Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit – System includes an oscillating or reciprocating load...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-12-25
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit
System includes an oscillating or reciprocating load...
C198S469100, C198S478100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332530
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES
This application claims the priority of German patent application Serial No. 198 53 313.6 filed Nov. 19, 1998. The disclosure of the above-identified German patent application, as well as that of each US and foreign patent and patent application mentioned in the specification of the present application, is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for manipulating block-shaped commodities, especially at least partially wrapped block-shaped packets of cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for subjecting block-shaped commodities (hereinafter called packets for short) to a treatment which includes transferring packets from a first level to a second level, e.g., from a lower level to a higher level. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus wherein successive packets are brought to a halt in a preselected portion (such as the discharge end) of a path which is disposed or which at least terminates at the first level, and the thus arrested packets are thereupon transferred into successive receptacles of a conveyor which is caused to circulate (such as turn about a vertical axis) at the second level.
Apparatus of the above outlined character are disclosed in commonly owned European patent application Serial No. 0 756 995 A1. The conveyor of the apparatus which is disclosed in the European patent application is a turntable which is indexible about a vertical axis to thus move successive receptacles to a position of vertical alignment with successively supplied packets at the first level. The turntable forms part of a wrapping or packing unit in that it cooperates with suitable wrapping instrumentalities in order to carry out one or more wrapping or packing operations. Furthermore, the apparatus of the European patent application employs a confining device which is operative to hold freshly introduced packets in the respective receptacles of the turntable and, to this end, cooperates with a system of pushers serving to transfer packets from the first level into successive receptacles of the conveyor at the second level. The purpose of the confining device is to permit an increase of the output of the packing or wrapping machine in that it permits an indexing of the turntable at a very high frequency without risking ejection of packets from, or an undesirable shifting of packets in, their respective receptacles.
The turntable of the aforementioned (first) conveyor delivers partially wrapped packets into the range of a second conveyor, e.g., a second turntable, which also forms part of the wrapping means for the packets received from the first conveyor. Reference may be had to the commonly owned published German patent application Serial No. 197 03 069 A1 which discloses means for folding blanks around successive packets during transfer of packets from the receptacles of the first conveyor into the receptacles of the second conveyor. The blanks can constitute outer or outermost envelopes of the finished products (e.g., properly wrapped arrays of 20 plain or filter cigarettes each in a so-called quincunx formation).
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein packets of arrayed cigarettes or other block-shaped commodities can be retained in the receptacles of the conveyor at the second level with a degree of reliability higher than that achievable in heretofore known apparatus.
Another object of the invention is to provide the conveyor at the second level with novel and improved receptacles and with novel and improved means for moving such receptacles relative to other parts or constituents of the conveyor.
A further object of the invention is to provide one or more novel and improved conveyors for use in the above outlined apparatus.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of manipulating cigarette packets or analogous block-shaped commodities in a wrapping machine.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wrapping machine for packets of cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry.
A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved blocking means for retaining packets in the respective receptacles without assistance from one or more pushers which serve to move packets between different levels.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein the aforementioned blocking means does not and cannot interfere with the delivery and folding of blanks around the packets travelling with the conveyor which is provided with mobile receptacles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is embodied in an apparatus for manipulating substantially block-shaped commodities, e.g., at least partially wrapped or packed block-shaped arrays of cigarettes or other rod-shaped smokers' products. The improved apparatus comprises means for delivering successive commodities to a preselected position at a first level, and a conveyor which is located at a second level, which is repeatedly indexible about an at least substantially vertical axis and which includes a plurality of receptacles movable relative to the axis. A receptacle is in vertical alignment with a commodity occupying the preselected position upon each indexing of the conveyor, and the improved apparatus further comprises means for transferring successive commodities from the preselected position into the aligned receptacles, and means for blocking movements of commodities relative to the respective receptacles during indexing of the conveyor.
The second level is or can be located above the first level; in such apparatus, the receptacles are bottomless or have at least partially open bottoms to permit entry of commodities in response to lifting of such commodities by the transferring means. The transferring means of such apparatus can comprise a pusher which is movable up and down between a lower position beneath the first level and, with a commodity thereon, a second position beneath the second level. The delivering means of such apparatus can comprise a stationary bottom wall having an opening for the pusher at the preselected position, and a mobile member for supplying commodities to the preselected position while the pusher assumes its first position.
The conveyor can include a turntable which is designed in such a way that its receptacles are movable at least substantially radially of the axis into and from the range of the blocking means. The arrangement can be such that the receptacles are movable at least substantially radially of and toward the axis into the range of the blocking means, and at least substantially radially of and away from the axis in order to move out of the range of the blocking means.
The blocking means can comprise a platform which is indexible with the conveyor and has an upper side disposed immediately beneath the receptacles of the conveyor.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved manipulating apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and the modes of assembling, installing and operating the same, together with numerous additional important and advantageous features and attributes thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4511027 (1985-04-01), Zamboni
patent: 5873453 (1999-02-01), Vetter
patent: 197 03 069 (1998-07-01), None
patent: 0 756 995 (1997-02-01), None
Grossmann Jürgen
Wächter Michael Kleine
Crawford Gene O.
Ellis Christopher P.
Kinberg Robert
Spencer George H.
Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH
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