US1911650A - Automatic feed for wrapping machines - Google Patents

Description

May 30; 1933. E. L. SMITH AUTOMATIC FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed May 15, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 30, 1933. E. l.. SMITH AUTOMATIC FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed May 15, "1930 A 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 EN T0 w BY wm Z. J/r/rf/ 7'/ ZM A TTORNEYS.

May 30, `19333 E l.. SMITH I 1 1,911,650 lAinoimxc Fasi) Fon. WRAPPING `MACHINES l Y l Filed nay 15. 195o 5 sheepsshe't 5' J' l43' './f

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Patented Mayso, 1933 UNITED.; STATES EINER L. SEITE, F IQONGLIEADOW, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 IPAGKAG'Il l IACHINERY COMPANY, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A O0RPORATION- OF IASSACHUBETTS Uromvrrc FEED ron waiirrnve` mcnnms Application led lay 15,

This invention relates -to mechanism for feeding .singly 'to a wrapping machine or other article treating devices a succession of articles such as cigars. `Cigars are generally pressed fin layers of fifteen or twentyiive and it is one object of this invention to permit-these layers to be stacked manually in a magazine, fed' from the magazine one layer at a time, and delivered'to the wrapy ping 'machine in individual succession. A

further object of the invention is to prevent any displacement of the cigars during their f transit from the magazine to the point at which they are delivered to the wrapping 16 mechanism A further object is to fee the cigars individually in a downward direc,- Ytion into pockets in -a revolving disk, the pockets having at least one slanting end so that the cigars are automatically located 20.in the correct position. A further object of the invention 1s to stop the feeding of the cigars to the wrapping mechanism in the event that there is abreak in thecontinuity with which the cigars are being fed from the magazine. A furtherobject isl to improve generally upon the type of cigar i'c'eed-` ing mechanism illustrated and described in the application of Frederick Grover, filed May 12, 1930, Serial No.451,688.

In accordance with these 4objects the Cinvent/ion consists generally in a magazine fromwhich layers of cigars are forced bodily, one layer at a time, by a plunger. The cigars are received'from the plunger upon- A an elevated table which descends after the deliveryof a layer thereto, soI that the layer .of cigars is deposited upon a pair of parallel flat-backed chains, in this case composed ofchains pf the so-calledsilent type which '40 have been found to be excellent for this pursecond chain. similar to the first extends 193e. semi no. 452,682.

above it so that the cigars are held against movement during the1r transit along the chains. At the end of the chains the ci ars are delivered in single -iile to guide inem rs along which the are fed by the pressure of the cigars behin them. Normally the leading clgarY of the file strikes a stationary abutment and is then in position to be grasped by opposed plungers yand carried intol the pocket of the feeding disk of a cigar wrapping machine of the t pe shown in my prior application Serial N52. 424,998, filed January 31, 1930. A stop mechanism is provided so that if the continuity of the single` ile of cigars is broken one of the opposed plungers willl be held stationary in apositionwhere it blocks further advance of the ple of cigars and prevents any further de ivery of cigars to the feeding disk until continuity is again restored.`

' Referring to the drawings Y Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cigar feedinm'achine embodying my invention;

ig.\2 is a, fra mentary section thereof illustrating the dehvery end of the machine; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 ofnFig. 3;v

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5' of Fig. 4; 4 gig. 6'is a section on line 6-'6 'of Fig. 3'; an v Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-'7of Fig. 4. Figs. 8 and 9 represent detail views of a. spring pressed plunger, article stop mechay msm.

The description of the machine will'start with-the magazine in which the cigars are initially stacked by hand or by other suitv able means. The machine ,is supported i viipon a framej 10 to which a magazine supportin bracket 11 is secured. A plate 12 85 carrie upon this bracket formsthe bottom of a cigar magazine, the ends ofV which are. formedfby upright pieces 13, The front plate 14 of the ma azine is held in place. atl an/ adjustable e evation by screwsf15 passing through slots 16 yin the front plate and into threaded holes in the uprights. The back 17 is made readily removable so that the cigars may be placed within the 5 magazine in orderly layers. To facilitate the loading of the magazine a rear bracket 18 is secured to the bracket 11 and carries on lits top a loading table 19. This table as well as the rear upright members are preferable made adjustable to accommodate cigars `o f different dimensions.

j yTo force the bottom layerQJ of cigars out of the space between, the plate 12 and the bottom of the front plate 14 a reciprocating plunger is provided. Uponfsupports 2O eX- tending from the bracket 11 are ways 21 in which run rack slides 22 carrying a pusher carriage 23. A pusherplate 24 provided with a head 25 is secured to this carriage.

To slide the carriage back and forth in the ways the rack slides22 are provided with teeth 26 meshing with pinions 27 fast upon `a shaft 28 which is journaled in bearings 29. A pinion 30 upon this shaft meshes with a rack 31 held in position by a guide 32 and pivoted at 33 to the end of a crank member 34v swung at 35 upon the frame.l

The crank is formed with a slideway 36 in which reciprocates a block 37 pivotally `mounted upon a disk 38 secured to a shaft 39; At the other end of this shaft is a worm wheel 40 meshing with a worm 41 upon a crossshaft 42 which, in my preferred embodiment of the machine, is driven in any suitable manner `from the cooperating wrapping machine so that it rotates in timed Y relation therewith.

As the cigars are fed from`the magazine by the plunger they are prevented from 4 over-travel by an abutment 43 formed on /the frame. In this position the cigars are received upon ltable members 44 carried upon .brackets 45 pivotally mounted ati46 (Fig. 5) to similar arms of a pair of identilcal bell cranks 47 mounted on rock shafts 448. The other arms of these bell cranks are joined by a link 49 so that they move in unison and provide a parallel motion for the table members 44. One o f the shafts 48 has fixed to it an arm 50 (Fig. 1) ,pro-

vided at its end with a roll coacting with a crown cam 51 securedto the shaft 39. The plates are thus'caused to move in timed relation with the plunger which'forces the layers of cigars from the magazine, and the cam 51 is so designed that the plates will remain in their elevated position during the entire 'bntward vmovement of the plunger and will then descend to drop the\layer of cigars upon the chain conveyer.

A pair of chains-55 having their 'upper run passing over a'plate 56 to preserve accuratealignment pass at one end around sprockets 57 secured on a. shaft 58. Thls shaft carried in brackets 59 adjustably vat its end a roll cooperating with a disk mounted on studs 60 projecting from the previously mentioned. These chains are given a continuous movement at a relatively ow speed so that the cigars will be fed as fast as is required for delivery to the Wrapping machine.

In order to revent the cigars turning or becoming disp aced while'they are on the chains, an upper chain.65 is preferably provided, positioned above and between the two lower chains. At one end this chain passes around a sprocket 66 (Fig. 1) secured to a shaft 67. A second sprocket 68 on this shaft is joined by a chain 69 with a sprocket 70 on the cross shaft'42. The sprocket sizes are so chosen that the upper chainmoves at the same surface speed yas lthe two lower, chains.

A tension roll 71 of the usual form is pro-l vided to maintain the chain 69 in proper condition. The upper run of thel chain passes over a support plate 72 suitably mounted upon the frame, in order to prevent it from coming in contact with other parts; and at the other end the chain passes around a sprocket 73 mounted upon an idle shaft 74. Both the upper chain and the two lower chains are preferably made of the silent construction common in power drives; although this form of chain is utilized here primarily neither for its power transmission ynor its silent qualities, but because the back of the chain is substantially fiat and thus supports the cigarswithout the necessity of providing speciai backs for the links of the chain. v

At the delivery end of the chains the cigars pass as shown in Fig. 2 onto a bottom support 75 and under a top plate 76, the cigars being forced onwardly -by theV lpo l pressure df the cigars behind them until they strike a stop plate 75l. The foremost cigar' of the file is thus held directly under an, upper plunger 78 (shown depressed in Fig. 2),v adjustably secured by a bolt 79 upon a plunger carrier 80. This carrier 1s plvoted at 81 to a lever 82 fast upon a rock shaft 83. The carriris also pivoted at 84` to a link 85 extending from a fixed pivot 86 to provide a parallel motion. An arm -87 extends from the rock shaft 83 andcarries cam 88 mounted upon the cross shaft 42. A

second arm 89 (Fig. 1). projects from the4 rock shaft and is'joined by aA spring 90 with a fixed part of the machine in order t o hold' the cam roll normally against the perlphery of thegcam. u

Cooperating with thepper plunger 1s a lower plunger 91 having upon-its upper. sur-, face 'spring pressed pads 92 so that the clgars may be grasped between the two plungers without `injury irrespective of minor` variations in size. The lower plunger is carried upon the end of a lever 93 pivoted at 94 to the frame and having a roll 95 cooperatin with a cam (not shown in the drawings upon the shaft 42. A spring, which has alsov been omitted from the drawings, may be provided to hold the roll in contact with the cam in the usual manner.

The present machine has been designed for use withla cigar wrapping machine preferably of thev type shown in my prior application No. 424,998. Only a fragment of this machine has been shown as it is unnecessary to an' understanding of my present invention. The frame lof the machine is indicated at 96 and is joined to the frame 10 by a dowel or shaft 97. Intermittently rotat ing upon the wrapping machine frame is a disk 98having pockets 99 spaced about its periphery and corresponding in shape with a cigar. The frame 96 is provided with an aperture 100 with which` the pockets 99 in the disk register successively 'as the disk .is

moved with a step-by-step motiqn.

It is desirable to insure accurate centering ofthe cigars before theycome into thel range of the upper and lower plungers, as a longitudinal displacement of a cigar would disturb its proper alignment with the pocket of the wrapping machine. For this purpose I have provided centering plates 101 (Fig. 3), one at either side of the channel formed between the plates 75 and 76. Each plate is adjustably secured as at 102 to-an arm 103 pivoted at 104 to the frame and having an adjustable stop' 105 to limit the motion of the plates toward each other. A spring 106 constantly urges the plates toward each other so `that they 'always tend. unless otherwise restrained, to rest with their stops 105 against the fixed abutments on the frame. In order to give to the centering plates' a periodical movement with a minimum of working parts I prefer to bend the righthand end of the arms 103. as viewed in Fig. 3, inwardly, and to provide rollers 107. one

yon the arm 89 and the other on the arm 87. so

2) is rigidly secured to 'the shaft 83 which actuates the `upper plunger and is provided with a notched plate 109. Cooperating with the notch in this plate is a blade pivot'- ally mounted upon a rock shaft 111. Also secured to this rock shaft are feelers 112,

'place along the line 117.

one extendingl at each side of the path` of the conveyers 55 as shown in Fig. 3. Asto arm 114- (Fig. 1) extends from the roc shaft rand normally abuts a .stop- 115 on the frame, the rock shaftl with its attached parts being held yieldably in this position by a spring 113. As long as cigars are continuously passin 112 will be lgield in the dotte line position of Fig: 2. In this position the blade.110 does not interfere with the free motion of the shaft 83. If, however, there is a break in the continuity of the file of cigars the feeler will be allowed to snap" intothe full line position. In this case the blade 110 is directly opposite the notch iiiplate 109.. As the roller on the end of-arm 87 passes oithe high point of cam 88-the upper plunger 78 would normal] Itend to rise under the iniiuence of the spring 90. Such motion 'is',hovv ever, preventeddiy the contact of the blade 110 with the notchedI plate 109. The Cparts are so proportioned, however, that upon the next rotation of thel cam the plate 109 will be moved from the blade a suicient distance to permit the blade to snap awa \if acigar has in the meantime arrived" undserneath the feeler 112. 'It will be noted that the upper plunger remains in its lowermostv position whenever the 'feeler is heldin the full line along the vconve ers the feeler position. The feeding b the plunger 'ofalso shall have a stop mechanism so that if no cigar is'delivered into thepockets -99 no wrapping material will be fed and thus waste will be prevented.

As previously mentioned, the machine is designed for use of cigars of different diamics eters and the magazine is made adjustable for this reason. A further capacity for change is also provided for,Y so that the machine may accommodate either alternate layers of twelve and thirteen. or regular layers of twenty-live cigars. For this purpose the frame 10 is split at'116 and 117. If it is desired to add a magazine of different width the frame extending to the right in Fig. 1

beyond the split 116 can be removed, a-

longer chain 55 substituted and the enlargement accommodated by the mere substitu tion 'of a wider plunger plate 24 and the wider magazine. It may also be desirable to operate the machine without a magazine,

thefcigars being fed either by hand or directly from a banding machine. In this case the frame may be taken apart along the line 117,'a. shorter 'chain substituted, and the bracket holding thelshaft 58 bolted in It is also preferred to provide/the pockets 99 in the disk 98 withy one bevel side 120 (Fig. 6) so that the cigars whenA placed minor variations in the lengths of the cigars.v

Within the pocket will always be forced toward the straight end df the pocket, irrespective of minor differences in cigar lengths. The bottoms of the pocket are Generally open but are providedwith short ledges 121 atthe sides upon which the ends of the cigar may rest without, however, intcrfering with the operation of the'upper and lower plungers.

In order to prevent any possibility of the cigars rollin over as they are presented to the plunger g8, I may use the modified mechanical construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The fixed abutment 77 has in this instance been replaced by a plate 130 carried on a rod 131 adjustably held by a set screw 132' in a fixed bracket 133. Pivoted at 134 to thisbrackct is an arm 135 having a projecting ng'er portion 136 extending through slots in both the plate 130 and the upper plunger 78 to contact with the leading cigar of the file. The finger is constantly urged towards the cigars by a spring 137 strained between the bracket 133 andran arm 138y secured to the arm 135. The tension exerted by the spring is sufficient to hold the leading cigar from rolling over, but not (enough to prevent it from being pushed ahead b the pressureI of the file behind it.

What I claim is: 1. A feeding device for cigars or similar karticles which comprises a pair of endless conveyers, one positioned above the other to form between them a feedin file of articles, a stop -agalnst which the articles are delivered' by the conveyers, aV

- to feed the articles successively out of said file, and means responsive to an interruption in the continuity of the file for holding the plunger inactive and in position to block further movement of the file of articles.

'3. A feeding device for cigars or similarA articles comprising an intermittently rotat- -able disk provided with through pockets,

each pocket having one beveled end and one straight end and ledges for holding a cigar therein, and means for depositing cigars singly and successively in the top of said pockets whereby the cigars will be posichannel for a 4. A 'feeding device for cigars or similar articles comprising an intermittently rotat- -able disk provided with through pockets,

each pocket having one beveled end and one Astraight end and ledges for holding a cigar therein, means fordelivering cigars successively to a point immediately above. that at which the disk pockets come to rest, and a pair of plungers coordinated to grasp the cigars and lower them into the pockets, the lower of the plungers being narrower than the space between the pocket ledges so that it may pass through each pocket in succession.

5. A feeding device as'claimed in claim 4,

having movable members for aligning the` cigars as they are delivered into position to be grasped by the plungers, and-mechanism operated. by the plungers for moving the members towards and from each other.

6., A feeding devicefor cigars or similar articles which comprises a pair` of endless conveyers, one positioned above the other to form between them a feeding channel for a file of articles, a stationary stop positioned beyond the conveyers against which the articles are delivered by the pressure of the articles being fed forward by the conveyers, a spring pressed plungeradapted to receive an article prior to its contact with the stop and to ease it into such contact without permitting it to roll over, and means for removing the article from its position against the stop.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my e signature.

ELMER L. SMITH.l

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