Device and method for filling containers for bags of smokeless tobacco

A method for filling containers for bags of smokeless tobacco, comprising the following steps:

• providing a device for filling containers for bags of smokeless tobacco, each container comprising a body and an inner frame comprising radial separators defining a plurality of radial compartments, the device comprising:
• an infeed station including an inlet opening and configured for feeding at least one succession of inner frames, wherein each inner frame has a central portion which extends around a respective central axis and a plurality of radial separators extending away from the central portion and defining a plurality of radial compartments which are angularly disposed around the central axis;
• a filling station including a filler opening and configured to feed a succession of individual bags of smokeless tobacco to a respective inner frame;
• a release station including an outlet opening and configured for releasing at least one succession of inner frames which are full of bags;
• a conveyor defining a feed line which passes through the infeed station, the filling station and the release station and which has at least one housing configured to hold and move a respective inner frame from the infeed station to the release station by way of the filling station;
• a suction device disposed in the filling station and configured to apply pneumatic suction in the at least one housing disposed in the filling station, the suction device including a suction channel connected or connectable to a source of the pneumatic suction;
• a rotation device disposed in the filling station and confronting the at least one housing disposed in the filling station, the rotation device being configured to set the inner frame disposed in the at least one housing in rotation about the respective central axis so that successive radial compartments of the inner frame each confront a respective bag to be inserted in sequence, the rotation device including a motor-driven shaft;
• feeding a succession of the bags to the filling station;
• feeding a succession of the inner frames into the infeed station, wherein each inner frame has a central portion which extends around a respective central axis and a plurality of radial separators extending away from the central portion and defining a plurality of radial compartments which are angularly disposed around the central axis;
• inserting one of the inner frames into a housing of the at least one housing of the conveyor;
• moving the housing provided with the inner frame along the feed line from the infeed station to the filling station;
• applying pneumatic suction in the housing of the conveyor through the suction device disposed in the filling station, to fill a radial compartment of the inner frame with a bag;
• through the rotation device, rotating the inner frame disposed in the housing about the respective central axis so that an empty radial compartment of the inner frame confronts a respective bag to be inserted;
• repeating the steps of applying the pneumatic suction and of rotating until the radial compartments of the inner frame are all full of bags;
• moving the housing, with a full inner frame in the housing, up to the release station;
• releasing the inner frame which is full of bags.