Method of and apparatus for the formation of the cigarette blocks

Relatively fragile articles, such as cigarettes, are formed into blocks consisting of three rows with a middle row containing one cigarette less than the outer rows. The cigarettes in the middle row are also laterally offset by approximately one-half the diameter of a cigarette from the cigarettes in the outer rows as a result of forming the blocks in a linear array of feed shafts which, from a lower support surface, extend upwardly at an angle other than perpendicular. A shaft disposed at one end of the array is closed at the level of the lower two rows and a multi-armed block slide is provided for pushing the cigarettes which define the block from an extraction zone, located at the bottom of the shafts, into a receiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to the formation of "blocks" consisting of 
three rows of loose, identically shaped articles such as cigarettes, the 
middle row containing one article less than the abutting outer rows. More 
particularly, this invention is directed to apparatus for use in the 
grouping of loose cigarettes into "blocks" having an even number of 
cigarettes arranged in an odd number of rows and, especially, to cigarette 
block forming apparatus including an angularly oriented, linear array of 
feed shafts with the number of shafts corresponding to the maximum number 
of cigarettes in any of the rows of the block to be formed increased by 
one, one of the end shafts of the array terminating at the level of the 
bottom of the uppermost row. Accordingly, the general objects of the 
present invention are to provide novel and improved methods and apparatus 
of such character. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
While not limited thereto in its utility, the present invention is 
primarily intended for use in the packaging of cigarettes and, 
particularly, in the formation of cigarettes into "blocks" for subsequent 
packaging. Cigarettes are relatively fragile articles and, accordingly, 
must be treated gently during the formation into a "block" having the 
requisite size, shape and number of cigarettes for the package to be 
formed. 
Exemplary prior art methods of and apparatus for grouping cigarettes into 
blocks for subsequent packaging are disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 
08/022,076. In the technique described in this co-pending and commonly 
assigned application, the cigarettes to be formed into blocks are 
delivered to substantially vertically oriented shafts defined by spaced 
walls which extend from a bottom member. A lateral shaft located in the 
position corresponding to the middle row of the cigarette block to be 
formed is closed by a web. The prior art apparatus also comprises a device 
for feeding a cigarette under the web thus defining three rows of 
cigarettes with the middle row comprising one less cigarette than the 
other two rows. The three rows of cigarettes are ejected from an 
extraction region at the bottom of the shafts by means of a block slide. 
The cigarettes to be pushed out of the shafts by the block slide are, in 
the three rows, vertically aligned. The vertically aligned cigarettes in 
the lateral shaft which includes the web are separated by the diameter of 
a cigarette. Accordingly, after emerging from the shafts, the rows have to 
be displaced into the requisite mutually offset position, row-to-row, and 
pressed together. This requires the application of a compacting force to 
the grouped cigarettes from all four sides. Despite the relatively careful 
extraction and compaction operation, there is a residual possibility of 
damage to the individual cigarettes, i.e., the possibility of faults in 
the block forming procedure cannot be excluded. 
A further example of a prior art cigarette block forming apparatus may be 
seen from German Patent Publication DE-C-2,453,625. The latter publication 
discloses apparatus comprising, on each side, three horizontally 
terminating shafts from which are fed a number of cigarettes corresponding 
to the requisite number for the one of three horizontal rows of a block to 
be formed. In this apparatus, two middle cigarettes of the three rows are 
provided via two vertical shafts. These vertical shafts are obliquely 
oriented such that the bottom most and top most rows, reversed relative to 
one another, include one cigarette more to be pushed out on these two 
shafts than on the other side. This arrangement results in the cigarettes 
being offset relative to one another in the horizontal rows. However, the 
vertical spacings between the cigarettes resting against one another in 
the horizontally terminating shafts are nevertheless necessarily 
considerable, whereas there is no vertical spacing between the cigarettes 
and the shafts which terminate obliquely vertically. The cigarettes in the 
latter shafts, however, are separated from one another in the vertical 
direction. Accordingly, during the extraction operation, forces still have 
to be exerted on the grouped cigarettes from all four sides and the 
spacings between the individual cigarettes have to be reduced to a 
considerable degree. The potential for faults in the block forming 
procedure thus exists. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention overcomes the above-briefly discussed and other 
deficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art and, in so doing, provides 
a technique for the formation of multi-rowed groups of fragile articles, 
and particularly cigarettes, in a manner which ensures extremely careful 
treatment of the articles during the group formation. The invention also 
encompasses apparatus for implementing the aforementioned technique 
wherein, in an extraction region at the base of an array of shafts down 
which cigarettes or other articles to be packaged descend under the 
influence of gravity, the shafts extend obliquely relative to a common 
bottom member. Where the grouped articles or block is comprised of three 
rows, apparatus in accordance with the present invention further includes, 
at one end of the array of shafts, an outer shaft in which the positions 
of the two lower rows are closed. This closure, in combination with the 
employment of a number of shafts which corresponds to the maximum number 
of cigarettes in any of the rows increased by one, results in the 
cigarettes being positioned in the lower three rows at horizontal 
locations commensurate with the requisite offset relationship between the 
rows which will characterize the cigarette block to be formed and 
subsequently wrapped. 
Apparatus in accordance with the present invention thus comprises a shaft 
arrangement which results in cigarettes in the three rows at the base of 
the shafts being staggered from row to row. Accordingly, the dimension of 
the cigarette block in the vertical direction is substantially already 
formed by the feed shaft arrangement. Therefore, when the cigarettes 
comprising the block are pushed out of the extraction region of the array 
of shafts, the only requisite further compaction may be accomplished by 
pressing the formation together from the two narrow sides. Accordingly, 
the cigarettes are handled gently and the possibility of faults occurring 
during the block forming process is minimized.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference now to the drawings, FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a pair 
of cigarette funnels, indicated generally at 1, each of which includes 
eight feed shafts 2. The shafts 2 will have a minimum width which is 
somewhat wider than the diameter of the cigarettes 3 which are to be 
formed into blocks for subsequent packaging. The shafts 2 are defined by 
shaft walls 4 which are widened conically towards the upper entry end 
thereof, the cigarettes descending toward the common bottom 5 of the 
shafts 2 under the influence of gravity. In accordance with the embodiment 
of FIG. 1, the shafts 2, and thus also the shaft walls 4, are curved and 
terminate, at their upper ends, at a position which is angularly displaced 
relative to their bottom ends by an angle of approximately 40.degree.. 
This curved shaft orientation, i.e., the oblique offsetting of the top and 
bottom ends of the feed shafts 2, results in the lower three rows of 
cigarettes 3, as indicated by cross-hatching, being arranged offset 
relative to one another. Restated, proceeding upwardly from the row of 
cigarettes which rests on the bottom 5 of the funnels 1, each row of 
cigarettes is staggered relative to the adjacent lower row by 
approximately one-half of the diameter of a cigarette. Accordingly, prior 
to being extracted from the funnels, the cigarettes are already arranged 
essentially according to the desired arrangement in the finished, i.e., 
compacted, cigarette block. This desirable offset arrangement of 
cigarettes, in part, results from the fact that an end shaft 2' of the 
array of shafts is, at the levels of the two lowermost rows in the funnel, 
closed. Accordingly, proceeding upwardly from bottom 5, there are seven 
cigarettes 3 located in each of the two lower rows of the funnel and eight 
cigarettes located in the third row. 
Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the twenty cigarettes 3 which customarily define a 
cigarette block are pushed out of the lower, i.e., three row, extraction 
region of the funnels 1, and into a block receptacle 7, by means of a 
block slide 6. The block slide 6 includes six slide portions 8' which are 
in the form of parallelogram shaped, blade-like arm extensions. The slide 
portions 8' are obliquely arranged so as to be complimentary to the bottom 
portions of the cooperating shafts 2, i.e., the slide portions 8' pass 
through the shafts 2 and, in so doing, push the cigarettes in the lower 
three rows into the block receptacle 7. The block slide 6 further 
includes, on each of the outer sides thereof, a slide portion 8" sized and 
shaped for pushing an individual cigarette 3 out of end shaft 2' and the 
oppositely disposed outer shaft 2. 
The block receptacle 7 narrows, in the direction in which the cigarettes 
extracted from the funnel 1 are pushed, in order to compact the block of 
cigarettes. Block receptacle 7 includes, on each of the two opposite sides 
thereof, a projecting web 9 which extends in the travel direction of the 
cigarettes. The webs 9 are located at the appropriate level so as to 
occupy the lateral free spaces at the ends of the middle of the three 
rows, i.e., the row which consists of only six cigarettes. A pair of 
further guide webs 10 are provided, as may best be seen from FIG. 3, which 
extend parallel to the webs 9. One of the guide webs 10 is arranged below 
an adjacent web 9, i.e., at the level corresponding to a portion 8" of the 
block slide 6. The other, oppositely disposed, guide web 10 is arranged 
above the adjacent web 9 at the level of the other slide portion 8". The 
guide webs 10 have a smaller width when compared to the webs 9 and, at the 
entry end of the block receptacle 7, do not restrict the entry for the two 
individual cigarettes which are pushed out of the funnel by means of the 
block slide portions 8". Restated the guide webs 10 are, at their upstream 
ends in the direction of cigarette travel, flush with the adjacent feed 
shaft walls 4. 
The portions 8" of the block side 6 are each provided with a cut-out 11 for 
receiving an associated guide web 10. The two outer block slide portions 
8', as best seen from FIG. 4, are also provided with a cut-out 12 for 
receiving an associated web 9. The outermost portions of the block slide, 
i.e., the portions located closest to the converging walls of a block 
receptacle 7, are also provided with a chamfer as indicated at 13. The 
provision of such a chamfer makes it possible for the outwardly disposed 
portions of the block slide to be pushed through the block receptacle 
despite the narrowing passage defined thereby. 
The block receptacle 7 can be a stationary "switch" or coupling or may be a 
movable pocket. If block receptacle 7 is stationary, it may serve as a 
mouthpiece for a cell 14 of a turret, shown schematically in FIG. 1, or a 
belt conveyor. Such a cell will conventionally be provided with a 
reception region 16 for the cigarette block. The cells are narrowed, in 
the direction of cigarette block movement, in order to press the 
cigarettes together to the desired extent. In the case of a stationary 
block receptacle 7, the block slide 6 will be employed to push the block 
of cigarettes through the block receptacle 7 and into the cell 14, the 
turret comprising the cell forming part of the packaging machinery. 
FIG. 3 is a view showing the entry side of block receptacle 7, as seen from 
a cigarette funnel 1. FIG. 4 may be considered a view, looking into the 
cell 14, of the block slide 7 and the cigarettes being propelled thereby. 
Referring again to FIG. 1, each of the shaft defining walls 4 may be 
provided with a leg or flange 17 which extends in a plane perpendicular to 
the axes of cigarettes disposed in the shafts 2. The flanges 17 provide 
means for securing the walls 4 to a rear wall 18, as shown in FIG. 2, of a 
funnel 1. 
FIG. 2 shows that some of the shaft defining walls 4, the four middle walls 
in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, may be provided with tabs or 
finger-like extensions 19 which project partially into the block 
receptacle 7. These tabs 19 support the cigarette block during the 
movement thereof from the funnel into the block receptacle. The shaft 
defining walls 4 may also have tabs 20 which function as block slide guide 
extensions, i.e., tabs 20 extend into a block slide 6 in its initial or 
rest position. 
The shaft defining walls 4 may, for example, be terminated half a cigarette 
diameter above the bottom member 5. Also, referring to the alternate 
arrangement of FIG. 5, the walls 4 may be formed in two parts, i.e., a 
curved upper conical portion 4' and a straight lower portion 4". In the 
FIG. 5 arrangement, the lower ends of the upper portions 4' of the shaft 
defining walls terminate in a plane which is level with the top of the 
third row of cigarettes. The lower portions 4" are supported separately 
from the upper portions 4'. As schematically shown in FIG. 5, the lower 
wall portions 4" are engaged in receiving apertures in the bottom member 
5. The lower portions 4" may also be lengthened to form the tabs 19, 20. 
Referring again to FIG. 1, vibrating rollers 21 are located at the upper 
ends of the shaft defining walls 4 in order to assist the entry of the 
cigarettes into the shafts 2 and the subsequent movement of the cigarettes 
downwardly along the shafts 2. As may also be seen from FIG. 1, it has 
been found expedient to terminate the shaft defining walls 4 alternatively 
at two difference heights. 
As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, rather than forming 
cigarette blocks of twenty cigarettes each as represented in the disclosed 
embodiments, any formation consisting of three rows with the x+1, x and 
x+1 cigarettes can be formed. Similarly, the present invention can be 
employed where the articles being processed are to be arranged in more 
than three rows. In such an arrangement, every second row will contain one 
article less than the adjacent rows, and a further shaft 2 is required for 
every two additional rows. Likewise, the block slide 6 will be modified so 
as to have slide portions 8" for pushing the bottom most cigarette out of 
the outer shafts at each level. 
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various 
modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from 
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood 
that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and 
not limitation.