Cigarette Transfer Apparatus For Changing Direction And Reducing Velocity Of Cigarettes

Abstract

A transfer device useful for filter or cigarette rod-forming machines employing an epicycloidal motion to transfer cigarettes moving at a high axial velocity in a cigarette making machine to a conveyor moving at a lower velocity in a transverse direction while providing a graduated transition from one velocity to the other to eliminate damage to the cigarettes due to impact at the transition of speed and direction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an arresting and transfer device for high-speed cigarette rod-making machines.

The rod in the modern high-speed cigarette machine travels at speeds up to 5,000 inches per minute, and it is quite conceivable that the speeds may be doubled in the near future. The continuous rod, while traveling axially at these high speeds, is severed into desired cigarette lengths. All the subsequent testing and packing operations on the cigarettes are more conveniently carried out with the cigarettes moving at right angles to their axes, and more closely spaced than they would be if the direction of travel were changed from longitudinal to transverse without changing the center-to-center spacing, as by reducing the speed. This change in direction of movement is more important with long cigarettes (e.g., 100 mm.) than with shorter ones (e.g., 85 mm.). It is therefore desirable to change the direction of movement of the cigarettes as they leave the station where the rod is cut into cigarette lengths, and to slow them down gently, sufficiently so that, while the number of cigarettes passing per minute is the same, their speed is lower, and the spacing between them is smaller.

Traditionally, these changes in direction and speed have been accomplished by bringing the cigarette to an abrupt stop as it moves into a flute on the periphery of a conveyor drum.

The U.S. Pat. to Dearsley No. 3,039,606 suggests changing the direction of motion of axially moving cigarettes by placing them on carriers moving in a circular path tangential to the path of rod movement and about an axis transverse to the path of rod movement. The orientation of the carriers is maintained constant. Each cigarette moves with the carrier through either 90.degree. or 270.degree.i.e., to a point where the cigarette is traveling at right angles to its length, and is there discharged onto a conveyor.

The carrier of Dearsley necessarily moves at substantially the same speed as the cigarettes entering the mechanism. This speed is constant throughout the circular path of the carrier. Hence, the cigarettes at their point of discharge from the Dearsley mechanism are traveling at the same speed and spacing with which they entered it, although the movement at discharge is transverse instead of axial. Furthermore, at this point of discharge, the cigarettes have their direction of movement again changed by a curved chute which necessarily exerts substantial forces on each cigarette to change its direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Apparatus constructed according to the invention includes plural carriers moving along an epicycloidal path. On such a path the speed of the carrier varies cyclically between maximum and minimum values. Each cigarette is picked up by a carrier traveling at its maximum speed, i.e., at substantially the same speed as the axially moving cigarette. This speed is reduced to minimum value while the cigarette is held by the carrier and the cigarette is then discharged from the carrier while the latter is traveling at its minimum speed. Thus, the deceleration forces acting on the cigarette are minimized, as is the damage to the cigarette from such forces.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an end view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation on a reduced scale of a deflector drum in the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG 3 is a view of the drum, partly in elevation and partly in section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional fragment taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional fragment taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the resultant travel of a point on the suction bar of the deflector;

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the deflector drum and drive means;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus of FIG. 7, partly in side elevation and partly in section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is another fragmentary view, partly in side elevation and partly in section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1--6

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a deflector crank drum 10 is mounted for rotation clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2, on a stud shaft 12. Drum 10 is driven through gear 14 secured to it and carries a number of rotating crank discs 16 which rotate clockwise about individual center 24, as they orbit around the center of rotation 26 of drum 10. Each disc 16 pivotally supports near its periphery a suction bar 20 constructed in a well-known manner to support and transfer a pair of cigarettes 21 from the delivery end of a continuous rod-forming machine. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the pivot center 22 of the suction bar 20' is moving clockwise through the 6 o'clock position with respect to the center 24 at the same time that the center 24 is passing in the clockwise direction through the 6 o'clock position with respect to the center 26. Thus, the distance between the center 26 and the center 22 is at a maximum and the speed of the center 22 is also at a maximum and is in the direction of the arrow F. As the center 24 moves clockwise 90.degree. to the 9 o'clock position about center 26, the center 22 moves clockwise 270.degree. about center 26, to the 3 o'clock position. Thus, when the center 24 reaches the 9 o'clock position and is moving upward, the center 22 has reached the 3 o'clock position and is moving downward with respect to center 24, subtracting that downward velocity from the upward velocity of the center 24. By suitably selecting the radius 26, 24 and the radius 24, 22, the horizontal velocity of 22 when 24 is in the 6 o'clock position can be, for example, five times the vertical velocity of 22 when 24 is in the 9 o'clock position. Thus, a horizontal velocity of 5,000 inches per minute at the 6 o'clock position becomes 1,000 inches per minute vertical velocity at the point of deposition onto a transfer drum 30 which may travel at circumferential speed of 1,000 inches per minute. Drum 32 is shown as a portion of a tipping assembly unit well known in the art.

A drive mechanism for operating the deflector crank drum is shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. Drum 10 is revolubly mounted on the turned-down free end 34 of stud shaft 12 secured in a frame not shown. Bolted to the end face of shaft 12 is a stationary sun gear 38. Driven gear 14 is secured on an inboard hub 40 of drum 10. An integral flange 46 projecting radially outward from the left end of hub 40, as viewed in FIG. 3, rotatably supports a plurality of shafts 42 to which are keyed planetary gears 44 engaging sun gear 38. Each shaft 42 is supported by one bearing 42a in the inboard flange 46 and a second bearing 42b in a web 50 projecting inwardly from an annulus 48 secured to flange 46. The web 50 further has secured to it a plurality of hubs 51, each encircling one of the shafts 42, and to each of which is secured a gear 54. Shaft 42 rotates with respect to gear 54 so that, as will be seen, gear 54 serves as a sun gear in a secondary planetary system. Each shaft 42 has an integral crank flange which forms a disc 16. Each disc 16 rotatably carries a shaft 56 on bearing 57. An arm 18 supporting suction bar 20 is fixed on shaft 56. Discs 16 are supported at their peripheries by bearings 53 seated in bores in the annulus 48.

At its end remote from arm 18, each shaft 56 has secured to it a gear 58. Each gear 58 is in mesh with idler gear 60 rotatably supported on the inner face of its associated disc 16. Idler gear 60 is in mesh with the secondary sun gear 54.

Suction is applied at suction bars 20 through openings 62 communicating with a manifold 64 which in turn communicates through a duct 66, a bore 68 and a duct 70 with an annular chamber 72 encircling shaft 58. Annular chamber 72 communicates through radial bore 74 with a passage 76 extending axially through shaft 42. The passage 76 communicates with a chamber 78 in a bell 80 on the right-hand face of drum 10 and, having a port 82. Each shaft 42 communicates with a separate bell 80 having its own port 82. Port 82 registers at times with an arcuate slot 84 formed in a stationary chambered annular shoe 86 in communication through tube 88 with a source of vacuum not shown.

As shown in FIG. 4, the arcuate slot 84 begins at the six 0'clock position and extends clockwise up to the nine 0'clock position.

By reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 it can be seen that as drum 10 rotates about the stationary sun gear 38, shaft 42 carried by drum 10 revolves with drum 10 and also rotates with respect to drum 10 as a result of the motion transmitted through the planetary gear 44. This causes shaft 56 to orbit both about the shaft 34 and about the shaft 42. As the shaft 56 orbits about the shaft 42 it is rotated in a direction of the opposite hand to the rotation of shaft 42, through the action of sun gear 54, idler gear 60 and gear 58 on shaft 56. The gear ratios are such that the spatial orientation of the suction bar 20 is maintained constant as it orbits about the axis 24 and the axis 26.

The curve C in FIG. 6 shows the path of the center 22 of one of the shafts 56, as it moves about the center 26. The curve C is a typical epicycloidal curve. The cigarettes are picked up at the 6 o'clock position with respect to center 26 and are discharged at the 9 o'clock position. At the 6 o'clock position, the velocity of the center 22 with respect to the center 24 is in the same direction as the velocity of center 24 with respect to center 26, so that the velocity of center 22 at the 6 o'clock position is at its maximum. At the 9 o'clock position the velocity of center 22 with respect to center 24 is opposite in direction to the velocity of center 24 with respect center 26, and hence the absolute velocity of center 22 with respect to a fixed support is at its minimum value. The horizontal velocity of the cigarettes 21 is a maximum when they are at the 6 o'clock position, and decreases to zero at a point 27 where a tangent to the curve C would be vertical. At the 9 o'clock position, the tangent to the curve C is again vertical, so that the horizontal velocity of the cigarettes 21 and hence their velocity in the direction of their axis, is zero. It is at this point that it is preferred to discharge the cigarettes from the carriers 20, since their absolute velocity is then at a minimum. The acceleration of the cigarettes is also a minimum at the 9 o'clock position, so that position is the optimum point at which to discharge the cigarettes from the carriers.

Note that the discs 16 turn through three revolutions while the drum 10 is turning through one revolution. Alternative arrangements could be constructed wherein the ratio of the revolutions of the discs 16 to the revolutions of the drum 10 is any multiple of three.

FIGS. 7--9

In these figures, parts corresponding to their counterparts in FIGS. 1--6 have been given the same reference numerals, and will not be further described.

These figures illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention, including a drum 130, turning on a shaft 132. The drum 130 includes a hub 134, journaled on the shaft 132 by means of a bearing 136. The hub 134 has a radial flange 138 which is fixed to a first peripheral cylinder 140 by bolts 141. The cylinder 140 is connected to another peripheral cylinder 114 by bolts 142.

A first sun gear 94 is keyed on the shaft 132 and meshes with a plurality of planet gears 95, each fixed on a shaft 97. Each shaft 97 carries on its left-hand end, as viewed in FIG. 7, a disc 16 in which is journaled shaft 56 supporting an arm 18 which in turn supports vacuum cigarette carrier 20. Each shaft 97 is journaled in a bearing 99 in the flange 138, and another bearing 101 in a web 92 integrally connected to the cylinder 140.

Mounted on the left-hand end of the shaft 132 is a second sun gear 96 which meshes with a plurality of idler gears 104 (see FIG. 9), journaled on the web 92. Each idler gear 104 meshes with another idler gear 102 also journaled on the web 92 and meshing with a planet gear 100 on the periphery of a sleeve 98 rotatably mounted on one of the shafts 97. The sleeve 98 also carries an internal ring gear 108 which cooperates with a gear 110 on the shaft 56 to maintain the angular position of shaft 56 constant as the drum is rotated.

The left end of the drum, as viewed in FIG. 7, comprises an annular member 114 having a web 116 provided with suitable openings 120 for sleeve 98 and flanges 16 of shafts 97.

As the drum 130 rotates about the shaft 132, the shafts 97 are rotated by the planetary gears 95 meshing with sun gear 94 and the shaft 56 is rotated to maintain its spatial orientation by means of the sun gear 96, planetary idler gears 104 and 102, gears 100 and 108 on sleeve 98, and pinion 110 secured on shaft 56. It should be observed that the axis of pinion 110 moves about the axis of sleeve 98 in the same rotational direction in which sleeve 98 is rotated by virtue of its movement about sun gear 96. However, the difference in ratios is such that there is a relative reverse rotative movement of pinion 110 with respect to the shaft 56. Referring to FIG. 9 it can be seen that the gear 110 will in fact rotate counterclockwise (thus maintaining its spatial orientation) when its axis moves in the direction of the arrow G at a greater angular velocity than the rotation in that direction of sleeve 98. For example, in one embodiment of the invention a 2:1 ratio was established between the sun gear 94 and planetary gear 95; a 1:1 ratio between the sun gear 96 and gear 100; a 3:1 ratio between internal gear 108 and pinion 110. These ratios will produce the rotations illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6.

The principal advantage of moving the cigarette carriers along an epicycloidal path is that such a path may be generated by a crank or other rotary member moving at a constant angular velocity, and thus not subject to angular acceleration or deceleration. Thus, while the carrier itself is decelerated in that its speed with reference to a stationary point is substantially reduced, nevertheless the rotating part which supports the carriers continues to turn at substantially constant angular velocity, and there is need to expend energy in accelerating it nor to absorb energy by decelerating it.

The same result, i.e., the movement of a point at a variable speed on a member which is rotating at a constant angular velocity, can alternatively be secured by the use of mechanism which generates a cycloidal or a hypocycloidal path, rather than epicycloidal path, as illustrated. This result can alternatively be approximated by some mechanisms for generating an elliptical path, and possibly other curve configurations.

However, it is considered best to secure these results and advantages by a mechanism which generates an epicycloidal path, as illustrated.

Claims

I claim:

1. Apparatus for transferring cigarettes from a first path along which the cigarettes move longitudinally at a relatively high speed to a second path along which the cigarettes move laterally at a relatively low speed, comprising:

a. a crank drum mounted on a fixed shaft for rotation about a central axis;

b. a plurality of cigarette carriers;

c. means supporting said carriers on said crank drum, comprising, for each carrier:

1. a second shaft mounted in said drum for rotation about a second axis radially spaced from said central axis;

2. first planetary gear means for rotating said second shaft concurrently with rotation of the drum;

3. a crank fixed on said second shaft for rotation therewith;

4. means on said crank supporting said carrier, said carrier-supporting means being rotatable on said crank about a third axis radially spaced from the second axis; and

5. second planetary gear means operatively connecting said carrier supporting means and said crank drum for rotation in opposite senses and with equal angular velocities so that said carrier-supporting means maintains its orientation as the crank drum rotates;

6. said second planetary gear means including a gear concentric with the third axis and fixed on said carrier-supporting means;

d. means for rotating the drum about said central axis, said rotating means cooperating with the carrier-supporting means to move the carriers in a cycloidal path with a velocity varying along said path from a maximum at a first point to a minimum at a second point, said cycloidal path being tangential to said first path at said first point and tangential to second path at said second point;

e. pickup and release means on each said carrier and operable to pick up a cigarette from said first path as the carrier passes said first point and to release the cigarette to the second path as the carrier passes the second point; wherein the improvement comprises:

f. in said second planetary gear means:

1. a sun gear;

2. a spider rotatable about the axis of the sun gear;

3. a planet gear rotatably mounted on the spider; and

4. idler gear means rotatably mounted on the spider and providing a driving connection between the sun and planet gears.

2. Apparatus for transferring cigarettes from a first path along which the cigarettes move longitudinally at a relatively high speed to a second path along which the cigarettes move laterally at a relatively low speed, comprising:

a. a crank drum mounted on a fixed shaft for rotation about a central axis;

b. a plurality of cigarette carriers;

c. means supporting said carriers on said crank drum, comprising, for each carrier:

1. a second shaft mounted in said drum for rotation about a second axis radially spaced from said central axis;

2. first planetary gear means for rotating said second shaft concurrently with rotation of the drum;

3. a crank fixed on said second shaft for rotation therewith;

4. means on said crank supporting said carrier, said carrier-supporting means being rotatable on said crank about a third axis radially spaced from the second axis; and

5. second planetary gear means operatively connecting said carrier-supporting means and said crank drum for rotation in opposite senses and with equal angular velocities so that said carrier-supporting means maintains its orientation as the crank drum rotates;

6. said second planetary gear means including a gear concentric with the third axis and fixed on said carrier-supporting means;

d. means for rotating the drum about said central axis, said rotating means cooperating with the carrier supporting means to move the carriers in a cycloidal path with a velocity varying along said path from a maximum at a first point to a minimum at a second point, said cycloidal path being tangential to said first path at said first point and tangential to said second path at said second point;

e. pickup and release means on each said carrier and operable to pick up a cigarette from said first path as the carrier passes said first point and to release the cigarette to the second path as the carrier passes the second point; wherein the improvement comprises:

f. second planetary gear means, including:

1. a sun gear concentric with said second axis and fixed on said crank drum;

2. said gear concentric with the third axis serving as a planet gear; and

3. an idler gear rotatably supported on said carrier supporting means, and meshing with said sun and planet gears.

3. Apparatus for transferring cigarettes from a first path along which the cigarettes move longitudinally at a relatively high speed to a second path along which the cigarettes move laterally at a relatively low speed, comprising:

a. a crank drum mounted on a fixed shaft for rotation about a central axis;

b. a plurality of cigarette carriers;

c. means supporting said carriers on said crank drum, comprising, for each carrier:

1. a second shaft mounted in said drum for rotation about second axis radially spaced from said central axis;

2. first planetary gear means for rotating said second shaft concurrently with rotation of the drum;

3. a crank fixed on said second shaft for rotation therewith;

4. means on said crank supporting said carrier, said carrier-supporting means being rotatable on said crank about a third axis radially spaced from the second axis; and

5. a second planetary gear means operatively connecting said carrier-supporting means and said crank drum for rotation in opposite senses and with equal angular velocities so that said carrier-supporting means maintains its orientation as the crank drum rotates;

6. said second planetary gear means including a gear concentric with the third axis and fixed on said carrier-supporting means;

d. means for rotating the drum about said central axis, said rotating means cooperating with the carrier supporting means to move the carriers in a cycloidal path with a velocity varying along said path from a maximum at a first point to a minimum at a second point, said cycloidal path being tangential to said first path at said first point and tangential to said second path at said second point;

e. pickup and release means on each said carrier and operable to pick up a cigarette from said first path as the carrier passes said first point and to release the cigarette to the second path as the carrier passes the second point; wherein the improvement comprises:

f. said second planetary gear means, including:

1. a fixed sun gear;

2. a planet gear concentric with said second axis;

3. two idler gears rotatably supported on the crank drum, and constituting a gear train between the sun and planet gears; and

4. means operatively connecting said planet gear to said gear concentric with the third axis.