Patent ID: 7568511
Filing Date: 2009-08-04
Classification: B65C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for applying tax stamps onto cigarette packages disposed within cigarette cartons which have predeterminedly different height dimensions, comprising: a plurality of operational stations, longitudinally spaced from each other along a longitudinally extending processing line, respectively comprising a plurality of operational components for respectively performing a plurality of operations upon each one of a plurality of cigarette cartons having the different height dimensions; means defining a support surface, extending along said longitudinally extending processing line, upon which the plurality of cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, are adapted to be movably supported; conveyor means for serially conveying the plurality of cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, along said support surface in an intermittent cyclic manner for permitting each one of the plurality of cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, to be periodically stopped at each one of the plurality of operational stations such that each one of said plurality of operational components disposed at each one of said plurality of operational stations can respectively perform its operations upon each one of the plurality of cigarette cartons having the different height dimensions; a contact member movably disposed at a cigarette carton height determination station for movement into engagement with an upper surface portion of a particular one of the plurality of cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, when the particular one of the plurality of cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, is disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station; sensor means, disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, for sensing the distance of said contact member, disposed in contact with the upper surface portion of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, which is disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, from said sensor means and therefore for determining the particular height dimension of the particular one of the plurality of cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, and for generating data indicative of the particular height dimension of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, which is disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station; single actuator means for adjusting the elevational disposition of said means defining said support surface upon which the plurality of cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, are adapted to be movably supported as the plurality of cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, are conveyed along said processing line from one of said plurality of operational stations to another one of said plurality of operational stations; and control means for receiving said height dimension data from said sensor means for determining the particular height dimension of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, which is disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, and for controlling said single actuator means so as to adjust the elevational disposition of said means defining said support surface, upon which the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, are adapted to be movably supported as the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, are conveyed along said processing line from one of said plurality of operational stations to another one of said plurality of operational stations, in accordance with said height dimension data, as determined by said sensor means disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, characteristic of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, such that the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, are always disposed at predeterminedly correct elevational levels with respect to said plurality of operational components respectively disposed at said plurality of operational stations whereby said operational components respectively disposed at said plurality of operational stations can properly perform their operations upon the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, regardless of the particular height dimension of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons having the different height dimensions.