Method and device for transferring containers of shredded tobacco

Abstract: A method and a device for transferring containers of shredded tobacco to individual feeders of cigarette-making machines. The device comprises a station (5) which can move preferably at right angles to the feeders (3); the station (5) is also provided with means (12a,12b) for gripping, tipping, stacking and unstacking the containers (1a,1b). The containers are arranged at supports (13a,13b) which move parallel to the feeders (3) and at right angles thereto.

Description: The present invention relates to a method and a device for transferring containers of shredded tobacco. Cubic or frustum-shaped containers, preferably made of wood or metallic material, are conventionally used to store shredded tobacco. Such containers generally but not necessarily contain approximately 100-200 kilograms of tobacco which may also be slightly compacted. The use of these containers is due to the need to ensure maximum production flexibility, since they allow to make promptly available discrete and limited amounts of product ready for producing cigarettes. Therefore, the containers are currently stored in appropriately provided spaces and, in order to maximize storage density, they can be arranged in stacks of two or three containers, according to their dimensions. The containers must then be conveyed to a feeder into which the tobacco is to be unloaded; the feeder takes care of the dosage and transfer of the tobacco in a downstream direction at a plurality of cigarette-making machines. The feeders are usually arranged side by side and aligned in a number which is sufficient to cover the requirements of the factory. Automatic systems for transferring the containers between the storage point and the point where their content is tipped into the feeders have thus been devised. Due to cycle timing issues, it is convenient to transfer the containers in a stacked configuration, thus forming stacks of two or three containers, so as to carry sufficiently large amounts of tobacco at every container transfer. Once the stack of full containers has been delivered into the position that corresponds to the selected feeder, means are conventionally used which grip the containers one by one and sequentially in order to then tip them into the feeders according to the demand of product by the downstream system. This solution then requires to perform a new stacking operation to return the stack of empty containers to a system for removing the stack. This solution entails many drawbacks, since it must be multiplied by the number of side-by-side feeders that serve a cigarette-making machines. The conventional solution, which therefore consists in fixed systems for tipping the containers at individual feeders, is very expensive, since it requires as many tipping units as there are feeders. Moreover, it is unsuitable to reconstitute the stack of empty containers, since the position in front of the feeder is occupied at the same time by the tobacco-filled containers awaiting to be tipped. EP-A-0375631 discloses a device for transferring containers of shredded tobacco to individual feeders (hoppers) of cigarette making machines, comprising containers arranged on movable supports in the form of motor driven carriages. The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art, by providing a device for transferring stacked containers of shredded tobacco to individual feeders of cigarette-making machines which allows to provide faster processing of the stacked containers by being able to control a plurality of feeders for this purpose according to specific requirements. Within the scope of this aim, an important object of the present invention is to provide a device which allows to reduce time and cost for transferring the stacked containers. Another important object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be introduced effectively in the tobacco processing cycle, allowing to optimize processing spaces and times. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is reliable and safe in use and can be manufactured and obtained with conventional machines and equipment. This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for transferring stacked containers of shredded tobacco to individual feeders of cigarette-making machines, characterized in that it comprises a station which moves at right angles to the feeder, which is provided with means for gripping, tipping, stacking and unstacking the containers arranged on supports which can move parallel to the feeder and at right angles thereto. The method for transferring stacked containers of shredded tobacco is defined by claim 12. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a particular but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figures 1 to 8 are perspective views of the device during the various steps for the processing of the containers. With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1a designates a container which is full of shredded tobacco, designated by the reference numeral 2, and the reference numeral 1b designates a container which is similar to the preceding one but is empty. The reference numeral 3 designates a single feeder which is adapted to convey the shredded tobacco that can be stored therein to subsequent treatments. The reference numeral 4 instead generally designates a device for feeding an empty stacked containers 1b and containers 1a full of shredded tobacco to individual feeders 3 which are adapted to convey the product for example to cigarette-making machines (in the figures only one feeder is shown). The device is constituted by a station 5 which is movable along adapted guides 6a and 6b which are arranged transversely to a loading hopper 7 of a plurality of feeders 3 preferably arranged side by side. The station 5 also has adapted conventional means for sliding coupling on the guides 6a and 6b and comprises two vertical posts 8a and 8b between which at least one cross-member 9 is provided which is movable vertically by virtue of adapted lifting means 10, such as hydraulic and/or pneumatic jacks and/or gearmotors which actuate for example adapted chains 11 which are appropriately guided and connected to said cross-member. Means for gripping and tipping a full container 1a or an empty container 1b are also associated at the cross-member. Such means are preferably constituted by two arms 12a and 12b which are slidingly associated transversely to the cross-member 9 and clamp in a vise-like manner the lateral surfaces of a container. The two arms can also rotate because of the presence of adapted means which are keyed for example on the cross-member or are adapted to provide a rotary motion to said two arms. The lifting means 10 allow, together with the means for gripping and tipping the containers, to stack and unstack said containers as specified hereafter. The containers 1a and 1b, which are mutually stacked beforehand, are arranged at movable supports 13a and 13b which are constituted by a pair of roller beds which are arranged side by side and are mounted on wheels 14 which can roll at adapted rails 15 which are arranged approximately parallel to the guides 6a and 6b. The rails 15 are also arranged to the side of a plurality of additional fixed roller beds 16 which are orientated in the same manner and have the same width as the movable supports 13a and 13b; the rollers of said supports are motorized, so as to allow to send and/or receive the full containers 1a and the empty containers 1b at the station 5, which is thus interposed between said fixed roller beds 16 and the guides 6a and 6b. The containers 1a and 1b can thus move both parallel and at right angles to the guides 6a and 6b and to the feeders 3. The method entails performing the following operating sequence, as also shown by the figures: first of all, a stack 1a of full containers is placed at the movable support 13a, which conveys said stack at the chosen feeder 3. These operations, as well as the others that follow, can be controlled by a centralized logic unit which accordingly comprises a program which, by means of adapted sensors and/or controls, determines the operating sequences of the various components of the device and the movable supports. After positioning the movable supports in front of the chosen feeder 3, the rollers are made to move so as to convey the stack of full containers 1a onto the facing fixed roller bed 16. In this step or before the above-described step, the station 5 is positioned in the interspace between the stack of full containers 1a and the feeder 3. At this point, the lifting means 10 position the arms 12a and 12b adjacent to the lateral surfaces of the full container 1a that is arranged at the top of the stack, which is gripped and tipped so as to unload the shredded tobacco 2 into the hopper 7 of the feeder 3. Then the station 5 tips the empty container 1b backwards, moving on the guides 6a and 6b, so as to unload the empty container 1b at the adjacent movable support 13b. If at this point the feeder 3 does not require further amounts of tobacco for a certain time, it is possible to order the station 5 to move at a further feeder, in front of which another stack of full containers 1a has been stored in the meantime. The mobility of the station therefore allows, in consideration of an adapted control system, for example of the computerized type, to be present in order to feed shredded tobacco to a chosen feeder, unstacking the full containers 1a, unloading them and stacking the empty containers 1b laterally to the preceding ones. If the chosen height of the stack of empty containers 1b has been reached, the stack can be conveyed by means of fixed roller beds 16 at the movable support 13b, which can in turn be moved for disposal and storage. Likewise, once the last full container 1a has been positioned at the fixed roller bed 16 arranged in front of the selected feeder 3, it is possible to place a new stack of full containers 1a at the movable support 13a. It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a device having been provided which allows to transfer stacked containers of shredded tobacco to individual feeders of cigarette-making machines, increasing the treatment speed of the stacked containers since it can serve a plurality of feeders in a short time according to specific requirements. This leads to low costs for the management and transfer of said stacked containers, both full and empty; moreover, said solution can be integrated effectively in the tobacco processing cycle and allows to achieve space optimization. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. TV97A000136 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: A device (4) for transferring stacked containers of shredded tobacco (1a,1b) to individual feeders (3) of cigarette-making machines, characterized in that it comprises a station (5) which moves at right angles to said feeders (3), which are provided with means for gripping, tipping, stacking and unstacking said containers (1a,1b) arranged on movable supports (13a,13b) which move parallel to said feeders (3) and at right angles thereto. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said station (5) moves on guides (6a,6b) arranged transversely to a hopper (7) for loading a plurality of feeders (3) which are arranged mutually side by side. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that said station (5) has means for sliding coupling on said guides (6a,6b) and comprises a pair of vertical posts (8a,8b) between which at least one cross-member (9) is provided which can move vertically by virtue of lifting means (10). The device according to claim 3, characterized in that means for gripping and tipping at least one full container (1a) or at least one empty container (1b are arranged at said cross-member (9), said means being constituted by two arms (12a,12b) which are slidingly associated, at one end, transversely to said cross-member (9) and grip in a vise-like manner lateral surfaces of at least one of said containers (1a,1b). The device according to claim 4, characterized in that said two arms (12a,12b) have means which allow their rotation to tip said at least one container (1a,1b). The device according to claim 4, characterized in that said lifting means (10) allow, together with said means for gripping and tipping said containers, to stack and unstack said containers (1a,1b) in separate regions which are arranged side by side. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that said containers (1a,1b) which are mutually stacked beforehand, are arranged at separate movable supports constituted by a pair of roller beds (13a,13b) which are arranged side by side and are mounted on wheels (14) which roll at rails (15) arranged approximately parallel to said guides (6a,6b). The device according to claim 7, characterized in that said rails (15) are laterally adjacent to a plurality of additional fixed roller beds (16) which are equally orientated and have the same width as said movable supports (13a,13b). The device according to claim 8, characterized in that said rollers of said fixed roller beds (16) and said movable supports (13a,13b) are motorized so as to allow to send and/or receive said full and empty containers (1a,1b) at said station (5) interposed between said fixed roller beds (16) and said guides (6a,6b). The device according to claim 9, characterized in that said full and empty containers (1a,1b) move both at right angles to said guides (6a,6b) and said feeders and parallel thereto. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a centralized logic unit which is controlled by a computer provided with a program which, by means of sensors and/or actuators and/or controls, determines operating sequences of the various components of said device (4) and of said movable supports (13a,13b). The method for transferring stacked containers of shredded tobacco (1a,1b), using the device of claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: transferring a stack of full containers (1a) to place them in front of a feeder in directions which are parallel and/or perpendicular to said feeder (3); transferring said devices (5) for gripping, tipping, stacking and unstacking empty or full containers to place them in front of said feeder (3) by moving them in directions which are perpendicular to said feeder (3); gripping the first container (1a) of said stack of full containers to place them and then lifting and tipping the shredded tobacco into said feeder (3); turning said container (1b), which is now empty, away from said feeders and moving it laterally, and then stacking said empty container (1b); transferring said device (5) to another feeder (3) and repeating the above steps; transferring said stacks of empty containers (1b) for storage and/or filling.

Inventors: FAVARO MANSUETO, FAVARO, MANSUETO
Applicants: GARBUIO SPA, GARBUIO S.P.A.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65G47
IPC codes: A24C5