GB1024785A - Method and apparatus for delivering rows of rod-like articles such as cigarettes - Google Patents

Abstract

1,024,785. Conveyers; load handling packaging machines. K. KÍRBER. May 3, 1962 [March 23, 1961; April 13, 1961; Aug. 14, 1961; Aug. 25, 1961], Nos. 12710/61, 12714/61, 30704/61 and 12709/62. Divided out of 1,024,781. Headings B8A, B8C and B8H. Cigarettes are brought into position in a row on a conveyer belt 11 (Fig. 1), the whole row is lifted by members 20, 21 (Fig. 2, not shown) and the row is then transferred by a pusher member into a container 207 (Fig. 14, not shown), each alternate row prior to engagement by the pusher member being moved by half the diameter of a cigarette so that the rows are deposited in nested inter-relation. The leading cigarette of a row being conveyed on the conveyer belt 11 engages a stop member 17 to operate a switch 14 which stops the belt. The lifter rails 20, 21 are carried by pillars 27, 27 which are mounted on leaf springs 95, 95 carried by respective lifter members 16, 16. Each upward movement of the lifter members 16 causes the actuation of a ratchet wheel 90 by a pawl 88 connected to the right-hand pillar 27. The ratchet 90 rotates a cam 87. The latter is of generally square shape with pairs of rollers 86 at its respective corners. The rollers of the cam 87 bear on an extension surface 94 of the right-hand pillar 27 either as shown in Fig. 1 or in every alternate step of the ratchet 90, Fig. 2 (not shown). Thus when the cam 87 is in the position of Fig. 2 the cam bears further to the right on the surface 94 and causes the lifter rails 20, 21 to be deflected to the left against the action of the leaf springs 95 by a distance equal to half the diameter of a cigarette. In Figs. 11, 12 (not shown) the row of cigarettes is lifted from the conveyer belt 11 by a suction head 201 formed with respective recesses for each cigarette and the row of cigarettes is then transferred to the tray 207 by a pusher member 221. When the suction head 201 is lifted it is moved about a pivot 204 by a piston and cylinder motor 208, 219 about a pivot 204. The action is such that the head 201 is also given a movement parallel with the operative edge of the pusher 221. On alternate row lifting movements this parallel movement is increased so that the leading cigarette C of the row is moved to a position which is just clear of the end of the pusher member. The alternate increased movement parallel with the pusher member 221 results in a displacement of the row by half the diameter of a cigarette and also in the delivery of two less cigarettes each alternate row. The differential alternate movement at the head 201 is brought about by the action of toothed wheels 210, 211 carried by a shaft 209 mounted between arms 203, 203 rigid with the head 201. The cams 210, 211 coact respectively with fixed rollers 214, 215. The gaps between the teeth of the cam 210 are formed alternately with greater or lower radial depth these alternately engaging the roller 214 to result in the alternate differential displacement of the suction head 201 in relation to the pusher 221. The cam 210 is turned once each cycle of movement of the suction head 201 by the action of the cam 211 which is turned by ratchet action due to its engagement with coacting fixed roller 215.