Method and apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles

A filter rod making machine discharges several parallel filter rods which move lengthwise and are severed at regular intervals to yield files of axially aligned filter rod sections. Such sections are transported axially to a first transfer station where they enter discrete flutes in the concave upper side of one of several rotary platforms which orbit about the axis of a rotary carrier and are rotated relative to the carrier by crank drives so that the orientation of their flutes remains unchanged. The flutes of a platform which arrives at the first station receive discrete filter rod sections from each of the files so that each platform accumulates a group of parallel sections which are transported to a second station for transfer into successive peripheral flutes of a rotary drum-shaped removing conveyor. The second station is located at a level above the first station and the position of the drum-shaped conveyor with reference to the flutes arriving at the second station is such that successive sections which leave the flutes of a platform moving past the second station are aspirated into successive flutes of the removing conveyor by moving sideways, the same as with the flutes of the removing conveyor. The carrier for the platforms rotates about an axis which is inclined to the vertical, and the flutes of the platforms are located in horizontal planes, the same as the filter rod sections which arrive at the first station.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transporting 
rod-shaped articles, especially rod-shaped articles which constitute or 
form part of smokers' products. Such articles include, filter rod sections 
as well as plain or filter cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or cheroots. 
It is often necessary to change the orientation or grouping of rod-shaped 
articles, such as filter rod sections, on their way from a making machine 
to a processing machine or from a preceding to a next-following processing 
machine. For example, a conventional filter rod making machine turns out a 
continuous filter rod, e.g., a filter rod wherein a filler of fibrous 
filter material is confined in a tubular envelope consisting of cigarette 
paper, imitation cork or the like. The rod is severed at regular intervals 
to yield a file of filter rod sections of desired length (e.g., six or 
eight times unit length), and such sections are thereupon transported to 
the magazine of a filter tipping machine wherein the filter rod sections 
are converted into filter plugs of unit length or double unit length and 
are assembled with plain cigarettes to form therewith filter cigarettes of 
unit length or double unit length. During transport from the filter rod 
making to the filter tipping machine, the filter rod sections are normally 
caused to change the direction of their movement from axial or lengthwise 
movement to transverse or sidewise movement. 
Numerous apparatus are known and used to change the orientation and 
grouping of cigarettes, filter rod sections or analogous rod-shaped 
articles. For example, a cigarette maker is normally equipped with an 
accelerating cam which is located downstream of a so-called cutoff serving 
to subdivide a continuous cigarette rod into a file of discrete plain 
cigarettes of unit length. The cam has one or more lobes which propel 
successive plain cigarettes of the file into the axially parallel 
peripheral flutes of a rotary drum-shaped row forming conveyor so that the 
file is converted into one or more rows wherein the cigarettes move 
sideways. Such cigarettes are ready for delivery to a filter tipping 
machine, i.e., for assembly with filter plugs and uniting bands to form 
filter cigarettes of unit length or multiple unit length. The situation is 
analogous when a continuous filter rod is subdivided into a single fine or 
filter rod sections of desired length and the file is thereupon converted 
into one or more rows wherein the sections move sideways. It is also known 
to propel filter rod sections through pneumatic conveyor systems from the 
maker or makers to one or more remote reservoir systems or processing 
machines. The just outlined conventional apparatus operate quite 
satisfactorily when a single file of cigarettes, filter rod sections or 
analogous rod-shaped articles is to be converted into one or more rows or 
other formations. However, such conventional apparatus are incapable of 
handling large or extremely large quantities of rod-shaped articles, for 
example, all of the articles which are supplied or can be supplied by a 
filter rod making machine having several extruders each of which forms and 
discharges a discrete filter rod which is subdivided into filter rod 
sections of desired length. All heretofore known apparatus are 
specifically designed for the treatment or processing of a single file or 
row of rod-shaped articles and their multiplication (e.g., eightfold 
multiplication, in order to be capable of processing the output of a 
machine which turns out a substantial number of continuous filter rods or 
the like) would entail a disproportionate increase in the bulk, cost and 
complexity of such apparatus. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of 
manipulating large quantities of rod-shaped articles, especially during 
transfer of such articles from a maker to one or more processing machines. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a method which can be 
resorted to for reliable, accurate and reproducible processing of large 
quantities of rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of 
smokers' products, especially for the processing of filter rod sections 
which are obtained by simultaneous subdivision of several continuous 
filter rods into discrete sections or articles of desired length. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method 
of converting several continuous rod-like bodies into a single row of 
rod-like articles. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
method of changing the formation of large quantities of rod-shaped 
articles in a small area, without any damage to the articles, and in a 
highly predictable way so that the final formation or array of articles is 
best suited for further processing, such as packing, storing, assembling, 
inspecting, stacking and/or others. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
apparatus for the practice of the above outlined method. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
apparatus for processing the output of a filter rod making machine which 
simultaneously furnishes a large number of continuous filter rods. 
Another object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with novel and 
improved means for changing the formation of large or extremely large 
numbers of discrete rod-shaped articles per unit of time, in a small area, 
without any damage to the articles and with a heretofore unmatched degree 
of accuracy. 
An ancillary object of the invention is to provide novel and improved 
conveyor means for use in an apparatus of the above outlined character. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can 
be readily combined with or integrated into existing machines for the 
production and/or processing of filter rod sections, cigarettes or 
analogous rod-shaped articles constituting or forming part of smokers' 
products. 
Another object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with novel and 
improved means for avoiding interference between successively treated 
rod-shaped articles. 
A further object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with novel 
and improved means for carrying rod-shaped articles during conversion from 
axial to sidewise movement, or vice versa. 
Another object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with novel and 
improved means for preventing centrifugal force from interfering with 
orderly transfer of large numbers of rod-shaped articles from several 
paths wherein the articles move axially to a single path wherein the 
articles move sideways, or vice versa. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which, 
though especially suited to accept and manipulate the output of a filter 
rod making machine of the type capable of turning out several filter rods 
at a time, can be used with equal or practically equal advantage for the 
processing of plain or filter cigarettes or other tabacco-containing 
rod-shaped articles. 
Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means for 
synchronizing the movements of various component parts of the improved 
apparatus. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a filter rod making or 
other continuous rod making machine with novel and improved means for 
forming and guiding several files of discrete rod-shaped articles into the 
range of the mechanism which is designed to change the direction of 
movement of such articles. 
One feature of the invention resides in the provision of a method of 
transporting rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of smokers' 
products from a first station to and beyond a second station. The method 
comprises the steps of feeding or supplying articles lengthwise to the 
first station along at least one first path (for example, the just 
mentioned step may comprise feeding several files of parallel articles 
along an equal number of discrete first paths toward and to the first 
station), repeatedly removing groups of articles from the first station 
and transferring successively removed groups of articles from the first to 
the second station (the removing step preferably includes simultaneously 
engaging and removing all articles of a group while the articles of the 
group are parallel or substantially parallel to each other), individually 
delivering the articles of a group at the second station into at least one 
second path, and moving the individually transferred articles sideways 
along the second path. Thus, the improved method involves maintaining at 
the first station sufficient numbers of articles to allow for simultaneous 
removal of an entire group of (for example, eight) articles at a time, 
simultaneous transfer of the articles of an entire group from the first to 
the second station, and individual delivery of successive articles of a 
group at the second station into the second path or paths, e.g., into the 
axially parallel peripheral flutes of a rotary drum-shaped removing 
conveyor. 
The delivering step preferably comprises moving the articles of a group at 
the second station from the second station into the second path or paths 
by moving the articles sideways or substantially sideways. 
The feeding or supplying step preferably comprises supplying successive 
groups of articles to the first station by moving the articles axially 
(lengthwise) and in parallelism with one another. In other words, the 
groups can but need not be formed at the first station; such groups can be 
formed in or at the discharge end of the machine which produces rod-shaped 
articles, for example, a machine which extrudes several continuous filter 
rods and is equipped with means for severing the rods at desired intervals 
so that each rod yields a file of discrete rod-shaped articles. Each 
article of a file preferably constitutes one component of a different 
group, and each group preferably includes one article of each of the 
plurality of files. At the present time, it is preferred to accumulate, 
transfer and break up groups each of which contains the same number of 
rod-shaped articles. 
It is advisable to resort to a transferring step which involves moving 
successive groups of articles from a first level at the first station to a 
second level at the second station, for example, from a lower first level 
to a higher second level. This renders it possible to avoid collisions 
between neighboring articles of successive groups even if such groups are 
transported in immediate or close proximity to each other. The arrangement 
is preferably such that, during transfer from the first to the second 
station, each article of a group has a component of movement in the axial 
direction as well as a component of movement transversely of the axial 
direction. If the method is resorted to for conversion of several files of 
discrete articles into a single row of such articles, the axial component 
of movement decreases and the other component of movement increases during 
transfer of a group from the first to the second station. 
It is further preferred, at least in certain instances, to maintain the 
articles of the group which is in the process of moving from the first to 
the second station in at least substantially horizontal positions. The 
same preferably holds true for the articles which approach the first 
station and for the articles which are transported away from the second 
station. 
In order to ensure that the method can be resorted to for the processing of 
large numbers of articles per unit of time, the transporting step 
preferably includes removing from the first station a next-following group 
of articles prior to completion of transfer of the preceding group to the 
second station or prior to completion of delivery of articles of a group 
at the second station into the second path or paths. In other words, two 
or more groups can be in motion from the first to the second station as 
well as at the second station at all times. The articles of all groups 
which are in the process of moving from the first toward the second 
station are preferably maintained in substantial or exact parallelism with 
one another. In other words, if the articles are parallel to each other on 
arrival at the first station, they remain parallel to each other during 
transport to the second station regardless of whether the articles form 
two or more groups all of which are in motion in a direction from the 
first toward the second station. 
The articles may constitute filter rod sections of multiple unit length, 
e.g., six times unit length. 
The method can further comprise the steps of forming successive groups of 
articles for delivery to the first station (including advancing a 
plurality of substantially parallel continuous rods lengthwise toward the 
first station and simultaneously severing all of the rods at predetermined 
intervals so that each rod yields a file of discrete rod-shaped articles 
and each article of one file forms one of the groups with an article of 
each other file), and delivering successive groups of articles to the 
first station. 
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention 
are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus 
itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, 
together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best 
understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain 
specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The improved apparatus comprises a transfer conveyor 1 which is installed 
between a rod forming machine 3 and a removing conveyor 6. The rod forming 
machine 3 turns out a plurality of continuous filter rods 2 in accordance 
with a well known extrusion method and further comprises a severing device 
7 which subdivides the filter rods 2 into groups 13 of eight rod-shaped 
articles (filter rod sections) 4 each. The filter rod sections or articles 
4 are formed upstream of a battery of parallel tubular or channel-shaped 
guides 8 which can be said to constitute an article supplying or feeding 
conveyor at the discharge end of the rod forming machine 3 and sever to 
deliver successive groups 13 of eight rod-shaped articles 4 each into the 
range of the transfer conveyor 1. The removing conveyor 6 comprises or 
constitutes a rotary drum-shaped member with axially parallel peripheral 
flutes 6a (see FIG. 3) for reception of discrete articles 4. The manner in 
which rod-shaped articles can be transferred into the flutes of a rotary 
drum-shaped conveyor is disclosed, for example, in commonly owned U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,957,152 granted May 18, 1976 to Heitmann for "Apparatus for 
changing the spacing of cigarettes or the like." 
A severing device which can simultaneously cut several continuous filter 
rods is disclosed in the commonly owned copending application Ser. No. 
248,012 filed Mar. 26, 1981 by Dietrich Bardenhagen et al. for "Apparatus 
for simultaneous severing of plural moving parallel rods." For the sake of 
convenience and completeness, the disclosure of the copending application 
Ser. No. 248,012 is incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed in the 
said copending application, the axes of the filter rods 2 are preferably 
located in an arcuate plane during travel past the severing device 7. The 
reference character 9 denotes a transfer station where successive groups 
13 of filter rod sections (rod-shaped articles) 4 issue from the 
respective tubular guides 8; at least at this station, the guides 8 are 
parallel with and immediately or closely adjacent to each other so that 
the distance between the neighboring articles 4 of a group 13 is 
negligible or small, i.e., it need not appreciably exceed the wall 
thickness of a tubular guide 8. 
The intake of a suction duct 11 is located immediately above the path of 
groups 13 of articles 4 on their way toward the transfer station 9. Such 
intake is located at a level above a battery of ejecting devices 12 in the 
form of nozzles which can receive streams of pressurized fluid in order to 
expel selected articles 4 (particularly defective articles) from their 
respective paths and into the suction duct 11. The manner in which the 
defects of the articles 4 are ascertained and the detector means transmits 
signals to valves controlling the admission of a pressurized fluid (e.g., 
compressed air) into the corresponding nozzles 12 forms no part of the 
present invention. At least one nozzle 12 is preferably provided for each 
of the eight guides 8. The nozzles 12 need not eject or segregate only 
those articles 4 which are defective; for example, such nozzles can also 
effect expulsion of articles 4 after the machine 3 is started if the 
design of this machine is such that it is likely to produce defective 
articles immediately after starting. Alternatively, or in addition to 
their heretofore described functions, the nozzles 12 can serve to expel 
articles during each change in speed of the main prime mover PM of the 
machine 3. 
The output of the machine 3 is assumed to be very high so that the guides 8 
discharge groups 13 of eight articles 4 each at a high frequency. This 
renders it necessary to utilize the improved apparatus, i.e., an apparatus 
including the combination of the machine 3 (or more particularly, of the 
article supplying or feeding conveyor of this machine) with the novel 
transfer conveyor 1 and the removing or take-off conveyor 6. 
As can be seen in FIG. 1, the transfer conveyor 1 comprises a first rotary 
carrier 14 which can be said to resemble or constitute a turntable the 
underside of which is connected with a flange 17 at the upper end of an 
elongated shaft 23. The axis of the shaft 23 is shown at 18; its flange 17 
is separably secured to the underside of the carrier or turntable 14 by 
screws 16 or analogous fastener means. The shaft 23 is rotatable in a 
cylindrical or sleeve-like bearing member 19 (hereinafter called sleeve) 
and is journalled in several antifriction bearings including those shown 
at 27 and 28 constituting ball or roller bearings of any known design. The 
sleeve 19 is mounted on or is integral with a frame member 21 of the 
apparatus including the machine 3, the transfer conveyor 1 and the 
removing conveyor 6. The axis 18 of the shaft 23 is inclined to the 
vertical so that the upper side of the turntable 14 is inclined with 
reference to a horizontal plane. The angle between a horizontal plane and 
the upper side of the turntable 14 is a relatively small acute angle. The 
paths of the filter rods 2 are horizontal or substantially horizontal, 
i.e., such paths are also inclined with reference to the upper side of the 
turntable 14. The same holds true for the orientation of the upper side of 
the turntable 14 with reference to the preferably horizontal paths which 
are defined by the guides 8 for the groups 13 of articles 4. 
The lower end portion of the shaft 23 extends from the sleeve 19 and 
constitutes a smaller-diameter stub 22 which is rigidly connected with a 
pinion 24 mating with a worm wheel 26 receiving torque from the main prime 
mover PM of the machine 3. Thus, the turntable 14 is driven at an RPM 
which is proportional to the RPM of rotary components of the machine 3. 
The prime mover PM preferably further transmits torque to the removing 
conveyor 6 so that the latter is driven in synchronism with the transfer 
conveyor 1 and also in synchronism with the means for forming and 
advancing the filter rods 2 toward the severing device 7 of the machine 3. 
The transfer conveyor 1 further comprises eight identical equiangular 
article transferring units in the form of rotary platforms 29. The axes of 
rotation of the eight platforms 29 are equidistant from the axis 18 of the 
shaft 23. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the upper side of each platform 29 is 
formed with eight equidistant parallel elongated article receiving flutes 
31 so that each platform 29 can accept and transport an entire group 13 of 
eight parallel articles 4 during travel past the station 9 at the 
discharge ends of the guides 8. The flutes 31 of the platforms 29 are 
horizontal, i.e., they make acute angles with the upper side of the 
turntable 14. When the prime mover PM is on to drive the shaft 23 through 
the medium of the transmission including the worm wheel 26 and pinon 24, 
the platforms 29 orbit about the axis 18 and are caused to maintain their 
flutes 31 in horizontal planes, i.e., in planes which are parallel to the 
paths of the filter rods 2 and articles 4. 
Owing to the aforementioned inclination of the upper side of the turntable 
14 with reference to a horizontal plane, the projection of the path of 
orbital movement of platforms 29 about the axis 18 into a horizontal plane 
X--X is an ellipse. The major axis of this ellipse is normal to the plane 
of FIG. 1, i.e., such major axis extends vertically, as viewed in FIG. 2. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the upper sides or surfaces 52 of the platforms 29 
(i.e., those sides which are formed with eight parallel article receiving 
flutes 31 each) are concave and the curvature of such concave upper sides 
conforms to the curvature of the elliptical path portion at a second 
transfer station 51. This allows for proper transfer of articles 4 from 
successive flutes 31 of a platform 29 into successive flutes 6a of the 
removing conveyor 6. 
The vertical plane which includes the horizontal axis of rotation of the 
removing conveyor 6 is offset with reference to the vertical plane 
including the axis 18 by a distance A (indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3). The 
curvature of the upper sides 52 of platforms 29 is asymmetric to an extent 
corresponding to the distance A. Otherwise stated, the lowermost point of 
the upper side 52 of a given platform 29 is offset with reference to the 
center of such platform by the distance A. This can be readily seen in 
FIG. 3. 
The platforms 29 have downwardly extending shanks 29a which are rotatably 
mounted in antifriction bearings 32 and 33 provided therefor in suitable 
sockets or bearing sleeves 14a at the underside of the turntable 14. The 
axes 34 of rotation of the shanks 29a are parallel to the axis 18 of the 
shaft 23. The lower end portion 36 of each shank 29a constitutes a 
smaller-diameter stub which is connected to a discrete shaft 38 by a lever 
37 (see the left-hand portion of FIG. 1). The shafts 38 are mounted in a 
second carrier 39 which is rotatable about an axis 41; the latter is 
parallel to the axis 18, i.e., the two carriers 14 and 39 can rotate 
relative to and are eccentric with reference to each other. As shown in 
FIG. 1, such mounting of the carrier 39 with reference to the carrier or 
turntable 14 can be readily achieved by resorting to a bearing block 42 
whose axis of rotation coincides with the axis 41, which is eccentric to 
and rotatable around the shaft 23 of the turntable 14, and which is 
surrounded by antifriction ball bearings 43 for the carrier 39. The 
bearing block 42 can form an integral part of the sleeve 19 for the shaft 
23. 
Each lever 37 constitutes with the corresponding stub 36 and shaft 38 a 
crank drive 46 which rotates the corresponding platform 29 relative to the 
turntable 14 while the turntable rotates about the axis 18 and the 
corresponding platform 29 rotates about its axis 34. This ensures that the 
flutes 31 of each platform 29 remain parallel with the guides 8 in each 
angular position of each platform 29 with reference to the axis 18 of the 
turntable 14. In other words, while the pinion 24 rotates the turntable 14 
about the axis 18, the carrier 39 causes the cranks 46 to rotate the 
corresponding platforms 29 about the respective axes 34 so that the 
orientation of the flutes 31 remains unchanged, i.e., the flutes 31 remain 
parallel to the flutes 6a of the removing conveyor 6 as well as to the 
guides 8. 
The flutes 31 of the platforms 29 communicate with suction ports 47a which, 
in turn, communicate with the associated suction channels or bores 47 in 
the respective shanks 29a. Each channel or bore 47 communicates with a 
main suction line 48 whose outlet is connected with the intake of a fan or 
another suitable suction generating device, not shown. The arrangement is 
such that the suction ports 47a communicate with the main suction line 48 
during travel of the respective flutes 31 from the transfer station 9 to 
the second transfer station 51 where the articles 4 are transferred from 
the flutes 31 into the flutes 6a. The manner in which the suction ports 
47a can communicate with the main suction line 48 in certain angular 
positions of the respective platforms 29 is well known in many fields, for 
example, in the field of transporting plain cigarettes or filter tipped 
cigarettes. Reference may be had, for example, to commonly owned U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,952,865 granted Apr. 27, 1976 to Willy Rudszinat for "Transfer 
apparatus for cigarettes or the like." The disclosure of the patent to 
Rudszinat is incorporated herein by reference. All that counts is to 
ensure that a flute 31 can receive and retain an article 4 during travel 
past the transfer station 9 and retains such article by suction during 
travel toward the transfer station 51 as well as at the transfer station 
51 until it registers with an oncoming flute 6a which latter then accepts 
the article 4 therefrom. The manner in which the flutes 6a can be 
connected with a suction generating device during travel past the station 
51 and thence to the station where the articles 4 are taken off the 
removing conveyor 6 forms no part of the present invention. Reference may 
be had to commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,177 granted July 14, 1970 to 
Heitmann et al. for "Apparatus for testing and classifying cigarettes or 
the like"; this patent shows a rotary drum-shaped testing conveyor which 
is provided with means for holding by suction rod-shaped articles during 
transport from a first station where the flutes of the testing conveyor 
receive rod-shaped articles from a preceding conveyor and on to a station 
where the flutes of the testing conveyor are relieved of freshly tested 
rod-shaped articles. There are eight main suction lines 48, one for each 
of the platforms 29, and these main suction lines are provided in the 
frame member 21 or in the portion (sleeve) 19 of this frame member. As a 
rule, the suction lines 48 communicate with grooves or slots which extend 
along portions of the peripheries of shanks 29a so that the channels 47 
communicate with the respective suction lines 48 in certain angular 
positions of the respective platforms 29, namely, in those angular 
positions which the platforms 29 assume while their flutes 31 must hold 
rod-shaped articles 4 during transport from the station 9 to the station 
51. 
FIG. 2 shows that the turntable 14 can support a substantial number of 
platforms 29 (eight platforms are actually shown). This means that, if the 
dimensions of the turntable 14 are not overly large, the platforms 29 are 
rather closely adjacent to each other. Furthermore, and in order to reduce 
the energy requirements of the prime mover PM which must rotate the 
turntable 14, it is advisable to employ relatively small platforms 29 so 
as to reduce the mass and bulk of the transfer conveyor 1. Therefore, the 
flutes 31 can be shorter than the articles 4, i.e., each article 4 will 
extend beyond at least one but normally beyond both ends of the respective 
flute 31. This increases the danger or likelihood of interference of 
articles 4 in the flutes 31 of a preceding platform 29 with the articles 4 
in the flutes 31 of the next-following platform 29. Such danger or 
likelihood is effectively prevented by causing the filled platforms 29 to 
move from the lower level of the transfer station 9 to the higher level of 
the transfer station 51. Mounting of the platforms 29 (in the illustrated 
embodiment, each platform 29 has a rectangular outline and the flutes 31 
are parallel with the shorter sides of the respective platform) close to 
each other renders it possible to transport several complete groups 13 at 
a time, i.e., at least one next-following platform 29 is filled with 
articles 4 and advances from the transfer station 9 toward the transfer 
station 51 before the preceding platform 29 is relieved of articles during 
transport past the station 51. FIG. 2 shows a preceding platform 29 (at 
the nine o'clock position of the turntable 14) which is in the process of 
being relieved of articles 4, one after the other; a next-following 
platform 29 located at the seven and a half o'clock position of the 
turntable 14 and filled with a group 13 of eight articles 4; and a third 
platform 29 which is located at the six o'clock position of the turntable 
14 and also carries a full group of articles 4. All of the articles 4 at 
the transfer stations 9, 51 as well as in that arcuate portion of the 
endless path of platforms 29 which extends between the stations 9 and 51 
are parallel to one another. The same holds true for the articles 4 which 
are already held in the flutes 6a of the conveyor 6. Furthermore, and as 
mentioned above, the illustrated apparatus is designed in such a way that 
the articles 4 are horizontal during travel toward the transfer station 9, 
during travel between the transfer stations 9, 51 as well as during travel 
beyond the transfer station 51. This, too, contributes to a reduction of 
the likelihood of clashing between the neighboring ends of articles 4 in 
groups 13 which are supported by successive platforms 29. This can be 
readily seen in FIG. 3 wherein the median platform 29 is at the transfer 
station 51, the loaded left-hand platform 29 is in the process of 
advancing toward the transfer station 51, and the empty right-hand 
platform 29 is on its way from the transfer station 51 back toward the 
transfer station 9. The difference between the level of the median 
platform 29 and the two outer platforms 29 of FIG. 3 is sufficiently 
pronounced to allow for unimpeded transfer of successive articles 4 from 
the flutes 31 of the median platform 29 into successive flutes 6a of the 
removing conveyor 6. Retention of articles 4 in positions of parallelism 
with one another during transport from the transfer station 9 toward the 
transfer station 51 reduces the likelihood of expulsion of articles from 
their respective flutes 31 under the action of centrifugal force. The 
effect of centrifugal force can be quite pronounced, especially when the 
machine 3 turns out the filter rods 2 at a very high speed, i.e., when the 
severing device 7 forms a large number of articles 4 (and more 
particularly a large number of groups 13 of articles 4) per unit of time 
so that the turntable 14 must be rotated at a high speed. Each article 4 
which advances from the transfer station 9 toward the transfer station 51 
has a component of movement in the axial direction thereof as well as a 
component of movement transversely of its axis. The axial component 
decreases as the article approaches the transfer station 51, and the 
transverse component increases accordingly. At the transfer station 51, 
the articles move only sideways or practically exclusively sideways. 
The eight platforms 29 which are shown in FIG. 2 are equiangular and their 
axes of rotation are disposed at the same distance from the center of the 
turntable 14, i.e., the radial distance between the axis 18 and all of the 
axes 34 is the same. Since the path along which the guides 8 deliver 
groups 13 of articles 4 to the transfer station 9 is horizontal or nearly 
horizontal, the upper sides or surfaces 52 of the platforms 29 (save for 
the aforediscussed asymmetric concavity of such surfaces) are also 
substantially horizontal. Furthermore, the flutes 31 of the platforms 29 
are horizontal in spite of the concavity of upper sides or surfaces 52 
(see FIG. 3 wherein the axes of articles 4 in the flutes 31 of the median 
and left-hand platforms 29 are horizontal). The flutes 31 of each platform 
29 are parallel to each other, and the flutes 31 of all platform 29 are 
also parallel to one another as well as to the paths which are defined by 
the guides 8 and also to the flutes 6a of the removing conveyor 6. The 
inclination of the axis 18 relative to the plane of the paths defined by 
the guides 8 is selected with a view to prevent interference between the 
articles 4 in the flutes 31 of neighboring platforms 29 while such 
platforms advance past the transfer station 9, toward the transfer station 
51, and past the transfer station 51. The path of the platforms 29 is a 
circular path; however, and as mentioned above, its projection into the 
plane X--X shown in FIG. 1 (as viewed in the direction of the arrow III) 
is an ellipse owing to inclination of the axis 18 to the vertical and also 
owing to the fact that the flutes 31 and tubular guides 8 are horizontal. 
The plane X--X is normal to the axis of rotation of the drum-shaped 
removing conveyor 6. The asymmetric curvature of the upper sides or 
surfaces 52 of the platform 29 is advantageous owing to elliptic 
configuration of the aforediscussed projection of circular path of the 
platforms 29 into the plane X--X. In the absence of such asymmetry, the 
distance between successive flutes 31 and the oncoming flutes 6a at the 
transfer station 51 would vary from one side toward the other side of the 
respective platform 29. This would mean that, if the articles 4 are 
removed from the flutes 31 by suction, the removing conveyor 6 would have 
to cooperate with a very large suction generating device in order to 
invariably ensure reliable lifting of successive articles 4 of a group 13 
from the flutes 31 of a platform 29 moving past the transfer station 51 
into successive flutes 6a of the conveyor 6. In an ideal situation, 
namely, when the curvature of the surfaces 52 matches the curvature of the 
elliptical projection of circular path of the platforms 29 into the plane 
X--X of FIG. 1 at the station 51, the distance between each of a series of 
eight flutes 31 in the surface 52 and the series of eight flutes 6a in the 
periphery of the removing conveyor 6 is the same, i.e., each and every 
article 4 of a group 13 covers the same distance during transfer from the 
platform 29 at the station 51 into the flutes 6a of the removing conveyor 
6. 
Staggering of the central vertical plane of the removing conveyor 6 (namely 
of a plane which includes the axis of the conveyor 6) with reference to 
the vertical plane including the axis 18 by the aforediscussed distance A 
further reduces the likelihood of clashing between the articles 4 on 
neighboring platforms 29 during transport toward and during movement of 
such platforms past the transfer station 51. Moreover, such staggering of 
the two vertical planes contributes to possibility of transferring 
successive articles 4 of a group 13 at identical intervals. The two 
vertical planes are staggered with reference to each other by the distance 
A in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal extensions of the 
articles 4 which approach the transfer station 9, which move from the 
transfer station 9 toward the transfer station 51, and which leave the 
transfer station 51 on the conveyor 6. The elimination or reduction of the 
effect of centrifugal force upon the articles 4 which move from the 
transfer station 9 toward and past the transfer station 51 is guaranteed 
by rotating the platforms 29 about the respective axes 34 so that the 
flutes 31 remain parallel to the guides 8 in all angular positions of the 
platforms 29 during movement of platforms along their circular path which 
surrounds the axis 18 of the turntable 14. An excessive centrifugal force 
could lead to deformation of and/or other damage to the articles 4 even if 
the centrifugal force does not suffice to actually expel the articles from 
their flutes 31 ahead of the transfer station 51. 
The aforediscussed crank drives 46 constitute but one form of means for 
rotating the platforms 29 relative to the turntable 14 while the latter 
rotates about the axis 18. For example, one could resort to planetary 
gearings which are customery in transfer apparatus for conversion of a 
single file of rod-shaped articles into a row. It has been found that the 
crank drives 46 constitute a very simple and effective means for rotating 
the platforms 29 relative to the turntable 14. The platforms 29 are 
rotated at the RPM of the turntable 14 but in the opposite direction. 
Thus, and referring to FIG. 2, the turntable 14 is driven by the pinion 24 
to rotate clockwise (arrow 49) whereas the crank drives 46 rotate the 
respective platforms 29 in a counterclockwise direction while the 
platforms orbit about the axis of the turntable 14. The crank drives 46 
can be said to constitute a means for transmitting torque from one (39) of 
the carriers (14, 39) to the other of these carriers. A further advantage 
of the crank drives 46 is that they generate a minimum of noise, that the 
wear upon their component parts is negligible, that they can rotate the 
platforms 29 with a high degree of accuracy and reliability for long 
periods of time, and that they occupy a small amount of space in the 
interior of the turntable 14 or in the space below the turntable. Each 
crank drive 46 is rotatably mounted in or on the turntable 14 and is 
rigidly connected with the respective platform 29. The distance between 
the two axes of rotation of each crank drive 46 (i.e., the distance 
between the axis 34 and the axis of the shaft 38 shown in the left-hand 
portion of FIG. 1) preferably equals or closely approximates the distance 
between the axes 18 and 41 of the two carriers (turntable 14 and member 
39). 
The operation: 
The prime mover PM drives the turntable 14 through the medium of the worm 
wheel 26, pinion 24 and shaft 23 at a step-down ratio so that the 
peripheral speed of the platforms 29 matches the speed of lengthwise 
movement of filter rods 2 and filter rod sections or articles 4 toward the 
transfer station 9. The platforms 29 are rotated by the turntable 14 
through the medium of the respective crank drives 46 which rotate the 
carrier 39. Each crank drive 46 performs a predetermined movement during 
each revolution of the turntable 14 and carrier 39 so as to maintain the 
flutes 31 of all platforms 29 in the orientations shown in FIG. 2, i.e., 
in parallelism with the rod-shaped articles 4 which advance through the 
respective guides 8 and toward the transfer station 9. During each 
revolution of the turntable 14, each of the platforms 29 moves through all 
of the positions shown in FIG. 2 whereby successive platforms 29 move from 
a higher level to a lower level during movement from the nine o'clock 
toward the three o'clock position and from a lower level to a higher level 
during movement from the three o'clock and back toward the nine o'clock 
position, as viewed in FIG. 2. This will be even more readily seen in FIG. 
1 which shows that the median platform 29 shown therein is located at a 
level immediately below the path of articles 4 at the transfer station 9, 
that the rightmost platform 29 is located well below such level (i.e., 
well below the guides 8), and that the left-hand platform 29 is located 
well above such level, i.e., immediately below the path of flutes 6a on 
the removing conveyor 6 whose lowermost point is located at a level above 
the path for the articles 4 at the transfer station 9. In other words, the 
transfer station 51 is located at a level above the transfer station 9, 
the platforms 29 which approach the transfer station 9 move upwardly (see 
the arrow 49 in FIG. 2), the platforms 29 with freshly filled flutes 31 
move upwardly, and the platforms 29 with freshly emptied flutes 31 move 
downwardly along an arc of 180 degrees and thereupon upwardly along an arc 
of 90 degrees in order to return to the transfer station 9. Otherwise 
stated, and referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the platforms 29 which are located 
to the left of the transfer station 9 are disposed at a level above the 
path for the articles 4 toward the station 9, and the platforms 29 to the 
right of the station 9 are located at a level below such path. This is due 
to the aforediscussed inclination of the axis 18 of the shaft 23 for the 
turntable 14. 
The articles 4 of a group 13 which reaches the transfer station 9 are 
substantially tangential to the path of the corresponding flutes 31 of an 
oncoming platform 29, whereby such articles enter the respective flutes 31 
and advance with the platform 29 toward the transfer station 51. As 
mentioned above, the speed of movement of platforms 29 along their path 
about the axis 18 of the turntable 14 matches the speed of lengthwise 
movement of articles 4 toward and at the transfer station 9. This renders 
it possible to simultaneously remove an entire group 13 of discrete 
articles 4 and to thereupon transport such group toward the transfer 
station 51 without any or without appreciable changes in orientation of 
the articles 4 which advance from the six o'clock toward the nine o'clock 
position of FIG. 2. The speed of lengthwise movement of articles 4 which 
issue from the guides 8 is quite pronounced, i.e., the platforms 29 orbit 
at a substantial speed in order to ensure adequate processing of all 
groups 13 while the machine 3 turns out rod-shaped articles 4 at a maximum 
rate. 
As explained above, the suction ports 47a of a platform 29 which advances 
from the transfer station 9 toward the transfer station 51 are connected 
with the intake of the suction generating device so that the articles 4 
which arrive at the station 9 are attracted into the corresponding flutes 
31 of the oncoming empty platform 29 and are held against any movement 
relative to such platform while the latter advances toward the transfer 
station 51. At the transfer station 51, the suction ports 47a of the 
freshly arrived platform 29 are sealed from the suction generating device 
so that suction in the ports 6b communicating with the flutes 6a arriving 
at the station 51 is effective to ensure reliable transfer of successive 
articles 4 of a group 13 into successive flutes 6a of the removing 
conveyor 6. 
It will be noted that the articles 4 move lengthwise or axially during 
transport toward the first transfer station 9, that the articles 4 
thereupon move lengthwise as well as sideways (i.e., at right angles to 
their respective axes) during transport toward and during transfer into 
the flutes 6a, and that the articles 4 in the flutes 6a move only 
sideways, i.e., about the axis of the drum-shaped removing conveyor 6 and 
on toward a further station where the articles are removed or expelled 
from the flutes 6a to be transported to the next station, e.g., into the 
magazine of a filter tipping machine, into a reservoir system or into a 
machine where they are assembled with other types of filter rod sections 
to form composite filter plugs of desired length. 
Each of the articles 4 which form a group 13 about to be transferred from 
an oncoming platform 29 into the flutes 6a of the removing conveyor 6 has 
the same interval of time for reliable and predictable transfer from the 
respective flute 31 into the oncoming flute 6a. 
An important advantage of the improved apparatus is that it can process a 
surprisingly large number of rod-shaped articles 4 per unit of time. 
Moreover, the articles are treated gently and each article is delivered to 
the removing conveyor 6 in an optimum position for further transport 
and/or processing. The capacity of the apparatus can readily conform to 
the output of the machine 3, even if such machine is designed to turn out 
more than eight continuous filter rods 2 at a time. Still further, the 
apparatus is relatively simple, compact and rugged, and it can be readily 
combined with existing machines which turn out several files of discrete 
rod-shaped articles. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of our contribution to 
the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be 
comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended 
claims.