Method and apparatus for introducing groups of cigarettes into a packet and folding wrapper flaps
AssigneeFocke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
InventorHeinz Focke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Two laterally spaced groups of cigarettes 11, 12 partially encased in tinfoil wrappers 27 are discharged from a chain conveyor 26 onto a reciprocating platform 33 by entraining members 24, 25. The groups are then discharged by pushers 42 onto a folding platform 32 until they strike a movable stop 75, at which position three of the four wrapper end flaps are folded and the two groups are laterally brought together. Thereafter the merged groups are fed into the open top or mouth of a packet 10 disposed in a pocket 14 of an indexable turret 15 by pushers 64, which simultaneously fold down the fourth wrapper flap.
Claims15
A method for introducing a pair of objects wrapped in an inner wrapper into an open pack, and in particular for introducing a pair of cigarette groups with a tin foil wrapper into a cigarette pack, comprising:
- conveying partially wrapped objects (11,12) in a predetermined direction in a spaced relationship by means of a first conveyor (20),
- transferring said objects (11,12) to an intermediate conveyor (33) which removes the objects from said first conveyor with a velocity higher than the transport velocity of said first conveyor,
- transferring said objects to a folding station that is stationary in said predetermined direction and having platform halves extending laterally to said direction and capable of being moved together with each half supporting one object, wherein rearwardly projecting end flaps of said objects are folded during a momentary pause in the movement of said objects, shifting said platform halves laterally to said direction to laterally shift the objects such that side end flaps (30,31) are folded by contacting a folding element during the lateral movement as the objects come into contact with one another, and
- transferring the objects in said predetermined direction into said open pack.
Apparatus for introducing two articles wrapped in an inner wrapper into an open pack, and particularly for introducing two groups of cigarettes with a tin foil wrapper into a cigarette pack, comprising:
- a folding station for folding rearwardly projecting end flaps (28,29,30,31) of the inner wrappers of the articles into their final positions during a momentary pause in the movement of the articles,
- a conveyor (20) having carriers (24,25) for moving the articles in a predetermined direction to said folding station, said carriers engaging the rear surfaces of said articles within the area of the rearwardly projecting end flaps of the inner wrapper thereof,
- a conveying platform (33) arranged between the folding station and said conveyor (20), means for moving said conveying platform in said direction at a speed higher than the transport velocity of said conveyor after receiving the articles (11,12) from the conveyor (20),
- a folding platform (32) that is stationary in said predetermined direction and receiving said articles from said conveying platform, said folding platform having platform halves (32a, 32b), extending laterally to said direction and capable of being moved together, each said half supporting one article, means for moving the platform halves (32a, 32b) laterally into contact with each other to move the articles, together and fold side end flaps during the lateral movement, and whereby the platform halves are respectively associated with folding members for folding the end flaps (28,29, 30,31) of the inner wrapper (27) during a pause in the movement of said articles, and
- means for transferring the articles in said predetermined direction into said open pack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.