Patent ID: 6023909
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: B65B,Y10S

Abstract:
A packing machine for producing semi-finished packets of cigarettes, each comprising an inner wrapping (3), a collar (4), and a blank (5) of packing material partially folded about the inner wrapping (3) and the collar (4), the machine (1) comprising a packing path (P) having an input branch (P1), an intermediate branch (P2) and an output branch (P3), the intermediate branch (P2) being connected to the input and output branches (P1, P3) at an input station (SI) and an output station (SU) respectively; input conveying means (12) extending along the input branch (P1) to feed, in a given first direction (D1), a succession of inner wrappings (3) crosswise to respective longitudinal axes (3a; 2a) and with a given first orientation; packing conveying means (9) extending between a first and a second transfer station (S1, S2) located along said intermediate branch (P2) to receive said inner wrappings (3) at the first transfer station (S1), and to partially enclose the inner wrappings (3) in respective blanks (5) of packing material to form said semi-finished packets (2); orienting conveying means (10) located along said intermediate branch (P2) to receive the packets (2) at the second transfer station (S2), and to orient the inner wrappings (3) and respective packets (2); output conveying means (11) located along the output branch (P3) to feed the packets (2) in a given second direction (D2) and parallel to respective longitudinal axes (3a; 2a) coincident with the longitudinal axes (3a; 2a) of the respective inner wrappings (3), and with a given second orientation rotated 90.degree. with respect to the first orientation; and transfer means (13) associated with said conveying means (12, 9, 10) to transfer said inner wrappings (3) at said first transfer station (S1), and said packets (2) at said second transfer station (S2); the machine (1) being characterized in that said given directions (D1, D2) are parallel; said input and output branches (P1, P3) are straight branches; and said intermediate branch (P2) winds substantially in a spiral about a given axis (6a) crosswise to said given directions (D1, D2).