Patent GB-1398547-A (GB)
Title: Funnelling device for packing machines
IPC: B65B39/02
Filed: 1972-10-26
Abstract: 1398547 Funnelling device, e.g. for cigarette packing machines, shoots A SCHMERMUND 20 Sept 1973 [26 Oct 1972] 49382/72 Headings B8C and B8S A funnelling device, particularly for a cigarette packaging machine, comprises a funnel housing 1, la, 21, 21a, having verticallyextending walls defining a planar inlet opening 20 at the top of the funnel, at least one deflector member 4 or 5 pivotally mounted at 2 or 3 in the funnel below the inlet opening, and displacement means 10, 11, 12, M for angularly displacing the, or each, deflector member about the respective horizontal axis 2 or 3 between a retracted position and a non-retracted position, the or each deflector member having an outer surface portion which is so generally spirally disposed relative to the, or the respective axis of rotation that angular displacement of the respective deflector member from the retracted to the non-retracted positions reduces the cross-section of a passage portion of the funnel housing defined between the outer surface portion of the respective deflector member and the plane of the inlet opening. As shown, each deflector 4 or 5, Fig. 1, mounted with its spiral outer surface centred, on a shaft 2 or 3, is of comb-like construction for passage through corresponding slots in a stationary deflector 22, mounted between the side walls 1, 1a, Fig. 2, of the funnel, and through corresponding slots in the upper end of the interior wall of a respective left, or right, hand cigarette shaft 6 or 7. The shafts 2, 3 are angularly displaceable, in mutually opposite directions, through an angle of 90 degrees, from a lower retracted position, shown in full lines, Fig. 1, to an upper non-retracted position 4a, 5a, indicated in broken lines, by means of spur gears 10, 11 mounted on the shafts 2, 3 and a worm-wheel 12 which meshes with the spur gear 11 and which is driven by the motor M. The deflector 22 directs cigarettes supplied by a container 27 positioned directly above the mouth 20 into the shafts 6, 7 which lead to cigarette counting means disposed in counting shafts 8 ,9, the level of cigarettes in the funnel 21 being maintained by photo-electric device S, Z connected to a control unit. When the beam of the photoelectric device S is not interrupted by the presence of cigarettes a signal, from the control unit causes the motor M to rotate the deflectors 4, 5 from their lower retracted, to their upper non-retracted, positions 4a, 5a. In this manner the cigarettes in the funnel are gently lifted, without crushing towards the mouth 20 to lift the upper layer 15 of cigarettes so as to reduce the distance through which cigarettes from a replenishing container 27<SP>1</SP>, Figs. 4, 5, have to fall before striping the upper layer 15. After a shutter 25, Fig. 5, has been withdrawn and the cigarettes begin to flow the photo-beam is again interrupted so that the motor 19 is energized to slowly retract the deflectors 4, 5 to their lowered positions. More than two deflectors, or only one deflector, may be provided in a multi-limbed, or single limbed, funnel. The funnel is also applicable to machines for packing other rodshaped articles, and fragile objects such as eggs.