US3280961A

US3280961A - Apparatus for conveying a mass of cigarettes from one level to a higher level

Info

Publication number: US3280961A
Application number: US537599A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alan K Mccombie
Original assignee: Molins Machine Co Ltd
Current assignee: Molins Machine Co Ltd
Priority date: 1966-02-23
Filing date: 1966-02-23
Publication date: 1966-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-25

Description

United States Patent 3 280 961 APPARATUS Fon covYING A MAss oF CIG- ARETTES FROM @NE LEVEL T A HIGHER LEVEL Alan K. McCombie, London, England, assignor to The Molins Organisation Limited, a British company Continuation of application Ser. No. 345,293, Feb. 17,

1964. This application Feb. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 537,599 6 Claims. (Cl. 198-76) This application is a continuation of my prior filed coa mass of rodlike articles is located at one level and it is necessary to transfer the articles to ahigher level by movements occurring in the mass itself, that is, without the aid of trays, carrier-platform conveyors, and suchlike devices. The mass to be raised has a width equal to the length of an article and a depth of any desired amount.

In copending U.S. application Serial No. 319,846 mentioned above a large mass of cigarettes coming from a cigarette machine is collected in a compartment and cigarettes are conveyed from said mass to the cigarette hoppers of packing machines by various conveyor belts. Normally it is necessary to raise the cigarettes to deliver them to a hopper because of the relative heights of a cigarette machine and a packing machine.

The invention about to be described has a conveying arrangement capable of lifting cylindrical rodlike articles in mass, in the form of a thick column, to a height of several feet without undue disturbance or injury to the individual articles. Normally the mass to be lifted will be supported horizontally at its lower position and the lifted articles delivered to a horizontal support at the higher position, but horizontal supporting is not essential as the supports might slope somewhat. The word level is to be understood in this sense.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for moving a mass of cylindrical rodlike articles such as cigarettes, cylindrical cigars or filter rods, from one level to a higher level, comprising a conveying device consisting of a passage dened by two conveyor bands, having neighbouring runs which move upward, and spaced apart by a dimension not substantially exceeding 3 inches, means for driving the bands to cause said upward movement and means for urging a mass of the articles into contact with the bands at the lower end of said neighbouring runs, whereby the mass is gripped by the bands and carried upwards. The said dimension varies somewhat according to the nature of the articles being conveyed, but 3 inches is about the practicable maximum for cigarettes. The movement is caused by friction between articles and bands and the internal friction between articles, and both factors depend to some extent on the hardness or softness of the articles, the nature of the external surface of the articles, for example, the nature of the paper wrapper of cigarettes and, possibly, the condition (moisture content) of articles such as cigarettes. As the `apparatus is primarily intended for use with apparatus according to the specification quoted above, or in similar work, where a deep mass at one level is to be raised toa higher level, the cross-section of the mass to be lifted, that is, its depth, diminishes as it moves into contact with the bands at the said lower end. This reduction in *ice cross-section may be obtained by spacing the neighbouring runs of the bands at a desired width and providing the band which operates `on the upper part of the mass at the low level with a cylindrical weight which hangs in the lower loop of the band, and tensions it, and is positioned to define a path of converging curved shape, with an entry of a depth equal to the cross-section of the mass at the low level and a thickness at the exit equal to the cross-section of the mass to be carried up between the neighbouring runs of the bands. The weight merely hangs in the loop but it is controlled laterally and so its only effect is to tens-ion the band, and the runs of the band retain their upwardly directed positions. Side anges embrace the weight and provide lateral guides and for this purpose the weight is shaped as a ring and a rotatable shaft passing through said ring carries two discs to provide the said anges.

In a modied arrangement the band which operates on the upper part of the mass at the lower level is supported by a large pulley, which rotates on a fixed axis (which may be adjusted) the pulley being positioned to define a path of the same converging curved shape as before.

'I'he conveyor bands may be vertically disposed but it is possible to have them sloping backwards from the vertical plane so that the upward um is at an angle of less than 90 to the lower level.

The invention will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l shows one arrangement according to the invention and,

FIGURE 2 shows a modified arrangement.

As shown in FIGURE l a deep cigarette mass moves along a compartment 43 in the direction of the arrows, under the influence of

bands

6 and 44. 8 is a cigarette hopper of a packing machine (not shown) having a conveyor 57 which delivers cigarettes to the hopper, and a pivoted exible guide 58 having cross-pieces which act as light weights and turn any skewed cigarettes, so that their axes are normal to the direction of movement of conveyor 5-7. `Other feed conveyors similar to 57 and for feeding cigarettes to other hoppers (not shown) are marked 157 and 257 respectively.

In order t-o raise cigarettes emerging from the compartment 443 high enough to pass them to the

conveyors

57, 157 or 257, there is provided a vertical conveying device 70. This is constituted by two band conveyors 71 and 72 whose neighbouring runs move upward, as shown by the arrows, and grip a thick column of cigarettes between t-hem. The thickness of this column is determined by the relative speeds of bands 71-72 and the belt 6. In the example shown, the bands 71-72 travel at three times the speed of belt 6 so the thickness of the column is one-third of the depth of the mass in compartment 43. The speed ratio depends, of course, on the fact that the possible width between bands 70-71 is limited, as aforesaid. A few cigarettes are indicated at C but it will be understood that the mass of cigarette is continuous, and this is indicated by cross-hatching. It will be noticed that as the mass moves from compartment 43 to the conveyor ldevice 70` it moves through a converging curved path, becoming re-arranged into a kind of swan-neck formation. This is brought about by the lower end of the conveyor 72 which hangs down freely but carries a large, heavy, cylindrical weight 73y in its bight. The weight is lheld against lateral movement by sprung guide rollers I82. A fixed guide 74y extends from the conveyor band 44 to the conveyor band 72 so as to eonne the cigarettes lto the desired path. The mass is kept in the desired order laterally by llanges 75 rotatable on a shaft 76 which passes through the hollow interior of the weight 73.

The bands 71-72 can be driven in any desired manner, according to the machinery in which this apparatus is incorporated, but a convenient method is by small electric motors coupled to shafts 76A 'and 76B, which carry driving pulleys 77-7-8 for the bands. Suitable tension pulleys may be provided for the band 71, but the tension of band 72 is provided by the weight 73.

Various materials are suitable for the belts 71-72 but a smooth surface is desirable. The plastic substance known as Mylar (R.T.M.) gives good results and any smooth-surfaced material with substantially the same coeicient of friction as Mylar (R.T.M.) is satisfactory.

The mass in compartment 43 moves into contact with the band 71 at the bottom and band 72 at the top and the advancing mass is accelerated by these two bands. At the broken line A-A, slippage occurs between the m-a'ss and the belts but this diminishes to zero at B=B. The bands 71 and 72 are backed by smooth guides 79.

Owing to the friction between the cigarettes and the bands 71-72 and the internal friction between cigarettes, the cigaret-tes at BB are not subjected to undue compression by the weight of the cigarettes above them in the column.

A small rod 80, or similar device, around which is wrapped a piece lof flexible material 81, is provided to span lthe gap between the two band rollers which support the bands 6 and 71. The material 81 can be extended, or contracted, by unwrapping, or wrapping, it a little. Nylon is a suitable material for the part 81. The free end of the strip determines the exact position at which cigarettes come into contact with band 71. The adjustment is useful to get the best results with different kinds of cigarettes. In transit up the conveying device 70 the friction between bands and cigarettes and the internal friction between the cigarettes is sufficient to convey the cigarettes without local displacement among the cigarettes,

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 2 is of the same general kind as that shown in FIGURE 1, and parts which are identical bear the same references and will not be particularly described. In this case the band which engages the Iupper surface of the cigarette mass 43 is arranged somewhat differently but this has nothing to do with the present invention and its operative face is positioned as in FIGURE. 1 and it is therefore Vlabelled 4-4.

It will be seen that the weight 73 has been dispensed with and the lower big-ht of the band 74 is supported on a pulley `83 having a shaft 84. The shaft is positioned so as to provide a converging curved path of substantially the same shape as in FIGURE 1. The position of shaft y84 has been determined by lengthy trials of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, but adjustment for its position may be provided. Side cheeks (not shown), confine the cigarettes laterally in the neighbourhood of the converging curved passage. At the convex side of this path, which is defined by the band 71, is a smooth concave support 85 which maintains the band at the desired curvature. Another curved member 86 engages the cigarettes as they pass from the outlet of the conveying device 70 on to the

conveyors

57, 157 and 257. The member 86 is fixed a-t one end to a housing '87 so an excess of cigarettes will tend to distend it. It is connected to a micro switch 88 and if there is an excess of cigarettes due to the stoppage` of a packing machine the switch will opera-te to cause the supply of cigarettes to the conveyor device 70 to diminish. In the particular case of the specification quoted earlier, this is done by shifting the back plate which forms the other end of the compartment 47.

It will be noted that the upward path of conveyance of the cigarettes slopes backwards with respect to the horizontal mass in the compartment 43. A suitable angle may be up to 10 and it is sometimes useful to be able to have the conveying device at an angle to the vertical to suitdifferent layouts of the machinery concerned.

It was stated earlier that the

pulleys

77 and 78 may be driven by electr-,ic motors and these are indicated in FIGURE 2 at 89, to show suitable driving means. In practice, however, the driving means would be chains or the like driven by other moving parts of the machinery concerned.

The embodiment-s of the invention which have been described are intended particularly for use with cigarettes, but it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apparatus would be equally suitable for use with cylindrical cigars or filter rods used in the cigarette trade. These filter rods are much harder than cigarettes so they can be more tightly compressed between the bands 71 and 72 if necessary. The term cylindrical rodlike article is intended to include -not only cigarettes and filter rods but also filter cigarettes, where a large part of the length of the cigarette consists of a filter.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for moving a mass of cylindrical rodlike articles from a low level to a higher level, the mass having a width equal to the length of an article, comprising a conveying device consisting of two conveyor bands having neighbouring runs which move upward, and are spaced apart yby a dimension not substantially exceeding 3 inches, to define a passage extending from the low level to the higher level, means for driving the bands to cause the neighbouring runs to move upward, means for urging a mass of articles into contact with the bands at the lower end of the passage, comprising a bottom conveyor for the mass, the depth of the mass at the low -level exceeding the space between the neighbouring runs of the bands, and means for reducing the cross-section of the mass as 1t moves into contact with the bands at the lower end of the passage, the bottom conveyor being movable at a rate such that the speed ratio between the conveyor and the said bands is equal to the reduction in cross-section of the mass in passing from the lower level into the passage.

2.y Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for reducing the cross-section of .the mass comprises a guide means for the lower end of that band which engages the upper part of the mass at the low level, the guide means constraining the lower end of the band to follow a curved path which extends downwards lower than the top of the mass Iat the low level.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for reducing the cross-section of the mass consists in providing that one of the said bands, which engages the upper part of the mass at the low level, with a cylindrical weight which hangs in the lower loop of the band -to tension it, and cause the loop to define a concave curve forming the upper side of a path of converging curved shape, while the other of said bands is guided to define a convex curve forming the lower side of said path, the path having an entry of a depth equal to the depth of the mass at the l-ow level, and a thickness at the exit equal to the cross-section of the mass to be carried up between the neighbouring runs of the bands.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for reducing the cross-section of the mass consists in providing a pulley, rotatable on a Ifixed axis, around which that conveyor band which engages the upper part of the mass at the low level, turns, said pulley being positioned to cause the band to define a convex curve forming the upper side of a path of converging curved shape, while the other of said bands is guided to define a convex curve forming the lower side Iof said path, the path having an entry of a depth equal to the depth of the mass at the low level and -a thickness at the exit equal to the crosssection of the mass to be carried up between the neighbouring runs of the bands.

5. `Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the axis of the pulley is at substantially the same level as the top of the mass of articles at the low level.

5 6 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means References Cited by the Examiner for urging the mass 0f articles into Contact With the bands UNITED STATES PATENTS at the lower end of the passage additionally comprises a top conveyor for the mass so that Ithe depth of the m-ass 550086 11/1895 Wluett 19g-165 at the low level is the space between lthe top and bottom 5 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

COHVYOTS- E. A. SROKA, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR MOVING A MASS OF CYLINDRICAL RODLIKE ARTICLES FROM A LOW LEVEL TO A HIGHER LEVEL, THE MASS HAVING A WIDTH EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF AN ARTICLE, COMPRISING A CONVEYING DEVICE CONSISTING OF TWO CONVEYOR BANDS HAVING NEIGHBOURING RUNS WHICH MOVES UPWARD, AND ARE SPACED APART BY A DIMENSION NOT SUBSTANTIALLY EXCEEDING 3 INCHES, TO DEFINE A PASSAGE EXTENDING FROM THE LOW LEVEL TO THE HIGHER LEVEL, MEANS FOR DRIVING THE BANDS TO CAUSE THE NEIGHBOURING RUNS TO MOVE UPWARD, MEANS FOR URGING A MASS OF ARTICLES INTO CONTACT WITH THE BANDS AT THE LOWER END OF THE PASSAGE, COMPRISING A BOTTOM CONVEYER FOR THE MASS, THE DEPTH OF THE MASS AT THE LOW LEVEL EXCEEDING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE NEIGHBOURING RUNS OF THE BANDS, AND MEANS FOR REDUCING THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE MASS AS IT MOVES INTO CONTACT WITH THE BANDS AT THE LOWER END OF THE PASSAGE, THE BOTTOM CONVEYOR BEING MOVABLE AT A RATE SUCH THAT THE SPEED RATIO BETWEEN THE CONVEYER AND THE SAID BANDS IS EQUAL TO THE REDUCTION IN CROSS-SECTION OF THE MASS IN PASSING FROM THE LOWER LEVEL INTO THE PASSAGE.