U.S. patent number 3,721,340 [Application Number 05/088,723] was granted by the patent office on 1973-03-20 for method and apparatus for transporting cigarette packs or the like.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hanni-Werk Korber & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Otto Erdmann, Friedel Kruse, Willy Rudszinat, Gunter Wahle.
United States Patent |
3,721,340 |
Kruse , et al. |
March 20, 1973 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING CIGARETTE PACKS OR THE
LIKE
Abstract
Cigarette packs are transported by the upper stretch of a first
belt to move into the range of a pneumatic overhead conveyor which
transfers some or all of the packs onto one or more additional
belts. The pneumatic conveyor has an apertured disk which is driven
at a constant speed and rotates at a level above the first belt so
that a portion of the disk overlaps the path of oncoming packs. The
disk rotates below one or more suction chambers at least one of
which is normally disconnected from and can be connected to a
suction generating device when a selected pack reaches the disk
whereby the disk cooperates with the suction chamber to lift the
selected pack off the first belt and to transfer it onto another
belt. The selection is made by a circuit employing a detector which
is adjacent to the first belt and serves to produce signals in
response to detection of defective packs or in response to
detection of each pack whereby a timer circuit energizes the
solenoid of a valve which controls the evacuation of air from a
suction chamber above the revolving disk to effect the transfer of
each second or third, etc. pack onto a second belt and the transfer
of all other packs onto a third belt.
Inventors: |
Kruse; Friedel (Hamburg,
DT), Wahle; Gunter (Reinbeck, DT), Erdmann;
Otto (Hamburg, DT), Rudszinat; Willy (Dassendorf,
DT) |
Assignee: |
Hanni-Werk Korber & Co. KG
(Hamburg, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5751793 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/088,723 |
Filed: |
November 12, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 1969 [DT] |
|
|
P 19 58 738.3 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
209/536;
198/370.12; 53/53; 198/438; 198/689.1; 209/587; 209/643 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G
47/917 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B43K
23/00 (20060101); B43K 23/12 (20060101); B65G
47/91 (20060101); B07c 005/342 () |
Field of
Search: |
;209/73,74
;198/31AA,209 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Knowles; Allen N.
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters
Patent is set forth in the appended claims:
1. A method of transporting packs of tobacco-containing articles or
analogous commodities, comprising the steps of conveying a series
of commodities along a first path located in a first plane;
scanning the commodities of said series in said first path;
producing signals in response to detection of selected commodities
in said series; pneumatically lifting the selected commodities of
said series in response to said signals into a second path located
in a second plane which is at least substantially parallel to said
first plane and conveying the thus lifted commodities along at
least a portion of said second path; and the additional step of
transferring commodities from said second path into at least one
further path.
2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said second path is a
substantially circular path.
3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said additional step
comprises transferring commodities from said second path into a
plurality of further paths, and further comprising the step of
conveying the commodities along each of said further paths to
discrete processing stations.
4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of
pneumatically lifting said selected commodities comprises lifting
the commodities by the application of suction and wherein said
signals are utilized to control the application of suction.
5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said scanning step
comprises counting the commodities of said series and wherein the
commodities which are to be lifted into said second path are
selected in accordance with a predetermined schedule.
6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the commodities of said
series include at least two classes of commodities and said
scanning step comprises detecting one of said classes of
commodities.
7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of conveying
the lifted commodities includes continuously moving such
commodities along said portion of said second path.
8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said further path is at
least substantially parallel to said first path.
9. Apparatus for classifying packs of tobacco-containing articles
or analogous commodities, comprising a first conveyor for conveying
a series of commodities along a first path located in a first
plane; a pneumatic overhead conveyor operative to lift at least
some commodities from said first path and to transport the thus
lifted commodities along at least a portion of a second path
located in a plane which is disposed above and is at least
substantially parallel to said first plane, said penumatic conveyor
comprising an air-permeable rotary conveying element and at least
one suction chamber adjacent to said conveying element; and
receiving means for accepting commodities from said pneumatic
conveyor.
10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said receiving means
comprises at least one additional conveyor arranged to transport
commodities along at least one further path.
11. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said element has a
first side facing said first plane and a second side, said suction
chamber having an open side facing said second side and extending
along said portion of said second path.
12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said conveying
element is a rotary apertured disk.
13. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said first conveyor
comprises an endless belt.
14. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said receiving means
comprises at least one further conveyor having an endless belt for
reception of commodities from said pneumatic conveyor.
15. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising selector
means for selecting those commodities which are lifted by said
pneumatic conveyor, said selector means comprising detector means
for scanning the commodities of said series.
16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said detector means
comprises means for producing signals in response to detection of
at least some commodities of said series.
17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said selector means
further comprises means for operating said pneumatic conveyor in
response to at least some of said signals.
18. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said pneumatic
conveyor comprises means for changing the direction of travel of
commodities between said first path and said receiving means.
19. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising means for
continuously rotating said conveying element.
20. Apparatus for transporting packs of tobacco-containing articles
or analogous commodities, comprising a first conveyor for conveying
a series of commodities along a first path located in a first
plane; a pneumatic overhead conveyor operative to lift commodities
from said first path and to transport the thus lifted commodities
along at least a portion of an endless second path located in a
plane which is disposed above and is at least substantially
parallel to said first plane; receiving means for accepting
commodities from said pneumatic conveyor; and selector means for
selecting those commodities which are lifted by said pneumatic
conveyor, said selector means comprising detector means for
scanning the commodities of said series and having means for
producing a signal in response to detection of each commodity of
said series, and counter means for operating said pneumatic
conveyor in response to reception of a predetermined number of
signals from said detector means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for
transporting cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, cheroots, packs of
cigarettes or other rod-shaped tobacco-containing articles and/or
other commodities. More particularly, the invention relates to
improvements in a method and apparatus for transporting cigarette
packs or like commodities which are supplied to the apparatus in
the form of one or more rows or streams.
It is already known to expel from a row or file of cigarette packs
those packs which are defective, contaminated or must be
transported to a testing station. As a rule, such apparatus
comprise pushers or plungers which expel selected packs from the
stream and can introduce a spare pack to take the place of the
expelled pack. U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,862 discloses a packing machine
wherein a pusher is normally blocked by the armature of an
electromagnet and is permitted to move across the path of a row of
cigarette packs in order to expel a selected pack (e.g., a
defective pack) from such path. A drawback of such machines is that
the pusher can be used only when the machine operates
intermittently so as to expel a defective pack during an interval
between two successive movements. This will be readily understood
since the pusher must be withdrawn upon completion of a working
stroke so as to enable the stream of packs to advance along its
path.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved
method of transporting cigarette packs, unconfined
tobacco-containing articles or analogous commodities irrespective
of whether the commodities are transported stepwise or continuously
and regardless of whether the neighboring commodities are located
at the same distance or at different distances from each other.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved
method of converting a single series or stream of commodities into
a plurality of streams or vice versa.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of
segregating defective or uncompleted commodities from a series of
commodities wherein the defective or uncompleted commodities are in
random distribution with satisfactory commodities.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel method
of withdrawing from a series or stream of travelling commodities a
selected number of commodities as desired intervals for the purpose
of spot-testing or the like without interfering with the transport
of remaining commodities in the desired direction.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method
according to which the commodities are treated gently to avoid
smudging, permanent deformation, tearing and/or other defects.
A further object of the invention is to provide a transporting
apparatus which can be readily adjusted or converted for transport
of a variety of commodities, which can be used to segregate
travelling defective commodities from travelling satisfactory
commodities, to divide a single series or stream of travelling
commodities into a plurality of streams or vice versa, to withdraw
from a stream of commodities a selected number of commodities at
selected intervals for the purpose of visual inspection or
automatic testing, or to simply change the direction of travel of a
series of commodities.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which
occupies little room, which can be used with advantage with
presently known and existing processing machines for tobacco and
tobacco-containing products, and which comprises a small number of
relatively simple and compact parts.
An ancillary object of the invention is to provide a transporting
apparatus which can feed the output of a single producing machine
to a plurality of processing machines.
One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a
method of transporting packs of tobacco-containing articles,
unpacked tobacco-containing articles or analogous commodities. The
method comprises the steps of conveying a series (for example, a
single file or row) of commodities along a first path located in a
first plane, preferably in a substantially horizontal plane,
pneumatically lifting at least some commodities of the series into
an endless second path located in a second plane which is
preferably at least substantially parallel to the first plane and
conveying the thus lifted commodities along at least a portion of
the second path, and the additional step of transferring
commodities from the second path into at least one further path.
The second path is preferably a circular path, and the additional
step may comprise transferring commodities from the second path
into two or more further paths wherein the commodities can be
conveyed to discrete processing stations. For example, one of the
further paths can lead defective or unfinished commodities to a
receptacle or to that machine which furnishes commodities to the
first path, and another further path can lead commodities to a
processing machine, such as a carton filling or pack-binding
machine.
The method preferably further comprises the steps of scanning the
commodities of the series in the first path, producing signals in
response to detection of selected commodities of the series
(namely, of each commodity which passes the scanning or detecting
station, of each n-th commodity, or of each defective commodity),
and utilizing at least some of the signals to initiate pneumatic
lifting of selected commodities from the first path. The pneumatic
lifting step preferably comprises lifting the commodities by the
application of suction, and the signals can be utilized to control
the application of suction.
The scanning step may involve simple counting of commodities in the
series of commodities which are conveyed along the first path and
utilizing the signals which are produced in response to detection
of each second or third, etc. commodity to pneumatically lift one
or more commodities which follow the second or third, etc.
commodity.
The commodities of the series which advances along the first path
may include two or more classes of commodities, for example,
satisfactory and defective commodities, and the scanning step may
comprise detecting the defective or satisfactory commodities and
pneumatically lifting the thus detected commodities into the second
path.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the
invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The
improved transporting apparatus itself, however, both as to its
construction and its mode of operation, together with additional
features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon
perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific
embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a transporting
apparatus for cigarette packs which embodies one form of the
invention; and
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a modified
apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The apparatus of FIG. 1 comprises a first conveyor having an
endless belt 1 whose upper stretch transports a series of cigarette
packs 2a and/or 2 along a straight path which is located in a
horizontal or nearly horizontal plane. For example, the belt 1 can
transport cigarette packs from a packing or wrapping machine which
forms and fills the packs and provides each filled and closed pack
with a tax label or stamp 17. A pneumatic overhead conveyor
operates in a second horizontal plane which is located above the
plane of the upper stretch of the belt 1 and serves to lift certain
packs off the belt 1 and to transport such packs along a portion
(about one fourth) of an endless circular path prior to transfer of
the thus lifted and conveyed packs to a receiving conveyor here
shown as including an endless belt 19. For example, the belt 1 can
transport toward the lifting station two classes of packs, namely,
satisfactory packs 2 each of which is provided with a properly
applied tax label 17 and defective or uncompleted packs 2a which
are not provided with tax labels. The belt 19 can transport the
packs 2a back to the packing machine which supplies packs to the
belt 1, to a receptacle, to other collecting means for defective or
uncompleted packs, or to another destination.
The upper stretch of the belt 1 transports satisfactory packs 2
past and beyond the lifting station, for example, to a pack-binding
or carton filling machine, not shown. Such satisfactory packs
travel sideways in the direction indicated by an arrow 4. The arrow
21 indicates the direction of sidewise travel of packs 2a along the
path defined by the upper stretch of the belt 19.
The pneumatic conveyor comprises a stationary suction chamber 11
and a rotary disk-shaped air-permeable conveying element 3 which is
located directly below and moves along the open underside of the
suction chamber. The openings of the disk 3 are shown at 9; this
disk is driven in a clockwise direction (arrow 8) by a transmission
7 having a vertical or nearly vertical output shaft 6.
The suction chamber 11 can be connected to the intake of a suction
generating device SD by a first conduit 12, a solenoid-operated
valve 13, and a second conduit 14. The valve 13 forms part of a
selector unit or control unit which further includes a detector 16,
conductor means 18 for transmission of signals from the detector,
and a time-delay relay 23 which delays the transmission of signals
from the detector 18 to the solenoid 22 of the valve 13. The
detector 16 is preferably a photosensitive detector of known
design, for example, one having a light source which directs a beam
of light against successive packs 2, 2a of the series on the upper
stretch of the belt 1 and a receiver which produces a signal
whenever the light beam is reflected on a tax label 17 or whenever
no such reflection of the light beam occurs. The detector 16 is
preferably of the color-sensitive type. The detector 16 scans the
path which is defined by the upper stretch of the belt 1 and
transmits to the time-delay relay 23 an electric signal whenever it
detects the absence of a tax label 17 on the adjacent packs 2a. The
relay 23 energizes the solenoid 22 with such a delay that the valve
13 opens and connects the chamber 11 with the suction generating
device SD when the respective pack 2a moves into the range of the
pneumatic conveyor.
The operation:
The packing machine discharges a succession of packs 2 and 2a in
random distribution whereby such packs travel with the upper
stretch of the belt 1 as indicated by the arrow 4. The selector
unit is on so that the detector 16 scans the packs for the presence
or absence of tax labels 17 and produces an electric signal
whenever it detects a pack 2a which does not carry a label. Such
signal is transmitted to the relay 23 by way of the conductor means
18 and is delayed for an interval of time which is necessary to
transport the detected pack 2a from the scanning station to the
lifting station (below the suction chamber 11). The relay 23 then
energizes the solenoid 22 which opens the valve 13 to connect the
chamber 11 with the suction generating device SD. The output shaft
6 of the transmission 7 drives the disk 3 at a constant speed,
preferably at a speed corresponding to that of the upper stretch of
the belt 1. As the pack 2a moves below the open underside of the
suction chamber 11, it is attracted by suction against the
underside of the revolving disk 3 and is transported along an arc
of about 90 degrees prior to being deposited onto the upper stretch
of the belt 19. It will be seen that the open underside of the
chamber 11 extends along that portion of the endless second path in
which the packs 2a are transported from the belt 1 to the belt 19.
The energization of solenoid 22 is of short duration, namely, just
long enough to insure that the chamber 11 remains connected with
the suction generating device SD for a period of time which
suffices to transfer the detected pack 2a onto the belt 19 but too
short to enable the pneumatic conveyor to lift and transport the
next-following satisfactory pack 2. Of course, the nature of
signals which are produced by the detector 16 can be such that the
solenoid 22 remains energized without any interruptions if the
detector 16 detects two or more successive packs 2a.
As mentioned above, the belt 19 can return the packs 2a to the
machine which supplies packs 2, 2a to the belt 1 or to another
destination. The satisfactory packs 2 are free to advance past and
beyond the suction chamber 11 and reach a pack-binding or a carton
filling machine, not shown.
In the embodiment which is shown in FIG. 1, the suction chamber 11
extends along an arc of about 90.degree. because the paths defined
by the upper stretches of the belts are substantially normal to
each other. It is clear that the vertical planes for the conveyors
which include the belts 1, 19 can make an obtuse angle as well as
that the belt 19 can be replaced by a receptacle, a chute or other
means for accepting the packs 2a from the pneumatic conveyor. It is
also clear that the suction chamber can overlap a portion of the
upper stretch of the belt 19 so that the packs 2a are positively
held by suction until they reach a position above the belt 19. In
FIG. 1, the dimensions of the suction chamber 11 are such that a
pack 2a which is lifted off the belt 1 is entrained and accelerated
to the extent necessary to cause it to land on the upper stretch of
the belt 19.
The path which is defined by the disk 3 of the pneumatic conveyor
is preferably parallel to the path along which the packs 2 and 2a
are transported by the belt 1. However, the two paths need not be
disposed in two planes which are exactly parallel to each other.
For example, the plane of the disk 3 can be inclined with reference
to the plane of the upper stretch of the belt 1 in such a way that
the lifted commodities 2a cover a distance which exceeds the
vertical distance that a commodity must cover after it is released
by the disk 3 to descend onto the upper stretch of the belt
119.
FIG. 2 illustrates a modified transporting apparatus wherein all
such parts which are identical with or clearly analogous to the
corresponding parts of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by
similar reference characters plus 100. In this embodiment of the
invention, the pneumatic overhead conveyor includes a disk-shaped
conveying element 103 (having openings 109) and two suction
chambers 111, 129 which are separated from each other by a
partition 128. Furthermore, the pneumatic conveyor serves to lift
all packs 102 off the endless belt 101 of the first conveyor and
thereupon segregates the packs into two groups or streams one of
which is delivered onto the upper stretch of the belt 119 and the
other of which is delivered onto the upper stretch of an endless
belt 126 forming part of a second conveyor of the receiving means
for packs. The selector unit or control unit of the second
apparatus comprises a timer circuit 137 which replaces the
time-delay relay 23 and performs the additional function of
selecting those packs 102 which are to be transferred onto the
upper stretch of the belt 126. Such packs are thereupon advanced in
the direction indicated by an arrow 127.
The upper stretch of the belt 101 transports a series of cigarette
packs 102 in the direction indicated by the arrow 104. Such packs
are scanned by a photosensitive detector 136 which is connected to
the timer circuit 137 by conductor means 118. The packs 102 are
lifted off the belt 101 by the disk 103 in cooperation with the
suction chamber 111 are are normally deposited on the upper stretch
of the belt 119 to be transported in the direction indicated by the
arrow 121, for example, to a pack-binding or carton filling
machine, not shown. Certain packs 102 are transported by the disk
103 in cooperation with the suction chambers 111, 129 to be
deposited on the upper stretch of the belt 126 and to be
transported in the direction indicated by the arrow 127, for
example, to a testing device (not shown) which serves to examine
the packs for the presence or absence of tax labels 117 or for the
presence or absence of defects. The detector 136 simply serves to
produce a signal in response to detection of each pack 102 which is
transported by the belt 101, and such signals are stored in and
counted by the timer circuit 137. The latter then energizes the
solenoid 122 of the valve 113 which is installed between the
conduits 112, 114. The conduit 112 is connected to the suction
chamber 129 and the conduit 114 is connected with the suction
generating device SD. The suction chamber 111 is permanently
connected with the suction generating device SD by way of the
conduit 114 and a further conduit 131. The arrangement can be such
that the timer circuit 137 energizes the solenoid 122 to open the
valve 113 and to connect the chamber 129 with the device SD in
response to detection of each second or third or fourth or tenth,
etc. pack 102. The solenoid 122 thereupon remains energized for an
interval of time which suffices to transfer a single pack 102 or
two or more packs onto the belt 126 for transport to the testing
device. Thus, the apparatus of FIG. 2 can be used for spot-checking
of a series of commodities and for withdrawing from the normal path
(including the paths defined by the belts 101, 119 and that portion
of the pneumatic conveyor which includes the disk 103 and suction
chamber 111) at least one commodity after a predetermined number of
commodities (namely, one or more) has been permitted to advance
along the normal path. The withdrawn commodities are transferred
onto the belt 126. The suction chambers 111, 129 are stationary and
the disk 103 is rotatable on a vertical stub shaft 132. The drive
means for the disk 103 comprises a pinion 133 whose teeth mate with
teeth (not shown) provided on the periphery of the disk 103. The
pinion 133 is driven in a counterclockwise direction by the output
shaft 134 of a transmission or motor, not shown. The disk 103
rotates in a clockwise direction (arrow 108) at a constant
speed.
The timer circuit 137 is preferably adjustable so that the person
in charge can select the number of packs 102 which are to be
transferred onto the belt 119 before a pack is caused to be
transferred onto the belt 126 and/or that the person in charge can
select the number of packs 102 which are to be transferred onto the
belt 126 after the transport of n packs onto the belt 119 (n is a
whole number including 1). It can be said that the timer circuit
137 serves to select the sequence in which the packs 102 are being
transferred onto the belts 119 and 126.
The operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is as follows:
The belt 101 receives a series of packs 102 from a packing machine
(not shown) and transports the series along a path (arrow 104)
which is located in a substantially horizontal plane below the
plane of the rotating disk 103. Each pack 102 advances along the
detector 136 which transmits to the timer circuit 137 an electric
signal by way of the conductor means 118 whenever it detects a pack
102. The circuit 137 maintains the solenoid 122 in deenergized
condition while a certain number (one or more) of the packs 102
moves into the range of the suction chamber 111 which is
permanently connected with the suction generating device SD whereby
the disk 103 lifts such packs off the upper stretch of the belt 101
and deposits them on the upper stretch of the belt 119 for
transport along a third path (arrow 121) to a pack-binding or
carton filling machine. The suction chamber 129 cannot interfere
with the deposition of packs 102 onto the belt 119 as long as the
valve 113 remains closed. However, when the circuit 137 receives
from the detector 136 a preselected number of signals, its output
signal energizes the solenoid 122 which opens the valve 113 with a
requisite delay so that a predetermined pack 102 is caused to
adhere to the underside of the disk 103 while the latter moves the
thus attracted pack along the suction chambers 111 and 129. This
causes the pack to land on the upper stretch of the belt 126 and to
be transported (arrow 127) to the testing device for spot checking.
As stated before, the circuit 137 can be designed to cause each
second pack 102 to move onto the belt 126 or to cause m packs 102
to move onto the belt 126 after the transport of n packs onto the
belt 119 (m or n is a whole number including 1). It is normally
sufficient for spot checking to transfer each tenth pack 102 from
the belt 101 onto the belt 126 and to transfer all of the remaining
packs onto the belt 119 for further processing without testing.
In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the path defined by the belt 119 is
substantially normal to the path defined by the belt 101 and
substantially normal to the path defined by the belt 126. It is
clear that the mutual inclination of such paths can be varied at
will, depending on the availability of space and on the mounting of
the packing, testing, pack-binding and/or carton filling means. The
packs which are transported onto the belt 119 travel along
one-fourth of the endless path defined by the disk 103 and the
packs which are transported onto the belt 126 travel along about
one-half of such endless path. If the timer circuit 137 is set to
cause the transfer of each tenth pack 102 onto the belt 126, the
period during which the solenoid 122 is energized is just long
enough to insure that a single pack adheres to the underside of the
disk 103 while the latter covers an angle of about 180.degree. so
that the pack lands on the belt 126.
The timer circuit 127 will be set to energize the solenoid 122 in
response to detection of each second pack 102 if the single series
or row of packs on the belt 101 is to be divided into two streams
or rows of packs one of which travels in the direction indicated by
the arrow 121 and the other of which travels in the direction
indicated by the arrow 127. Such setting of the timer circuit 137
is desirable when the output of a single packing machine which
delivers packs 102 to the belt 101 is to be processed by two carton
filling or pack-binding machines which can be installed close to or
at a desired distance from each other. The exact details of
construction of the timer circuit 137 form no part of the present
invention.
The improved transporting apparatus is susceptible of many
additional modifications without departing from the spirit of our
invention. For example, the detector 16 or 136 can be designed to
scan the packs 2, 102 or analogous commodities (such as discrete
cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars or cheroots) for the presence or
absence of spots, holes in wrappers, unsatisfactory fillers or
filter plugs and/or other defects. The transporting apparatus can
be used to divide a single stream of rod-shaped tobacco-containing
articles into a plurality of streams. It is also within the purview
of the invention to use the apparatus for converting several
discrete streams of commodities into a single stream.
An important advantage of the transporting apparatus is that it can
classify commodities without any damage to their components and
that its operation is not dependent on the rate at which the
commodities are delivered into the range of the pneumatic conveyor.
Thus, the apparatus can be used in connection with machines which
discharge commodities at a regular rate or at different intervals.
Also, the apparatus can change the direction of commodities to a
desired extent and in a small area, regardless of whether it serves
to merely change the direction of travel of a single stream of
commodities or to divide a single stream into several streams. The
apparatus comprises a small number of simple parts and is readily
convertible for the transport of different types of commodities as
well as for spot checking, simple changing of direction, or
dividing into several streams each of which can travel in a
different direction.
The photoelectric detector 16 or 136 can be replaced with a
mechanical scanning device, a pneumatic scanner which transmits
pneumatic signals to a transducer, an electromagnetic scanner or
another detector.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the
gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current
knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without
omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics
of the generic and specific aspects of our contribution to the art
and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be
comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the
claims.
* * * * *