. A cigarette packing machine, comprising means for separating loose collocations of cigarettes from a mass, means for progressively compacting said collocations step'by step, and means for wrapping the compacted collocations, said wrapping means. including means for first enclosing said collocations in a t-infoil Wrapper and then in a paper wrapper.

17. A. cigarette packing machine, comllU