BLANK HANDLING APPARATUS

Abstract: Blank feeding apparatus, particularly in a hinged-lid cigarette packing machine, includes rotary blank pick-up means (36-42), and support means (44-50), rotatable with the pick-up means, for engaging and supporting the base of a blank stack in a magazine (2) between each pick-up operation. The pick-up means (36-42) may each comprise a pivotable arm (20-24), movable as it rotates by means of a pivoted follower member (60, 62) engaging a fixed cam track (54). The blanks may be retained in the stack in the magazine (2) by pivotally-mounted support fingers (4, 6) which are successively retracted to release a blank as the pick-up means (36-42) passes.

Description: l Blank Handling Apparatus 2 3 This invention relates to apparatus for handling blanks or other 4 sheets, and particularly to apparatus for separating and conveying 5 sheet-like blanks stored in a stack. β Various types of prior art blank feeding apparatus are known, in 7 which blanks can be picked from a stack before being passed to a β carton forming apparatus (for example). Generally, it is convenient to 9 pick the blanks from the bottom of the stack, so that the magazine or ιo feed box containing the stack of blanks can be easily filled from the top. ιι One aspect of the present invention provides apparatus for i2 handling blanks comprising a magazine for receiving a stack of blanks i3 and including means for supporting the stack, endless conveyor means i4 for receiving successive lowermost blanks from the stack, said conveyor is means including at least one blank pick-up device arranged to receive i6 and convey blanks from the stack, and support means carried by the i7 endless conveyor means for at least partly supporting the stack between is pick-up operations of said pick-up device. i In a preferred arrangement the endless conveyor means is driven 20 continuously, and may carry a plurality of spaced pick-up devices 2i between which are arranged a plurality of spaced support members. The 22 endless conveyor means may comprise a rotary member rotatable about 23 an axis which is parallel to a plane in which the lowermost blank of the u stack extends. Each pick-up device may include an arm pivotted about 25 an axis parallel to this axis and control means may be provided for 26 controlling the angular position of the arm as the rotary member rotates 27 about the axis. In this way, the arm may be arranged to reciprocate 28 about its pivot axis so that a peripheral arcuate surface for receiving a 29 blank performs a rolling action relative to the stack so as to receive a 30 lowermost blank. 3i The support members may include arcuate surfaces at least 32 approximately coaxial with the axis of said rotary member and arranged 33 to engage successive lowermost blanks in the stack. The support 3« members and pick-up devices may be so disposed as to allow a support 35 member to engage the stack during a pick-up operation, i.e. as a blank 36 is being withdrawn by a pick-up device the next blank is already being 37 supported by the following support member. 38 A further aspect of the invention provides apparatus for handling 1 blanks comprising a magazine for receiving a stack of blanks and 2 including means for supporting the stack, endless conveyor means for 3 receiving successive lowermost blanks from the stack, said conveyor means including at least one blank pick-up device arranged to receive 5 and convey blanks from the stack, wherein said endless conveyor e means comprises a rotary member rotatable about an axis and said 7 pick-up device includes an arm pivoted about an axis parallel to said β axis, and control means for controlling the angular position of the arm as 9 said rotary member rotates about said axis. ιo Preferably each arm is arranged to reciprocate about its pivot ιι axis, e.g. so as to pivot in the region of the magazine from a forward i2 position to a rearward position, thereby providing a rolling action against i3 the base of the stack. This pivotal motion of each arm may be achieved i4 by a cam and follower arrangement, although it may also be achieved, is for example, by suitable crank operated drive linkages. In a preferred is arrangement a pivotable follower means is engaged with a fixed cam i7 track: the follower means may be independently pivoted to the arm. is A still further aspect of the invention provides apparatus for i9 handling blanks comprising a magazine for receiving a stack of blanks 20 and including means for supporting the stack, endless conveyor means 2i for receiving successive lowermost blanks from the stack, said conveyor 22 means including at least one blank pick-up device arranged to receive 23 and convey blanks from the stack, said supporting means including 2 means for supporting opposed edges of the lowermost blank of the 25 stack including retractable elements respectively at the leading and 26 trailing edges of a lowermost blank, and means for sequentially 2 retracting said elements in synchronism with movement of the pick-up 8 device to receive said lowermost blank. 9 The supports for the opposed edges of the stack may comprise 0 respective pivotally mounted support fingers at the leading and trailing i edges of the lowermost blank, which are arranged to be successively 2 retracted, as the blank is removed from the bottom of the stack, by a 3 further cam drive mechanism. One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of 5 example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic 6 drawings, in which: 7 Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of a blank handling 8 apparatus; 1 Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pick-up arm assembly and an 2 associated cam track in the apparatus of Figure 1 ; 3 Figure 3 is an elevational view showing the relative position of the 4 cam track of Figure 2 in the apparatus of Figure 1 ; 5 Figure 4 is a part-sectional side elevation of a drive mechanism of β the apparatus of Figure 1 ; 7 Figure 5 is a perspective view of a blank support mechanism in β the apparatus of Figure 1 ; 9 Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of a blank magazine of the ιo apparatus of Figure 1 ; and a Figures 7A to 7G respectively illustrate successive rotational i2 positions of a blank feed mechanism in the apparatus of Figure 1. i3 Referring to Figure 1 , which illustrates the overall layout of the i4 apparatus, a magazine 2 containing a stack of blanks 3, e.g. card blanks is for hinged lid cigarette packets, includes pairs of stack support fingers 4 i6 and 6, which are pivotally mounted at 8 and 10 respectively on a cam i7 driven mechanism which enables them to be retracted outwardly away is from the stack, when required, as explained in more detail below. i9 Respective links 12 and 14 are arranged to move the fingers 4, 6, in 20 synchronism with the rest of the apparatus, via a cam drive mechanism 2i indicated generally at 16. 22 A rotatable drum assembly 18 supports four pivotally mounted 23 pick-up arms, indicated respectively at 20, 22, 24 and 26, between 2 axially-spaced inner and outer drum plates 74 and 84 (see also Figure 25 4). The arms are pivotally mounted on the plate 84 by means of journals 6 28, 30, 32 and 34 respectively, and carry at their outer ends respective 27 suction pick-up heads 36, 38, 40 and 42. At each intermediate position 8 of the drum assembly 18, between the pairs of pick-up heads, an outer 9 guide or support member 44, 46, 48 or 50 is fixed to the drum assembly 0 18 so as to support the stack when it is not engaged by one of the i pick-up heads. 2 Finally, beneath the drum assembly 18, a discharge conveyor 52 3 is arranged to receive blanks from the pick-up heads, in order to 4 transport them to the next stage of the assembly operation. 5 As shown in Figures 2-4, the motion of the pick-up arms is 6 controlled by means of a fixed cam track 54, comprising a groove in a 7 fixed pad 56, in which a generally triangular slotted link 58 is guided, by 8 means of a pair of cam followers 60 and 62 engaging on opposite sides 1 of the track. 2 The radially outward corner of the triangular link 58, relative to the 3 pivotal axis 30 of the pick-up arm 22, is also pivotally connected to the 4 drum assembly 18 at 64, and thus, as the assembly rotates, the link 58 is 5 caused to oscillate about the pivot 64 by engagement of the cam β followers 60 and 62 with the track 54. Consequently, the radially 7 innermost corner 66 of the link 58 oscillates about the pivot 64, with the β rotation of the drum assembly 18, and this corner carries an elongate 9 slot 67 in which is engaged a pin 68 connected to a lever 70. The lever ιo 70 is fixed to one end of a shaft 72 which carries the pick-up arm 22. a Consequently, the oscillation of the inner corner 66 of the triangular link i2 58 is translated by the link 70, via the follower pin 68, to provide a wiping i3 movement for the pick-up arm 22, as explained in more detail below. It i4 will be understood that the other pick-up arms 20, 24 and 26 are is mounted on the drum assembly 18 in the same way as the pick-up arm i6 22. i7 The motion of the pick-up arms 20 etc may be controlled by other is cam and link mechanisms than that shown in the drawings, or by a i9 series of gear wheels. 20 Figure 4 illustrates the general arrangement of the mechanism 2i shown in Figures 2 and 3 in side elevation, and it will be seen that the 22 inner end of shaft 72 is journalled at 76 in the rotatable inner drum plate 23 74. The pivot 64 of the slotted link 58 is also journalled in the drum plate 24 74. Drive is transferred to the inner drum plate 74 by means of an outer 25 casing 78 which is in turn rotated by a main drive pulley 80. A secondary 26 drive pulley 82 drives the stack support finger mechanism, as described 27 in more detail below. 8 The outer drum plate 84, which supports the other end of the 9 pick-up arm shaft 72 by means of the journal 30, is connected to the 0 inner plate 74 by four fixed struts 85 which respectively carry the support i members 44, 46, 48, 50, which each comprise axially spaced elements, 2 as seen in Figure 4. The drum assembly 18, including the plates 74 and 3 84, is rotatably supported on a fixed shaft 87. The outer surface of the 4 outer drum plate 84 is in sliding contact, by way of a carbon ring 91 , with 5 a fixed frame member 93 which contains an arcuate suction manifold 95 6 communicating with its face adjacent the drum plate 84. Adjacent each 7 shaft 72 the plate 84 is provided with a port 86 communicating with 8 passages in the shaft and pick-up arm, so as to provide vacuum to a 1 plurality of suction pads 88 carried on the pick-up head 38 at suitable 2 points in the rotation of the drum assembly 1 8, corresponding to 3 positions where the port 86 is adjacent the manifold 95. For convenience of indicating its arcuate extent relative to the axis of the drum assembly 5 18 only, the shape of the manifold 95 is indicated in Figure 3, from which β it will be noted that the manifold is in two arcuate sections extending 7 from the region of the magazine 2 to the region of the conveyor 52 β (Figure 1 ). The suction pads 88 are arranged in circumferential rows 9 separated by blank support guides 89 which have arcuate edges. Each ιo pick-up arm 22 could have a part-cylindrical peripheral surface provided a with a series of suction openings which draw a blank against the surface, i2 instead of the arrangement of suction pads 88 and guides 89. i3 Figure 5 illustrates the operation of the stack support fingers 4, 6 i of the magazine, the mechanism being driven by a pulley 92 by way of a is belt (not shown) passing also around the secondary drive pulley 82 of i6 the drum assembly 18 (Figure 4). i7 The pulley 92 drives a disc 94, whose rear surface (as seen in is Figures 3 and 5) carries a cam track which is engaged by a follower 96 i9 fixed to an actuating arm 100. Similarly, another disc 97 carries a cam 20 track which is engaged by a follower 98 fixed to an actuating arm 102. 2i The outer ends 104, 106 of the arms 100, 102 are pivoted to fixed 22 points on the apparatus, so that the rotation of the cam discs 94, 97 23 causes their opposite ends 108, 110, to rise and fall in a predetermined 24 pattern, actuating the links 12 and 14 whose upper ends are in turn 25 pivoted to the ends 108, 1 10. This transfers movement to the leading 6 and trailing sets of support fingers 4 and 6, so as to release the 27 corresponding edges of the blanks 3 in the stack in the required 8 sequence. 9 Referring particularly to Figure 6, there are three pairs of stack 0 support fingers 4, 6 at the base of the magazine 2. In addition, the i magazine 2 has a number of vertically-extending guide rods 112 placed 2 so as to assist in location of the stack of blanks 3 in the magazine. 3 Further vertically-extending guides 114, 116, having engagement faces 4 adapted to the shape of the blanks 3, are provided to further aid precise 5 location and prevent any tendency of the lowermost blank to twist as it is 6 received on a pick-up head 36 etc. So as to facilitate this, the lower ends 7 of the guides 114, 116 extend slightly below the level of the lowermost 8 blank when retained by the fingers 4, 6, so as to maintain control of the 1 blank between that level and the pick-up head 36 etc on which the blank 2 is deposited. As a further aid to control of the stack in the magazine 2, a 3 pair of inclined spring steel strips 118 (see also Figure 3) carried by fixed 4 mounting blocks 120 is provided to engage the trailing edges of the 5 lowermost blanks 3. These help to ensure that only the lowermost blank β 3 is released onto each pick-up head 36 etc. Note that it is the trailing 7 edge of each lowermost blank 3 which is first engaged by a pick-up β head. 9 The suction pads 88 (or suction apertures in the part-cylindrical ιo pick-up head described hereinbefore) may engage the blanks at ιι positions related to features of the blanks, e.g. to engage a side flap or i2 main panel or extend across a fold line, as indicated respectively at 88A, is B and C in Figure 6. Particularly where suction apertures are provided, i4 these need not be circular and could, for example, be elongated, as is indicated at 88D in Figure 6. It will be understood that the positions of the i6 pads or apertures 88A-D are indicated in Figure 6 for reference purposes i7 only and do not indicate a typical or full complement of such positions, is Although three pairs of support fingers 4, 6 have been shown in i9 Figure 6, two pairs may be sufficient. Particularly in this case, however, 20 the ends of the lowermost blank 3 in the magazine 2 may sag slightly. In 2i order to prevent premature interference between these ends and the 22 corresponding outer elements of the support members 44 etc, the 23 leading ends of the outermost support members may be shortened 24 slightly, as indicated at 44A in Figure 1. 25 The sequence of pick-up operations is illustrated in Figures 7A to 26 7G by reference to movement of one pick-up head 38. Figure 7A shows 27 the pick-up head 38 in a radially oriented position, i.e. in which the 2β pick-up head is exactly midway between the two adjacent support 29 members 44 and 46. With the drum assembly 18 rotating in the 0 counter-clockwise direction as seen in the figures, Figure 7B shows the i pick-up head 38 rotating forward as it approaches the bottom of the 2 blank stack in the magazine 2. At this point the stack is being supported 3 by the leading support member 44, as well as the leading and trailing 4 stack support fingers 4 and 6. 5 As the drum assembly 18 rotates further, towards the position 6 shown in Figure 7C, it will be seen that the shape of the cam track 54 at 7 this rotational position is such that the pick-up head 38 begins to rotate 8 in the opposite (i.e. reverse) direction, as it engages with the underside i of the lowermost blank in the magazine 2, and at this point vacuum will 2 be supplied to the pick-up head, while the trailing stack support fingers 6 3 are disengaged from the corresponding edge of the stack, under control 4 of the cam mechanism 16. 5 In the position shown in Figure 7D the pick-up head has rotated β further in the reverse direction, and peeling of the lowermost bank 7 continues, so that the removal of the trailing edge of the lowermost blank β from the stack enables the trailing support fingers 6 to be moved back 9 into engagement with the remaining blanks. At the same time, the trailing ιo support member 46 begins to engage under the central part of the ιι remainder of the stack, while the leading support finger is retracted to i2 release the leading edge of the current blank on to the pick-up head 38. i3 Note that conveyed blanks are not shown in Figure 7. i In the position of Figure 7E the peeling of the current blank is is complete, and the pick-up head 38 begins to rotate forwards again, i6 towards the radial position, while the stack is supported by the guide 46, i7 and subsequently, in the position shown in Figure 7F, the leading is support fingers 4 are re-engaged with the stack, while the pick-up head i9 is approaching the point of delivery of the blank onto the discharge 20 conveyor 52 (Figure 1). Finally, in the position shown in Figure 7G, the 2i pick-up head 38 has reached the radial position, and the blank is 22 released onto the discharge conveyor 52. 23 It will be understood that, by providing the suction manifold 95 in 24 two parts, it is possible to provide suction separately to these parts and 25 hence, when required, suction could be turned off in the region of the 26 magazine 2, so that no further blanks 3 are picked up, while blanks 27 already picked up are conveyed to the conveyor 52. This may be useful ∑β in providing an ordered shut-down of the apparatus. 29 The fingers 4, 6 are pivoted above the level of the lowermost blank 30 3 in the stack 2 such that the motion of the supporting parts of the 3i fingers towards and away from their supporting positions are 32 substantially horizontal. As a consequence, it is important that the 33 respective edges of the next-to-lowermost blank should not fall 34 significantly after the lowermost blank has been released but before the 35 fingers 4, 6 return from their retracted positions, otherwise the fingers will 36 be unable to engage below this blank and may even damage it on their 37 return. The support members 42 etc assist in maintaining the position of 38 the next-to-lowermost blank. Maintaining its position can be made less 1 critical if the support fingers are arranged to move upwards during the 2 final stage of their return to the stack support positions. One way of 3 achieving this, at least in part, is to shorten the fingers 4, 6 and/or lower 4 their pivot axes. Alternatively, fingers, which need not necessarily be 5 pivoted, could be moved on a closed loop path on which they are β withdrawn in a substantially horizontal direction but returned on a path 7 which has a final upward portion, so that if a blank has fallen slightly the β fingers will engage under and lift it. A cam-controlled pivoted link 9 mechanism could achieve this motion path for the fingers. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3

Claims: i Claims 2 3 1. Apparatus for handling blanks comprising a magazine for 4 receiving a stack of blanks and including means for supporting the stack, 5 endless conveyor means for receiving successive lowermost blanks from β the stack, said conveyor means including at least one blank pick-up 7 device arranged to receive and convey blanks from the stack, and s support means carried by the endless conveyor means for at least partly 9 supporting the stack between pick-up operations of said pick-up device. 10 ιι 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , including means for i2 driving the endless conveyor means continuously. 13 i4 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the is endless conveyor means carries a plurality of spaced pick-up devices i6 between which are arranged a plurality of spaced support members. 17 is 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the endless i9 conveyor means comprises a rotary member rotatable about an axis 20 which is parallel to a plane in which the lowermost blank in the stack 2i extends. 22 23 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said support 24 members include arcuate surfaces at least approximately co-axial with 25 the axis of said rotary member and arranged to engage successive 6 lowermost blanks in the stack. 7 8 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the 9 support members and pick-up devices are so disposed as to allow a 0 support member to engage the stack during a pick-up operation. 1 2 7. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6, wherein said 3 support members include laterally-spaced regions having leading edges 4 which are spaced in the direction of conveyance, so as to accommodate 5 different levels of parts of the lowermost blank corresponding to said 6 regions. 7 8 8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7, wherein said 1 support members comprise a plurality of laterally-spaced elements 2 contacting the blanks at laterally-spaced regions. 3 4 9. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 8, wherein each 5 pick-up device includes an arm pivoted about an axis parallel to said e axis, including control means for controlling the angular position of the 7 arm as said rotary member rotates about said axis. 8 9 10. Apparatus for handling blanks comprising a magazine for ιo receiving a stack of blanks and including means for supporting the stack, ιι endless conveyor means for receiving successive lowermost blanks from i2 the stack, said conveyor means including at least one blank pick-up i3 device arranged to receive and convey blanks from the stack, wherein i4 said endless conveyor means comprises a rotary member rotatable is about an axis and said pick-up device includes an arm pivoted about an i6 axis parallel to said axis, and control means for controlling the angular i7 position of the arm as said rotary member rotates about said axis. 18 i9 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein said 20 control means is arranged to reciprocate each arm about said pivot axis 2i during rotation of said rotary member. 22 23 12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11 , wherein said 24 control means is arranged to pivot each arm in the region of said 25 magazine from a forward position, in which the arm is angularly in 26 advance of a radial position relative to the axis of said rotary member, to 27 a rearward position, in which said arm is angularly retarded from a radial 8 position relative to said axis. 9 0 13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 12, wherein i each pick-up device includes a peripheral arcuate surface for receiving a 2 blank, said control means being arranged so that each arm is moved in 3 the region of said magazine so that said arcuate surface performs a 4 rolling action relative to the stack to receive a lowermost blank. 5 6 14. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the 7 control means comprises a follower carried by each device and a fixed 8 cam track extending around the axis of said rotary member. 1 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein each follower is 2 connected to each arm by means including a pivoted link arrangement. 3 4 16. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said 5 at least one blank pick-up device includes means defining a peripheral 6 arcuate surface, including a plurality of spaced means each defining at 7 least one suction aperture and at least one intermediate region for β supporting a blank. 9 lo 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said spaced ιι regions are arranged in a predetermined pattern disposed so as to i2 correspond with predetermined features of a blank. 13 i4 18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, including port is means movable with said endless conveyor means and arranged to i6 cooperate with at least one stationary suction manifold so as to supply i7 suction to said suction apertures during a predetermined portion of the is path of said pick-up device. 19 20 19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said suction 2i manifold includes a first region at a position corresponding to movement 22 of the pick-up device past said magazine, and a second region 23 downstream of said first region, and means for selectively applying 24 suction to said suction manifold, whereby suction may be supplied to 5 said first and second regions or to said second region alone. 6 7 20. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the 8 means for supporting the stack at the magazine comprises means for 9 supporting opposed edges of the lowermost blank of the stack. 0 i 21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said supporting 2 means comprises retractable elements respectively at the leading and 3 trailing edges of a lowermost blank, and means for sequentially retracting said elements in synchronism with movement of a pick-up 5 device to receive said lowermost blank. 6 7 22. Apparatus for handling blanks comprising a magazine for 8 receiving a stack of blanks and including means for supporting the stack, 1 endless conveyor means for receiving successive lowermost blanks from 2 the stack, said conveyor means including at least one blank pick-up 3 device arranged to receive and convey blanks from the stack, said 4 supporting means including means for supporting opposed edges of the s lowermost blank of the stack including retractable elements respectively e at the leading and trailing edges of a lowermost blank, and means for 7 sequentially retracting said elements in synchronism with movement of β the pick-up device to receive said lowermost blank. 9 ιo 23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21 or claim 22, wherein said a elements comprise pivotally mounted support fingers. 12 i3 24. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 21 to 23, wherein i4 said retractable elements are connected to cam operated pivoted link is mechanisms to produce said sequential retraction of said elements. 16 i7 25. Apparatus as claimed in preceding claim, wherein the is supporting means includes a resilient device arranged to engage the i9 trailing the edge of the lowermost blank in the stack, said device being 20 disposed to release the lowermost blank but retain the next-to-lowermost 2i blank on each operation of said pick-up device. 22 23 26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said resilient 24 device includes at least one spring strip having a free edge engaging the 25 trailing edge of the lowermost blank in the stack. 26 27 27. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, including 8 downwardly-extending guide means providing lateral support for the 9 stack in said magazine, said guide means including first and second 0 spaced elements located at diagonally opposed regions of the magazine i and adapted to inhibit twisting of a blank during transfer to a pick-up 2 device. 3 4 28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein said elements 5 extend slightly below the level of the supporting means. 6 7 8

Inventors: BAILEY THOMAS WILLIAM, CLEALL ANDREW JOHN, HILL BRIAN, BAILEY, THOMAS, WILLIAM, CLEALL, ANDREW, JOHN, HILL, BRIAN
Applicants: BAILEY THOMAS WILLIAM, CLEALL ANDREW JOHN, HILL BRIAN, MOLINS PLC, BAILEY, THOMAS, WILLIAM, CLEALL, ANDREW, JOHN, HILL, BRIAN
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65H3
IPC codes: B65B19, B65H1, B65H3