Storing rod-like articles

A conveyor system for rod-like articles comprising

• first and second conveyor means for moving said articles in stack formation in a direction transverse to their lengths,
• first means defining a plurality of outlets for delivering articles from said first conveyor means,
• second means defining at least one inlet for delivering articles to said second conveyor means, said outlet and inlet being spaced apart,
• movable reservoir means having a plurality of compartments disposed adjacent to one another in line in the direction of movement thereof, each compartment having a separate entrance and exit for articles, means defining a path for said reservoir means whereby the reservoir means may be positioned on said path so that a plurality of compartments may be loaded simultaneously with articles passing from said outlets to the entrance of said compartments and whereby the reservoir means may be positioned on said path so that a compartment may be unloaded by articles passing from the exit of said compartment to said inlet, said outlet and inlet providing openings of substantially the same width as said compartment and said entrance and said exit being of substantially the same width so that a stack of substantially-constant width may be conveyed to, in and from each of said compartments, means for bounding a leading end of each stack advanced from each outlet through said entrance and into a compartment so that said stack is conveyed substantially continuously from said first conveyor means without substantial change of formation to said exit and third means for delivering a substantially-continuous stack received from said compartments through said inlet for conveyance by said second conveyor means without substantial change in formation.

A conveyor system comprising

• first conveyor means for moving articles in stack formation and having spaced means defining a plurality of outlets through which stacks of articles may be delivered;
• second conveyor means for conveying articles in stack formation and having spaced means defining an inlet through which a stack of articles may be received, said outlet being at a higher level than said inlet;
• movable reservoir means including a plurality of adjacent substantially-vertical compartments disposed in line in the direction of movement thereof and each having a spaced upper entrance and a lower exit, said reservoir means being movable into simultaneous registration with said first and second conveyor means so that an entrance of at least two compartments is positioned simultaneously adjacent at least two of said outlets so that each may receive a substantially-continuous stack of articles moving downwards from said first conveyor means, an exit of at least one compartment being positioned adjacent said inlet to deliver a substantially-continuous stack moving downwards through said compartment to said second conveyor means;
• and means for closing said outlets so that said movable reservoir means may be separated from said first and second conveyor means for replacement by further movable reservoir means.