GB1203663A - Automatic feeding and ordering device for cigarettes or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

1,203,663. Endless conveyers; feeding cigarettes. AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO. 31 May, 1968 [7 July, 1967], No. 26220/68. Headings B8A and B8S. An automatic feeding device for rod-like articles S for use in a packaging machine having an endless conveyer' on which is carried a plurality of containers 8 for receiving the articles and a hopper having a plurality of serially arranged channels 11, for distributing a plurality of said articles to the container, comprises means 65 mounted at the end of each of the channels for removably supporting the articles thereon and means 68 mounted on each of the containers for removing an article from each of the support means 68 and causing it to drop into the container 8 as it moves past the channel. As shown, each container 8 has three compartments 108, 208, 308, which are successively filled by three respective series (110), (210), (310); (Fig. 1A and 1B, not shown) of channels 11. As a given container 8 proceeds under the channels 11 of the first series (110), a slidable cage 57 has a cover 157 which has an opening positioned above the leading container compartment, i.e. 108. As the compartment 108 passes beneath the first of the channels 11 of the series (110), four laterally spaced members 68 push the lowest cigarette from the support 65, off from the latter and into the channel (Figs. 3, 4 and 5). The arms 68 co-operate with a stop member 71 carried by a spring 72. The latter permits the member 71 to pass under the support 65 (Fig. 3) and rise again to operative position (Fig. 4). The support 65 has a guide surface 66 for guiding the cigarette being fed from the previous support 65 (Fig. 5). A cigarette is fed in this way into the compartment 108 from each successive channel 11 of the series (110) as the container 8 passes beneath them. As the container 8 moves towards the series (210) a cam follower roller 61 on a bell crank 359, 59, connected to the cage 57, at 259, moves down a sloping section of a cam 74. This causes the cage to move rearwardly and position the inlet opening above the second compartment 208. In this way the second compartments 208 of the containers are successively filled as they pass under the channels 11 of the series (210). Similarly the third compartments 308 are filled under the channels of the series (310). The bottoms of each of the compartments of each container are formed by respective plungers 52, each of which is on a stem 53. At the bottom of the latter is a cam follower 61. The cam followers 61 corresponding to the plungers 52 of the leading compartment 108, bear on a cam 173 which causes the plungers to lower progressively as the compartments 108 are filled. Similar cams (273) and (373) (Figs. 1A and 1B, not shown) control the plungers of the compartments 208 and 308. The cigarettes may be retained on the supports 65 by the action of a vacuum conduit 67. The pusher members 68 may be lowered (by means not shown) if it is desired to prevent feed from a given series of channels.