US3311008A

US3311008A - Process of severing rod-like articles and arranging the severed articles in a row

Info

Publication number: US3311008A
Application number: US323694A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schubert Bernhard
Original assignee: Hauni Werke Koerber and Co KG
Current assignee: Koerber AG
Priority date: 1962-11-17
Filing date: 1963-11-14
Publication date: 1967-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1984-03-28
Also published as: GB1061438A; GB1061437A; DE1272795B

Description

March 28, 1967 B. SCHUBERT PROCESS OF SEVERING ROD-LIKE ARTICLES AND ARRANGING THE SEVERED ARTICLES IN A ROW 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 14, 1963 'wha 4 30 vemar:

8E RAM/14190 J('//UBE/?7" lav- 8 2 0 t 0 w a h 1 s 6 Q m a N h M s R 7 A mw A0 March 28, 1967 B. SCHUBERT PROCESS OF SEVERING ROD-LIKE ARTICLES THE SEVERED ARTICLES IN A R Filed NOV. 14, 1963 .7/7 yen/0r.-

BERN/MRO JCHUBERT 8 s 0 a 0 m 1 1 w 3 0m a G e N h M S M 7 m Aw R "MA T I Rms E W BE Km Hum c SO Rm G m mm V E% T F 0 w o w 9R 1P I! M 8 2 v 0 e N a d e 1 M .1 F

J17 1 20 for 8 E RN 1914/90 JCbl/BERT March 28, 1967 B. SCHUBERT 3,311,008

PROCESS OF SEVERING ROD-LIKE ARTICLES AND ARRANGING THE SEVERED ARTICLES IN A ROW Filed Nov. 14, 1965 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jn'v en for BERN/MRO O'C HUBERI March 28, 1967 B. SCHUBERT PROCESS OF SEVERING ROD-LIKE ARTICLES AND ARRANGING THE SEVERED ARTICLES IN A ROW Filed Nov. 14, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 28, 1967 B. SCHUBERT PROCESS OF SEVERING ROD-LIKE ARTICLES AND ARRANGING THE SEVERED ARTICLES IN A ROW 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 14, 1963 .70 en/0r.-

BER/VHAPD JC'f/UBEPT Kay- March 28, 1967 B. SCHUBERT PROCESS OF SEVERING ROD-LIKE ARTICLES AND ARRANGING THE SEVERED ARTICLES IN A ROW Filed Nov. 14, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 I NVENTOR; BERN/ 9RD Jam/6E United States latent Cfiice 3311,0 68 Patented Mar. 28, 1967 3,311,008 PRGCESS OF SEVERING KGB-LIKE ARTKCLES AND ARRANGING THE SEVERED ARTICLES IN A ROW Bernhard Schubert, Hamburg-Lohbrugge, Germany, as-

signor to Hauni Werke Kiirher & (10., KG, Hamburg, Germany Filed Nov. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 323,694 laims priority, application; Germany, Nov. 17, 1962,

4 ,424 11 Claims. (Cl. 83-27) The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for manipulating filter rods, cigarette rods and similar rod shaped articles. More particularly, the invention relates to a process and apparatus for conveying and staggering in a novel way rod-like articles which are obtained by severing rods of multiple unit length into two or more axially aligned sections and which are thereupon arranged in a single row wherein the articles form a single file.

In modern filter cigarette machines, mouthpiece sections of double unit length are inserted between pairs of axially aligned cigarette rods, and such assemblies of cigarette rods and mouthpiece sections are thereupon provided with wrappers of adhesive-coated tape which surround the mouthpiece section and the adjacent portions of both cigarette rods so that each assembly forms a filter cigarette of double unit length. The assemblies are then severed across the wrapper to obtain two filter cigarettes of ultimate length. Mouthpiece sections of double unit length are obtained by severing filter rods of multiple unit length and by thereupon shufiling the thus obtained axially aligned sections in order to form a single file which may be fed to a so-called assembly drum of the filter cigarette machine on which the mouthpiece sections are assembled with pairs of cigarette rods.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a process for shufiling sections of filter rods or other types of rod-like articles in such a way that the rods may be severed and the resulting sections shufi'led and arranged in a single file while travelling at a speed which is sufiicient to insure that the process may be resorted to in the manufacture of filter cigarettes on modern high-speed filter cigarette machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel process for transferring rod-like sections from rows wherein the sections are axially aligned with each other into consecutive pockets of a receiving conveyor which may be used to deliver such sections to the assembly drum of a filter cigarette machine.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus which may be utilized for carrying out the process of my invention and which is sufiieiently compact to fit into presently used filter cigarette machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel magazine and a novel transfer conveyor which may be utilized in an apparatus of the just outlined characteristics.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus wherein severing of rods of multiple unit length into two or more sections and subsequent transfer of such sections into the pockets of a receiving drum may take place in a fully automatic way and without any supervision on the part of the operator.

With the above objects in view, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a process for staggering an array of rod-like sections wherein the sections are initially arranged in a plurality of rows of equidistant sections so that each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row. The process comprises the steps of moving an array of equidistant parallel rods in a direction at right angles to their axes and simultaneously severing each rod into a plurality of sections whereby the array of rods is transformed into an array of sections wherein each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row, moving the array of sections in a first path at right angles to their axes, consecutively transferring the foremost axially aligned sections of each row seriatim into a plurality of separate paths at such intervals that all foremost axially aligned sections are transferred before a rod moves through a distance which is equal to the distance between two consecutive rods whereby the sections are transversely staggered with reference to each other, moving the thus staggered sections at right angles to their axes at higher speed and through different distances so that the sections remain in transversely staggered relation, and thereupon shifting the sections axially with reference to each other to form a single row in which all sections are arranged in a single file.

For example, if the rods are filter rods of multiple unit length, they may be severed into sections of double unit length and, once such sections form a single file, they may be introduced between consecutive pairs of cigarette rods to form filter cigarettes of double unit length. After a wrapper of adhesive coated material is applied around the sections and around the adjacent end portions of the respective cigarette rods, the resulting product is severed in half across the filter sections to form two filter cigarettes of ultimate length.

In its simplest form, the apparatus of my invention comprises a feed conveyor whose pockets or similar holding means receive filter rods from a magazine and which 7 moves such rods at right angles to their axes and past one or more cutting devices which automatically sever each rod into two or more axially aligned sections of requisite length, a receiving conveyor which is spaced from the feed conveyor and which is provided with equidistant pockets or similar holding means each arranged to receive a single section, and a special transfer conveyor which is disposed between the two previously mentioned conveyors and which includes a plurality of transfer elements each serving to transfer one section of any given rod from the feed conveyor to the receiving conveyor. The elements of the transfer conveyor have portions of different length which extend from a first transfer station at which the transfer conveyor receives seriatim the foremost axially aligned sections from the feed conveyor and a second transfer station at which the transfer conveyor delivers transversely staggered sections to the receiving conveyor. The apparatus further comprises drive means arranged to move the transfer conveyor and the receiving conveyor at identical speeds but in different directions and to move the feed conveyor at lower speed so that the pockets or similar holding means provided on the elements of the transfer conveyor receive sections of a given rod seriatim while moving along the first transfer station and at such short intervals that all sections of a given rod are transferred before a rod or a group of axially aligned sections covers with the feed conveyor a distance which equals the distance between two consecutive rods.

The sections of a given rod are caused to move with respect to each other and become staggered at the time they are being transferred seriatim at the first transfer station, and to a small extent while they travel between the two transfer stations. While moving with a given conveyor, the sections travel at identical speeds and each conveyor moves the sections at right anglesto their axes.

My process and apparatus differentiate from certain known proposals in that the transfer of any given group of axially aligned sections from the pockets of the feed conveyor into the pockets of the transfer elements does not take place simultaneously but at timely spaced intervals so that the first section of a given rod is transferred onto the respective element of the transfer conveyor while the remaining section or sections of the same rod will the second section of the same rod, and so on until all of the sections are on the transfer conveyor. Such transfer of two or more axially aligned sections is completed within a period of time which is needed by a rod to cover on the .feed conveyor the distance between two consecutive rods. In conventional apparatus, the transfer conveyor comprises a series of coaxial disks which are driven at different speeds, or a series of eccentric disks whose pockets are aligned at two spaced transfer stations. The drive mechanism for such disks is quite complicated and, furthermore, smallest inaccuracies in mounting of the disks'will result in destruction or mutilation of sections and in many other inconveniences.

In accordance with the present invention, all elements of the transfer conveyor may be driven at the same speed and their pockets need not be aligned at either of the two transfer stations. If thetransfer elements assume the form of disks, all that is necessary is to use disks of different diameters and to mount them in such a way that the disks are substantially tangential to the receiving conveyor at the second transfer station and that portions of the disks overlap the feed conveyor at the first transfer station. As a rule, the feed conveyor will be a drum with equidistant axially parallel peripheral pockets, and the receiving conveyor also resembles a drum with equidistant axially parallel peripheral pockets. The feed drum may be assembled of a plurality of pairwise arranged coaxial wheels defining between themselves spaces into which portions of the transfer disks extend so that the pitch circles of pockets on the transfer disks intersect the pitch circle of pockets on the feed conveyor at such points at which the disks remove foremost axially aligned sections from the pockets of the feed conveyor.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are, set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus itself, however both as to its construction and the method of operating the same, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will .be best understood from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is'a perspective view of the three conveyors, of tWo rotary cutters, and of a magazine for filter rods, with certain parts broken away;

FIG. 2 isa similar perspective view wherein the parts shown in FIG. 1 are indicated by phantom lines and wherein the manner in which the filter rods and the sections .of severed filter rods move through the apparatus is shown by full lines;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the feed conveyor and an axial section through the disks of the transfer conveyor;

FIG. 4a is a fragmentary front elevational view of the transfer station between the feed conveyor and one disk of the transfer conveyor;

FIG. 4b is a similar front elevational view of the transfer station between the feed conveyor and another disk of the transfer conveyor;

FIG. 40 is a similar front elevational view of the transfer station between the feed conveyor and a third disk of the transfer conveyor;

FIG. Sis an enlarged front elevational view of the transfer conveyor in a position its disks assume just prior to transfer ofa section from the feed conveyor into the pocket of a disk;

FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the feed conveyor and transfer conveyor at the first transfer station, showing a section in a position it assumes when it is simultaneously received in the pockets of both conveyors;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which axially aligned sections obtained by severing a multiple-length filter rod are transferred seriatim into the pockets of the transfer conveyor;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the drive machanism serving to rotate a series of agitating rollers which regulate the discharge of filter rods from the magazine, certain portions of the mechanism being broken away; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic front elevational view of the drive mechanism for the conveyors and the cutters.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an apparatus which is utilized for transforming an array consisting of rows of equidistant axially aligned filter rod sections of double unit length into a single row of transversely staggered sections. This row of transversely staggered sections is thereupon condensed to form a single file of sections which may be delivered to an assembly drum where each section enters the space between a pair of axially aligned cigarette rods to form with the cigarette rods a filter cigarette or double unit length.

The apparatus comprises a magazine 6 which feeds filter rods R of sextuple unit length to a feed conveyor 2, and this feed conveyor cooperates with a pair of angularly and axially spaced

rotary cutters

29, 30 which sever the rods R into sections F F P of double unit length. The conveyor 2 thereupon moves such sections in a circular path to a first transfer station A at which the foremost axially aligned sections F F F are received seriatim by a transfer conveyor l in such a way that the axially aligned sections of each consecutive rod are staggered transversely and thereupon move in separate paths and through dilferentdistances to a second transfer station B at which they are deposited in peripheral holding means or pockets 3a provided on a receiving conveyor 3 which serves to move the sections in a'further circular path at identical speeds so that the transverse spacing be- I tween the sections remains unchanged. The conveyor 3 allows the sections to be moved axially with respect to each other so that the sections form a single file which is ready to be delivered to an assembly drum, not shown.

The transfer conveyor ll comprises three transfer elements here shown as disks in, 1b, 10 which are respectively provided with equidistant peripheral holding means in the form of

pockets

4a, 4b, 4c. The angular distance between the centers of

pockets

4a, 4b or 40 is 3T wherein T is the angular distance between the centers of pockets 341 on the receiving conveyor 3. The

reference numerals

5a, 5b, 5c indicate arcuate guide faces provided on the peripheries of the disks in, 1b, 1c and leading inwardly to the

respective pockets

4a, 4b, 4c.

The feed conveyor 2 comprises six coaxial gear-

shaped wheels

2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2 which are disposed in pairs including a

first pair

2a, 2b, a

second pair

20, 2d and a

third pair

22, 2 The distance between the

wheels

2a, 2b is such that a portion of the disk In extends into the space therebetween. A larger portion of the disk 1b extends into the space between the

wheels

20, 2d, and a still larger portion of the disk 1c extends into the space between the

wheels

2e, 2 The cutter 29 extends into the gap between the

wheels

2d, 2e and the cutter 30 extends into the gap between the

wheels

2b, 2c so that a filter rod R of sextuple unit length which is received in aligned holding means or pockets of the wheels 2a2e is automatically severed into three sections F F P of double unit length as the rod advances past the

cutters

29, 30. The aligned pockets of the first pair of

wheels

2a, 2b are identified by numerals 35a and these pockets accommodate the left-hand sections P of the rods R which are severed by the cutter 3h. The aligned pockets 35b of the second pair of

wheels

2c, 2d receive the median sections F which are severed by the cutter 29, and the aligned pockets 350 of the

wheels

22, 2 receive the righthand sections F which are severed by the cutter 29. The distance between the centers of two

adjacent pockets

35a, 35b or 350 exceeds only slightly the diameter of a filter rod R so that a feed conveyor of comparatively small diameter may carry a large number of rods.

The magazine 6 comprises a pair of converging outer side walls 6a, 6b, a rear wall ac and an internal structure including two roof-shaped top walls 7a, 7b, two vertical inner side walls 8a, 8b and an arcuate housing 9 having side walls 9a, 9b. The

side walls

6a, 8a and 6b, 8b form two chutes having open lower ends which discharge two streams of filter rods R by gravity toward the periphery of the feed conveyor 2. Two horizontal agitating

rollers

12, 13 extend into the respective chutes and serve to prevent bridging of filter rods which descend by gravity toward the feed conveyor 2. The

rollers

12, 13 rotate back and forth and are driven by a mechanism which is shown in FIG. 8. Two agitating rollers 10, a are disposed at a level below the roller 12 at the open lower end of the left-hand chute, and each thereof comprises a series of coaxial rolls with the rolls of the roller 10 extending into cutouts provided in the outer side wall 6a. The rolls of the roller 10a are located below the lower ends of the walls 8a, 9a, and these walls have downwardly extending projections (only the projections 9a are shown in FIG. 1) which extend into the spaces between the rolls of the roller 10a. The rollers 10, 16a are rotated back and forth by the mechanism which is shown in FIG. 8 and serve to deliver rods R individually into the pockets 35a-35c or into a rod-receiving compartment 90 defined by the housing 9.

A second pair of agitating rollers 11, 11b is disposed below the roller 13 and the rolls of the roller 11 are recessed in cutouts provided in the outer side wall 612. The roller 11b is located below the walls 812, 9b and these walls have projections (only the project-ions 8b are shown in FIG. 1) which extend into the spaces between the axially aligned rolls of the roller 11b. The rollers 11, 11b rotate back and forth and perform the same function as the

rollers

10, 10a.

The mechanism which drives the

rollers

10, 10a, 11, 11b, 12 and 13 is illustrated in FIG. 8. It comprises a driver gear 14 whose shaft 14a is rotated by the main drive shaft 40 of'the apparatus (to be described in connection with FIG. 9) and which meshes with a pinion 15 mounted on a shaft 15b and carrying an eccentric pin 15a. The pin 15a is connected with a push rod 16 which carries a pin 17 eccentrically secured to a gear 18 which in turn meshes with

pinions

19, 20 and 21 respectively mounted on the shafts of the

rollers

12, 10a and 10. The gear 18 carries a second eccentric pin 22 which is connected with one end of a second push rod 23, and the other end of this second push rod carries a pin 25 which is eccentrically secured to gear 24. The gear 24 meshes with

pinions

26, 27, 28 which are respectively mounted on the shafts of the

rollers

13, 11, 11b. The shaft 14a of the driver gear 14 rotates in a clockwisedirection so that the pinion 15 will be driven in a counterclockwise direction and the

wheels

18, 24 will rotate back and forth to transmit similar rotary movements to the rollers whereby the rollers agitate the supply of filter rods in the magazine 6 and advance two single streams of such rods into the pockets into the compartment 9c.

Referring to FIG. 3, the disk 1a is provided with an elongated radially extending slot 31 which receives a portion of a coupling bolt 32, and this bolt has a threaded portion which is screwed into the disk 1b. A similar radially extending slot 33 in the disk 1b receives a portion of a second coupling bolt 34 which is screwed into the disk 10. Such connection between the disks 1a-1c is necessary in order to insure that the disks may move with respect to each other at the time they rotate about a common shaft 48 in such a way that their axes are parallel but eccentric with reference to each other. The

slots

31, 33 are provided at such distance from the axis of the feed drum 2 that the

coupling bolts

32, 34 remain spaced from the teeth of the wheels 2a-2f. The shaft 48 is stationary and is provided with eccentric collars 48a, 48b, 480 which are coaxial with and support the

disks

1a, 1b, 10.

FIG. 3 also shows that the extent to which a portion of the disk 10 projects into the space between the wheels 35a-35c of the feed drum 2 as well as 2e, 2] is greater than the extent to which a portion of the disk 1b extends into the space between the

wheels

20, 2d, and a portion of the disk 1a extends even less into the space between the

wheels

2a, 2b.

FIGS. 4a to 40 show that the bottom portion of each

pocket

4a, 4b, 4c is bounded by an arcuate surface which extends along an angle of about degrees, i.e., such tarcuate surfaces are provided between radial surfaces (which extend outwardly toward the tips of the teeth on the disks la-lc) and the aforementioned guide faces 5a, 5b, 5c. The

conveyors

1 and 2 are driven in the same direction, namely, counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2, 441-40, 6 and 9.

Referring to FIG. 5, the lines K K and K respectively indicate the addendum circles or crown circles of the

disks

1a, 1b, 1c, and it will be noted that these circles intersect the crown circle K of the conveyor 2 as well as the pitch circle of the pockets 3a. The pitch circles of the pockets 4a-4c also intersect the pitch circles of the pockets 35a-35c but are tangential to the pitch circle of the pockets 3a. The pitch circles pass through the axes of the sections F F F in the pockets of the respective conveyors. Thus, the diameter of the pitch circle of the pockets 3a corresponds to the maximum diameter of the receiving conveyor 3 because the pockets 3a are of semicircular outline so that one-half of each filter rod section will extend into the respective pocket on. the conveyor 3. The crown circle of the .conveyor 2 is the circle touching the tips of teeth between the pockets 35a-3-5c-.

The angular position of the disks 1a-1c with reference to each other is such that the pockets 4c are staggered with respect to the pockets 4b and that the pockets 4b are staggered with respect to the pockets 4a through a distance T. Thus, and as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a section F which forms part of the foremost filter rod R is transferred prior to the section P of the same rod, and the section F is transferred prior to the section F of the same rod.

In accordance with the present invention, all three sections F F P of the foremost filter rod R are transferred within a distance which does not exceed the angular distance t between the centers of two adjacent pockets 35a, 3512 or 350. This distance r is shown in FIG. 6 which illustrates (in broken lines) a first pocket 350 in the wheel 2 a second pocket 350 which still accommodates a section F but which is in exact registry with a pocket 40 of the disk 1c, and a third pocket 35c which accommodates a section F The center C of the section F shown in FIG. 6 begins to travel along the line indicated by an arrow 1e which is a portion of the pitch circle of the pockets 4c. The line Dpasses through the center of the rightmost pocket 350 in FIG. 6, and it will be noted that the distance t is the distance between the centers of twoadjacent pockets 35c. Before the central pocket 350 of FIG. 6 reaches the position occupied by the rightmost pocket 350, the. disks la-lc have moved three foremost axially aligned sections F F F from axially aligned

pockets

35a, 35b, 35c of the feed conveyor 2. This is shown in FIG. 7 which indicates that the filter rod sections F F continue to travel with the conveyor 2 through a distance t/ 3 after the disk 10 has removed the corresponding section F and before the disk 1b removes the section F and that the section F then continues to move with the conveyor 2 through a distance t/3 after the disk 1b has removed the section P of the same filter rod. In other words, the sequence in which the sections of the foremost filter rod R are transferred seriatim at the station A is as follows: The section F is transferred in the first step whereby the sections F F remain in the

respective pockets

35a, 35b to cover a distance t/ 3 whereupon the section F is removed but the section F continues to move through another distance t/ 3 so that removal of all three axially aligned sections takes place within a distance t corresponding to the'distance between the centers of two adjacent pockets rate at which such groups of axially aligned sections advance toward the transfer station A so that all pockets 350-350 advancing beyond. the transfer station A are empty and may receive unsevered filter rods R which descend between the rollers 11, 11b, from the compart- -ment 90, or between the rollers 19, a.

The improved process for transferring groups of axially aligned sections F F F may be described in another way by stating that the points at which the crown circles K K K1 intersect the crown circle K; of the conveyor 2 are angularly spaced by distances r/3 wherein the distance t corresponds to the distance between a pair of

adjacent pockets

35a, 35b or 35c, i.e., to the distance between two consecutive filter rods or between two consecutive groups of axially aligned sections on the conveyor 2.

The manner in which the disks 1a-1c receive the sections F F F is best shown in FIGS. 4a to 40. FIG. 4a illustrates one pocket 40 of the disk 1c in a position in which this pocket registers with the foremost filled pocket 350 of the wheel 2). FIG. 4b illustrates one of the pockets 4b in exact registry with the foremost filled pocket 35]) of the wheel 2d, and FIG. 4c illustrates one of the pockets 4a in exact registry with the foremost filled pocket 35a of the wheel 2b. The

wheels

2a, 20 and 2e are omitted in FIGS. 4a-4c for the sake of clarity, because, if they were shown, the

wheels

2a, 2c and 2e would respectively overlap portions of the

disks

1a, 1b and 1c. The transfer of axially aligned sections F F F (in this order) takes place in rapid sequence which means that the disks 1a1c must rotate much faster than the wheels 2a-2f. This will be described in connection with FIG. 9. The peripheral speeds of the

conveyors

1, 3 are the same and these conveyors rotate in opposite directions, seethe arrows in FIGS. 1, 5 and 9.

The diameter of the crown circle K is greater than the diameter' of the crown circle K but less than the diameterwof the crown circle K Thus, the distance covered by .a' section F between the transfer stations A,

- B is less than the distance covered by a section F but more than the distance covered by a section F During their travel in circular paths defined by the conveyors 2',

v

1 and 3, the rods R and the sections F F F always move at right angles to their axes and, at the time they are accommodated in the pockets 3a, the transverse spacing between consecutive sections F F F F F F is sufiicient to allow for axial shifting of such transversely staggered sections so that the sections form a single file.

The means for shifting the sections axially comprises a pair of inclined cams 3b (only one shown in FIG. 5) which move the sections F F inwardly until the sections F F form a single file with the sections F It goes without saying that certain portions of the conveyors 1-3 are surrounded by suitable shields (omitted for the sake of clairity) which serve to retain the rods R and the sections F F in the respective pockets. It is also possible toreplace such shields by suction ducts provided inthe conveyors and serving to hold the rods or the filter sections by suction which is effective along certain portions of the paths for the rods R and sections F F Referring to FIG. 9, there are shown the drive mechanisms for the conveyors 1-3 and

cutters

29, 30. A main drive shaft 40 carries two driver gears 42, 43 which rotate in a clockwise direction (arrow 41). The gear 42 meshes with a gear 44 which in turn drives the shaft the shaft 48 of the transfer conveyor 1. The shaft 48 8 is stationary and the gear 47 drives the disk 10 through a clutch 47a shown in FIG. 1. The disk 10 drives the disk 1b through the coupling bolt 34 and the disk 1b drives the disk 1:: through the coupling bolt 32.

The gear 47 also meshes with a gear 49 mounted on an intermediate shaft 50 which carries a gear 51 meshing with a gear 52 which in turn meshes with a gear 53 on a shaft 54. The shaft 54 carries a gear 55 which meshes with a gear 56 on the shaft 57 of the receiving conveyor 3. If desired, the gear train 49, 51, 52, 53, 55 may be replaced by a gear 58 (shown in phantom lines) mounted on the shaft 48 and meshing with the gear 56 on the shaft 57 of the conveyor 3.

In the illustrated embodiment, the Wheels 211-21 of the feed conveyor 2 are provided with 48

pockets

35a, 35b, 350. The conveyor 3 has 16 pockets 3a, and each of the disks 111-10 has six pockets. The transmission ratio between the

conveyors

1 and 2 is 8:1.

The main drive shaft 40 rotates the driver shaft 14a of FIG. 8 through a chain or belt drive, not shown. All shafts are mounted in a suitable frame a portion of which constitutes the rear wall 60 of the magazine 6. The shaft 40 is driven by a suitable electric motor through a vari-' able-speed transmission, not shown.

The

cutters

29, 30 are driven by a main shaft 60 which carries a pulley 61 for a belt 62. The belt 62 is trained around a pulley 63 which drives the cutter 29. The pulley 63 is coaxially secured to a pulley 64 which drives a belt 65 trained around a pulley 66. This pulley 66 rotates the cutter 30. The shaft 60 may be driven by a separate electric motor, not shown.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal thegist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalance of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a process for staggering an array of rod-like sections wherein the sections are disposed in a plurality of rows of equidistant sections and wherein each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row, the steps of moving said array of sections in a first path, at a first speed and at right angles to the axis of the sections; consecutively transfering the foremost axially aligned sections of all of said rows seriatim into separate paths at a higher second speed, with reference to each other and at such intervals that all axially aligned sections are transferred before a section in any one of said rows covers in said first path a distance equal to the distance between two consecutive sections whereby all of the sections are transversely staggered with reference to each other, each of said separate paths having a portion which overlaps a portion of said first path in the region where the sections are transferred from said first path, and shifting the sections axially with reference to each other so as to form a single row of sections in which all sections are arranged in a single file.

2. In a process for staggering an array of rod-like sections wherein the sections are disposed in a plurality of rows of equidistant sections and wherein each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row, the steps of moving said array of sections in a first path at right angles to the axes of the sections at a first speed; consecutively transferring the foremost axially aligned sections of all of said rows seriatim into separate paths at such intervals that all axially aligned sections are transferred by moving with reference to each other before a section in any one of said rows covers in said first path a distance equal to the distance between two consecutive sections whereby all of the sections are transversely staggered with reference to each other; moving the thus staggered sections at right angles to their axes at a 'second speed which exceeds said first speed, each of said separate paths having a portion which overlies a portion of said first path in the region where the sections are transferred from said first path, and shifting the sections axially with reference to each other so as to form a single row of sections in which all sections are arranged in a single file.

3. A process for staggering an array of rod-like sections wherein the sections are disposed in a plurality of rows of equidistant sections and wherein each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row, comprising the steps of moving said array of sections in a first path at right angles to the axes of the sections and at a first speed; consecutively transferring the foremost axially aligned sections of said rows seriatim into separate paths at such intervals that all axially aligned sections are transferred before a section in any one of said rows covers in said first path a distance equal to the distance between two consecutive sections whereby the sections are transversely staggered with reference to each other, each of said separate paths having a portion overlapping a portion of said first path in the region where the sections are transferred from the first path; moving the thus staggered sections in the respective separate paths at right angles to their axes through different distances and at identical speeds exceeding said first speed; transferring the sections seriatim into a further path and moving the sections in said further path at right angles to their axes and at identical speeds so that the sections remain staggered; and shifting the sections axially with respect to each other While the sections move in said further path to form a single row in which all sections are arranged in a single file.

4. A process for staggering an array of rod-like sections wherein the sections are disposed in a plurality of rows of equidistant sections and wherein each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row, comprising the steps of moving a row of elongated parallel rods in a direction at right angles to their axes and simultaneously severing each rod into a plurality of sections whereby the sections form said array of sections; moving said array of sections in a first path at right angles to their axes and at a first speed; consecutively transferring the foremost axially aligned sections seriatim into separate paths at such intervals that all axially aligned sections are transferred before a section of any given row covers in said first path a distance equal to the distance between two consecutive sections whereby the thus transferred sections are transversely staggered with reference to each other, each of said separate paths having a portion overlapping a portion of said first path in the region Where the sections are transferred from the first path; moving the thus staggered sections in the respective separate paths at right angles to their axes through different distances and at identical speeds exceeding said first speed; transferring the sections seriatim into a further path and moving the sections in said further path at right angles to their axes and at identical speed so that the sections remain staggered; and shifting the sections axially with reference to each other while the sections move in said further path to form a single row of sections in which all sections are arranged in a single file.

5. A process as set forth in claim 4, wherein said rods consist of filter mouth piece material.

6. A process as set forth in claim 5, wherein said rods are of sextuple unit length and wherein said sections are of double unit length.

7. A proces for staggering an array of rod-like sections wherein the sections are disposed in a plurality of rows of equidistant sections and wherein each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row, comprising the steps of moving a row of equidistant paralle1 rods consisting of filter mouth-piece material at right angles to their axes and simultaneously severing each rod int-o a plurality of sections to double unit length whereby said sections form said array consisting of a plurality of rows of equidistant sections; moving said array of sections in a first path and at a first constant speed at right angles to their axes; consecutively transferring the foremost axially aligned sections seriatim into separate paths at such intervals that all axially aligned sections are transferred before a rod covers a distance equal to the distance between two consecutive rods whereby the thus transferred sections are transversely staggered with reference to each other, each of said second paths having a portion overlapping a portion of said first path in the region where the sections are transferred from the first path; moving the thus staggered sections in said separate paths at right angles to their axes at a second constant speed higher than said first constant speed and through slightly different distances so that the sections remain staggered; transferring the sections seriatim into a further path and moving the sections in said further path at said second constant speed .and at right angles to their axes so that the sections remain staggered; and shifting the sections axially with reference to each other to form a single row in which all sections are arranged in a single file.

8. A process as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second constant speed is a multiple of said first constant speed and wherein axially aligned sections are transferred from said first path at equal intervals.

9. A process for staggering an array of rod-like sec tions wherein the sections are disposed in a plurality of rows of equidistant sections and wherein each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row, comprising the steps of moving a row of elongated parallel rods in a first circular path in a direction at right angles to their axes and simultaneously severing each rod into a plurality of sections whereby the sections form said array of sections; moving said array of sections in said first circular path at right angles to their axes at a first speed; consecutively transferring the foremost axially aligned sections seriatim into separate circular paths at such intervals that all axially aligned sections are transferred before a section of any given row covers in said first path a distance equal to the distance between two consecutive sections whereby the thus trans-ferred sections are transversely staggered with reference to each other, each of said separate paths having a portion overlapping a portion of said first path in the region where the sections are transferred from the first path; moving the thus staggered sections in the respective separate circular paths at right angles to their axes through different distances and at identical speeds exceeding s-aid first speed, transferring the sections seriatim into a further path and moving the sections in said further circular path at right angles to their axes and at identical speeds so that the sections remain staggered; and shifting the sections axially with reference to each other while the sections move in said further circular path to form a single row of sections in which all sections are arranged in a single file.

10. A process as set forth in claim 9, wherein said separate circular paths are tangential to said further circular path.

11. A process for staggering an array of rod-like sections wherein the sections are disposed in a plurality of rows of equidistant sections and wherein each section of one row is axially aligned with one section of each other row, comprising the steps of moving said array of sections in a first path at right angles the axes of the sections and at a first speed; consecutively transfer-ring the fore most axially aligned sections of said rows seriatim into separate paths at such intervals that all axially aligned sections are transferred before a section in any one of said rows covers in said first path a distance equal to the distance between two consecutive sections whereby the sections are transversely staggered with reference to each Other, each of said separate paths having a portion of said first path in the region Where the sections are transferred from the first path; moving the t-hus transferred and staggered sections in the respective separate path sideways and at identical speeds exceeding said first speed; and shifting the/thus staggered sections axially with reference to each other tQfOI'Il'l a single row wherein the sections are arranged in a single file. 7

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,258,429 10/1941 Stone 19s 43 Moon 198-43 Schur 83-102 X Fisk 19824 Wittenberger 198-24 Dearsley 83-402 X Sanders et a1. 83-27 Schoenberger 83-107 Grover et a1. 83-107 Rudszinat et a1. "198-30 10 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM W. DY ER, JR., Examiner.

Claims

4. A PROCESS FOR STAGGERING AN ARRAY OF ROD-LIKE SECTIONS WHEREIN THE SECTIONS ARE DISPOSED IN A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF EQUIDISTANT SECTIONS AND WHEREIN EACH SECTION OF ONE ROW IS AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH ONE SECTION OF EACH OTHER ROW, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF MOVING A ROW OF ELONGATED PARALLEL RODS IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THEIR AXES AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SEVERING EACH ROD INTO A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS WHEREBY THE SECTIONS FORM SAID ARRAY OF SECTIONS; MOVING SAID ARRAY OF SECTIONS IN A FIRST PATH AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THEIR AXES AND AT A FIRST SPEED; CONSECUTIVELY TRANSFERRING THE FOREMOST AXIALLY ALIGNED SECTIONS SERIATIM INTO SEPARATE PATHS AT SUCH INTERVALS THAT ALL AXIALLY ALIGNED SECTIONS ARE TRANSFERRED BEFORE A SECTION OF ANY GIVEN ROW COVERS IN SAID FIRST PATH A DISTANCE EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO CONSECUTIVE SECTIONS WHEREBY THE THUS TRANSFERRED SECTIONS ARE TRANSVERSELY STAGGERED WITH REFERENCE TO EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID SEPARATE PATHS HAVING A PORTION OVERLAPPING A PORTION OF SAID FIRST PATH IN THE REGION WHERE THE SECTIONS ARE TRANSFERRED FROM THE FIRST PATH; MOVING THE THUS STAGGERED SECTIONS IN THE RESPECTIVE SEPARATE PATHS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THEIR AXES THROUGH DIFFERENT DISTANCES AND AT IDENTICAL SPEEDS EXCEEDING SAID FIRST SPEED; TRANSFERRING THE SECTIONS SERIATIM INTO A FURTHER PATH AND MOVING THE SECTIONS IN SAID FURTHER PATH AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THEIR AXES AND AT IDENTICAL SPEEDS SO THAT THE SECTIONS REMAIN STAGGERED; AND SHIFTING THE SECTIONS AXIALLY WITH REFERENCE TO EACH OTHER WHILE THE SECTIONS MOVE IN SAID FURTHER PATH TO FORM A SINGLE ROW OF SECTIONS IN WHICH ALL SECTIONS ARE ARRANGED IN A SINGLE FILE.