Patent ID: 6092977
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: A24C,B65D,B65G

Abstract:
A rod-shaped article supplying apparatus comprising:a hopper for reserving rod-shaped articles and for permitting the rod-shaped articles to be discharged through a lower opening of the hopper;a supply cylinder having an outer peripheral face with a receiving portion for receiving a rod-shaped article, said supply cylinder being rotatable so that the receiving portion moves along a moving path including a rod-shaped article receiving position where the receiving portion faces the lower opening of the hopper and a rod-shaped article delivering position where the rod-shaped article is discharged from the receiving portion;said rod-shaped article supplying apparatus includes at least one movable wall constituting a part of the hopper and arranged for angular motion, and a driving apparatus for causing said at least one movable wall to make the angular motion;the hopper has a first plate extending obliquely toward the supply cylinder and constituting said at least one movable wall, said first plate is pivotably supported at an upper end portion thereof and has a lower edge extending in parallel to a rotation axis of the supply cylinder and disposed close to the outer peripheral face of the supply cylinder to constitute one side edge of the lower opening of the hopper; andsaid driving apparatus includes a driving system for causing the supply cylinder to make a reciprocal rotation such that the receiving portion of the supply cylinder makes a reciprocal rotational movement between the rod-shaped article receiving position and the rod-shaped article delivering position, a projection projecting radially outwardly from the outer peripheral face of the supply cylinder, the projection being provided at a location diametrically opposite the receiving portion and permitted to be engaged with and disengaged from a lower face of a lower edge portion of the first plate, and a stopper adapted to abut against the lower face of the first plate to thereby hold the first plate when the projection is out of engagement with the first plate.