US3614853A

US3614853A - Device for feeding articles to paper wrapping machines

Info

Publication number: US3614853A
Application number: US878673A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ariosto Seragnoli
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 1968-11-28
Filing date: 1969-11-21
Publication date: 1971-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-26
Also published as: GB1268573A; BR6914640D0; NL6902556A; PL72706B1; AT302195B; FR2024941A1; DE1959830A1; SE367371B; ES373919A1; CH500097A

Abstract

AN IRREGULAR SUPPLY OF ARTICLES SUCH AS CANDIES IS FED BY A LOWER SPEED CONVEYOR TO A HIGHER SPEED CONVEYOR WHERE THEY PILE UP AGAINST A FIXED STOP. ARTICLES AGAINST THE STOP ARE TRANSFERRED TO A WRAPPING MACHINE AT A NORMAL OPERATING RATE OR AT A HIGHER RATE. TWO PHOTO-ELECTRIC SENSING MECHANISMS ARE PLACED ALONG THE HIGHER SPEED CONVEYOR SO THAT WHEN THE PILE OF ARTICLES DOES NOT REACH THE NEAREST SENSING MECHANISM THE WRAPPING MACHINE AND TRANSFER OF ARTICLES THERETO IS STOPPED, WHEN THE PILE OF ARTICLES REACHES ONLY THE NEAREST SENSING MECHANISM THE WRAPPING MACHINE OPERATES AT NORMAL RATE, AND WHEN THE PILE OF ARTICLES REACHES THE FURTHER SENSING MECHANISM THE WRAPPING MECHANISM OPERATES AT THE HIGHER RATE.

Description

Oct. 26, 1971 SERAGNOLI 3,614,853

DEVICE FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TO PAPER WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Nov.-21, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F g- R Y Z A A In yen/0r ARIOSTO SERAGNOLI AtLorncy Oct. 26, 1971 SERAGNQLI 3,614,853

DEVICE FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TO PAPER WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 2l, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 qo CI:

In van/0r ARIOS'PO SERAGNOLI ALLorncy 0d. 26, 1-971 ,4 SERAGNOL] 3,614,853

DEVICE FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TC PAPER WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 21, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 In van for ARIOSTO SERAGNOLI ALtorncy United States Patent DEVICE FOR FEEDING ARTICLES T PAPER WRAPPING MACHINES Ariosto Seragnoli, Bologna, Italy, assignor to GD Societa in Accomandita Semplice di Enzo Seragnoli e Ariosto Seragnoli, Via Pomponia, Bologna, Italy Filed Nov. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 878,673 Claims priority, application Italy, Nov. 28, 1968, 1,83tla/68 Int. Cl. 1865b 57/12 US. Cl. 53-74 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An irregular supply of articles such as candies is fed by a lower speed conveyor to a higher speed conveyor where they pile up against a fixed stop. Articles against the stop are transferred to a Wrapping machine at a normal operating rate or at a higher rate. Two photo-electric sensing mechanisms are placed along the higher speed conveyor so that when the pile of articles does not reach the nearest sensing mechanism the wrapping machine and transfer of articles thereto is stopped; when the pile of articles reaches only the nearest sensing mechanism the wrapping machine operates at normal rate; and when the pile of articles reaches the further sensing mechanism the wrapping mechanism operates at the higher rate.

The present invention relates to article paper wrapping machines, for example of the type for the paper wrapping of confectionary products having a particularly delicate structure, such as chocolates and the like. The invention is more particularly concerned with a device for feeding such articles, with a standard uneven supply, to paper Wrapping machines in a regular order of succession and at a rate depending on the supply, thus controlling the supply.

It is known to feed paper wrapping machines of the above character by devices essentially comprising a continuously moving system endless conveyor belt on which the articles to be fed are usually unevenly placed. A fixed stop member is arranged above and transversely of the direction of travel of the endless conveyor belt and against which the articles are carried and brought by said endless conveyor belt to stop by piling up one after the other on said endless conveyor belt from said fixed stop. A transfer mechanism or device then transfers the articles, as they pile up against the stop member, to the paper wrapping machine for the paper wrapping operations of the articles.

These feeding devices also comprise a sensing mechanism located at some distance upstream of the fixed stop member for sensing the condition of articles piled up against said fixed stop member and such as to trigger a circuit for adjusting the paper wrapping machine to the rate of normal operating speed when the line of articles piled up against the fixed stop member arrive at the location of the sensing mechanism and lowering the normal operating speed of the paper wrapping machine when said line of articles piled up against said fixed stop member decreases, so that, by becoming shorter, it will not reach the location of said sensing mechanism. Such a triggering circuit for the operating speeds of the paper Wrapping machine generally comprises a time device capable of preventing the change from low to normal operating speed of the paper wrapping machine on passage of individual articles in front of the sensing mechanism towards the fixed stop member and until said articles, by piling up against said fixed stop member, form a continuous line reaching the location of the sensing mechaice nism, whereupon the paper wrapping machine is restored to normal operating speed.

In using the abovementioned feeding devices, it will be apparent that:

(a) The paper wrapping machine normally operates at a definite normal rate of speed which is at the limit of its functional capabilities, i.e. without any possibiilty of a further increase in speed;

(b) The paper wrapping machine sometimes operates at a speed lower than that defined as normal rate and accordingly causes in the long run a lower unitary output; and

(c) For irregular articles feeding to the endless conveyor belt, there is no possibiilty for controlling the supply.

From the foregoing, the technical and economical drawbacks resulting from the use of such feeding devices are clearly apparent, i.e.;

(a1) By operating as indicated at the preceding point (a), the members of the paper wrapping machine are obviously subjected to a constant wear with the known consistent drawbacks resulting thereby in all of the paper wrapping machines. There is thus a need for frequently servicing the paper wrapping machine with resulting relative output reduction and substantial increase in unitary management cost;

(b1) By slowing down the speed of the paper wrapping machine in accordance with point (b), the drawback concerning the increase in unitary management cost, as mentioned at the point (211), is further enhanced; and

(c1) because of failure in controlling the article supply on the endless conveyor belt, said articles, by piling up one after the other against the fixed stop member until they form a long line extending upstream of the location of the sensing mechanism, are subjected to a substantial pressure as they approach the fixed stop member. In the case of delicate articles, such as certain chocolates this will sometimes damage them and cause rejects, especially when arriving at the position against the fixed stop member for the step of the subsequent removal thereof for transfer to the paper wrapping machine.

The latter drawback experienced with the above defined type of devices, can also be seen from the schematic illustration of FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings wherein a continuously moving endless conveyor belt 1 has a fixed stop member 2, and a sensing mechanism located at the point shown by arrow A. Articles 3, schematically shown in full lines, become arranged one after the other on belt 1 from their contact position against member 2 to the position of the sensing mechanism as shown by arrow A. In the case of excess supply further articles 301, schematically shown in broken lines, pile up along the belt 1 upstream of the sensing mechanism. Arrow B indicates the direction of feeding of belt 1 for transporting articles 3 and 3a towards said fixed stop member 2, and towards the station for transferring said articles to the paper wrapping machine. Arrow B also indicates the direction of thrust of pressure of one article on the next, according to the number of articles piled against the stop 2.

In order to overcome the above drawbacks of the devices as hitherto known and used, a feeding device has already been proposed which is capable of automatically operating the paper wrapping machine at a low operating speed in case of a poor supply of the articles to be wrapped up, and at a high speed Where such articles to be wrapped up are supplied at a high rate, and constantly maintaining a predetermined number of articles piled up on the endless conveyor belt against the fixed stop member.

Substantially, this device proposes the use of a sensing mechanism placed at some distance from the fixed stop member and so operating that at each passage of an article by said sensing mechanism along the belt towards said fixed stop member, a pulse is sent to a digital storing device capable of storing such pulses, being defined as positive pulses. For each article that is transferred from the endless conveyor belt to the paper wrapping machine a further pulse, defined as a negative pulse, is sent to said storage device. The negative pulses are subtracted from the positive pulses. According to the difference f the positive and negative pulses stored, and comparison with a predetermined number of stored pulses corresponding to the number of articles desired to be constantly piled on the endless conveyor belt against the fixed stop member, a gradual (increasing or decreasing) setting device for the electric driving motor of the paper wrapping machine is adjusted. This accordingly determines the rate of transfer of the articles from the belt to the paper wrapping machine, and hence the rate of generation of negative pulses.

To the applicants knowledge, such feeding devices have not yet found any practical application to paper wrapping machines, and this probably because of the structural complexity thereof, both for mechanical, electromechanical and electronic digital storage devices. Furthermore, in addition to the uneconomical standpoint resulting from said structural complexity, the technical principle of operation thereof is based on the gradual variability in the operating speed of the machine which, because of the essentially uneven supply of articles on the endless conveyor belt, causes said machine to continuously operate in a manner commonly defined as intermittent operation which is technically unacceptable for operating machines, or at least for this type of operative cycle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a feeding machine for the above use, i.e. for feeding articles to paper wrapping machines, the articles being, for example, confectionery products having a particularly delicate structure, such as certain chocolates and other similar products, capable of operating the paper wrapping ma chine according to a rate as a function of the article supply, at a speed defined as normal operative speed when the article supply occurs at a standard rate, and at a higher speed than normal when said article supply exceeds said standard rate, so as to control said supply and, accordingly, to avoid the above-mentioned drawbacks relating to damage of the articles being piled up one after the other in a line beyond a predetermined number when an unbalance in the article supply occurs.

For this purpose, the invention basically provides two endless conveyor belts arranged one after the other and running in the same direction with a continuous movement at respectively different speeds, the lower speed conveyor being designed to receive the articles supplied in an irregular sequence and to supply them to the higher speed conveyor. A fixed stop member is located transversely of and adjacent the leading end relative to the feeding direction of the higher speed endless conveyor belt and two series of sensing mechanisms are spaced apart from one another and from said fixed sto member along said higher speed endless conveyor belt, as will be seen from the schematic diagram of FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

The feeding device of the invention comprises, as shown in FIG. 2, a lower speed endless conveyor 4, a higher speed endless conveyor 5, and wherein arrows C and D indicate the locations for the sensing mechanisms relating to higher speed endless conveyor 5. Against a fixed stop member 6, articles 7, diagrammatically shown in full lines, are positioned one after the other on said higher speed conveyor 5 from their contact position against stop 6 to the position of said arrow C of the sensing mechanism. Articles 71! and 7/1, diagrammatically shown in broken lines are piled up when a surplus unbalance in standard supply occurs on said lower speed endless conveyor 4 and on said higher speed endless conveyor 5 against articles 7 from the position of arrow C according to an object of the invention. That is, the invention is concerned not only with the possibility of controlling the irregular supply of articles on said lower speed conveyor 4, but also the removal of the drawbacks relating to damage of articles to be fed to the paper wrapping machine. Arrow E, besides indicating the feeding direction of

endless conveyor belts

4 and 5 for carrying the articles to said fixed stop member 6, also indicates the direction for the thrust or pressure exerted on the individual articles which, as apparent from FIG. 2, is generally substantially less than that exerted on the articles supplied by the abovementioned known devices, as evident from FIG. 1.

Devices are already known for supplying normally flat articles to paper wrapping machines and which comprise two endless conveyor belts arranged after one another and running in the same direction, one of which being intended to receive the articles as supplied in irregular sequence and to supply the same to the other conveyor, a fixed transverse stop member, and two parallel sensing mechanisms. However, such devices operate quite differently from that of the present invention. In fact, they operate in such a manner that, owing to the relative arrangement of said sensing mechanisms to each other and respectively to said two endless conveyor belts, when said sensing mechanisms are both actuated by a corresponding article, the endless conveyor belt for feeding the articles as supplied in irregular sequence is stopped, whereas when only one or neither of the two sensing mechanisms is actuated by an article, this endless con veyor belt is moved.

Such a device therefore aims to solve the problems concerning the mutual spacing between flat articles at the location where such articles are to be sequentially transferred to the paper wrapping machine and to ensure provision of an article at this transfer location just in accordance with the cycle and rate of the paper wrapping machine, the irregular and possibly too large spacing between two consecutive articles, and the relatively substantial dimensions of said fiat articles.

According to the invention, there is provided a device for feeding articles to a paper wrapping machine, comprising two endless conveyor belts arranged one after the other and continuously running in the same direction at ditferent speeds, the lower speed conveyor being arranged to receive a supply of articles and to supply articles to the higher speed conveyor; a fixed stop member arranged transversely of and adjacent the upstream end of the higher speed endless conveyor belt with respect to the direction of feeding; two series of sensing mechanisms spaced apart from one another and from said fixed stop member along said higher speed endless conveyor belt; and electro-switching means respectively connected to each sensing mechanism and for actuating in turn a motor of said paper wrapping machine at a normal operative speed or a speed higher than said normal operative speed according to whether a line of articles formed along said higher speed conveyor from said fixed stop member reaches the position of the sensing mechanism nearer said fixed stop member or the position of the sensing mechanism farther from said fixed stop member.

The invention will now be particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 schematically shows a known device for feeding articles to a paper wrapping machine,

FIG. 2 schematically shows a feeding device according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram for said feeding device according to the invention; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are, respectively, a side elevation and plan view showing the mechanical structure of said feeding device according to the invention associated with a conventional paper wrapping machine for chocolates.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, high speed chocolate paper wrapping machine 8 comprises, in addition to the conventional parts not involved with the feeding device according to the present invention and therefore not shown, a wrapping up wheel 9 and a transfer member 10, as explained hereinafter, for transferring articles to be wrapped up from said feeding device according to the invention to said wrapping up wheel 9. Between wheel 9 and transfer pusher member 10 there extends (see particularly FIG. 5) the end of said higher speed endless conveyor belt 5, described above in connection with FIG. 2, of the subject feeding device. A fixed stop member 6 for the end of conveyor belt 5 is located on wrapping machine 8.

Endless conveyor belt 5 is wound around conventional idle rollers 11 '(FIGS. 2 and 4) carried by respective axes 12 rotatably supported by portion 13 of the outer casing of paper wrapping machine 8.

Extending from the outer end of conveyor belt 5 is a lower speed endless conveyor belt 4 wound around conventional idle rollers 14 carried by axles 15. One axle 15 is rotatably supported on said portion 13 of the paper wrapping machine 8, and the other by a support post, designated by 16.

One of each of the

idle rollers

11 and 14 of each

endless conveyor belt

5 and 4 is individually driven at diiferent speeds by known means from independent power sources or from the motor of paper wrapping machine 8 (not shown), endless conveyor belt 5 being driven at a higher speed than endless conveyor belt 4. A bridge member 31 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) is arranged between said two

endless conveyor belts

4 and 5 and ensures continuity of the upper transport tracks of

conveyor belts

4 and 5.

Longitudinal side guides 17, partly cut away in the drawings for the sake of clarity, extend along both longitudinal sides of the upper track of

conveyor belts

4 and 5, these guides being supported by conventional means not shown in the drawings. Articles 7 are transported along

conveyor belts

4 and 5 between guides 17 in the direction of arrow F to rest against said fixed stop member 6, and then to the transfer station by pusher member 10 which transfers them from belt 5 to wrapping up wheel 9.

Two sensing mechanisms, designated generally by 18 and 19 are located on portion 13 by belt 5, spaced apart from each other and from said fixed stop member 6 and on either side of belt 5. Each sensing mechanism comprises a

lamp

20 and 21 located on one side of belt 5 and having a device for projecting a light beam 22 and 23 (FIG. 3) to a

respective photocell

24 and 25 arranged on the other side of belt 5 to receive a

light beam

22, 23 respectively which passes above or through apertures in said longitudinal side guides 17, as better explained hereinafter.

These

sensing mechanisms

18 and 19 also respectively comprise, as shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 3, an

amplifier device

26 and 27, and a

microswitch

28 and 29, these microswitches being movable from a closed position 281/282 and 29-1/29-2 respectively to an open position 281/283 and 291/293. Known

amplifier devices

26 and 27 are connected to a respective supply microswitch, not shown in the drawing. In turn, these supply microswitches may be connected to manual on/off switch device for operation, of the paper wrapping machine, as is usual in this type of automatic paper wrapping machine.

Also shown in FIG. 3 is a two pole electric driving motor 30 for driving the paper wrapping machine at two different speeds. A suitable motor is available from Societa FIMET and commercially known as Model 112M6/ 8 poles 1.4/0.8 kw. Two connection remote control switches respectively designated by TL1 and TL2 are provided for said electric motor 30; two remote control switches, respectively designated by TL3 and TL4 are provided for controlling said switches TL1 and TL2;

two rectifiers, designated by R1 and R2 respectively are provided for connecting switches TL3 and TL4 respectively to

amplifier devices

26 and 27; two parallel capacitors C1 and C2 are connected on the field coils of said switches TL3 and TL4; and a transformer TF is connected to a supply current line for electric motor 30 and supplies in turn said remote control switches, amplifier devices said rectifiers.

Switches TL1 and TL2 for motors 30 have four movable contacts TL-l, TL2, TL-3, TL-4 and TL2-1, TL2-2, TL2-3, TL2-4 and corresponding fixed contacts TL15, TL1-6, TL1-7, TL1-8 and TL2-5, TL2-6, TL27, TL2-8, respectively, the pair of contacts TL1-4, TL1-8 and TL24, TL2-8 being normally closed and the other pairs being normally open. Switches TL3 and TL4 for controlling switches TL1 and TL2 have two pairs of movable contacts TL3-1, TL32 and TL4-1, TL42 and corresponding fixed contacts TL33, TL3-4 and TL43, TLL4, respectively; the pairs TL3-1, TL33, TL3-2, TL3-4 and TL4-J, TL4-3 being normally open and pair TL4-2, TL4-4 being normally closed when said paper wrapping machine is preset to operate, as shown in FIG. 3, and a current flows in the circuit hereinafter described.

Thus, assuming that paper wrapping machine 8 has been preset for normal operation, and

endless conveyor belts

4 and 5 are moving as well, as above defined, and hence

amplifiers

26 and 27 are also supplied by the abovementioned microswitch, not shown in FIG. 3. Assuming also that no articles are on

belts

4 and 5, so that the light beams 22 and 23 of

lamps

20 and 21 are sensing

mechanisms

18 and 19 strike their

respective photocell

24 and 25 and cause microswitches 28 and 29' of

respective amplifiers

26 and 27 to be closed at 2 81, 28-2 and 29-1, 292.

The closure of

microswitches

28 and 29 provide for supply of respective associated rectifiers R1 and R2 and, accordingly (FIG. 3), energization of the respective associated remote control switches TL3 and TL4. As abovementioned, and as can also be seen from FIG. 3, energization of switch TL3 causes its two pairs of contacts TL31, TL3-3 and TL32, TL34 to open, whereas energization of switch TL4 causes its pair of contacts TL4-1, TL43 to open and its other pair of contacts TL4-2, TL4-4- to close.

The paper wrapping machine and feeding device are in this condition when articles '7, supplied on endless conveyor belt 4 in a regular or irregular sequence, are carried to stop member 6 first on 'said lower speed conveyor belt 4 and then transferred from the latter to higher speed conveyor belt 5. On belt 5 the articles are thus spaced apart from one another in the feeding direction and pass through and intercept

light beams

23 and 22 of

sensing mechanisms

19 and 18. Because of capacitors C1 and C2 which are chosen for a self-excitation time of the coils for the respective connected re mote control switches TL3 and TL4 longer than the interruption time of

light beams

23 and 22 due to the passage of separated individual articles, switches TL3 and TL4 are not actuated, thus holding the respective pairs of contacts TL3-1, TL3-3; TL3-2, TL34 and TL4-1, TL4-3 at an open position and the pair of contacts TL4-2, TL4-4 at a closed position.

However, when articles increasingly pile up against said stop member 6, and form a line reaching up to the position indicated in FIG. 2 by arrow C which is the location of sensing mechanism 18 FIG. 5), light beam 22 is intercepted for a time greater than the time to charge or discharge capacitor C1 for excitation of switch TL3. Switch TL3 is de-energised and hence its pairs of contacts TL3-1, TL3-3 and TL32, TL3-4- close. Closing of the pairs of contacts TL31, TL3-3 causes switch TL2 to be energised through the same pair of contacts TL3-1, TL33, the pair of contacts TL42, TL4-4 being closed since, as previously noted, switch TL4 is energized, and the normally open pair of contacts TL1-4, TLl- S of the de-energized switch TLl.

On energization of remote control switch TL2, its pairs of contacts TL2-1, TL2-5, TL2-2, TL26 and TL2-3, TL2-7 close and its other pair of contacts TL2-4, TL28 opens. The closing of pairs of contacts TL21, TL2-5, TL2-2, TL2-6 and TL23, TL27 of remote control switch TL2 provides for supply of driving motor 30 of the paper wrapping machine and, accordingly, for operation of the latter at normal operative speed with subsequent transfer of the articles stationary against stop member 6 to the wrapping up Wheel 9 by transfer device 10.

Thus, the paper wrapping machine will continue to operate according to its normal operative speed whilst the line of articles on belt extends to the position, as shown by arrow C in FIG. 2, and maintaining light beam 22 of said sensing mechanism 18 interrupted.

However, when an excess supply of articles 7 occurs, belt 4 and the line of articles on belt 5 extends to the position, as shown by arrow D in FIG. 2, which is the location of sensing mechanism 19, and light beam 23 of sensing mechanism 19 is interrupted for a time longer than required for the charging or uncharging of capacitor C2 for self-energization of switch TL4. Switch TL4 thus de-energizes and, as a result, its pair of contacts TL42, TL4-4 opens and its other pair of contacts TL41, TL43 closes.

Opening the pair of contacts TL42, TL44 of said remote control switch TL4 causes remote control switch TL2 to be de-energized, thus cutting supply to the motor 30 which thus ceases to operate the paper wrapping machine in accordance with said normal operative speed. However closing of the other pair of contacts TL4-1, TL4-3 of switch TL4 causes remote control switch TL1 to be energizsed and, as hereinafter explained, said electric motor 30 is supplied so as to operate said wrapping machine at a higher speed than said normal operative speed.

Thus, energization of said remote control switch TLl occurs on closing of pair of contacts TL41, TL4-3 of the energized switch TL4, the closed pair of contacts TL32, TL34 of remote control switch TL3 being deenergized as previously noted since the light beam 22 of sensing mechanism 1 8 is interrupted by the line of articles 7 extending from stop member 6 and beyond the position indicated by arrow C occupied by sensing mechanism 18. The closed pair of contacts TL2-4, TL2-8 of remote control switch TL2 are, as abovementioned, de-energized by the opening of the pair of contacts TL43, TL4-4 of remote control switch T -L4. Thus, by energization of remote control switch TL, its pair of contacts TL1-4, TLl-S opens and its pairs of contacts TLl-l, TLl-S, TL1-2, TL1-6 and TL1-3, TL17 close with consequent supply of electric motor 30, so as to operate the paper wrapping machine at said higher speed.

The paper wrapping machine continues to operate at this higher speed until the line of articles 7 from said fixed stop member 6 decreases and reaches its normal length, extending from said fixed stop member 6 to the light beam 22 of sensing mechanism 18. Thus, light beam 23 reaches its corresponding photocell 25, and switch TL4 will be re-energized. This opens pair of contacts TL41, TL4-3 and causes remote control switch TLl to be de-energized. The latter, on opening its pairs of contacts TLl-l, TLl-S, TL12, TL1-6 and T L1-3, TL17, removes supply from the motor 30 of the paper wrapping machine for the said higher speed and, on closing its pair of contacts TL4-2, TL44, energizes switch TL2 and supplies motor 30 so as to drive the paper wrapping machine at its normal operative speed.

In the case of an insuflicient article supply so that the line of articles does not reach light beam 22, thus light beam 22 reaches its corresponding photocell 24 which causes switch TL3 to be energized and thus, by opening pairs of contacts TL3-1, TL3-3 and TL3-2, TL3-'4, switch TL2 is de-energized and the paper wrapping machine stops because the supply to said motor 30 is cut off.

With such a feeding device, not only is it possible to carry out the feeding process of paper wrapping machines in a fully automatic manner and to etfectively control the irregular supply of articles, but also the drawbacks of conventional feeding devices, and particularly the abovementioned damage to articles along the feeding path, can be eliminated.

FIGS. 1 and 2 clearly show how articles fed by conventional devices are subjected to substantial pressures against the fixed stop member. This pressure can be detrimental to said articles, especially during the transfer step to the wrapping members. However, with the device according to the invention the continuously controlled and minimized number of articles against said fixed stop member prevents damage to the final product.

It has been found in practice that the feeding device according to the invention attains all of the predetermined objects and, owing to its simple functional structure, it can be manufactured at a relatively economical cost.

Of course, the device of the invention may be subject to various changes and modifications, for example by replacing structural details with their technical equivalent, whilst remaining within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for feeding articles to a paper wrapping machine comprising two endless conveyor belts arranged one after the other and continuously running in the same direction at different speeds, the lower speed conveyor being arranged to receive a supply of articles and to supply articles to the highest speed conveyor; a fixed stop member arranged transversely of and adjacent the upstream end of the higher speed endless conveyor belt with respect to the direction of feeding; two series of sensing mechanisms spaced apart from one another and from said fixed stop member along said higher speed endless conveyor belt; and electro-switching means respectively connected to each sensing mechanism and for actuating in turn a motor of said paper wrapping machine at a normal operative speed or a speed higher than said normal operative speed according to whether a line of articles formed along said higher speed conveyor from said fixed stop member reaches the position of the sensing mechanism nearer said fixed stop member or the position of the sensing mechanism farther from said fixed stop member.

2. .A device according to claim 1, wherein said electroswitching means comprise a first remote control switch having a plurality of pairs of contacts and connected to a corresponding sensing mechanism and a second remote control switch also having a plurality of pairs of contacts and connected to said first remote control switch and with respective pairs of contacts in the corresponding supply circuit for an electric motor for driving said paper wrapping machine at said normal or higher speed.

3. A device according to claim 2, further comprising a rectifier supplied through a microswitch of an amplifier connected to a corresponding sensing mechanism and adapted to connect said first remote control switch, and a capacitor connected in parallel in the energizing circuit of a coil for said corresponding first remote control switch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner