US1864695A - Coupon feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 28, 1932. B.- R. SCHNEIDER ET AL 1,364,695

COUPON FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 26,-1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 MTTORNEYS.

June 28, 1932. B. R. SCHNEIDER ET AL 1,364,595

COUPON FEEDING MECHANI SM Filed Nov. 26, 1929 4 SheetsSheet 2 V INVENTOR. (BERNARD lfiSGfl/YZ/JEA BY /f4/?/. #4052 A TTORNEYS.

June 28, 1932.

B. R. SCHNEIDER ET AL COUPON FEEDING MECHANI SM Filed Nov. 26, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNEYS.

June 28, 1932. a. R. SCHNEIDER ET AL COUPON FEEDING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 26, 1929 Patented June 28, 1932 I UNITED STATES BER-NARI) R. SCHNEIDER, 0F LYNDHURST, NEW' JERSEY, AI) 'K'ARL KAISER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOIRS, BSFMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE AMERIGAN'TOBACCO COMPANY; OF NEW YGRK, N. Y., A GORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY I COUPON FEEDING MECHANISM Application filed November 26, 1929. Serial No. 409,868. I

If the salesman is relied upon to include I a coupon or circular with each cigar, he will frequently fail to do so, for it is some additional trouble to pick up the coupon or the like, and pass it out with the cigar.

Furthermore, the purchaser will often leave the coupon or the like, lying on the counter, or if he picks it up with the cigar,

he is liable to throw it away without further notice.

For this reason it is desirable that the coupon or other matter, bepackaged with the cigar, so that reliance need not be placed upon the salesman to include such matter with the purchase.

.With this object in view, it has been proposed, since cigars are usually banded, to insert the coupon within the band, between it and the cigar, in order that it will form a single package with the cigar, and always be included with a sale.

The coupon or the like, is usually folded, and it is desirable that it be placed in a pos1 tion such that it will not interfere with the appearance of the cigars when it is positioned, that is, that it be on the underside of the cigar, beneath the connected ends of the band, where in addition to being hidden when the cigar is positioned, it is in convenient position to assist in the removal of the band.

One, of the prmary objects of the present invention is the provision of an attachment for handing machines, which automatically attaches a band to the cigar, designed to be operated by the machine, and in synchronism therewith, for feeding afolded paper, as for instance, a coupon,-into position such that the coupon may beenclosedwith the cigar by the band.

Another object is out change 'ingthe operation thereof, and

' without material change in the machine. Another object is theprovision' of an attachment including feedingmeans arranged to move between a magazine for coupons and the banding mechanism, and toward and from the magazine and the banding mechanism respectively, thereby to positively place the provision of an at tachment of a character such that it may be applied to existing banding machines, witha folded coupon beneath the plunger of the banding mechanism, and adjacent to the trip for said mechanism. 7

, Another object is the provision in such an attachment of normally operative means to grasp one end of the folded coupon as it is released by the feeding mechanism, thereby to retain the coupon in proper position. Another object is the provision in connection with the normally operative grasping of means to positively open the same for the insertion of a coupon end by the feeding mechanism, operated in synchronism with the feeding mechanism.

Another object is the provision of grasping means of a nature such that, and so arranged, that it will grasp that end of the folded coupon over which the cigar moves to engage the trip, and will hold said end against displacement by the cigar, and below the level of the wrapper, thereby to avoid injury to the same.

Another object is the provision of a normally operative grasping means, of a nature such that'it will yield torelease the end of the coupon, when the cigar is pressed down thereon by the banding mechanism.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts fully described hereinafter, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims,.may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part hereof Fig. 1 is a front view of the improved machine.

Fig. 1a is a detail in section of the valve.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 33 and 44 respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail in section showing the operation of the clamping finger.

Fig. 6 is a detail in front elevation of a part of the banding mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of another part of said mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the completed article.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the same.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a banding ma chine of the general type shown and described in Patent No. 1,261,832, granted April 9th, 1918. I

The banding machine includes a suitable frame 1, upon which is supported a table 2, and the coupon feeding attachment is adapted to be attached to the machine frame at the front thereof. The band. applying mechanism indicated generally at 3, which forms no part of the present invention, is supported by a reciprocating hollow rod 5, for movement toward and from the table. The rod is an air conduit and is connected to a channeled plunger 6, forming a part of the band applying mechanism, by a flexible hose 7. The plunger 6 is a pneumatic feeder for the bands, being connected to suitable exhausting apparatus by the elements 5 and 7.

The plunger 6 takes the bands from a magazine, indicated generally at 8, and ap plies them to the cigar 9, laid upon the table directly beneath the head 10 of the plunger. The cigars are placed on the table at A, at the left of the banding mechanism, and are fed successively into the position B. In this position, the cigar is beneath the plunger 6, and the tuck end of the cigar is pushed into contact with a stop or head 12, which is fixed to a rod 12 operatively connected to the starting and stopping mechanism of the machine as shown in Patent 1,261,832, to cause the banding mechanism to apply a band 13 to the cigar, in the manner shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The banding mechanism consists of flexible bands, which run over the free ends of angle levers 14 pivoted to the plunger 6 at each side thereof. These levers are caused to swing by mechanism forming no part of the present invention, after the head with the band has descended upon the cigar, and the ends of the band are tucked beneath the cigar and pressed together as shown in Fig. 7 a suitable adhesive medium first having been applied to one end of the band. A pad 15a mounted on suitable operating mechanism 15 is pressed into contact with the lapped ends of the band by means of fingers 16, resting on the cigar. Since the banding mechanism forms no part of the present invention, it is not further described.

The improved feeding attachment comprises a magazine 17, for the folded coupons, which are twice folded by the coupon folding machine forming the subject matter of our copending application Serial No. 401,542, filed on October 22nd, 1929. The magazine has a lateral arm 18, which is secured't-o a bracket 19 detachably connected with the frame 1 of the banding machine.

The connection between the arm 18 and the bracket is a bolt and nut 20, which enables the angle of the magazine with respect to the vertical to be adjusted. The magazine is composed of two channeled members facing each other, as shown in Fig. 4. At its lower end each of the end walls of the magazine has an inwardly extending lug 21, upon which the ends of the lowermost wrapper in the magazine rest. These lugs support the coupons in the magazine, but permit the lowermost one to be withdrawn when the feeding mechanism to be described, engages the central portion thereof. A follower 22 rests upon thestack in the magazine, the bottom of the follower being convex to similarly shape the stack of labels.

The coupons are withdrawn from the magazine one by one, the lowermost first, by feeding mechanism composed of a pair of sucker heads 25, mounted on hollow rods 26, held in the free end of an arm 27, to be presently described, and connected at their lower ends with a header 28, which in turn is connected to a valve casing 29 by a flexible hose 30.

The arm 27 is pivoted near its outer end to the upper end of a follower 31, which at its lower end is pivoted to the frame of the machine, as indicated at 32. A lever 33 is mounted on the pivotal connection 32, and the outer end of the lever 33 is connected to the outer end of the arm 27 by a sectional link 34, having a turn buckle to enable the overall length of the link to be varied.

The inner end of the lever 33 is provide with a roller running on the edge of a cam 35, secured to a shaft 36, which is a part of the banding machine and is operated by a clutch subject to the action of the starting and stop ping mechanism associated therewith and with the rod rod 12, so that the cam 35 will operate simultaneously with the operation of the banding mechanism. A second cam 37 is secured to the shaft, and this cam engages a roller on the link 31 before mentioned. A spring 38 is arranged between the link 31 near its upper end and the frame, and a spring 39 is arranged between the link 34 at its upper end, and the frame, the spring inclining downwardly toward its connection with the frame. The springs act normally to hold the rollers in close contact with the cams 3537.

The arrangement of these parts is such that the sucker heads are first moved to the right of Fig. 1, by means of the cam 37. The heads are thenmoved upwardly toward the magazine 17 to engage the lowermost coupon, by means of the cam 35, or rather by means of the spring 39, which holds the roller of lever 33 close to the low part of the cam 35. The sucker heads are then moved downward- 1y with a coupon, when-the roller of lever 33 passes onto the high part of the cam 35. The sucker heads are then moved to the left of Fig. 1, when the roller of link 31 passes. onto the low part of cam 37 ,and upwardly to deliver the coupon, when the high part of the cam 35 engages the roller of lever 33. That is, right and left movements of the feeding mechanism are caused by the cam 37 and up and down movements by the cam 35. e

The valve 40 in the casing 29' is operated in synchronism with the movement of the feeding mechanism, by means of a cam 41, on a cam shaft 42, arranged at right angles to the shaft 36, and connected therewith miter gearing 43. The valve has a roller 44 at its lower end which bears against the cam edge, the cam moving the valve upward, and a spring 45 moves the valve downward. As shown in Figs. 1 and 1a, the plunger has a key 46, engaging a slot 47 in'the valve casing to prevent angular movement of the valve, and it has an angular passage 40a for connecting the hose 30, with a hose 48 connected with suitable exhausting apparatus.

The valve and the feeding mechanism are so synchronized, that when the sucker heads engage the lowermost coupon in the magazine, they will be connected with the exhausting apparatus, and the connection will be maintained until the coupon is moved into position beneath the plunger 6. The outer end of the shaft 36 is supported by a bearing bracket 49,

and the shaft 42 is supported by bearings 50 and 5.1, all of the bearings 49, 50 and 51 being detachably connected with the frame 1.

When the coupon is deposited upon the table in position before the trip stop 12, one end is arranged beneath a clamping finger 52 pivoted at its front end to a slide 53. The slide 53 is slidable in guides 54 and 55 on the table. One of the guides has a groove with parallel side walls, as shown in Fig. .1, while the other guide has a groove with diverging side walls, and the side edges of the slide are correspondingly shaped. The slide is reciprocated by means of a pinion 56 secured to a shaft 57 supported in a bearing bracket 58 detachably connected with the frame, and the slide has rack teeth 59 on its underside for engagement by the pinion.

, The shaft 57 is oscillated by means of a toothed sector 60, which is pivoted at 61 to the bearing bracket 51 before mentioned. The sector has a roller 62, which runs against the edge of a cam 63 on the shaft 42' before mentioned. The finger 52 is normally pressed toward the slide by means of a plate spring 64 secured to the slide at one end and bearingon the finger at the other. The free end of the finger at its underside is beveled, as shown in Fig.4, and cooperates with a similarly beveled surface 65 on the slide.

The coupons 66 are withdrawn from the magazine oneby one by the feeding mechanism, while the slide is moving into retracted position. It will be noticed, referring to Fig. 4, that the table has an opening 67, through which the sucker heads may pass to the magazine. As the sucker heads move up to engage a coupon, and move down with the coupon, the slide is in its extreme retracted position, so that no impediment is offered to the movement of the sucker heads. a

As the sucker heads move down and to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, the coupon is cleposited upon the part 65 of the slide. The finger 52 has been lifted by mechanism to be described, and as soon as the coupon is in place, the finger is permitted to move downward under the influence of the spring, and grasps the end of the coupon, as shown in Fig. 4. The slide then moves rearwardly to bring the coupon into the position of Fig. 4,

that is, with its free end adjacent the stop 12. The exhaust through the sucker heads is operative while the slide is moving,

The lifting mechanism referred to is constituted by a pin 68, which is slidably mounted in guides 69 on a bracket 70 detachably connected with the frame. The lower end of the pin rests upon one end of an arm 71 pivoted at 72, to the bracket 70, and the arm has a roller 73 running upon the edge of a cam 74 secured to the shaft 42. The

pin is normally pressed downward by a spring 7 5 arranged between the uppermost bearing 69, and a stop 7 6 on the pin.

The movement of the pin is synchronized with the operationof the slide, so that as the slide moves into extreme retracted position,

the pin will be moved upward, lifting the free end of finger 52. At this moment the coupon is laid upon the table, with its forward end above the surface 65. The pin immediately moves downward, and the coupon is clamped to the slide. The slide then moves toward the stop 12.

lVhen the coupon is in this position, that is, in the position of Fig. 4, a cigar is laid upon the coupon by the operator, the cigar I...

and the coupon being beneath the plunger 6. The operator pushes the tuck end of the cigar against the stop, and trips the banding mechanism, which immediately places a band about the cigar by placing the center of the band on the cigar, bending down the ends of the band, and tucking them beneath the cigar and coupon, as indicated in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9. The position of the coupon just prior to its engagement by the finger 52 is shown in Fig.

5, the finger being at this time lifted, and the feeding mechanism just passing down through the opening 66.

The operation of the device as a Whole is as follows. The cigars to be banded are laid at the left of the operator, as shown in Fig. 2. As the machine operates, the at tachment is operated due to the fact that the shaft 36 forming an integral part of the banding machine also operates the cams of the attachment. The slide 53, if not already in retracted position, is retracted, the sucker heads move to the right of Fig. 2, and upwardly to engage the lowermost coupon and magazine. At this moment they are connected with the exhausting apparatus, and move downward with a coupon, and to the left of Figs. 1 and The sucker heads then move upward with the coupon. One end thereof is clamped to the slide by the finger, and the feeding mechanism moves out of the way of the slide, which then moves rearwardly to position the coupon adjacent to the trip 12. The operator now lays a cigar on the coupon, and moves it slightly longitudinally, to engage the tuck end thereof with the trip 12. The banding mechanism is operated to band the cigar and coupon, and the completed article is moved to the right away from the banding mechanism.

It will be noticed referring to Fig. 4, that the cigar at no time engages the end of the folded coupon, while the operator is sliding it toward the trip. Instead the cigar engages the middle portion of the coupon, on an in clined surface, so that there is no possibility of injury to the wrapper by the coupon. lhe engagement of the element with the cigar on the table provides suliicient pressure to draw the coupon from beneath the clamping finger, which holds the coupon with slide pressure. It is not necessary to lift the finger to release the coupon, as it is pulled out from beneath the finger by the retraction of the slide.

What is claimed as new is 1. In combina ion with a banding machine having banding mechanism including a plunger and a stop for initiating the operation of the banding mechanism adapted to be engaged and operated by the end of'the cigar, an attachment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for cigar to rest thereon when engaged with the stop.

2. In combination with a bandingmachine having banding mechanism including a plunger and a stop for initiating the operation of the banding mechanism adapted to be engaged and operated by the end of the cigar, an attachment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged with the stop, and means for holding the coupon against displacement during the placing of the cigar, said means engaging the endof the coupon remote from the stop.

folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged with the stop, and means for holding the end of the coupon remote from the trip against movement with the cigar when pushed against the stop, and below the level of the cigar, thereby to prevent injury to the cigar wrapper. i v

4. In combination with a banding machine having banding mechanism including a plunger and a stop for initiating the operation of the banding mechanism adapted to be engaged and operated by the end of the cigar, an attachment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged with the stop, said attachment being releasably connected with the banding machine. 7

5. In combination with a banding machine having banding mechanism including a plunger and a stop for initiating the operation of the banding mechanism adapted to be engaged and operated by the end of the cigar, an attachmentincluding means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged with the stop, the placing means including a magazine, and a feeding device movable toward and from the plunger and the magazine respectively, and movable between the plunger and the magazine.

' 6. In combination with a banding machine having a table and handing mechanism above the table, said mechanism including a plunger,and a stop for engagement by a cigar when in banding position to initiate the operation of said mechanism, and attachment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged by the stop, and means to re siliently clamp the coupon to the table.

7 In combination with a banding machine having a table and banding mechanism above. the table, said mechanism including a plunger, anda stop for engagement .by a cigar when in banding position to initiate the operation of said mechanism, an attachment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged by the stop, and means to resiliently clamp the coupon to the table, said clamping means engaging the coupon end remote from the stop.

8. In combination with a banding machine having a table and banding mechanism above the table, saidmechanism includinga plunger, and a stop for engagement by a cigar when in banding position to initiate the operation of said mechanism, an attach: ment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged by the stop, and means to resiliently clamp the end of the coupon remote from the stop and to hold said end below the level of the table.

9. In combination with a banding machine having a table and banding mechanism above the table, said mechanism including a plunger, and a stop for engagement by a cigar when in banding position to initiate the operation of said mechanism, an attachment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged by the stop, and means to resiliently clamp the end of the. coupon remote from the stop and to hold said end below the level of the table,

i which the finger cooperates and a spring for pressing the finger toward the surface.

10. In combination with a banding inachine having a table and banding mechanism above the table, said mechanism including a plunger, and a stop for engagement by a cigar when in banding position to initiate the operation of said mechanism, an attachment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged by the stop, a slide movable toward and from the stop, and having means to engage and hold the end of the coupon remote from the stop, and means to move the slide in synchronism with the operation of the coupon placing means. I

11. In combination with a banding machine having a table and banding mechanism above the. table, said mechanism including a plunger, and a stop for engagement by a cigar when in bandingposition to initiate the operation of said mechanism, an attachment including means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a cigar to rest thereon when engaged by the stop, a slide movable toward and from the stop, and having means to resiliently engage and hold the end of the couponremote'from the stop below the level of the table, and means to move the slide in synchronism with the operation of the coupon placing means.

7 12. In combination with a banding machine having a table and banding mechanism above the table, said mechanism including a plunger, and a stop for engagement by acigar when in banding position to initiate the operation of said mechanism, an attachmentincluding means to place a folded coupon beneath the plunger in position for a stop, a slide movable toward and from the stop,- and having means to resiliently engage and hold the end of-the coupon remote from the stop below the level of the table, and

means to move the slide in synchronism with the operation of the coupon placing means,

the coupon engaging means including a fin-' .ger resiliently pressed toward the slide, and

cigar end to initiate the operation of the V banding mechanlsm, means to place-a coupon in position in front of the stop for a cigarto be laid thereon prior to its engagement with the stop. i

14. A' cigarbandingi and coupon attaching machine and in combination cigar banding mechanism, and a stop for engagement by a cigar end to initiate the operation of the banding mechanism, means to place a coupon in position in front of the stop for acigar to be laid thereon prior to its engagement with the stop, and means to lightly grasp and hold the end of the coupon remotefrom'the stop below the level of the cigar when it is pushed toward the stop.

15. In mechanism ofthe class described, I

banding mechanism, means to place afolded coupon in position in front of the stop fora cigar to be laid thereon prior to its engagement with the stop, and means to lightly grasp and hold the end of the coupon remote from the stop below the level of the cigar when it is pushed toward the stop, said means comprising a slide movable toward and from the stop, means for operating the slide in synchronism with the banding mechanism, alnal a finger resiliently pressed toward the s 1 e.

16. In mechanism of the class described,

including a machine having cigar banding mechanism, and a stop for engagement by a cigar end to initiate the operation of the banding mechanism, means to place a folded coupon in position in front of the stop for y when it is pushed toward the stop, said means 7 comprising a slide movable toward and from the stop, means for operating the slide in synchronism with the banding mechanism,

and a finger resiliently pressed toward the slide, and means operated by the banding machine for lifting the finger at the end of the movement of the slide away from the sto i 1%. In a cigar banding and coupon attaching machine and in combination, a support for a cigar, mechanism for wrapping a band around a cigar on said support, mechanism for delivering a coupon to said support in a position lengthwise of the cigar to be Wrapped to the cigar beneath the band, means for holding each coupon in said position on the support, and means for operating said coupon delivering mechanism and coupon holding means and for synchronizing the operation of said mechanisms so that a coupon is delivered to said holding means in said position just prior to the operation of the banding mechanism.

18. In a cigar banding and coupon attaching machine and in combination, a support for a cigar to be banded, means for delivering and positioning a coupon at the support longitudinally of a cigar to be banded on said support, and banding mechanism in proximity to the support and operable to apply a band around said cigar and coupon at said support.

19; In a cigar banding and coupon attaching machine and in combination, a support for a cigar to be banded, means for delivering a coupon at the support longitudinally of the cigar to be banded on the support, means for holding said coupon in said position, and banding mechanism in proximity to the support and operable to apply a band around said cigar and coupon at said support.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 25th day of November A. D. 1929.

BERNARD R. SCHNEIDER. KARL KAISER.

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