Method of and apparatus for superimposing discrete rows of packets of the tobacco processing industry
First Claim
1. A method of manipulating packets of the tobacco processing industry, comprising the steps of advancing first and second rows of successive packets along first and second paths;
- assembling in a predetermined plane successive arrays of first and second groups, containing predetermined numbers of packets, from the packets respectively advanced along said first and second paths;
displacing the first and second groups of successive arrays from the predetermined plane into first and second additional planes which are disposed at different levels;
shifting at least one of the thus displaced first and second groups of successive arrays in the respective additional plane so that the thus shifted at least one group and the other group of the respective array overlap and are spaced apart from each other; and
reducing the spacing between the overlapping first and second groups of successive arrays so that such groups form two contacting superimposed layers of packets.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
First and second conveyors transport discrete rows of cigarette packets to one or more elevators which lift successive packets of the two rows into an assembling plane wherein the packets are caused to form a succession of arrays each containing a first group of packets from one of the conveyors and a second group of packets from the other conveyor. The first groups of successive arrays are lifted to a first additional plane above, and the second groups of successive arrays are lowered into a second additional plane below the assembling plane. The thus lifted and lowered first and second groups of successive arrays are shifted in their respective additional planes onto a third conveyor between the first and second conveyors so that the first groups overlap but are spaced apart from the respective second groups, and the third conveyor transports the first and second groups of successive arrays in such a way that the first groups descend onto the respective second groups. The thus modified arrays are ready for introduction into cartons. A fresh array is formed in the assembling plane while the groups of the preceding array are being manipulated in the respective additional planes.
13 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method of manipulating packets of the tobacco processing industry, comprising the steps of advancing first and second rows of successive packets along first and second paths;
- assembling in a predetermined plane successive arrays of first and second groups, containing predetermined numbers of packets, from the packets respectively advanced along said first and second paths;
displacing the first and second groups of successive arrays from the predetermined plane into first and second additional planes which are disposed at different levels;
shifting at least one of the thus displaced first and second groups of successive arrays in the respective additional plane so that the thus shifted at least one group and the other group of the respective array overlap and are spaced apart from each other; and
reducing the spacing between the overlapping first and second groups of successive arrays so that such groups form two contacting superimposed layers of packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- assembling in a predetermined plane successive arrays of first and second groups, containing predetermined numbers of packets, from the packets respectively advanced along said first and second paths;
-
11. Apparatus for manipulating packets of the tobacco processing industry, comprising first and second means for respectively advancing first and second rows of successive packets along first and second paths;
- means for assembling in a predetermined plane successive arrays of first and second groups, containing predetermined numbers of packets, from the packets respectively advanced along said first and second paths;
means for displacing the first and second groups of successive arrays from said predetermined plane into first and second additional planes which are disposed at different levels; and
means for shifting at least one of the thus displaced first and second groups of successive arrays in the respective additional plane so that the thus shifted at least one group and the other group of the respective array overlap each other. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- means for assembling in a predetermined plane successive arrays of first and second groups, containing predetermined numbers of packets, from the packets respectively advanced along said first and second paths;
Specification