Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for establishing and moving a group of items – Having items discharged from plural distinct outlets into group
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-19
2001-04-10
Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 3652)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for establishing and moving a group of items
Having items discharged from plural distinct outlets into group
C198S418300, C198S471100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213283
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to transferring rod-like articles, particularly transferring rows of cigarettes for subsequent packing in a cigarette packing machine.
In order to achieve higher speeds in cigarette packing machines it is desirable that as many parts of the machine as possible should operate continuously rather than intermittently. In particular it is desirable that the conveyor in which the groups of cigarettes are assembled into bundles for subsequent wrapping should run continuously. The present invention is particularly but not exclusively concerned with transfer apparatus suitable for feeding cigarettes to such a conveyor, particularly from a hopper or other region in which the cigarettes are substantially stationary.
According to one aspect of the invention apparatus for transferring rod-like articles includes means for supplying articles to a plurality of adjacent delivery positions arranged in a row, rotary conveyor means including means for receiving articles from said positions, the rotary conveyor means comprising a plurality of planetary wheels each having receiving means defining individual article positions; an annular carrier for translating said wheels along a path extending adjacent said row so that said receiving means receives articles from said positions; and a sun wheel having means defining grouped article positions each of which is adapted to receive articles in successive layers from said planetary wheels.
Preferably, the adjacent delivery positions are defined by a series of vanes defining rows in the outlet of a hopper, and each planetary wheel is provided with at least one set of flutes defining the individual article positions, the number of flutes in the or each set corresponding to the number of rows in the outlet of the hopper.
Preferably, the sun wheel is in the form of a drum, having pockets defining the grouped article positions, and the planets are mounted in a carrier and are geared to the outside of the sun wheel and to a fixed ring gear, so that rotation of the drum causes the planets to rotate on their own axes, and also drives the planet carrier round the drum. The gearing is such that the or each set of flutes on each planet coincides in position with a set of outlet vanes on the hopper when the articles are to be received, and also co-operates with the pockets on the drum, when they are to be delivered.
Preferably, each pocket on the drum is sufficiently deep to accommodate a plurality of layers of articles, each layer corresponding to one set of flutes on the planets, and the arrangement is such that each pocket receives a row of articles from one of the planet wheels, which is laid down into the pocket as the planet wheel passes it.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is at least one set of three hopper delivery positions, and the pockets are three layers deep, the position and gearing of the planet wheels being such that successive layers of articles are transferred into each pocket, by the planet wheels, as they pass by each hopper delivery position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3603445 (1971-09-01), Bailey et al.
patent: 4364464 (1982-12-01), Manservisi et al.
patent: 4614263 (1986-09-01), Nagata et al.
patent: 4711339 (1987-12-01), Nagata et al.
patent: 5860506 (1999-01-01), Bailey et al.
Bailey Thomas William
Hill Brian
Taylor Robert Howard
Antonelli Terry Stout & Kraus LLP
Molins PLC
Olszewski Robert P.
Tran Thuy V.
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