Output conveyor for cigarette packaging machines for rigid hinged-lid packages

Abstract: A conveyor (4) for feeding rigid, hinged-lid packs (6) of cigarettes from the packing wheel (3) of a packing machine (1) to a pack stabilizing conveyor (5); the conveyor (4) presenting a belt (13) fitted with seats (23), each for receiving a respective pack (6) at an input station (11) wherein two lateral tabs (73) of the blank (73a) of the pack (6) are finish folded outwards; each seat (23) being connected to the belt (13) so as to rotate about an axis (27) perpendicular to the belt (13), and presenting a turnover device (46) for rotating the seat (23) by 180° as it travels between the input station (11) and an unloading station (18) wherein the pack (6) is unloaded on to the stabilizing conveyor (5).

Description: The present invention relates to an output conveyor for rigid, hinged-lid cigarette packing machines. Document GB-A-2 252 541 relates to a packing machine by which groups of cigarettes, normally consisting of twenty cigarettes arranged in three layers and wrapped in foil, are fed successively, together with respective blanks, into respective pockets on a packing wheel and along a folding path along which the blanks are gradually folded about the respective groups. Each group inside the almost finished rigid pack is fed to the input station of an output conveyor by which the packs are fed successively to the input of a stabilizing or drying conveyor on the packing machine. As it is transferred from the packing wheel to a respective seat on the output conveyor, each pack undergoes a finish folding operation whereby the as yet unfolded lateral tabs on the blank are folded backwards and outwards of the seat. At an unloading station at the input of the stabilizing conveyor, each pack is expelled outwards of the seat and towards the input of the stabilizing conveyor. A drawback of the above known output conveyor is that the packets inside the seats on the conveyor are expelled with said lateral tabs frontwards. Since these, as stated above, are the last to be folded and may not yet adhere perfectly to the rest of the pack, expulsion of the pack from the seat may result in rearward slippage or curling of the tabs in turn resulting in rejection of the finished pack. It is an object of the present invention to perfect the above known output conveyor so as to eliminate the aforementioned drawback. According to the present invention, there is provided an output conveyor for rigid, hinged-lid cigarette packing machines, the conveyor being an annular conveyor comprising an input station for receiving the packs; an unloading station for unloading the packs off the conveyor; a number of seats, each for receiving a respective pack at the input station; connecting means for connecting each seat to the conveyor in a respective position of the conveyor itself; first pushing means for pushing each pack into a respective seat at the input station and in a substantially radial first direction in relation to the conveyor itself; and second pushing means for pushing each pack out of the respective seat at the unloading station and in a substantially radial second direction in relation to the conveyor itself; characterized by the fact that the connecting means and the pushing means are designed so that the pushing means face a same side of each seat, and the first and second directions are orientated in a same sense in relation to each seat; the loading of each pack into the respective seat and the unloading thereof from said seat resulting, in use, in the pack travelling through the seat under the action of said pushing means. According to a preferred embodiment of the conveyor set forth above, the connecting means provide for rotating each seat in relation to the conveyor itself and about a respective axis extending perpendicular to the conveyor; turnover means being provided for rotating each seat between an original position wherein said pack is received at said input station, and an overturned position wherein said seat is turned 180° as it travels between said input and unloading stations. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.1 shows a schematic view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the output conveyor according to the present invention; Fig.2 shows a larger-scale, schematic view of a detail in Fig.1; Fig.3 shows a larger-scale detail in Fig.2; Fig.4 shows a larger-scale section along line IV-IV in Fig.2; Fig.5 shows a plan view of a detail in Fig.4. Number 1 in Fig.1 indicates a cigarette packing machine as described in Italian Patent Application N. BO91A 000019, to which full reference is made herein in the interest of full disclosure. Machine 1 comprises an output portion 2, in turn comprising a known packing wheel 3, an annular or loop conveyor 4, and a stabilizing or drying conveyor 5. As shown, particularly in Fig.3, packing wheel 3 rotates about its axis (not shown) at a substantially constant surface speed V1, for producing rigid, hinged-lid packs 6 in the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon and each presenting two large lateral surfaces 7 and 8, two small lateral surfaces 9, and two end surfaces 10. As shown in Fig.1, packs 6 are fed successively from packing wheel 3 to input station 11 of conveyor 4, and along conveyor 4 with one of surfaces 9 facing frontwards, at a given substantially constant speed, and in direction 12 perpendicular to lateral surfaces 9. Input station 11 is substantially as described and claimed in Italian Patent Applications N. BO91A 000283 and BO91A 000284, to which full reference is made herein in the interest of full disclosure. As shown, particularly in Fig.2, conveyor 4, which may be a conveying wheel (not shown) comprises a belt 13 looped about a top and bottom pulley 15 and 14 (Fig.1) and having two straight branches 16 and 17. Branch 16 facing packing wheel 3 travels downwards (in Fig.2) at a speed V2 substantially equal, in absolute value, to speed V1, and presents a bottom portion tangent to packing wheel 3 at input station 11, and a top portion extending through an unloading station 18 wherein packs 6 are transferred from conveyor 4 to conveyor 5. Unloading station 18 is substantially as described and claimed in Italian Patent Application N. BO91A 000285, to which full reference is made herein in the interest of full disclosure. Branch 17 travels upwards (in Fig.2) and extends through a reject station 19. The outer periphery of wheel 3 presents a number of equally-spaced through pockets 20, each designed to receive a respective pack 6, and each defined laterally by two shoulders 21 extending axially in relation to wheel 3. Shoulders 21 are supported by a base plate 22 connected integral with an end surface of wheel 3, and project radially outwards in relation to wheel 3. As wheel 3 rotates about its axis, pockets 20 are fed along a curved, more specifically circular, path substantially tangent, at input station 11, to the substantially straight path of a number of seats 23 spaced along belt 13 with the same spacing as pockets 20. As shown in Fig.4, belt 13 presents its inner surface facing and contacting a guide plate 24, and, at each seat 23, is fitted integral on the outer surface with a block 25 having a through hole 26 with its axis 27 parallel to the plane of belt 13 and perpendicular to direction 12. Hole 26 is fitted through in rotary manner, via the interposition of bearings 28, with a shaft 29 coaxial with axis 27 and having an end portion 30 projecting outwards of block 25. Portion 30 is fitted with a hub 31 fixed axially on to shaft 29 by a nut 32 which grips the inner ring of a bearing 33 against hub 31. The outer ring of bearing 33 presents an annular groove 34 engaged by a supporting and guide blade 35 fitted to plate 24 and extending parallel to direction 12. From the outer surface of hub 31, there extend outwards six radial appendixes 36 equally spaced about hub 31. The end portion of each radial appendix 36 presents a dead hole 37 facing the opposite way to the adjacent hole 37 and engaged by a respective pin 38, the end of which projecting from hub 31 is fitted in rotary manner with a tappet roller 39 cooperating with a respective surface 40 of a fixed cam 41. As shown in Fig.2, cam 41 presents two switch portions 42 and 43 located respectively between input and reject stations 11 and 19, and between unloading and input stations 18 and 11. At each portion 42, 43, one of surfaces 40 presents two successive projections 44, while the other presents only one projection 45 located between projections 44. When travelled over by rollers 39, projections 44 and 45 of each portion 42, 43 are so designed as to rotate shaft 29 by 180° about axis 27. In other words, each hub 31, together with respective appendixes 36 and tappet rollers 39, constitutes a turnover device for each shaft 29, whereby shaft 29 is first rotated 180° as it travels between input station 11 and reject station 19, and is then rotated a further 180° back to its original position as it travels between unloading station 18 and input station 11. In addition to supporting respective turnover device 46, each shaft 29 also forms part of a device 47 for connecting a respective seat 23 to belt 13. In addition to respective shaft 29, each device 47 also comprises an eccentric disk 48 integral with the opposite end of shaft 29 to that fitted with hub 31, and itself fitted with a lateral bracket 49 connected to an annular frame 50 of a respective seat 23. Like pockets 20, frame 50 of each seat 23 is defined laterally by two shoulders 51 and 52 parallel to shoulders 21 and connected to each other by two cross members 53 and 54, the first of which is connected integral with bracket 49. More specifically, frame 50 is normally positioned parallel to the portion of belt 13 to which respective block 25 is connected, and, at input station 11, is positioned with shoulder 51 forwards. As shown in Fig.5, shoulder 51 presents a central opening 55 dividing it into two separate portions, each integral with a respective cross member 53, 54. On the opposite surface to that facing wheel 3 in station 11, each frame 50 presents two plates 56 and 57, which, in the normal operating position, project inwards of respective seat 23 from shoulders 51 and 52, so as to arrest a respective pack 6 pushed through seat 23 at station 11 by a push device 58 fitted in known manner to wheel 3. As shown in Fig.s 4 and 5, cross member 54 of each frame 50 is fitted with an actuating device 59 for moving plates 56 and 57 between said operating position and a parted position outwards of the opening of seat 23. Actuating device 59 comprises two tappet rollers 60 and 61 mounted for rotation on one end of respective rocker arms 62 and 63 pivoting respectively at 64 and 65 on respective cross members 51 and 52 via the interposition of helical return springs (not shown). Rocker arm 62 is substantially aligned with shoulder 51, and presents, on the opposite end to that fitted with roller 60, a pin 66 constituting a link sliding along a groove 67 formed axially along a first arm of a further rocker arm 68 pivoting at 69 on shoulder 51 and having a second arm fitted integral with plate 56. Rocker arm 63 is substantially aligned with shoulder 52, and is fitted integral with plate 57 on the end opposite that fitted with roller 61. Both rollers 60 and 61 roll in contact with respective surfaces 70 and 71 of a fixed cam 72 extending laterally in relation to unloading station 18 and so designed as to maintain plates 56 and 57 in the parted position as frame 50 travels through station 18. In actual use (Fig.3), each pack 6 is transferred, partially folded, from wheel 3 to input station 11, by virtue of the finish folding operation being performed as pack 6 is transferred from wheel 3 to conveyor 4. More specifically, each pack 6 is formed from a blank 73a having two longitudinal tabs 73 which, as pack 6 approaches station 11, still extend outwards of shoulders 21 and are supported in this position by respective elastic arms 74. As packet 6 on wheel 3 approaches station 11, push device 58 is activated in known manner (not shown) so as to expel pack 6 from respective pocket 20 in a first substantially radial direction; insert it into seat 23 travelling simultaneously with pocket 20 through station 11; and fold tabs 73 upon these contacting shoulders 51 and 52 of seat 23. On receiving pack 6 at station 11, each seat 23 travels downwards (in Fig.2), about bottom pulley 14, and then upwards towards reject station 19. As it does so, each frame 50 is locked angularly, so that it lies parallel to belt 13 at the point of connection to the same, by respective turnover device 46, a pair of adjacent rollers 39 of which is positioned contacting each of surfaces 40 of fixed cam 41, which follows the path of belt 13 up to switch portion 42. Engagement of each of projections 44 and 45 by rollers 39 moves respective hub 31 one step about axis 27, so that, downstream from switch portion 42, hub 31 is moved three steps of 60° each, making a total of 180°. In other words, on reaching reject station 19, each seat 23 is turned over 180° in relation to belt 13 and in relation to its original position at input station 11. Reject station 19 comprises, in known manner, a push device 75 located outwards of belt 13 and which, when activated, expels pack 6 from respective seat 23 and inwards of belt 13 towards a collecting device (not shown). In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that, when seat 23 is in the overturned position, tabs 73 of respective pack 6 are oriented towards belt 13. Consequently, on seat 23 reaching unloading station 18, still in the overturned position, activation of a known push device 76 in a second substantially radial direction for expelling pack 6 outwards towards the input of conveyor 5 results in pack 6 being moved, in relation to seat 23, in the same direction and sense as those in which pack 6 moved when pushed by push device 58 at input station 11. In other words, push devices 58 and 76 face, upon activation, the same side of seat 23 so that each pack 6 travels through the relevant seat 23 always in a same direction under the action of push devices 58 and 76. Owing to the above, the friction between tabs 73 and frame 50 is always directed in a same direction, and provides for maintaining tabs 73 in the correct downfolded position, by virtue of tabs 73 facing the opposite way to the direction in which pack 6 travels through seat 23. Subsequently, on turnover device 46 engaging switch portion 43 of fixed cam 41, frame 50 is restored to its original position prior to seat 23 reaching input station 11.

Claims: An output conveyor (4) for rigid, hinged-lid cigarette packing machines (1), the conveyor (4) being an annular conveyor comprising an input station (11) for receiving the packs (6); an unloading station (18) for unloading the packs (6) off the conveyor (4); a number of seats (23), each for receiving a respective pack (6) at the input station (11); connecting means (47) for connecting each seat (23) to the conveyor (4) in a respective position of the conveyor (4) itself; first pushing means (58) for pushing each pack (6) into a respective seat (23) at the input station (11) and in a substantially radial first direction in relation to the conveyor (4) itself; and second pushing means (76) for pushing each pack (6) out of the respective seat (23) at the unloading station (18) and in a substantially radial second direction in relation to the conveyor (4) itself; characterized by the fact that the connecting means (47) and the pushing means (58,76) are designed so that the pushing means (58,76) face a same side of each seat (23), and the first and second directions are orientated in a same sense in relation to each seat (23); the loading of each pack into the respective seat and the unloading thereof from said seat resulting, in use, in the pack (6) travelling through the seat (23) under the action of said pushing means (58,76). A conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by the fact that the connecting means (47) provide for rotating each seat (23) in relation to the conveyor (4) itself and about a respective axis (27) extending perpendicular to the conveyor (4); turnover means (46) being provided for rotating each seat (23) between an original position wherein said pack (6) is received at said input station (11), and an overturned position wherein said seat (23) is turned 180° as it travels between said input and unloading stations (11, 18). A conveyor as claimed in Claim 2 comprising said annular conveying member (13) for the seats (23), characterized by the connecting means (47) comprising, for each seat (23), supporting means (25) integral with the annular conveying member (13); and a shaft (29) perpendicular to a travelling direction (12) of the seats (23); the shaft (29) being coaxial with said axis (27) and connected to the supporting means (25) so as to rotate about said axis (27). A conveyor as claimed in Claim 3, characterized by the fact that the annular conveying member (13) is an axially-moving belt (13); the shaft (29) being parallel to a plane tangent to said belt (13). A conveyor as claimed in Claim 3 or 4, characterized by the fact that each seat (23) comprises a frame (50) connected integral with a respective said shaft (29) so as to rotate, with said shaft (29), about said respective axis (27). A conveyor as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized by the fact that, for each seat (23), the turnover means (46) comprise a turnover device (46) mounted for rotation, with the seat (23), about said respective axis (27); cam means (41) being provided for rotating each turnover device (46) 180° about its axis (27). A conveyor as claimed in Claim 5, characterized by the fact that, for each seat (23), the turnover means (46) comprise a turnover device (46) fitted to the respective shaft (29); cam means (41) being assigned to said turnover devices (46) and comprising a switch portion (42) cooperating with said turnover devices (46) for rotating same 180° about the respective axis (27). A conveyor as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, characterized by the fact that each turnover device (46) comprises a hub (31) coaxial with said axis (27) and integral with the respective seat (23); six radial appendixes (36) equally spaced about and integral with the hub (31); and tappet means (39) fitted to each appendix (36) and cooperating with said cam means (41); said switch portion (42) comprising three successive projections (44, 45), engagement of each of which by the tappet means (39) provides, in use, for moving the appendixes (36) one step about said axis (27). A conveyor as claimed in Claim 8, characterized by the fact that the cam means (41) comprise a further switch portion (43) cooperating with the tappet means (39) of each seat (23) so as to further rotate each seat (23) by 180° and from said overturned position into said original position, as said seat (23) travels between the unloading station (18) and the input station (11). A conveyor as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized by the fact that each seat (23) comprises a frame (50) connected to the respective connecting means (47); the frame (50) being an annular frame (50) for housing a respective pack (6); and each frame (50) being provided with releasable stop means (56, 57) for axially arresting said pack (6). A conveyor as claimed in Claim 10, characterized by the fact that said stop means (56, 57) comprise at least one plate (56, 57) fitted in movable manner to the frame (50) and on a side of the frame (50) facing outwards of the conveyor itself when the respective seat (23) is in the overturned position; actuating means (59) being provided for moving the plate (56, 57) between a first operating position wherein the plate (56,57) interferes axially with a respective pack (6), and a second position wherein the plate (56, 57) permits free passage of the pack (6) through the seat (23).

Inventors: GAMBERINI ANTONIO, MERLONI CLAUDIO, GAMBERINI, ANTONIO, MERLONI, CLAUDIO
Applicants: GD SPA, G.D SOCIETA' PER AZIONI
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B65B61
IPC codes: B65G17, B65B19, B65B61, B65G15