Method of and apparatus for accumulating and manipulating arrays of cigarettes and the like

• US 6,385,947 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH
• Original Assignee: Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Meis, Hartmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUKWURAH, NATHANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/736,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20010003891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 531/48, 532/34, 534/44, 535/75
• US Class Current: 53/444
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 19/10 Arranging cigarettes in layers each comprising a predetermined number
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0226 Cigarettes

Abstract

Blocks of plain or filter cigarettes are accumulated in at least two group building assemblies each of which comprises at least two block forming units receiving cigarettes by gravity flow by way of upright ducts. The assemblies are adjacent the path of a series of successive receptacles which serve to transport discrete blocks stepwise to a multiple-track packing machine. The units accumulate blocks of cigarettes during intervals which include the duration of at least one stepwise movement of the receptacles and that of at least one period of standstill of the receptacles. Such intervals suffice to ensure satisfactory gathering of cigarettes into blocks of required size and shape at a frequency which is required for full-speed operation of the multiple-track packing machine.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supplying groups of commodities to a processing machine, comprising:

group building means having a plurality of assemblies each including a plurality of group forming units each arranged to gather a succession of groups;

means for transporting groups from said units to the processing machine;

the processing machine being a packing machine having at least two tracks spaced apart from each other by a first distance, said transporting means comprising a conveyor having a plurality of neighboring receptacles spaced apart from each other by identical second distances each of which at least approximates said first distance, each of said receptacles being arranged to accommodate a group of rod-shaped articles;

said transporting means further comprises means for intermittently moving said conveyor by increments each having a length of m second distances, m being the number, of tracks in the packing machine, each group forming means gathering an entire group of rod-shaped articles and transferring the entire group into a receptacle while said conveyor is stopped at a position between incremental movements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said group building means has three assemblies and each of said assemblies includes two group forming units.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said group building means has two assemblies and each of said assemblies includes three group forming units.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said units has a fixed outlet for groups of commodities.

5. Apparatus for supplying groups of commodities to a processing machine, comprising:

group building means having a plurality of assemblies each including a plurality of group forming units each arranged to gather a succession of groups; and

means for transporting groups from said units to the processing machine;

wherein said group building means has two assemblies and each of said assemblies includes two group forming units, the units of each assembly being spaced apart from each other by a first distance and said assemblies being spaced apart from each other by a second distance twice said first distance.

6. Apparatus for supplying groups of commodities to a processing machine, comprising:

group building means having a plurality of assemblies each including a plurality of group forming units each arranged to gather a succession of groups;

means for transporting groups from said units to the processing machine; and

an intermediate storage facility for each of said units, each of said facilities being movable between a first position for reception of a group of commodities from the respective unit and a second position for transfer of a group to said transporting means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of said intermediate storage facilities is movable at least substantially vertically between said first and second positions thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of said intermediate storage facilities is movable at least substantially horizontally between said first and second positions thereof.

9. Apparatus for supplying groups of commodities to a processing machine, comprising:

group building means having a plurality of assemblies each including a plurality of group forming units each arranged to gather a succession of groups; and

means for transporting groups from said units to the processing machine, wherein each of said units has a fixed outlet for discrete groups of commodities, and further comprising an intermediate storage facility for each of said units and means for moving the facilities between a first position for reception of a group from the respective outlet and a second position for transfer of a group to said transporting means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein all of said moving means are at least substantially identical.

11. A method of providing a processing machine with groups of commodities, comprising the steps of:

establishing a plurality of group building stations with at least two group forming units per station;

repeatedly gathering groups of commodities in the group forming units of the group building stations;

converting the groups assembled by the group forming units into a series of groups in a path leading to the processing machine;

stepwise transporting the groups of the series along the path to the processing machine;

the processing machine being a multiple-track packing machine for rod-shaped commodities of the tobacco processing industry; and

the tracks of the packing machine being spaced apart from each other by a first distance and said transporting step including advancing the groups of the series through second distances m times a first distance wherein m is the number of tracks in the packing machine.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said converting step includes simultaneously transferring into the path assembled groups of commodities from all of the units of all the group building stations.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said converting step includes simultaneously transferring, from one station at a time, into said path all of the groups assembled at the respective station.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said converting step includes simultaneously transferring all of the groups built at the group building stations.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said converting step includes delivering to the path groups of commodities subsequent to completion of pairs of successive stepwise transports of groups along the path.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said converting step includes simultaneously transferring groups of commodities from one station at a time in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

17. A method of providing a processing machine with groups of commodities, comprising the steps of:

establishing a plurality of group building stations with at least two group forming units per station;

repeatedly gathering groups of commodities in the group forming units of the group building stations;

converting the groups assembled by the group forming units into a series of groups in a path leading to the processing machine; and

stepwise transporting the groups of the series along the path to the processing machine wherein the number of stations equals two and each station comprises three group forming units.

18. A method of providing a processing machine with groups of commodities, comprising the steps of:

establishing a plurality of group building stations with at least two group forming units per station;

repeatedly gathering groups of commodities in the group forming units of the group building stations;

converting the groups assembled by the group forming units into a series of groups in a path leading to the processing machine; and

stepwise transporting the groups of the series along the path to the processing machine wherein the number of stations equals three and each station comprises two group forming units.

19. A method of providing a processing machine with groups of commodities, comprising the steps of:

establishing a plurality group building stations with at least two group forming units per station;

repeatedly gathering groups of commodities in the group forming units of the group building stations;

converting the groups assembled by the group forming units into a series of groups in a path leading to the processing machine; and

stepwise transporting the groups of the series along the path of processing machine wherein said converting step includes expelling groups of commodities through stationary mouthpieces of the group forming units into discrete mobile storage facilities and thereupon transporting the storage facilities from the respective mouthpieces to the path.