Apparatus for filling and emptying trays for rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry

Apparatus for removing filter cigarettes from a mass flow between one or more producing machines and one or more processing machines when the output of the producing machines exceeds the requirements of the processing machines, and for returning filter cigarettes into the mass flow when the requirements of the processing machines exceed the output of the producing machines, has a filling unit which withdraws cigarettes from the mass flow and introduces them into successive empty chargers or trays, and an emptying unit which dumps the contents of filled trays into a receptacle for reintroduction into the mass flow. The emptying unit is located at a level above the filling unit, and each of these units cooperates with two magazines, one for empty trays and the other for filled trays. The four magazines are adjacent and parallel to each other, the magazines for empty trays are disposed at a first level above the respective magazines for filled trays, the magazines for filled trays are disposed at a common second level, and the magazines which supply trays to and receive trays from the filling unit are immediately adjacent such unit. The apparatus further employs two linear conveyors one of which transfers empty trays between the magazines for empty trays and the other of which transfers filled trays between the magazines for filled trays, elevators for filled and empty trays, and a turn-around device for filled trays which are on their way to the emptying unit and for empty trays which are on their way from the emptying unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for manipulating 
containers, for example, for manipulating so-called chargers or trays 
which are utilized for temporary storage of rod-shaped articles of the 
tobacco processing industry. 
Rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry which can be treated 
in the apparatus of the present invention include filter rod sections, 
filter cigarettes, filter cigars, filter cigarillos and others, especially 
rod-shaped articles which do not consist of mirror symmetrical halves. For 
example, a filter cigarette has a filter mouthpiece or filter plug at one 
end, a filter rod can carry an imprint closer to one end than to the 
other, a filter cigar comprises a mouthpiece or filter at one end, and the 
same holds true for filter cigarillos. The following description of the 
state of prior art and of the invention will deal primarily with the 
manipulation of containers for temporary confinement of filter cigarettes; 
however, it is to be understood that the improved apparatus can be 
employed with equal advantage for manipulation of containers which are 
used for temporary storage of many other types of rod-shaped articles of 
the tobacco processing industry. 
It is well known to employ a so-called container-filling unit which is 
adjacent the path of a mass flow of filter cigarettes advancing from a 
filter tipping machine to a packing machine or another processing or 
consuming machine. The filling unit transfers the surplus of filter 
cigarettes from the mass flow into a series of empty containers of the 
type known as chargers or trays when the output of one or more producing 
machines (e.g., filter tipping machines) exceeds the requirements of the 
consuming or processing machine or machines (e.g., packing machines). 
Filled containers are stored, and their contents are returned into the 
mass flow when the requirements of the consuming or processing machine or 
machines exceed the output of the making machine or machines. The means 
for returning filter cigarettes from filled containers into the mass flow 
comprises a so-called container-evacuating unit, for example, a unit which 
can dump the contents of filled containers into a duct or another 
receptacle whence the filter cigarettes are admitted into the mass flow or 
are used to form a mass flow if the producing machine or machines are at a 
standstill. 
It is further known to temporarily store filter rod sections which are to 
be converted into filter mouthpieces or filter plugs. Temporary storage is 
often desirable or necessary in order to ensure that certain substances 
(e.g., triacetin) which are used to partially bond the filaments of a 
filter rod section to each other are adequately cured before the filter 
rod sections are subdivided into filter mouthpieces or filter plugs which 
are ready for attachment to plain cigarettes in a filter tipping machine. 
The container-filling unit is normally combined or associated with a 
magazine for storage of empty containers and with a magazine for storage 
of filled containers, and such magazines are or can be disposed at 
different levels. Analogously, the container-evacuating unit is or can be 
combined or associated with a magazine for empty containers and with a 
magazine for filled containers, and the these two magazines are or can be 
located at different levels. Still further, an apparatus which employs a 
container-filling unit and a container-emptying or evacuating unit 
comprises a device which transports emptied containers from the 
corresponding magazine for the container-emptying unit to the other 
magazine for empty containers, i.e., to that magazine from which empty 
containers are drawn to be filled with filter cigarettes by the 
container-filling unit. 
Direct coupling of one or more producing machines with one or more 
consuming or processing machines for filter cigarettes continues to gain 
popularity in the tobacco processing industry. However, and since it is 
not always possible to operate each producing machine and/or each 
consuming or processing machine at full or normal speed, it is necessary 
to provide apparatus for temporary storage of surplus filter cigarettes 
when one or more consuming or processing machines are idle or operate at 
less than maximum speed, and for delivery of filter cigarettes from 
storage to the consuming machine or machines when the requirements of such 
machines exceed the output of the producing machine or machines. 
Containers for temporary storage of the surplus of filter cigarettes are 
circulated along an endless path, namely from the empty-container magazine 
which is associated with the container-filling unit, through the filling 
unit and into the magazine for storage of filled containers coming from 
the filling unit, from the magazine for storage of filled containers 
coming from the filling unit to the magazine which serves to store filled 
containers prior to emptying in the container-emptying unit, to the 
emptying unit, to the magazine which receives containers from the emptying 
unit, and from the last named magazine to the magazine which is associated 
with the filling unit and serves to store empty containers. 
As a rule, the container-emptying unit includes a device which dumps the 
contents of successive filled containers in such a way that the 
orientation of filter cigarettes is changed by 180.degree.. Therefore, it 
is necessary to change the orientation of dumped filter cigarettes before 
they reenter the mass flow on their way from the maker or makers to the 
consuming or processing machine or machines. This can be accomplished by 
changing the orientation of filled containers prior to the dumping step so 
that the change of orientation which is caused as a result of dumping the 
contents of filled containers results in renewed reorientation of filter 
cigarettes, namely in renewed reorientation which ensures that the dumped 
articles are ready for reintroduction into the mass flow in such a way 
that their orientation matches that of articles which advance directly 
from the maker or makers to the consuming or processing machine or 
machines. Freshly emptied containers are reoriented prior to returning 
into the corresponding magazine for the container-filling unit or not 
later than at the time of entering the filling unit. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can manipulate 
a large number of filled and empty containers in a small area. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein the 
containers must be transported through short distances to and from the 
container-filling unit as well as to and from the container-emptying or 
evacuating unit. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be 
used as a reservoir between one or more machines for mass production of 
rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry and one or more 
processing or consuming machines. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which 
treats the articles gently and which can store large numbers of rod-shaped 
articles for selected intervals of time in a small area. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein all 
units and/or other components are readily accessible from two or more 
sides for convenient inspection, repair or adjustment. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved 
means for transferring empty and filled containers between various 
magazines for such containers. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
array of magazine which can store empty and filled containers in an 
apparatus of the above outlined character. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of 
modules which together constitute the above outlined apparatus and to 
shorten the paths for containers which are circulated in the apparatus. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be 
installed in existing production lines for filter rod sections, filter 
cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry 
as a superior substitute for heretofore known receptacles or buffers for 
rod-shaped articles which necessitate temporary storage due to failure of 
consuming or processing machines, in order to provide time for curing of 
certain ingredients or constituents and/or for other reasons. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is embodied in an apparatus for manipulating empty and filled 
containers (for example, the so-called chargers or trays) for rod-shaped 
articles (e.g., filter cigarettes) of the tobacco processing industry. The 
improved apparatus comprises a container-filling first unit having means 
for converting successive empty containers into filled containers (for 
example, by drawing surplus articles from a mass flow between one or more 
producing machines and one or more processing or consuming machines), and 
a container-emptying second unit having means (e.g., a dumping device) for 
converting successive filled containers into empty containers (the 
contents of filled containers can be admitted into a duct or a like device 
which can transport or discharge the articles back into the mass flow or 
to another destination). One of these units is disposed at a level above 
the other unit and the apparatus further comprises a first magazine having 
means (e.g., one or more endless belt or chain conveyors) for temporarily 
storing containers which are about to be filled by the first unit, a 
second magazine having means for temporarily storing containers which are 
already filled with rod-shaped articles, a third magazine having means for 
temporarily storing containers which are already emptied, and a fourth 
magazine having means for temporarily storing containers which are about 
to be emptied by the second unit. The magazines are adjacent and at least 
substantially parallel to each other. 
The second unit can be located at a level above the first unit, the first 
and second magazines can be disposed one above the other adjacent or 
immediately adjacent the first unit, and the third and fourth magazines 
are or can be spaced apart from the second unit. The arrangement is 
preferably such that the third magazine is adjacent and is disposed at the 
level of the first magazine, and that the fourth magazine is adjacent and 
is disposed at the level of the second magazine. 
The apparatus preferably further comprises means for transferring 
containers from the third magazine into the first magazine and means for 
transferring containers from the second to the fourth magazine. Each such 
transferring means can include a conveyor having means (e.g., pushers) for 
advancing containers along a substantially straight path, particularly 
along a horizontal path because the first and third magazines are 
preferably located at a first level and the second and fourth magazines 
are preferably located at a second level different from (particularly 
below) the first level. 
The apparatus preferably further comprises a turn-around device having 
means for moving containers between the second unit on the one hand and 
the third or fourth magazine on the other hand and for simultaneously 
changing the orientation of containers. The combined moving and 
orientation changing means can include means for turning containers 
through angles of 180.degree., particularly along a substantially 
horizontal arcuate path about a substantially vertical axis. The moving 
means can be designed to move and reorient containers at a level above the 
magazines, and the apparatus can further comprise means for lifting 
containers from the fourth magazine to the moving means and means for 
moving containers between the moving means, the third magazine and the 
second unit. 
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 
presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to the 
accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The apparatus which is shown in FIG. 1 comprises a container-filling unit 
1, a container-evacuating or emptying unit 3 at a level above the filling 
unit 1, and four magazines, namely magazines 6, 8 for storage of empty 
containers 4 and magazines 7, 9 for storage of filled containers 4. The 
purpose of the filling unit 1 is to transfer filter cigarettes 29 (FIGS. 
3, 4 and 5) into successive empty containers 4 which are withdrawn from 
the magazine 6, and the thus filled containers 4 are temporarily stored in 
the magazine 7. The unit 1 draws filter cigarettes 29 from a mass flow 2 
of parallel filter cigarettes. The mass flow 2 advances along a 
predetermined path from one or more makers (such as filter tipping 
machines of the type known as MAX which are produced by the assignee of 
the present application) to one or more consuming or processing machines, 
e.g., to one or more cigarette packing machines of the type described and 
shown, for example, in commonly owned Bardenhagen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 
4,112,651. If the articles 29 are filter rod sections which require 
temporary storage in a reservoir, e.g., a reservoir of the type known as 
RESY which is produced by the assignee of the present application, they 
can be temporarily stored in containers 4 on their way from the filter rod 
making machine to the reservoir or from the reservoir to a filter tipping 
machine. 
Filter cigarettes 29 must be withdrawn from the mass flow 2 when the output 
of the maker or makers exceeds the requirements of the processing or 
consuming machine or machines in a production line, e.g., because one or 
more consuming or processing machines are slowed down or are brought to a 
full stop. 
When the requirements of the consuming or processing machine or machines 
exceed the output of the maker or makers, filled containers 4 must be 
emptied and their contents must be reintroduced into the mass flow 2 in 
order to ensure that the producing or consuming machine or machines need 
not be slowed down or arrested as a result of temporary stoppage or 
temporary slowing down of one or more makers. To this, end, the magazine 9 
receives filled containers from the magazine 7, the contents of successive 
filled containers 4 coming from the magazine 9 are evacuated by the unit 
3, and the thus emptied containers 4 are introduced into the magazine 8 
prior to being returned into the magazine 6 to thus complete the cycle. 
In accordance with one feature of the invention, and as already mentioned 
above, the unit 3 is located at a level above the unit 1. In accordance 
with another feature of the invention, the four magazines 6 to 9 are 
parallel and adjacent each other, the magazines 6, 8 for empty containers 
4 are located at a first level, the magazines 7, 9 for filled containers 4 
are located at a second level below the magazines 6, 8, the magazines 6, 8 
are respectively located above the magazines 7, 9, the magazines 6, 8 are 
closely or immediately adjacent the filling unit 1, and the magazines 8, 9 
are spaced apart from the emptying unit 3. Furthermore, the magazines 6, 8 
at the upper level are immediately or closely adjacent each other, and the 
magazines 7, 9 at the lower level are also immediately or closely adjacent 
each other. 
Each magazine has means for temporarily storing empty or filled containers 
4, and such storing means comprises pairs of endless chain or belt 
conveyors 11 which are shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5. The drive means for 
the pair of conveyors 11 forming part of the magazine 6 is shown at 12, 
the drive means for the pair of conveyors 11 forming part of the magazine 
7 is shown at 13, the drive means for the pair of conveyors 11 forming 
part of the magazine 8 is shown at 14, and the drive means for the pair of 
conveyors 11 forming part of the magazine 9 is shown at 16 (see FIG. 1). 
The apparatus further comprises means for transferring empty containers 4 
between the magazines 6, 8 and means for transferring filled containers 4 
between the magazines 7, 9. Each of these transferring means comprises a 
so-called linear conveyor 17 with means (pushers 18 shown in FIGS. 3 and 
5) for advancing containers 4 along a substantially straight horizontal 
path. The containers 4 which are shown in the drawing are so-called 
chargers or trays of the type normally employed for temporary storage of 
rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. Each such 
container normally comprises a bottom wall, a rear wall and two sidewalls. 
The pushers 18 are designed to engage the sidewalls of containers 4 and to 
move the thus engaged containers at right angles to the plane of FIG. 5, 
i.e., up or down as seen in FIG. 3 and from the left to the right or vice 
versa as seen in FIG. 1. Each of the linear conveyors 17 further comprises 
one or more sets of rollers 19 (FIG. 5) which guide the carriers of 
pushers 18 on their way along the respective straight horizontal paths. 
The drive means for the carrier of pushers 18 forming part of the upper 
linear conveyor 17 (between the magazines 6 and 8) is shown in FIG. 1, as 
at 21, and the drive means for the carrier of pushers 18 forming part of 
the lower linear conveyor 17 is shown at 22. 
Still further, the apparatus comprises a turn-around device 23 (see 
particularly FIG. 3) which is disposed at a level above the magazines 6, 8 
and beneath the emptying unit 3. The purpose of the turn-around device 23 
is to change the orientation of filled containers 4 on their way from the 
magazine 9 to the unit 3 and to change the orientation of empty containers 
4 on their way from the unit 3 to the magazine 8. The turn-around device 
23 comprises a drive 24 (FIG. 1) which moves a filled container 4 or an 
empty container 4 along an arcuate horizontal path about a substantially 
vertical axis. 
The apparatus also comprises a first elevator 26 which serves to lift 
filled containers 4 from the magazine 9 into the range of the turn-around 
device 23, and a second elevator 27 which serves to raise reoriented 
filled containers from the turn-around device to the unit 3 and to lower 
empty containers 4 from the unit 3 to the turn-around device 23. The unit 
3 comprises a drive 28 which can turn successive reoriented filled 
containers 4 upside down (see the upper portion of FIG. 5) so that the 
filter cigarettes 29 are dumped into a duct or receptacle 54 (FIG. 1) 
beneath the freshly inverted left-hand container 4 in the unit 3. The 
receptacle 54 has means for returning filter cigarettes 29 into the mass 
flow 2 for advancement toward the consuming or processing machine or 
machines. 
Solid-line arrows are utilized to denote the directions of movement of 
filled containers 4, and broken-line arrows are employed to denote the 
directions of movement of empty containers. Dots within circles are used 
to denote the direction of movement of containers 4 toward, and encircled 
characters x are employed to denote the direction of movement of 
containers away from, the observer of FIG. 1. 
The unit 1 fills successive empty containers 4 (which are supplied by the 
conveyors 11 of the magazine 6) when the output of the maker or makers 
exceeds the requirements of the consuming or processing machine or 
machines, and the conveyors 11 of the magazine 7 advance successive filled 
containers 4 from the unit 1 in a direction to the right, as seen in FIG. 
5. The arrow 48 denotes the direction of intermittent or continuous 
advancement of empty containers 4 from the upper linear conveyor 17 of 
FIG. 5 toward the unit 1, and the arrow 50 denotes the direction of 
intermittent or continuous advancement of filled containers 4 from the 
unit 1 toward the lower linear conveyor 17. When the rightmost filled 
container 4 on the conveyors 11 of the magazine 7 reaches the lower linear 
conveyor 17, it is located on a pivotable platform 31 (FIG. 5) which forms 
part of the conveyor 17 and is tilted so that the rightmost filled 
container is lifted off the respective conveyors 11 and its rear and 
bottom walls are inclined in a direction to prevent, or to at least 
reduce, the likelihood of escape of confined filter cigarettes 29 by way 
of the open front side. The position of the rightmost filled container 4 
in the magazine 7 prior to tilting by the platform 31 is indicated in FIG. 
5 by broken lines, as at 4'. The drive means 22 for the carriers of 
pushers 18 forming part of the lower linear conveyor 17 is then set in 
motion to advance (arrow 32) the filled container 4 on the platform 31 
from the magazine 7 into the adjacent magazine 9 for the 
container-emptying unit 3. The filled container 4 is advanced by a pusher 
18 of the lower linear conveyor 17 which engages one sidewall of the 
tilted container to move the latter upwardly, as seen in FIG. 3. 
If the magazine 9 is empty, the respective conveyors 11 accept the freshly 
delivered filled container 4 from the platform 31 of the lower linear 
conveyor 17 and advance the container in the direction of arrow 33 (FIGS. 
2 and 4), namely from the lower conveyor 17 to the elevator 26. The filled 
tray 4 is accepted by a carrier 34 of the elevator 26 and is lifted in the 
direction of arrow 36 to enter a carrier 37 (FIG. 3) of the turn-around 
device 23 at a level above the magazine 8 for empty containers. The device 
23 changes the orientation of the filled container 4 in or on the carrier 
37 and of filter cigarettes 29 in such container by 180.degree. (arrow 38 
in FIGS. 1 and 2). The thus reoriented filled container 4 is then in the 
range of a carrier 39 forming part of the elevator 27 which is set in 
motion to lift the filled container (arrow 41 in FIGS. 1 and 2) above the 
turn-around device 23 and into the range of the drive 28 which is designed 
to move containers in a vertical plane and along a path which is indicated 
by the arrow 42 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The drive 28 inverts the filled 
container 4 so that the filter cigarettes 29 are introduced into the 
receptacle 54 to be reintroduced into the mass flow 2. The orientation of 
filter cigarettes 29 which reenter the mass flow 2 is the same as that of 
filter cigarettes advancing directly from the maker or makers to the 
consuming or processing machine or machines. 
The freshly emptied container 4 is advanced by the drive 28 in the 
direction of arrow 42' (FIGS. 1 and 2) to reenter the range of the 
elevator 27 which moves the empty container downwardly (arrow 41') onto 
the carrier 37 of the turn-around device 23. The latter moves the empty 
container 4 along the arcuate horizontal path (arrow 38' in FIGS. 1 and 2) 
so that the empty container reassumes its original orientation (the same 
as that in the magazine 6, 7 or 9). The reoriented empty container 4 is 
accepted by the carrier 34 of the elevator 26 which moves it downwardly 
(arrow 36') toward the conveyors 11 forming part of the magazine 8. It is 
desirable to provide a carriage or slide 44 (shown in FIG. 4) which is 
reciprocable in directions indicated by double-headed arrow 43) and serves 
to transfer empty containers 4 from the elevator 26 onto the conveyors 11 
of the magazine 8. The turn-around device 23 is then ready to receive a 
filled container 4 from the elevator 26 which receives the filled 
container from the magazine 9 and lifts it in the direction of arrow 36. 
Such filled container moves upwardly along and past the magazine 8. 
An empty container 4 which has been delivered by the carriage 44 and rests 
on the conveyors 11 of the magazine 8 is advanced in the direction of 
arrow 46, namely toward the right-hand end of the magazine 8 (as seen in 
FIG. 3) and into the range of the upper linear conveyor 17 which moves the 
empty container in the direction of arrow 47 to deposit it on the 
conveyors 11 of the magazine 6. These conveyors advance the empty 
container 4 in the direction of arrow 48 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5) into the unit 
1 which fills the container with filter cigarettes 29. Filling of the 
container 4 with filter cigarettes 29 can involve stepwise downward 
movement of the container in the direction of arrow 49 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5). 
Reference may be had to Kochalski et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,143 which 
shows the manner of filling chargers or trays with cigarettes or other 
rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. The freshly filled 
container 4 is deposited on the conveyors 11 of the magazine 7 which move 
the container in the direction of arrow 50, i.e., back into the range of 
the lower linear conveyor 17. This completes the cycle and constitutes the 
start of a fresh cycle which involves a movement of the filled container 4 
with the lower conveyor 17, in the magazine 9, with the elevator 26, 
turn-around device 23 and elevator 27 into the range of the drive 28 
forming part of the container-emptying unit 3, with the elevator 27, 
turn-around device 23 and elevator 26 to the carriage 44, through the 
magazine 8, with the upper linear conveyor 17 into the magazine 6, through 
the magazine 6 to the unit 1, and through the magazine 7 back to the lower 
linear conveyor 17. 
An important advantage of the improved apparatus is that it occupies a 
small amount of floor space because the magazines 6 to 9 are parallel and 
immediately adjacent each other, because the magazines 6, 8 are located 
above the respective magazines 7, 9, because the magazines 6, 7 are 
immediately adjacent the filling unit 1, and because the emptying unit 3 
is located at a level above the unit 1 and above the magazines 6, 8. 
Another important advantage of the improved apparatus is that its units 1, 
3, its elevators 26, 27, its turn-around device 23, its linear conveyors 
17, its carriage 44 and its endless conveyors 11 are readily accessible 
for inspection, adjustment, repair or replacement. The linear conveyors 17 
render it possible to transfer empty containers 4 from the magazine 8 into 
the magazine 6 along the shortest possible path, and to transfer filled 
containers 4 from the magazine 7 into the magazine 9 along the shortest 
possible path. 
The turn-around device 23 ensures that the orientation of filter cigarettes 
29 in the receptacle 54 is satisfactory for reintroduction into the mass 
flow 2. This device changes the orientation of successive filled 
containers 4 on their way toward the emptying unit 3 and the orientation 
of successive empty containers 4 on their way from the unit 3. 
A further important advantage of the improved apparatus is that its output 
is high even if the containers 4 are not transported at an elevated speed. 
This is due to the fact that the paths along which the (filled and empty) 
containers must move are short or extremely short, i.e., the output is 
relatively high even if the containers are moved at a low speed. This, in 
turn, ensures that the filter cigarettes are treated gently, especially 
since the various drives are preferably designed to ensure gradual 
acceleration and deceleration of the respective conveyors, elevators and 
other moving parts. Gradual acceleration and deceleration and the 
operation of moving parts at relatively low speeds greatly reduce the 
likelihood of malfunction. 
Apparatus which are somewhat similar to the apparatus of the present 
invention are described and shown in commonly owned copending patent 
application Ser. No. 525,078 of Glossmann et al. and in commonly owned 
Bantien et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,892,453, 4,564,329, Base et al. U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,507,040, Bornfleth U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,448 , Bardenhagen et al. U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,278,385 and Bornfleth U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,911. 
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.