US3553925A - Cigarette packer - Google Patents

Abstract

A PACKAGING MACHINE COMPRISING AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF SUCCESSIVE CONTAINERS FOR RECEIVING ROD-LIKE ARTICLES. MEANS FOR FEEDING A PREDETERMINED MEMBER OF ROD-LIKE ARTICLES TO THE CONTAINER FROM A FEEDER AS THE CONVEYOR MOVES. MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING THE ROD-

LIKE ARTICLES FROM THE CONTAINERS TO A PREFORMED PACKAGE. MEANS FOR PREFORMING SAID PACKAGE.

Description

Jan. 12; 1971 I G. elm-es:

' CIGARETTE PACKER Filed June 4; 1968 cm GOFFREDO GIANESE ATT RNEY Jan. 12, 197l V CIGARETTE PACKER Filed Jung 4; 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet a Fig.2

INVENTOR GOFFREiDO GIANESE ATTORNEY GIANESE" 3,553,925

United States Patent 3,553,925 CIGARETTE PACKER Gotrredo Gianese, Bologna, Italy, assignor to American IJVIachine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New ersey Filed June 4, 1968, Ser. No. 734,372 Claims priority, applioptioraltaly, June 12, 1967,

1m. (:1. B65b 19/10, 19/24 US. Cl. 53--26 25 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a machine for automatically packaging rod-like articles, such as cigarettes.

At present, there are a number of machines available for inserting a predetermined quantity of cigarettes into a pack created of aluminum foil and an outer wrapper of paper or cardboard. Such machines have been sufficient for the cigarette industry since their speed for creating such packs has largely exceeded the speed at which individual cigarette making machines have produced cigarettes. However, with the increased cost of production, primarily for labor, it is desired that machinery of all types be available that would increase productivity and thus lower unit cost. High speed cigarette making machines have been developed to produce double and three times the number of cigarettes now produced. These machines, by themselves, offer only limited advantage since they individually strain the capacity of the present packaging machines and require that large amounts of cigarettes be stored until the available packers are free to receive them. This may be harmful to the cigarettes as some manufacturers feel that prolonged storage affects their freshness of taste and aroma. On the other hand, to purchase additional packers of the present variety will not be helpful since it will in no way lower the unit cost but will, in fact, increase it. Therefore, it has become necessary to provide a new packing machine of increased capacity and increased speed to keep pace with the automation affected in other areas of the cigarette making industry.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a novel packing machine for cigarettes capable of producing a great number of packs in a given unit time.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel packaging machine in which the individual uni-t package forming speed is relatively low, possibly even lower than on present machines, but whose total package forming speed is high. Thus operational dependability and regularity of finished packs is ensured with high cumulative totals.

It is a further objective to provide a packing machine in which the number of cigarettes and the size of the package may be easily varied and a machine which may be adap ed for a variety of packages.

Briefly the present device comprises a first articulated endless conveyor having a plurality of individual successive containers each capable of containing a neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed, and a second articulated endless conveyor consisting of a plurality of individual successive packmaking devices each comprising means for forming a wrapper to receive the group of cigarettes contained in a container of the first conveyor. The two conveyors are caused to move side by side around a drum device in the area of which each container of the first conveyor is made to be in line with a packmaking device of the second conveyor. The drum is provided with means for axially transferring each group of cigarettes from one container of the first conveyor into a wrapper prepared in a packmaking device of the second conveyor.

Prior to the travel around the drum, each container passes through a cigarette feeding device which automatically feeds the desired group of cigarettes to be packed. Prior to the travel around the drum, the packmaking device conveyor cooperates with one or more distributor means for supplying to each packmaking device the Wrapper material and for completing the package.

The cigarette package is ejected from each packmaking device and may be transferred on to another device or on to another conveyor which provides the required additional operations on the package, such as to bundle a plurality of packages into a carton.

These and other features of the invention and the resulting advantages may be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment, illustrating schematically as a non-restrictive example in the attached drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 1A illustrate an elevation view of a cigarette packer according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an axial section of the drum around which the two endless articulated chains travel, taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of paper feeding portion of the device taken along line III-III of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings show in more or less schematic form, the cigarette packer having a first articulated endless chain conveyor 1 which is substantially horizontal and a second articulated endless chain conveyor 2 which is substantially vertical. Each of said two chains 1, 2 is caused to pass around a corresponding sprocket wheel 103 and 203, respectively. The sprocket wheels are coaxial and integrally fixed on a sleeve 4, forming generally a single drum 3 which is permitted to freely rotate about a fixed horizontal shaft 5'. Conveyor 1 'is also caused to move around at least one return wheel 6 so as to present a horizontal upper branch or run. Conveyor 2 travels around return wheel 7 which is arranged substantially-vertically above drum 3 and is, therefore perpendicular to the conveyor 1.

While shown in this horizontal-vertical arrangement, conveyors 1, 2 may have any path and can in fact be more or less inclined to each other without departing from the concept of the invention.

Because of their common connection to drum 3, the two endless chains 1, 2 are caused to move continuously at the same uniform speed in the direction of the arrows indicated on FIG. 1. In any convenient manner, motor drive means may be employed, however, as an example movement may be accomplished by rotating the sleeve 4 through linkage with a motor 104.

The horizontal conveyor 1 carries a plurality of successive containers 8, consisting of boxes, open at the top and at the sides. In the area of the upper run of conveyor 1 and before the conveyor goes round drum 3, the containers 8 pass under a cigarette feeding device 9 which introduces into each container 8 a neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed.

The feeding device 9 can be developed in any suitable manner. In the example illustrated each container 8 is subdivided into two or more compartments arranged, side by side, transversely to conveyor 1 and each capable of containing a vertical stack of horizontally superimposed cigarettes. Feeding device 9 comprises a cigarette infeed hopper 10 which extends along the upper horizontal run of conveyor 1 and is subdivided, in the bottom part, intothree successive hoppers 110, 210, and 310. The bottom of each of the hoppers 110, 210 and 310 is made of a plurality of substantially vertical distributors 11, in each of which is accommodated a number of horizontally superimposed cigarettes, oriented transversely to conveyor 1.

When a container 8 of conveyor 1 passes under the first hopper 110 of feeder 9, each bottom channel 11 of said hopper 110, is caused to feed one cigarette into the same compartment, for instance, into the first compartment of container 8.

Subsequently, when said container 8 passes under the second hopper 210 of the feeder, each bottom channel 11 of said hopper 210 is caused to feed one cigarette into another compartment, for instance, in the second compartment of container 8. The same operation is provided in connection with the third compartment of container 8 in the area of the third hopper 310 of feeder 9. Consequently, at the outlet of feeder 9, all the three compartments of each container will be filled with a predetermined number of horizontally superimposed cigarettes which form the neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed.

Vertical conveyor 2 carries a set of successive packmaking devices 12, each comprising means for forming an empty bag or package open at one end for receiving the group of cigarettes to be packed which were formed in an associated container 8 of first conveyor 1. Each packmaking device 12 comprises a rectangular tubeshaped box or arbor 112, open at both ends for holding a package. The arbor 112 has its longitudinal axis oriented transversely to the respective conveyor 2 and is mounted, free to rotate around this axis in the respective packmaking device 12. Furthermore, each packmaking device 12 comprises means for picking from appropriate distributors one or more labels and for wrapping them around the arbor 112 and for folding them on one end of said box so as to form the desired wrapper.

In the illustrated form each wrapper consists of an inner wrapper of aluminum foil or the like and a plain paper outer wrapper. To form said wrappers, a distributor 20 is provided in the area of the ascending branch of conveyor 2 after it leaves drum 3 with reference to the direction of motion of the conveyor 2. The distributor 20 supplies to each packmaking device 12 a foil web cut to the required length from a continuous band supplied from one of a pair of bobbins 21 or 121. This foil web is introduced by distributor 20 into each packmaking device 12, laterally to the respective arbor 112 and is grasped by appropriate elements which form part of packmaking device 12 and wrap said web around tubular box 112 in conjunction with the rotation of said arbor. They also close one of the bottoms of the inner foil wrapper against the respective end of the arbor.

In the area of the same ascending run of conveyor 2 above the foil web distributor 20, there is another distributor 22 which supplies an outer wrapper paper web to each packmaking device 12. The paper may be fed from a continuous band, as is the foil or it may be in the form of a web already cut to the required length. If precut they are picked from an appropriate magazine 122 and introduced into the packmaking device 12 (see FIG. 3). Each paper web is wrapped around the arbor 112 of the respective packmaking device 12 over the inner foil wrapper already formed during the travel of packmaking device 12 from foil web distributor 20 to outer paper web distributor 22. The outer paper web is folded around arbor 112 similarly to the foil web by means of grasping elements and in conjunction with the rotation of tubular box 112. Furthermore, a partial closing of the outer wrapper is accomplished in the same packmaking device 12 on the same side on which the bottom of the inner foil wrapper had been closed.

A complete wrapper is thus formed on the arbor 112 of each packmaking device 12 while the arbor 112 is ascending on conveyor 2. Each wrapper has an end closed and the other open which is on the side of arbor 112 which faces conveyor 1 of containers 8- in the area of drum 3. Folding of the partially closed wrapper is completed by devices 23, carried by return wheel, also compressing the package to reduce its thickness and facilitate its sealing. The package formed around arbor 112 is thereafter not subjected to any operation in the descending run of conveyor 1. The time required for going through this descending branch is used for paste drying.

From the above it will appear evident that when the conveyors reach drum 3, each container 8 has a neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed, while the arbor 112 is provided with an open package corresponding thereto. While the exact number of container 8 and arbors 112 is not critical, they must be chosen with some relationship so that the center distance between the successive arbors 112 corresponds to that of the successive containers 8. Thus in the sector of drum 3 common to both conveyors 1 and 2, each container 8 becomes aligned with a particular arbor 112 and remains so as they continue to travel thereabout, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Consequently in this position of relative non-movement between containers 8 and the arbors 112 on drum 3 the group of cigarettes may be transferred axially into the arbor 112 and then ejected through the opposite end together with the Wrapper which has been formed on the arbor with maximum efficiency. This is effected in the following manner: Conveyors 1 and 2 and their respective wheels 103 and 203 are not contiguous on drum 3 but are separated by a ring of compressor pockets 14 and a ring of flared tubular connectors 13. Connectors 13 and compressor pockets are arranged serially between and coaxially with containers 8 and arbors 112 on the rotary drum 3. As shown in FIG. 2, two corresponding wheels 113, 114 integral with sleeve 4 are employed to mount the connectors 13 and compressors 14. The shape of each compressor pocket 14 is substantially equal to that of the cigarette package and is so designed as to compress slightly on all sides the group of cigarettes to be packed as the cigarettes are transferred through it from container to package.

The device for axially transferring the groups of cigarettes from containers 8 to the arbors 112 comprises a hollow drum 15 coaxially and integrally connected with drum 3 so as to rotate with it about fixed shaft 5. The drum 15 is located at the side of sprocket wheel 103 opposite to the rings of flared connectors 13 and compressor packets 14, and 15 includes an elongated pusher 16 which is adapted to move axially forward and backward in fixed guides 17. Each pusher 16 consists of a set of parallel and equally spaced rods whose number and cross-sectional profile corresponds to those of the compartments of each container 8. The rear end of each pusher 16 is equipped with a roller 116 which fits into a peripheral groove or flute 118 of a cylindrical cam 18 which is itself fastened to the fixed shaft 5 within drum 15. The cylindrical cam 18 causes pushers 16 to move axially due to the relative movement between drum 3 on which the pushers are mounted and shaft 5 on which the cam 18 is mounted.

Normally, the idle position assumed by pushers 16 under action of cam 18 is within their respective drum 15. In this position, they do not extend over wheel 103 and consequently they do not interfere with the path of chain 1. This position is illustrated in the upper section of FIG. 2. After the alignment of each container 8 with a combined tubular connector 13compressor pocket 14 and with an arbor 112, the respective pusher 16 is caused to move forward by the flute 118. This position is seen in the lower section of FIG. 2. The parallel rods of pusher 16 enter into the compartments of container 8 causing them to pass through flared tubular connector 13, through the respective compressor pocket 14 and through arbor 112 during that part of the cycle of drum 3 in which the elements assume a condition of relative non-movement.

The group of cigarettes which are expelled axially from a container 8 by pusher 16 are fit into a compressor pocket 14 by means of flared connector 13 and is subjected within said pocket 14 where it dwells for a short time, to a slight transversal compression. The cigarettes then enter the arbor 112 through the side where the Wrapper is open. The package is subsequently expelled from arbor 112 through the opposite side. Then, pusher 16 is caused to return to its idle position by fluted cam 18 before container 8 and associated packing device 12 move away from drum 3 on their respective horizontal or vertical runs.

The package expelled from each packmaking device 12 is transferred directly to a device mounted on drum 3, which closes the other end and applies the closing or revenue stamp. Said device consists of a disc 24 which is integral with sleeve 4 and has at its periphery a ring of elements 25 each provided with four housings. Each element 25 is located axially of a combined compressor pocket 14 and flared connector 13. The four housings of each element 25 are set in a cross array with their open ends facing outwards and each is adapted to contain within it one cigarette package. In addition, each element 25 is mounted to rotate intermittently around a central transversal axis in order that each of the four housings can be brought successively into a coaxial position with the associated compressor pocket 14, the flared connector 13, and consequently into a coaxial position with the respective packmaking device 12 and with the associated container 8, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The cigarette package expelled by pusher 16 of each packmaking device 12 is introduced axially into one of the housings of the respective cross element 25. The open or foil end of the package is then closed by suitable folding devices. Before drum 3 and consequently disc 24 have made a complete revolution, cross element 25 rotates 90 in the direction of the arrow around its axis so as to have the housing with the package oriented upwardly away from the packmaking device 12. In this rotated position, a closing or revenue stamp is applied to the outer end of the package. The stamp is picked from an appropriate feeding device, folded and caused to adhere to the package by means of suitable conventional elements.

Cross element 25 rotates, then a further 90 in the same direction in order to once again orient the housing with the package parallel to the axis of drum 3, but with its open end facing outwards, that is, facing the side opposite to packmaking devices 12. In this position, the cigarette package, which is completely closed and provided with the stamp, is expelled by means of appropriate pushers fitted to disc 24. The ejected package is collected or transferredto a cellophane wrapping device or other device for further operation.

The packer is provided with a set of detectors which ensure a dependable automatic operation without excessive waste of cigarettes and/or wrapping material. For this purpose, a cigarette ends detector 36 is located between cigarette feeding device 9 and drum 3 in the area of the respective upper branch of chain 1. Said device detects if there are any missing or soft-end cigarettes in container 8 after it passes the feed device 9. In case of missing or soft-end cigarettes, the ends detector device is adapted to prevent in a suitable manner axial transfer of the group of cigarettes by pusher 16 into the wrapper formed on the tubular box of the associated packmaking device 12 and rejects the defective group of cigarettes by ejecting them from the container in the area of the lower return branch of chain 1.

The wrapper corresponding to the group of rejected cigarettes may be formed and may remain in packmaking device 12 to receive another group of cigarettes in the following cycle of its conveyor. Means are provided to prevent duplicate feeding of foil and paper in such cases during the period when the packmaking device 12, provided with an unused wrapper, passes again, after its rotation around drum 3.

Cigarette feeding device 9 is also equipped with a control device 29 which prevents the cigarettes from being picked up from hopper 10 and consequently prevents the filling of a container 8 when no wrapper has been formed on arbor 112 or if the wrapper is incomplete, as for instance, without an outer wrapper. This procedure avoids waste of the cigarettes which would constitute a defective package, bound to be rejected, while it allows the incomplete wrapper to be completed in order to receive the cigarettes in a successive cycle.

In particular, the following devices are provided for the wrapper inspection:

As foil is fed to the respective distributor 20 from bobbin 21 or 121, depletion of one bobbin will cause the automatic actuation of another bobbin to replace it. Conventional apparatus to effect this replacement is readily available and is schematically shown by numeral During the transition from one bobbin to the other, which occurs without stopping the machine, the trailing end of the depleted bobbin and the leading end of the new bobbin must be rejected as they will not form good packs. 'In these periods or when foil is not fed to the packmaking device 12 of conveyor 2, an appropriate control device prevents the paper distributor 22 from feeding the outer paper label to the packing group 12, thus preventing the formation of any type of wrapper. This device consists of a photoelectric cell 27 (FIG. 3) located at one side of conveyor 2 between foil distributor 20 and outer paper label distributor 22 and cooperating with light source 28, located at the opposite side of conveyor 2.

The beam of the light source 28 is oriented transversally to conveyor 2 and coaxially to arbors 112 which pass through this detector. The foil wrapper detector comprises also two contacting electrically conductive strips 40 cooperating with the outer surface of arbor 112. When the foil is wrapped around tubular box 112 and closed at one end, as previously described, the strips 40 sense the electrical conductivity of the wrapper and consequently the regular wrapping of the foil, while the beam of light source 28 is intercepted by the closed end of the wrapper and does not illuminate photoelectric cell 27. These two conditions enable the distributor 22 to supply the outer paper label to complete the wrapper. When the foil wrapper is missing, the strips 40 sense the electrical conductivity of tubular box 112 but the beam of light source 28 goes axially through arbor 112 of packmaking device 12 which passes in front of the light source thus sensing the faulty wrapping and preventing distributor 22 from supplying the outer paper label.

The above double detector also prevents duplicate outer paper label supply when tubular box 112 has a complete wrapper, as when the cigarettes have been rejected. In this case, although the beam of light source 28 is intercepted, the strips 40 do not sense the electrical conductivity due to the insulating characteristic of the outer paper label and consequently the previous conditions for the supply of a new outer paper label do not exist.

It must be pointed out that magazine 122 of outer paper label distributor 22 can be manually fed while the machine is running, thus the above labels will normally be present. However, it may happen that the label extracting elements fail to operate and consequently the label is not fed to a packmaking device 12. For this purpose, the outer paper wrapper is inspected after distributor 22. Inspection is provided by the two contacting strips 40 which cooperate with the outer surface of arbor box 112 of packmaking device 12. When said strips 40 sense the non-conductivity of the wrapper, determined by the outer paper wrapper and an enabling signal is given to the photoelectric device 29 which allows the cigarette feeding device to fill container 8 of chain 1 associated with the inspected packmaking device 12. If the strips 40 sense the electrical conductivity of the foil Wrapper or of the arbor 112, if, in other words, the paper wrapper is missing the signal to photoelectric device 29 will act to cause container 8, associated with the particularly inspected packmaking device 12 to be prevented from collecting the cigarettes from feeding device 9.

Photoelectric device 29 with associated light source is provided in the area of the descending branch of conveyor 2. It is arranged similarly to photoelectric cell 27 and respective light source 28. When arbor 112 of packmaking device 12 has a complete wrapper or a foil wrapper only, photoelectric cell 29 is not illuminated by the beam of light from the respective light source, since one end of arbor 112 is closed by the wrapper. In this case, photoelectric cell 29, causes the displacement of sensor 216 into active position in the area of each pusher 16. This sensor 216 acts on foil distributor 20. If it is not retracted to its original position, out of the area of pusher 16, the sensor prevents the forward movement of the pusher 16. Failure of axial pusher 16 to move forward can also be accomplished as a result of the fact that ends detector device 36 has spotted missing or soft end cigarettes in corresponding container 8 or to the fact that container 8 has no cigarettes as well as a result of the intervention of device 29' due to the absence of the outer paper Wrapper on the corresponding arbor 112, in any conventional manner.

When the wrapper, in a packmaking device 12 (inspected by photoelectric cell 29), is inclusive of the outer paper wrapper, the sensor 215 (brought into active position but not retracted clue to the fact that the corresponding pusher has been presented to move forward thus leaving an empty pack on the arbor) prevents a new 2 foil from being fed to said packmaking device 12 by distributor 20. When the wrapper of the packing device (inspected by photoelectric cell 29) is incomplete, in other words, when it consists of the inner foil wrapper only, the sensor, (brought into active position also in this case, but not disabled again due to the fact that axial pusher 16 has failed to move forward) prevents a new foil from being fed to said packmaking device 12 by distributor 20. The foil web prepared in distributor 20 for said packmaking device 12 is, therefore, rejected by the same means which eliminate the ends of bobbins 21, 121 during replacement. The presence of the foil on tubular arbor 112 sensed through photoelectric cell 27 and the related metal strips permits the distributor 22 to feed the outer paper label.

It will be thus seen that the present device is capable of accurately and efficiently producing cigarette packages at high speed and of great numbers per unit time. The successive filling of containers 18 and the successive wrapping of bags or packages produces a condition where a great number of packages are simultaneously or successively formed, while the movement of both the cigarettes and packages conjointly about the drum produces a period of considerable length wherein there is no relative movement between them and in which the cigarettes may be inserted into their bag or package with maximum control and efficiency. By varying the number of containers, the hopper, the length of the conveyors and the other elements, the number of packages per unit time may be varied, the size of the package may be varied and the number of cigarettes per package may be varied.

While the present invention has been described in a preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made therein within the scope of the invention. -It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for packaging rod-like articles comprising a first endless conveyor, a plurality of containers mounted on said first conveyor, said containers being adapted to receive and retain a predetermined number of said articles, a second endless conveyor, a plurality of packmaking devices mounted on said second conveyor, said packmaking devices adapted to form and retain an empty package made of wrappings open at one end, means for driving said containers conjointly about a common center with the container of said first conveyor axially aligned with the packmaking devices of said second conveyor and means for transferring the articles from said containers to said empty package and for ejecting the articles and the package from said packmaking device.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for feeding said articles to said containers prior to said containers conjointly travelling with the packmaking device of the second conveyor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each container comprises a box, open on the side opposite to the conveyor and subdivided by at least one partition, arranged transversely and perpendicularly to the conveyor, into at least two compartments, each capable of containing a stack of superimposed articles, arranged parallel to the bottom of said box.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said means for feeding said articles consists of a hopper which extends along a substantial section of said first conveyor and comprises a plurality of successive distributing channels, each capable of containing a stack of superimposed articles arranged transversally to said first conveyor, means being provided for transferring an article from each distributing channel into a container during its transit past said hopper.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said first conveyor is arranged substantially horizontally and said hopper is located thereabove so that the stack of cigarettes moves within the distributing channel at least in part under the effect of gravity.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the successive distributing channels of the feed hopper individually feed one article at a time into the same compartment of the container until the pre-set number of superimposed articles is reached, and then provide for the same feed into the successive compartments of said container in accordance with the number thereof.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the feed hopper is subdivided into secondary hoppers whose number corresponds to that of the compartments of the container, each secondary hopper being provided with a number of distributing channels corresponding to that of the articles which are to be transferred into the associated compartment of the container.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the packmaking devices cooperate during their travel with one or more distributors which supply to each the required wrapper forming material.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the distributors comprise, successively and according to the direction of motion of the second conveyor a distributor for foil Webs for an inner wrapper and a distributor of paper webs for an outer wrapper.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 including means to provide an endless web of foil and precut lengths of paper.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each packmaking device comprises an arbor open at both ends and oriented transversely to the second conveyor, said arbor being mounted to rotate around its longitudinal axis and to cooperate with the distributor means to wrap the foil and paper material around said arbor and including means for closing the so formed wrapper at one end of said arbor.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein there is provided means to seal the end of the package.

13. Apparatus for packaging rod-like articles, comprising a first articulated endless conveyor having a plurality of successive containers, each capable of holding a predetermined array of said aticles to be packed and of a second articulated endless conveyor having a plurality of successive packmaking devices, each comprising anarbor and means for forming a wrapper, open at one end and suitable for receiving said array of articles, said two conveyors being caused to move side by side around a common drum means wherein each container on said first conveyor is in line with a packmaking device on said second conveyor, said drum being equipped with means for transferring axially each array of articles from one container to the wrapper prepared in one said packmaking device and for ejecting the so formed package therefrom.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said means for transferring the articles comprises a ring of axially aligned pushers associated with each packmaking device and each container to assume a coaxial array about said drum means.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the drum means is provided with a ring of compressor pockets, each of which is coaxial to one of said pusher means and provided with a flared inlet connector at the side facing the respective pusher.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each pusher is movable axially to such an extent as to pass through a container, a compressor pocket and through the arbor of the packmaking device associated with it and to eject the array of articles from container through compressor pocket and whereby the ejected group of articles meets the closed end of the wrapper, and slides it out axially of said arbor.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the axial displacement of each pusher is caused by a fixed cylindrical cam, said cam being coaxial to said drum means.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 including conveyor means coupled to carry the packages ejected to a succeeding device.

19. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said drum means is provided with a ring of housings, each arranged coaxially to a pusher andeach capable of receiving the cigarette package ejected axially from the associated packmaking device and including means for closing the other end of the package and means for ejecting the closed package therefrom.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the ring of housings consists of an assembly of four housings arranged in crosslike form, each assembly being so designed as to rotate in intermittent fashion around its own center to bring cyclically each housing, during a complete revolution of the drum means, into an axial position facing the associated packmaking device to receive the package ejected from said packmaking device and allow the closing of the other end of the package; then, into a radial and subsequently axial position facing the opposite side wherein the closed package is ejected from its housing.

21. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein a control device is located between the drum means and the article feeder for detecting the number of articles in each conminer.

22. Apparatus according to claim 13 including a control device for inspecting the wrapper formed in each packmaking device and preventing, when said Wrapper is either missing or incomplete, the article from being fed to the associated container.

23. The method of packaging rod-like articles comprising the steps of arranging a plurality of said articles in a predetermined number of rows, passing a container successively by each of said rows, removing from each said row one of said articles and depositing the same in said container, simultaneously forming a package for receiving said articles, moving said container wherein said articles are deposited and said package conjointly along a predetermined path and transferring said articles axially from said container to said package.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein said package is formed on a moving conveyor and includes the steps of feeding and progressively wrapping about arbor means located on said conveyor, foil and paper wrappings.

25. The method according to claim 24 including the steps of sealing and ejecting the completed packages.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,870,533 8/1932 Scott =et a1. 53-252X 2,907,155 10/1959 Engleson et a1 53 -252X 3,426,503 2/ 1969 Sherrill 53--236X 3,479,787 11/1969 Bardenhagen et a1. 53148X THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner E. F. DESMOND, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R..

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