Patent GB-1301117-A (GB)
Title: Cigarette packer hopper feeding device
IPC: A24C5/356
Filed: 1970-04-01
Abstract: 1301117 Feeding cigarettes to hoppers AMF Inc 1 April 1970 [17 June 1969] 15410/70 Heading B8C In a cigarette packaging machine trays 1 filled with cigarettes are emptied into a hopper by a device comprising an elevator 2 which lifts filled trays 1 from a feed conveyer 3 and places them in containers 13 which are then overturned to empty the cigarettes into the hopper, a lowering mechanism 11 which carries empty trays to a position adjacent a discharge platform 9, and pneumatic pushers 10 which transfer the empty containers to the discharge platform 9. Feed conveyer.-The feed conveyer comprises endless chains 3 driven by a self braking motor 8 and having wings 6, 7 between which the filled trays are received. Tray elevator.-The tray elevator comprises a bracket 2 engaged at its ends by endless chains 19, 20 driven by a self braking and reversing geared motor 25. The bracket 2 has rollers 14, 17 engaged by respective vertical guides 15, 16 and 18, Lowering mechanism.-The lowering mechanism comprises a bracket 11 engaged at its ends by endless chains 33, 34 drawn by a self braking and reversing geared motor 39. The bracket 11 also has rollers 30 engaged by vertical guides 31, 32. Overturning mechanism.-The device has four containers 13, 113, 213 and 313 (see Figs., 3, 4, 7,) connected to carriages 43, 44 and 45, 46 reciprocable along guide bars 47, 48 and carrying guide plates 55-59 urged by coil springs 57 into engagement with cams 53, 54 carried at the ends of a drive shaft 50. The shaft 50 is supported by vertical supports 51, 52 which also support two brackets 60 having guide surfaces 160, 260, 360 which abut rollers 61, 62 secured to the plates 55-59. The trays 1 are supported in the containers 13 by spring urged teeth 28, the cigarettes being prevented from falling out of the trays during overturning by wings 70, 71 which are operated by linkages 5 to allow the cigarettes the fall into the hopper. Operation.-In the position shown in Fig. 7 filled trays 1 are inserted into the containers 213, 313 whilst the trays in containers 13, 113 are being emptied thus actuating a photo-cell to energize the drive for the shaft 50. The cams 53, 54 then rotate anticlockwise through 90 degrees (Fig. 8, not shown) so that the carriages 45, 46 and hence the containers 13, 113 are moved to the right by the spring 57, the containers thus being clear of the hopper. During this movement the rollers 61 roll on the flat surface 160 of the brackets 60. The cams 53, 54 are then rotated a further 180 degrees (Figs. 9, 10, not shown) so that the guide plates 55 are also constrained to rotate, thus causing the whole assembly to rotate thru 180 degrees. the rollers 61 following the curved surfaces 360 of the brackets 60. The containers 213, 313 are thus overturned and brought into alignment with the hopper whilst the containers 13, 113 are brought into alignment with the bracket 11 of the lowering mechanism which then removes the empty trays 1. The cams 53, 54 are then rotated through 90 degrees to again reach the position shown in Fig. 7, rotation of the assembly being prevented because the rollers 62 abut the flat surfaces 160 of the brackets 60.