Transferring rod-like articles

Apparatus for transferring rod-like articles including means for supplying articles to a plurality of adjacent delivery positions arranged in a single row, rotary conveyor means including means for receiving articles from said positions, and means for delivering articles in a row from said rotary conveyor means including a further conveyor, wherein the rotary conveyor means comprises a plurality of planetary wheels each having article receiving means defining individual article positions, and an annular carrier for translating said wheels along a path extending adjacent said row so that said receiving means receives articles from said positions, wherein said planetary wheels each have a number of article receiving means at least equal to the number of adjacent delivery positions in said single row, so that each wheel receives all of the articles of said single row of articles as said wheel is translated along said path past said delivery positions.

Apparatus for transferring rod-like articles including means for supplying articles to a plurality of adjacent delivery positions arranged in a row, rotary conveyor means including means for receiving articles from said positions, and means for delivering articles in a row from said rotary conveyor means including a further conveyor, wherein the rotary conveyor means comprises a plurality of planetary wheels each having receiving means defining individual article positions, and an annular carrier for translating said wheels along a path extending adjacent said row so that said receiving means receives articles from said positions, said further conveyor being arranged to receive said articles on a path portion which lies radially inward of the path of the wheels relative to the axis of the annular carrier.

Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the conveyor means comprises a plurality of planetary wheels and the translating means comprises an annular carrier for said wheels.

Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the wheels are arranged to deliver successive rows of articles to said further conveyor in such manner that there are spaces between successive rows.

Apparatus for transferring rod-like articles including means for supplying articles to a plurality of adjacent delivery positions arranged in a row, conveyor means including means for receiving articles from said positions, and means for delivering articles in a row from said conveyor means including a further conveyor, wherein the conveyor means comprises at least one planetary wheel and includes means defining an annular path for said planetary wheel (226) extending adjacent said delivery positions and said further conveyor, and the means for receiving articles from said positions is arranged to receive a row of articles from said delivery positions substantially simultaneously.

Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further including a group conveyor having a series of spaced carrier means, said carrier means being arranged to receive groups of articles, wherein each of said groups comprises at least two superimposed rows of articles, said rows being received at positions spaced along the path of said group conveyor, and at least one of said rows being received from said delivering means.

Apparatus for transferring rod-like articles, including means for supplying articles to a plurality of adjacent delivery positions arranged in a row, first rotary conveyor means including means for receiving articles from said positions, and second rotary conveyor means including means for receiving articles from said first conveyor means, wherein said first and second rotary conveyor means are rotatable about a common axis, said second rotary conveyor means being arranged radially inward of said first rotary conveyor means relative to said axis.

Apparatus for transferring rod-like articles including means for supplying articles to a plurality of adjacent delivery positions arranged in a row, rotary conveyor means including means for receiving articles from said positions, and means for delivering articles in a row from said rotary conveyor means including a further conveyor, wherein the rotary conveyor means comprises a plurality of planetary wheels each having receiving means defining individual article positions, and an annular carrier for translating said wheels along a path extending adjacent said row so that said receiving means receives articles from said positions, wherein said planetary wheels are arranged relative to said annular carrier so that each wheel receives all of the articles of a given row of articles at said adjacent delivery positions as said wheel is translated along said path past said row of adjacent delivery positions.