US 4,790,333 A · Apparatus for feeding cigarettes or the like to a packaging machine

Abstract

A cigarette transfer apparatus is used for transporting the cigarettes to a packaging machine when the cigarettes are supplied periodically, especially in trestles (11), and this apparatus consists of an intermediate container (13) with several conveyors driven at increasing speed in the conveying direction, namely a receiving conveyor (22), an intermediate conveyor (24) and a discharge conveyor (23). A continuous cigarette stream (26) is formed within the intermediate container (13), and reductions (valley 39) in the cross-section of this cigarette stream as a result of an interrupted supply of cigarettes are compensated by a controlled drive of the conveyors, while ensuring continuous delivery to the packaging machine. The cigarette stream (26) is loaded at the top by a closely matching cigarette cover (40) consisting of individual rollers (41).

Claims31

Dependent claims

In an apparatus for feeding cigarettes or the like to a packaging machine comprising an intermediate container including laterally spaced vertical walls, an upper opening within said intermediate container for receiving cigarettes under their own weight to form a continuous cigarette stream with the cigarettes oriented parallel to one another and transversely of the intermediate container between said opposed walls, conveyors underlying said cigarette stream and forming the bottom of said intermediate container for transporting the cigarettes longitudinally of said intermediate container with the cigarettes at right angles to the direction of movement, the improvement comprising a cigarette cover (40) overlying and in contact with the top of said cigarette stream, said cover comprising a plurality of rigid members, and means for articulately connecting said rigid members together such that said cigarette cover matches the upper contours of the cigarette stream (26).

In an apparatus for transporting cigarettes or the like to a packaging machine comprising:

an intermediate container containing including laterally opposed sidewalls, longitudinally opposed end walls,
said intermediate container being upwardly open at one end such that cigarettes fall by gravity from an upturned cigarette container when emptied into the opening within the top of said intermediate container at that end such that said cigarettes fall under gravity to form a continuous cigarette stream consisting of cigarettes which are oriented parallel to one another and transversely to the longitudinal axis of said intermediate container and to the direction of transport,
and said intermediate container further comprises at least one conveyor forming the bottom of said intermediate container, and underlying the continuous cigarette stream and moving parallel to the intermediate container sidewall such that the direction of transport of the cigarettes is away from the end of the intermediate container bearing the opening at the top thereof, the improvement comprising a first conveyor located beneath the opening within the top of the intermediate container and underneath the cigarette receptacle, means for stopping said first conveyor during interruption of cigarette supply and a change of cigarette receptacles, and wherein said at least one conveyor comprises several separately controllable conveyors adjoining one another, and downstream of said first conveyor in the direction of a packing machine at the opposite end of said intermediate container from said opening for receiving cigarettes from overturned cigarette containers positioned thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for feeding cigarettes or the like to a packaging machine

Life of this patent

Apparatus for feeding cigarettes or the like to a packaging machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31