Method And Machine For The Making Of Cigarette Packs Or The Like

Abstract

A packing machine wherein blocks of cigarettes are wrapped to form packs and/or wherein cigarette packs are provided with transparent outer envelopes comprises intermittently operated conveyors for envelopes and their contents. The conversion of tinfoil, paper and/or transparent plastic blanks into envelopes involves a series of treatments including one or more treatments each of which can be completed within a first period whose length equals the sum of an interval of stepwise movement and an interval of dwell of the respective conveyor, and one or more second treatments each of which can be completed within a longer second period. When the machine receives a stop signal, its operation continues until after the completion of a treatment which is in progress when the stop signal is being produced, regardless of whether the started treatment is a first or a second treatment. Consequently, all blanks which undergo treatment at the time a stop signal is being produced are processed to a degree which is necessary to insure that such blanks need not be discarded when the machine is started again.

Parent Case Text

CROSS - REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part of the commonly owned copending application Ser. No. 84,727 filed Oct. 28, 1970, now abandoned for "Method and Apparatus for the Production of Containers for Tobacco-Containing Products".

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in a method and machine for the making of containers for cigarettes or other smokers' products. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a method and machine for the making, filling, sealing and/or other treatment of soft packs or other types of containers or receptacles for commodities which can constitute blocks or groups of arrayed rod-shaped articles, such as plain or filter-tipped cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or the like. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a method and means for controlling or regulating the treatment of component parts of containers and/or their contents in automatic or semiautomatic production lines for smokers' products.

Our copending application Ser. No. 84,727 discloses a method and an apparatus for the manipulation of containers, components of containers and contents of containers, particularly for the making, filling and treatment of packs for groups or blocks of rod-shaped tobacco-containing articles or analogous commodities. The method which is disclosed in said application comprises transporting containers, components of containers and the contents of containers stepwise for first intervals of time and maintaining the containers, their components and their contents at rest for second intervals which alternate with the first intervals. At least the containers and/or their contents are subjected to a plurality of treatments each of which is started during a period which equals the sum of one of the first and one of the second intervals and can be completed prior to elapse of the respective period, and invariably completing each treatment once it is started. Thus, when a packing machine for cigarettes or the like receives a signal to stop its operation, the machine is arrested only after the elapse of the period during which the stop signal has been produced to thus insure that a treatment which was in progress at the time of generation of a stop signal is completed in order to reduce the number of rejects when the machine is started again. Such mode of operation is particularly important when a treatment involves the application and/or setting of adhesive which is likely to dry on prolonged stoppage of the machine and cannot furnish a satisfactory bond when the machine is started again.

In certain types of packing or other consuming machines for tobacco-containing products, one or more treatments require for completion relatively long periods of time. Thus, and assuming that a packing machine for plain or filter cigarettes is operated in stepwise fashion, certain treatments of the components of packs and/or their contents can require for completion a period of time which is much longer than the sum of an interval of stepwise movement and an interval of rest of the conveyors and/or other moving parts of the packing machine. For example, the setting of adhesive which has been applied to a paper blank to be converted into an envelope of a so-called soft pack for cigarettes often requires a period of time which is a whole multiple of the sum of an interval of stepwise advance and an interval of rest. If the machine is arrested prior to completed setting of adhesive on such blanks, the adhesive is likely to dry during the period of idleness of the machine and cannot furnish a satisfactory bond when the machine is restarted. The same holds true for many types of packing machines which are used to provide soft or hard packs of cigarettes or the like with transparent outer envelopes having customary tear strips. In order to properly bond the overlapping and overlapped portions of a transparent synthetic plastic blank which forms an outer envelope to each other, it is often necessary to repeatedly heat selected portions of such envelopes by means of welding electrodes or the like. If the operation of such packing machine is interrupted subsequent to completion of the first sealing step but prior to completion of the last sealing step, the outer envelope is very unlikely to provide an airtight seal around the inner envelope or envelopes of the pack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of manipulating the components and/or contents of containers for cigarettes or the like in such a way that the manipulation can be terminated or interrupted only upon completion of all critical treatments which, if not completed when the manipulation is interrupted or terminated, are likely to cause the production of defective empty and/or filled containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method according to which the making, processing and/or filling of containers for cigarettes or the like can be interrupted only when the interruption does not affect the quality of ultimate products regardless of whether certain treatments require relatively short and certain treatments require relatively long periods of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved machine which is constructed and assembled in such a way that its moving parts can be arrested or disconnected from one or more prime movers only at a time when the machine has completed all such treatments or series of treatments which were in progress at the time of generation of a stop signal.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a production line which embodies one or more machines of the just outlined character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved arrangement for controlling the operation of a packing machine for cigarettes or cigarette packs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved packing machine for plain or filter-tipped rod-shaped smokers' products which is constructed and assembled in such a way that the generation of a stop signal can result in a termination of operation only when all components of packs and/or their contents are processed to a degree which invariably insures that the products which are obtained upon restarting of the machine are just as satisfactory as the products which were turned out prior to stoppage.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a machine for the application of transparent outer envelopes to packs containing cigarettes or other smokers' products which can be arrested only at a time when all components of outer envelopes are processed to a degree which insures the formation of satisfacotry outer envelopes immediately prior to as well as immediately following an interruption of the operation.

The method of the present invention is resorted to for the manipulation of containers and their contents, particularly for the making, filling and treatment of packs for tobacco-containing articles or analogous commodities. The method comprises the steps of subjecting at least the containers to a plurality of treatments including at least one first treatment whose completion necessitates a first period of time (for example, if the machine which is utilized for the practice of the method is operated in stepwise fashion, the first period of time may equal the sum of one or more (m) intervals of movement and one or more (m) intervals of rest of the moving parts of the machine) and at least one second treatment whose completion necessitates a different second period of time (for example, a multiple of the sum of n+m intervals of movement and n+m intervals of rest, n and m being whole numbers including one), and invariably completing each such treatment once the treatment is started. Each second period may be a whole multiple of a first period.

The method may further comprise the steps of conveying a series of commodities (e.g., blocks or groups of arrayed plain or filter-tipped cigarettes or soft cigarette packs) along a first path, transferring successive commodities of such series into a second path, and introducing into the second path a container for each transferred commodity. The step of subjecting the containers to a plurality of treatments then takes place while the containers are located in the second path. One of the treatments may include introducing the commodites into the respective containers. The just described embodiment of the method may further comprise the steps of interrupting the transfer of commodities into the second path and simultaneously terminating the introduction of containers into the second path so that the number of containers in the second path following the interrupting step equals the number of commodities in the second path. Still further, such method may comprise the steps of conveying successive commodities from the first path into a third path in response to interruption of the transfer of commodities into the second path, and storing the commodities which enter the third path, for example, by introducing such commodities into a suitable magazine which collects the commodities during the period of interruption of delivery of containers or their components into the second path.

The basic method of the present invention may further comprise the steps of transferring successive containers of a series of such containers into a predetermined path, introducing into such path a commodity for each of the thus transferred containers, and interrupting the transfer of containers into the path. The step of subjecting the containers to a plurality of treatment takes place while the containers are located in the path. The introduction of commodities into the path can be terminated with such a delay following the interrupting step that the path accommodates a commodity for each of the containers therein, or the introduction of commodities can be continued after the termination of admission of containers and the completed introduction of commodities into each of the thus admitted containers. This renders it possible to dispense with the aforementioned storing step.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved machine 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 plan view of a production line which includes two series-connected producing machines and two series-connected consuming machines, the consuming machines being constructed, assembled, operated and controlled in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary partly side elevational and partly vertical sectional view of the first consuming machine, substantially as seen in the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4a and 4b are perspective views of the first consuming machine which constitutes a packing machine for filter cigarettes;

FIG. 4c is a perspective view of a first detail in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 4d is a perspective view of a second detail in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the control arrangement for the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side elevational view of the second consuming machine which serves to apply transparent outer envelopes to cigarette packs issuing from the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the second consuming machine, of a conveyor which delivers packs to the second consuming machine, and of a magazine which receives packs from the first consuming machine when the second consuming machine is idle; and

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of the control arrangement for the second consuming machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a production line which is utilized for the manufacture of packs containing filter cigarettes. The production line comprises two series-connected producing machines 5001, 5002 and two series-connected consuming machines 5012, 5013. The ultimate products which issue from the production line are packs of filter cigarettes each of which comprises three envelopes and the outermost envelope is provided with a customary tear strip. The first producing machine 5001 is a cigarette rod making machine which is of the type known as GARANT produced by the West-German Firm Hauni-Werke, Korber & Co., KG, of Hamburg-Bergedorf. The output of the cigarette rod making machine 5001 is delivered to the second producing machine 5002 which is a filter cigarette making of filter tipping machine known as MAX, also produced by the Hauni-Werke of Hamburg-Bergedorf, Western Germany.

The connection between the producing machines 5001 and 5002 is established by a rotary transfer conveyor here shown as a drum 5003 which is provided with axially parallel peripheral flutes receiving plain cigarettes from the outlet of the machine 5001 and serving to convert such plain cigarettes into pairs of axially aligned cigarettes which travel sideways and are delivered to the filter cigarette making machine 5002. It is clear that the illustrated producing machines can be replaced by other types of producing machines without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, one of the producing machines can be omitted; for example, the producing machine 5002 can be omitted if the production line of FIG. 1 is to be utilized to introduce arrays of plain cigarettes into soft or hard packs which are thereupon provided with transparent outer envelopes with or without tear strips.

The first consuming machine 5012 is a cigarette packing machine which is designed to produce so-called soft packs 5041 (see, for example, FIG. 4c) and to fill such soft packs with arrays of filter cigarettes. The packing machine 5012 comprises a magazine 5004 which is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The magazine 5004 serves for storage of filter cigarettes 5022 (FIG. 3) of unit length which are being delivered to the magazine by a conveyor belt 5023 receiving the output of the filter cigarette making machine 5002. The magazine 5004 is designed to accumulate stacks of filter cigarettes 5022 and cooperates with a reciprocable transfer member or pusher 5007 which is movable in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 5006 and serves to expel from the magazine groups or blocks 5008 of filter cigarettes 5022. The groups 5008 which are being expelled from the magazine 5004 are introduced into successive cells 5009 of an endless transporting conveyor chain 5011 which serves to deliver such groups to a transfer station A5' shown in FIG. 4b. The packing machine 5012 serves to produce empty soft packs 5041, to introduce a group 5008 of 20 filter cigarettes 5022 into each soft pack 5041, to thereupon close the open ends of the thus obtained filled packs 5201, to apply to the freshly closed top end of each pack 5201 a revenue label 5202 (FIG. 4b), and to deliver the thus obtained labelled pack to the second consuming machine 5013. The latter provides the packs 5201 with transparent envelopes in a manner to be described in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7.

Referring now in detail to FIGS. 2 and 3, the magazine 5004 of the first packing machine 5012 comprises a receptacle or hopper 5014 the lower portion of which is formed with three parallel vertical ducts 5018, 5019 and 5021 each of which can accumulate a stack or row of parallel filter cigarettes 5022. For the sake of convenience, the filter cigarettes 5022 will hereinafter be referred to as cigarettes. The upper portion of the hopper 5014 has a lateral inlet for the discharge end of the conveyor belt 5023 which delivers cigarettes 5022 from the filter cigarette making machine 5002. The aforementioned pusher 5007 constitutes the piston rod of a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 5383 which is illustrated in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the pusher 5007 has three plate-like prongs each of which can penetrate into a different one of the ducts 5018, 5019, 5021 when the pusher 5007 performs a working stroke (upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 3). The drive means for the transporting chain 5011 includes a motor or prime mover M which is shown in FIG. 5. This motor drives the chain 5011 intermittently so that an interval of lengthwise movement of the chain is followed by an interval of rest or dwell. The pusher 5007 performs working and return strokes while the transporting chain 5011 is at rest and while the ducts 5018, 5019, 5021 of the magazine 5004 register with an empty cell 5009. The transporting chain 5011 is trained over two spaced apart sprocket wheels 5027 and 5033 (the latter sprocket wheel is shown in FIG. 4b). As shown in FIG. 2, the sprocket wheel 5027 has sockets 5026 which can receive portions of the cells 5009 so that the transporting chain 5011 cannot slip relative to the sprockets 5027 and 5033. The sprocket wheel 5033 which rotates stepwise in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 5032 is formed with similar sockets 5034. The links of the transporting chain 5011 are shown at 5024.

The magazine 5004 is provided with a detector assembly or monitoring means which serves as a level indicator for the supply of cigarettes 5022 in the hopper 5014. This monitoring means includes a set of three photoelectric detectors 5028, 5029, 5031. The uppermost detector 5028 produces a signal when the supply of cigarettes 5022 in the hopper 5014 rises to a predetermined maximum level, and the detector 5031 produces a signal when the supply of such cigarettes descends to a predetermined lowermost level. The median detector 5029 is located substantially midway between the levels of the detectors 5028 and 5031. Each of these detectors comprises a light source which is mounted in one side wall of the hopper 5014 and a photosensitive element which is mounted in the other side wall of the hopper in registry with the respective light source. The detectors 5028, 5029, 5031 form part of a control arrangement 5375 which is illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 4a and 4b, there are illustrated certain component parts of the first consuming or packing machine 5012. This machine comprises a turret-shaped conveyor 5036 which partially overlaps the second sprocket wheel 5033 for the chain 5011 and is provided with a set of equidistant radially extending chambers 5039. The conveyor 5036 serves as a condensing or compacting device for the groups 5008 of cigarettes 5022 so as to reduce the dimensions of each such group to a size which is best suited for introduction into a freshly finished open-ended empty soft pack 5041. The transfer of groups 5008 into the chambers 5039 of the compacting conveyor 5036 takes place at the transfer station A5' which accommodates a transfer member or pusher 5037 serving to perform working strokes while the compacting conveyor 5036 and the transporting chain 5011 are at a standstill and while a filled cell 5009 of the transporting chain 5011 registers with an empty chamber 5039 of the compacting conveyor 5036. The exact construction of the compacting conveyor 5036 forms no part of the present invention. A similar conveyor is disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 1,680,163. The path along which the groups 5008 are being transported by the transporting device including the chain 5011 and the compacting conveyor 5036 is shown at U5.

The packing machine 5012 further comprises a second transporting device which includes two turret-shaped conveyors 5042 and 5179. These turrets respectively define endless paths V5 and Y5 wherein the components of soft packs 5041 and finished empty packs 5041 advance in stepwise fashion during a series of treatments the final result of which is the formation of finished packs 5201 each of which is provided with a revenue label 5202. The turret 5042 is provided with a set of equidistant radially outwardly extending axially parallel hollow forming blocks or mandrels 5043. These mandrels serve as a means for facilitating the conversion of two different types of blanks into inner and outer envelopes of open-ended empty soft packs 5041. The making of open-ended packs 5041 is completed on the turret 5042, and such packs are thereupon transferred onto the second turret 5179 at a transfer station B5. As shown in FIG. 4d, each mandrel 5043 comprises a hollow body or shell which defines a recess or compartment 5054, and each mandrel is provided with a reciprocable pack stripping member or plunger 5056 which can be moved beyond the front end of the recess 5054 to thereby remove the finished empty pack 5041 at the transfer station B5.

The packing machine 5012 also comprises two sources of blanks which are respectively denoted by the reference characters 5069 and 5131. The source 5069 serves to supply to the mandrels 5043 of the turret 5042 blanks which are obtained by intermittent severing of a web 5073 of tinfoil. Such web is being withdrawn from a supply reel, not shown, and is being fed across the path of successive mandrels 5043 along a path W which extends substantially radially of the path V5. One of the tinfoil blanks is shown in FIG. 4a in a partly deformed or converted condition, as at 5071. The source 5069 comprises a feeding device 5072 which includes two intermittently driven advancing or feeding rolls flanking the path W and serving to advance predetermined lengths of the web 5073 radially toward the axis of the turret 5042. The source 5069 further comprises a severing device which includes a reciprocable knife 5076 serving to subdivide the web 5073 into a series of tinfoil blanks 5071. Still further, the source 5069 comprises two draping elements or wings 5084, 5086 which cooperate with oncoming mandrels 5043 to convert freshly severed tinfoil blanks 5071 into substantially tubular bodies which surround four sides of the respective mandrels and are open at both ends. The draping elements 5084, 5086 constitute two components of a converting means forming part of the packing machine 5012 and serving to convert tinfoil and paper blanks into inner and outer envelopes of prefabricated open-ended soft packs 5041. Such converting means further comprises several stationary and movable components which are adjacent to the path V5 and subject the blanks to a plurality of successive treatments for the purpose of converting such blanks into the respective envelopes of empty open-ended soft packs 5041. A converting component 5127 which constitutes a folding member is pivotable at predetermined intervals and is located downstream of a station B5' where the tinfoil blanks 5071 enter the path V5. The folding member 5127 serves to fold one long flap at one end of the tinfoil tube which is formed by the draping elements 5084 and 5086 around the respective mandrel 5043. The folding member 5127 is followed by a stationary folding member 5129 which folds the other long flap at the one end of the tinfoil tube on the oncoming mandrel 5043.

The stationary folding member 5129 is followed by a transfer station B5" were the second source 5131 delivers successive prefabricated paper blanks 5132 into the path V5 so that such paper blanks are entrained by and draped around the oncoming mandrel 5043. The paper blanks 5132 are stored in a magazine 5133 of the source 5131 and each thereof is preferably provided with printed matter or other indicia representing the name of the manufacturer, the trademark of the manufacturer or other information. The lowermost paper blank 5132 is being withdrawn from the magazine 5133 at regular intervals by a withdrawing roller here shown as a suction drum 5134 and a blank which is in the process of being withdrawn from the magazine 5133 is provided with strips of adhesive by a coating roller 5143 which forms part of a conventional paster 5139. The paster 5139 comprises a tank for a supply of liquid adhesive and a roller 5142 which withdraws a film of adhesive from the tank and transfers such adhesive onto selected portions of the peripheral surface of the coating roller 5143. The roller 5143 transfers strips of adhesive to selected portions of those paper blanks 5132 which are in the process of being withdrawn from the magazine 5133 by the withdrawing roller or suction drum 5134. The source 5131 further comprises two narrow air-permeable bands 5137a, 5137b which transport freshly withdrawn and freshly coated paper blanks 5132 in front of a reciprocable draping member 5146 adjacent to the path V5 at the transfer station B5".

The draping member 5146 comprises a substantially U-shaped portion which is moved radially toward the axis of the turret 5042 while the latter is at a standstill and while the transfer station B5" accommodates a mandrel 5043 with a partially deformed tinfoil blank 5071 thereon. The draping member 5146 thereby transfers a paper blank 5132 from the bands 5137a, 5137b onto the adjacent mandrel 5043 and converts such paper blank into a U-shaped body which surrounds three sides of the tube formed by the partially deformed tinfoil blank 5071. The just described draping member 5146 constitutes another component of the aforementioned converting means in the packing machine 5012. Such converting means further includes a pivotable folding member 5153 which folds one longitudinally extending marginal portion of the U-shaped paper blank 5132 on the adjacent mandrel 5043. A further pivotable folding member 5154 folds the other longitudinally extending marginal portion of the blank 5132 so as to convert such blank into a tube which surrounds the tinfoil tube on the respective mandrel 5043. The pivotable folding members 5153, 5154 are followed by a reciprocable tucking device 5161 which serves to fold the short flaps or tucks at the partially closed end of the tinfoil tube and the corresponding short flaps or tucks on the paper tube surrounding the adjacent mandrel 5043. The tucking device 5161 is operated intermittently in synchronism with movements of the turret 5042 so as to provide the adjacent blanks 5071, 5132 with pairs of tucks while the respective mandrel 5043 is at a standstill.

The tucking device 5161 is followed by a pivotable folding member 5173 which folds one long flap at the partially closed end of the adjacent paper tube, and the folding member 5173 is followed by a preferably heated stationary folding member 5176 which is adjacent to an elongated stretch of the path V5 and folds the other long flap at the partially closed end of the adjacent paper blank to thus complete the formation of an open-ended empty soft pack 5041 before such pack reaches the transfer station B5. The exact details of the converting means in the packing machine 5012 are described and shown in our aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 84,727 to which reference may be had if necessary.

The transfer station B5 accommodates a transfer unit 5175 which transfers empty packs 5041 from the mandrels 5043 of the turret 5042 into the pockets 5178 of the turret 5179. The arrangement is such that the unit 5175 transfers an empty pack 5041 into a pocket 5178 of the turret 5179 only when such empty pack is certain to receive a group 5008 of cigarettes 5022 which are being transferred from the compacting conveyor 5036 by a further transfer unit or pack filling device 5187 located at a transfer station C5. The transfer station C5 is located downstream of the transfer station B5, as considered in the direction of rotation of the turret 5179.

The details of the transfer unit 5175 are illustrated in FIG. 4d. This transfer unit comprises a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 5063 having a body 5064 for a reciprocable piston provided with a piston rod 5062 which can displace the plunger 5056 of the mandrel 5043 at the transfer station B5 to thereby strip a freshly formed empty pack 5041 off such mandrel and to transfer it into the registering pocket 5178 of the turret 5179.

The converting means of the packing machine 5012 comprises additional components which are adjacent to the path Y5 along which the pockets 5178 of the turret 5179 move on their way toward and past the pack filling or transfer station C5. As mentioned before, the pack filling device 5187 transfers compacted groups 5008 or cigarettes 5022 from the chambers 5039 of the compacting conveyor 5036 into successive pockets 5178 at the transfer station C5. The details of the pack filling unit 5187 are illustrated in FIG. 4c. This unit comprises a transfer member or pusher 5188 mounted on a rod 5189 forming part of a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 5421 shown in the lower right-hand portion of FIG. 5. The pack filling unit 5187 further comprises a movable mouthpiece 5192 which is located in front of the pusher 5188 and serves to facilitate the introduction of a condensed group 5008 into the adjacent empty pack 5041. The mouthpiece 5192 is actuatable by an electromagnet 5426 which is shown in the lower right-hand portion of FIG. 5. When the pusher 5188 is to perform a working stroke so as to transfer a condensed group 5008 into the adjacent empty pack 5041, the electromagnet 5426 is energized to move the mouthpiece 5192 into immediate proximity of the inlet end of the adjacent pocket 5178 of the turret 5179.

The aforementioned converting means of the packing machine 5012 further comprises a substantially ring-shaped cover or retaining member 5186 which is adjacent to one side of the path Y5 and extends all the way from a point located slightly upstream of the transfer station B5 to a further transfer station A5" where the finished packs 5201 are expelled from the pockets 5178 for delivery into an applicator 5199 shown in the lower portion of FIG. 4b. The purpose of the applicator 5199 is to provide each pack 5201 with a revenue label 5202. The retaining member 5186 seals one end of each pocket 5178 during travel of such pocket along that portion of the path Y5 wherein the filled packs 5041 undergo further treatment to be closed at their other or second ends before they reach the transfer station A5". The pack filling station C5 is followed by a tucking device 5194 which is preferably analogous to the aforementioned tucking device 5161 and serves to fold the pairs of short flaps or tucks at the open ends of successive packs 5041 travelling along the stationary retaining member 5186. The tucking device 5194 is followed by a pivotable folding member 5196 which folds one long flap at the open ends of successive packs 5041, and the member 5196 is followed by a stationary folding member 5198 which folds the other long flap at the open end of each pack 5041 in the path Y5 to thus convert each pack 5041 into a filled pack 5201. The folding member 5198 is preferably heated so as to promote the setting of adhesive which has been applied by the coating roller 5143.

The aforementioned applicator 5199 comprises a magazine 5213 for a stack of revenue labels or tax stamps 5202. Such labels are being withdrawn by a ram 5211 which is rotatable about a vertical axis in front of the magazine 5213 and serves to transport successively withdrawn revenue labels 5202 along a paster 5217. Such paster provides the exposed surfaces of the labels 5202 with coats of an adhesive so as to facilitate the application of labels to and their retention on the finished pack 5201. The ram 5211 is movable radially of its disk-shaped carrier so that it can fold the end portions of a freshly coated revenue label against the adjacent major panels of the pack 5202 at the transfer station A5". The transfer station A5' accommodates a reciprocable transfer member or pusher 5204 which can expel packs 5201 from the pockets 5178 of the turret 5179 to introduce such packs into successive pockets 5006 of a four-armed revenue label turret 5207. This turret moves the packs 5201 into register with the ram 5211 of the applicator 5199 for the reception of revenue labels 5202. The means for withdrawing packs 5201 from the pockets 5206 of the turret 5207 comprises a reciprocable piston rod 5218 which is provided with a pivotable entraining projection 5219 and can transfer packs 5201, each provided with a revenue label 5202, onto an endless take-off conveyor belt 5203. The belt 5203 serves to transport packs 5201 to the second consuming or packing machine 5013. The applicator 5199 further comprises an ejector nozzle 5221 which serves to expel from the upper stretch of the belt 5203 those packs 5201 which are defective, and more particularly to remove from the belt 5203 groups 5008 of cigarettes 5022 which are not accommodated in packs 5041.

The packing machine 5212 further comprises a second detector 5222 which is adjacent to the compacting conveyor 5036 and scans the chambers 5039 for the presence or absence of groups 5008. The detector 5222 preferably comprises a light source and a photosensitive element which produces a signal when the light beam from the source is free to pass through the adjacent chamber 5039; this indicates that the respective chamber is empty. If desired, the detector 5222 can be designed in such a way that a light source directs a beam of light against the adjacent end of the chamber 5039. If the chamber is filled with a group 5008 of cigarettes 5022, the beam is reflected onto a photosensitive element and the element does not produce a signal. However, if the chamber is empty, the beam is not reflected by a group 5008 and the associated photosensitive element then produces a signal which is transmitted to certain parts of the control arrangement 5375 shown in FIG. 5. The distance between the detector 5222 and the pack filling station C5 is the same as the distance between the stations B5, C5. In the illustrated embodiment, the portion of the path U5 between the detector 5222 and the station C5 can accommodate three groups 5008, and the portion of the path Y5 between the stations B5, C5 can accommodate three empty packs 5041.

The aforementioned motor M (see FIG. 5) of the production line can drive the conveyors of the packing machine 5012 by way of an electromagnetic clutch 5232 which is shown in FIG. 5. The arrangement is such that the clutch 5232 is engaged when it is disconnected from an energy source and that the clutch is disengaged when its winding is energized. The clutch 5232 drives the various conveyors through the intermediary of one or more suitable transmissions in such a way that the conveyors are moved in stepwise fashion, i.e., that an interval of movement of each conveyor is followed by an interval of dwell or rest. The transmission or transmissions may comprise one or more conventional Geneva mechanisms one of which is shown in FIG. 12 of the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 84,727.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there are shown various elements of the control arrangement 5375 which regulates the operation of the packing machine 5012. This control arrangement regulates the operation of the pusher 5007 which expels groups 5008 of cigarettes 5022 from the magazine 5004, the operation of the clutch 5232 which connects the motor M with various conveyors and other movable parts of the packing machine 5012, the operation of the transfer unit 5175 of FIG. 4d, and the operation of the pusher 5188 of FIG. 4c. Still further, the control arrangement 5375 controls the movements of the mouthpiece 5192 shown in FIG. 4c. It is to be noted that the control arrangement 5375 also regulates the movements of various components of the converting means in the packing machine 5012 of FIGS. 4a and 4b. All details of the control arrangement 5375 are not shown in FIG. 5 because they are identical or analogous with the corresponding elements of the control arrangement shown in FIGS. 13a and 13b of the copending application Ser. No. 84,727. Such components of the converting means are operated in synchronism with the conveyors of the packing machine 5012 so that they perform their operations either while the respective conveyors of the packing machine are in motion or while the conveyors are at a standstill.

The control arrangement 5375 comprises a switch 5099 which is driven by the motor M in a manner not shown in FIG. 5. The mounting of the switch 5099 is such that this switch is closed by a rotary cam or the like whenever the various conveyors of the packing machine 5012 are at a standstill, and that the switch 5099 is open when the conveyors are in motion. The signals which are produced in response to closing of the switch 5099 (this switch can be called a timer or pulse-forming switch) are transmitted to a pulse shaper 5101 which converts each pulse into a substantially rectangular pulse as shown in the upper left-hand portion of FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 shows five control units 5701, 5376, 5386, 5387 and 5417 of the control arrangement 5375. The control unit 5376 controls the operation of the pusher 5007. This control unit includes the photoelectric detectors 5029, 5031 in the magazine 5004. These detectors serve as signal generators to initiate or terminate the operation of the pusher 5007. The control unit 5376 further comprises a logical circuit 5377 of the type known as AND-gate and a logical circuit 5704 of the type known as OR-gate. One input of the AND-gate 5337 is connected with the pulse shaper 5101 and one input of the OR-gate 5704 is connected with the detector 5031. The output of the AND-gate 5377 is connected with one input of a circuit 5379 known as flip-flop, and the flip-flop 5379 is connected with the solenoid of an electropneumatic valve 5382 by way of an amplifier 5381. The valve 5382 controls the aforementioned double-acting pneumatic cylinder 5383 which includes a piston rod constituting the aforementioned pusher 5007 for transferring groups 5008 of cigarettes 5022 from the magazine 5004 of the packing machine 5012. The output of the OR-gate 5704 is connected with one input of a second flip-flop 5378 and the output of the flip-flop 5378 is connected with the other input of the AND-gate 5377. A resetting switch 5384 can be actuated by the piston which moves the pusher 5007 when the pusher completes a working stroke, and the switch 5384 then transmits a signal to a signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5379. The construction of the flip-flop 5379 is such that, when it receives a signal from the switch 5384, such signal predominates and terminates the transmission of signals to the amplifier 5381. The setting input of the flip-flop 5378 is connected with the detector 5029 and the erasing input of the flip-flop 5378 is connected to the output of the OR-gate 5704. The arrangement is such that, when the erasing input of the flip-flop 5378 receives a signal from the OR-gate 5704, such signal predominates and terminates the transmission of a signal to the AND-gate 5377 irrespective of whether the erasing signal is transmitted simultaneously with a setting signal from the detector 5029.

The control unit 5386 of the control arrangement 5375 regulates the operation of the clutch 5232. This control unit comprises a manually operable starter switch 5391 and a manually operable arresting switch or emergency stop switch 5392. The control unit 5386 further comprises an OR-gate 5388 having an input connected with the switch 5391 and an output connected with one input of a flip-flop 5393. The latter has an output which is connected with the winding of the clutch 5232 by way of an amplifier 5394. The switch 5392 can transmit signals to one input of an OR-gate 5389 which is connected with the other input of the flip-flop 5393. The OR-gates 5388 respectively connect the control unit 5386 with the adjoining control units 5376 and 5387.

The control unit 5387 regulates the operation of the piston rod 5062 which forms part of the double-acting pneumatic cylinder 5063 in the transfer unit 5175 of FIG. 4d. This control unit includes the detector 5222 which is adjacent to the compacting conveyor 5036 of the packing machine 5012. The detector 5222 can transmit signals to an AND-gate 5404 which is connected with the error signal input 5408 of a counter circuit 5407. The counter circuit 5407 has a signal erasing input 5409 which is connected with the output of an AND-gate 5406 one input of which is connected with the pulse shaper 5101. The latter is also connected with the other input of the AND-gate 5404. The detector 5222 is further connected with a NO-gate 5397 whose output is connected with the AND-gate 5406 and with a further AND-gate 5399. The latter forms part of the control unit 5387 and is connected with one input of a flip-flop 5401 which is connected with a solenoid of an electropneumatic valve 5403 by way of an amplifier 5402. The valve 5403 regulates the operation of the double-acting cylinder 5063 whose body is shown at 5064. When the piston rod 5062 completes a working stroke, it actuates a resetting switch 5405 which transmits a resetting signal to the flip-flop 5401 of the control unit 5387.

The counter circuit 5407 counts the number of groups 5008 which are being transferred from the chain 5011 to the chambers 5039 of the compacting conveyor 5036. The input 5408 of the counter circuit 5407 receives a signal when the detector 5222 detects the absence of a group 5008 in the adjoining chamber 5039. The input 5409 of the counter circuit 5407 receives signals when the detector 5222 detects the presence of a group 5008. The construction of the counter circuit 5407 is such that, when the error signal input 5408 receives a series of eight successive signals, indicating the absence of groups 5008 in eight successive chambers 5039 or the compacting conveyor 5036, the output of the counter circuit 5407 transmits a signal to the respective input of the OR-gate 5389 in the control unit 5386 for the clutch 5232.

The control unit 5417 of the control arrangement 5375 comprises two branches which respectively include flip-flops 5418 and 5423. One input of each of these flip-flops is connected with the pulse shaper 5101. The flip-flop 3418 is connected with the solenoid of an electropneumatic valve 5422 by way of an amplifier 5419. The valve 5422 regulates the operation of the cylinder 5421 which reciprocates the rod 5189 of the pusher 5188 shown in FIG. 4c. A resetting switch 5427 is actuated by the piston in the cylinder 5421 when the rod 5189 completes a working stroke whereby the switch 5427 resets the flip-flops 5418 and 5423. The output of the flip-flop 5423 is connected with the aforementioned electromagnet 5426 by way of an amplifier 5424. As mentioned above, the electromagnet 5426 serves to move the mouthpiece 5192 of the pack filling unit 5187 shown in FIG. 4c.

The control unit 5701 of the control arrangement 5375 comprises a manually operable electric switch 5702 which is connected with one input of a flip-flop 5703. The other input of the flip-flop 5703 is connected with the manually operable starter switch 5391 in the control unit 5386, and the output of the flip-flop 5703 is connected with one input of the OR-gate 5704 in the control unit 5376. The purpose of the control unit 5701 is to allow for an interruption of the transfer of groups 5008 into the cells 5009 of the transporting chain 5011. Such interruption takes place when the operator closes the normally open switch 5702.

The pulse shaper 5101 is directly connected with the AND-gates 5377, 5404, 5406 and 5399. Furthermore, the pulse shaper 5101 is connected with the flip-flops 5418 and 5423 of the control unit 5417.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown the second consuming or packing machine 5013 which provides each satisfactory pack 5201 with a transparent envelope having a tear strip. The packing machine 5013 comprises a first turret-shaped conveyor 5711 which is provided with four equidistant chambers 5712 each designed to accommodate a pack 5201. The packing machine 5013 further comprises two additional turret-shaped conveyors 5713 and 5714. A transfer unit 5757 which serves to transfer packs 5201 from the aforementioned take-off conveyor belt 5203 is illustrated in FIG. 7 and will be described later. The purpose of the transfer unit 5757 is to normally introduce consecutive packs 5201 into successive chambers 5712 of the first conveyor 5711.

The packing machine 5013 further comprises a source of wrapping material here shown as a web 5716 of transparent synthetic plastic material. The source comprises a feeding device including two driven advancing or feeding rolls 5717 and 5718 which draw the web 5716 from a reel 5719. The web which is being paid out by the reel 5719 passes through a conventional splicing device 5722 on its way toward the nip between the advancing or feeding rolls 5717 and 5718. FIG. 6 further shows a spare reel 5721 whose leader is introduced into the splicing device 5722 and is automatically spliced to the trailing end of the expiring web 5716 on the reel 5719 when the supply of web on the reel 5719 is about to be exhausted. A tear strip cutting and applying device 5723 is disposed between the splicing device 5722 and the advancing rolls 5717, 5718. The exact construction of the device 5723 forms no part of the present invention; it suffices to say that the device 5723 provides longitudinally spaced portions of the web 5716 with tear strips which facilitate removal of transparent envelopes from the packs 5201.

The advancing roll 5717 cooperates with a cutting device here shown as a rotary knife 5724 which provides selected portions of the web 5716 with slits in order to facilitate the folding, tucking and other manipulations which result in conversion of transparent blanks obtained on subdivision of the web 5716 into transparent envelopes surrounding the packs 5201. A transfer drum 5726 is disposed between the advancing roll 5717 and the first conveyor 5711 of the packing machine 5013. The transfer drum 5726 cooperates with a cutter 5727 which severs the web 5716 at regular intervals to form a succession of transparent blanks which are thereupon transferred onto the periphery of the conveyor 5711 at a transfer station B6. The transfer station B6 coincides with an assembling station C6 where the successively formed transparent blanks meet successive cigarette packs 5201 in consecutive chambers 5712 of the conveyor 5711. Each blank which is transferred onto the conveyor 5711 at the assembling station C6 overlies the open outer end of the adjacent chamber 5712 and the outer end of the pack 5201 in such chamber. The conveyor 5711 rotates intermittently in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 6, and transports successive packs 5201 into register with a mouthpiece 5729 which is located at the transfer station between the conveyors 5711 and 5713. The means for expelling packs 5201 from successive chambers 5712 so that such packs are caused to pass through the mouthpiece 5729 comprises a reciprocable transfer member or pusher 5728 whose operation is regulated by a control arrangement 5775 shown in FIG. 8. During passage through the mouthpiece 5729, the transparent blank which registers with the pack 5201 in front of the pusher 5728 is converted into a U-shaped body and is introduced into one of several equidistant hollow mandrels 5731 of the second conveyor 5713. Each mandrel 5731 is provided with two side walls 5732 which confine the packs 5201 in the respective mandrels and also serve to fold in the two small flaps at the inner ends of the packs, as considered radially of the second conveyor 5713. The mandrels 5731 transport the packs 5201 and the corresponding transparent blanks past a stationary folding member 5734 which folds over one longitudinally extending marginal portion of each U-shaped transparent blank. The stationary folding member 5734 is preceeded by a pivotable folding member 5733 which is closely adjacent to the mouthpiece 5729 and folds the other longitudinally extending marginal portion of the transparent blank which has passed through the mouthpiece. Thus, when a pack 5201 advances beyond the stationary folding member 5734, the corresponding transparent blank is converted into a tubular body which is open at both ends.

The stationary folding member 5734 is followed by a sealer 5736 which comprises two angularly spaced welding electrodes 5737 and 5738. The purpose of the electrodes 5737, 5738 is to bond the overlapping and overlapped marginal portions of the tubular blank to each other so that the marginal portions cannot move apart during subsequent treatment of the respective pack and the envelope therearound.

The second welding electrode 5738 of the sealer 5736 is followed by a folding device 5739 which tucks in the other two short flaps at both ends of successive packs 5201. Furthermore, the folding device 5739 folds one long flap at each longitduinal end of the pack 5201 which approaches the transfer station between the conveyors 5713 and 5714. The means for expelling packs 5201 from successive mandrels 5731 comprises a reciprocable transfer member or pusher 5742 whose operation is controlled by the control arrangement 5775 of FIG. 8 and which serves to introduce such packs, together with the partially completed transparent envelopes therearound, into successive pockets 5741 of the third conveyor 5714. The conveyor 5714 is flanked by two stationary folding members 5743 which complete the folding of the remaining two long flaps at both ends of each pack 5201 which moves beyond the transfer station accommodating the folding device 5739. Thus, once a pack 5201 advances beyond the folding member 5743, it is completely surrounded by a properly formed transparent envelope, and such envelope is thereupon welded during transport past a second sealer 5744 which comprises three twin welding electrodes 5746, 5747 and 5748. Each of the electrodes 5746-5748 comprises a pair of welding elements which flank the packs 5201 in the pockets 5741 of the conveyor 5714. The sealer 5744 with several pairs of welding elements is desirable in order to insure that the overlapping flaps and tucks at both ends of successive packs 5201 cannot open after the packs are expelled from the pockets 5741. The conveyors 5711, 5713, 5714 are rotated in stepwise fashion, i.e., each interval of transport is followed by an interval of rest or dwell. Whenever the conveyor 5714 is at rest, a different pack 5201 registers with each of the three welding electrodes 5746, 5747, 5748 so that the flaps and tucks at both ends of each freshly formed transparent envelope are subjected to three successive bonding actions.

The means for expelling finished packs 5749 from the pockets 5741 of the conveyor 5714 comprises a transfer member or pusher 5751 which transfers successive packs 5749 onto a conveyor 5752. The conveyor 5752 is adjacent to an ejecting device 5753 which is mounted at or close to a transfer station A6" accommodating the aforementioned pusher 5751. The purpose of the ejecting device 5753 is to remove from the conveyor 5752 those packs 5749 which are not provided with properly formed and sealed transparent envelopes. The composite path along which the packs 5201 move during transport by the conveyors 5711, 5713, 5714 is indicated by a phantom line Y6.

The motor M which drives the conveyors 5711, 5713, 5714 in stepwise fashion is shown in FIG. 8. This motor is preferably the same motor which drives the packing machine 5012. The tear strip applying device 5723 of FIG. 6 is also operated intermittently and applies to successive portions of the web 5716 tear strips during the intervals of idleness of the conveyors 5711, 5713, 5714. The control arrangement 5775 of FIG. 8 actuates the pushers 5728, 5742, and 5751 while the respective conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714 are at rest. The same holds true for the welding electrodes 5737, 5738 and 5746, 5747, 5748 of the sealers 5736 and 5744.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown the aforementioned transfer units 5757 which serves to transfer packs 5201 from the take-off conveyor belt 5203 into successive chambers 5712 of the first conveyor 5711 of the packing machine 5713. The path along which the conveyor 5203 transports packs 5201 is shown by a phantom line, as at U6. The transfer of packs 5201 into the chambers 5712 of the conveyor 5711 takes place at a transfer station A6'. The transfer unit 5757 comprises a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 5758 having a body 5759 connected to a suitable source of compressed gas and accommodating a piston with a piston rod 5761 which carries a pusher 5762. A detector 5763 (e.g., a normally open electric switch) is mounted at the transfer station A6' above the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203 to detect the presence of packs 5201. The conveyor belt 5203 is driven in stepwise fashion by the motor M shown in FIG. 8. If desired, the conveyor belt 5203 can receive motion from the transmission for the packing machine 5012.

The conveyor 5203 further serves to deliver cigarette packs 5201 into the range of a second transfer unit 5769 which is located upstream of the transfer unit 5757, as considered in the direction of movement of the upper stretch of the belt 5203. The purpose of the transfer unit 5769 is to introduce packs 5201 into a magazine 5764 whenever the packs cannot or should not be transferred into successive chambers 5712 of the first conveyor 5711 in the packing machine 5013. For example, the magazine 5764 will begin to receive packs 5201 when the clutch which drives the packing machine 5013 is disengaged so that the conveyor 5711 is idle. In the illustrated embodiment, the magazine 5764 comprises a set of platforms 5768 mounted on one or two chain conveyors (not shown) and defining elongated horizontal compartments 5767 each of which can receive a full row or series of packs 5201. The chains for the platforms 5768 are mounted in a stationary frame 5766 of the magazine 5764. The transfer unit 5769 for introduction of rows of packs 5201 into successive compartments 5767 of the magazine 5764 comprises a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 5772 having a body 5773 which is connected with a source of compressed gas and accommodates a reciprocable piston having a piston rod 5774 supporting an elongated plate 5771. When the plate 5771 performs a working stroke, namely, when the plate 5771 moves in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. 7, it transfers a row of for example six packs 5201 from the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203 into the registering compartment 5767 of the magazine 5764. The details of a magazine which can be used in connection with the packing machine 5013 are described in German printed publication No. 1,586,087 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,555.

The operation of the transfer unit 5769 is initiated by a detector 5776, preferably a photosensitive detector, which is mounted above the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203 and generates signals when it detects packs 5201 on the adjacent portion of the belt 5203.

The control arrangement of FIG. 8 is denoted by the reference character 5775 and comprises a plurality of cooperating control units 5779, 5818, 5793, 5802 and 5811. The first control unit 5779 controls a cluth 5781 which forms part of the packing machine 5013 and is arranged to couple the motor M with several movable parts (including the conveyors 5711, 5713, 5714) when its winding is deenergized. The control unit 5793 controls a second clutch 5799 which also forms part of the packing machine 5013 and can disengage the advancing or feeding rolls 5717, 5718 and the knife 5724 from the motor M. The control unit 5802 controls the transfer unit 5757 which delivers packs 5201 into successive chambers 5712 of the conveyor 5711. The control unit 5811 controls the transfer unit 5769 for introduction of packs 5201 into the magazine 5764. The advancing or feeding rolls 5717, 5718 of FIG. 6 are analogous to the rolls of the feeding device 5072 shown in FIG. 4b. Thus, the rolls 5717, 5718 also serve to deliver blanks into a path wherein the blanks are converted into envelopes or containers for smokers' products. Once a freshly formed transparent blank reaches the transfer drum 5726, it cannot be prevented from entering the path Y6 at the transfer station B6.

Referring again to FIG. 8, the control arrangement 5775 further comprises a switch 5777 which is closed at regular intervals by a cam on a shaft driven by the motor M when the packing machine 5013 is in operation. The arrangement is such that the switch 5777 produces a signal whenever the conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714 of the packing machine 5013 are idle. The signals furnished by the switch 5777 are transmitted to a pulse shaper 5778 which converts each such signal into a substantially rectangular pulse. The rectangular pulses are transmitted to components of certain control units which form part of the control arrangement 5775.

The control unit 5779 controls the clutch 5781 which normally connects the motor M with the conveyors and certain other movable parts of the packing machine 5013. This control unit comprises a counter circuit 5782 which is connected with a flip-flop 5784, and the flip-flop 5784 is connected with the winding of the clutch 5781 through the intermediary of an amplifier 5786. The input 5787 of the counter circuit 5782 is connected with an AND-gate 5788. A signal erasing second input 5789 of the counter circuit 5782 is connected with a manually operable starter switch 5791 which is further connected with a second input of the flip-flop 5784 and can be actuated to start the packing machine 5013 by deenergizing the winding of the clutch 5781 whereby the clutch connects the motor M with the conveyors and certain other movable parts of the machine 5013. The setting of the counter circuit 5782 is such that, when its input 5787 receives a series of nine successive signals, its output transmits a signal to the OR-gate 5783, and such signal is transmitted to the flip-flop 5784 whereby the latter terminates the transmission of a signal to the amplifier 5786. The winding of the clutch 5781 ss deenergized and the clutch thereby connects the motor M with the corresponding driven parts of the packing machine 5013. The control unit 5779 further comprises a second manually operable switch 5792 which is an emergency stop switch. This switch is actuated when the operator wishes to disconnect the motor M from the packing machine 5013. As shown in FIG. 8, the emergency stop switch 5792 can transmit a signal to one input of the OR-gate 5783 which causes the flip-flop 5784 to energize the winding of the clutch 5781 whereby the clutch disconnects the motor M from the packing machine 5013.

The control unit 5793 of the control arrangement 5775 serves to control the second clutch 5799 which can connect the motor M with the components 5717, 5718 and 5724 of the packing machine 5013. Thus, the control unit 5793 controls the feed of wrapping material to the first conveyor 5711 of the packing machine 5013. The control unit 5793 includes the aforementioned detector 5763 which is mounted above the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203 at the transfer station A6' shown in FIG. 7. The signal which is prduced by the detector 5763 is transmitted directly to the signal erasing input of a flip-flop 5798. Furthermore, the detector 5763 is connected with the other input of the flip-flop 5798 by way of a NO-gate 5794, and OR-gate 5796 and an AND-gate 5797. The output of the flip-flop 5798 is connected with the winding of the clutch 5799 by way of an amplifier 5801.

The control unit 5802 of the control arrangement 5775 controls the operation of the transfer unit 5757 shown in the upper portion of FIG. 7. As explained before, the transfer unit 5757 delivers packs 5201 from the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203 into successive chambers 5712 of the conveyor 5711 in the packing machine 5013. This control unit 5802 comprises a NO-gate 5803 which is connected with one input of a flip-flop 5806 by way of an AND-gate 5804. The output of the flip-flop 5806 is connected with the solenoid of an electropneumatic valve 5808 by way of an amplifier 5407. The valve 5808 controls the flow of a pressurized fluid to and from the chambers in the body 5759 of the pneumatic cylinder 5758 in the transfer unit 5757. The signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5806 is connected with a resetting switch 5403 which is actuated by the piston in the cylinder 5758 when the piston completes a forward stroke, namely, when the pusher 5762 has completed the transfer of a pack 5201 from the conveyor belt 5203 into the adjacent chamber 5712.

The control unit 5811 controls the transfer unit 5769 which serves to introduce rows of packs 5201 from the conveyor belt 5203 into successive compartments 5767 of the magazine 5764 shown in FIG. 7. This control unit comprises the aforementioned detector 5776 which is mounted above the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203. The detector 5776 can transmit signals to one input of an AND-gate 5812 which is connected with one input of a flip-flop 5813. The output of the flip-flop 5813 is connected with the solenoid of an electropneumatic valve 5816 through the intermediary of an amplifier 5814. The valve 5816 controls the flow of a gaseous fluid into and from the chambers in the body 5773 of the cylinder 5772 in the transfer unit 5769. When the piston in the body 5773 completes a forward stroke, it actuates a resetting switch 5817 which transmits a signal to the signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5813.

The control unit 5818 comprises a manually operable switch 5819 which is connected to one input of a flip-flop 5821. The other input of the flip-flop 5821 is connected to the manually operable starter switch 5791 in the control unit 5779, and the output of the flip-flop 5821 is connected to one input of the AND-gate 5788 as well as to the OR-gate 5796 of the control unit 5793, to the NO-gate 5803 of the control unit 5802, and to the AND-gate 5812 of the control unit 5811. When the switch 5819 is closed, the control unit 5818 deactivates the transfer unit 5757 and it simultaneously starts the transfer unit 5769 and terminates the admission of wrapping material to the conveyor 5711 simultaneously with disengagement of the clutch 5781 which rotates the conveyors and certain other parts of the packing machine 5013.

FIG. 8 shows that the pulse shaper 5778 is connected with the AND-gate 5788 of the control unit 5779, with the AND-gate 5797 of the control unit 5793 and with the AND-gate 5804 of the control unit 5802.

The operation of the production line shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 is as follows:

Referring to FIG. 1, the output of the first producing machine 5001 is fed into the flutes of the transfer drum 5003 which rotates continuously and converts a single file of plain cigarettes of unit length issuing from the machine 5001 into two rows of plain cigarettes which move sideways and enter the second producing machine 5002. The machine 5002 introduces between each pair of axially aligned plain cigarettes a filter stub or plug of double unit length and provides the thus obtained assembly of three coaxial rod-shaped elements with an adhesive-coated uniting band so as to convert the assembly into a filter cigarette of double unit length. The filter cigarettes of double unit length are thereupon severed midway between their ends so that each thereof yields two filter cigarettes 5022 of unit length. One filter cigarette 5022 of unit length of each such pair is thereupon inverted end-for-end and all filter cigarettes of unit length are caused to form a single row wherein the cigarettes travel sideways. Such single row of filter cigarettes 5022 of unit length is received by the conveyor belt 5023 which transports the cigarettes into the hopper 5014 of the magazine 5004 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The motor M of FIGS. 5 and 8 preferably drives all movable component parts of the two producing machines 5001, 5002 and all movable component parts of the two consuming machines 5012, 5013. As shown in FIG. 5, the motor M can drive the packing machine 5012 by way of the clutch 5232, and as shown in FIG. 8, the motor M can drive the movable parts of the consuming machine 5013 by way of the clutches 5781 and 5799. It is assumed that the clutches 5232 and 5781 are engaged. Thus, it is assumed that the attendant has actuated the starter switch 5391 of the control unit 5386 in the control arrangement 5375 of FIG. 5. The signal which is produced on actuation of the starter switch 5391 is transmitted to the OR-gate 5388 which transmits a signal to the signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5393. Therefore, the output of the flip-flop 5393 ceases to transmit a signal to the winding of the clutch 5232 which becomes deenergized so that the clutch 5232 connects the motor M with the driven parts of the first consuming or packing machine 5012. The clutch 5781 of FIG. 8 is engaged in response to actuation of the switch 5791 which transmits a signal to the signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5784 in the control unit 5779 of the control arrangement 5775. The signal at the output of the flip-flop 5784 disappears so that the winding of the clutch 5781 becomes deenergized and the clutch 5781 connects the motor M with the corresponding driven parts of the second consuming or packing machine 5013. The light source of the detector 5029 in the hopper 5014 of the magazine 5004 shown in FIG. 2 is covered by the cigarettes 5022 so that the detector 5029 transmits a signal to the setting input of the flip-flop 5378 in the control unit 5376 of FIG. 5. The output of the flip-flop 5378 transmits a signal to one input of the AND-gate 5377 which is further connected with the output of the pulse shaper 5101. The switch 5099 produces periodic impulses in synchronism with intermittent movements of the moving parts in the packing machine 5012, and such signals are shaped by the pulse shaper 5101 and transmitted to the other input of the AND-gate 5377 in the control unit 5376 of FIG. 5. Since the clutch 5232 is engaged, the motor M drives the transmission of the packing machine 5012, and such transmission transmits intermittent movements to the turret 5042, to the movable parts of the blank source 5069, to the rolls of the feeding device 5072, to the movable parts of the blank source 5131, to the turret 5179, to the compacting conveyor 5036, to the sprocket wheel 5033 which drives the transporting chain 5011, and to the turret 5207 of the revenue label applicator 5199.

The pulses which are produced by the pulse shaper 5101 of FIG. 5 are further transmitted to the control units 5387 and 5417 of the control arrangement 5375. When the right-hand input of the AND-gate 5377 receives a signal simultaneously with a signal from the flip-flop 5378, its output transmits a signal to the setting input of the flip-flop 5379. The output of the flip-flop 5379 then transmits a signal to the solenoid of the valve 5382 by way of the amplifier 5381. The valve 5382 admits a compressed gaseous fluid from a suitable source to the upper chamber of the double-acting cylinder 5383 whereby the piston of the cylinder moves downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 5, and causes the pusher 5007 to perform a working stroke so that the prongs of the pusher 5007 expel a group 5008 of twenty filter cigarettes 5022 from the ducts in the lower portion of the hopper 5014. The group 5008 which is expelled from the hopper 5014 is introduced into the registering cell 5009 of the transporting chain 5011. The chain 5011 is at a standstill when the pusher 5007 performs a working stroke. The groups 5008 of cigarettes 5022 are shown in the customary array of twenty cigarettes each, namely, two outer layers of seven cigarettes each and an intermediate layer of six cigarettes. The cigarettes of the intermediate layer are preferably staggered relative to the cigarettes of the two outer layers so that the cigarettes form what is known as a quincunq formation. When the pusher 5007 completes its working stroke, the piston in the cylinder 5383 actuates the resetting switch 5384 which transmits a signal to the erasing input of the flip-flop 5379. Consequently, the signal at the output of the flip-flop 5379 disappears and the solenoid of the valve 5382 is deenergized. Therefore, a conventional spring causes the valve member of the valve 5382 to connect the lower chamber of the cylinder 5383 with the source of pressurized fluid so that the pusher 5007 performs a return stroke and withdraws its prongs from the adjacent ducts of the hopper 5014. The same procedure is repeated again and again in response to each signal from the pulse shaper 5001, i.e., in response to each signal which th pulse shaper 5101 transmits to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 5377.

The transporting chain 5011 transports the freshly transferred groups 5008 in stepwise fashion toward the transfer station A5' between the chain 5011 and the compacting conveyor 5036 of the packing machine 5012. At the transfer station A5', successive groups 5008 are transferred into successive chambers 5039 of the compacting conveyor 5036. Such transfer is effected by the pusher 5037. The manner in which the pusher 5037 transfers groups 5008 into the chambers 5039 is not shown in FIG. 4b. Reference may be had to the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 84,727. The groups 4008 which are introduced into the chambers 5039 are compacted in a conventional manner so that their volume is reduced to the extent necessary to insure convenient introduction into empty soft packs 5041.

An empty soft pack 5041 is manufactured on the turret 5042 of the packing machine 5012 in the following way:

It is assumed that the turret 5042 is empty, namely, that the mandrels 5043 do not carry blanks and/or empty packs 5041. The source 5069 draws the web 5073 of tinfoil from the aforementioned reel whereby such web advances along the path W which extends between the rolls of the feeding device 5072. The knife 5076 performs periodic working strokes to sever the web 5073 at regular intervals and to form a succession of tin-foil blanks 5071. The foremost blank 5071 adheres to the draping elements 5084, 5086 and is transported radially inwardly of the turret 5042 into the path (V5) of the oncoming empty mandrel 5043. The mandrel 5043 engages the blank 5071 and entrains it so that the blank is draped around the mandrel and advances therewith toward the transfer station B5". The empty mandrel 5043 which approaches the transfer station B5' moves between the draping elements 5084, 5086 and strips the blank 5071 off such draping elements simultaneously with conversion of the originally flat blank 5071 into a substantially U-shaped body. The mandrel 5043 is thereupon arrested with the turret 5042 and the draping elements 5084, 5086 move relative thereto so as to transform the U-shaped tinfoil blank into a tubular body. A welding or bonding of the overlapping marginal portions of the tubular body is not necessary because the tinfoil is sufficiently stiff to retain its shape in response to deformation first by the mandrel 5043 and thereupon by the draping elements 5084, 5086.

The mandrel 5043 is then advanced by a step and moves into the range of the pivotable folding member 5127 whereby the member 5127 folds one long flap at one end of the tubular body. The mandrel 5043 is advanced again to move along the stationary folding member 5129 whereby the member 5129 folds the other flap at the one end of the tubular body. This nearly completes the closing of the one end of the tinfoil body; however, the two small transversely extending short flaps or tucks still project from the one end of the mandrel 5043. Such narrow flaps are thereupon folded by the tucking device 5161 subsequent to transport of the mandrel 5043 beyond the transfer station B5".

While the mandrel 5043, with a tinfoil blank 5071 thereon, approaches the transfer station B5", the air-permeable bands 5137a, 5137b of the source 5131 withdraw a paper blank 5132 from the magazine 5133 whereby such blank advances along the path X and selected portions thereof are coated with adhesive by the roller 5143 of the paster 5139. The paper blanks 5132 are of substantially rectangular shape, and the roller 5143 provides one longitudinally and one transversely extending portion of each paper blank with a strip of adhesive paste. The adhesive-coated paper blank 5132 comes to rest at the station B5" between the adjacent mandrel 5043 (which carries a partially deformed tinfoil blank 5071) and the reciprocable draping member 5146 which is held in the retracted position, namely, at the left-hand side of the path X as seen in FIG. 4a. When the mandrel 5043 is at a standstill at the station B5", the draping member 5146 performs a working stroke and transfers the paper blank 5132 from the bands 5137a, 5137b onto the partially completed tinfoil envelope which surrounds the mandrel. The two prongs of the draping member 5146 convert the paper blank 5132 into a U-shaped body which surrounds three sides of the mandrel 5043 at the station B5". The folding members 5153 and 5154 thereupon perform working strokes and convert the U-shaped paper blank 5132 into a tubular body which surrounds the tinfoil blank on the mandrel 5043. The longitudinally extending seam of adhesive thereby adheres to the overlapped marginal portion of the paper blank so that the paper blank cannot open, i.e., the paper blank thereupon retains its tubular shape. During the next step of the mandrel 5043, the folding member 5154 follows the movement of the mandrel and presses the overlapping or outer marginal portion of the paper blank against the overlapped marginal portion so that the adhesive is allowed to set while the two marginal portions are held against movement away from each other. The mandrel 5043 comes to rest in a position of registry with the tucking device 5161. The movable parts of the tucking device 5161 thereupon perform a working stroke and fold the two short flaps at the adjacent ends of the mandrel 5043. It is to be noted that the tucking device 5161 can fold the short flaps of both blanks, namely, of the blanks 5071 and 5132 on the adjacent mandrel 5143. The folding member 5154 is returned to the starting position shown in FIG. 4a after the mandrel 5043 moves into register with the tucking device 5161.

The mandrel 5043 is thereupon again advanced by a step and moves into the range of the pivotable folding member 5173. When the mandrel comes to rest, the member 5173 is pivoted in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4a, and folds one long flap at the adjacent end of the mandrel. The turret 5042 then advances the mandrel 5043 by a step whereby the stationary folding member 5176 folds the other long flap at the adjacent end of the mandrel. The folding member 5176 is heated so that it insures satisfactory setting of adhesive which is applied to the outermost flap at the adjacent end of the converted paper blank 5132. This completes the formation of an empty soft pack 5041. It will be noted that the heated folding member 5176 extends all the way to the transfer station B5 so that the adhesive at the adjacent end of the finished open empty soft pack 5041 has ample time to set prior to transfer of such envelope into the registering pocket 5178 of the turret 5179.

When the detector 5222 which is adjacent to the path of chambers 5039 on the compacting conveyor 5036 detects a group 5008 of cigarettes 5022 in the adjacent chamber 5039, it does not transmit a signal to the NO-gate 5397. Therefore, the gate 5397 transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 5399. When the other input of the AND-gate 5399 receives a signal from the pulse shaper 5101. The gate 5399 transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 5401. The flip-flop 5401 transmits a signal which is amplified at 5402 and energizes the solenoid of the valve 5403. The valve 5403 then admits pressurized fluid into the upper chamber of the body 5064 of the double-acting cylinder 5063 so that the piston rod 5062 performs a working stroke. As shown in FIG. 4d, the piston rod 5062 forms part of the transfer unit 5175 at the station B5. The piston rod 5062 displaces the pack stripping member or plunger 5056 in the adjacent mandrel 5043 whereby the plunger 5056 transfers the finished empty pack 5041 into the adjacent pocket 5178 of the turret 5179. When the piston in the body 5064 of the cylinder 5063 completes its working stroke, it actuates the resetting switch 5405 which transmits a signal to the signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5401. Therefore, the solenoid of the valve 5403 is deenergized and the valve causes the cylinder 5063 to retract the piston and the piston rod 5062 to the positions shown in FIG. 5.

The pocket 5178 which receives an empty pack 5041 at the transfer station B5 requires two stepwise movements before it reaches the pack filling station C5. The construction of the control unit 5417 of FIG. 5 is such that, when a pocket 5178 with an empty pack 5041 therein is at a standstill at the station C5, the flip-flops 5418 and 5423 receive signals which cause these flip-flops to respectively transmit signals to the amplifiers 5419 and 5424. The amplifier 5419 energizes the solenoid of the valve 5422 which causes the double-acting cylinder 5421 to displace the rod 5189. The amplifier 5424 causes an energization of the electromagnet 5426 which moves the mouthpiece 5192 (see FIG. 4c) into immediate proximity of the adjacent pocket 5178. The rod 5189 causes the pusher 5188 in the pack filling unit 5187 to perform a working stroke and to transfer a compacted block 5008 of 20 cigarettes 5022 into the empty pack 5041 at the station C5. The arrangement is preferably such that a portion of the mouthpiece 5192 extends into the adjacent end of the empty pack 5041 at the station C5. The mouthpiece 5192 insures that the compacted group 5008 which is expelled by the pusher 5188 from the respective chamber 5039 of the compacting conveyor 5036 automatically finds its way into the adjacent empty pack 5041. Furthermore, the mouthpiece 5192 prevents premature expansion of the freshly compacted group 5008, namely, an expansion before the leading end of such group enters the adjacent empty pack 5041. As shown in FIG. 4b, the retaining member 5186 extends along the station C5 so that it prevents expulsion of the pack 5041 from the corresponding pocket 5178 during introduction of a compacted group 5008 into such pack.

When the piston in the double-acting cylinder 5421 of the pack filling unit 5187 at the station C5 completes its working stroke, it actuates the resetting switch 5427 which transmits a signal to the erasing inputs of the flip-flops 5418 and 5423. The signals at the outputs of these flip-flops disappear so that the rod 5189 is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 5 and the electromagnet 5426 is deenergized to effect a return movement of the mouthpiece 5192 to its normal or retracted position. The thus obtained filled pack advances with the respective pocket 5178 beyond the station C5 and moves into register with the tucking device 5194 whose construction is preferably identical or similar to that of the tucking device 5161, The tucking device 5194 folds the two short flaps at the adjacent end of a filled pack, and the turret 5179 is thereupon caused to advance by a step so as to move a pack into the range of the pivotable folding member 5196. This folding member performs a working stroke and folds one of the two remaining unfolded long flaps at the adjacent end of the pack. The folding member 5196 is caused to pivot while the adjacent pocket 5178 is at a standstill at the station which follows the station accommodating the tucking device 5194. When the turret 5179 is again set in motion, the nearly finished pack moves along the stationary folding member 5198 which is heated and serves to fold the last long flap at the adjacent end of the pocket 5178. This completes the formation of a closed and sealed pack 5201. The length of the heated folding member 5198 is selected in such a way that it remains in contact with the adjacent long flap at the respective end of the finished pack while the pack advances toward the transfer station A5". In the packing machine 5012 of FIG. 4b, a pocket 5178 must perform two stepwise movements in order to advance from the pivotable folding member 5196 to the transfer station A5". When a finished pack 5201 comes to rest at the station A5", the pusher 5204 is caused to perform a working stroke and to expel the finished pack from the adjacent pocket 5178 whereby the expelled pack enters the registering pocket 5206 of the turret 5207 forming part of the applicator 5199. The turret 5207 is rotated stepwise in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4b, so that the freshly transferred pack 5201 moves into register with the ram 5211. The ram performs a working stroke and applies an adhesive-coated revenue label 5202 over the adjacent flaps as well as over the adjacent portions of the major panels of the envelope forming such pack. The ram 5211 draws revenue labels 5202 from the magazine 5213 and transports them past the paster 5217 before such labels reach the station at which the ram 5211 can apply them to successive packs 5201. When the turret 5207 is set in motion again, the pack 5201 (with a revenue label 5202 applied thereto) is moved to a position above the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203. When the pack comes to a standstill, the pivotable entraining projection 5219 of the piston rod 5218 performs a working stroke, namely, radially outwardly and away from the axis of rotation of the turret 5207, whereby the pack 5201 with a revenue label 5202 thereon is transferred from the respective pocket 5206 and comes to rest on the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203. This belt thereupon transports the pack to the first conveyor 5711 of the second consuming or packing machine 5013.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-8, the switch 5777 shown in the upper left-hand portion of FIG. 8 is closed at regular intervals to transmit signals to the pulse shaper 5778 whenever the conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714 of the second packing machine 5013 are at a standstill. The clutch 5781 drives the conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714 in stepwise fashion. The pulses which are shaped by the element 5778 are transmitted to the control units 5779, 5793 and 5802. When the detector 5763 in the transfer unit 5757 of FIG. 7 is engaged by the oncoming pack 5201 on the conveyor belt 5203, it produces a signal which is transmitted to the signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5798 in the control unit 5793. This causes the output of the flip-flop 5798 to terminate the transmission of a signal to the amplifier 5801 which deenergizes the winding of the clutch 5799 so that the clutch is engaged and rotates the elements 5717, 5718 and 5724 of the mechanism which supplies transparent blanks to the conveyor 5711. The pulse shaper 5778 also transmits a signal to one input of the AND-gate 5804 in the control unit 5802. The other input of the AND-gate 5804 receives a signal from the NO-gate 5803 because the input of the NO-gate does not receive a signal. Therefore, the output of the gate 5804 transmits a signal to the setting input of the flip-flop 5806 which transmits a signal to the amplifier 5407. The amplifier 5407 causes the solenoid of the valve 5808 to admit pressurized fluid to the upper chamber of the body 5759 of the double-acting cylinder 5758 in the transfer unit 5757 of FIG. 7. The piston rod 5761 performs a working stroke and causes the pusher 5762, of the transfer unit 5757 to transfer the adjacent pack 5201 into the registering chamber 5712 of the conveyor 5711 in the packing machine 5013. When the piston rod 5761 completes its working stroke, the piston in the cylinder body 5759 actuates the resetting switch 5403 which transmits a signal to the signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5806. This terminates the transmission of a signal at the output of the flip-flop 5806 so that the solenoid of the valve 5808 is deenergized and the piston rod 5761 is retracted to its idle position shown in the upper portion of FIG. 7. The same procedure is repeated in response to each successive pulse from the pulse shaper 5778 to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 5804 whereby the pusher 5762 of the transfer unit 5757 delivers successive packs 5201 into successive chambers 5712 of the intermittently rotating conveyor 5711. The feeding rolls 5717, 5718 intermittently draw the web 5716 from the reel 5719 and the device 5723 applies a tear strip to successive portions of the web 5716 while the rolls 5717, 5718 are at a standstill. The rolls 5717, 5718 deliver the web 5716 to the transfer drum 5726, and such web is severed in part by the rotary knife 5724 which rotates together with the feeding rolls. The cutter 5757 is actuated when the transfer drum 5726 is at a standstill. The actuation of the cutter 5727 results in separation of a transparent blank from the leading portion of the web 5716. When the drum 5726 is rotated again, it delivers the freshly severed transparent blank to the conveyor 5711 so that the blank overlies the outer end of the adjacent chamber 5712 which contains a pack 5201. Such transfer of transparent blanks takes place at the transfer station B6 which coincides with the assembling station C6. The periphery of the conveyor 5711 is provided with suction ports (not shown) which attract and retain the freshly delivered transparent blank in an optimum position for conversion into an envelope around the respective pack 5201. The action of suction is preferably terminated when the transparent blank reaches the mouthpiece 5729 at the transfer station between the conveyors 5711 and 5713.

The pusher 5728 performs a working stroke when the conveyor 5711 is at a standstill and maintains the foremost pack 5201 in register with the mouthpiece 5729. The pusher 5728 transfers the pack 5201 from the chamber 5712 into the registering mandrel 5731 of the second conveyor 5713. During such transfer, the transparent blank which overlies the open end of the chamber 5712 at the transfer station between the conveyors 5711 and 5712 undergoes deformation and is converted into a U-shaped body. At the same time, the side walls 5732 of the mandrel 5731 fold the two transversely extending short flaps at the inner end of the pack 5201. The pivotable folding member 5733 performs a working stroke when the transfer of the pack 5201 into the adjacent mandrel 5731 is completed, and such movement of the folding member 5733 results in the folding of one longitudinally extending marginal portion of the transparent blank. The conveyor 5713 thereupon begins to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 6, and moves the charged mandrel 5731 past the stationary folding member 5734 which folds the other longitudinally extending marginal portion at the outer end of the transparent blank whereby the blank is converted into a U-shaped body. The freshly charged mandrel 5731 must complete two stepwise movements in order to advance from the mouthpiece 5729 into register with the right-hand welding electrode 5737 of the sealer 5736. The electrode 5737 is moved into sealing engagement with the overlapping longitudinally extending marginal portion of the transparent U-shaped body while the conveyor 5713 is at a standstill. Such engagement with the electrode 5737 results in preliminary sealing of the overlapping and overlapped longitudinally extending marginal portions to each other. The conveyor 5713 is again advanced by a step so that the foremost charged mandrel 5731 reaches the second welding electrode 5738 of the sealer 5736. The electrode 5738 is moved into engagement with the overlapping longitudinally extending marginal portion of the transparent body around the pack 5201 and performs a final welding or sealing operation to thus insure that the seam between the overlapping and overlapped marginal portions of the transparent body is absolutely leak-proof. It will be seen that a complete sealing of the overlapping and overlapped longitudinally extending marginal portions of a U-shaped transparent body which surrounds the foremost pack 5201 on the conveyor 5713 requires a period of time which is the sum of two intervals of stepwise movement of the conveyor 5713 and two intervals of rest of such conveyor. This treatment is in contrast to many other treatments to which the transparent blanks obtained from the web 5716 are subjected and each of which can be completed during an interval of movement or during an interval of rest of the conveyors 5711, 5713, 5714. For example, the folding of the longitudinally extending marginal portions of a U-shaped blank in the mandrel 5731 of the conveyor 5713 requires shorter periods of time, namely, merely an interval of standstill or an interval of movement of the conveyor 5713 between successive stations (refer to the preceeding description of operation of the mobile and stationary folding members 5733 and 5734).

In response to the next-following stepwise advance of the conveyor 5713, the foremost charged mandrel 5731 moves into register with the folding device 5739 at the transfer station between the conveyors 5713 and 5714. When the conveyor 5713 is at rest, the pusher 5742 performs a working stroke and transfers the pack 5201 and the transparent tubular body therearound into the registering pocket 5741 of the conveyor 5714. During such transfer, the pack 5201 moves through the folding device 5739. The operation of the device 5739 is in part analogous to that of the tucking device 5161 of FIG. 4a or 5194 of FIG. 4b. Thus, the device 5739 folds the two short flaps at the outer end of the tubular blank which is being transferred from the interior of a mandrel 5731 into the registering pocket 5741. Furthermore, the device 5739 comprises means for folding the two lower long flaps on the partially deformed transparent blank which surrounds the pack 5201 moving from the conveyor 5713 into the adjacent pocket 5741 of the conveyor 5714. As the freshly introduced pack 5201 begins to turn with the conveyor 5714, it is moved past the stationary folding member 5743 which folds the remaining two long flaps so as to complete the conversion of the transparent blank into an envelope. When the thus obtained envelope and the respective pack 5201 come to rest, they register with the first or rightmost welding electrode 5746 of the second sealer 5744. The electrode 5746 comprises two portions or sections which move against the respective overlapping long flaps at both ends of the pack 5201 in the adjacent pocket 5741 to carry out a preliminary sealing or welding operation. A second sealing or welding operation is performed by the sections of the welding electrode 5747 when the conveyor 5714 completes the next stepwise advance in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 6. The final sealing action is furnished by the sections of the third welding electrode 5748 which engages the adjoining pair of flaps when the conveyor 5714 is at a standstill and the foremost filled pocket 5741 is in a position midway between the 9 and 12 o'clock positions as viewed in FIG. 6.

It will be seen that the sealing of transparent envelopes on the conveyor 5714 requires relatively long periods of time, namely, each such period involves three intervals of stepwise movement and three intervals of rest of the conveyor 5714.

The foremost charged pocket 5741 is thereupon advanced by a step to move into register with the pusher 5751 which expels the finished pack 5749 from the respective pocket 5741 so that the thus obtained finished product 5749 moves past the ejecting device 5753 and is transported away by the conveyor 5752 if its condition is acceptable. Such transfer of the finished product 5749 from a pocket 5741 of the conveyor 5714 onto the conveyor 5752 takes place at the transfer station A6".

If the producing machines 5001 and 5002 cease to deliver cigarettes to the packing machine 5012, the level of the supply of filter cigarettes 5022 in the magazine 5004 of FIGS. 2 and 3 begins to sink. When such level sinks below thp lowermost detector 5031 in the hopper 5014, the detector 5031 produces a signal which causes a termination of the operation of the packing machine 5012 but with such a delay that all critical treatments upon the groups 5008 and blanks 5071 and 5132 in the packing machine 5012 are completed before the respective component parts of this machine are brought to a standstill. As mentioned before, the operation of the packing machine 5012 can also be terminated by actuating the electric switch 5702 show in FIG. 5. This switch will be actuated when the personnel in charge must carry out certain adjustments or repairs in the packing machine 5012 as well as at the end of a shift.

The packing machine 5012 should not be arrested prior to completion of those treatments which require for completion periods of time longer than the sum of an interval of movement and an interval of rest of the turret 5042 or 5179. For example, the turret 5042 of FIGS. 4a and 4b should not be arrested at a time when the mandrels 5043 of this turret carry adhesive-coated paper blanks 5132 which are not converted into outer envelopes of packs 5041. This will be readily understood since, if the operation of the packing machine 5012 were interrupted at a time when a partially converted paper blank 5132 dwells in the region of the tucking device 5161, the portions of adhesive on such paper blanks which do not adhere to portions of paper would dry on prolonged stoppage of the turret 5042 and would not adhere to the overlapped flaps whpn the machine 5012 would be started again. Consequently, the outer envelopes of the packs 5201 would be defective and such packs would have to be discarded with attendent losses in tobacco. Another danger inherent in such stoppage of the packing machine 5012 that the adhesive-coated portions of paper blanks 5132 to not adhere to overlapped portions of such blanks is that the defects of the packs 5201 which are obtained following the starting of the packing machine 5012 and contain prematurely dried adhesive paste are not easily detectable or cannot be detected at all by automatic means. Consequently, such defective packs will be transferred first onto the turret 5207 of the applicator 5199, thereupon onto the conveyor belt 5203, and finally into the packing machine 5013 or into the magazine 5764. Since the defects of the two inner envelopes cannot be detected once the respective pack 5201 is provided with an outer envelope of transparent material which is properly folded and sealed, the defects will be detected only by the purchaser of the product. Such defects can be very annoying; for example, the pack can fall apart when the purchaser removes the transparent outermost envelope. Also, the contents of the pack are likely to lose moisture as soon as the outer envelope of transparent plastic material is removed.

We will now describe those phases of operation of the packing machine 5012 which take place in response to a signal furnished by the photoelectric detector 5031 in the hopper 5014 of the magazine 5004 or in response to a signal from the manually operable electric switch 5702. When the detector 5031 produces a signal to indicate that the level of filter cigarettes 5022 in the magazine 5004 has decreased to the lowermost permissible value, the signal is transmitted to the corresponding input of the OR-gate 5704. The output of the gate 5704 transmits a signal to the erasing input of the flip-flop 5378 which terminates the transmission of a signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 5377 in the control unit 5376. If the attendant decides to actuate the switch 5702, this switch transmits a signal to the flip-flop 5703 which in turn transmits a signal to the OR-gate 5704. The gate 5704 thereupon causes the flip-flop 5378 to terminate the transmission of a signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 5377. It will be seen that the result which is obtained on generation of a signal by the detector 5031 is the same as the result which is obtained on generation of a signal by the switch 5702, namely, the OR-gate 5704 receives a signal which is transmitted to the signal erasing input of the flip-flop 5378.

The signal which is produced in response to actuation of the switch 5702 will cause the flip-flop 5378 to terminate the transmission of a signal to the AND-gate 5377 even if the level of cigarettes 5022 in the hopper 5014 is sufficiently high to extend above the detector 5029. Thus, if the detector 5029 transmits a setting signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 5378 at a time when the erasing input of the flip-flop 5378 receives a signal from the OR-gate 5704 in response to actuation of the switch 5702, the signal at the erasing input of the flip-flop 5378 prevails and the transmission of signals to the AND-gate 5377 is terminated. Therefore, the output of the AND-gate 5377 does not furnish a setting signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 5379 when the right-hand input of the AND-gate 5377 receives the next signal from the pulse shaper 5101. Consequently, the flip-flop 5379 does not transmit a signal to the amplifier 5381 and the condition of the valve 5382 remains unchanged. This means that the pusher 5007 ceases to transfer groups 5008 of 20 cigarettes 5022 into the adjacent cells 5009 of the transporting chain 5011. An examination of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4b will reveal that the pusher 5007 is the first and last element which can prevent the delivery of groups 5008 to the pockets 5178 of the turret 5179 in the packing machine 5012. This will be readily understood since, when the pusher 5007 has transferred a group 5008 from the hopper 5014 into an adjoining cell 5009 of the transporting chain 5011, the transport of such group into a pocket 5178 cannot be interrupted because the chain 5011 advances the group into register with a chamber 5039 of the compacting conveyor 5036 and the pusher 5037 continues to transfer groups 5008 into the chambers 5039 as long as there is a group of cigarettes 5022 in register with a chamber 5039 at the transfer staton A5'. The same holds true for the transfer of compacted groups 5008 from the chambers 5039 of the conveyor 5036 into the pockets 5178 of the turret 5179 by means of the pack filling device 5187 at the station C5.

When the detector 5222 which is adjacent to the path of chambers 5039 of the compacting conveyor 5036 detects the foremost empty chamber 5039, it transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 5404 in the control unit 5387 of FIG. 5. The other input of the AND-gate 5404 is connected with the pulse shaper 5101. Thus, when the pulse shaper 5101 again transmits a signal, the output of the AND-gate 5404 transmits a signal to the error signal input 5408 of the counter circuit 5407. The detector 5222 also transmits a signal to the input of the NO-gate 5397 whereby the output of the NO-gate 5397 terminates the transmission of signals to the corresponding inputs of the AND-gates 5406 and 5399. The other input of the AND-gate 5406 is connected with the pulse shaper 5101. Thus, when the pulse shaper 5101 transmits the next signal, the right-hand input of the AND-gate 5406 does not receive a signal from the NO-gate 5397 so that the AND-gate 5406 cannot transmit a signal to the erasing input 5409 of the counter circuit 5407.

The other input of the AND-gate 5399 is connected with the pulse shaper 5101. When the pulse shaper transmits the next signal, the left-hand input of the AND-gate 5399 does not receive a signal from the NO-gate 5397 so that the gate 5399 cannot transmit a signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 5401. Consequently, the flip-flop 5401 cannot energize the solenoid of the valve 5403 and the piston rod 5062 remains in the retracted position so that the transfer unit 5175 ceases to transfer empty packs 5041 from the turret 5042 into the packets 5078 of the turret 5179.

As mentoned before, the setting of the counter circuit 5407 is such that its output transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the OR-gate 5389 when the error signal input 5408 receives eight consecutive signals from the AND-gate 5404. The OR-gate 5389 transmits such signal to the setting input of the flip-flop 5393 which energizes the winding of the clutch 5232 by way of the amplifier 5394 so that the transmission of the packing machine 5012 is then disconnected from the motor M. The period which is necessary to transmit eight successive signals to the input 5408 of the counter circuit 5407 is sufficiently long to insure that all groups 5008 which have been transferred onto the turret 5179 at the station C5 are received in properly manufactured soft packs 5041. In addition, each such group 5008 is converted into a finished pack 5201 which is provided with a revenue label 5202. This will be readily understood by counting the number of stations in FIG. 4b. Furthermore, the aforementioned eight stepwise movements of the turret 5042 suffice to convert all blanks 5071 and 5132 which were withdrawn from the respective sources 5069 and 5131 into finished empty packs 5041. In other words, all the adhesive seams which are applied to withdrawn paper blanks 5132 by the roller 5143 of the paster 5139 are caused to adhere to the overlapped portions of the respective paper blanks and are properly heated to insure that their adhesive will set prior to complete stoppage of the packing machine 5012.

In order to again start the packing machine 5012, the operator must actuate the starter switch 5391 in the control unit 5386 of FIG. 5. The signal which is produced on actuation of the starter switch 5391 is transmitted to the corresponding input of the OR-gate 5388 which transmits a signal to the erasing input of the flip-flop 5393. Therefore, the output of the flip-flop 5393 ceases to transmit a signal to the amplifier 5394 so that the winding of the clutch 5232 is deenergized and the clutch 5232 again connects the motor M with the transmission of the packing machine 5012. The signal which is produced on actuation of the starter switch 5391 is also transmitted to the erasing input of the flip-flop 5703 in the control unit 5701 of FIG. 5. Therefore, the output of the flip-flop 5703 ceases to transmit a signal to the OR-gate 5704. The OR-gate 5704 does not transmit a signal to the erasing input of the flip-flop 5378. Consequently, the signal from the detector 5029 causes the flip-flop 5378 to transmit a signal to the AND-gate 5377. When the AND-gate 5377 receives the next signal from the pulse shaper 5101, it transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 5379 which causes the amplifier 5381 to energize the solenoid of the valve 5382. The valve 5382 causes the double-acting cylinder 5383 to expel the piston so that the pusher 5007 performs a working stroke and expels a first group 5008 of 20 cigarettes 5022 from the hopper 5014 into the adjacent empty cell 5009 of the transporting chain 5011.

When the operator wishes to arrest the second consuming or packing machine 5013 of FIG. 6, the signal which is produced in response to actuation of the switch 5792 should not immediately terminate the operation of all moving parts of this machine. This will be readily understood by referring to the preceeding description of the operation of various component parts of the packing machine 5013, particularly of the sealers 5736 and 5744 each of which requires for completion of its operation more then the sum of an interval of movement and an interval of rest of the conveyor 5713 or 5714. Thus, it is necessary to insure that the operation of the packing machine 5013 progresses until after the completion of all critical treatments which, if not completed before the machine is brought to a stop, could result in the production of defective transparent envelopes on the packs 5201. For example, the conveyor 5713 should not be stopped while a charged mandrel 5731 is located in a position of register with the welding electrode 5737 because this would mean that the seam which is being formed by the sealer 5736 is completed only halfway when the conveyor 5713 is arrested. The same holds true for the conveyor 5714, i.e., this conveyor should not be arrested at a time when a charged pocket 5741 registers with the twin welding electrode 5746 or 5747 because a complete sealing of both ends of a transparent outermost envelope on a pack 5201 requires three successive welding operations the last of which is completed at the station accommodating the twin welding electrode 5748 of the sealer 5744.

The stoppage of the packing machine 5013 is initiated in response to actuation of the switch 5819 in the control unit 5818 of FIG. 8. This switch then transmits a signal to the setting input of the flip-flop 5821 so that the output of this flip-flop transmits a signal to the NO-gate 5803 of the control unit 5802. Consequently, the signal at the output of the NO-gate 5803 disappears and, when the other input of the AND-gate 5804 receives a signal from the pulse shaper 5778, the AND-gate 5804 cannot transmit a signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 5806. Therefore, the amplifier 5407 cannot energize the solenoid of the valve 5808 and the piston rod 5761 in the transfer unit 5757 cannot complete a working stroke so that the chambers 5712 of the conveyor 5711 cease to receive packs 5201 from the conveyor belt 5203.

The output signal from the flip-flop 5821 is also transmitted to the OR-gate 5796 so that the gate 5796 transmits a signal to the right-hand input of the AND-gate 5797 in the control unit 5793 of FIG. 8. When the left-hand input of the AND-gate 5797 receives a signal from the pulse shaper 5778, the gate 5797 transmits a signal to the setting input of the flip-flop 5798 which energizes the winding of the clutch 5799 by way of the amplifier 5801. Consequently, the clutch 5799 is disengaged and the elements 5717, 5718 and 5724 of the packing machine 5013 are disconnected from the motor M. This terminates the transfer of transparent blanks from the drum 5726 to the periphery of the conveyor 5711 at the transfer station B6 of FIG. 6. The termination of delivery of transparent blanks to the conveyor 5711 is terminated after the last filled chamber 5712 of the conveyor 5711 has advanced beyond the assembling station C6 which coincides with the transfer station B6. This means that each pack 5201 which has been transferred onto the conveyor 5711 will be properly wrapped into a transparent blank before the machine 5013 is brought to a full stop.

The output signal from the flip-flop 5821 is further transmitted to the right-hand input of the AND-gate 5788 in the control unit 5779 of FIG. 8. When the left-hand input of the AND-gate 5788 receives a signal from the pulse shaper 5778, the output of the gate 5788 transmits a signal to the input 5787 of the counter circuit 5782. The same operation is repeated in response to transmission of eight additional signals from the pulse shaper 5778 to the left-hand input of the AND-gate 5788. When the counter circuit 5782 receives nine consecutive error signals each of which indictes that the manually operable switch 5819 has produced a signal to cause a generation of a signal at the output of the flip-flop 5821, the output of the counter circuit 5782 transmits a signal to the OR-gate 5783 which causes the flip-flop 5784 of the control unit 5779 to energize the winding of the clutch 5781 by way of the amplifier 5786. The clutch 5781 is thereby disengaged so that the conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714 as well as several additional movable parts of the packing machine 5013 are disconnected from motor M. The conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714, as well as the aforementioned movable parts of the packing machine 5013, receive motion from a transmission whose input element is connected to the output element of the clutch 5781.

The output signal from the flip-flop 5821 is further transmitted to the left-hand input of the AND-gate 5812. The gate 5812 forms part of the control unit 5811 of the control arrangement 5775 of FIG. 8. The right-hand input of the gate 5812 is connected with the detector 5776 which produces a signal when it detects a pack 5201 on the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203 (see FIG. 7). The AND-gate 5812 then transmits a signal to the setting input of the flip-flop 5813 which energizes the solenoid of the valve 5816 by way of the amplifier 5814. The valve 5816 causes the piston rod 5774 of the transfer unit 5769 to perform a working stroke whereby the plate 5771 transfers a row of packs 5201 from the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203 into the adjacent compartment 5767 of the magazine 5764. When the piston in the body 5773 of the double-acting cylinder 5772 completes its forward or downward stroke (as viewed in FIG. 8), it actuates the resetting switch 5817 which transmits a signal to the erasing input of the flip-flop 5813. Therefore, the signal at the output of the flip-flop 5813 disappears and the solenoid of the valve 5816 is deenergized. The piston rod 5774 is retracted into the cylinder body 5773 so that the plate 5771 is moved back to the starting position shown in FIG. 7. The same procedure is repeated when the detector 5776 again detects a pack 5201 on the adjacent portion of the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203. In the meantime, the drive for the magazine 5764 has caused the platforms 5768 to advance by a step so that the packs 5201 which accumulate on the upper stretch of the conveyor belt 5203 are in register with an empty compartment 5767 of the magazine 5764. For example, the drive for the chains of the magazine 5764 can be started in response to retraction of the plate 5771 to the starting position of FIG. 7. This insures that an empty compartment 5767 is invariably in requisite position for reception of a row of packs 5201 when the piston rod 5774 is caused to perform a working stroke.

The nine intermittent advances of the conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714 which take place subsequent to actuation of the switch 5819 and are completed when the output of the counter circuit 5782 transmits a signal to the OR-gate 5783 of the control unit 5779 are sufficient to insure the conversion of all transparent blanks in the packing machine 5013 into outermost envelopes on the packs 5201. In other words, each pack 5201 which is received in a chamber 5712 of the conveyor 5711, in a mandrel 5713 of the conveyor 5713 or in a pocket 5741 of the conveyor 5714 is provided with a properly shaped and sealed outermost envelope before the three conveyors are arrested in response to a signal from the output of the counter circuit 5782. Also, all such finished packs 5201, each having a transparent outermost envelope, are transferred onto the conveyor 5752 when the conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714 is arrested.

It would also be possible to construct the packing machine 5013 in such a way that, when the switch 5819 is actuated, the actuation merely causes the termination of delivery of transparent blanks to the transfer station B6 of FIG. 6. The machine 5101 is then simply operated until all of the packs 5201 which are provided with transparent outermost envelopes reach the conveyor 5752. Once the packing machine 5013 is stopped, its conveyors 5711, 5713 and 5714 carry satisfactory packs 5201 but such packs are not provided with transparent outermost envelopes. If the packing machine 5013 is modified in the just-described manner, the magazine 5764 can be omitted because the packs 5201 are transferred continuously onto the conveyor 5711 as long as the conveyor 5711 continues to move in stepwise fashion. This would also mean that the control unit 5811 of FIG. 8 could be dispensed with since this control unit determines the operation of the transfer unit 5769 for introduction of rows of packs 5201 into the magazine 5764. Still further, the thus simplified packing machine 5013 could operate properly without the NO-gate 5803 in the control unit 5802 and without the AND-gate 5804. The flip-flop 5806 would then be connected directly with the pulse shaper 5778.

The provision of the magazine 5764 is desirable because the operation of the packing machine 5012 need not be interrupted in response to stoppage of the packing machine 5013. However, since the interception of packs 5201 which have been delivered onto the conveyor 5752 of FIG. 6 without transparent outermost envelopes thereon presents no serious problems (such packs are then returned onto the belt 520 for renewed transport through the machine 5013), the machine 5764 is clearly an optional feature of the improved production line.

It is further clear that the conveyors of the packing machine 5012 could continue to rotate for a while after the counter circuit 5407 has received eight error signals and/or that the conveyors of the packing machine 5013 could rotate by inertia after the counter circuit 5782 has received nine error signals. This would reduce the likelihood of damage to moving parts because such parts could be gradually decelerated to zero speed.

An important advantage of the improved production line is that the number of defective empty and/or filled packs is reduced to a minimum and that the machines of the production line are less prone to malfunction. This is of particular importance when one or more producing machines are directly coupled with one or more consuming machines without the provision for temporary storage of semifinished products between successive machines. Since all of the critical treatments are completed before the machine 5012 and/or 5013 is arrested, such machine or machines can be restarted whenever desired or necessary and the products which are turned out immediately after restarting are just as satisfactory as the products which are being produced in the middle of a shift or immediately prior to stoppage. The attendants need not supervise the starting of the machine 5012 and/or 5013 because the starting takes place automatically and normally does not result in the production of any defective commodities.

The term "treatments," as utilized in the specification and claims, is intended to embrace such manipulations of empty packs, components of empty packs and/or contents of packs which cannot or should not be interrupted once they are started. For example, and referring again to FIGS. 4a and 4i b, once an adhesive-coated paper blank 5132 has been moved into the path X shown in FIG. 4a, its treatment should not be interrupted prior to conversion into an outer envelope of a pack 5201 because at least some adhesive which was applied by the roller 5143 is likely to harden if the operation of the machine 5012 is interrupted before the blank 5132 is converted into an outer envelope of the respective pack 5201. Analogously, once a group 5008 of 20 filter cigarettes 5022 has been expelled from the hopper 5014, it is desirable to complete the introduction of such group into an empty pack 5041 and the sealing of the open end of the pack in order to prevent drying of tabacco in the cigarettes 5022 of the group 5008. Such treatments are considered critical because, if the operation of the machine 5012 is interrupted prior to their completion, the quality of the respective products will be unsatisfactory.

The invention can be embodied with equal advantage in machines wherein the movable parts are operated continuously rather than stepwise, i.e., wherein the intervals of movement alternate with intervals of rest whose duration is zero. In such continuously operated machines, the completion of all critical treatments of containers, their components and/or contents is just as important as in stepwise operated machines.

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.

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 manipulating containers and their contents, particularly for the making, filling and sealing of packs for tobacco-containing articles or analogous commodities comprising the steps of subjecting at least the containers to a plurality of successive treatments including at least one first treatment whose completion necessitates a first period of time and at least one second treatment whose completion necessitates a different second period of time; completing each such treatment once the treatment is started; conveying a series of said commodities along a first path; transferring successive commodities of said series into a second path; introducing into said second path a container for each transferred commodity, said step of subjecting said containers to said plurality of treatments taking place while such containers are located in said second path; interrupting the transfer of commodities into said second path; and terminating the introduction of containers into said second path so that the number of containers in said second path following said interrupting step equals the number of commodities in said second path.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of conveying the containers and their contents stepwise for first intervals of time and maintaining the containers and their contents at rest for second intervals of time which alternate with said first intervals, each of said first periods being at most equal to the sum of m first and m second intervals and each of said second periods being at most equal to the sum of n+m first intervals and n+m second intervals, m and n being whole numbers including one.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said second periods is a whole multiple of one of said first periods.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said treatments includes introducing said commodities into the respective containers.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of conveying successive commodities from said first path into a third path in response to interruption of the transfer of such commodities into said second path, and storing the commodities which enter said third path.

6. A machine for manipulating containers and their contents, particularly a machine for the making, filling and sealing of packs for tobacco-containing articles or analogous commodities, comprising first transporting means for conveying bodies each of which constitutes at least a part of a container along at least one first path; second transporting means for conveying commodities along at least one second path for assembly with containers; converting means operative to subject said bodies to a plurality of treatments including at least one first treatment whose completion necessitates a first period of time and at least one second treatment whose completion necessitates a different second period of time; control means for said converting means, including means for producing signals to initiate interruptions in the operation of said converting means and means for delaying such interruptions until after the completion of a treatment during which a signal is produced; transfer means operative to transfer successive commodities from said second path into said first path, said control means comprising means for terminating the operation of said transfer means in response to said signals; and feeding means operative to supply said bodies to said first transporting means, one for each commodity which is being delivered by said transfer means, said control means comprising means for terminating the operation of said feeding means in response to said signals so that the number of bodies in said first path equals the number of commodities in said first path.

7. A machine as defined in claim 6, further comprising drive means for imparting to at least a portion of each of said transporting means intermittent movements for first intervals of time and for maintaining said portions of said transporting means at rest during second intervals which alternate with said first intervals, the operation of said converting means being synchronized with the operation of said drive means so that each said first period does not exceed the sum of m first and m second intervals and that each of said second periods does not exceed the sum of m+n first and m+n second intervals, m and n being whole numbers including one.

8. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said second periods is a whole multiple of one of said first periods.

9. A machine as defined in claim 6, further comprising a magazine for said commodities and means for transferring commodities form said second path into said magazine in response to said signals.

10. A machine as defined in claim 6, further comprising drive means for said first and second transporting means, said control means further comprising means for disengaging said drive means from said first transporting means in response to said signals.