Reel attaching and detaching device

A reel attaching and detaching device which is to be employed in a cigarette rolling machine is disclosed. It includes a travelling carrier adapted to travel on a pair of rails extending in parallel relation, a pair of revolvable threaded shafts mounted on the travelling carrier and extending in the normal direction with respect to the rails, a motor mounted on the travelling carrier and adapted to revolve the threaded shafts, a pair of clamps engaged with the threaded shafts and adapted to clamp a reel, the clamps being simultaneously moved outward or inward by the motor, two limit switches, one for setting a waiting position of the clamps in order to clamp the reel from inside and the other for setting a waiting position of the clamps in order to clamp the reel from outside, a box mounted on the travelling carrier in such manner as to move in the transversing direction with respect to the travelling direction of the carrier, and a pusher having a generally H configuration disposed at the front of the box in such a manner as to move transversing the clamps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a reel attaching and detaching device, and 
more particularly to a device for attaching and detaching a reel with 
cigarette rolling paper to a cigarette rolling machine. 
One example of such prior art device is given in Japanese Patent 
Application Laid Open to the Public No. 56(1981)-501829. According to this 
art, in a travelling carrier adapted to transfer a reel with tobacco 
rolling paper between a stocker section and a cigarette rolling machine, a 
pair of clamps are supported by means of function of an air cylinder by 
admitting a clamp to enter the core cylinder of the reel, and the reel is 
transferred in this state in order to attach to and detach from a bobbin 
portion of said rolling machine. 
By the way, according to said conventional device, there are such 
disadvantages that maintenance of a certain degree of air pressure is 
normally required even in a state where the reel is supported and even a 
core cylinder of an empty reel is also required to support from inside. 
The present invention was accomplished in view of the above described 
points. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reel 
attaching and detaching device, wherein once a reel is sufficiently 
clamped by a pair of clamps, no additional power such as an air cylinder 
as in the case with the prior art is required to maintain such a clamping 
state of said clamps. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a reel attaching and 
detaching device, wherein a reel with cigarette rolling paper or rice 
paper can be clamped with the clamps from the inside as in the case with 
the prior art and an empty roll can be clamped with the clamps from the 
outside in order to save time. 
In order to achieve the above objects, there is essentially provided a reel 
attaching and detaching device for detaching an empty reel from a first 
bobbin of a cigarette rolling machine to discard the same, taking up a 
loaded reel from a stocker, attaching the loaded reel to said first 
bobbin, detaching another empty reel from a second bobbin of the cigarette 
rolling machine to discard the same, taking up another loaded reel from 
the stocker, and attaching said another loaded reel to said second bobbin, 
said reel attaching and detaching device comprising a travelling carrier 
adapted to travel on a track; a pair of revolvable threaded shafts 
provided on said travelling carrier, said pair of threaded shafts 
extending substantially in a vertical plane along said track in a straight 
line; a pair of clamps screwed on said threaded shafts and adapted to hold 
a reel having a core cylinder by clamping said core cylinder; drive means 
for driving said pair of threaded shafts such that said pair of clamps 
move toward and away from each other; support means provided on said 
carrier for supporting and moving said pair of revolvable threaded shafts 
by said drive means transversely said track; and a pusher mounted on said 
travelling carrier and moving perpendicularly across said plane between 
said pair of clamps to and fro.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
One preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporated to a device 
which automatically supplies a reel wound with rice paper (cigarette 
rolling paper) to a cigarette rolling machine will be described hereunder. 
Referring to FIG. 1, the automatic supply device according to the present 
invention comprises a stocker section A positioned on one side of a 
cigarette rolling machine M, a carrier section B adapted to receive a reel 
or reels from said stocker section and carry the same over to said 
cigarette rolling machine, and a bobbin section C adapted to receive the 
reel or reels from the carrier section B at the cigarette rolling machine 
M. 
After the stocker section A loaded with a plurality of new reels wound with 
rice paper to supporting frame, it is caused to rotate reversely for 
intermittently delivering the reels to a waiting travelling carrier B1. 
Referring to FIG. 2, 1 denotes a stationary base of the stocker portion A. 
A supporting cylindrical column 2 is erected upright on said base 1. A 
revolvable cylindrical body 4 is positioned within said supporting 
cylindrical column 2 through a bearing 3 as shown in FIG. 3. Within said 
revolvable cylindrical body 4, a motor 5 for reverse rotation and a 
reduction gear head 6 are mounted on said base 1, and a driving gear 7 
thereof meshes with an internal gear 8 firmly fixed within said revolvable 
cylindrical body 4. 
A housing 9 is firmly secured to the upper end of said revolvable 
cylindrical body 4. Two motors 10, 10 for pushers which will be described 
later are provided at the upper portion of the housing 9. At the right and 
left sides thereof, reel support arms in the form of frame structures 11, 
11 are firmly secured in symmetric relation with each other through flange 
portions 11a, 11a thereof. Shaft supporting plates 12 and 13 are firmly 
secured to the both end portions of said frame structure 11. A revolvable 
threaded shaft 14 is disposed intermediate said shaft supporting plates 12 
and 13 through bearings 15 and 16. A bevel gear 17 is provided at the 
internal end of said revolvable threaded shaft 14 and meshed with a bevel 
gear 18 on a driving shaft 10a of the motor 10 for the pusher. 
Longitudinally extending guide openings 11b are formed in the upper and 
lower portions of the reel supporting frame structure 11, and a pressure 
end 19a of a pusher 19 screwed on the revolvable threaded shaft 4 extends 
out of the frame structure through said openings. 
Said reel supporting frame structure 11 is provided at its internal and 
external ends with limit switches 20 and 21 for sensing the retreating and 
progressing ends of the pusher 10 respectively as shown in FIG. 2. And 
three pieces of reel sensing limit switches 22, 23 and 24 adapted to sense 
the number of supporting reels is provided therebetween. 
Reverse rotation stopping microswitches 25, 25 are mounted on the upper end 
and opposite positions of said supporting cylindrical column 2, and on the 
lower end of the housing 9, a sensing cam 26 is mounted opposite thereto. 
In order to establish an appropriate reverse rotation position, a retaining 
pin 27 is provided at the supporting cylindrical column 2 in a position in 
agreement with either one of said reverse rotation stopping microswitches 
25 in the axial direction and in such a manner as to be biased toward the 
revolvable cylindrical body 4 by means of a coiled spring 28. In opposite 
positions of the outer periphery of said revolvable cylindrical body 4, 
retaining holes 29, 29 adapted to receive therein the retaining pin 27 are 
formed. 
With the above constitution, in the state where the pusher 19 is retreated 
to the innermost end, a predetermined number of reels R each having a core 
cylinder r wound with rice paper therearound are engaged to one of the 
frame structures 11, and said frame structures 11 are rotated by 180 
degrees by the reverse rotation motor 5 such that it will be brought to be 
opposite the carrier section B. With the foregoing state, one of the 
motors 10 for the pusher 19 is driven to intermittently revolve the 
revolvable threaded shaft 14 for a predetermined amount and at the same 
time the pusher 19 is caused to move along the guide openings 11b. Then, 
the reels R wound with rice paper are pushed one by one out to the 
travelling carrier B1. The rotation of the motor 10 is stopped according 
to a receiving signal from a sensor 39' mounted on the pusher 39 carried 
by the travelling carrier B1 for finishing the reel taking up operation 
from the stocker. 
In the meantime, said reels R are manually loaded on the reel supporting 
frame structure 11 at the opposite side and caused to rotate reversely as 
in the same manner as described in the above. 
In the carrier B shown in FIG. 4 and sectionally in FIG. 5, a track 
including two rails 31, 31 are disposed on a base 30, said rails 31, 31 
extending from the stocker section A to the bobbin section C of the 
cigarette rolling machine M. A rack 32 is fixedly provided between said 
rails 31, 31. A base plate 33 of the travelling carrier B1 is engaged to 
said rails 31, 31. A pinion 35 mounted on a driving shaft 34a of a 
travelling motor 35 positioned on said base plate 33 is meshed with said 
rack 32. The travelling carrier B1 is moved along said rails 31, 31 in 
accordance with the motion of said motor 34. 
Another pair of guide rails 36, 36 are firmly secured on said base plate 33 
of the travelling carrier B1, said guide rails 36, 36 extending in the 
transversing direction with respect to the track or the travelling 
direction of said travelling carrier B1. A box 37 formed on the lower side 
thereof with a projection 37' is movably located between the rails 36, 36 
with said projection 37' engaged thereto. An air cylinder 38 is firmly 
secured to the base plate 33 and its piston 38a is connected to said box 
37. According to the motion of said air cylinder 38, the box 37 is moved 
in the transversing direction with respect to the moving direction of the 
travelling carrier B1. 
At the front of said box 37 with respect to the moving direction thereof, a 
pusher 39 is provided in order to be of help to receive the reels R. Said 
pusher 39 also serves as a back plate thereof. 
The pusher 39 is firmly secured to the external end of a slide shaft 40 
axially movably supported by a partition wall 37a of the box 37. A piston 
42a of an air cylinder 42 is connected to the internal end of said slide 
shaft 40 through a connection plate 41. As a result, the pusher 39 is 
caused to move forward or backward by said air cylinder 42. The pusher 39 
is cut in a generally H shape so that cut-out portions 39a, 39a at its 
upper and lower portions may receive therein clamps 43, 43 in such a 
manner as to allow the movement thereof as shown in FIG. 6. 
The clamps 43, 43 are respectively formed in a shape of an arcuate plate 
body curving outward so that it will be in accord with the arcuate shape 
of the core cylinder of said reel R. The mounting base portions 43a, 43a 
of said clamps 43, 43 are engaged in a guide groove 37b extending in the 
vertical direction at the front of the partition wall 37a of said box 37. 
Said mounting base portions 43a, 43a are designed to be movable along said 
guide groove 37b in the vertical direction and threadedly engaged with 
revolvable threaded shafts 44, 44 extending in the vertical direction 
within said guide groove 37b. 
Referring to FIG. 7, bevel gears 45, 45 are firmly secured to the opposing 
ends of said revolvable threaded shafts 44, 44 respectively and meshed 
with a bevel gear 48 mounted on one end of a driving shaft 47 carried by a 
bearing 46 at the partition wall 37a. 
At the other end of said driving shaft 47 provided is a clutch mechanism 49 
which is driven by a driving shaft 52a of a motor 53 through a gear belt 
pulley 49a, a gear belt 50 and a gear belt pulley 51 thereof. The gear 
belt pulley 49a is rotatably mounted on the driving shaft 47 and a ball 
49b for engaging in a recess 47b formed in a flange 47a fixed to the 
driving shaft 47 is held in a chamber 49c opposite thereto. Since said 
gear belt pulley 49a is normally urged toward the flange 47a by a spring 
49d, the gear belt pulley 49a and the driving shaft 47 are integrally 
rotated through said ball 49b. When the clamps 43, 43 are brought to a 
predetermined clamping state, the driving shaft 47 becomes unrotatable. As 
a result, the gear belt pulley 49a departs from the flange 47a by 
resisting the force of the spring 49d and rotates idly. At this time, a 
limit switch 53 is actuated by said gear belt pulley 49a for stopping the 
motion of a drive source or a motor 52. 
At the side of the guide groove 37b formed in the partition wall 37a, a 
limit switch 54 for setting a waiting position for clamping an empty core 
from outside by said clamps 43, 43 is provided in the external position or 
upper position, while in the internal position or lower position, another 
limit switch 55 for setting a waiting position for clamping the reel R 
with rice paper from inside by the clamps 43, 43 is provided. 
At the front of the cigarette rolling machine, the bobbin section C shown 
in cross-section in FIG. 8, is rotatably carried by a bearing 57 through a 
shaft section 56. On the outer periphery of a supporting section 58, four 
pieces of arcuate grippers 59 are firmly secured to the external end of a 
supporting bar 60 slidably disposed in a hole 58a extending in the radial 
direction of said supporting portion 58 so that said grippers 59 can move 
in the radial direction. The internal end 60a of the supporting bar 60 is 
abutted against a cam 62 biased by a spring 61. The cam 62 is connected to 
a slide shaft 64 actuated by an air cylinder 63, and the four pieces of 
grippers 59 which are in pulled-in positions by normally pulled by the 
spring 61 are pushed out by the air cylinder 63 at the time when said 
grippers 59 received the rice paper at the supporting portion 58 and the 
core of the reel R is clamped from inside. 
65 denotes a rotary encoder which associates with the rotation of the 
bobbin section C through gears 66 and 67. Said rotary encoder 65 transmits 
a signal according to the number of rotation so that said bobbin section C 
starts motion for receiving the reel R with rice paper from the travelling 
carrier B1. 
The rails 31, 31 of said carrier section B1 are provided at the both ends 
thereof with accordion-shaped covers 68, 68 connected to the both sides of 
the travelling carrier B1 respectively. When travelling, the travelling 
carrier B1 travels expanding one of the covers 68 and contracting the 
other. 
A plurality of limit switches for instructing stopping positions of the 
travelling carrier B1 are provided on said base 30. That is, there are 
provided a sensor 69 positioned opposite the stocker section A for 
receiving the rice paper, a sensor 71 for sensing a position for detaching 
an empty core corresponding to an empty core box 70, a sensor 72 for an 
intermediate waiting position 72, a sensor 73 corresponding to a first 
bobbin C1, and a sensor 74 corresponding to a second bobbin C2 all 
arranged in this order from one end of the base 30 to the other. 
With the above constitution, in the state where the first and second 
bobbins C1 and C2 are loaded with the reels R with rice paper, the clamps 
43, 43 are moved outward when the travelling carrier B1 is at the 
intermediate waiting position. Firstly, when the rice paper of the first 
bobbin C1 is used up, the clamps 43, 43 are moved to the position where 
the first bobbin is located according to the signal from the rotary 
encoder 65. After the clamps 43, 43 are positioned outside of an empty 
core cylinder by the box 37 progressed by the air cylinder 38, they are 
moved inside by the motor 52. Upon clamping the empty core cylinder r with 
said clamps 43, 43, the box 37 is caused to retreat. Then, the travelling 
carrier B1 is travelled to the empty core box 70 for moving the box 37 in 
the same manner as mentioned before. After the empty core cylinder r is 
released from clamping by the clamps 43, 43, the pusher 39 is progressed 
by the air cylinder 42 for discharging the empty core cylinder into the 
box 70. Thereafter, the travelling carrier B1 travels to the position of 
the stocker section A. At this time, the clamps 43, 43 are moved in the 
inside position. In this state, the pusher 39 which also serves as a back 
plate receives the rice paper reel R pushed from the stocker section A. At 
the same time, the clamps 43, 43 are moved to clamp the core cylinder r 
from inside. The, the travelling carrier B1 travels to a position 
corresponding to the first bobbin C1. After the box 37 is progressed, the 
pusher 39 is also progressed to push the reel R to the supporting portion 
of the first bobbin C1 for delivery and the gripper 59 is moved for 
securing the reel R by the cam 62 according to the operation of the air 
cylinder 63. Then, in the same state as mentioned before, the travelling 
carrier B1 stops in the intermediate waiting position and waits for an 
empty core of the second bobbin C2. 
As described in the foregoing, since the present invention comprises a 
travelling carrier, a pair of revolvable threaded shafts mounted to said 
carrier and driven by a motor, a pair of clamps threadedly engaged to said 
revolvable threaded shafts so that the clamps are moved inward or outward 
simultaneously when the motor is in operation, and limit switches provided 
at internal and external positions for setting the waiting position of 
said clamps, the revolvable threaded shafts maintain the clamps in the 
clamping state thereof. Therefore, no power supply is required for their 
maintenance. Furthermore, since the core portion of the reel can be 
clamped from inside and outside, the attaching and detaching operation of 
the reel can be effected with ease and speedily. 
Moreover, since a clutch mechanism is provided intermediate the motor and 
the revolvable threaded shafts in order to disconnect the clutch when an 
overload is incurred, the motor can be stopped revolving after the clamps 
clamped the reel surely. 
While only one embodiment of the invention has been shown in detail, it 
will be understood that the same is for illustration purpose only and is 
not to be taken as a definition of the invention, reference being had for 
this purpose to the appended claims.