US3176694A

US3176694A - Device for connecting aligned rod shaped objects by a wrapper

Info

Publication number: US3176694A
Application number: US202042A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kaeding Heinz
Original assignee: Hauni Werke Koerber and Co KG
Current assignee: Koerber AG
Priority date: 1961-06-12
Filing date: 1962-06-07
Publication date: 1965-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-06
Also published as: GB995448A; DE1188495B

Description

H. KAEDING April'6, 1965 DEVICE FOR CONNECTING ALIGNED ROD SHAPED OBJECTS BY A WRAPPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1962 April 6, 1965 H. KAEDING 3,176,594

DEVICE FOR CONNECTING ALIGNED ROD SHAPED OBJECTS BY A WRAPPER Filed June 7, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. KAEDING A ril 6, 1965 DEVICE FOR CONNECTING ALIGNED ROD SHAPED OBJECTS BY A WRAPPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 7, 1962 United States Patent Office 3,176,694 Patented Apr. 6, 1965 12 Claims. 31. 131-9 4 This invention relates to cigarette making machinery, and more particularly to apparatus for connecting a cigarette filter plug to the remainder of a cigarette by means of a sheet of adhesive coated wrapping material in which the abutting portions of the cigarette and of the filter are wrapped by a rolling motion.

Equipment for automatically performing such an operation has been disclosed in the Schubert Patent No. 3,001,- 528. In the known device, a rod shaped plug of filter material and two lengths of a rod-shaped tobacco body enclosed in cigarette paper are fed in axial alignment to the cylindrical surface of a drum equipped with radially projecting axially elongated ribs or fins. Pieces of adhesive-coated connector sheets are retained on the drum surface by the suction of a vacuum pump connected with orifices in the drum surface.

While in contact with a gummed connector sheet, each group of cigarette elements consisting of a filter plug and two lengths of tobacco rods aligned with the plug is rolled along the drum surface by contact with a stationary rolling member having a rolling face parallel to the drum face and spaced therefrom a distance slightly smaller than the diameter of the group of elements which are to be assembled by means of the connector sheet. The completed assembly in which the sheet is wrapped about the plug and the adjacent abutting portions of the other cigarette elements is removed from the drum and cut transversely through the filter plug whereby two filter cigarettes are obtained from each assembly.

The apparatus whose mode of operation is briefly described above performs at high rates of output with satisfactory results. It has been found, however, that the known device cannot consistently produce good assemblies from component parts which are out of round, and from component parts which are not precisely aligned.

The object of this invention is an improvement of the known devices which permits handling of cigarette components which deviate from a circular cross section.

Another object is the improvement of the known devices which automatically aligns each assembled group of cigarette elements in a fixed direction.

Yet another object is to facilitate separation of the group of elements from the rolling members after assembly.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an apparatus of the invention in its inoperative position, certain elements being broken away to afford a better view of others;

FIG. 2 shows a detail of the device of FIG. 1 in another perspective View;

FIG. 3 shows a portion of the device of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 illustrates the apparatus of FIG. 1 in side elevation in the operative position, with some portions broken away to reveal internal structure; and

FIG. 5 shows a detail of a modified device of the invention in a view corresponding to a portion of FIG. 4.

Referring nowto FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawing, there is shown as much of a device for assembling filter plugs with the other elements of cigarettes as is needed for an understanding of the invention.

The two rolling members between which the rod shaped cigarette elements are rolled in longitudinal alignment while in contact with an adhesive coated connecting sheet are a generally cylindrical drum 1 and a rolling member 2 which is stationary and closely adjacent the rotating drum 1 when the apparatus is in its operative condition as shown in FIG. 4. As seen in FIG. 1, the stationary member 2 has been removed from the cylindrical face of the drum 1 to its inoperative position assumed during maintenance operations. The drum 1 is mounted on a non-illustrated driven shaft journaled in the machine frame. The drum 1 continuously rotates in the direction of the arrow N.

Two pairs of lugs 3 project from the stationary memher 2 in a direction away from the drum 1. Pins 5 connecting the lugs of each pair pivotally support a pusher member 4 which is a two-armed lever. One arm 6 of the pusher member adjacent the drum 1 is made of sheet metal and bent into the shape of a portion of a cylindrical surface which is normally parallel to the opposite cylindrical face of the drum 1 in the operative position of the stationary member 2. The member 2 itself has a face portion 7 which normally extends in the same cylindrical surface as the bent portion of the arm 6. The face portion 7 and the cylindrical surface of the arm 6 jointly constitute the rolling face associated with the member 2.

The other arm 8 of pusher member extends away from the drum 1. A leaf spring 13 has one end fastened to the arm 8, and the position of its free other end relative to the arm may be adjusted by means of an adjusting screw 14. A heavy helical compression spring 11 is interposed between the arm 8 and an abutment 12 fixed on the stationary rolling member 2. The spring 11 normally holds the pusher member 4 in the illustrated position relative to the member 2 in which the arm 6 is closely adjacent the face portion 7.

The spring 13 forms a click which cooperates with a ratchet wheel 9. The teeth of the ratchet wheel 9 are constituted by lands of the original cylindrical surface of the wheel between recesses 10 uniformly spaced about the wheel circumference. Each of the recesses has a first wall which drops steeply toward the axis of the wheel 9, and a second wall having a more gradual slope. The wheel 9 is mounted on a shaft 17 connected to the drive \of the apparatus for synchronized rotation of the wheel 9 in the direction of the arrow N with the drum 1 as will hereinafter be described in more detail.

The stationary rolling member 2 is mounted on a bracket 26 which is rotatable and axially slidable on a pivot pin 27. The pivot pin 27 is fixedly fastened to a block 28 which in turn is secured to an element 29 of the stationary supporting frame of the apparatus which is not otherwise shown. The shafts of the drum 1 and of the wheel 9 are journaled in this frame.

Three guide rails 31 of flat sickle shape spacedly extend over a portion'of the substantially cylindrical face of the drum 1. The rails of which only two are seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 have narrow edge faces 52 opposite the cylindrical drum face. A portion of each face 52 extending from the rolling area adjacent the stationary member 2 in a direction opposite to the arrow N is cylindrical and coaxial with the drum 1. The three guide rails 31 are-axially spaced from each other and are secured to the machine frame 'by brackets 32 and 32'. The bracket 32 carries an integral abutment bar 30. A stud 33 fixed to the bar 3% passes through aligned openings in the rails 31. Sleeves 121 are interposed on the stud 33 between the rails 31 to hold them in axially spaced positions. A similar stud 33 equipped with non-illustrated sleeves is attached in an analogous manner to the bracket 32, and the portion of the machine not seen in the drawing includes additional brackets, studs, and sleeves to maintain the desired alignment of the rails 31.

M Two

integral lugs

34, 35 spaced from each other in a direction parallel to the axis of the drum 1 project from the bracket 26 in a generally radial direction. They have aligned respective openings 36 in which a locating pin 37 is longitudinally slidable. A free end of the pin 37 adjacent the lug 35 carries a spherical handle 38. A heavy helical compression spring 39 is wound on the portion of the pin 37 between the

lugs

34 and 35. Its axial ends abut respectively against the lug 35 and against an adjustable collar 40 on the pin 37. The free end 41 of the pin 37 adjacent the lug 34 is of conically tapering shape. A circular recess 42 in the block 28 is located so as to be engageable by the conical end 41 of the pin 37, but the spacing between the axis of the pivot pin 27 and the center of the recess 42 is smaller than the spacing of the axes of the

pins

27 and 37.

' Two threaded stops 43 are mounted on the bracket 26 and extend therefrom radially toward the drum 1. In the operative position of the device illustrated in FIG. 4, the stops 43 abut against the abutment bar 30 and thereby limit pivotal movement of the stationary member 2 about the pin 27 toward the drum 1.

The rolling face 7 of the member 2 and corresponding portions of the pusher member 4 are slotted in. five planes which are axially spaced and radial with respect to the shaft of the drum 1. Three slots 44 are dimensioned and located movably to receive respective guide rails 31 in the operative position of the apparatus. Two wider and shallower slots interposed between the three slots 44 are intended to relieve the rolling pressure of the stationary member 2. I

The generally cylindrical face of the drum a portion of which is better seen in FIG. 2 carries integral radially projecting axially elongated ribs 15. The ribs 15 are uniformly spaced in a circumferential direction and define shallow troughs 45 therebetween which are portions of the rolling face of the drum 1. The bottom of each trough 45 is divided into three approximately equal axial portions by two rows of orifices 16 communicating with a stationary vacuum chamber 117 within the drum. The chamber is connected to a suction pump in a known man ner by means of a conduit of which only an orifice 118 is seen in the drawing.

The chamber 117 extends over the entire portion of the drum 1 in contact with cigarette element groups G with the exception of the rolling area opposite the stationary member 2. The bottom of each trough 45 in the rolling face of the drum is corrugated. The corrugations 47 47' have sharp axially extending ridges and corresponding depressions. The corrugations 47 extend from the center of each trough 45' axially somewhat beyond each row of orifices 16. The corrugations 47' extend axially inward from the end of each trough and are separated from the central corrugations 47 by a band 46 of smooth recessed drum surface. For cigarettes having a diameter of about -7 millimeters, the spacing of the ridges is preferably about one millimeter.

In each trough 45, a flank of one rib 15 leads the remainder of the trough during rotation of the drum 1 in the direction of the arrow N, and the flank of another rib 15 trails. Each mib 15 thus has a leading flank in one troughand a trailing flank in the next trough. Contiguously adjacent the trailing rib flank, an approximately cylindrically shaped groove 51 extends in each trough bottom in an axial direction. The grooves 51 are'free from corrugations 47, 47. Several orifices 16a of the vacuum chamber 117 terminate in each groove 51 on the fiank of the corresponding rib 15.

Reverting now to FIGS. 1 and 4, it is seen that the cylindrical narrow edge 52 of each guide rail 31 opposite the drum face is spaced from the corrugated surface of the drum 1 in each trough bottom a distance a smaller than the radial distance b from the bottom of the groove 51. The distance a is smaller and the distance b is greater than the diameter of a cigarette.

A feed wheel 119'having circumferentially spaced axial grooves 126 is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the drum 1 in synchronization with the latter. The axial grooves 120 in the cylindrical face of the wheel 119 are intersected by three axially spaced circumferential grooves 122. A wedge-shaped terminal portion 123 of each rail 31 is received in each groove 122.

The aforedescribed apparatus operates as follows:

To move the rolling member 2 from the inoperative position shown in FIG. 1 into its operative position illustrated in FIG. 4, the locating pin 37 is withdrawn in the direction of the arrow H until the conical end 41 of the pin clears the block 28. The bracket 26, the stationary member 2, and the pusher member 4 participate in this movement in the direction of the arrow L. The bracket 26 may now be pivoted in the direction of the arrow K toward the surface of the drum 1 for engagement of the guide rails 31 in the slots 44, and registering of the end 41 of the locating pin 37 with the recess 42 in the block 28.

Because of the intentional misalignment of the locating pin 37 with the recess 42, the free end 41 of the pin 37 wedgingly engages a wall of the recess, and the force of the spring 39 urges the threaded stops 43, the length of which is suitably adjusted, against the bar 30.

The pivotal movement of the bracket 26 on the pin 27 causes the leaf spring 13 to move in the direction of the arrow M into ratcheting engagement with the recesses 10 of the ratchet wheel 9. The drum 1 and the wheel 9 are jointly driven by the non-illustrated main drive of the apparatus in such a manner that the wheel 9 rotates through an angle corresponding to the angular spacing of two adjacent recesses 10 While the drum 1 moves through an angle corresponding to the angular spacing of two adjacent ribs 15.

Groups G of cigarette elements G are formed in a known manner by longitudinally aligning two rod shaped lengths 50 of tobacco Wrapped in cigarette paper with an interposed rod-shaped plug 49 of filter material. The

rods

50 and 49 are approximately cylindrical, but the diameter of the filter plug 49 is slightly smaller than that of the rod-shaped tobacco bodies 50. The groups of cigarette elements are fed to the wheel 119 in a known manner so that they are initially located in respective axial grooves 120. When during rotation of the wheel 119, the groups of cigarette elements reach the terminal portions 123 of the guide rails 31, they are lifted from the grooves 120 and sequentially transferred into respective troughs 45 in the surface of the drum 1 contiguously adjacent the leading flank of a rib 15. They are held in this position by the vacuum within the chamber 117 applied through the orifices 1601.

As the spring 13 travels over the ratchet face of the Wheel 9, the pusher member 4 is pivotally retracted from the rolling face of the drum 1 while the spring moves outward of a recess 10 along the gradually sloping Wall of the recess. After reaching the land between two circumferentially adjacent recesses 10, the spring abruptly drops into the next recess 10 along the steep wall of the latter, thereby rapidly moving the arm 6 of the pusher member 4 toward the drum 1.

The drives of the drum 1 and of the ratchet wheel 9 are synchronized in such a manner that the pusher memher 4 at the moment of its sudden movement toward the drum 1 is radially aligned with a group G of cigarette elements entering the rolling area between the stationary rolling faces 6, 7 and the rolling face of the drum 1. The condition of such a group is illustrated at G in FIG. 2. It is superimposed on a connecting sheet B laid down on the drum surface in a known manner and heldby the suction applied through orifices 16. The adhesive-coated face of the sheet B is directed radially outward. Its two circumferentially terminal edge portions are respectively remote from and adjacent the groove 5.1. The adjacent edge portion overhangs the groove 51.

The arm 6 of the pusher member 4, upon dropping of the spring 13 into a recess 10, forces the central portion of the group G into intimate contact with the adhesivecoated face of the sheet B. The axial width of the sheet B is such as to extend over the length of the plug 49 and over the longitudinally abutting portions of the two paper wrapped tobacco rods '50.

Continued rotation of the drum 1 relative to the stationary faces 6, 'i with which the group G is in contact causes rolling movement of the group about its longitudinal axis in the direction of thearrows O as sequentially shown at (3 to G in FIG. 2. The circumferential width of each trough 45 between adjacent ribs about equals the circumferential length of th connecting sheet B and is greater than the circumference of the groups G. The sheet B initially adhered to the group G by the pressure of the pusher member 4 is gradually wrapped about the group as the same rolls from the leading flank of one rib to the trailing flank of the other rib defining the respective trough 45. The wrapped group G whose

elements

49, 50 are now connected by the sheet B is deposited in the conforming cylindrical groove 51. If due to any cause, the elements of a group G should not be aligned axially when approaching the groove, the misalignment will be corrected by engagement of the group with the groove 51, thus facilitating later separation of the group from the drum 1 in a known manner.

The corrugations 47, 47' practically prevent the elements of a group G from moving out of axial alignment while being rolled between the cooperating faces of the drum 1 and the stationary member 2. The corrugations also facilitate joining a plug 49 with paper wrapped tobacco rods 50. Thediameter of the paper wrapped tobacco rod 5f is usually slightly larger than that of the filter plug 49 as shown in FIG. 3. When the group G is rolled between the parallel rolling faces, the tobacco rods 54 are radially compressed so that their cigarette paper wrapping becomes too Wide. The excess paper in the free end portions of the rods 51 is again taken up by expansion of the rods when the pressure is relaxed. The wrapped sheet B makes such relaxation impossible in a portion of the tobacco rod 59 adjacent the lateral edge 53 of the wrapped sheet B as seen in FIG. 3.

During rolling over the corrugations 47, the excess paper is forced into the recesses between the ridges of the corrugations and thus forms narrow folds S4 barely visible to the unaided eye and shown in FIG. 3 on a somewhat exaggerated scale for the sake of clarity. The folds are fixed by the connecting sheet B. In the absence of corrugations 47, the excess paper may accumulate during rolling of the group G and finally be fixed by the sheet B in the form of an undesirable relatively large pocliet which upon release from the roiling area would be filled with air and would by-pass at least a portion of the tobacco rod 59 in an undesirable manner.

The bottom of groove 51 is sufficiently lower than the ridges of the corrugations 4'7, 4'7 to relieve the pressure of the rolling face '7 on the completely wrapped group G Frictional forces exerted by the rolling face '7 in a circumferential direction are reduced to an insignificant amount, and cannot press the finished group G tightly against the trailing flank of a rib Any deformation or other damage to the group resulting from such circumferential forces is thus avoided.

Any movement of the completed assembly of cigarette elements relative to the drum 1 while traveling from the rollin g area to a discharge station at which the assemblies are removed from the drum 1 in a known manner is prevented by the suction applied through orifices 16a. In the event of failure of the vacuum system, the rails 31 retain the cigarette elements on the drum 1.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the spacing of the grooves 51 and the locations of the orifices 16a in the flanks of the ribs 15 are selected in such a manner that respective free edge portions of the sheets B overhang the grooves 51 prior to rolling, but do not extend circumferentially to the orifices 16a. When a finished rolled assembly reaches a groove 51 adjacent the trailing flank of a rib 15, the orifices 1 312 in that flank make contact with a portion of the sheet B spaced from the previously overhanging free edge portion of the latter. The remainder of the assembly is thereby urged inward of the groove 51 into sealing contact with the free edge portion of the sheet B.

As shown in FIG. 1, the axial width of the rails 31 is much smaller than that of the face 7. Two of the rails 31 are axially offset from the drum 1, andthe third rail 31 is aligned with the filter plug whose diameter is somewhat less than the diameter of the wrapped tobacco rods. Therefore, the rails 31 have little, if any, rolling effect. The groups of cigarette elements arequite resilient, and the spatial relationship illustrated in FIG. 4 does not interfere with proper operation of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 which achieves secure adhesive sealing of the free edge portion of the sheet B in a somewhat different manner. In the apparatus partly shown in FIG. 5 and otherwise identical with that seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, the guide rails 31 have a projecting portion 124 of a length approximately equal to A2 of the spacing of successive ribs 15. Each projecting portion 124 has a coaxial pressure face opposite the drum 1 in the portion of the rolling area in which rolling of each group of cigarette elements is completed. The radial spacing of the pressure face from the bottom of the groove 51 in which the rolled group is eventually deposited is slightly smaller'than the average diameter of the group so that the finished rolled product is urged inward of the group by the pressure of the projecting rail portion l24, whereby the free edge portion of the connecting sheet B is securely adhered to the remainder of the rolled assembly. The modified apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is preferably limited in its application to connecting sheets B having a low coeficient of friction with respect to the guide rail 31. It is evident that there is relative movement and friction between portions of the connecting sheet and the face of the guide rail portion 12 while the assembly is held in the groove 51. This may result in damage to the connecting sheet unless it is very smooth.

It should be understood of course that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for connecting two elongated rod shaped objects in longitudinal alignment and in longitudinally abutting relationship by means of a connecting sheet wrapped about and adhered to the abutting portions of said objects, said objects being of approximately circular cross section and having a predetermined average diameter, in combination:

(a) a drum member having a generally cylindrical roll ing face, said drum member being rotatable about the axis thereof; 7

(b) a plurality of axially elongated ribs on said face, said ribs being uniformly spaced from each other about the axis of said drum member and two circumferentially adjacent ones of said ribs defining therebetween a trough portion of said face, said trough portion being formed with an axially elongated recess contiguously adjacent one of said ribs and dimensioned partly to receive said objects, said one rig having a flank in said recess;

() a stationary rolling member having another rolling face opposite a portion of the face of said drum member and substantially parallel thereto, said other face being spaced from said recess a distance greater than said diameter, and from the remainder of said trough portion a distance smaller than said diameter;

(d) first retaining means on said trough portion outside said recess thereof for releasably retaining thereon an adhesive coated connecting sheet in such a position that two circumferentially terminal portions of said sheet are respectively remote from and adjacent said recess, whereby said objects when placed between said rolling faces in simultaneous contact with said remotely spaced terminal portion and said other rolling face while substantially axially aligned with each other, are rolled between said faces, wrapped in said sheet, and deposited in said recess when said drum rotates in a predetermined direction;

(e) second retaining means on said flank for retainingd the wrapped deposited objects in said recess; an

(1) guide rail means opposite the rolling face of said drum member, a portion of said guide rail means 'being radially spaced from said recess a distance smaller than said diameter and constituting a pressure means for urging said objects against said adjacent terminal portion of said sheet during rotation of said drum in said predetermined direction.

2. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 1, second pressure means for urging said objects against said sheet during rotation of said drum in said predetermined direction, said pressure means including a pusher member movably mounted on said stationary member, and actuating means for rotating said drum about said axis and for moving said pusher member toward and away from said drum in synchronization with the rotation of said drum.

3. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said actuating means including means for moving said pusher member toward and away from said drum during an angular movement of said drum about the axis thereof corresponding to the circumferential spacing of said two circumferentially adjacent ribs.

4. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said actuating means including means for moving said pusher member in a direction toward said drum when said remote terminal portion of said sheet is opposite said pusher member in the direction of movement thereof.

5. In an apparatus for connecting two rod shaped objects of rounded cross-section and of predetermined average diameter in alignment relative to a common axis and in axially abutting relationship by means of an adhesivecoated connecting sheet wrapped about the abutting portions of said objects, in combination,

a first rolling member having a first rolling face;

a second rolling member having a second rolling face located opposite said first rolling face and spaced therefrom in a predetermined direction a distance similar to and smaller than said diameter, said faces forming a rolling zone therebetween;

actuating means for moving said faces relative to each other transversely of said direction, said first face being formed with a recess dimensioned to partly receive said objects when connected and said recess having a bottom spaced from said second face a distance greater than said diameter and being elongated in a direction transverse of the direction of relative movement of said rolling members;

retaining means on said first face for releasably retaining thereon an adhesive-coated connecting sheet in such a position that two terminal portions of sa d sheet are respectively remote from and ad acent said recess in said direction of relative movement whereby said objects, when placed between said faces in simultaneous contact with said remotely spacedterminal portion and with said second face while axially oriented substantially parallel to the direction of elongation of said recess, are rolled about said common axis, wrapped in said sheet, and deposited in said recess; and I elongated guide means extending through sa d rolling zone and beyond said second rolling face in the direction of relative movement of said faces and spaced from said first face a distance similar to and smaller than said diameter, said guide means being spaced from said bottom of said recess a distance greater than said diameter and being arranged to hold the objects against said first face during relative movement of said faces independently of said retaining means. 6. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 5, two rib means projecting from said first face toward said second face and spaced from each other in said direction of movement, said rib means defining therebetween a rolling face portion formed with said recess, said rib means each being elongated in the direction of elongation of said recess, said retaining means being on said face portion.

7. In an apparatus as set forth. in claim 6, said recess being coiitiguously adjacent one of said rib means.

8. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 6, a plurality of corrugations in said rolling face portion.

9. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 6, a plurality of corrugations on said rolling face portion ad acent sa d retaining means, said corrugations being elongated in the direction of elongation of said recess.

10. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 9, said rolling face portion being partly free from corrugation, the free part of said rolling face portion being spaced from said retaining means.

11. A combination as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first rolling member has an axis and said first rolling face is of substantially circular cross section having a center located on said axis, said first actuating means being arranged to rotate said first rolling member about said axis and said second face extending circumferentially over a portion of said first face, said guide means having an axial length smaller than the axial length of said second face and extending circumferentially beyond said second face, and further comprising second actuating means for moving a portion of said second face toward and away from said first face in synchronism w th the relative movement of said faces actuated by said first mentioned actuating means.

12. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further retaining means in said recess for retaining therein said object when deposited in said recess.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 631,331 8/99 Russell 131-56 XR 1,070,818 8/ 13 Lacroix. 2,798,495 7/57 Molins 13194 2,809,639 10/57 Edwards 131-94 3,036,581 5/62 Dearsley l3l94 3,058,475 10/6'2 Gamberini l3 l-94 3,093,143 6/63 Rudszinat et a1 13l94 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,242,418 8/ 60 France.

459,903 1/37 Great Britain. 776,777 6/57 Great Britain.

851,341 10/60 Great Britain.

872,047 7/ 61 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

5. IN AN APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING TWO ROD SHAPED OBJECTS OF ROUNDED CROSS-SECTION AND OF PREDETERMINED AVERAGE DIAMETER IN ALIGNMENT RELATIVE TO A COMMON AXIS AND IN AXIALLY ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP BY MEANS OF AN ADHESIVECOATED CONNECTING SHEET WRAPPED ABOUT THE ABUTTING PORTIONS OF SAID OBJECTS, IN COMBINATION, A FIRST ROLLING MEMBER HAVING A FIRST ROLLING FACE; A SECOND ROLLING MEMBER HAVING A SECOND ROLLING FACE LOCATED OPPOSITE SAID FIRST ROLLING FACE AND SPACED THEREFROM IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION A DISTANCE SIMILAR TO AND SMALLER THAN SAID DIAMETER, SAID FACES FORMING A ROLLING ZONE THEREBETWEEN; ACTUATING MEANS FOR REMOVING SAID FACES RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TRANSVERSELY OF SAID DIRECTION, SAID FIRST FACE BEING FORMED WITH A RECESS DIMENSIONED TO PARTLY RECEIVE SAID OBJECTS WHEN CONNECTED AND SAID RECESS HAVING A BOTTOM SPACED FROM SAID SECOND FACE A DISTANCE GREATER THAN SAID DIAMETER AND BEING ELONGATED IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE OF THE DIRECTION OF RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID ROLLING MEMBERS; RETAINING MEANS ON SAID FIRST FACE FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING THEREON AN ADHESIVE-COATED CONNECTING SHEET IN SUCH A POSITION THAT TWO TERMINAL PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET ARE RESPECTIVELY REMOTE FROM AND ADJACENT SAID RECESS IN SAID DIRECTION OF RELATIVE MOVEMENT WHEREBY SAID OBJECTS, WHEN PLACED BETWEEN SAID FACES IN SIMULTANEOUS CONTACT WITH SAID REMOTELY SPACED TERMINAL PORTION AND WITH SAID SECOND FACE WHILE AXIALLY ORIENTED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF ELONGATION OF SAID RECESS, ARE ROLLED ABOUT SAID COMMON AXIS, WRAPPED IN SAID SHEET, AND DEPOSITED IN SAID RECESS; AND ELONGATED GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ROLLING ZONE AND BEYOND SAID SECOND ROLLING FACE IN THE DIRECTION OF RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID FACES AND SPACED FROM SAID FIRST FACE A DISTANCE SIMILAR TO AND SMALLER THAN SAID DIAMETER, SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING SPACED FROM SAID BOTTOM OF SAID RECESS A DISTANCE GREATER THAN SAID DIAMETER AND BEING ARRANGED TO HOLD THE OBJECTS AGAINST SAID FIRST FACE DURING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID FACES INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID RETAINING MEANS.