Stabilizing output conveyor for a cigarette packing machine
First Claim
1. A conveyor (1) for stabilizing packs of cigarettes (2) coming off a packing machine (3);
- said packs (2) being shaped in the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon, and being fed on to and along said stabilizing conveyor (1) in a direction (10) crosswise to the larger lateral surface (4);
said conveyor (1) being substantially U-shaped and defined by two substantially straight end portions (11,
12) connected by a curved intermediate portion (13);
characterized by the fact that, for each said end portion (11,
12), it comprises two conveyors (14,
15) having facing parallel branches (16,
17) traveling in said direction (10) and defining, in between, a straight channel (18,
19) the width of which, measured between said facing branches (16,
17), substantially equals that of said packs (2); and
by the fact that, for said intermediate portion (13), it comprises a drum (26) having a peripheral annular channel (30) of substantially the same width as said straight channels (18,
19), and a bottom annular surface (27) tangent to an inner surface (32) of each said straight channel (18,
19);
drive means (35) being provided for rotating said drum (26) about an axis (31) perpendicular to said channels (18, 19,
30), and at a given surface speed substantially equal to the speed of at least one portion of said conveyors (14,
15) relative to at least one said end portion (11,
12);
said drive means (35) comprising a suction belt (36) defining part of the inner surface of said straight channels (18,
19), and wound on to said drum (26) along a portion of said annular channel (30).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conveyor for stabilizing packs of cigarettes coming off a packing machine, the conveyor being substantially U-shaped, and defined by two substantially straight end portions connected by a curved portion extending about a cylindrical drum having two peripheral flanges and tangent to the two end portions. The packs, in the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon, are fed along the end portions in a direction crosswise in relation to the larger lateral surface, and with the smaller opposite lateral surfaces gripped between two conveyor belts, and are positioned, along the curved portion, radially in relation to the drum, with one end surface contacting a suction belt extending in contact with the lateral surface of the drum and between the two flanges.
-
Citations
7 Claims
-
1. A conveyor (1) for stabilizing packs of cigarettes (2) coming off a packing machine (3);
- said packs (2) being shaped in the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon, and being fed on to and along said stabilizing conveyor (1) in a direction (10) crosswise to the larger lateral surface (4);
said conveyor (1) being substantially U-shaped and defined by two substantially straight end portions (11,
12) connected by a curved intermediate portion (13);
characterized by the fact that, for each said end portion (11,
12), it comprises two conveyors (14,
15) having facing parallel branches (16,
17) traveling in said direction (10) and defining, in between, a straight channel (18,
19) the width of which, measured between said facing branches (16,
17), substantially equals that of said packs (2); and
by the fact that, for said intermediate portion (13), it comprises a drum (26) having a peripheral annular channel (30) of substantially the same width as said straight channels (18,
19), and a bottom annular surface (27) tangent to an inner surface (32) of each said straight channel (18,
19);
drive means (35) being provided for rotating said drum (26) about an axis (31) perpendicular to said channels (18, 19,
30), and at a given surface speed substantially equal to the speed of at least one portion of said conveyors (14,
15) relative to at least one said end portion (11,
12);
said drive means (35) comprising a suction belt (36) defining part of the inner surface of said straight channels (18,
19), and wound on to said drum (26) along a portion of said annular channel (30). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- said packs (2) being shaped in the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon, and being fed on to and along said stabilizing conveyor (1) in a direction (10) crosswise to the larger lateral surface (4);
Specification