Centering device for rod shaped articles of the tobacco industry

Abstract

A method and an apparatus (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E) for axial centering of a rod-like article (3) or a group of rod-like articles wherein the rod-like article (3) or the group of rod-like articles is conveyed in a flute (4) situated on the circumference of a drum conveyor (5), moreover, the rod-like article (3) or the group of rod-like articles in the successive flutes (4) have the same or varying length, with the apparatus (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E) being provided with pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) of a shifting mechanism axially acting on the rod-like article (3) or the group of rod-like articles so as to change the position of the rod-like article (3) or the groups of articles in the flute (4), characterized in that the coupled pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) make swinging movements having opposite senses, moreover, the pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) have contact surfaces (10A, 13A, 20A, 23A, 30A, 33A, 40A, 43A) adapted to axially act on the rod-like article (3) or the group of rod-like articles, the contact surfaces (10A, 13A, 20A, 23A, 30A, 33A, 40A, 43A) of the pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) being convergently positioned in the direction of movement (T) of the rod-like articles, at least one pusher element (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) being connected with a dynamic element (6, 26, 37, 47) placing the pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) in a position enabling them to axially act on the rod-like articles (3, 3L, 3R) or the groups of rod-like articles conveyed on the drum conveyor (5) so that the centers of the rod-like articles (3) or the groups of rod-like articles are positioned principally in a common plane (S, SL, SR).

Claims

1. An apparatus for axial centering of a rod-like article or a group of rod-like articles that have the same or varying lengths, the apparatus comprising: a drum conveyor; a flute situated on the circumference of the drum conveyor, a shifting mechanism comprising pusher elements configured to axially act on the rod-like article or the group of rod-like articles so as to change the position of the rod-like article or the group of rod-like articles in the flute, wherein the pusher elements are configured to make swinging movements having opposite senses, the pusher elements have contact surfaces adapted to axially act on the rod-like article or the group of rod-like articles when the pusher elements make the swinging movements having opposite sense, with the contact surfaces of the pusher elements being convergently positioned in a conveying direction of the rod-like articles or the group of rod-like articles, with at least one pusher element being connected with a dynamic element placing the pusher elements in a position to axially act on the rod-like articles or the groups of rod-like articles conveyed on the drum conveyor so that the centers of the rod-like articles or the groups of rod-like articles are positioned principally in a common plane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pusher elements are coupled by toothed wheel sectors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pusher elements are coupled by a lever coupling.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pusher elements are coupled by the dynamic element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dynamic element is configured so that the contact surfaces of the pusher elements are shifted towards the ends of the rod-like article.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pusher elements are configured to make swinging movements in the range between 0.5° and 6°.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dynamic element is an element selected from a group comprising a spring, a pneumatic element and a magnet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising immovable guides situated on two sides of the drum conveyor configured so that the rod-like articles or the groups of rod-like articles are provisionally positioned before the contact with the contact surfaces.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising rotary knives situated so that they cut the rod-like articles or the groups of rod-like articles after their centers have been positioned in a common plane.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rotary knives provided to cut the rod-like articles or the groups of rod-like articles are situated behind the pusher elements.

11. A multi-stage unit for cutting rod-like articles of a tobacco industry wherein the rod-like articles or groups of the rod-like articles are conveyed in a flute situated on a circumference of a drum conveyor and are, wherein the rod-like articles or the groups of the rod-like articles in the successive flutes have the same or varying length, the multi-stage unit comprising: a first centering apparatus comprising the apparatus according to claim 1 mating with a first rotary knife so that the rod-like articles or the groups of the rod-like articles are cut in a centering plane into two parts or groups, left and right, the first centering apparatus and the first rotary knife forming a first-stage unit; and at least one second centering apparatus comprising the apparatus according to claim 1 placed behind the first centering apparatus so that it centers respectively at least one of the parts, left or right, of the cut rod-like article or the groups of the cut rod-like articles conveyed in the flute situated on the circumference of the drum conveyor, wherein the second centering apparatus respectively mates with a second rotary knife which cuts the at least one of the two parts or groups, left or right, of the cut rod-like articles or the groups of the cut rod-like articles in a centering plane of such part or group, the at least one second centering apparatus and the second rotary knife forming a second-stage unit.

12. The multi-stage unit of claim 11, comprising at least two second-stage units disposed downstream of the first-stage unit in the direction of conveying of the rod-like articles or the groups of rod-like articles.

13. The multi-stage unit of claim 11, wherein the first-stage unit further comprises a spacing module disposed downstream of the first rotary knife, the spacing module spacing the two parts of the rod-like articles or the two groups of the rod-like articles cut by the first rotary knife.

14. The multi-stage unit of claim 12, wherein the first rotary knife has surfaces provided to space the two parts or groups of the cut rod-like articles, and wherein the second rotary knives of the at least two second-stage units have surfaces provided to space the at least one of the two parts or groups, left or right, cut in the centering plane of such part or group.

Description

(1) The object of the invention has been illustrated schematically in embodiments in a drawing in which

(2) FIG. 1 shows a fragment of a machine comprising a drum conveyor and a centering apparatus in a view in the direction of the axis of the drum conveyor,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a view of the centering apparatus in a first embodiment and a developed view of the lateral surface of the drum conveyor,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view of the centering apparatus in a second embodiment and a developed view of the lateral surface of the drum conveyor,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a view of the centering apparatus in a third embodiment and a developed view of the lateral surface of the drum conveyor,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a view of the centering apparatus in a fourth embodiment and a developed view of the lateral surface of the drum conveyor,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a view of a multi-stage unit for cutting of rod-like articles in a first embodiment and a developed view of the lateral surface of the drum conveyor,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a view of the multi-stage unit for cutting of rod-like articles in a second embodiment and a developed view of the lateral surface of the drum conveyor,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a view of the multi-stage unit for cutting of rod-like articles in a third embodiment and a developed view of the lateral surface of the drum conveyor,

(10) FIG. 9 shows the multi-stage unit for cutting of rod-like articles in the third embodiment in a view in the direction of the axis of the drum conveyor,

(11) FIG. 10 shows a group of rod-like articles,

(12) FIG. 11 shows another group of rod-like articles,

(13) FIG. 12 shows an example of division of a rod-like article,

(14) FIG. 13 shows another example of division of a rod-like article.

(15) A centering apparatus 1 according to the invention may be used for drum conveyors on tobacco industry machines. FIG. 1 shows a drum conveyor 2 comprising a drum 5 adapted to rotate around the axis of rotation X. The drum 5 has, on its circumference, multiple flutes 4 provided to convey rod-like articles 3 transversely to the axis of the rod-like articles 3, the flutes 4 being situated parallel to the axis of rotation X of the drum 5. The rod-like articles 3 are held in the flutes 4 by means of negative pressure supplied through holes made in the bottoms of the flutes 4. The centering apparatus 1 for axial centering of the rod-like article 3 in the flute 4 is situated above the drum 5, whereas the centering apparatus may take any position around the drum 5.

(16) The centering apparatus 1A in a first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is provided with two pusher elements 10 and 13 connected with swinging arms respectively 11 and 14 attached to pivots 12 and 15 attached to the machine body. The swinging arms 11 and 14 may make swinging movements around the axes Z and Y. The arms 11 and 14 are coupled with each other by means of toothed wheel sectors 16 and 17 so that the arms 11 and 14 may make swinging movements in opposite directions (the directions corresponding to the movement of the contact surfaces 10A and 13A towards the ends of the rod-like article 3 are shown with arrows in FIG. 1). A dynamic element in the form of a spring 6, which is attached to the machine body and causes the pressing of the contact surfaces 10A and 13A of the pusher elements respectively 10 and 13 against the ends of the rod-like article 3, acts on the hook attached to the arm 14, the contact surfaces 10A and 13A being situated convergently for the movement of the rod-like articles in the conveying direction T. The contact surfaces 10A and 13A are situated symmetrically to the symmetry plane S, with each such contact surface being deflected at an angle α.

(17) The rod-like articles 3 may have varying lengths within a tolerance range allowable in the article manufacturing process. After placing the articles 3 in the flutes 4 of the drum 5, the geometric centers of the articles conveyed in the flutes 4 are not situated in one plane. The resultant position of the ends of the rod-like articles 3 relative to the lateral surfaces 7 and 8 of the drum 5 was described by way of example with the dimensions d1 and d2. During the movement of the rotary drum 5 in the conveying direction T, the ends of each rod-like article 3 come into contact with the convergently positioned contact surfaces 10A and 13A. The force exerted by the spring 6 acts on the arms 11 and 14 and is transferred by the pusher elements 10 and 13 through the contact surfaces 10A and 13A to the rod-like article 3, which causes the centering of the rod-like article 3, i.e. the geometric centers of individual articles will be situated in one plane S irrespective of the actual length of the articles. As a result of centering, the distances of the ends of the rod-like article 3 to the lateral surfaces 7 and 8 of the drum 5 will be equalized to the value d for both ends, and the ends will be equidistant from the symmetry plane S by the dimension e equal to a half of the article length. Due to a random initial location of the centers of the articles relative to the plane S and to varying lengths of the rod-like articles 3, the pusher elements 10 and 13 are swung to a different degree and make swinging movements in the range between 0.5° and 6°, whereas for a longer article and for an article being more asymmetrically placed in the flute of the drum the contact surfaces 10A and 13A act on the rod-like article with a greater force.

(18) The centering apparatus 1B shown in FIG. 3 in a second embodiment is provided with the pusher elements 20 and 23 having concave contact surfaces respectively 20A and 23A acting on the ends of the rod-like articles 3. The pusher elements 20 and 23 are attached to the swinging arms 21 and 24 which are self-aligning and attached to the pivots 22 and 25. The swinging arms 21 and 24 are mechanically coupled with each other by means of a resilient element 26 whose position relative to the arms 21 and 24 is fixed by means of holding elements 27. A dynamic element in the form of the resilient element 26 in the form of a metal plate or a wire, apart from the coupling of the arms 21 and 24 ensuring making of swinging movements in opposite directions, ensures pressing of the contact surfaces 20A and 23A against the ends of the rod-like articles 3 because the bending of this resilient element 26 will cause an increase of the pressing force acting on the ends of the rod-like article 3. In this embodiment, the centering apparatus is further provided with two immovable guides 28 and 29 situated on two sides of the drum conveyor 2 and configured so that the rod-like articles 3 or the groups of rod-like articles are provisionally positioned in the flute 4 of the conveyor drum 5 before the contact with the contact surfaces 20A and 23A.

(19) The centering apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 4 in a third embodiment is provided with the pusher elements 30 and 33 having convex contact surfaces respectively 30A and 33A. The contact surfaces 30A and 33A are convergent in the direction of movement T of the rod-like articles 3. The pusher elements 30 and 33 are attached to the swinging arms 31 and 34 which are self-aligning and attached to the pivots 32 and 35. The swinging arms 31 and 34 are mechanically coupled with each other by means of a strand 36. The swinging arms 31 and 34 connected by an articulated joint and the strand 36 form a lever mechanism 38 ensuring making swinging movements in opposite directions. The pressing of the contact surfaces 30A and 33A against the ends of the rod-like articles 3 is ensured by a pneumatic actuator 37 whose piston rod is attached to the strand 36. In this case, the force acting on the rod-like article 3 may remain at a principally constant level.

(20) The centering apparatus 1D shown in FIG. 5 in a fourth embodiment is provided with the pusher elements 40 and 43 to which rotating pushing rollers 45 and 46 are attached. During the movement of the rod-like article 3 in the direction T, the corresponding parts of the circumferential contact surfaces 45A and 46A positioned convergently relative to the direction T push the ends of the rod-like articles in order to position them symmetrically to the symmetry plane S. The pusher elements 40 and 43 are attached to the swinging arms 41 and 44 which are self-aligning and attached to the pivots 42 and 45. The swinging arms are coupled with each other by means of toothed wheel sectors situated at the ends of the arms 41 and 44. On the element 46, attached to the swinging arm 44, acts a dynamic element in the form of a magnet 47 whose task is to force the movement of the pushing rollers 45 and 46 in the direction of the ends of the rod-like article.

(21) FIG. 6 shows a multi-stage unit for cutting the rod-like articles used on the drum conveyor on a tobacco industry machine. In this embodiment, the cutting takes place in two stages, i.e. at two units. The first-stage unit C1 of the multi-stage cutting unit comprises the centering apparatus 1A and a rotary knife 51.

(22) The second-stage unit C2 of the multi-stage cutting unit comprises at least one centering apparatus 1E designed similar to the apparatus 1A and at least one rotary knife 51. The centering apparatus 1E is adapted with its dimensions to a half of the length of the rod-like article 3. The multi-stage unit for cutting the rod-like articles may also be composed of other centering apparatuses described above. The multi-stage unit shown in FIG. 6 is provided to cut the rod-like article 3 into four parts; at the first-stage unit C1 the rod-like article 3 is centered relative to the plane S and cut into two parts left part 3L and right part 3R. The left part 3L is centered relative to the plane SL and cut into two parts left part 3LL and right part 3LR. The right part 3R is centered relative to the plane SR and cut into two parts left part 3RL and right part 3RR. The rod-like article 3, during the movement on the drum conveyor 2, is centered relative to the plane S and cut by the rotary knife 51; the formed parts 3L and 3R are spaced using spacing means, for example in the form of a spacing wedge 52. Similarly, at the second-stage unit the part 3L is centered relative to the plane SL and cut by the rotary knife 51; the formed parts 3LL and 3LR may be spaced by means of the spacing wedge 52. The part 3R is centered relative to the plane SR and cut by the rotary knife 51; the formed parts 3RL and 3RR may be spaced by means of the spacing wedge 52. The parts formed during the cutting may be spaced using other known spacing means, for example in the form of known slidable segments holding the parts by negative pressure. In the embodiment shown, the parts 3L and 3R are cut on one drum conveyor 5. A similarly designed multi-stage unit for cutting the rod-like articles was shown in FIG. 7, with the spacing means being integrated with the rotary knife 54 in the form of a thickening of the central part of the knife. Such thickening may be designed as conical rollers 55 attached to the flat rotary knife, with the conical angle of the rollers 55 being obtuse to facilitate the spacing of cut parts.

(23) It is possible to design the multi-stage cutting unit on separate conveyor drums as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The first cutting stage is carried out on the drum 5A by means of the centering apparatus 1A. After cutting the rod-like article 3 with the rotary knife 51 into two parts 3L and 3R, at the second cutting stage, the parts 3L remain on the drum 5A and are centered by means of the centering apparatus 1EL. The parts 3LL and 3LR formed as a result of cutting the part 3L with the knife 51 are transferred to the drum 5D. The parts 3R are transferred from the drum 5A to the drum 58 and, at the second cutting stage, are centered by means of the centering apparatus 1ER. The parts 3RL and 3RR formed as a result of cutting of the part 3R with the knife 51 are transferred to the drum 5C.

(24) FIGS. 10 and 11 show the groups of rod-like articles which may be centered by means of the centering apparatus according to the invention and cut by means of the multi-stage cutting unit according to the invention.

(25) FIG. 12 shows an example of division of the rod-like article 3. The unit provided to carry out such division has three stages. The designation 61 indicates a rod-like article cut into eight parts.

(26) The centering of the rod-like article ensures a repeatable situation of the rod-like article in the flute of the drum. After the centering, the article may be cut into any number of parts. FIG. 13 shows the division of the rod-like article 3 into five parts, the designation 62 indicates the rod-like article cut into five parts, the unit provided to carry out such division has two stages, whereas at the first stage two rotary knives are used.