Conveyor system for rod-like articles
First Claim
1. A conveyor system for rod-like articles, comprising means defining a path for rod-like articles in multi-layer stack formation, said path having at least one movable end, said movable end including means for transferring articles in a first direction between said movable end of said path and receiving means at different locations, said transferring means and said receiving means being arranged so that articles may be reversibly transferred in multi-layer stack formation between said movable end and said receiving means without substantial change in said multi-layer stack formation, conveyor means for moving articles on said path, and means for moving said movable end in a second direction, different from said first direction, between said different locations to allow transfer of articles between the path and the receiving means at said different locations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conveyor system for a multi-layer stream of cigarettes or the like includes a buffer reservoir (32) and a variable length elevator (12) for transferring cigarettes between a main conveyor (10) and the reservoir. The elevator (12) has a movable lower end (22,24) carrying a transfer conveyor (30) which rises and falls with the state of fill of the reservoir (32). The reservoir (32) comprises a rotatable drum (34) carrying an helical track (36). Drive devices (40,46) for the drum (34) and for the movable end (22,24) of the elevator (12) are synchronized and the conveying speed of the elevator is adjusted to compensate for movement of its lower end (22,24).
30 Citations
29 Claims
- 1. A conveyor system for rod-like articles, comprising means defining a path for rod-like articles in multi-layer stack formation, said path having at least one movable end, said movable end including means for transferring articles in a first direction between said movable end of said path and receiving means at different locations, said transferring means and said receiving means being arranged so that articles may be reversibly transferred in multi-layer stack formation between said movable end and said receiving means without substantial change in said multi-layer stack formation, conveyor means for moving articles on said path, and means for moving said movable end in a second direction, different from said first direction, between said different locations to allow transfer of articles between the path and the receiving means at said different locations.
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18. A conveyor system for rod-like articles, comprising means defining a first path for rod-like articles in multi-layer stack formation, means defining a second path for rod-like articles in multi-layer stack formation, said second path extending helically around an axis, said first path having a fixed end and a movable end, said movable end including means for reversibly transferring articles between said first path and said second path, reversible conveyor means for moving articles on said first path, and means for moving said movable end to allow transfer of articles between the first and second paths at different locations spaced in a direction parallel to said axis.
- 19. A conveyor system for rod-like articles, comprising reversible conveyor means for rod-like articles in multi-layer stack formation, a variable capacity reservoir for articles, the conveyor means including transfer means by which articles are transferred between the conveyor means and the reservoir, means for moving the transfer means in accordance with the quantity of articles within the reservoir, and means for inserting article retaining means between said reservoir and said conveyor means to allow separation of said reservoir and said conveyor means.
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22. A conveyor system for rod-like articles, comprising reversible conveyor means for rod-like articles in multi-layer stack formation, a variable capacity reservoir for articles, the conveyor means having a variable path length for articles and including transfer means by which articles are reversibly transferred between the conveyor means and the reservoir, means for moving the transfer means in accordance with the quantity of articles within the reservoir, wherein the conveyor means includes opposed elevating conveyors, at least one of which is of variable operative length.
- 23. A conveyor system for rod-like articles, comprising an article delivery device, an article receiving device, conveying means for conveying articles in multi-layer stack formation from the article delivery device and towards the article receiving device, a variable capacity buffer reservoir, said reservoir having at least two transfer positions, and reversible transfer conveyor means for conveying articles in multi-layer stack formation between said conveying means and each of said transfer positions, and means for moving one end of said transfer conveyor means between said positions, wherein said transfer conveyor means is of variable length.
- 25. A conveyor system for rod-like articles, comprising an article delivery device, an article receiving device, conveying means for conveying articles in multi-layer stack formation from the article delivery device and towards the article receiving device, a variable capacity buffer reservoir having a plurality of closely spaced transfer positions, and reversible transfer conveying means for conveying articles between said conveying means and each of said transfer positions, and means for moving said transfer conveyor means between said positions, wherein the reservoir comprises an helical path and said transfer conveyor means is arranged to move in an axial direction relative to said path as articles are conveyed on said path by a rotary movement relative to the axis of said helical path.
Specification