Patent GB-1434421-A (GB)
Title: Multicellular silo for rod-like articles
IPC: A24C5/35
Filed: 1973-09-21
Abstract: 1434421 Filling and discharging shoots; controlling the transfer of articles between conveyers AMF Inc 21 Sept 1973 [22 Sept 1972] 44435/73 Headings B8S and B8A Cigarettes are fed from a cigarette-making machine C to a cigarette packer I by means of a multicellular silo which comprises a conveyer 4 along which the cigarettes are normally fed, but in the event of the packer I ceasing operation the cigarettes are instead diverted to the series of cells 6-12 disposed above the conveyer 4 for subsequent discharge therefrom on to the conveyer 4 under the control of discharging means when the packer 1 restarts. The cigarettes are fed to the conveyer 4 by means of conveyers 2, 3 but if the packer I ceases to operate there is a resultant build-up of cigarettes in a hopper 5 feeding the packer I such that a photo-celectric cell 560 is darkened and causes operation of a pneumatic chamber 44 which means that cigarettes from the machine C will then pass between the conveyers 3, 42 to a conveyer 35 whose effective conveying length is adjustable by means of movable rollers 39 to cause the cells 6-12 to be fed in succession from the discharge end 37 of the conveyer 35. Located in each of the cells 6-12 is a member 15 which is vertically movable along the length of its cell on account of being mounted on an endless chain 19, Fig. 5, and when a cell is to be filled by the conveyer 35 the member 15 of that cell is located at the top of the cell and then moves downwardly during filling thereof while the member 15 in the next cell waiting to be filled simultaneously moves upwards to the top of that latter-mentioned cell. Such simultaneous movement of the members 15 is achieved by means of an endless chain 49 on which are fastened chain sections 51, the latter engaging periodically and in succession with pulleys (47) which are each mounted on the shaft (46) of the upper sprocket 20 of each chain 19, Fig. 6 (not shown), each member 15 being mounted on its associated chain 19 by means of a link 17 which has a slot 117 of width equal to that of a cell formed therein, the slot 117 receiving therein a pin 18 mounted on the chain 19. A light source 140 arranged at the top of each of the cells 6-12 is operative, when a particular cell has been filled, to cause the conveyer 35 to start filling the next of the cells 6-12. When the packer I restarts its operation the photo-electric cell 560 is no longer darkened, due to the resultant drop in the cigarette accumulation in the hopper 5, which resets the condition for normal operation in that the pneumatic chamber 44 ceases operation and cigarettes are fed from the machine C on to the conveyer 4 directly. However, should the machine C cease to operate (while the packer I is in operation) there will then be no cigarettes carried by the conveyer 4 with the result that a photo-electric cell 55 will not be darkened by the presence of cigarettes on the conveyer 4, the cell 55 then emitting a control signal to cause the opening of the bottom 15 of the cell which was the first to be filled by the conveyer 35, the remaining cells being emptied successively in the order in which they were filled, but if the machine C should recommence operation before all the cells 6-12 are discharged, the normal situation in which cigarettes are fed directly to the packer I is resumed. The successive discharge of the cells 6-12 is effected by the discharging means already referred to which includes, in addition to the members 15, a ram 32 which on extension, causes rotation of a sprocket wheel 26 thus driving a chain 26 through a distance corresponding to half the width of one of the cells 6-12. On the chain 25 is a pin 33 which engages with and moves a spring mounted trigger 23 associated with the particular cell from which discharge is about to take place, the trigger releasing the associated member 15 which forms the bottom of the loaded cell, the member 15 pivoting downwardly as shown in Fig. 5 to permit discharge of cigarettes therefrom while an arm 34 mounted on the chain 25 and rearwardly of the pin 33 causes the re-engagement of the members 15 and 23. The discharge from the first of the cells is actuated by the cell 55, as stated above, after which the opening and closing sequence of the members 15 occurs automatically through controls (not shown) actuated by paddles 52 disposed at the bottom of the cells 6-12, each paddle 52 being reset to a vertical disposition when its associated cell has been emptied. The device described may be used with rodshaped articles other than cigarettes.