Patent GB-1048651-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for testing and checking rod-like articles such as cigarettes
Inventor: KOCHALSKI HORST
IPC: A24C5/343
Filed: 1961-04-28
Abstract: 1,048,651. Endless conveyers. K. KÍRBER. April 16, 1962 [April 28, 1961; July 12, 1961; Aug. 14, 1961; Nov. 10, 1961], Nos. 15443/61, 25228/61, 40305/61 and 12711/62. Divided out of 1,024,781. Heading B8A. [Also in Division A2] A method of checking or testing the ends of rod like articles provided with a filling, such as cigarettes, which are conveyed transversely to their axes, is characterized in that the filling of at least one end is checked in sequence and each article which is shown to be sub-standard by the checking or testing is subsequently eliminated from the predetermined order. As shown in Fig. 1 cigarettes C are conveyed past a testing device 6 and rejecting device 7 by a conveyer belt 1 driven by a roller 2. The roller 2 carries sprockets 3 which drive profiled belts 4 having recesses 5 in which the cigarettes are held. The testing device 6 consists of a stationary spindle 10 to which a plate 11 of insulating material is fixed. A switch contact 12 and a brush contact 13 are fixed at diametrically opposite points to the plate 11. The rotating part of the head testing device 6 consists of a ring 14 of U-cross-section which is open at the top and consists of insulating material. Two limbs 14a and 14b of the ring 14 comprise radial apertures 15 in which feeler pins 16 are slidably mounted. A collar 17 is mounted on each feeler pin 16 between the two limbs 14a and 14b, which is engaged by means of a contact rod 18. A spring 19 presses each feeler pin 16 outwardly to the extent permitted by the collar 17. A metal sleeve 20 is fastened to the inner limb 14b of the ring 14 which presses against the spring 19. The metal sleeve 20 has a flange 22 serving as a contact surface for a carbon brush 21. Electric conductors 26 and 25 are connected to the contacts 12 and 13 which are connected in the circuit of an operating magnet 27 for the rejector device. The rejector device 7 includes a hollow spindle 30 the upper end of which carries a plate 21 having a bore 32 in which an operating pin 33 is guided. The operating pin 33 is fastened to a control arm 34 which is adjustably mounted on the armature shaft 35 of the magnet 27. A ring 39 is rotatably mounted on the spindle 30. The bore 41 of the spindle 30 is connected at its lower end to a pressure feed pipe 42 and includes a radial bore 43 which matches a corresponding bore 44 in a flange 36. The bore 44 is aligned with the recess 5 in the rejection position. The rotating ring 39 embodies axial bores 46 which can match with an axially directed bore 45 in the flange 36 and which terminate in radial bores 47 the openings 48 of which are in the form of nozzles. A valve pin 50 is slidably mounted in each of a number of cross bores 49. In the lower position of each valve pin ring grooves 51 permit air to pass. Below the lower end of the rotating ring 39 there is fastened a presser rail 54 for lifting any valve pin 50 which has been depressed. The drive for the conveyer, testing and rejecting devices is derived via chains and sprocket wheels from shafts 55 and 56. A lateral guide belt 65 is also provided. In operation, if the end of a cigarette is satisfactory a pin 16 is depressed and the contact rod 18 moves inoperatively past the contact 12. If a faulty cigarette is tested, a pin 16 will not be depressed and magnet 27 will be energized to cause lever 34 to depress the appropriate valve pin 50. The depressed valve pin 50 and faulty cigarette reach the rejecting point A at the same time, air is allowed to pass through the various aligned bores and the faulty cigarette is blown outwardly from the conveyer. Two testing devices may be provided for both ends of the cigarette each of which may operate a single rejecting device. In a second embodiment (Fig. 2) a number of rotating control pins 191 co-operate with feeler pins in such a way that, in the presence of a faulty cigarette, a pin 191 is raised upwardly by a spring. The pin 191 then contacts a roller 130 on one arm of a bell-crank lever, the other arm 124 of which operates an air pressure valve 110 to cause ejection of the faulty cigarette. In a third embodiment (Figs. 6-9, not shown) fixed lateral guides for the ends of the cigarettes remote from the testing device are replaced by a second testing head having fixed feeler pins thereon.