Patent GB-1014311-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for collecting cigarettes in trays
IPC: A24C5/354
Filed: 1960-12-09
Abstract: 1,014,311. Packaging machines; conveyers; hoppers. H. FOCKE, and F. PFUHL, [trading as FOCKE & PFUHL]. Dec. 6, 1961 [Dec. 9, 1960] No. 42524/60. Headings B8A, B8C and B8S. Cigarettes delivered to hoppers 4, 5 are stacked in trays, e.g. T1, T2, after passing between vanes 35, 36 in the hopper and being pushed endwise along grill bars 39, Fig. 4, by pins 45 on a series of reciprocating pusher bars 42-44, into the path of a reciprocating plunger 78 which inserts them into the trays, each tray being moved downwards intermittently in order to receive successive rows of cigarettes. Hoppers.-The hoppers 4, 5, Fig. 5, are spaced sideways and offset from one another in the direction of travel of the cigarettes. The cigarettes are delivered to the hoppers on bands 1, 2 and guide plates. Cam-operated agitators, as shown at 10 and 11, move the cigarettes down past fixed pins 12-15 in the hopper 4 and between the vanes 35, the pusher bar 42 then moving them one stage into line with cigarettes in the hopper 5. On the next stroke the pusher bar 43 moves a full row of cigarettes forwards into the path of the pusher bar 44. Cigarette delivery mechanism.-The bars 42- 44 are attached to two angle runners 40, 41, Figs. 4 and 6, having wheels 46 rolling on the underside of guides 47, 48 which also provide a rolling surface for wheels attached to the bars 42-44. The guides 47, 48 are attached respectively to cam-operated blocks 50, 51, which are vertically movable on guides 129, 130, thereby causing the pins 45 to project intermittently above the grill bars 39. A drive shaft 68 effects the horizontal movement of the angle runners 40, 41 through intermediate cams and followers which operate two connecting rods, e.g. 58, attached to the runners. Posts 69, 70 are secured to the runners 40, 41 and carry pivotally brackets 73, 74 which themselves pivot on wheels 83, 82 respectively. The plunger 78, which is attached to the brackets 73, 74 through intermediate members, is thereby enabled to clear the oncoming cigarettes on its return stroke. A cam-operated reciprocating plate 84 provides a final support for each row of cigarettes as it enters the tray. A slide, Figs. 7-8 (not shown), keeps the plate 84 horizontal. Cam-operated plungers, Figs. 3 and 11 (not shown), push the cigarettes together laterally as they enter the tray and a cam-operated pusher arm, Fig. 12 (not shown), locates each tray against an abutment and aligned with the oncoming cigarettes. Tray-moving mechanism.-Empty trays are lifted on to a conveyer 117 from a conveyer 162, Fig. 6, by forks 165, driven through a cam 166 and having an arm 171 with a roller wheel 173 which runs horizontally on a guide 174. A ball race 180 fixed on a cam-operated arm 179 engages under a pillar 181 fixed to the guide 174, thereby causing the guide 174 to move vertically. The conveyer 162 is driven through a sprocket 163 having a free-wheel device. A spring-loaded chain 164, which is anchored on the linkage of the fork 165, passes over the same sprocket. The conveyer 162 is thereby driven only when the forks 165 are moved towards the left as seen in Fig. 6. Each tray is moved downwards on lugs 115 secured to the conveyer 117, the downward steps corresponding to the diameter of a cigarette. The conveyer drive is through an eccentric 136 on the shaft 68 and the steps are adjustable by means of a slotted pawl arm 138. A filled tray is replaced by an empty tray through intermittently accelerating the chain conveyer by means of a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism, Figs. 9 and 10 (not shown). A cross conveyer 131 carries the filled tray sideways to a position where an intermittently moving conveyer, similar to the conveyer 117, raises it off the cross conveyer to a position, Fig. 10 (not shown), where it is removed to a further conveyer by means of lifting forks similar to the forks 165. The drive to the lifting forks is through a clutch controlled by microswitches.