Patent GB-1357638-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for manipulating tobacco-smoke filter rods
IPC: A24C5/352
Filed: 1971-05-24
Abstract: 1357638 Filter-cigarette manufacture HAUNI-WERKE KORBER & CO KG 24 May 1971 [26 May 1970] 16549/71 Heading A2C [Also in Division B8] An automatic storage and transfer arrangement for tobacco-smoke filter rods between a filter rod making-machine and a magazine 204 of a pneumatic conveyer plant that feeds the rods to one or a plurality of machines for attaching them to cigarettes, Figs. 1, 2, 8, comprises an intermittently-operable storage conveyer unit 206 for successively transporting filled trays 202b of filter rods from a tray filler 201 and for accumulating a reservoir of full trays thereon, a conveyer 295, (296) for successively raising a filled tray 202b from the conveyer unit 206 to a tiltable magazine-filling device 203 for moving the tray into an emptying position E above the magazine 204 of the transmitting station 401 of the pneumatic conveyer plant, and an intermittently-operable storage conveyer unit 207 arranged vertically above the conveyer unit 206 for transporting the empty trays 202a directly back to the filler 201 and for accumulating a reservoir of empty trays thereon. As a tray 202 is lowered stepwise by carriers 215, 216 on a conveyer chain 213, (214) of the filler 201 and filled with layers of filter rods, it actuates a sensor 322 which operates to release magnetically-operated retainer 294 to release the foremost of the empty trays 202a which is carried by belts 266, (267) of the conveyer unit 207 into the filler 201. The filled tray 202b meanwhile seats on the conveyer belts 254, (255) of the conveyer unit 206 and actuates a switch 315 to actuate conveyer drive motor 264 to carry the filled tray 202b therealong to a magnetically-operated retainer 265. A switch 314, actuated by an empty tray 202a discharged from the magazine filling device 203 starts a motor 309 which drives the conveyer 295, (296) to raise the foremost full tray 202b released by the retainer 265 on carriers 99, (101) of the conveyer. The raised tray enters the base of a pivotable and reciprocable tray-support 218 of the magazine filling device 203 past spring- loaded dogs 244 (Fig. 3, not shown), which support the tray in the holder whilst the drive motor 309 is reversed to return the carriers 99, (101) to their lowermost position. In response to the detection by a light sensor 486 of a fall in the filter rod level in the magazine 204 below a preset level, the tray-support and filled tray 202b is moved along a shaft 224 from the tray-receiving position U to a position E and tilted over the magazine to empty the tray, and the empty tray and support moved back to the tray-receiving position U by a drive (not shown). During the return movement of the support and tray, a switch 323 is operated to actuate a piston and cylinder unit 288 which moves a carriage 282, comprising pulleys 271, 272 around which the belts of the conveyer unit 207 pass, to a position below the support and empty tray. The tray support drive (not shown) pivots the support to a vertical position when positioned over the conveyer unit 207 whereupon a cam 292 on the carriage pivots the locking dogs 244 at the base of the support to a release position so that the empty tray drops on to the conveyer 207 and actuates a switch 314. The piston and cylinder unit 288 is retracted and simultaneously, by release of a switch 312, the motor 274 driving the belts of the conveyer 207 is started to move the empty tray laterally out of the tray holder past spring-loaded tray-retaining latches 25 of the holder, Figs. 3 and 4 (not shown), towards the empty tray retainers 294. The conveyer units 206 and 207 provide a buffer or storage station for full and empty trays 202b and 202a respectively. The conveyer unit 206 is provided with a detector 317 which is operated by an excessive number of full trays of the conveyer and causes the filter making machine to operate at reduced speed when, for example, a fault occurs in one or more of the filter attaching machines. If the number of full trays still increases, a detector switch 318 actuates a signal light 328 to indicate that a platform 210 lying below and between the top runs of the conveyer belts should be manually raised to lift some of the filled trays off the conveyer for manual removal. If the warning is ignored, a further detector 116 is actuated by an incoming tray and the filter rod making-machine is shut down. If, on the other hand, the number of full trays 202b decreases due to an inoperative filter rod making machine, a detector 319 actuates the signal light 328. If the machine is left and all the full trays 202b are utilized, a detector 321 functions to disconnect the power supplies to the motors 406a-d of the four filter attaching machines. Alternatively or additionally, the conveyer unit 207 may be provided with means for the automatic control of the filter making and attaching machines. Provision may also be made for switched speed control of the filter attaching machines. Transmitting station. The magazine 204, which forms part of a transmitting station 401, Figs. 5, 6, is provided with pivoting members 443 which are reciprocated to distribute the filter rods 403 evenly across the magazine. Underlying the magazine 204 are four transfer devices 407a-d by means of which filter rods 403 are fed to magazines (409a-d) of four filter attaching machines (404a-d, not shown). The transfer device 407a has two duqts 446a, 447a on the periphery of which are disposed rollers 449 which are reciprocated in the direction of the arrows 448. Catch members 451a, 452a are engageable in the ducts 446a, 447a by a pin-member 453a actuated by an electromagnet 472a. A fixed flange 459a having three bores 461a, 462a, 463a to which are attached suction air lines 464a, 466a and a compressed air line 467a respectively, is associated with an assembly of two flanges 454a, 456a spaced apart by and fixed to two tubes 457a, 458a which align with bores 468a, 469a in each flange. The assembly is constantly reciprocated about the common axis of the flanges 454a, 456a as indicated by the double headed arrows 471a in Fig. 5. Thus the tubes 457a, 458a are alternately aligned at one end with the bottom of the duct 446a and a conveyer line 402a respectively or with the conveyor line 402a and the bottom of the duct 447aa respectively, and at the other end are alternately aligned with the suction line 464a and the compressed air line 467a respectively or with the compressed air line 467a and the other suction line 466a respectively. Photoelectric detection of a fall below a desired minimum level of filter rods in the magazine (409a) of the filter attaching machine (404a) actuates the electromagnet 472a and hence releases the catch members 451a, 452a allowing filter rods 403 to be sucked out of the bottom of the ducts 446a, 447a alternately into the tubes 457a 458a respectively and to be transmitted in turn by compressed air out of these tubes and through the conveyer line 402a to the magazine (409a). The electromagnet 472a is deactivated when a desired maximum level of filter rods in the magazine is detected so stopping the feed of filter rods. The transfer devices 407b-d feed 'the magazine (409b-d) respectively in the same manner. An alternative embodiment, Figs. 9, 10 (not shown), differs from the above described embodiment in that the detectors 317, 321 are not provided, being replaced by sensors (801, 802) which emit a signal when a full tray 202b is passed by the tray filler 201 onto the storage conveyer unit 206 or when a full tray is taken by the magazine filling arrangement 203 from the conveyer unit 206. The signals from the sensors (801, 802) are fed to a forwards-backwards counter (803) of a control circuit that also includes a digital-analogue converter (804) by means of which the speeds of the driving motors of the filter rod making-machine and the filter attaching machines are controlled to maintain an average number, e.g. five, trays 202b on the storage conveyer unit 206.