Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles comprising conveyor means for conveying first and second streams consisting of stacks of rod-like articles in substantially-parallel directions transverse to the lengths of the articles, the articles in one stream having corresponding edges at one side of the stream relative to its direction of movement and the articles in the other stream having corresponding ends at the other side of the stream relative to its direction of movement, and transfer conveyor means for conveying articles of one stream to a position at which they are combined with articles from the other stream to form a combined stream, the transfer conveyor means including means for supporting and conveying a stream consisting of a stack of articles moving in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles on a curved path about an axis generally perpendicular to said direction and to said articles, and means for altering the inclination of said support and conveying means relative to said axis so that the stack is supported and conveyed on at least part of said curved path with its outer side at an elevated level relative to its inner side.

Apparatus for conveying a stack of rod-like articles in a direction transverse to the lengths of said articles including endless conveyor means having a support surface for said stack, said endless conveyor means defining a path which curves about an axis generally perpendicular to said direction and said articles, and means for changing the inclination of said support surface relative to said axis on said path.

Apparatus for conveying a stack of rod-like articles in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles, comprising first and second co-planar conveyors for conveying said stack, endless conveyor means having a support surface for said stack and defining a curved path for said stack between said first and second conveyors, said curved path having an axis generally perpendicular to said plane and said support surface lying substantially in said plane adjacent said first and second conveyors, and guide means for moving at least part of said surface out of said plane on said curved path so that the stack is conveyed on said path with at least some of the articles substantially inclined to said plane and with the outer ends of said articles elevated relative to the inner ends thereof.

Apparatus for conveying a stack of rod-like articles in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles, comprising first conveyor means for conveying a stack of articles in a first direction, second conveyor means for conveying said stack in a second direction, and transfer conveyor means for conveying the stack from the first conveyor means to the second conveyor means and defining a path which is curved about an axis generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the stack on said path and to the articles in said stack, said transfer conveyor means including means for progressively twisting the stack about its direction of movement so that on said path one side of the stack is elevated relative to the other side.

Apparatus for conveying a stack of rod-like articles in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles, comprising first conveyor means for conveying a stack of articles in a first direction, second conveyor means for conveying the stack in a second direction, and transfer conveyor means for conveying the stack from the first conveyor means to the second conveyor means and defining a substantially-horizontal path which is curved about a substantially vertical axis, said transfer conveyor means including means adapted to change the formation of said stack on said path so that the upper surface of said stack on said path remains substantially horizontal and the lower surface is inclined to the horizontal.

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles comprising means for receiving a stream consisting of a stack of articles moving in a direction transverse to their lengths, means for conveying the stack around a curved path about an axis generally perpendicular to said direction and said articles, and support means for the stack on said path arranged so that for at least part of said path the outer side of the stack is supported at a level which is elevated in a direction parallel to said axis relative to the level at which the inner side of the stack is supported.

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles, comprising means for receiving a stream consisting of a stack of substantially-horizontal articles moving in a direction transverse to their lengths, means for conveying the stack around a curved path having a substantially-vertical axis, and guide means for raising the conveying means on the outside of the curved path relative to the inside of the path, said guide means being arranged to maintain the upper surface of said stack on the curved path substantially horizontal.

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles comprising means for moving a stream consisting of a continuous stack of rod-like articles in a direction transverse to their lengths;

• means for conveying the stack around a curved path about an axis generally perpendicular to said direction, including an endless drive member extending along said curved path and a plurality of elongated support members for said stack secured to said drive member so as to extend generally transverse thereto, said support members being pivotable about said drive member substantially independently of one another;
• and guide means for pivoting said support members so as to raise the stack on the outside of the curve relative to the inside of the curve.

Apparatus for conveying filter cigarettes comprising first and second conveyor means for moving first and second streams consisting of stacks of filter cigarettes along parallel paths in the same direction transverse to the lengths of the cigarettes, the cigarettes in said first stream being oriented oppositely to the cigarettes in said second stream;

• and transfer conveyor means for conveying the cigarettes in said first stream carried by said first conveyor means to said second stream carried by said second conveyor means while reorienting said first stream to correspond to the orientation of said second stream, including first means for conveying said first stream along a curved path about a first axis generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of said first conveyor means and to the axis of said cigarettes, and second means for elevating said first means along at least a portion of said curved path so as to raise said first stream on the outside of the curve relative to the inside of the curve.