Patent GB-1063233-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for automatically charging a container with rod-like objects
Inventor: SCHMERMUND ALFRED
IPC: A24C5/356
Filed: 1964-08-19
Abstract: 1,063,233. Discharging cigarette magazines. A. SCHMERMUND. June 21, 1965 [Aug. 19, 1964], No. 33818/64. Heading B8S. Cigarettes to be tipped into hopper 28 are contained in magazines 1 which are carried leftwards in the clips 3 of endless conveyer 2 and when a magazine has reached its endmost position the magazine containing cigarettes is elevated from the clips 3 by a reciprocating platform 7 which carries the magazine upwards and delivers it to a magazine receptacle 8 (Fig. 1, not shown). The receptacle 8 is rotated through 150 degrees about its shaft 9 by means of tipping disc 38 and is then moved leftwards and horizontally by carriage 163 till the receptacle and the magazine is vertically disposed over hopper 28. When photo-cell 68 operates by the fall of the level of cigarettes already in the hopper 28 (Fig. 6, not shown). Shutter 43 and base-plate 20 diverge to allow the cigarettes in magazine 1 to fall into the hopper 28. The magazine is held by pawl 55 and is then raised above the hopper by two endless chains 184 and is then pushed rightwards (Fig. 12) by pusher 61 along side rails 20 for refilling. The receptacle 8, now without its magazine 1, retraces its movements. Thus it moves horizontally and rightwards by reason of carriage 163 and then performs a tipping movement of 150 degrees clockwise by means of tipping disc 38 till it is in the position shown in Fig. 1 ready to receive the next magazine 1. The cycle is thus complete. Platform 7 (Fig. 18, not shown).-This is constructed on the scissors principle so that, pivot 145 being fixed, a downward movement of guide 146 is expanded to a four-fold movement upwards of platform 7 along guides 5. Receptacle 8 (Fig. 1, not shown).-It includes guide rollers 12 and 18, positioning elements 13, 14 and 15, shaft 9 and base-plate 20 to support the cigarettes when the receptacle and magazine is inverted. The shaft 9 includes lever 39 keyed thereto having a roller 40 which engages in a slot 76 formed in tipping disc 38 so that as the disc moves anti-clockwise the receptacle 8 carrying its magazine 1 also tips anti-clockwise until roller 40 engages with guide 44 to free the roller and the receptacle from disc 38. Carriage 163, Fig. 12.-Carriage 163 runs on guides 165 being operated by rack and pinion 72, 71 and carries beneath it shaft 9 of receptacle 8 to carry receptacle and magazine leftwards to the position just above hopper 28. Additionally carriage 163 is connected at 202 and 196 to pusher 61 so that as the carriage 163 moves leftwards to deliver a magazine to the hopper the pusher 61 moves to push an empty magazine rightwards along the rails 60. Operation of shutter 43 and base-plate 20 (Figs. 5 and 6, not shown).-Base-plate 20 is carried by slider 29 so that as the receptacle 8 moves into position above the hopper 28 a camoperates roller 32 to allow the pawl 34 of slider 29 to move rightwards from one tooth to the other of two-stage pawl 31. Base-plate 20 therefore moves rightwards whilst at the same time latch lever 36 spring impelled at 50 engages roller 35 on the slider 29 and being connected at 49 with shutter 43 causes the shutter to move rightwards so that the elements 20 and 43 take up the position shown in Fig. 6. The cigarettes are thus supported above the hopper. When the level of the hopper of the cigarettes already in the hopper is dropped to a predetermined level, photo-cell 68 operates to cause electromagnet 51 to engage the roller 32 to allow the final movement of slider 29 to the right. Owing to a lost motion this causes, firstly, base-plate 20 to move rightwards whilst shutter 43 is stationary; and then secondly, base-plate 20 and shutter 43 to move right and left and thus separate to free the hopper completely to let the cigarettes drop from the magazine 1.