Patent GB-303117-A (GB)
IPC: C06F1/12
Abstract: 303,117. Mellgren, G. E., and Sj÷str÷m, J. G. Dec. 28, 1927, [Convention date]. Packeting matches in boxes.-In a machine for filling matches into boxes, the boxes, which have been closed in the box-making machines, are automatically transported from the closing position to the filling machine. Means are also provided for controlling the supply of match portions to the filling positions in according with the supply. As shown, the boxes 3, Fig. 1, and the shells 2 are closed in known manner by devices 8 - - 12, and are then thrust, by a plunger 14, into a shoot 13 along which they travel until engaged by a plunger 19 and pushed, six at a time, into an endless box conveyer chain 16. The chain conveys them past opening plungers 25, filling devices 26, closing plungers 27 and an ejecting device 28, which removes twelves boxes at a time into a delivery receptacle 29. The shoot 13 may be of any length and may be provided with a conveyer. In the form shown in Fig. 3, the cell chains illustrated in Fig. 17 of Specification 300,505, [Class 18, Boxes &c.], are allowed to continue into and through the filling machine. The cell chains 60<a>, 61<a> arrive from the left in Fig. 3, having already moved past opening plungers, and carry the boxes past filling stations 37, 38, closing plungers 41, 42, and delivery plungers 43, 44. In order to prevent the feed of a portion of matches in the filling machine if there is no box to receive it, feelers in mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic communication with members controlling the portioning or feeding device are used. In the form shown ir Fig. 5, the matches are supported on the movable bottom 51 of a magazine 50 and are adapted to be divided into portions by knives 52. The divided portion is lowered, on the bottom 51, into a position in which a plunger 55 thrusts it into a box 56 on a conveyer 58. When a box is present, a feeler 74 is arrested in the position shown by the outer portion of the box, and the filling proceeds normally. If, however, no box is in position, the feeler descends so that contact is made between a point 79 and a mercury cup 80 to close a circuit and energize an electromagnet 81 so that the core 82 is projected to the right into the path of a stop 83 and prevents the opening of the portioning knives 52, so that no matches are fed. The knives 52 are arranged in pairs and are mounted on Z-shaped levers 63 on fixed points 64 so that they may be moved towards and away from each other in the same plane by sliding wedges 65 adapted to actuate the rear arms of the levers 63. When the wedges move upwards under the action of springs 68, springs 66 move the knives apart so that matches fall on to the bottom 51. A cam 73 and lever 67 next force the wedges down and the knives move inwards and separate a portion, which in the normal working of the machine are fed into the box 56. If, however, the circuit is closed owing to the absence of a box, the wedges cannot rise and matches are therefore prevented from arriving on the bottom 51, the feeling being arranged in advance of the associated knives so that the action corresponds to the position from which a box is absent. The parts are returned to the starting positions by the action of cams. The feelers' may be made to contact with the inner or outer boxes, and the electromagnet core may be made to act directly upon the knives or on the levers 63 carrying the knives, or movable armatures may be caused to effect the control. In another form, illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the electric actuation is dispensed with and an extension of the feeler acts mechanically on a bolt to cause it to contact with the stop 83. This form is subject to the mechanical modifications described with reference to the form illustrated in Fig. 5. Another modification is illustrated in Figs. 12-14 of the drawings (not shown). Instead of preventing the division of portions in the absence of a box to receive them, the apparatus may be arranged to allow the division but to prevent the supply by arresting the feeding plunger. As shown in Fig. 10, a feeler 132 is adapted to contact with the box 116, and, during normal working, the plunger 105 feeds the portion (not shown) into the box. In the absence of a box, the feeler descends under the action of a spring 134, and, though links 141, 141, moves a bolt 130 into the path of a projection 111 on the plunger and prevents a spring 112 from drawing it forward into the position shown in full lines. The parts are returned by a tappet 135. In this construction, the feeler is directly connected with the plunger opposite. In a modified form, illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings, the mechanical transmission is replaced by a circuit adapted to be closed by the feeler and to energize an electromagnet so that the core acts in the same way as the bolt 130. In another form, the portion bottoms are prevented from descending in a similar manner. A form of hydraulic transmission of the feeler impulses is shown in Fig. 15, in which a feeler 236 is adapted to descend in the absence of a box to force a piston rod 246 and piston 245 downwards. The cylinder 244 communicates through a pipe 248 with a cylinder 249 and the piston 250 is forced to the right so that a stop-plate 252 thereon is pushed betwen lugs on levers 228 so as to prevent the action of the portioning knives 227. When considerable force is necessary, the feelers 236 do not contact directly with the boxes, but with blades 232, 233, Fig. 17, mounted between cells 224 carrying the boxes, and urged apart by a spring 235. If a box is present, the blade assumes the position 232 and is engaged by the end 260 of the feeler. If no box is present. the position of the blade 233 is assumed, and the feeler descends so as to actuate the hydraulic system. When pneumatic transmission is to be used, each cell of the feeder chain 270, Fig. 19, is perforated at 271 so as to form a suction nozzle. The aperture is connected by a pipe 273 to a cylinder 274 in which a partial vacuum is maintained by a suction pipe 287. If a box is present, it seals the aperture 271 and the parts remain in the position shown, the vacuum being sufficiently strong to hold the piston 275 to the left against the action of a spring-urged tappet 279. In the absence of a box, air enters through the aperture 271 and the piston is moved to the right by the tappet 279 so that a rod 276 thereon is moved into the path of a stop 277 and prevents the wedge 265 from acting in the same manner as is shown in Fig. 5. In a modified form, compressed air is used to prevent a bolt from moving into contact with the stop 277, and the absence of a box allows the air to escape so that the bolt is moved to prevent the wedge from acting. In the form shown in Fig. 21, a plate 324 is lightly held by a spring 327 beneath an aperture 322 in the bottom of the chain cell. In the absence of a box, a current of air issuing from a fixed nozzle 323 depresses the plate and causes contact between the parts 328,329 to actuate a control or stop device. Specifications 8920/97 and 10520/97, [both in Class 50, Fuel, Manufacture of], are referred to.