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

Abstract

A cigarette packing machine wherein empty packs are produced independently of the rate of formation and transport of blocks of cigarettes. The blocks of cigarettes are introduced into a compacting turret which rotates past a detector serving to effect transfer of an empty pack to a pack filling station whenever it detects a satisfactory blocks so that a particular empty pack is assigned to each scanned block. Unfilled packs are temporarily stored or immediately removed from the packing machine. If stored, the empty packs can be moved stepwise along an endless path defined by one or more turrets or one or more turrets and one or more belt conveyors.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and to a machine for the making of packs or analogous containers for groups of cigarettes or other commodities. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a method and machine for the making, filling and closing of packs or analogous containers which are produced independently of the commodities to be received and enclosed therein. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a method and machine for the production of soft packs, hinged-lid packs or analogous containers for reception of groups of cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, cheroots and/or other commodities.

Packing machines constitute important components of production lines for plain or filter cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and/or other tobacco-containing products. Reliability is one of the most important requirements which must be met by a modern packing machine, especially if the packing machine is to receive the output of one or more high-speed machines for the production of plain or filter cigarettes, as well as when the packing machine is directly coupled to one or more high-speed producing machines. Even short-lasting interruptions in the operation of a packing machine can cause substantial losses in output and can cause interruptions in the operation of associated producing machines. Since a producing machine (for example, a machine for the mass-production of plain or filter cigarettes) is much more likely to require attention than a packing machine, the number of attendants in a production line for cigarette packs is normally selected in such a way that each attendant is practically continuously occupied with the producing machine or machines and can give little attention to packing machine or machines which receive the output of the corresponding producing machines. For example, a modern cigarette making machine consumes a bobbin of cigarette paper within a few minutes so that the expiring web must be spliced to the leading end of a fresh web at frequent intervals. If the splicing devices used in the cigarette making machines are of the type which must be manipulated by hand, an attendant must be present almost continuously to make sure that a fresh reel of cigarette paper is at hand and that the leading end of the web on such fresh reel is spliced to the expiring web without excessive delay. Since a cigarette making machine can produce up to 4,000 cigarettes per minute, even short-lasting interruptions in its operation must be avoided whenever possible. The attendant who is in charge of a cigarette making machine must further supervise the supply of adhesive in the paster which delivers adhesive to the running web of cigarette paper, check the delivery of shredded tobacco to the distributor of the machine, and perform certain other operations so that his or her attention is mostly focussed on the producing machines. Therefore, the packing machines which receive the output of mass-producing cigarette making machines are preferably constructed and controlled in such a way that they are arrested in automatic response to stoppage of the corresponding producing machine or machines and that they are started in automatic response to starting of such producing machines, regardless of whether the producing machines are arrested due to a defect or on purpose.

A drawback of presently known direct connections between the controls of producing and packing machines is that a packing machine is likely to be arrested while its parts perform an operation which must be completed in order to avoid the making of a defective pack. For example, if a strip of conventional (wet) adhesive is left exposed for a certain period of time, it is likely to set or dry so that it cannot properly connect two overlapping portions of a pack when the packing machine resumes its operation. Analogously, it is highly undesirable to interrupt certain folding, tucking and like operations which are carried out in the packing machine to convert one or more blanks into a pack, for example, into a pack containing an inner envelope consisting of tinfoil and an outer envelope consisting of plastic, paper or cardboard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of making, filling and sealing packs for cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or other types of commodities, particularly for the making of packs which are to receive commodities as soon as they issue from one or more producing machines, such as the machines for production of plain or filter cigarettes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of making, filling and sealing cigarette packs or like containers for tobacco-containing products or other commodities according to which the quality of packs is not dependent on the frequency and length of interruptions in the operation of machines which produce commodities for introduction into such containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method according to which packs or analogous containers for tobacco-containing products or other commodities can be produced with a high degree of uniformity and with a minimum of waste in the material of packs as well as in commodities which are to be received in the packs.

An additional object of the invention is to provide novel and improved packing machine, particularly a machine for packing groups or blocks of rod-shaped tobacco-containing commodities, which can be directly coupled to one or more producing machines and requires a minimum of supervision so that the attendant or attendants can concentrate on the supervision and servicing of the producing machines.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a packing machine which can store a desired number of empty packs for immediate reception of commodities as soon as the associated packing machine or machines are started and which can continue to produce packs during the periods of idleness of producing machines.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a packing machine which can be combined with existing producing machines, whose operation is fully automatic, which can be started and/or arrested without any attention on the part of workmen, and which can process the output of one or more high-speed producing machines, particularly machines for the production of plain cigarettes, filter cigarettes and/or othe tobacco-containing products.

An ancillary object of the invention is to provide the improved packing machine with novel means for the formation and feeding of blanks which are used for the making of empty containers, for the transport of parts on which the blanks are deformed to form empty packs, for temporary storage of empty containers, for scanning of containers for the presence or absence of defects, and for performing several other operations which contribute to the reliability, higher output and versatility of the packing machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the packing machine with a novel control system which insures that the packing machine is stopped without any supervision and in an optimum position of each of its component parts when such stoppage is dictated by the condition of the associated producing machine or machines, and that the packing machine is started without any supervision as soon as the starting becomes desirable in view of the condition of the associated producing machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packing machine which can produce acceptable containers when it operates continuously or when its operation is interrupted at frequent or infrequent intervals.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a packing machine which is particularly suited for the packing of cigarettes or other rod-shaped tobacco-containing products as soon as they issue from one or more producing machines.

One feature of our invention resides in the provision of a method of making, filling and further treating packs or analogous containers for rod-shaped tobacco-containing products or other commodities. The method comprises the steps of converting blanks of deformable sheet material into open empty containers (hereinafter called packs for short) and transporting the thus obtained empty packs along at least one first path, advancing a succession of commodities along a second path, withdrawing from the first path an empty pack only when a commodity is advanced along the second path and introducing such commodity into the respective empty pack to form a filled pack, and subjecting the thus obtained filled pack to at least one treatment, for example, to close and seal the opening which was provided in the empty pack to permit introduction of the respective commodity.

It will be seen that the empty packs are produced independently of the commodities and that an empty pack is withdrawn from the first path only when it is certain to meet and receive a commodity, for example, a group or block of twenty cigarettes in the customary array including two outer layers of seven cigarettes each and a median layer of six cigarettes. The treatment or treatments to which the filled packs are subjected may take place while the filled packs advance along a third path which may but need not constitute an extension of the first or second path.

In accordance with another feature of our method, the packs are subjected to one or more treatments only if and after they receive commodities. Thus, an empty pack which failed to receive a commodity at the filling station where the introduction of commodities is to take place can be recirculated along the first path, along a further path for return to the filling station, or removed from the packing machine. For example, if the treatment or treatments to which the filled packs should be subjected are to take place while the filled packs dwell in or advance along a third path (into which the filled packs enter after they leave the filling station), the empty packs are prevented from entering the third path and are again conveyed along the first path or along a fourth path for recirculation to the filling station, or discarded. Such mode of operation insures that a filled pack which is permitted to enter the third path can be converted into a satisfactory sealed pack (which can be provided with a tax stamp, if necessary) ready to be transported to storage, into a carton filling machine, or into a further packing machine. For example, such further packing machine can provide a soft cigarette pack or a hinged-lid cigarette pack with an envelope consisting of transparent synthetic plastic material and preferably having a customary tear strip to facilitate removal of the transparent envelope.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the conversion of blanks into open empty packs can take place during transport of such blanks along a portion of the first path. This first path is preferably an endless path which may constitute a single circular path or a composite path consisting of several straight sections, several arcuate sections, or one or more straight and one or more arcuate sections. The conversion of blanks into empty packs during transport along a portion of the first path has been found to insure a particularly economical, rapid and space-saving production of empty packs each of which is of the same size and shape as the previously formed packs.

As stated above, it can happen that an empty pack which reaches the filling station fails to meet and receive a commodity. If there is sufficient room for temporary storage of prefabricated empty packs, each empty pack which does not receive a commodity at the filling station can be recirculated along one or more endless paths and returns to the filling station for reception of a commodity. Such endless path or paths thus serve for temporary storage of empty packs to insure that an empty pack is immediately available for reception of a commodity which arrives at the filling station. When the endless path or paths are filled with prefabricated empty packs, the making of fresh empty packs can be interrupted or the empty packs can be withdrawn from circulation and discarded at the rate of fabrication of fresh packs. However, it is equally within the purview of the invention to immediately remove and discard each empty pack which fails to receive a commodity at the filling station.

The configuration of the path or paths along which the components of empty and the empty packs are transported depends on many factors including the availability of space and other considerations, such as the nature of adhesive which is used to establish bonds between overlapping parts of paper blanks or cardboard blanks. For example, if the adhesive used in the making of prefabricated packs is a customary wet adhesive which requires a certain period of time in order to form a satisfactory bond, it is advisable to select a path which is sufficiently long to insure proper setting of adhesive even though the empty packs are fabricated in rapid succession. This can be achieved by converting blanks into empty packs during transport along one or more arcuate paths (preferably along one or more endless circular paths defined by one or more indexible turrets which receive and transport the blanks during conversion into empty packs), and by thereupon transporting the empty packs along one or more substantially straight paths which are long enough to insure satisfactory setting of adhesive. The situation is analogous when the adhesive is of the heat-activatable type which requires heating and subsequent cooling in order to insure the formation of a satisfactory bond. The heating and/or cooling of heat-activatable adhesive can take place while the empty packs are transported (either stepwise or continuously) along one or more substantially straight paths. Such straight paths can be defined by belt or chain conveyors.

The number of blanks which must be deformed to form an empty pack depends on the nature of commodities and on certain other factors. For example, it is customary to wrap cigarettes in packs each of which has an inner envelope of tinfoil and an outer envelope of paper. Such mode of wrapping insures satisfactory protection against deformation and changes in moisture content, and results in the formation of a pack which is of eye-pleasing appearance. The material of tinfoil blanks may be smooth or such blanks may be obtained by severing an embossed web which carries impressed designs representing the trademark, the name of the manufacturer and/or other symbols. The paper can be smooth, embossed or partly smooth and partly embossed. Furthermore, the packs can consist of tinfoil and synthetic plastic material or tinfoil and cardboard. The blanks of paper, plastic or cardboard preferably constitute the outer envelopes of packs and are normally provided with inscriptions, designs and/or other symbols to enhance the sales appeal of the product and to advertise the contents of the pack.

The economy of the packing operation is enhanced if each prefabricated pack receives a commodity, i.e., if the packs are not wasted, and if the period of circulation of empty packs is reduced to a minimum. This can be achieved by the additional steps of monitoring the transport of commodities along the second path and of withdrawing from the first path an empty pack only when the thus withdrawn pack is certain to meet and receive a commodity. Thus, an empty pack is withdrawn at the filling station only when the commodity for reception in the thus withdrawn pack is in fact available. The monitoring of the commodities preferably takes place in a portion of the second path which is remote from the filling station so that there is ample time to withdraw from the first path an empty pack and to deliver the thus withdrawn pack to the filling station during the interval which is required to transport the commodity from the monitoring station to the filling station. Otherwise stated, the distance between the filling station and the monitoring station on the one hand, and the filling station and withdrawing station on the other hand is such that the transport of an empty pack from the withdrawing to filling station takes up the same amount of time as the transport of the scanned commodity from the monitoring to filling station. Consequently, an empty pack can be selected in advance for reception of a particular commodity. Electrical controls are preferred for transmission of signals in response to detection of satisfactory commodities but certain other controls (for example pneumatic controls) can be used with equal advantage.

It was found that the conversion of blanks into prefabricated empty packs, the filling of packs with commodities, and further treatment of filled packs can be carried out with substantial economies in space and time if the blanks, empty packs, commodities and/or filled packs are transported in stepwise fashion, always for a predetermined interval of time followed by a predetermined interval of dwell. Such mode of operation insures the formation of packs each of which is of the same size and shape as the previously formed packs. Certain operations can be performed while the parts are in motion, and certain other operations can be performed during the intervals of dwell.

Another important requisite for the formation of satisfactory packs is to insure that certain operations which are needed to convert blanks into empty packs, to fill empty packs with commodities, and to thereupon subject the filled packs to one or more additional treatments cannot overlap, i.e., that each of the successively performed operations is completed prior to start of the next-following operation (which could conceivably interfere with the preceding operation). This can be achieved by triggering the start of a next-following step in response to completion of the preceding step. For example, the method can comprise the step of scanning the path wherein empty packs are formed for the presence of a tinfoil blank prior to admission of a paper blank, it being assumed that an empty pack contains an inner envelope of tinfoil and an outer envelope of paper. Such mode of operation reduces waste because a fresh blank can be supplied only in response to detection of a blank or envelope which is to be surrounded by the fresh blank. Analogously, and assuming that the empty packs are formed in a portion of the first path, the delivery of fresh blanks can be made dependent on the presence or absence of empty packs at the station where the fresh blank is to enter the first path. In other words, the admission of blanks can be made dependent on the presence or absence of blanks and/or on the presence or absence of empty packs.

Additional savings in material of the packs and in commodities can be achieved if the paths for admission of blanks are scanned to detect the failure to admit a blank, for example, when a source of blanks is exhausted. Detection of the absence of a fresh blank can trigger the generation of a visible, audible or otherwise detectable signal which indicates to the attendants that the supply of blanks is exhausted or that certain corrective measures in connection with the feeding of blanks are necessary.

If the transport of blanks, packs and commodities takes place intermittently so that each step is followed by an interval of dwell, it is desirable to select the timing of various deforming, filling and other operations in such a way that each such operation is completed during a period or stage including an interval of transport and an interval of dwell, and that the packing operation can be interrupted only after completion of one such stage. This insures the completion of each operation which, if interrupted, could possibly result in the making of an unsatisfactory empty or filled pack.

Additional savings in space can be achieved if the packing operation is carried out in immediate or close proximity to the point or points of production of commodities. Thus, if the improved method is to be carried out by resorting to a cigarette packing machine, the packing machine can be placed close to one or more machines for the production of plain or filter cigarettes. Such mounting of the packing machine reduces the likelihood of mechanical damage to cigarettes, changes in moisture content of tobacco, and/or opening of seams on the wrappers of cigarettes prior to introduction into packs.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved packing 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 schematic plan view of a production line for cigarettes and cigarette packs including two producing machines and two packing machines, one of the packing machines being constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention and being designed to produce soft cigarette packs;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary partly side elevational and partly sectional view of a portion of the novel packing machine and illustrates a magazine of the novel packing machine as seen in the direction of arrow II shown in FIG. 1;

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

FIG. 4 (composed of FIGS. 4a and 4b) is an enlarged perspective view of essential component parts of the novel packing machine;

FIG. 4c is a perspective view of a pack filling unit in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

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

FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a mandrel in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic partly sectional view of certain parts of a blank forming apparatus in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a cam in the structure shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 (composed of FIGS. 8a, 8b, 8c and 8d) is a sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VIII--VIII of FIG. 6 and illustrates various stages in the conversion of a tinfoil blank into a tube in the apparatus of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a portion of a draping member for deformation of paper blanks in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a tucking device in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b; composite

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a portion of a tax stamp applicator in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the drive for the moving parts of the packing machine shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 13 (composed of FIGS. 13a, 13b and 13c) illustrates the control system of the packing machine shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 14 (including portions 14a to 14k, 14L and 14m to 14s) illustrates the conversion of two blanks into an empty pack, the filling of the pack, the closing and sealing of the filled pack, and the application of a tax stamp to the sealed pack in the packing machine of FIGS. 4a and 4b;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary diagrammatic partly side elevational and partly sectional view of a packing machine which is constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention and is provided with a device serving to segregate all such empty packs which fail to receive cigarettes or other types of commodities;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary schematic side elevational view of a third packing machine provided with two cigarette magazines and having removably mounted mandrels;

FIG. 17 is a smaller-scale schematic plan view of a portion of the third packing machine, as seen in the direction of arrow K shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a transfer member which serves to remove groups of cigarettes from one of the magazines in the packing machine of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged plan view of a carriage for mandrels as seen in the direction indicated by arrow L shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a further transfer member in the packing machine of FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is a plan view as seen in the direction of arrow M shown in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of a detail as seen in the direction of arrow N shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 23 is a side elevational view as seen in the direction of arrow O shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 illustrates the details of an intercepting device which is utilized in the packing machine of FIG. 16;

FIG. 25 (composed of FIGS. 25a to 25m) illustrates various stages in the treatment of blanks, empty packs and filled packs in the packing machine of FIG. 16;

FIG. 26 (composed of FIGS. 26a and 26b) is a schematic side elevational view of a fourth packing machine which embodies the invention;

FIG. 27 is a smaller-scale plan view of the cigarette magazines in the packing machine of FIGS. 26a and 26b;

FIG. 28 is a fragmentary sectional view of a testing member used in the packing machine of FIGS. 26a, 26b to scan groups of rod-shaped articles in the chambers of a condensing conveyor;

FIG. 29 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail in the packing machine of FIGS. 26a, 26b, showing the construction of a shifting device between a magazine and a conveyor;

FIG. 30 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a transfer unit in the packing machine of FIGS. 26a and 26b;

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a pack filling device in the packing machine OF FIGS. 26a and 26b;

FIG. 32 (composed of FIGS. 32a and 32b) is an enlarged partly side elevational and partly sectional view of a composite conveyor in the packing machine of FIGS. 26a and 26b; and

FIG. 33 (composed of FIGS. 33a to 33i) illustrates various stages in the formation of an empty pack in the packing machine of FIGS. 26a and 26b.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a production line for the manufacture of packs containing arrays of filter cigarettes. The production line includes two series-connected producing machines and two series-connected consuming machines. The producing machines include a cigarette rod making machine 1, for example, a machine of the type known as GARANT (produced by the firm HAUNI-WERKE, KORBER & CO. KG, 205 Hamburg 80, Western Germany) and a filter tipping machine 2, for example, a machine of the type known as MAX (manufactured by HAUNI-WERKE, KORBER & CO. KG). The connection between the two producing machines is established by a rotary transfer drum 3 which receives plain cigarettes from the machine 1 and transfers such cigarettes into the filter tipping machine 2. It is clear that the two producing machines can be replaced with other types of producing machines without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The filter tipping machine 2 discharges filter cigarettes into a magazine 4 which is provided with a transfer member or pusher 7 reciprocable in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 6 and serving to transfer groups or blocks of filter cigarettes into successive cells 9 of an endless transporting chain 11. Each group of cigarettes may consist of twenty filter cigarettes in the customary array, namely, two outer layers of seven filter cigarettes each and a median layer containing six filter cigarettes. The filter cigarettes of the median layer are preferably staggered with reference to the filter cigarettes of the two outer layers. In FIG. 2 the groups or blocks of filter cigarettes 22 are shown at 8.

The chain 11 constitutes a conveyor which transports groups 8 of filter cigarettes 22 in a first consuming machine 12 here shown as a packing machine which serves to produce open empty packs 41 (see FIGS. 4a and 4b) and thereupon introduces groups 8 into such empty packs to convert them into filled packs and closes the open end of each filled pack to form a closed or sealed pack 201 (FIG. 4b). The packing machine 12 is further provided with a device (hereupon called applicator and numbered 199 in FIG. 4b) which serves to apply to one end of each closed pack 201 a tax stamp 202. The thus stamped packs 201 are thereupon introduced into a second consuming machine 13 which also constitutes a packing machine and serves to provide each pack 201 with a transparent envelope consisting of synthetic plastic material and preferably provided with a customary tear strip.

The packs 41 which are produced in the first packing machine 12 are so-called soft packs. In the embodiment which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 13, the packing machine 12 is designed to form soft empty packs 41 each of which comprises two envelopes or layers, namely, an inner layer consisting of tinfoil, and an outer layer consisting of paper which is preferably provided with suitable printed matter including the trade mark, the name of the manufacturer, the customary warning of the dangerous nature of tobacco, and other printed matter and/or symbols.

The second packing machine 13 may be of the type known as TRABANT (produced by HAUNI-WERKE). The details of the second packing machine 13 and the details of the producing machines 1 and 2 form no part of the present invention. An important feature of the production line shown in FIG. 1 is that the second producing machine 2 delivers groups 8 of arrayed rod-shaped articles 22 directly to the receiving end of a path U (see FIG. 4b) defined by the chain 11 and a further conveyor 36 and serving for transport of groups 8 to the pack filling station C of the packing machine 12. The details of the packing machine 12 are illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 13.

The magazine 4 of FIGS. 2 and 3 forms part of the packing machine 12 and comprises a receptacle of hopper 14 the upper portion of which receives filter cigarettes 22 from a conveyor belt 23 which preferably receives filter cigarettes directly from the filter tipping machine 2. The lower portion of the hopper 14 is provided with two vertical internal partitions or walls 16 and 17 which define with the outer walls of the lower portion of the hopper three parallel vertical ducts 18, 19, 21 each of which can accommodate a stack or row of parallel horizontal filter cigarettes 22. For the sake of simplicity, the commodities which are packed by the machine 12 will hereinafter be referred to as cigarettes.

FIGS. 2 and 3 further show the details of the chain 11. This chain comprises a set of cells 9 which are coupled to each other by means of links 24 and are arranged to travel about two sprocket wheels of which only the sprocket wheel 27 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 further shows that the periphery of the sprocket wheel 27 is provided with sockets 26 each of which can receive a portion of a cell 9 so that the chain 11 cannot slip with reference to the sprocket wheel. The sprocket wheel 27 is located behind the lower portion of the hopper 14, as viewed in FIG. 2, and the pusher 7 (see particularly FIG. 3) has three parallel plate-like prongs each of which can enter into and be retracted from one of the ducts 18, 19, 21. When the pusher 7 performs a working stroke (upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 3), its prongs expel a group 8 into the adjacent empty cell 9.

The magazine 4 is further provided with three photoelectric detectors or level indicators 28, 29, 31 which respectively serve to scan an uppermost, a medium and a lowermost level of cigarettes 22 in the hopper 14. The purpose of the detectors 28, 29 and 31 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 13a, 13b and 13c. It suffices to say here that each of the detectors 28, 29, 31 comprises a light source which is mounted in one wall of the hopper 14 (see FIG. 3) and a photosensitive receiver which is in registry with the respective light source and is mounted in the opposite wall of the hopper 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 4a and 4b, there are shown all important components of the packing machine 12. The path along which the transporting means, namely, the endless chain 11 and the conveyor 36, transports the groups 8 of arrayed cigarettes 22 is denoted by the reference character U. The second sprocket wheel for the chain 11 is shown at 33. This sprocket wheel is driven at regular intervals in the direction indicated by arrow 32 and is provided with sockets 34 for portions of the cells 9 so that the chain 11 cannot slip with reference to the sprocket wheel 33. The drive which indexes the sprocket wheel 33 at regular intervals will be described with reference to FIG. 12. FIG. 4b illustrates a transfer station A' where the contents (groups 8) of filled cells 9 are evacuated by a transfer member or pusher 37 to be introduced into successive chambers 39 of the conveyor 36. This conveyor is a turret which serves to subject the groups 8 to a condensing or compacting action. The pusher 37 receives motion from a piston rod 38 forming part of a pneumatic cylinder 416 shown in FIG. 13b. The construction of the turret 36 is similar to that of the condensing or compacting conveyor described in U. S. Pat. No. 1,608,163. In addition to serving as a part of transporting means for delivery of groups 8 of cigarettes 22 to the transfer station A', the chain 11 also serves as a magazine for storage of a predetermined number of groups 8. The number of such groups may vary but the maximum number is determined by the number of cells 9 which can be accommodated between the station where the cells receive groups 8 from the pusher 7 and the station A' where the pusher 37 delivers such groups into the chambers 39 of the condensing or compacting turret 36.

The packing machine 12 further comprises three additional basic assemblies, namely, one or more sources of deformable blanks consisting of sheet material (such sources together constitute a blank supplying means), and a converting assembly which receives blanks from the blank supplying means and deforms such blanks while the blanks travel along a predetermined path V to convert each blank into an open-ended empty pack 41, and a transporting assembly which transports empty packs 41 along at least one endless path Y wherein the empty packs circulate and are ready to be united or assembled with groups 8 which are expelled or removed from successive chambers 39 of the compacting turret 36. As stated before, each empty pack 41 comprises two envelopes one of which is telescoped into the other and consists of tinfoil. The outer envelope of each empty pack 41 consists of paper. Such packs are known as soft packs.

The converting assembly comprises a conveyor here shown as a turret 42 which is indexible at predetermined intervals and receives blanks from the blank supplying means. The aforementioned path V is defined by the turret 42 which is provided with and/or travels along suitable deforming devices which subject the blanks to a series of deforming actions in order to convert such blanks into the respective envelopes of empty packs 41. The deforming devices include draping, tucking and folding members which will be described later. Furthermore, the converting assembly comprises at least one paster which can apply adhesive to selected portions of paper blanks so as to insure that, upon deformation of selected portions of paper blanks, the portions which overlap are caused to adhere to each other and are held by the adhesive with a force which is sufficient to insure that the pack 41 does not open during subsequent processing in the packing machine 12.

The turret 42 of the converting assembly is provided with a set of radially extending axially parallel mandrels 43 which are indexible to travel stepwise along the path V and to which the blanks are applied to be converted thereon into inner and outer envelopes so that they together form empty packs 41. The details of a mandrel 43 are illustrated in FIGS. 4d and 5. As shown, the walls of each mandrel 43 are formed with suction ports 44. The inner ends of the suction ports 44 communicate with longitudinally extending suction channels 46, 47 provided in the respective mandrel 43, and the discharge ends of the channels 46, 47 can communicate with suction grooves 48, 49 provided in a stationary valve plate 51 which is adjacent to the path V. The grooves 48, 49 are connected with a suitable suction generating device, for example, with a suction fan. As the turret 42 travels about its axis, selected suction channels 46, 47 are moved into or from communication with the grooves 48, 49 to thereby connect or disconnect the suction ports 44 of the respective mandrel 43 from the suction fan.

One narrow side of each mandrel 43 is provided with two permanent magnets 52, 53 which are recessed into the respective wall of the mandrel. The purpose of the magnets 52, 53 is to temporarily attract a folding member which will be described later. The outer end face of each mandrel 43 is provided with a recess 54 for a reciprocable pack stripping member or plunger 56. The plunger 56 is provided with a rod or stem 57 which is movable in a centrally located longitudinally extending bore of the mandrel 43 and is surrounded by a helical spring 59 which tends to retract the plunger 56 to the position shown in FIG. 5. The spring 59 reacts against an internal surface of the body of the mandrel 43 and bears against a ring-shaped flange 58 provided at that end of the rod 57 which is remote from the plunger 56. The means for moving the plunger 56 in the direction indicated by an arrow 61 shown in FIG. 5 comprises a pneumatic cylinder 63 shown in FIG. 4d. The cylinder 63 comprises a piston rod 62 which can engage the free end of the rod 57 to expel the plunger 56 from the recess 54 against the opposition of the helical spring 59. The cylinder 63 is stationary; it is mounted adjacent to the path of mandrels 43 and at a point where the flanged ends of the rods 57 do not travel along the stationary valve plate 51. The cylinder 63 is of the double-acting type and its tubular body 64 comprises two ports 66, 67 one of which admits fluid when the other port permits fluid to escape from the respective chamber and vice versa. The stationary valve plate 51 extends along that portion of the path V which is indicated in FIG. 4a by the broken line 68.

The aforementioned blank supplying means of the converting assembly comprises a blank forming apparatus 69 which is shown in FIGS. 4a, 4b and 6. The purpose of the blank forming apparatus 69 is to deliver to the mandrels 43 of the turret 42 a succession of tinfoil blanks 71 which are supplied along a path W. Such blanks 71 are delivered to successive mandrels 43 at the transfer station B' shown in FIG. 4a. In the first stage of deformation of a blank 71, the blank is draped around the respective mandrel 43 to form a tube open at both ends.

The blank forming apparatus 69 comprises a feeding device 72 including two driven rollers 72a, 72b which advance a web 73 of tinfoil lengthwise along the path W. The web 73 is drawn from a bobbin or reel, not shown, and passes through a suitable magazine with dancer rolls, not shown, which prevent excessive tensioning of the web. The drive for the rollers 72a, 72b of the feeding device 72 comprises shafts 74a, 74b (shown at the top of FIG. 4b). The severing device which cuts the web 73 at regular intervals to form a succession of tinfoil blanks 71 comprises a knife 76. A suction plate 81, provided with suction ports 79 and suction channels 77, 78 shown in FIG. 6, is positioned adjacent to the path W to temporarily retain the web 73 and the tinfoil blank 71 during transport toward the path V.

The apparatus 69 further comprises a carrier 83 which is movable up and down in ways 82 and is provided with two rigidly mounted draping elements or wings 84, 86. It is to be noted that the parts 81, 83, 84 and 86 are shown in proper positions with reference to each other in FIG. 4a but not in FIG. 6. The carrier 83 is provided with a suction channel 87 shown in FIG. 6. The suction channel 87 communicates with suction channels 88 provided in the draping elements 84, 86, and the suction channels 88 communicates with suction ports 89 of the draping elements 84, 86. FIG. 6 further shows the edge faces 91 of the draping elements 84, 86. The distance between the edge faces 91 is denoted by the reference numeral 92 and corresponds to the width 43a (see FIG. 4b) of a mandrel 43. The draping elements 84 and 86 together form a substantially U-shaped draping member 93 (see FIG. 6) whose function is to convert an orginally flat tinfoil blank 71 into a U-shaped body which is partially draped around the respective mandrel 43. The arrangement is such that the tinfoil blank 71 which is severed from the web 73 by the knife 76 overlies the suction ports 89 of the draping elements 84, 86 and the space between their edge faces 91. The mandrel 43 is thereupon advanced through the space between the edge faces 91 whereby the tinfoil blank 71 is automatically draped around three surfaces of the mandrel.

The carrier 83 is movable up and down by a disk-shaped cam 94 (see the top of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7). The cam 94 has a specially configurated endless cam groove 97 (see FIG. 7) which receives a roller follower 96 provided on the carrier 83.

The means for regulating and timing the movements of the knife 76 and carrier 83 in the apparatus 69 comprises a control arrangement 98 which is shown in FIG. 6. The control arrangement 98 comprises a switch 99 which is connected in the circuit of the packing machine 12. The switch 99 can transmit signals to a pulse shaper 101 which is connected with one input of a logical circuit 102 of a type known as flip-flop. The pulse shaper 101 is designed to furnish to the flip-flop 102 substantially rectangular signals. The output of the pulse shaper 101 is further connected with one input of a second flip-flop 103. Each of the flip-flop 102, 103, is a bistable switching circuit having two inputs and a single output. Each flip-flop produces a continuous output signal until one of its inputs receives a signal which causes an interruption of the respective output signal. The output signal is interrupted until the other input of the respective flip-flop receives a resetting signal. It can be said that each flip-flop constitutes a signal storing device.

The flip-flop 102 is connected with the input of an amplifier 104 which is connected with an electromagnet 106 whose armature is rigid with the knife 76. The parts 102, 104, 106 together constitute a control unit 107. The purpose of the control unit 107 is to regulate the movements of the knife 76. A resetting switch 108 can be closed by the armature of the electromagnet 106 to transmit a signal to the other input of the flip-flop 102 so as to restore the output signal to the amplifier 104.

The second flip-flop 103 constitutes with an amplifier 109 and an electropneumatic solenoid-operated valve 111 a second control unit 112 which regulates the flow of air in a conduit 126 connected to a suction generating device here shown as a fan 113. The conduit 126 is connected to the channel 77 of the suction plate 81 and with a conduit 123 which leads to the intake of the suction fan 113. The conduit 123 is further connected with a conduit 124 which is connected to the suction channel 87 of the carrier 83. The conduit 124 contains a second electropneumatic valve 117 which receives signals from the output of a third flip-flop 114 by way of an amplifier 116. The parts 114, 116, 117 together constitute a third control unit 118 which regulates the evacuation of air by way of ports 89 in the elements 84, 86 of the draping member 93.

The circuit of the flip-flop 114 comprises two limit switches 119, 121 which are located in the path of movement of an actuating member or trip 122 provided on the carrier 83. The limit switches 119, 121 constitute resetting switches for the flip-flops 103, 114.

The elements 84, 86 of the draping member 93 first convert successive tinfoil blanks 71 into U-shaped bodies. The transformation of blanks 71 into tubes is thereupon completed by the draping elements 84, 86 in a manner as shown in FIGS. 8c and 8d. Reference may also be had to FIG. 14 wherein the portion 14a illustrates a flat tinfoil blank 71. The portion 14b of FIG. 14 illustrates the partially deformed blank 71 as it appears after it is taken over by a mandrel 43, i.e., after the mandrel has stripped the blank 71 off the elements 84, 86 of the draping member 93. The portion 14c of FIG. 14 illustrates the next step in the conversion of the blank 71 into a tubular body. This step is carried out by the draping element 84 (FIG. 8c). The conversion of a blank 71 into a tube (see the portion 14d of FIG. 14) is completed by the draping element 86 in a manner as shown in FIG. 8d.

Referring again to FIG. 4a, the folding of the upper wide flaps at the front end of tinfoil tubes which have left the station B' is carried out by a pivotable folding member 127 which is mounted on a shaft 128 and is adjacent to the path V between the stations B' and B". The operation which the member 127 performs is shown in the portion 14e of FIG. 14. The shaft 128 is pivoted at regular intervals in synchronism with the operation of means for indexing the turret 42.

A stationary folding member 129 is adjacent to the path V between the pivotable folding member 127 and transfer station B" and serves to perform the folding operation shown in the portion 14f of FIG. 14.

The blank supplying means of the packing machine 12 further comprises a blank feeding apparatus 131 which is shown in FIG. 4a. This apparatus comprises a magazine 133 for a stack of prefabricated paper blanks 132. Each paper blank can be provided with suitable inscriptions and other indicia, for example, the manufacturer's name, the trade mark, the customary warning which must be applied to cigarette packs, and/or others. The path along which the paper blanks 132 are fed from the magazine 133 to successive mandrels 43 which advance along the path V is shown at X. The transfer station where the path X merges into the path V is shown at B". The means for withdrawing the lowermost paper blank 132 of the stack in the magazine 133 comprises a withdrawing roller 134 here shown as a suction drum which is rotatable by a horizontal shaft 136. The shaft 136 receives motion from the drive of the packing machine. The feeding mechanism of the apparatus 131 further comprises two air-permeable bands 137a, 137b, whose right-hand stretches (as viewed in FIG. 4a) travel along two vertical suction chambers 138a, 138b so that the stretches which travel along the respective suction chambers can attract the marginal portions of the paper blank 132 which was drawn from the magazine 133 by the suction drum 134. The purpose of the bands 137a, 137b is to temporarily hold a withdrawn paper blank 132 during the initial stage of draping around the tube obtained in response to partial conversion of the previously applied tinfoil blank 71 into an open-ended envelope.

The blank feeding apparatus 131 further comprises a customary paster 139 which coats selected portions of successive paper blanks 132 with strips of adhesive. The paster 139 comprises a tank 141 for a supply of adhesive. The bottom portion of the tank 141 supports a rotary roller 142 which draws a film of adhesive and transfers it onto a coating roller 143 which is driven by a shaft 144. The configuration of the peripheral surface on the coating roller 143 is such that the roller 142 can apply adhesive only to selected portions of the roller 143, namely, to those portions which are to transfer strips of adhesive to the adjacent paper blank 132. The shaft 144 is rotated by the drive of the packing machine 12.

The converting assembly of the packing machine 12 further comprises a reciprocable draping member 146 which is disposed in the space between the bands 137a, 137b and is movable in directions indicated by the double-headed arrow 148. The means for reciprocating the draping member 146 comprises a piston rod 147. When the draping member 146 performs a working stroke, namely, when it moves in a direction toward the right, as viewed in FIG. 4a, a paper blank 132 is held by the right-hand stretches of the bands 137a, 137b. The two plate-like prongs of the draping member 146 then convert the paper blank into a U-shaped body which partially surrounds the tinfoil tube on the adjacent mandrel 43. The piston rod 147 is reciprocable by a pneumatic cylinder which will be described later.

The draping member 146 contains a plunger 149 which is shown in in FIG. 9. The plunger 149 is biased outwardly by a helical spring 152 which surrounds its rod 151. The manner in which the rod 151 can be shifted against the opposition of the spring 152 will be described later. The purpose of the plunger 149 is to insure that the partially deformed paper blank 132 assumes a predetermined position with reference to the adjacent mandrel 43 when the draping member 146 is being withdrawn.

Referring again to FIG. 4a, there are shown two pivotable folding members 153, 154 which complete the conversion of successive paper blanks 132 into tubes. The folding member 153 is pivotable by a shaft 156. The folding member 154 consists at least in part of ferromagnetic material and is pivotable on a shaft 157. A torsion spring 158 tends to turn the folding member 154 in the direction indicated by an arrow 159. The folding member 154 performs the additional function of insuring that the seam formed by the overlapping portions of the paper blank 132 (after such blank is converted into a tube as shown in the portion 14K of FIG. 14) cannot open before the adhesive which was applied by the coating roller 143 sets. The folding member 154 performs such function while the respective mandrel 43 moves from the station B" toward a tucking device 161 which is located downstream of the blank feeding apparatus 131. The folding member 154 has an inclined notch 162 whose function is to displace a spring-biased pin-shaped armature 163 forming part of an electromagnet 160.

The details of the tucking device 161 are shown in FIGS. 4a and 10. The purpose of the tucking device 161 is to fold the two small tucks or flaps against the adjacent end face of the respective mandrel 43 in a manner as shown in the portion 14L of FIG. 14. This tucking device has two tucking fingers 164, 166 each of which can simultaneously tuck a portion of the inner tube (consisting of tinfoil) and a portion of the outer tube (consisting of paper). The tucking fingers 164, 166 are reciprocable along a guide rail 167 and are connected to the armature 168 of an electromagnet 352 (shown in FIG. 13a) by two links 169, 171. The armature 168 is reciprocable in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 172 shown in FIG. 10.

The converting assembly further comprises a pivotable folding member 173 (shown in the lower part of FIG. 4a) which is mounted on a shaft 174 and serves to perform a further operation in conversion of a tinfoil blank 71 and the corresponding paper blank 132 into an empty pack 41. The purpose of the folding member 173 is to fold down one of the two wide flaps at the front end of the adjacent mandrel 43. The function of the folding member 173 will be readily understood by looking at the portion 14m of FIG. 14. The construction and mounting of the folding member 173 are similar to that of the folding member 127. The folding member 173 merely folds the adjacent flap of the paper blank 132 because the corresponding flap of the tinfoil blank 71 has been folded by the folding member 127. A heated stationary folding member 176 is mounted adjacent to the path V downstream of the pivotable folding member 173 and serves to complete the conversion of a pair of blanks 71, 132 into an empty pack 41. This is clearly shown in the lower part of FIG. 4a where the front portion of the heated folding member 176 is about to fold the second flap at the forward end of the mandrel 43. The folding member 176 thereupon remains in engagement with the freshly folded flap to heat the adhesive between the two abutting flaps and to thus insure the formation of an empty pack 41 which can stand the introduction of a group 8 at the station C and the additional treatments which are necessary to convert the pack 41 and its contents into a finished pack 201. A stationary heating member 177 is adjacent to the path V and serves to heat the seam between the longitudinally extending overlapping portions of the paper tube while such tube advances with the respective mandrel 43 toward a transfer station B. The manner in which the folding member 176 and the heating member 177 can be heated forms no part of the present invention. For example, such parts can be provided with resistance wires or with infrared heaters. The heating member 177 is of arcuate shape so that it conforms to the outline of the adjacent portion of the path V.

The heretofore described components of the converting assembly in the packing machine 12 cooperate to convert blanks 71, 132 into empty packs 41 each of which has an open end to permit the introduction of a condensed or compacted group 8 consisting of twenty cigarettes 22. It will be seen that the turret 42 forms part of the just described converting assembly. Furthermore, this turret constitutes a magazine for temporary storage of empty packs 41. Thus, the path V not only serves for transport of blanks 71, 132 during conversion of such blanks into empty packs 41 but also for temporary storage of empty packs.

Certain empty packs 41 which travel along the path V and reach the transfer station B are transferred into the pockets 178 of an assembly conveyor 179 here shown as a turret which is indexible about the axis of a shaft 183 in the direction indicated by arrow 181. The path along which the pockets 178 of the turret 179 travel is indicated at Y. A transfer unit 175 which serves to transfer empty packs 41 from the path V into the path Y is shown in detail in FIG. 4d. The pockets 178 of the turret 179 advance the packs 41 along several treating instrumentalities which complete the closing and sealing of packs before the thus closed and sealed packs 201 are removed from the path Y at a transfer station A". The turret 179 comprises several spokes 184 which extend radially outwardly from the axis of the shaft 183 and each of which carries one of the pockets 178 at its outer end. The pockets 178 may be integral with or separably secured to the respective spokes 184. The pockets 178 which travel along the path Y advance along one side of a stationary retaining member or flange 186. This flange extends along an arc of approximately 270 degrees.

Each empty pack 41 which is removed by the transfer unit 175 from the path V advances with the respective pocket 178 from the transfer station B to the pack filling station C where the empty pack receives a preselected group 8 consisting of twenty cigarettes 22. Such groups are removed from the chambers 39 of the compacting or condensing turret 36 and each thereof forms a prismatic body which can be readily introduced through the open end of the adjacent empty pack 41. The pack filling station C accommodates a pack filling device 187 which serves to transfer condensed groups 8 from the chambers 39 of the turret 36 into empty packs 41 arriving along the path Y. It will be seen that the path U along which the groups 8 advance with the cells 9 of the chain 11 is continued as a circular path defined by the chambers 39 of the turret 36 and that this path U approaches the path Y at the pack filling station C. The transfer unit 175 and the pack filling unit 187 together form an arrangement which can convert empty packs 41 into open-ended filled packs which are thereupon subjected to several treatments during travel along the path Y toward the transfer station A".

The details of the pack filling unit 187 are illustrated in FIG. 4c. This unit comprises a transfer member or pusher 188 mounted on a rod 189 and reciprocable in and counter to the direction indicated by an arrow 193. The pusher 188 is installed behind the turret 36, as viewed in FIG. 4b, and is movable forwardly toward the registering pocket 178 of the turret 179. The pusher 188 thus expels a condensed group 8 from a registering chamber 39 and causes the thus expelled group 8 to pass through a mouthpiece 192 (see FIG. 4c) which is mounted on a movable link 191.

The aforementioned treating instrumentalities which are adjacent to the path Y include a tucking device 194 which is located downstream of the pack filling station C and serves to tuck in the two small flaps at the open end of a filled pack advancing in the adjacent pocket 178. The construction of the tucking device 194 is preferably identical with or similar to that of the aforedescribed tucking device 161.

The tucking device 194 is followed by a folding member 196 which is pivotable with a shaft 197. The purpose of the folding member 196 is to fold one of the wide flaps at the open end of the filled pack which advances along the path Y. The remaining or last flap of the pack advancing along the path Y is folded by a stationary folding member 198 which is adjacent to the path of the pockets 178 and is located opposite the flange 186. The folding member 198 is preferably heated so as to insure that the adhesive which is applied to one of the flaps at the open end of the pack 41 adheres to the other flap. This completes the conversion of an empty pack into a filled pack 201.

When a pocket 178, with a filled pack 201 therein, reaches the transfer station A", it is caused to enter the tax stamp applicator 199 shown in the lower portion of FIG. 4b. The applicator 199 comprises a magazine 213 for a stack of tax stamps 202. Once a pack 201 receives a tax stamp 202, it is transferred onto the upper stretch of an endless take-off conveyor belt 203 which can transport the packs to storage, to a carton filling machine, to the aforementioned second packing machine 13, or to another destination. A transfer member or pusher 204 is mounted at the transfer station A" to expel filled packs 201 from successive pockets 178 and to introduce such packs into the pockets of a four-armed tax stamp turret 207. Each arm of the turret 207 has a pocket 206 dimensioned to receive a filled pack 201 so that one closed end of the pack extends outwardly and is ready to receive a tax stamp 202.

The applicator 199 further comprises a carrier 209 which is rotatable in the direction indicated by an arrow 208 and is mounted on a shaft 281. The carrier 209 serves to transfer tax stamps 202 from the magazine 213 onto the filled packs 201 in the pockets 206 of the turret 207. During travel from the magazine 213 to the adjacent pocket 206, the tax stamps 202 are caused to move along a paster 217 which coats the exposed sides of tax stamps with a layer of adhesive.

The details of construction of the carrier 209 are shown in FIG. 11. This carrier supports a ram 211 which is movable radially of the shaft 281 by an electromagnet 212. The ram 211 has two parallel extensions or tines 210 each of which is provided on its front face with suction ports 214. The suction ports 214 are connected with a suction generating device when the extensions 210 travel along the open side of the magazine 213 so that the foremost tax stamp 202 of the stack in this magazine is caused to adhere to the exposed surfaces of the extensions and shares their movements along the paster 217 and toward the adjacent pocket 206 in the turret 207. The ram 211 further comprises a median portion 215 which is disposed between the extensions 210 and is biased to the position shown in FIG. 11 by a helical spring 216. The median portion 215 can yield against the opposition of the spring 216 when the ram 211 reaches the position shown in FIG. 4b whereby the extensions 210 cause the tax stamp 202 to be draped about the adjacent end of the finished pack 201. Thus, the marginal portions of each tax stamp 202 are caused to adhere to the respective major panels of the paper envelope forming part of the pack 201 and the median portion of such tax stamp adheres to the overlapping flaps at the outer end of the pack.

The means for withdrawing or expelling packs 201, with tax stamps 202 already applied thereto, from the pockets 206 of the turret 207 in the tax stamp applicator 199 comprises a reciprocable piston rod 218 which carries a pivotable motion transmitting or entraining member 219. The station where the entraining member 219 transfers packs 201 from the pockets 206 of the turret 207 onto the upper stretch of the take-off conveyor belt 203 accommodates an ejector nozzle 221. The purpose of the nozzle 221 is to remove from the belt 203 groups 8 of cigarettes 22 which reach the belt 203 in unconcealed condition, namely, which are not received in closed and sealed packs.

In order to insure that the packing machine 12 can operate with a minimum of supervision, this machine comprises a plurality of detectors which scan the components of packs 201 during travel along the paths U, V, W, X and/or Y. The signals produced by such detectors are transmitted to various control units which are illustrated in FIGS. 13a to 13c. FIGS. 4a and 4b merely show the positions of various detectors with reference to the remaining parts of the packing machine 12. The details of such detectors will be described later with reference to FIGS. 13a, 13b and 13c. A first detector 222 is adjacent to the endless last portion of the path U, namely, to that portion of this path which is defined by the compacting turret 36. The detector 222 comprises a photo-sensitive receiver and a light source. The light source and the receiver are disposed at the opposite sides of the compacting turret 36 and cooperate to produce signals which indicate the presence or absence of groups 8 in successive chambers 39 of the turret 36. The detector 222 is mounted in such position that the turret 36 must be indexed three times before a group 8 which has been scanned by the detector 222 reaches the pack filling station C. The distance between the detector 222 and the pack filling station C, as considered in the direction of travel of groups 8 along the path U, is identical with the distance between the transfer station B and the pack filling station C. Thus, an empty pack 41 which reaches the transfer station B requires the same amount of time to reach the pack filling station C as a group 8 which has been detected by the detector 222.

The packing machine 12 further comprises detectors 223, 224, 226 and 227 shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b. These detectors are capable of discriminating between conductive and non-conductive materials, namely, between paper blanks 132 and tinfoil blanks 71. Each of the detectors 223, 224, 226, 227 comprises two electric contacts which are connected with an energy source and are placed adjacent to the path of travel of empty packs 41 or their components. When the two contacts of one of said detectors are engaged by a tinfoil blank 71, the blank completes the circuit and the respective detector produces an electric signal. When the contacts of one of those detectors are engaged by a portion of a paper blank 132, i.e., by a blank which consists of non-conducting material, the respective detector fails to produce a signal. It is clear that tinfoil is but one of the materials which can be employed for the manufacture of blanks 71.

The control system of the packing machine 12 further comprises two additional detectors in the form of inductances 228, 229. The purpose of the detectors 228, 229 is to respectively detect the presence or absence of finished packs 201 in the pockets 206 of the turret 207 and on the upper stretch of the take-off conveyor belt 203.

The detectors 227 and 223 are adjacent to the path V along which empty packs 41 travel with the mandrels 43 of the turret 42. The detectors 224 and 226 are also adjacent to the path V and they respectively serve to detect the presence or absence of tinfoil blanks 71 and paper blanks 132.

FIG. 12 illustrates the drive of the packing machine 12. This drive comprises a prime mover here shown as an electric motor 231 which drives one element of a first clutch 232 and one element of a second clutch 367. The other element of the clutch 367 drives the producing machines 1 and 2 of FIG. 1. The clutch 232 drives a Geneva movement 233 and a belt drive 239.

The Geneva movement 233 comprises an indexible wheel 234 which is provided with four radially extending slots or grooves 236 for the pin 238 of a driver wheel 237 mounted on a shaft 241a which is driven by the driven element of the clutch 232. The wheel 234 rotates while the pin 238 extends into one of the slots 236 and is at a standstill when the pin 238 travels toward engagement with the next slot 236. Thus, the Geneva movement can impart to a shaft 183 a succession of stepwise angular movements each followed by an interval S of predetermined duration. A step or stage T in the operation of the packing machine 12 includes one stepwise advance during an interval R and a dwell during an interval S.

The parts of the drive shown in FIG. 12 are illustrated in positions they assume after the wheel 234 of the Geneva movement 233 has completed one stepwise advance during an interval R. Thus, the pin 238 of the wheel 237 is about to enter the adjacent radial slot 236 of the wheel 234. As stated above, the driven element of the clutch 232 drives the shaft 241a for the wheel 237 of the Geneva movement 233. This shaft 241a carries a pulley 241 for an endless belt 243 of the belt drive 239. The belt 243 is further trained over a second pulley 242 which is mounted at one end of a shaft 244. The belt 243 is preferably provided with teeth which cooperate with teeth on pulleys 241, 242 to prevent slippage. It is clear that the pulleys 241, 242 can be replaced with sprocket wheels and that the belt 243 can be replaced with a link chain. The shaft 244 drives one element of an electromagnetic clutch 246. The other element of the clutch 246 drives a shaft 247 which carries the cam 94. This cam has been mentioned in connection with FIG. 6. The shaft 183 of the wheel 234 in the Geneva movement 233 carries a cam 248 which is provided with four equidistant lobes. The lobes of the cam 248 can actuate the switch 99 of FIG. 6. The shaft 183 further carries a gear 249 which meshes with a pinion 251. The pinion 251 drives an intermediate gear 252 which is mounted on a shaft 253. The shaft 253 drives the compacting turret 36 of FIG. 4b. The gear 252 meshes with a further gear 254 mounted on a shaft 256 which drives the sprocket wheel 33 for the chain 11.

The gear 254 meshes with a pinion 257 on a shaft 258. The shaft 258 carries a gear 259 which meshes with a pinion 261 on a shaft 262. The shaft 262 drives one element of an electromagnetic clutch 263. The other element of the clutch 263 drives the shaft 74a for the roller 72a in the feeding device 72 of the blank forming apparatus 69. The gear 249 on the shaft 183 of the wheel 234 in the Geneva movement 233 further meshes with a gear 264 mounted on a shaft 266 which indexes the turret 42. The gear 264 meshes with a pinion 267 on the shaft 136 of the suction drum 134 in the blank feeding apparatus 131.

The shaft 183 further carries a bevel gear 268 which meshes with a bevel gear 269 on a shaft 271. The shaft 271 carries a gear 272 in mesh with a pinion 273 on a shaft 274. The shaft 274 indexes the turret 207 of the tax stamp applicator 199. A gear 276 on the shaft 274 meshes with a pinion 277 on a shaft 278 which drives one element of an electromagnetic clutch 279. The other element of the clutch 279 drives the shaft 281 which rotates the carrier 209 in the applicator 199 of FIG. 4b. After the cam 248 on the shaft 183 of the wheel 234 is indexed to perform a movement during an interval R, it causes the switch 99 to produce a signal for the duration of an interval S.

To summarize: The shaft 183 drives the turret 179, the shaft 266 drives the turret 42, the shaft 253 drives the turret 36, the shaft 256 drives the sprocket wheel 33, the shaft 74a drives the roller 72a, the shaft 136 drives the suction drum 134, the shaft 274 drives the turret 207, and the shaft 281 drives the carrier 209. It will be noted that the parts shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b assume the same positions as the corresponding parts of the drive illustrated in FIG. 12. The positions of parts shown in FIG. 4a and 4b correspond to those which they assume upon completion of a step T including an advance for the interval R and a dwell for the interval S.

FIGS. 13a to 13c illustrate the control system of the packing machine 12. This control system includes the aforementioned switch 99 and the pulse shaper 101 (both shown in FIG. 13a). The control system comprises a number of control units which receive signals from the pulse shaper 101 and from the aforementioned detectors 222, 223, 224, 226, 227, 228, 229. The control units of the system shown in FIGS. 13a to 13c regulate the operation of the machine in dependency on such signals.

In addition to the control units 107, 112, 118 of FIG. 6, the control system comprises a further control unit 301 (shown in the left-hand part of FIG. 13a) which regulates the feed of tinfoil blanks 71 along the path W and to the turret 42 of the converting assembly. The feed of tinfoil blanks 71 is to be interrupted when a mandrel 43 which reaches the transfer station B' already carries a tinfoil blank (and more particularly an open-ended envelope which is obtained in response to deformation of a tinfoil blank 71). The electromagnetic clutch 263 is shown again in FIG. 13a; this clutch can be energized by the control unit 301 to establish a torque-transmitting connection between the shaft 262 and the shaft 74a for the roller 72a of the feeding device 72 in the blank forming apparatus 69. The control unit 301 further regulates energization of the electromagnetic clutch 246 which can establish a torque-transmitting connection between the shaft 244 and the shaft 247 for the cam 94 which controls movement of the carrier 83 in the apparatus 69. An interrupter switch 302 is associated with the clutch 246 and serves to insure that the clutch 246 cannot be disengaged excepting when the cam 94 assumes a predetermined angular position, namely, when the carrier 83 assumes a predetermined position with reference to its guides 82. Thus, the switch 302 prevents disengagement of the clutch 246 in immediate response to a signal from the detector 223, excepting if the detector 223 transmits a signal when the carrier 83 assumes a predetermined position. The detector 223 is adjacent to the path V for empty packs 41. The control unit 301 further comprises four logical circuits including a NOT-gate 303, two AND-gates 304, 306 and a flip-flop 307. The outputs of the AND-gates 304, 306 are connected with the inputs of the flip-flop 307, and the latter's output is connected with an amplifier 308 which is in circuit with the clutches 246 and 263.

FIG. 13a shows again the elements of the control units 107, 112, 118 which were described in connection with FIG. 6. These control units respectively serve to regulate the movement of the knife 76 of the severing device in the apparatus 69, the electropneumatic valve 111 in the conduit 126 which evacuates air from the ports 79 of the suction plate 81, and the electropneumatic valve 117 in the conduit 124 which serves for evacuation of air from suction ports 89 in the elements 84, 86 of the draping member 93.

A further control unit 309 (FIG. 13a) serves to control movements of the folding member 127 of FIG. 4a. The folding member 127 serves to perform the step shown in the portion 14e of FIG. 14, namely, to deform one flap of the tube formed by a tinfoil blank 71 in response to draping around the respective mandrel 43 on the turret 42. The control unit 309 comprises a rotary electromagnet 311 which is connected with the shaft 128 of the folding member 127, an adjustable time-lag device 312 which includes an R-C link consisting of a capacitor and a variable resistor, a flip-flop 313 one input of which is connected with the time-lag device 312, an amplifier 314 which is connected with the rotary electromagnet 311 and with the output of the flip-flop 313, and a resetting switch 316 which is actuatable by the electromagnet 311 and is connected with the other input of the flip-flop 313. The time-lag device 312 insures that the rotary electromagnet 311 is energized with a predetermined delay following reception of a signal from the pulse shaper 101.

A further control unit 317 (shown in the median part of FIG. 13a) serves to interrupt the feed of paper blanks 132 and the transfer of such blanks from the path X into the path V by sealing the suction drum 134 of the blank feeding apparatus 131 from the suction generating device. The detector 224 is adjacent to the path V between the stations B' and B" of FIG. 4a and serves to detect the presence or absence of tinfoil blanks 71. This detector 224 transmits signals to a NOT-gate 318 and an AND-gate 319 of the control unit 317. The output of the NOT-gate 318 is connected with one input of a second AND-gate 321 in the control unit 317. The other inputs of the AND-gates 319, 321 are connected with the output of the pulse shaper 101. The outputs of the AND-gates 319, 321 are connected with the inputs of a flip-flop 322 which is connected with an electropneumatic valve 324 by way of an amplifier 323. The valve 324 is installed in the suction pipe between a suction generating device and the ports of the suction drum 134 in the blank feeding apparatus 131.

Another control unit 326 (shown in FIG. 13a) serves to regulate movements of the piston rod 147 for the draping member 146 of FIG. 4a. This draping member is located at the station B" and serves to convert successively furnished paper blanks 132 into U-shaped bodies which partially surround the tubes formed by the tinfoil blanks 71. The control unit 326 comprises a flip-flop 327 which has one of its inputs connected with the pulse shaper 101 and whose output is connected with an amplifier 328 in circuit with the solenoid of an electropneumatic valve 329. The valve 329 controls the positions of a piston which is rigid with the piston rod 147 of the draping member 146 and is reciprocable in a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 331. The piston in the cylinder 331 controls a resetting switch 332 which is connected with the other input of the flip-flop 327.

A control unit 333 (also shown in FIG. 13a) regulates the movements of the shaft 156 for the folding member 153 of FIG. 4a . The member 153 performs one step in the conversion of U-shaped paper bodies formed by the draping member 146 into tubes which surround the respective tinfoil tubes. The shaft 156 is connected with or constitutes the armature of a rotary electromagnet 334 which can actuate a resetting switch 339 for a flip-flop 337 of the control unit 333. The latter further includes an amplifier 338 which is connected between the output of the flip-flop 337 and the electromagnet 334, and an adjustable time-lag device 336 whose construction is preferably identical with that of the time-lag device 312.

A further control unit 341 (also shown in FIG. 13a) comprises a time-lag device 342 which is preferably identical with the device 312, a flip-flop 343, an amplifier 344 and the electromagnet 160 having the aforementioned pin-shaped armature 163. The electromagnet 160 can actuate a resetting switch 347 for the flip-flop 343. The electromagnet 160 serves to arrest the folding member 154 of FIG. 4a.

Still another control unit 348 (FIG. 13a) includes a flip-flop 349, an amplifier 351 and the electromagnet 352 whose armature 168 can move the fingers 164, 166 of the tucking device 161 (see FIG. 10). The armature 168 of the electromagnet 352 can actuate a resetting switch 353 for the flip-flop 349.

A control unit 354 (shown in the right-hand part of FIG. 13a) serves to arrest the producing machines 1 and 2 when several mandrels 43 of the turret 42 fail to receive blanks 71 and/or 132, and/or when the hopper 14 of the magazine 4 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is filled to capacity. The control unit 354 receives signals from the pulse shaper 101, from the detector 226 which is adjacent to the path V (FIG. 4a), and from the photoelectric detector 28 in the magazine 4 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). One branch of the control unit 354 includes the detector 226, a NOT-gate 356, an AND-gate 357 and a counter 359 having an erasing signal input 362 connected with the output of the AND-gate 357 and an error signal input 361 connected with a second AND-gate 358 which is in circuit with the detector 226 and pulse shaper 101. The counter 359 can be designed in such a way that it produces an output signal only when its input 361 receives a predetermined number of successive error signals. Each signal which is received by way of the input 362 erases a signal received by way of the input 361. Thus, the number of error signals must exceed the number of erasing signals before the counter 359 can transmit a signal which initiates stoppage of the producing machines 1 and 2.

The other branch of the control unit 354 includes the aforementioned photoelectric detector 28 in the magazine 4, a manually operated switch 368 which can be actuated to reset a flip-flop 364, an OR-gate 363 which is connected with the detector 28 and with the output of the counter 359, and an amplifier 366 which connects the flip-flop 364 with the clutch 367 for the drives of the producing machines 1 and 2. The closing of the switch 368 initiates energization of the clutch 367 and thus initiates starting of the producing machines 1 and 2.

A control unit 369 (shown in the left-hand part of FIG. 13b) serves to regulate movements of the folding member 173 shown in FIG. 4a. The member 173 performs the folding operation shown in FIG. 14m. The control unit 369 comprises a flip-flop 371, an emplifier 372, a rotary electromagnet 373 whose armature rotates the shaft 174 of the folding member 173, and a resetting switch 374 for the flip-flop 371. The resetting switch 374 is actuated by the armature of the electromagnet 373 after the member 173 completes a folding operation.

Another control unit 376 (FIG. 13b) serves to regulate movements of the pusher 7 which expels groups 8 of cigarettes 22 from the hopper 14 of the magazine 4. The control unit 376 includes the aforementioned photoelectric detectors 29 and 31 in the magazine 4 which respectively determine the median and minimum levels of cigarettes in the hopper 14, a flip-flop 378 whose inputs are connected to the detectors 29, 31, an AND-gate 377 connected to the output of the flip-flop 378, a second flip-flop 379 one input of which is connected with the output of the AND-gate 377, an amplifier 381 connected to the output of the flip-flop 379, an electropneumatic valve 382 which controls a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 383, and a resetting switch 384 for the flip-flop 379. The piston in the cylinder 383 is connected with the pusher 7 and this pusher also serves to actuate the resetting switch 384.

A control unit 386 (FIG. 13b) is connected with the control unit 376 and with a further control unit 387. The purpose of the control unit 386 is to control energization of the electromagnetic clutch 232 between the motor 231 and the shaft 241a (FIG. 12). Thus, the control unit 386 can disconnect the packing machine 12 from the motor 231. This control unit comprises two OR-gates 388, 389 which respectively establish the connection between the unit 386 and the control units 376, 387, a manually operated switch 391 which is connected with one input of the OR-gate 388 and can be closed by hand to energize the clutch 232, a second manually operable switch 392 which is connected with one input of the OR-gate 389 and serves to deenergize the clutch 232, a flip-flop 393 whose inputs are connected with the outputs of the OR-gates 388, 389, and an amplifier 394 which is connected between the output of the flip-flop 393 and the clutch 232. A switch 396 is associated with the clutch 232 and serves to prevent premature deenergization of the clutch, i.e., to insure that the clutch 232 is deenergized only when the shaft 241 assumes a predetermined angular position corresponding to completion of a step T. Such stoppage of the shaft 241 in a predetermined angular position takes place irrespective of the timing of the signal produced by the manually operated switch 392 or by a counter 407 in the circuit of the control unit 386.

The control unit 387 regulates movements of the piston rod 62 in the transfer unit 175 (see FIG. 4d). As explained above, the transfer unit 175 is installed at the transfer station B and serves to transfer empty packs 41 from the mandrels 43 of the turret 42 into the pockets 178 of the turret 179. The control unit 387 further includes the photoelectric detector 222 which scans the chambers 39 of the compacting turret 36 for the presence or absence of groups 8, and the detector 227 which is adjacent to the path V and scans this path for the presence or absence of empty packs 41 at the station B. Still further, the control unit 387 comprises two NOT-gates 397, 398 whose inputs are respectively connected with the detectors 222, 227, an AND-gate 399 having three inputs two of which are connected with the outputs of the NOT-gates 397, 398 and the third of which is connected with the pulse shaper 101, a flip-flop 401 one input of which is connected with the output of the AND-gate 399, an electropneumatic valve 403 which controls the double-acting pneumatic cylinder 63, and an amplifier 402 which is connected between the output of the flip-flop 401 and the valve 403. The piston rod 62 of the tubular body 64 can actuate a resetting switch 405 for the flip-flop 401.

The detector 222 and NOT-gate 397 are further connected with AND-gates 404, 406. The output of the AND-gate 404 is connected with the error signal input 408 of the counter 407 and the output of the AND-gate 406 is connected with a signal erasing input 409 of the counter 407. The counter 407 counts the number of groups 8 which are transferred into the chambers 39 of the turret 36. The construction of this counter 407 is analogous to or identical with that of the aforedescribed counter 359. The input 408 receives a signal in response to detection of the absence of a group 8 in a chamber 39, and the input 409 transmits a signal in response to detection of the presence of a group 8.

A further control unit 411 (FIG. 13b) serves to regulate movements of the piston rod 38 for the pusher 37 which transfers groups 8 from the cells 9 of the chain 11 into the chambers 39 of the compacting turret 36. The control unit 411 comprises a flip-flop 412, an amplifier 413 and an electropneumatic valve 414 which controls the double-acting pneumatic cylinder 416. The piston of this cylinder is connected with the piston rod 38 and the latter can actuate a resetting switch 415 for the flip-flop 412.

A further control unit 176 (FIG. 13b) serves to regulate movements of the piston rod 189 and mouthpiece 192 in the pack filling unit 187 shown in FIG. 4c. The control unit 417 comprises two branches one of which includes a flip-flop 418, an amplifier 419 and an electropneumatic valve 422 which controls a pneumatic cylinder 421. The piston of the cylinder 421 is connected with the piston rod 189 and this piston rod further serves to actuate a resetting switch 427 for the flip-flop 418. The other branch of the control unit 417 comprises a flip-flop 412, an amplifier 424 and an electromagnet 426 for the mouthpiece 192. The switch 427 serves to reset the aforementioned flip-flop 418 and also the flip-flop 423.

A control unit 428 (FIG. 13b) regulates movements of the tucking device 194 shown in FIG. 4b. The device 194 performs the operation shown in the portion 14p of FIG. 14. The construction of the control unit 428 is identical to or analogous with that of the control unit 348 of FIG. 13a; it comprises a flip-flop 429, an amplifier 431, an electromagnet 432 whose armature corresponds to the part 168 shown in FIG. 10, and a resetting switch 433 for the flip-flop 429.

A further control unit 434 (shown in the right-hand part of FIG. 13b) comprises an adjustable time-lag device 436 (having an R-C link including a capacitor and a variable resistor), a flip-flop 437, an amplifier 438, a rotary electromagnet 439 whose armature 197 constitutes the shaft for the pivotable folding member 196, and a resetting switch 441 for the flip-flop 437. The switch 441 can be actuated by the armature 197 of the electromagnet 439. The folding member 196 performs the operation shown in the portion 14q of FIG. 14.

A control unit 442 (FIG. 13c) regulates movements of the pusher 204 which transfers packs 201 from the pockets 178 of the turret 179 into the pockets 206 of the turret 207 in the tax stamp applicator 199. The control unit 442 comprises a flip-flop 443, an amplifier 444, an electropneumatic valve 446 which controls a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 447, and a resetting switch 448 which can be actuated by the pusher 204. The latter constitutes the piston rod of the cylinder 447.

A control unit 449 (FIG. 13c) serves to interrupt the feed of tax stamps 202 from the magazine 213 to the turret 207 of the tax stamp applicator 199 when the pocket 206 facing the carrier 209 does not contain a pack 201. The control unit 449 includes the detector 228 (which is an inductance) which responds to detection of deformed tinfoil blanks 71, a NOT-gate 451, two AND-gates 452, 453, a flip-flop 454, and an amplifier 456 which is connected between the output of the flip-flop 454 and the electromagnetic clutch 279. The clutch 279 drives the shaft 281 for the carrier 209.

A further control unit 457 (FIG. 13c) regulates energization of the electromagnet 212 for the ram 211 in the tax stamp applicator 199 (see FIG. 11). The control unit 457 further includes a flip-flop 458 one input of which is connected with the pulse shaper 101, an amplifier 459 which is connected between the output of the flip-flop 458 and the electromagnet 212, and a resetting switch 461 for the flip-flop 458 which is actuated by the armature of the electromagnet 212.

A control unit 462 (FIG. 13c) serves to regulate movements of the piston rod 218 for the entraining member 219 which can transfer packs 201 (each provided with a tax stamp 202) from the pockets 206 of the turret 207 onto the upper stretch of the take-off conveyor belt 203. The control unit 462 comprises a flip-flop 464, an amplifier 466, an electropneumatic valve 463 which controls a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 467, and a resetting switch 468 for the flip-flop 464. The piston of the cylinder 467 is connected with the piston rod 218 and this piston rod actuates the resetting switch 468.

Finally, the control system of the packing machine 12 comprises a control unit 469 (shown in the right-hand part of FIG. 13c) which regulates the admission of compressed gaseous fluid to the ejector nozzle 221 (FIG. 4b). The control unit 469 comprises the detector 229 (this detector is an inductance) which scans the pockets 206 of the turret 207 in the tax stamp applicator 199 for the presence of packs 201, a flip-flop 473 which can be set by the switch 468 of the control unit 462, an amplifier 474, and an electropneumatic valve 476 which is installed in the conduit connecting the ejector nozzle 221 with a compressor (not shown) or another suitable source of compressed gas. The detector 229 serves to reset the flip-flop 473 of the control unit 469.

The time lag determined by the devices 312, 336, 342 and 436 in the control units 309, 333, 341 and 434 can be shortened or lengthened by appropriate adjustment of the respective variable resistors.

The operation of the packing machine 12 is as follows:

The plain cigarettes which are produced in the cigarette rod making machine 1 of FIG. 1 are fed into the flutes of the transfer drum 3 which supplies such cigarettes to the filter tipping machine 2. The filter tipping machine 2 provides each plain cigarette with a filter tip and discharges filter cigarettes 22 into the magazine 4 (see the conveyor belt 23 in FIGS. 2 and 3). It is assumed that the hopper 14 of the magazine 4 is empty. It is further assumed that the electric motor 231 of the drive shown in FIG. 12 is on. The clutch 367 is engaged so that it drives the moving parts of the producing machines 1 and 2. The clutch 232 which drives the moving parts of the packing machine 12 is disengaged and the pusher 7 is held in its retracted position.

When the level of cigarettes 22 which accumulate in the hopper 14 of the magazine 4 rises so that it reaches the photoelectric detector 29, the detector 29 transmits a signal to the OR-gate 388 of the control unit 386 shown in FIG. 13b. The signal which is emitted by the OR-gate 388 changes the condition of the flip-flop 393 which energizes the clutch 232 by way of the amplifier 394. Energization of the clutch 232 results in establishment of a torque-transmitting connection between the output shaft of the motor 231 and the shaft 241a of the drive shown in FIG. 12. The motor 231 continues to drive the parts of the packing machine 12 until the flip-flop 393 receives a signal from the OR-gate 389.

The signal from the photoelectric detector 29 is further transmitted to the flip-flop 378 of the control unit 376 shown in FIG. 13b. The output signal from the flip-flop 378 is transmitted to one input of the AND-gate 377. The Geneva movement 233 of FIG. 12 drives the shaft 183 of the cam 248 in stepwise fashion so that the lobes of the cam 248 intermittently close and open the switch 99 which is in circuit with the pulse shaper 202. Furthermore, the Geneva movement 233 effects intermittent movements of the turret 42, turret 179, turret 207, carrier 209, sprocket wheel 33, turret 36, rollers 72a, 72b of the feeding device 72 for the web 73, and suction drum 134. The belt drive 239 of FIG. 12 receives motion from the shaft 241a and rotates the cam 94 at a constant speed. As shown in FIGS. 13a through 13c, the pulse shaper 101 transmits signals to the control units 301, 118, 112, 107, 309, 317, 326, 333, 341, 348, 354, 369, 376, 386, 387, 411, 417, 428, 434, 442, 449, 457, 462 and 469.

As the AND-gate 377 of the control unit 376 in FIG. 13b, receives a signal from the pulse shaper 101, it transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 379. The output signal from the flip-flop 379 is transmitted to the solenoid of the electropneumatic valve 382 by way of the amplifier 381. The valve 382 admits pressurized fluid to the upper chamber of the cylinder 383 so that the piston of this cylinder expels the pusher 7 in a downward direction, as viewed in FIG. 13b, whereby the pusher 7 expels a group 8 of 20 cigarettes 22 from the hopper 14 of the magazine 4. The thus expelled group 8 enters the adjacent cell 9 of the chain 11. The chain 11 transports the cell 9 with the group 8 of 20 cigarettes 22 in stepwise fashion along the path U shown in FIG. 4b and toward the transfer station A'. When the pusher 7 reaches its extended position, it actuates the resetting switch 384 which thereby resets the flip-flop 379 to its original condition. Thus, the valve 382 causes the cylinder 383 to retract the pusher 7 so that the latter is ready to perform the following working stroke. The same sequence of steps is repeated when the pulse shaper 101 transmits a fresh signal to the AND-gate 377 of the control unit 376. The cells 9 of the chain 11 advance in stepwise fashion from the transfer station at the hopper 14 of the magazine 4 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 toward and about the sprocket wheel 33 of FIG. 4b. When the foremost group 8 reaches the transfer station A', the flip-flop 412 of the control unit 411 shown in FIG. 13b actuates the valve 414. The valve 414 controls the flow of compressed gaseous medium into the chambers of the cylinder 416 and enables the piston rod 38 to displace the pusher 37 so that the group 8 which arrives at the transfer station A' is transferred into the registering chamber 39 of the compacting turret 36. When the piston rod 38 reaches its outer end position, it actuates the resetting switch 415 for the flip-flop 412. This causes the valve 414 to reassume its original condition and to retract the piston rod 38 into the cylinder 416. The piston rod 38 is then ready to perform a fresh working stroke in order to expel the next-following group 8 of cigarettes 22 from a registering cell 9 into the aligned chamber 39 of the compacting turret 36. The group 8 which is transferred into the chamber 39 of the turret 36 is subjected to a compressing action which reduces the overall dimensions of the group to such an extent that it can be readily inserted into an empty pack 41.

A complete cycle resulting in the formation of an empty pack 41 is carried out as follows:

It is assumed that the turret 42 of the converting assembly is empty, i.e., that each of the mandrels 43 is exposed because it does not carry an empty pack. Consequently, the detector 223 in the control unit 301 of FIG. 13a does not produce any signals because it fails to detect tinfoil blanks 71 on the adjacent turrets 43. The condition of the flip-flop 307 in the control unit 302 remains unchanged and the clutches 246 and 263 of the control unit 301 remain engaged. Thus, the Geneva movement 233 drives the roller 72a of the feeding device 72 in the blank forming apparatus 69 of FIG. 4a. The rollers 72a, 72b of the device 72 advance the web 73 in stepwise fashion toward the transfer station B' whereby the web 73 advances lengthwise along the path W. Each stepwise advance of the web 73 is selected in such a way that the length of the web which moves beyond the plane of the knife 76 corresponds to the length of a tinfoil blank 71. When the web 73 advances by a step and thereupon dwells prior to the next-following step, the pulse shaper 101 transmits a signal to the control unit 112 of FIG. 13a, namely, to one input of the flip-flop 103. The output signal from the flip-flop 103 is transmitted to the solenoid of the electropneumatic valve 111 by way of the amplifier 109 whereby the valve 111 connects the suction fan 113 of FIG. 6 with the suction channels 77, 78 and suction ports 79 in the suction plate 81 of the apparatus 69. Thus, the plate 81 attracts the leader of the web 73 preparatory to actuation of the knife 76.

The pulse shaper 101 also transmits a signal to the flip-flop 102 of the control unit 107 shown in FIGS. 6 and 13a. The output signal from the flip-flop 102 is transmitted to the electromagnet 106 by way of the amplifier 104 whereby the electromagnet causes the knife 76 to perform a working stroke and to sever the web 73 so as to form a fresh tinfoil blank 71. The freshly formed tinfoil blank 71 is shown in the portion 14a of FIG. 14. When the knife 76 reaches its foremost position, the armature of the electromagnet 106 actuates the switch 108 which resets the flip-flop 102 whereby the flip-flop deenergizes the electromagnet 106 which retracts the knife 76 to its starting or idle position. The electromagnet 106 preferably comprises a suitable spring (not shown) which automatically retracts the knife 76 when the electromagnet is deenergized.

As stated before, the motor 231 drives the cam 94 at a constant speed, as long as the clutch 232 of FIG. 12 remains engaged. Therefore, the cam 94 transmits motion to the carrier 83 of the blank forming apparatus 69 whereby the carrier 83 moves up and down at a rate determined by the speed of the shaft 247 and the configuration of groove 97 (see FIG. 7) in the cam 94. The draping member 93 shares the up-and-down movements of the carrier 83. In one of its end positions, the trip 122 on the carrier 83 actuates the limit switch 119 which transmits a resetting signal for the flip-flop 103 in the control unit 112 of FIG. 13a. This changes the condition of the electropneumatic valve 111 which controls the evacuation of air from the ports 79 of the suction plate 81. Thus, the plate 81 ceases to attract the freshly formed tinfoil flank 71. The limit switch 119 also transmits a signal to the flip-flop 114 in the control unit 118 which causes a change in the condition of the electropneumatic valve 117. The valve 117 then connects the suction fan 113 with the suction ports 89 in the elements 84, 86 of the draping member 93. Consequently, the draping member 93 attracts the freshly formed tinfoil blank 71 which leaves the adjacent surface of the plate 81 and adheres to the elements 84, 86.

During the next stage of operation of the packing machine 12, the groove 97 of the cam 94 causes the roller follower 96 to shift the carrier 83 and the draping member 93 in a direction counter to that indicated by arrow 95 in FIG. 6. Thus, the carrier 83 moves in a direction toward the path V of the turret 42. The carrier 83 then maintains the draping member 93 in the position shown in FIG. 8a. The turret 42 advances one of its mandrels 43 in the direction indicated by arrow 85 shown in FIG. 8a whereby the mandrel 43 passes between the wings or elements 84, 86 of the draping member 93 (see FIG. 8b) and removes the blank 71 from the front surface of the draping member. At the same time, the thus removed blank 71 is partially draped around the mandrel 43 so as to assume the shape shown in the portion 14b of FIG. 14. Such transfer and simultaneous deformation of the blank 71 take place at the transfer station B' of FIG. 4a. As mentioned before, the distance 92 between the edge faces 91 of the elements 84, 86 of the draping member 93 (see FIG. 6) equals or closely approximates the width 43a of a mandrel 43.

The mandrel 43, with a partially draped blank 72 thereon, comes to a halt as soon as it moves beyond the space between the edge faces 91. During the period of dwell following a movement of the turret 43 to the position shown in FIG. 8b, the continuously rotating cam 94 causes its groove 97 to again move the roller follower 96 and the carrier 83 counter to the direction indicated by the arrow 95 whereby the draping member 93 moves in the direction indicated in FIG. 8c by arrow 90 and its element 84 folds one leg of the U-shaped body of tinfoil. The operation which the draping element 84 performs is shown in FIG. 14c. The trip 122 of the carrier 83 actuates the limit switch 121 which causes the flip-flop 114 of the control unit 118 to change the condition of the valve 117. The valve 117 then seals the suction ports 89 of the draping elements 84, 86 from the fan 113.

The cam 94 continues to rotate and its groove 97 causes the roller follower 96 to move the carrier 83 and the draping member 93 in the direction of arrow 95 (FIGS. 6 and 8d) whereby the draping element 86 completes the conversion of the tinfoil blank 71 into a tube (see the portion 14d of FIG. 14). The apparatus 69 is then ready to make a fresh tinfoil blank 71.

During the conversion of a blank 71 into a tube, the ports 44 of the respective mandrel 43 are connected to the suction generating device so that the mandrel attracts the adjacent portions of the tube shown in the portion 14d of FIG. 14.

The mandrel 43, with a tinfoil tube thereon, is thereupon indexed and reaches the pivotable folding member 127 of FIG. 4a. When the mandrel 43 comes to a halt, the time-lag device 312 of the control unit 309 causes the flip-flop 313 and amplifier 314 to energize the rotary electromagnet 311. The latter rotates the shaft 128 whereby the folding member 127 performs the operation shown in the portion 4e of FIG. 14. When the rotation of the shaft 128 is completed, the armature of the electromagnet 311 actuates the switch 316 which resets the flip-flop 313 to deenergize the electromagnet 311 and to effect a return movement of the folding member 127 to its idle position, for example, by means of a suitable return spring (not shown).

During the just described stage of operation of the packing machine 12, the detector 224 determines whether or not the mandrel 43 carries a tinfoil blank 72. If the mandrel 43 is provided with such a blank, the detector 224 resets the flip-flop 322 but the condition of the flip-flop 322 remains unchanged so that the valve 324 remains in the condition shown in FIG. 13a and connects the ports of the suction drum 134 in the apparatus 131 with a suction generating device.

The turret 42 is thereupon indexed and causes the mandrel 43 to move along the stationary folding member 129 which performs the operation shown in the portion 14f of FIG. 14. When the indexing of the turret 42 is completed, the mandrel 43 is located at the transfer station B". During the preceding indexing of the turret 42, the suction drum 134 withdraws a paper blank 132 from the magazine 133 and moves the thus withdrawn paper blank along the coating roller 143 which applies to the adjacent surface of the paper blank two strips of adhesive. The paper blank 132 (but without adhesive strips thereon) is shown lower end portion 14g of FIG. 14. Such strips are applied to one longitudinal and to one transverse marginal portion of the blank 132 (see FIG. 25f). The adhesive-coated paper blank 132 is then taken over and transported by the suction bands 137a, 137b so that it arrives at the transfer station B" and is adjacent to the mandrel 43 which carries a partially deformed tinfoil blank 71. The blank 132 at the transfer station B" is then located in the path of movement of the draping member 146.

When the mandrel 43 comes to a halt at the station B", the pulse shaper 101 transmits a signal to the flip-flop 327 in the control unit 326 of FIG. 13a. This causes the amplifier 328 to energize the solenoid of the valve 329 which admits compressed air to the cylinder 331. The piston rod 147 is caused to move toward the mandrel 43 at the station B" and the plate-like prongs of the draping member 146 drape the paper blank 132 about a portion of the partially completed tinfoil envelope on the mandrel 43. The operation which is performed by the draping member 146 is shown in the portion 14h of FIG. 14.

The plunger 149 (see FIG. 9) of the draping member 146 bears against the paper blank 132 and presses it against the adjacent portion of the mandrel 43 at the station B" while the piston rod 147 for the draping member 146 performs a working stroke. This prevents slippage of the paper blank 132 during its conversion into the U-shaped body shown in FIG. 14h.

The time-lag device 336 of the control unit 333 transmits a delayed signal to the flip-flop 337 which causes the amplifier 338 to energize the rotary electromagnet 334. The latter rotates the folding member 153 to the position shown in FIG. 4a whereby the member 153 performs the operation shown in portion 14i of FIG. 14.

The time-lag device 342 of the control unit 341 transmits a delayed signal to the flip-flop 343 which causes the amplifier 344 to energize the electromagnet 160 so that the electromagnet 160 retracts its pin-shaped armature 163. Up to then, the extended armature 163 was holding the folding member 154 in a position in which the torsion spring 158 was caused to store energy. The member 154 was moved to such position during the preceding stage of operation. As soon as the armature 163 is retracted, the spring 158 propels the folding member 154 in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 159 (back to the position shown in FIG. 4a) whereby the member 154 performs the operation shown in the portion 14k of FIG. 14, i.e., the paper blank 132 is converted into a tube.

The electromagnet 334 thereupon actuates the switch 339 which resets the flip-flop 337 so that the electromagnet 334 is deenergized and the folding member 153 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 4a is back to a starting position, preferably under the action of a suitable spring (not shown). The movements of the folding member 153 are synchronized with movements of the folding member 154 in such a way that the folding member 153 begins to move back to its starting position when the folding member 154 begins to fold the paper blank 132 to complete the formation of the tube shown in the portion 14k of FIG. 14.

When the piston rod 147 reaches its end position, it actuates the switch 332 which resets the flip-flop 337 whereby the valve 329 reassumes the condition shown in FIG. 13a. The cylinder 331 is caused to retract the piston rod 147 so that the draping member 146 returns to the position shown in FIG. 4a.

The turret 42 is thereupon indexed to move the mandrel 43 into registry with the tucking device 161. This tucking device serves to perform the operation shown in the portion 14L of FIG. 14. During such indexing of the mandrel 43 away from the station B", the permanent magnets 52, 53 (FIG. 5) attract the ferromagnetic folding member 154 and cause it to pivot in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4a, and to stress the torsion spring 158. This enables the folding member 154 to bear against the overlapping portions of the paper tube on the moving turret 43 and to thus enhance the setting of adhesive which bonds such overlapping portions to each other. As the folding member 154 pivots in response to indexing of the mandrel 43 away from the station B", the pin-shaped armature 163 of the electromagnet 160 slides along the inclined surface in the notch 162 of the member 154 and is depressed to thereupon move outwardly and to prevent return movement of the folding member 154 under the action of the torsion spring 158 prior to energization of the electromagnet 160. The anticlockwise pivotal movement of the folding member 154 is terminated when it abuts against the stationary heating member 177. Thus, when the mandrel 43 is indexed to move away from registry with the tucking device 161, the permanent magnets 52, 53 become separated from the folding member 154 because the latter is held by the heating member 177. However, since the electromagnet 160 is deenergized, the pin 163 is in an extended position and holds the folding member 154 against premature return movement (arrow 159) under the action of the torsion spring 158.

When the turret 43 reaches the tucking device 161 and comes to a halt, the flip-flop 349 of the control unit 348 receives a signal from the pulse shaper 101 whereby the output signal from the flip-flop 349 causes the amplifier 351 to energize the electromagnet 352. The electromagnet 352 attracts the armature 168 (which moves upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 10), whereby the tucking fingers 164, 166 of the device 161 slide along the guide rail 167 toward each other and provide the blanks on the mandrel 43 with the tucks shown in the portion 14L of FIG. 14.

The electromagnet 352 thereupon actuates the switch 353 which resets the flip-flop 349 with the result that the electromagnet 352 is deenergized and the tucking fingers 164, 166 move away from the mandrel 43 under the action of a spring, not shown.

The detector 226 determines whether or not the adjacent mandrel 43 carries a paper blank 132. If the mandrel is provided with a paper blank, the detector 226 does not transmit signals to the gates 356, 358 of the control unit 354 of FIG. 13a. However, the gates 356, 358 receive signals if the detector 226 determines that the adjacent mandrel 43 does not carry a paper blank 132. As mentioned above, the detector 226 may comprise two contacts which are electrically connected with each other if they engage a tinfoil blank, i.e., if the adjacent mandrel 43 does not carry a paper blank 132 overlying that portion of the tinfoil blank which can be scanned by the detector 226. The purpose of the signal from the detector 226 will be described later.

In response to renewed indexing of the turret 42, the mandrel with a paper blank 132 and a tinfoil blank 71 thereon reaches the station which accommodates the folding member 173. When the mandrel 43 comes to a standstill, the flip-flop 371 in the control unit 369 of FIG. 13b receives a signal from the pulse shaper 101 and energizes the rotary electromagnet 373 which rotates the shaft 174 of the folding member 173. The folding member 173 then performs the operation which is shown in the portion 14m of FIG. 14. The armature of the electromagnet 373 then actuates the switch 374 which resets the flip-flop 371 so that the electromagnet 373 is deenergized and permits a spring (not shown) to return the folding member 173 to its starting position.

In response to the next-following indexing of the turret 42, the mandrel 43 advances along the heated stationary folding member 176 which performs the operation shown in the portion 14n of FIG. 14. This completes the closing of one end of the paper blank 132. The folding member 176 heats the adhesive which was applied by the coating roller 143 of the paster 139 to the adjacent flap of the blank 132 so that the adhesive sets before the mandrel reaches the transfer station B.

The photoelectric detector 222 downstream of the transfer station A' is constructed in such a way that it produces signals only when it fails to detect groups 8 of cigarettes 22 in the chambers 39 of the compacting turret 36. When the detector 222 fails to produce signals, the NOT-gate 397 in the control unit 387 transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 399. If the detector 227 at the transfer station B fails to detect a tinfoil blank 71 (i.e., if such tinfoil blank is concealed by the outer envelope consisting of the material of a paper blank 132), this indicates that a mandrel 43 at the transfer station B carries a properly shaped empty pack 41 or that it is without an empty pack. The detector 227 then fails to produce a signal so that the output of the AND-gate 398 transmits a signal which is received by the corresponding input of the AND-gate 399. Thus, if the just described conditions are met and the two inputs of the AND-gate 399 receive signals from the gates 397, 398, the AND-gate 399 transmits a signal to the flip-flop 401 as soon as it receives a signal from the pulse shaper 101. The flip-flop 401 then transmits a signal to the valve 403 by way of the amplifier 402 whereby the valve 403 causes the cylinder 63 to expel the piston rod 62 which in turn moves the rod 57 and the pack stripping plunger 56 of the adjacent mandrel 43 in the direction indicated by arrow 61 shown in FIG. 5. The piston rod 62 then bears against the flange 58 at the lower end of the rod 57, as seen in FIG. 5. This causes the plunger 56 to strip the empty pack 41 off the mandrel 43 and to transfer it into the registering pocket 178 of the turret 179. Thus, the empty pack 41 is transferred from the path V into the path Y. When it reaches the fully extended position, the piston rod 62 closes the switch 405 which resets the flip-flop 401. The latter changes the condition of the valve 403 which causes the cylinder 63 to retract the piston rod 62 whereby the spring 59 returns the plunger 56 to the position shown in FIG. 5.

The pocket 178, with an empty pack 41 therein, thereupon advances by two steps in a direction from the transfer station B toward the pack filling station C. During the interval following the second step of the turret 179, the flip-flops 418, 423 of the control unit 417 shown in FIG. 13b receive a signal from the pulse shaper 101. The flip-flop 418 energizes the solenoid of the electropneumatic valve 422 by way of the amplifier 419 whereby the valve 422 causes the cylinder 421 to expel the piston rod 189. The flip-flop 423 energizes the electromagnet 426 for the mouthpiece 192 by way of the amplifier 424. The link 191 thereby advances the mouthpiece 192 toward the turret 179 so that the mouthpiece 192 enters the open end of the empty pack 41 in the adjacent pocket 178. The piston rod 189 of the cylinder 421 causes the pusher 188 to advance toward the turret 179 whereby the pusher 188 expels a group 8 from the registering chamber 39 of the compacting turret 35 and causes the thus expelled group 8 to pass through the mouthpiece 192 so that the group enters the empty pack 41 (FIG. 4c). The mouthpiece 192 cooperates with the turret 36 to prevent premature expansion of the compacted group 8. This completes the transfer of the compacted group 8 from the last portion of the path U into the path Y. The filling of empty packs 41 with groups 8 of cigarettes 22 takes place at the station C. The retaining member or flange 186 which is adjacent to the path Y prevents the empty packs 41 from yielding in response to introduction of groups 8. When the piston rod 189 of the cylinder 421 in the control unit 417 reaches its outer end position, it closes the switch 427 which resets the flip-flops 418, 423. This enables the valve 422 to retract the piston rod 189, and the electromagnet 426 is deenergized to permit the link 191 to return the mouthpiece 192 to its idle position. The return movement of the mouthpiece 192 to its idle position can take place under the action of a suitable spring, not shown.

When a pocket 178 of the turret 179 moves beyond the pack filling station C, it reaches the tucking device 194 shown in FIG. 4b. The construction of the tucking device 194 is analogous to that of the tucking device 161. When the pocket 178 comes to a halt, the flip-flop 429 of the control unit 428 shown in FIG. 13b receives a signal from the pulse shaper 101 whereby the flip-flop 429 effects energization of the electromagnet 432 which causes the tucking fingers of the device 194 to move toward each other in a manner as described in connection with the tucking fingers 166, 164 of the device 161 shown in FIG. 10. The operation which is performed by the tucking device 194 is shown in the portion 14p of FIG. 14. The portion 14o of FIG. 14 illustrates the transfer of a group 8 of twenty cigarettes 22 into an empty pack 41 at the pack filling station C. The electromagnet 432 of the control unit 428 then closes the switch 433 which resets the flip-flop 429 so that the electromagnet 432 is deenergized and a spring (not shown) returns the tucking fingers of the device 194 to their retracted or idle positions. The turret 179 is thereupon indexed again by a step and the pocket 178 with the pack 41 and a group 8 therein reaches the pivotable folding member 196 shown in FIG. 4b. When the pocket 178 comes to a stop, the adjustable time-lag device 436 transmits to the flip-flop 437 of the control unit 434 shown in FIG. 13b a delayed signal which causes energization of the rotary electromagnet 439 for the shaft 197 of the folding member 196. The folding member 196 then performs the operation which is illustrated in the portion 14q of FIG. 14. When it reaches its end position, the shaft 197 closes the switch 441 which resets the flip-flop 437. This deenergizes the electromagnet 439 whereby a spring (not shown) returns the folding member 196 to its idle position.

The pocket 178 of the turret 179 is thereupon advanced by a step to reach the folding and sealing member 198. This member 198 performs the operation which is illustrated in the portion 14r of FIG. 14. Thus, the empty pack 41 with a group 8 of 20 cigarettes 22 therein is converted into a closed pack 201. The member 198 heats the adhesive between the adjacent flaps of the paper envelope consisting of a blank 132 so that the adhesive sets and cannot open during the next-following stages of treatment of the respective pack 201.

In response to renewed indexing of the turret 179, the pocket 178 with a pack 201 therein moves to a position between the front part of the folding member 198 and the transfer station A". When the turret 179 is indexed again, the pack 201 reaches the station A" and is located in the range of the pusher 204. When the turret 179 comes to a halt, the pulse shaper 101 transmits to the flip-flop 443 of the control unit 442 shown in FIG. 13c a signal which energizes the solenoid of the valve 446 whereby the valve causes the cylinder 447 to shift the pusher 204 so that the latter expels the pack 201 from the adjacent pocket 178 into the registering pocket 206 of the turret 207 in the tax stamp applicator 199. When the pusher 204 reaches its extended position, it actuates the switch 448 which resets the flip-flop 443 so that the valve 446 reassumes its original condition and causes the cylinder 447 to retract the pusher 204 to the starting or idle position shown in FIG. 4b.

The detector 228 at the transfer station A" determines whether or not a group 8 which has been transferred by the pusher 204 into the adjacent pocket 206 of the turret 207 is surrounded by a layer of tinfoil. If the detector 228 senses the presence of tinfoil, this indicates that the pack 201 is properly formed and is ready to be provided with a tax stamp 202. A signal transmitted by the detector 228 in the control unit 449 of FIG. 13c reaches the corresponding input of the AND-gate 452 together with a signal from the pulse shaper 101. The signal which is transmitted by the AND-gate 452 to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 454 does not change the condition of the flip-flop. Therefore, the electromagnetic clutch 279 remains energized and the shaft 281 for the carrier 209 in the applicator 199 can be indexed.

The turret 207 is thereupon indexed by a step so that the freshly received pack 201 is moved in front of the carrier 209 on the shaft 281. During such indexing of the turret 207, the carrier 209 performs a full revolution in the direction indicated by arrow 208. This enables the ram 211 to withdraw the foremost tax stamp 202 from the magazine 213 whereby the thus withdrawn tax stamp adheres to the suction ports 214 in the extensions 210 of the ram 211. The tax stamp is thereupon caused to move along the paster 217 which coats the exposed side of the tax stamp with a suitable adhesive. When the carrier 209 completes a full revolution, the flip-flop 458 of the control unit 457 receives from the pulse shaper 101 a signal while the turret 207 and the carrier 209 are at a standstill. The output signal from the flip-flop 458 is amplified at 459 and is transmitted to the electromagnet 212 which is energized. The thus energized electromagnet 212 advances the ram 211 in a direction toward the adjacent pocket 206. The operation of the ram 211 is analogous to that of the draping member 146 shown in FIG. 9. Thus, the median portion 215 of the ram 211 presses the adjacent part of the adhesive-coated tax stamp 202 against the adjacent end face of the pack 201 and the end portions of the stamp are moved against the major surfaces of the pack 201. The operation which is performed by the ram 211 of the carrier 209 in the tax stamp applicator 199 is shown in the portion 14s of FIG. 14. The median portion 215 of the ram 211 prevents lateral shifting of the tax stamp 202 during its deformation by the extensions 210. The electromagnet 212 thereupon closes the switch 461 which resets the flip-flop 458 of the control unit 457. This enables a spring (not shown) to return the ram 211 to a retracted position. The pack 201 is now provided with a properly applied tax stamp 202 and is ready for transfer onto the upper stretch of the take-off conveyor belt 203 in response to renewed indexing of the turret 207. When the pack 201 reaches a position adjacent to the belt 203 and comes to a standstill, the flip-flop 464 of the control unit 462 shown in FIG. 13c receives a signal from the pulse shaper 101. This enables the flip-flop 464 to energize the solenoid of the valve 463 wich causes the cylinder 467 to expel the piston rod 218 whereby the entraining member 219 of the piston rod 218 withdraws the pack 201 from the adjacent pocket 206 and transfers it onto the upper stretch of the belt 203. Prior to a working stroke of the piston rod 218, the entraining member 219 is located in the space between the four arms of the turret 207. The entraining member 219 pivots in response to engagement with the adjacent pocket 206 while the piston rod 218 performs a return stroke and the member 219 thereupon pivots to assume a vertical position in which it is ready to expel the pack 201. When it reaches its foremost position, the piston rod 218 closes the switch 468 which resets the flip-flop 464 of the control unit 462 and sets the flip-flop 473 in the control unit 469. The flip-flop 473 thereupon transmits a signal to the valve 476 which admits compressed gas (preferably air) to the ejector nozzle 221. The detector 229 is positioned adjacent to the path of movement of packs 201 from the path Y onto the upper stretch of the belt 203. This detector scans the transferred pack for the presence or absence of a tinfoil blank 71. If the detector 229 detects the presence of a tinfoil blank 71, it transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 473 which causes energization of the solenoid in the valve 476 so that the admission of compressed air to the ejector nozzle 221 is interrupted before the pack 201 reaches the orifice of this nozzle. Thus, the nozzle 221 cannot eject a proper pack 201.

If the operation of the producing machines 1 and 2 is interrupted, or if these machines happen to function improperly for whatever reason so that the rate at which the belt 23 of FIGS. 2 and 3 delivers cigarettes 22 to the hopper 14 of the magazine 4 does not suffice for continuous formation of groups 8 and their introduction into the cells 9 of the chain 11, the level of cigarettes 22 in the hopper 14 descends below the lowermost photoelectric detector 31. The detector 31 then produces a signal which causes a change in the condition of the flip-flop 378 in the control unit 376 of FIG. 13b. The signal at the corresponding input of the AND-gate 377 is changed so that the gate 377 begins to block. When the other input of the AND-gate 377 thereupon receives a signal from the pulse shaper 101, the gate 377 does not produce an output signal and the electropneumatic valve 382 cannot initiate a working stroke of the pusher 7 which serves to transfer the groups 8 from the hopper 14 into successive cells 9 of the chain 11. Thus, the pusher 7 remains at a standstill and at least one cell 9 of the chain 11 remains unfilled. It will be seen that the detector 31 prevents the formation of unsatisfactory groups 8, namely, of groups which contain less than 20 cigarettes 22. The empty cell 9 advances toward and around the sprocket wheel 33 of FIG. 4b and reaches the transfer station A'. The pusher 37 performs a working stroke but such stroke does not result in the transfer of a group 8 into the adjacent chamber 39 of the compacting turret 36 because the cell 9 which registers with the pusher 37 is empty. This causes the detector 222 which is adjacent to the path U to produce a signal which is transmitted to the NOT-gate 397 of the control unit 387. The NOT-gate 397 transmits a signal to the AND-gate 399 which begins to block. Consequently, the condition of the flip-flop 401 remains unchanged and the valve 403 cannot cause the piston rod 62 to perform a working stroke. The transfer unit 175 remains idle. Consequently, the empty pack 41 which reaches the station B is not transferred into the adjacent pocket 178 of the turret 179. It will be seen that a signal from the detector 222 results in retention of an empty pack 41 in the path V. Furthermore, the signal from the detector 222 is transmitted to the AND-gate 404 which transmits a signal to the error signal input 408 of the counter 407. If the detector 222 determines a certain predetermined number of empty chambers 39, the AND-gate 404 transmits a corresponding number of error signals to the counter 407. When the sum of error signals received by the counter 407 reaches the predetermined number, the counter transmits a signal to the OR-gate 389 of the control unit 386. The output signal from the OR-gate 389 then causes the flip-flop 393 to deenergize the clutch 232 between the motor 231 and the packing machine 12. The packing machine comes to a standstill. The purpose of the switch 396 which is adjacent to the clutch 232 shown in FIG. 13b will be described later.

It will be noted that the detector 222 can initiate an automatic stoppage of the packing machine 12 in response to malfunction of the producing machines 1 and 2, namely, in response to such a drop in the level of cigarettes 22 in the hopper 14 that the detector 31 produces a signal. A stoppage of the packing machine 12 under such circumstances is desirable because it insures that the pusher 7 cannot form incomplete groups 8. However, the packing machine 12 will continue to operate when the cigarettes in the hopper 14 extend to a level above the detector 31 even though the turret 39 fails to receive groups 8 of cigarettes 22. If the interruption in the feed of cigarettes 22 to the hopper 14 is of relatively short duration, namely, when the counter 407 fails to store a requisite number of error signals transmitted thereto by way of the input 408, the packing machine 12 preferably continues to run until each of the mandrels 43 carries an empty pack 41. Each signal which is transmitted to the counter 407 by way of the input 409 erases a signal from the input 408 so that the packing machine 12 continues to run as long as the sum of error signals stored in the counter 407 is less than a predetermined number because the clutch 232 between the motor 231 and the driven parts of the packing machine 12 then remains in energized condition. The input 409 transmits to the counter 407 an erasing signal whenever the detector 222 detects the presence of a group 8 in the adjacent chamber 39 of the turret 36. For example, the detector 222 can detect the absence of groups 8 in two, three or four successive chambers 39. The four empty chambers 39 are followed by two filled chambers 39 whereby two of the error signals transmitted to the counter 407 are erased. If the counter 407 is set to deenergize the clutch 232 in response to a total of six stored error signals, the packing machine 12 continues to operate even though the detector 222 has found four empty chambers 39. The detector 222 causes the transfer of an empty pack 41 from the path V into the path Y whenever it detects a filled chamber 39.

If an empty pack 41 is caused to move beyond the transfer station B without being tranferred into the path Y, it reaches the detector 223 which is adjacent to the path V downstream of the transfer station B. The detector 223 determines whether or not a mandrel 43 which is adjacent thereto carries a tinfoil blank 71. This detector 223 can readily scan the adjacent tinfoil blank even though the latter is partially surrounded by a deformed paper blank 132 because the the open end of the envelope formed by the tinfoil blank extends beyond the paper envelope. This is shown in the portions 14h to 14o of FIG. 14. When the detector 223 detects a tinfoil blank 71, it transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 304 in the control unit 301. When the AND-gate 304 receives a signal from the detector 223 simultaneously with a signal from the pulse shaper 101, it produces an output signal which is transmitted to the flip-flop 307. The flip-flop 307 transmits a signal to the clutch 263 by way of the amplifier 308, and such signal is also transmitted to the clutch 246. These signals disengage the clutches so that the shafts 74a and 247 are arrested. The conductor between the amplifier 308 and clutch 246 contains the aforementioned switch 302 which insures that the clutch 246 can be disengaged only when the turrets of the packing machine 12 complete a step including an indexing movement and the next-following period of dwell. Thus, the clutch 246 can be disengaged only when the carrier 83 of the blank forming apparatus 69 reaches an end position after it has travelled in the direction indicated by arrow 95 shown in FIG. 6. When the clutches 263 and 246 are disengaged, the apparatus 69 ceases to deliver tinfoil blanks 71 to the path V and the web 73 of tinfoil is not transported lengthwise through distances necessary to form a succession of blanks 71. Thus, the detector 223 prevents the formation of blanks 71 when it detects the presence of an empty pack 41 on a turret 43 which has advanced beyond the transfer station B.

When a mandrel 43 which carries an empty pack 41 reaches the detector 224 which is adjacent to the path V and is close to the movable folding member 127, the detector 224 does not produce a signal because it is positioned in such a way that it cannot detect the tinfoil blank 71 if the latter is covered by a paper blank 132. Consequently, the NOT-gate 318 of the control unit 317 transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 321. When the AND-gate 321 thereupon receives a signal from the pulse shaper 101, it transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the flip-flop 322 which deenergizes the solenoid of the valve 324. Therefore, the suction drum 134 of the blank feeding apparatus 131 is sealed from the suction generating device. Consequently, the drum 134 cannot withdraw a fresh paper blank 132 from the magazine 133. A mandrel 43, with an empty pack 41 thereon, can travel past the transfer station B" without receiving a paper blank 132.

It will be noted that the making of fresh empty packs 41 is controlled by empty packs which circulate along the path V. Otherwise stated, fresh tinfoil blanks 71 and paper blanks 132 can be fed into the path V only when the approaching mandrels 43 do not carry empty packs 41. The detector 223 detects the presence of tinfoil blanks 71 and the detector 224 detects the presence of paper blanks 132. These detectors insure that a turret 43 which already carries an empty pack 41 cannot receive additional blanks. The empty packs 41, each on a turret 43, continue to circulate along the path V until the detector 222 produces a signal which causes them to be transferred into the path Y and to be united with groups 8 to form therewith filled packs 201. Each group 8 causes the detector 222 to initiate the transfer of an empty pack 41 from the path V into the path Y.

In an extreme condition of operation of the packing machine 12, the turret 42 can constitute a magazine or storing device for empty packs 41 which are carried by the corresponding mandrels 43. It can happen that each of the mandrels 43 carries an empty pack 41. Such situation can arise if the chain 11 fails to deliver groups 8 to the transfer station A'. The turret 42 continues to rotate intermittently as long as the clutch 232 in the drive shown in FIG. 12 continues to establish a torque-transmitting connection between the output shaft of the electromotor 231 and the shaft 241a. It will further be noted that, once an empty pack 41 on a turret 43 moves beyond the transfer station B, it can be tranferred from the path V into the path Y only after it completes a full revolution about the axis of the turret 42. In other words, an empty pack 41 can be tranferred from a predetermined portion of the path V, namely, at the transfer station B.

The detector 227 produces a certain signal regardless of whether it detects an incomplete empty pack 41 or an empty mandrel 43. This is due to the fact that the detector 227 simply responds to the presence of a current-conducting body, such as a tinfoil blank 71 on an adjacent mandrel 43 or the permanent magnet 52 or 53 on such mandrel. It can happen that, due to malfunctioning of the apparatus 69 and/or 131, or due to exhaustion of the supply of web 73 and/or blanks 132, a mandrel 43 which reaches the transfer station B fails to carry an empty pack 41. If this is the case, and if the detector 222 detects a group 8, the transfer unit 187 transfers such group from the adjacent chamber 39 of the turret 36 into the registering pocket 178 of the turret 179. The thus transferred group 8 is indexed with the turret 179 and reaches the transfer station A". The detector 228 at the station A" then fails to produce a signal because it responds only to the presence of a tinfoil blank 71. Consequently, the flip-flop 454 in the control unit 449 does not receive a signal from the AND-gate 452. This causes the flip-flop 454 to deenergize the clutch 279 which thereby arrests the shaft 281. The carrier 209 in the tax stamp applicator 199 is brought to a halt and cannot withdraw tax stamps 202 from the magazine 213. When the group 8, without a pack 41 therearound, is expelled from the pocket 206 in the corresponding arm of the turret 207, the detector 229 detects the absence of a tinfoil blank and does not produce an output signal. Therefore, the flip-flop 473 in the control unit 469 does not receive a resetting signal and maintains the solenoid of the valve 476 in an energized condition so that the valve 476 connects the ejector nozzle 221 with the source of compressed air. Thus, the nozzle 221 ejects or expels the block 8 from the upper stretch of the take-off conveyor belt 203. This belt transfers satisfactory packs 201 to the packing machine 13 of FIG. 1. The group 8 which is expelled by the nozzle 221 is caused to descend into a suitable collecting receptacle, not shown. The main purpose of the nozzle 221 is to prevent contamination of the second packing machine 13 and interruptions in the operation of such packing machine. Furthermore, tobacco from unpacked cigarettes 22 which are removed from the upper stretch of the belt 203 can be recovered for reintroduction into the cigarette rod making machine 1.

If the detector 227 at the station B detects a tinfoil blank 71, this indicates that the blank feeding apparatus 131 failed to deliver a paper blank 132 to the corresponding mandrel 43. The detector 227 then produces a signal which is transmitted to the input of the NOT-gate 398 in the control unit 387. The gate 398 causes the AND-gate 399 to block so that the flip-flop 401 cannot receive a signal and cannot initiate an operation of the transfer unit 175. The detector 223, which also responds to the presence of tinfoil, prevents the delivery of fresh blanks 71 by the apparatus 69 when it detects a tinfoil blank on the mandrel 43 which has advanced beyond the station B.

As described above, the detector 224 can initiate admission of fresh paper blanks 132 by the blank feeding apparatus 131. If the apparatus 131 has failed to operate only once, namely, during one stage of operation of the packing machine 12, the empty pack on the corresponding mandrel 43 is thereupon completed. However, if the detector 226 detects that the mandrel 43 did not receive a paper blank 132, or that the mandrel does not carry any blanks, the counter 359 of the control unit 354 begins to store error signals which are transmitted thereto by the input 361. When the counter 359 stores a predetermined number of error signals, each produced in response to detection of the absence of a blank, it transmits a signal to the OR-gate 363 which causes the flip-flop 364 to disengage the clutch 367. Such disengagement of the clutch 367 is necessary because the delivery of groups 8 should be interrupted if the turret 42 fails to deliver satisfactory empty packs 41. If desired, the flip-flop 364 can actuate an alarm device (not shown) which indicates to the attendant that the operation of the converting assembly in the packing machine 12 is improper. The input 362 transmits to the counter 359 an erasing signal whenever the detector 226 fails to deliver a signal whereby the counter 359 is automatically reset to zero.

The just described monitoring of tinfoil blanks 71 and paper blanks 132 and the disengagement of the clutch 367 in response to accumulation of a predetermined number of error signals insure that the producing machines 1 and 2 cannot be arrested excepting when the sum of blanks which were not delivered by the apparatus 69 and/or 131 reaches a predetermined number.

If the level of cigarettes 22 in the hopper 14 of the magazine 4 reaches the uppermost detector 28, the latter transmits a signal to the OR-gate 363 of the control unit 354. This causes the flip-flop 364 to disengage the clutch 367 and to thus arrest the producing machines 1 and 2. The clutch 367 can be reengaged by closing the manually operated switch 368 in the control unit 354. Closing of the switch 368 results in resetting of the flip-flop 364. The packing machine 12 can be started by the manually operated switch 391 in the control unit 386. This switch can reset the flip-flop 393 which controls the clutch 232 between the output shaft on the motor 231 and the shaft 241a. The switch 392 of the control unit 386 is opened by hand when the operator wishes to arrest the packing machine 12.

When the packing machine 12 performs operations which involve movements of folding and/or tucking members, or which involve transfer of groups 8 from one turret to another turret, it is undesirable to interrupt such operations before the respective movable parts reach their starting or idle positions. Stoppage of moving parts of the packing machine 12 at inopportune times can result in damage to packs 41, groups 8 and/or movable parts when the packing machine is restarted. Consequently, it is desirable that each stage of operation of the packing machine 12 be completed before the packing machine is arrested. The same holds true for the application of adhesive and for the transfer of blanks 71 and/or 132. To this end, the driven element of the clutch 232 in the control unit 386 is operatively connected with the switch 396. The driven element of the clutch 232 is provided with a lobe or an analogous projection (not shown) which actuates the switch 396 upon completion of a step. In other words, the switch 396 insures that the flip-flop 393 can deenergize the clutch 232 only upon completion of an indexing step and movements of various movable parts in the packing machine 12.

An important advantage of the illustrated packing machine is that it is less prone to malfunction than the presently known packing machines. This is particularly important in connection with packing machines which are directly coupled to one or more producing machines. In the absence of a substantial magazine between the producing and packing machines, it is necessary to insure that the packing machine be arrested simultaneously or substantially simultaneously with the producing machine or machines and that the two groups of machines be started at the same time. Such stoppage and starting of the packing machine must often take place in response to frequent and short-lasting interruptions in operation of the producing machines. Furthermore, the previously described controls of the packing machine 12 insure that the stoppage and starting of the packing machine can take place in automatic response to stoppage and starting of the producing machine or machines so that the operator who is in charge of the producing machine or machines need not be concerned with operation of the packing machine. As a rule, the producing machine or machines are much more sensitive than the packing machines so that the operator or operators are occupied with supervision of the producing machines and can spend little time for supervision of the packing machines.

Another important advantage of the improved packing machine is that it produces empty packs 41 independently of the rate of delivery of groups 8. Therefore, the packing machine can accumulate a reasonable supply of empty packs which can be transferred from the path V into the path Y whenever necessary, namely, whenever the detector 222 detects the presence of a group 8 in the adjacent chamber 39 of the turret 36. The packing machine automatically continues to make empty packs 41 even if the producing machine or machines are arrested until each of the mandrels 43 carries an empty pack 41. In other words, the packing machine 12 is arrested in automatic response to stoppage of the producing machine or machines but only after the elapse of an interval which is necessary to produce such a number of empty packs 41 that each mandrel 43 carries an empty pack.

FIG. 15 illustrates a portion of a second packing machine which differs from the packing machine 12 of FIGS. 1 to 14 in that the feed of blanks 1071, 1132 and the movements of the draping member 93 (not shown) take place in a fully automatic way, not in response to signals from various control elements. Also, the turret 42 (not shown) of the modified packing machine shown in FIG. 15 does not serve for temporary storage of empty packs 1041. Thus, and since the turret 42 cannot store empty packs 1041, the packs which are not transferred to the pack filling station (see the station C in FIG. 4b) must be removed from the turret. Such removal is effected by a removing or segregating device 1501. Otherwise, the construction of the packing machine which embodies the structure of FIG. 15 is preferably identical with that of the packing machine 12. All such parts of the structure shown in FIG. 15 which are clearly identical with or analogous to the corresponding parts of the packing machine 12 are denoted by similar reference numerals plus 1000.

The operation of the segregating device 1501 in the packing machine shown in FIG. 15 will be more readily understood with reference to FIGS. 4a, 4b and 13a. The differences between the two packing machines are few and can be readily comprehended by further referring to the parts shown in FIG. 15. In the modified packing machine, the detector 223 is omitted and, instead, the station D shown in FIG. 4b accommodates the segregating device 1501. As described hereinbefore, the detector 223 of the packing machine 12 serves to detect the presence or absence of portions of empty packs 41 at that station (namely, at the station D) where the mandrels 43 dwell subsequent to one stepwise advance beyond the station B. Also, the path V in the modified packing machine of FIG. 15 forms part of the path Y in which the empty packs 1041 and groups of cigarettes travel during the treatment of filled packs.

The construction of the blank forming apparatus 69 and blank feeding apparatus 131 in the machine embodying the structure of FIG. 15 remains unchanged. Thus, the apparatus 69 can advance the tinfoil web lengthwise from a bobbin or reel (not shown) whereby the web advances along the path W of FIG. 4a. The apparatus 131 can transport paper blanks 1132 along the path X of FIG. 4a. The path W meets the path V at the transfer station B', and the path X meets the path V at the transfer station B".

A further difference between the packing machine 12 and the machine embodying the structure of FIG. 15 is that, in the modified machine, the portion of the control system corresponding to that shown in FIG. 13a can operate properly without the control unit 301. This is due to the fact that the clutches 246 and 263 are not needed. As described above, the clutch 263 of the packing machine 12 can be deenergized to interrupt the transport of the tinfoil web 73 and the clutch 246 can be deenergized to arrest the cam 94 for the carrier 83 in the apparatus 69 of FIG. 4a. The carrier 83 and the feeding device 72 can be directly coupled with the output shaft of the prime mover for the modified packing machine.

The segregating device 1501 of FIG. 15 is installed at the station D shown in FIG. 4b. It comprises a control unit 1502 which replaces the control unit 301 of FIG. 13a. The control unit 1502 comprises two branches 1503, 1504 the former of which includes a flip-flop 1507, an amplifier 1508 and an electroneumatic valve 1509. The latter has an intake 1512 which is connected with suction ports 1513 provided in a retaining member or holder 1506 serving for temporary retention of empty packs 1041 which are stripped off the adjacent mandrel 1043. One input of the flip-flop 1507 is connected with the output of the pulse shaper 1101 and the output of the flip-flop 1507 is connected with the amplifier 1508. The valve 1509 has an outlet 1511 which is connected with a suction generating device, not shown.

The branch 1504 of the control unit 1502 serves to move the pack stripping member or plunger 1056 in that mandrel 1043 which reaches the station D. The plunger 1056 has a rod or stem 1057 provided at its free end with a flange 1058 which is engaged by one end convolution of a helical spring 1059 and can be engaged by a piston rod 1527 in a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 1518. It will be noted that the construction of the mandrel 1043 shown in FIG. 15 is practically identical with that of the mandrel 43 shown in FIG. 5. The mandrel 1043 of FIG. 15 carries an empty pack 1041 which has been transported to the station D so that it must be removed from this mandrel before the latter reaches the station B' of FIG. 4a. As mentioned above, the operation of the apparatus 69 and 131 on the packing machine which embodies the structure of FIG. 15 is not dependent on the presence or absence of blanks on the mandrels which advance toward the stations B' and B" so that each mandrel 1043 must be totally free of blanks when it leaves the station D.

The branch 1504 comprises a flip-flop 1514 one input of which is connected with the pulse shaper 1101 and the output of which is connected to the solenoid of a valve 1517 by way of an amplifier 1516. The valve 1517 has an intake 1526 which is connected to a compressor or another source (not shown) of compressed gas, a venting port 1524 which communicates with the atmosphere, a second port 1523 which is connected by a conduit with one port 1521 of the cylinder 1518, and a third port 1522 which is connected by a conduit to a second port 1519 of the cylinder 1518. The valve member of the valve 1517 can connect each of the ports 1522, 1523 with the intake 1526 or with the port 1524. The piston 1528 of the cylinder 1518 is connected with the piston rod 1527 and can actuate a resetting switch 1529 for the flip-flop 1514 or a resetting switch 1531 for the flip-flop 1507, depending on the end position of the piston 1528. A sheet metal guide 1532 is disposed at a level below the retaining member 1506 to intercept empty packs 1041 which are stripped off the mandrels 1043 and cease to adhere to the retaining member 1506.

The operation of the packing machine which embodies the structure of FIG. 15 is as follows:

The apparatus 69 makes and feeds tinfoil blanks 1071 at a constant rate, irrespective of the presence or absence of empty packs 1041 in the path for the mandrels 1043. Analogously, the apparatus 131 continues to deliver paper blanks 1132 irrespective of the presence or absence of packs 1041 on the mandrels 1043 which advance beyond the station B'. As mentioned above, this is due to the fact that the modified packing apparatus does not employ the photoelectric modified packing apparatus does not employ the photoelectric detector 223 of FIG. 4b. Consequently, the feed of blanks 1071 and/or 1132 cannot be regulated in dependency on the presence of cigarette groups at the station A' and/or the presence of empty packs at the station D. In other words, the apparatus 69 and 131 of the modified packing machine continue to deliver blanks as long as the turret for the mandrels 1043 is indexed by the drive of the modified packing machine. The shaft 74a for the roller 72ain the feeding device 72 and the shaft 247 for the cam 94 of the modified packing machine are operated without interposition of clutches (see the clutches 246 and 263 in the control unit 301 of FIG. 13a which is replaced with the control unit 1502 of FIG. 15). Once the apparatus 69 and 131 of the modified packing machine deliver tinfoil blanks 1171 and paper blanks 1132 into the path of the turrets 1043, the conversion of such blanks into the respective inner and outer envelopes of empty packs 1041 takes place in the same way as described in connection with the packing machine 12.

When the detector 222 detects a block of cigarettes at the transfer station A', an empty pack 1041 is caused to leave the respective mandrel 1043 at the station B and is caused to receive the respective cigarette group at the pack filling station C of the modified packing machine. However, if the detector 222 fails to detect a group of cigarettes at the station A, the corresponding empty pack 1041 is not transferred at the station B, i.e., it does not enter into the adjacent pocket 178 of the turret 179. Thus, the empty pack 1041 is caused to move beyond the station B and reaches the station D. At this station, the pack 1041 must be removed from the respective mandrel 1043 because, as the mandrel 1043 is indexed again, it reaches the station B' where it receives a fresh tinfoil blank 1o71 irrespective of whether or not it carries a pack 1041. The removal of a pack 1041 which reaches the station D is carried out as follows:

The switch 1099 transmits to the pulse shaper 1101 signals at regular intervals in the same way as described in connection with the packing machine 12. The pulse shaper 1101 transmits modified signals to the corresponding inputs of the flip-flops 1507 and 1514. The flip-flop 1514 transmits a signal to the amplifier 1516 which energizes the solenoid of the valve 1517. The valve 1517 then connects the intake 1526 with the port 1523 and hence with the port 1528 of the cylinder 1518. The piston 1528 performs a forward stroke and the piston rod 1527 engages the flange 1058 of the adjacent rod 1057 to move the plunger 1056 from the recess 1054 and toward the retaining member 1506 so that the pack 1041 is stripped off the mandrel 1043 and is moved into abutment with the ported surface of the member 1506. The direction in which the piston rod 1527 causes the rod 1057 to move in order to strip the pack 1041 off the mandrel 1043 is indicated by an arrow 1061; such movement of the flange 1058 on the rod 1057 causes the spring 1059 to store energy.

While the plunger 1056 is caused to move toward the retaining member 1506, the flip-flop 1507 in the branch 1503 of the control unit 1502 energizes the solenoid of the valve 1509 by way of the amplifier 1508 so that the valve 1509 connects the suction ports 1513 of the retaining member 1506 with the outlet 1511 (which is connected with the suction generating device, not shown). Therefore, the retaining member 1506 attracts the pack 1041 which is stripped off the mandrel 1043 at the station D.

When the piston 1528 in the cylinder 1518 reaches its left-hand end position, it actuates the switch 1529 which resets the flip-flop 1514 so that the solenoid of the valve 1517 becomes deenergized and the port 1523 is connected with the venting port 1524 to permit escape of pressurized gaseous fluid from the right-hand chamber of the cylinder 1518. At the same time, the intake 1526 of the valve 1517 is connected with the port 1522 which admits gas to the port 1519 of the cylinder 1518. Such gas causes the piston 1528 to return to the position shown in FIG. 15 and the spring 1059 is free to expand and to return the plunger 1056 of the mandrel 1043 into recess 1054. When the piston 1528 returns to the position shown in FIG. 15, it actuates the switch 1531 so that the latter resets the flip-flop 1507 which deenergizes the solenoid of the valve 1509 whereby the valve 1509 disconnects the ports 1513 from the suction generating device. The pack 1041 which was held by suction on the adjacent surface of the retaining member 1506 is free to descend into the chute 1532 and is automatically conveyed to a collecting receptacle, not shown.

It will be seen that the segregating device 1501 of FIG. 15 insures removal of those empty packs 1041 which happen to reach the station D, i.e., which are not united with groups of cigarettes to form filled packs. Thus, each mandrel 1043 which reaches the transfer station B' of FIG. 4a is ready to receive a fresh tinfoil blank 1071. An advantage of the packing machine which embodies the structure of FIG. 15 is that it can employ a relatively simple control system which requires fewer detectors and can use sturdier and more reliable apparatus for the making and/or feeding of blanks.

The packing machine 3012 of FIG. 16 differs from the packing machine 12 of FIGS. 1 to 14 mainly in that the converting assembly which transforms blanks into empty packs does not employ a turret, but rather a composite conveyor 3042 including several discrete conveyors which cooperate to define an endless path V.sub.3 for a set of mandrels 3043. The conveyors of the conveyor 3042 include two substantially horizontal conveyors and two substantially vertical conveyors. Furthermore, the mandrels 3043 are not rigidly connected with the conveyor 3042, but are movable with as well as relative to the horizontal and vertical conveyors.

As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the packing machine 3012 comprises two discrete magazines 3004a, 3004b each of which can receive filter cigarettes 3022 from a separate producing machine, not shown. FIG. 16 shows a conveyor belt 3023b which delivers filter cigarettes 3022 into the magazine 3004b. A similar conveyor belt is utilized to deliver filter cigarettes 3022 into the magazine 3004a. It is clear, however, that a single producing machine can deliver filter cigarettes 3022 to both magazines or that each magazine can receive cigarettes from two or more producing machines. The magazines 3004a and 3004b flank a condensing or compacting turret 3036 (see particularly FIG. 17). Groups 3008 of twenty filter cigarettes 3022 each can be expelled from the magazines 3004a, 3004b by two transfer members of pushers 3007a, 3007b which are movable in directions respectively indicated in FIG. 17 by arrows 3006a, 3006b. Each of the magazines 3004a, 3004b is provided with a set of downwardly inclined ducts (see the ducts 3018b of the magazine 3004b shown in FIG. 16) which accumulate stacks of cigarettes 3022 and deliver such cigarettes to a transfer station A3' where the pushers 3007a, 3007b transfer the groups 3008 into the chambers 3039 of the turret 3036. The drive for the pushers 3007a, 3007b is not shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. This drive reciprocates the pushers at half the frequency of indexing movements of the turret 3036 so that they respectively transfer groups 3008 into alternating chambers 3039. The turret 3036 is indexed to rotate stepwise in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 16.

Each of the pushers 3007a, 3007 b further constitutes a detector which determines whether or not a group 3008 which is being tranferred from the respective magazine into the adjacent chamber 3039 of the turret 3036 contains a requisite number of cigarettes 3022. The construction of the pusher 3007a is illustrated in FIG. 18. This pusher can determine whether or not the registering chamber 3039 is about to receive any cigarettes at all as well as whether or not the number of cigarettes in a group 3008 which is being transferred into the registering chamber 3039 contains the requisite number 20 of cigarettes. The pusher 3007a of FIG. 18 comprises 20 discrete rods 3051 each of which is provided with a sensing head 3502. When the pusher 3007a performs a working stroke, each of the sensing heads 3502 engages a separate cigarette 3022 of a group 3008. Those ends of the rods 3501 which are remote from the sensing heads 3502 are provided with plate-like electric contacts 3503. When the sensing heads 3502 engage the adjacent ends of cigarettes 3022 during transfer from the magazine 3004a into the registering chamber 3039, the rods 3501 yield against the opposition of helical springs 3504 so that the contacts 3503 move in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. 18. Each of the thus displaced contacts 3503 engages two fixed contacts 3506 in the body of the pusher 3007a. In the illustrated embodiment, the pusher 3007a carries forty fixed contacts 3506 and all of these contacts are connected in series so that a circuit can be completed only when each of the sensing heads 3502 engages with a cigarette 3022 and causes the corresponding contact 3503 to engage the respective pair of fixed contacts 3506. The circuit of the contacts 3506 includes a control device or testing device. If one or more cigarettes 3022 are missing, the corresponding contacts 3503 cannot be moved into engagement with the associated pairs of fixed contacts 3506. This is detected by the control device. The control device then actuates a suitable ejector (not shown) which is adjacent to the path of chambers 3039 of the turret 3036 and serves to eject a defective group 3008 from the respective chamber so that such groups cannot reach the pack filling station C.sub.3 of the packing machine 3012. The ejector for incomplete groups 3008 can comprise a pusher or transfer member which is similar to the pusher 3007a or 3007b but need not be provided with sensing heads. When a detector detects the absence of a group 3008 in a chamber 3039 of the turret 3036, it produces a signal which is transmitted to a transfer unit 3175 serving to tranfer empty packs 3041 into a path Y.sub.3 where the packs 3041 receive groups 3008 and are thereupon closed and sealed in a manner to be described later. If the transfer unit 3175 receives such a signal, it prevents the transfer of an empty pack 3041 into the path Y3 for assembly of empty packs with groups 3008.

The turret 3036 transports groups 3008 of cigarettes 3022 along an endless path U3 which is shown in the lower left-hand part of FIG. 16. The turret 3036 constitutes a magazine for temporary storage of groups 3008 and delivers such groups to the pack filling station C3 where the groups are tranferred onto an assemblying or closing turret 3179 having pockets 3178. Each of the magazines 3004a, 3004b is provided with several detectors, preferably photoelectric detectors such as those shown at 28, 29, 31 in FIG. 2, which detect whether the supply of cigarettes 3022 in each of the respective magazines rises above or descends below predetermined levels.

The converting assembly of the packing machine 3012 forms empty packs 3041 each of which comprises an inner envelope consisting of tinfoil and an outer envelope consisting of paper. The converting assembly thereupon introduces into each empty pack 3041 a compacted group 3008 of cigarettes 3022 and subjects the thus obtained filled packs 3201 to at least one further treatment, particularly a treatment including closing the open ends of packs and the application of tax stamps.

The empty packs 3041 are produced during travel of their components along the path V3 which includes five sections or portions V3a, V3b, V3c, V3d, V3e. These path sections are defined by the discrete conveyors of the composite conveyor 3042 which is shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 16. The composite conveyor 3042 comprises a first conveyor 3511, a second conveyor 3512 which is a horizontal belt, a third conveyor 3513 which is also a horizontal belt whose upper stretch runs in a direction counter to that of the direction of travel to the upper stretch of the belt 3512, an upright magazine 3514 which extends between the right-hand ends of the belts 3512 and 3513, and a fifth conveyor or elevator 3516 which is disposed between the left-hand ends of the belt 3513 and conveyor 3511. The conveyors 3511, 3512, 3513, 3514, 3516 (the magazine 3514 can also be considered a conveyor for reasons which will become apparent later) together constitute the composite conveyor 3042 and serve to transport the mandrels 3043 along the endless path V3 which comprises a substantially horizontal upper section including the sections V3a and V3b, a first vertical section V3c, a second horizontal section V3d, and a second vertical section V3e. The conveyors of the composite conveyor 3042 include conveyors (3512, 3513) which are driven at a constant speed and conveyors which perform intermittent movements.

As stated before, the mandrels 3043 are not rigidly connected with the conveyors 3511, 3512, 3513, 3514 and 3516. These conveyors comprise motion transmitting or entraining elements which cause the mandrels 3043 to travel therewith during certain stages of movement along the path V3. Each mandrel 3043 is a block which consists of synthetic plastic material and/or metal (for example, aluminum). The mandrels 3043 are provided with grooves 3517 (see particularly FIG. 19) which can receive guide rails 3518 serving to hold them against lengthwise movement, namely, against a vertical movement, as viewed in FIG. 19.

The means for transferring mandrels 3043 from the elevator 3516 onto the conveyor 3511 where the mandrels are to receive tinfoil blanks 3071 comprises a hook-shaped transfer member 3519 which is reciprocable in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 3521 and receives motion from a suitable drive which is not shown in the drawing. The movements of the transfer member 3519 are synchronized with the movements of other parts of the packing machine 3012. The station where the mandrels 3043 receive tinfoil blanks 3071 is shown at B3'. The mandrels which are withdrawn from the path section V3e by the transfer member 3519 are received by a carriage 3522 which forms part of the conveyor 3511 and cooperates with a pusher 3524. The latter is movable in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 3523 and can move downwardly a mandrel 3043 which is held by the carriage 3522. The details of the carriage 3522 are shown in FIG. 19. This carriage has a bracket 3526 which supports a leaf spring 3527. The leaf spring bears against one end of a mandrel 3043 and urges the mandrel against a back support of the bracket 3526 to thus hold the mandrel in a predetermined position. The pusher 3524 is movable at right angles to the plane of FIG. 19 and can move the mandrel 3043 downwardly, namely, in a direction away from the observer of FIG. 19. A fresh tinfoil blank 3071 is placed below the carriage 3522 before a mandrel 3043 is engaged and moved downwardly by the pusher 3524. The position of a freshly introduced tinfoil blank 3071 is shown in FIG. 16 by phantom lines. When the pusher 3524 performs a downward stroke, it moves a mandrel 3043 which is held by the leaf spring 3527 of the carriage 3522 against the upper side of the tinfoil blank 3071 and moves the mandrel and the blank through a cutout or window 3528 whereby the blank 3071 is converted into a U-shaped body. The pusher 3524 transfers the mandrel 3043 from the carriage 3522 onto a transporting plate 3531 which forms part of the conveyor 3511 and has a recess 3529 for reception of the mandrel. The transporting plate 3531 is further provided with a second recess 3532 as well as with a driving lever 3533. The lever 3533 is engaged by a suitable drive, not shown, which moves it intermittently so that the transporting plate 3531 is advanced along the path section V3a. When the plate 3531 is advanced in a direction to the right as seen in FIG. 16, each of its recesses 3529, 3532 accommodates a mandrel 3043. During the first stage of its movement, the plate 3531 advances in the direction indicated by an arrow 3534. Before it reaches its right-hand end position, the plate 3531 begins to move downwardly and thereupon in a direction to the left as indicated by the arrow 3536. Before it reaches the end of its leftward movement, the plate 3531 begins to rise and thereby returns to its initial position. During each of its movements in the direction indicated by the arrow 3534, the plate 3531 transports two mandrels 3043 each of which is received in one of the recesses 3529, 3532. A pusher or folding member 3537 which is provided with a projection or nose 3538 is movable in synchronism with the transporting plate 3531 by a drive which is not shown in the drawing and which moves it intermittently so that the projection 3538 folds one leg of the U-shaped tinfoil body on the adjacent mandrel 3043. This is the penultimate stage in transformation of the blank 3071 into a tube. The projection 3538 of the pusher 3537 performs the operation which is shown in FIG. 25c.

Two folding members 3530 and 3535 serve to perform the operations which are shown in FIG. 25e, namely, to partially close one end of the envelope consisting of tinfoil. The folding members 3530, 3535 are operated intermittently by suitable drives which are not shown in the drawing. These drives cause the folding members 3530, 3535 to reciprocate in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 3539. A stationary folding member 3541 which is adjacent to the path of travel of mandrels 3043 in the recess 3529 of the transporting plate 3531 serves to perform the operation which is illustrated in FIG. 25d. Thus, the member 3541 completes the transformation of a tinfoil blank 3071 into a tube which is thereupon treated by the folding members 3530, 3535 and is converted into a partially completed open envelope shown in FIG. 25e.

A retaining plate 3542 which is provided with a projection 3543 serves to prevent uncontrolled shifting of a tinfoil blank 3071 which overlies the window 3528. A mandrel 3043 which is received in the second recess 3532 of the transporting plate 3531 is moved to a station B3" where it can receive a paper blank 3132. The mandrel in the recess 3532 reaches the station B3" when the transporting plate 3531 advances in the direction indicated by the arrow 3534. Once it reaches the station B3" , the mandrel 3043 which has been transported in the recess 3532 of the transporting plate 3531 is received by and is held by a second carriage 3546 which is analogous to the carriage 3522. The leaf spring 3547 of the second carriage 3546 corresponds to the leaf spring 3527 shown in FIG. 19 and further serves to perform a tucking operation. Such tucking operation is shown in FIG. 25f wherein one of the triangular tucks at the forward end of the tinfoil envelope is bent over the adjacent flaps. A second pusher 3549, which is analogous to the pusher 3524, is mounted at the station B3" and is movable up and down (see the arrow 3548) by a suitable reciprocating mechanism (not shown) so as to disengage the mandrel 3043 from the leaf spring 3547 and to push the thus disengaged mandrel, with a partially completed tinfoil envelope wrapped around it, through a cutout or window 3550 which is overlapped by a paper blank 3132. The paper blank 3132 is shown in FIG. 16 above the window 3550 by phantom lines. As shown in FIG. 25f, the paper blank 3132 is provided with two strips 3540, 3545 of a suitable adhesive. As the mandrel 3043 passes through the window 3550, it deforms the paper blank 3132 in a manner as shown in FIG. 25g. The downward movement of the mandrel 3043 is terminated when the paper blank 3132 reaches a platform 3555. It will be noted that the U-shaped body formed by the paper blank 3132 in response to movement through the window 3550 has a relatively short leg 3560 and a longer leg 3565 (see FIG. 25g).

The blanks 3071 and 3132 are supplied by suitable blank forming and feeding apparatus which are not shown in FIG. 16. For example, the packing machine 3012 of FIG. 16 can be provided with two discrete blank feeding apparatus (corresponding to the apparatus 131 of FIG. 4a) one of which supplies prefabricated tinfoil blanks 3071 to the station B3' and the other of which supplies prefabricated paper blanks 3132 to the station B3".

The mandrels 3043 which leave the elevator 3516 and are transported past the stations B3' and B3" travel along the section V3a of the endless path V3. The means for transferring mandrels from the path section V3a into the path section V3b (defined by the upper stretch of the belt 3512) comprises a pusher 3551 the details of which are shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. The pusher 3551 comprises a shifting portion 3552 which can shift a mandrel 3043, a retaining plate 3553 which folds the short leg 3560 of the paper blank 3132 (see FIG. 25h) and a projection 3554 which constitutes a tucking member and performs the operation also shown in FIG. 25h, namely, it tucks the forwardly extending end portions of the blanks 3071, 3132 over the adjacent end face of the mandrel 3043. The pusher 3551 is reciprocated by a drive (not shown) which moves it in synchronism with other movable parts of the packing machine 3012. The directions of movement of the pusher 3551 are indicated in FIG. 16 by a double-headed arrow 3556. A fixed folding member 3557 shown in FIG. 16 serves to fold the longer leg 3565 of the paper blank 3132 in a manner as shown in FIG. 25i. The folding member 3557 deforms the blank 3132 while the respective mandrel 3043 is transported by the pusher 3551 to come to rest on the upper stretch of the belt 3512.

The belt 3512 can be replaced with a chain or with a toothed belt. It is trained over pulleys 3558, 3559. One of the pulleys 3558, 3559 is driven at a constant speed. A further belt 3563 is trained over pulleys 3561, 3562 so that its lower stretch is adjacent to, located above and parallel with the upper stretch of the belt 3512. The purpose of the lower stretch of the belt 3563 is to prevent opening of the seam between the overlapping legs 3560, 3565 of paper blanks 3132. Such legs are caused to adhere to each other by the strip 3540 of adhesive shown in FIG. 25f. A heating device 3564 can be placed above the lower stretch of the belt 3563 to heat the adhesive strip 3540 and to thus promote the setting of adhesive while the paper blanks 3132 travel in the tunnel (path section V3b) between the belts 3512 and 3563.

The belt 3512 is provided with motion transmitting or entraining members 3566 which advance the mandrels 3043 and their blanks 3071, 3132 along the path section V3b.

A stationary tucking member 3567 is adjacent to the upper stretch of belt 3512 below the fixed folding member 3557. The purpose of the tucking member 3567 is to perform the operation which is shown in FIG. 25k, namely, to fold the two small tucks of tinfoil and paper at the front end of the mandrel 3043 which advances toward the tunnel between the belts 3512, 3565. Two additional folding members 3568, 3569 are adjacent to the path section V3b and perform the operations which are shown in FIGS. 25L and 25m. Thus, one of the folding members 3568 folds downwardly a long flap at the forward end of the mandrel 3043, and the other folding member folds upwardly the other elongated flap which is provided with the adhesive strip 3545 (see FIG. 25f). This completes the conversion of blanks 3071, 3132 into an empty pack 3041.

The magazine 3514 shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 16 defines the vertical section V3c of the endless path for the mandrels 3043. This magazine comprises four upright tie rods of which only two (numbered 3571, 3572) are shown in FIG. 16. The magazine 3514 further comprises upper and lower supporting means for empty packs 3041 and their mandrels 3043. Such supporting means are formed by platforms 3573 and 3574 which are connected to each other by a rigid coupling 3576. Thus, if the lower platform 3574 is caused to move upwardly, the upper platform 3573 must share such movement of the lower platform. The coupling 3576 is moved up and down by a suitable drive so that it alternately lifts and lowers the platforms 3573, 3574. The directions in which the platforms are movable up and down are indicated by a double-headed arrow 3577. As shown in FIG. 16, the space between the platforms 3573, 3574 accommodates a stack of empty packs 3041 each of which surrounds a mandrel 3043.

An intercepting device 3578 is mounted at the level of the next-to-the-lowermost mandrel 3043 in the magazine 3514. The intercepting device 3578 resembles tongs (see FIG. 24) and comprises two jaws 3579, 3581 which are movable toward and away from each other to respectively engage or release a mandrel 3043 and the corresponding empty pack 3041 therebetween. The jaws 3579, 3581 are respectively mounted on levers 3582, 3583 which are provided with bearings 3584, 3586 slidable along a guide rod 3587. The levers 3582, 3583 are articulately connected with a pull rod 3591 by means of links 3588, 3589. The numeral 3592 denotes a spring which tends to move the bearings 3584, 3586 away from each other.

The pull rod 3591 is movable in the direction indicated by an arrow 3593 whereby such movement of the pull rod causes the jaws 3579, 3581 to engage the empty pack 3041. When the pull on the rod 3591 is terminated, the spring 3592 is free to expand and moves the jaws 3579, 3581 apart, so that the intercepting member 3578 releases the empty pack 3041 and the corresponding mandrel 3043. The mechanism which reciprocates the pull rod 3591 of the intercepting device 3578 operates in synchronism with the mechanism which reciprocates the coupling 3576 between the platforms 3573, 3574 so that the jaws 3579, 3581 are held in open positions while the stack of empty packs 3041 in the magazine 3514 moves downwardly. When the stack reaches its lower end position, the jaws 3579, 3581 engage the next-to-the-lowermost empty pack 3041 and thus support the entire stack excepting the lowermost empty pack 3041 which is to be transferred onto the upper stretch of the lower belt 3513.

The means for transferring empty packs 3041 and the corresponding mandrels 3043 from the upper stretch of the belt 3512 into the uppermost part of the magazine 3514 directly below the upper platform 3573 comprises a pusher 3594 which receives motion from a rotary drive including levers 3596 shown in FIG. 16. These levers can receive motion from a rotary cam, not shown, and can accelerate the pusher 3594 so that the latter propels the foremost mandrel 3043 in the tunnel between the belts 3512, 3563 whereby the thus propelled mandrel and the empty pack 3041 thereon enter the space between the upper platform 3573 and the uppermost mandrel of the stack in the magazine 3514. During such transfer of a mandrel 3043 from the belt 3512 into the magazine 3514, the coupling 3576 maintains the platform 3573 in the upper end position which is shown in FIG. 16. The magazine 3514 can include a suitable heating device 3590 which heats the adhesive strips 3545 (see FIG. 25f) while the empty packs 3041 dwell in the space between the platforms 3573, 3574. For example, the heating device 3590 can comprise a set of infrared heaters.

The lower belt 3513 of the composite conveyor 3042 is trained over pulleys 3597, 3598 one of which is driven at a constant speed. The belt 3513 is provided with motion transmitting or entraining members 3599 which transport the empty packs 3041 and the corresponding mandrels 3043 along the section V3d of the endless path defined by the conveyor 3042. The left-hand end of the belt 3513 is adjacent to a transfer station B3 at which empty packs 3041 can be transferred into the pockets 3178 of the turret 3179. Thus, whenever necessary, empty packs 3041 can leave the path section V3d at the transfer station B3 to enter the endless circular path Y3 defined by the turret 3179.

In order to be transferred into the pockets 3178 of the turret 3179, the empty packs 3041 must be stripped off the respective mandrels 3043. The transfer unit 3175 at the station B3 comprises a pusher 3601 which serves to accelerate the mandrels 3043 at the left-hand end of the upper stretch of the belt 3513. The construction of the pusher 3601 is similar to that of the pusher 3594 which transfers mandrels 3043 and the associated empty packs 3041 from the belt 3512 into the magazine 3514. The transfer station B3 further accommodates a stripping device or tongs 3602 which forms part of the transfer unit 3175 and whose construction is illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23. As shown in FIG. 22, each pocket 3178 of the turret 3179 comprises two parallel holders 3604, 3606. The stripping device 3602 comprises two arms 3608, 3609 which are pivotable about a common axis 3607. The shaft 3611 of the arm 3608 is rotatable in the interior of a hollow shaft 3612 for the arm 3609. The arms 3608, 3609 of the stripping device 3602 are provided with retaining means here shown as suction ports 3610. The shafts 3611, 3612 for the arms 3608, 3609 are pivotable in opposite directions as indicated by the arrow 3613 shown in FIG. 23. The mechanism which pivots the shafts 3611, 3612 is not shown in the drawing. In addition, the packing machine 3012 comprises a mechanism which can reciprocate the shafts 3611, 3612 in directions indicated in FIG. 22 by a double-headed arrow 3614. The pivotal movements of the shafts 3611, 3612 in directions indicated by the arrow 3613 are necessary in order to move the arms 3608, 3609 into and from engagement with an empty pack 3041. The arms are movable in directions indicated by the arrow 3614 in order to move between the mandrel 3043 and the pocket 3178. When the arms 3608, 3609 carry an empty pack 3041 from a mandrel 3043 toward the turret 3179, the empty pack is introduced into the space between the holders 3604, 3606 of the respective pocket.

The suction ports 3610 of the arms 3608, 3609 of the stripping device 3602 can be connected with a suction generating device by means of a valve (not shown) in such a way that the ports 3610 attract an empty pack 3041 only during travel from a mandrel 3043 toward the holders 3604, 3606 of a pocket 3178 of the turret 3179.

The lower end of the elevator 3516 is immediately adjacent to the transfer station B3 and to the left-hand end of the belt 3513. The elevator 3516 comprises two sprocket wheels 3616 (only one shown in FIG. 16), an endless chain 3617 which is trained over the sprocket wheels 3616, and motion transmitting or entraining members 3618 which are provided on the chain 3617. The transfer of mandrels 3043, with or without empty packs 3041 thereon, from the upper stretch of the belt 3513 onto the motion-transmitting members 3618 of the chain 3617 is effected by the aforementioned pusher 3601. An empty pack 3041 which has been transferred into a pocket 3178 of the turret 3179 by the stripping device 3602 of the transfer unit 3175 thereupon advances along the endless circular path Y3 toward the pack filling station C3 which accommodates the pack filling unit 3187.

The construction of the unit 3187 is preferably similar to that of the unit 187 shown in FIG. 4a. The purpose of the pack filling unit 3187 is to introduce into successive pockets 3178 of the turret 3179 a group 3008 of cigarettes 3022 which is expelled from the registering chamber 3039 of the turret 3036. Thus, the unit 3187 effects the transfer of groups 3008 from the path U3 into the path Y3. It can be said that the units 3175 and 3187 together constitute a composite unit which effects the transfer of empty packs 3041 from the path section V3d into the path Y3 and the transfer of groups 3008 from the path U3 into the path Y3.

The empty packs 3041 which are transferred into the path Y3 are filled at the pack filling station C3 and thereupon advance along several folding and tucking devices (not shown) which perform operations analogous to those illustrated in the portions 14p, 14q, 14r and 14s of FIG. 14. Such devices are adjacent to the path Y3 downstream of the pack filling station C3 and serve to close the open ends of successive packs 3041 and to apply thereto tax stamps in a manner not specifically shown in FIG. 16. The construction of the tucking, folding and tax stamp applying devices is preferably analogous to that of the corresponding devices shown in FIGS. 1 to 14.

As stated before, the pushers 3007a, 3007b which expel groups 3008 from the respective magazines 3004a, 3004b into the chambers 3039 of the turret 3036 constitute detectors which determine the presence or absence of cigarettes 3022 in the respective chambers 3039 as well as whether or not each group 3008 contains a requisite number of cigarettes 3022. The control circuit which includes the contacts 3503, 3506 of the pushers 3007, 3007b controls the transfer unit 3175 at the station B3 between the belt 3513 of the composite conveyor 3042 and the turret 3179. The arrangement is such that the control unit including the contacts 3503, 3506 permits the transfer of an empty pack 3041 into the adjacent pocket 3178 only when the corresponding chamber 3039 of the turret 3036 contains a satisfactory group 3008 of properly arrayed cigarettes 3022.

The packing machine 3012 further comprises additional detectors including the detectors 3223 and 3224. The detector 3223 is adjacent to the upper end of the elevator 3516, and the detector 3224 is adjacent to the section V3a of the path V3. The detectors 3223, 3224 respectively control the feed of tinfoil blanks 3071 and paper blanks 3132 to the positions shown in FIG. 16 by phantom lines. Thus, the detector 3223 controls the feed of tinfoil blanks 3071 onto the window 3528 and the detector 3224 controls the feed of paper blanks 3132 onto the window 3550. These windows are respectively located at the stations B3' and B3". The detector 3223 scans the mandrels 3043 which are being transferred from the elevator 3516 and permits the admission of a tinfoil blank 3071 to the station B3' only when it detects that the mandrel 3043 does not carry a tinfoil blank. The detector 3224 scans the mandrels 3043 in the path section V3a for the presence or absence of tinfoil blanks 1071 and permits the admission of a paper blank 3132 to the station B3" only when it detects that the mandrel which advances along the path section V3a actually carries a tinfoil blank.

Still further, the packing machine 3012 of FIG. 16 includes a detector 3227 which is located at the transfer station B3 and serves to detect the presence or absence of empty packs 3041 on the mandrels 3043. If the detector 3227 detects the absence of a pack 3041, it transmits a signal to the control system of the packing machine 3012 whereby the control system actuates the aforementioned ejector which is adjacent to the path U3 between the stations A3' and C3 and serves to expel the corresponding group 3008 from the chamber 3039 of the turret 3036. This insures that the turret 3036 transports to the pack filling station C3 a group 3008 of cigarettes 3022 only when such group can be transferred by the unit 3187 into a pocket 3178 which contains an empty pack 3041.

The various elements of the drive means for the packing machine of FIG. 16 preferably receive motion from a single prime mover, such as the electric motor 231 shown in FIG. 12. The drive means for the packing machine 3012 can include a Geneva movement or an analogous transmission which can impart to selected movable parts of the packing machine intermittent movements each of which takes up a first predetermined interval of time and is followed by a period of dwell which takes up a second predetermined interval of time. Such parts which are to be operated while the remaining parts are held at a standstill between two successive intermittent advances can receive motion from cams or analogous devices which operate in synchronism with the remaining components of the drive means. Furthermore, delayed movements of certain parts of the packing machine 3012 can be brought about by resorting to time-lag devices of the type described in connection with FIGS. 13a to 13c. The parts of the packing machine 3012 which perform intermittent movements include the turret 3036, the turret 3179, the plate 3511, the pusher 3551, the platforms 3573, 3574 and the chain 3617 of the elevator 3516. The parts which are operated while the just described parts dwell between two successive intermittent movements include the pushers 3007a, 3007b, the pusher 3537, the pushers 3594 and 3601, the pusher 3524, the pusher 3549, the folding members 3530, 3535 and the parts of the stripping device 3602.

The operation of the packing machine 3012 is as follows:

It is assumed that all of the mandrels 3043 are free of empty packs 3041 and that the magazines 3004a, 3004b are empty. The description of the operation will refer to a single mandrel 3043 during its travel along the endless path V3 defined by the composite conveyor 3042, the travel of a group 3008 from the transfer station A3' to the pack filling station C3, and the travel of an empty pack 3041 from the transfer station B3 to the pack filling station C3. When the packing machine 3012 is started together with one or more producing machines (not shown) which are directly coupled thereto, the detector 3223 at the upper end of the elevator 3516 detects a mandrel 3043 before such mandrel reaches the station B3'. The detector 3223 senses that the mandrel 3043 does not carry a tinfoil blank; therefore, the corresponding blank feeding or forming apparatus (not shown) is permitted to deliver a tinfoil blank 3071 to the station B3'. The thus delivered tinfoil blank 3071 is placed onto the window 3528 and assumes the position indicated in FIG. 16 by phantom lines. The position of a tinfoil blank 3071 as it overlies the window 3528 is further shown in FIG. 25a. The transfer member 3519 is thereupon caused to push the mandrel 3043 into the section V3a of the path V3 so that the mandrel is engaged by the leaf spring 3527 of the carriage 3522 in a manner as shown in FIG. 19. When the forward movement of the transfer member 3519 is terminated and the mandrel 3043 is properly held by the leaf spring 3527, the pusher 3524 performs a downward stroke and forces the mandrel and the tinfoil blank 3071 through the window 3528 whereby the blank is transformed into a U-shaped body as shown in FIG. 25b. The pusher 3524 is thereupon immediately retracted to its upper end position. During the next-following stage of intermittent movement, the mandrel 3043 (which is accommodated in the recess 3529 of the transporting plate 3531) is moved by the plate 3531 in a direction to the right, as indicated by the arrow 3534 shown in FIG. 16. The thus shifted mandrel 3043 is located in the range of the folding members 3530 and 3535. The transporting plate 3531 thereupon descends and returns to its original position by moving in the direction indicated by the arrow 3536. Before the rightward movement of the transporting plate 3531 is completed, the projection 3538 of the pusher 3537 folds one leg of the U-shaped tinfoil body in a manner as shown in FIG. 25c. The stationary folding member 3541 is adjacent to the path of movement of the mandrel 3043 in the recess 3529 of the transporting plate 3531 and performs the operation shown in FIG. 25d whereby the tinfoil blank 3071 is converted into a tube. When the mandrel 3042 is at a standstill, the folding members 3530 and 3535 perform the operations shown in FIG. 25e, namely, they fold the two long flaps at the front end of the tube consisting of tinfoil so that only the two triangular projections shown in FIG. 25e extend beyond the front end of the mandrel.

The detector 3224 scans the mandrel 3043 before the latter reaches the station B3" to determine whether or not the mandrel carries a tinfoil. When it detects a tinfoil blank, the detector 3224 permits the apparatus which feeds paper blanks 3132 to deliver a paper blank to the station B3" so that the paper blank overlies the window 3550 as shown in FIG. 16 by phantom lines. Such position of the paper blank 3132 is further shown in FIG. 25f. It will be noted that the paper blank 3132 is already provided with the adhesive strips 3540 and 3545. Such adhesive can be applied by the paster which can form part of the apparatus for delivery of paper blanks 3132 to the station B3". The adhesive can be a wet adhesive or a heat-activatable adhesive. It is clear that the apparatus which delivers paper blanks 3132 to the station B3" need not include a paster if the strips 3540, 3545 shown in FIG. 25f consist of a pressure-and/or heat-activatable adhesive. Such adhesive can be applied by the manufacturer in the plant where the paper blanks are made and is then activated by heating or by pressure when it becomes necessary to convert the paper blanks into envelopes which surround the envelopes consisting of tinfoil.

When the transporting plate 3531 thereupon performs the next movement in a direction toward the belt 3512, its recess 3532 receives the mandrel 3043 and the tinfoil blank thereon and transports the mandrel to the second carriage 3546. The mandrel is then located at the station B3" and the leaf spring 3547 of the carriage 3546 holds the mandrel and simultaneously folds the right-hand triangular tuck in a manner as shown in FIG. 25f. When the plate 3531 comes to a standstill, the pusher 3549 is caused to descend and to force the mandrel 3043 and the tinfoil envelope thereon through the window 3550. This results in conversion of the flat paper blank 3132 into a U-shaped body which is shown in FIG. 25g and includes a longer leg 3565 and a shorter leg 3560. The pusher 3549 is thereupon immediately retracted to its raised position.

The pusher 3551 then moves in a direction to the right and transfers the mandrel 3043 into the section V3b of the endless path defined by the composite conveyor 3042. The retaining plate 3553 of the pusher 3551 (see also FIGS. 20 and 21) folds the shorter leg 3560 of the U-shaped paper body in a manner as shown in FIG. 25h. At the same time, the tucking projection 3554 of the pusher 3551 forms the two left-hand tucks at the front end of the mandrel 3043 in a manner as shown in FIG. 25h. It will be noted that the projection 3554 simultaneously forms a tuck on the tinfoil blank 3071 as well as on the adjacent portion of the paper blank 3132. While the mandrel 3043 advances in a direction to the right, as viewed in FIG. 16, the fixed holding member 3557 folds the longer leg 3565 of the U-shaped paper body to thus complete the conversion of the paper blank 3132 into a tube (see FIG. 25i). The adhesive of the strip 3540 sets while the mandrel 3043 advances along the heating device 3564 above the lower stretch of the belt 3563. The heating device 3564 is optional because the lower stretch of the belt 3563 can also insure that the overlapping leg 3565 of the paper blank cannot move away from the overlapped leg 3560 while the adhesive of the strip 3540 hardens. The belt 3563 is driven in synchronism with the belt 3512 so that its lower stretch travels in the same direction and at the same speed as the upper stretch of the belt 3512.

As the mandrel 3043 advances at a constant speed with the upper stretch of the belt 3512, the stationary tucking member 3567 performs the operation shown in FIG. 25k. The stationary folding members 3568 and 3569 thereupon perform the operations which are shown in FIGS. 25L and 25m. Thus, one of these folding members folds downwardly the upper flap at the front end of the mandrel 3043 and the other folding member folds upwardly the lower flap so that the adhesive of the strip 3545 binds the two flaps and prevents an opening of the envelope which is obtained in response to conversion of the paper blank 3132. The adhesive of the strip 3545 is thereupon heated by the heating device 3590 while the mandrel 3043 descends stepwise in the magazine 3514. It will be noted that the formation of an empty pack 3041 is completed when the mandrel 3043 reaches the transfer point between the upper stretch of the belt 3512 and the upper end of the magazine 3514. If the adhesive of the strips 3540, 3545 (see FIG. 25f) is a wet adhesive, it is heated for the purpose of expelling surplus moisture. If the adhesive of these strips is a heat-activatable adhesive, it is heated (at 3564 and 3590) to activate the adhesive and to thus insure the formation of a satisfactory bond between the corresponding overlapping portions of the envelope which is obtained in response to deformation of the paper blank 3132. If the adhesive of the strips 3540, 3545 is of the heat-activatable type, each of the heating devices 3564, 3590 can be placed ahead of a suitable cooling device, not shown, which insures rapid setting of heat-activatable material.

The transfer of the mandrel 3043, with an empty pack 3041 thereon, from the upper stretch of the belt 3512 onto the uppermost mandrel of the stack in the magazine 3514 is effected by the pusher 3594 whose movements are synchronized with movements of the entraining members 3566 on the belt 3512. As explained above, the pusher 3594 accelerates the mandrel 3043 and propels it into the space below the upper platform 3573. The coupling 3576 then maintains the platforms 3573, 3574 in the positions shown in FIG. 16. Thus, the lower platform 3574 supports the lowermost mandrel of the stack in the magazine 3514 in the space between the jaws 3579, 3581 of the intercepting device 3578. The jaws 3579, 3581 are held in open positions. The space between the uppermost mandrel of the stack in the magazine 3514 and the raised platform 3573 suffices to accommodate the mandrel 3043 which is being propelled by the pusher 3594.

When the mandrel 3043 is received in the magazine 3514 so that it constitutes the uppermost mandrel of the stack, the drive for the coupling 3576 is actuated to lower the platforms 3573, 3574 whereby the lower platform 3574 moves the lowermost mandrel of the stack into the path of movement of the approaching motion transmitting member 3599 on the lower belt 3513.

The jaws 3579, 3581 of the intercepting device 3578 are caused to move toward each other in response to movement of the pull rod 3591 in the direction indicated by arrow 3593 shown in FIG. 24. The jaws then engage and hold the next-to-the-lowermost mandrel of the stack in the magazine 3514. The extent of upward and downward movements of the platforms 3573, 3574 corresponds to the height of a mandrel 3043. The purpose of the intercepting device 3578 is to carry the major portion of the stack in the magazine 3514 while the approaching entraining member 3599 advances the lowermost mandrel 3043 from the space above the lower platform 3574. Thus, the entraining member 3599 need not move the lowermost mandrel while such lowermost mandrel supports the weight of the remainder of the stack in the magazine 3514. The coupling 3576 thereupon raises the platforms 3573, 3574 so that the lower platform is located directly below the mandrel which is held by the jaws 3579, 3581 of the intercepting device 3578. The spring 3592 of FIG. 24 is then permitted to expand and to move the jaws 3579, 3581 apart so that the stack of mandrels 3043 in the magazine 3514 comes to rest on the lower platform 3574.

The up-and-down movements of the platforms 3573, 3574 are repeated at a predetermined frequency so that the mandrel which has been transferred by the pusher 3594 ultimately reaches the upper stretch of the belt 3513 and is entrained by the approaching member 3599. Once the mandrel 3043 reaches the belt 3513, it is transported at a constant speed and advances along the section V3d of path defined by the composite conveyor 3042. The heating device 3590 in the magazine 3514 is positioned in such a way that it heats the adhesive strips 3545 shown in FIG. 25f. This insures that the closed ends of empty packs 3041 on the mandrels which descend stepwise in the magazine 3514 cannot open when the mandrels reach and advance with the upper stretch of the belt 3513. As mentioned above, the heating device 3590 can be followed by a cooling device, especially if the material of the strip 3545 shown in FIG. 25f is a heat-activatable adhesive.

The decision whether or not a pack 3041 which advances with the mandrel 3043 along the upper stretch of the belt 3513 will be transferred from the path section V3e into the path Y3 at the station B3 is made automatically by the control system which includes the contacts 3503, 3506 of the pushers 3007a, 3007b. If the empty pack 3041 is to be transferred into the path Y3, it must be stripped off the respective mandrel 3043. If a freshly finished empty pack 3041 reaches the transfer station B3 of FIG. 16 before the magazines 3004a, 3004b receive from the respective producing machines sufficient quantities of filter cigarettes 3022 to form satisfactory groups 3008, namely, if the cigarettes in the magazines 3004a, 3004b do not rise to a certain level which accommodates a suitable photoelectric detector (not shown), the pushers 3007a, 3007b are not actuated and cannot transfer groups 3008 into the chambers 3039 of the turret 3036. Therefore, the contacts 3503, 3506 of the pushers 3007a, 3007b cannot produce signals which would cause the stripping device 3602 (see FIGS. 22 and 23) to remove the empty pack 3041 from the mandrel 3043 at the transfer station B3. Therefore, the pusher 3601 simply transfers the mandrel 3043, with an empty pack 3041 thereon, from the upper stretch of the belt 3513 onto the nearest entraining member 3618 of the chain 3617. Thus, instead of being transferred from the path section V3d into the path Y3, the empty pack 3041 is transferred into the path section V3e.

When the mandrel 3043, with an empty pack 3041 thereon, reaches the upper end of the path section V3e, it is scanned by the detector 3223 which detects the presence of a tinfoil envelope. Therefore, the detector 3223 does not generate a signal for admission of a fresh tinfoil blank 1071 to the station B3'. The detector 3224 also scans the mandrel 3043 with a pack 3041 thereon and prevents the second blank feeding apparatus from delivering a paper blank 3132 to the station B3". Consequently, even though a mandrel 3043, with an empty pack 3041 thereon, moves along the path section V3a, it is not provided with new tinfoil and paper envelopes. The pushers 3524 and 3549, as well as the other moving parts of the apparatus along the path sections V3a and V3b perform their operations in the same way as described above for the formation of empty packs 3041. However, the mandrel 3043 with an empty pack 3041 thereon is simply transported toward and into the magazine 3514 where it descends stepwise and ultimately reaches the upper stretch of the belt 3513. Such mandrel is then advanced toward the transfer station B3 and its empty pack 3041 is removed and transferred into the adjacent pocket 3178 of the turret 3179 provided that the corresponding chamber 3039 of the turret 3036 carries a complete group 3008 of cigarettes toward the pack filling station C3.

If the level of cigarettes in the magazine 3004a, 3004b has risen sufficiently so that the aforementioned photoelectric detectors (not shown) in the magazines detect that the quantity of cigarettes in each of the magazines is sufficient for the formation of satisfactory groups 3008, the pushers 3007a, 3007b are caused to perform alternating working and return strokes and to introduce groups 3008 into alternating chambers 3039 of the turret 3036. The pushers 3007a, 3007b test the groups 3008 for completeness in a manner as described in connection with FIG. 18 and, if the groups 3008 are satisfactory, the pushers transmit signals to the control system for the transfer unit 3175. The signals produced by the pushers 3007a, 3007b initiate the following operations:

While the turrets are at a standstill, the shafts 3611, 3612 for the arms 3608, 3609 of the stripping device 3602 in the transfer unit 3175 are caused to rotate so that the arms move toward each other and engage the empty pack 3041 on the mandrel 3043 which dwells at the transfer station B3. The suction ports 3610 of the arms 3608, 3609 are connected to the suction generating device so that the arms attract the empty pack 3041. In the next step, the entire stripping device 3602 is moved from the mandrel 3043 at the station B3 in a downward direction, as viewed in FIG. 22, so that the arms 3608, 3609 introduce the empty pack into the space between the holders 3604, 3606 of the adjacent pocket 3178 in the turret 3179. Such movement of the stripping device 3602 results in automatic separation of the empty pack 3041 from the mandrel 3043. The ports 3610 are then disconnected from the suction generating device and the shafts 3611, 3612 of the stripping device 3602 are rotated in directions to move the arms 3608, 3609 away from each other. The stripping device 3602 is thereupon moved away from the adjacent pocket 3178 so that the turret 3179 can be indexed again. This completes the transfer of the empty pack 3041 from the path section V3d into the path Y3.

The pocket 3178 which has received a pack 3041 at the transfer station B3 must be indexed four times before it reaches the pack filling station C3. At the station C3, the pack filling device 3187 transfers a group 3008 from the adjacent chamber 3039 into the empty pack 3041. The empty pack 3041 at the station C3 receives that group 3008 whose scanning by the heads 3502 of the pusher 3007a or 3007b has caused the control system to effect the transfer of such empty pack from the mandrel 3043 at the station B3 into the adjacent pocket 3178. Thus, each group 3008 which is formed by the pusher 3007a or 3007b is assigned to a particular empty pack 3041. The pack 3041, with a group 3008 of cigarettes 3022 therein, then advances in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 16, to travel along the path Y3 and to be subjected to additional treatments such as those illustrated in portions 14p, 14q, 14r and 14s of FIG. 14. The provision of a tax stamp applicator is optional.

If the detector 3227 at the transfer station B3 detects that a mandrel 3043 which has reached the left-hand end of the upper stretch of the belt 3513 does not carry an empty pack 3041, it transmits a signal to the ejector which is adjacent to the path U3 between the stations A3' and C3 so that the ejector expels the corresponding group 3008 from the chamber 3039 before the chamber can reach the station C3. It is equally within the purview of the invention to construct the control system including the detector 3227 in such a way that the detector prevents the pusher 3007a or 3007b from transferring a group 3008 into the adjacent chamber 3039 should the detector 3227 determine the absence of a pack 3041 on the mandrel 3043 which is located at the station B3.

The pushers 3007a and 3007b test the groups 3008a during transfer from the magazines 3004a, 3004b into the chambers 3039 of the turret 3036 whereby their contacts 3503, 3506 (see FIG. 18) transmit to the control system signals whenever the sensing heads 3502 detect the absence of one or more cigarettes 3022 in a group 3008. Such signals are transmitted to the ejector between the stations A3' and C3 which expels the defective groups from the respective chambers 3039. The pushers 3007a and 3007b can detect the total absence of cigarettes and/or the absence of one or more cigarettes which should form a group 3008. Of course, if the pushers 3007a, 3007b detect a defective group 3008 or the absence of a group, they prevent the transfer unit 3175 at the station B3 from transferring an empty pack 3041 from the path section V3d into the path Y3. If the level of cigarettes 3022 in the magazine 3004a or 3004b descends below the aforementioned photosensitive detectors, the detectors produce a signal which prevents the pushers 3007a, 3007b from performing working strokes. The arrangement is preferably such that the pusher 3007a or 3007b is prevented from performing working strokes only if the cigarettes in the corresponding magazine 3004a or 3004b descend below a predetermined minimum level. Thus, one of these pushers can continue to transfer groups 3008 from the respective magazine into the chambers 3039 of the turret 3036 while the other pusher is idle. This means that each second chamber 3039 of the turret 3036 remains empty. Of course, if one of the pushers 3007a, 3007b is idle, it cannot transmit appropriate signals to the control system for the transfer unit 3175 so that, whenever an empty chamber 3039 moves beyond the transfer station A3', the corresponding empty pack 3041 is permitted to move from the section V3d into the section V3e of the endless path defined by the composite conveyor 3042 shown in FIG. 16.

An advantage of the just described independent operation of the pushers 3007a, 3007b is that when the magazines 3004a, 3004b receive cigarettes 3022 from separate or discrete producing machines, the malfunctioning of one producing machine does not affect the operation of the packing machine 3012 to such an extent that the packing machine would be brought to a complete standstill. The packing machine then simply processes the output of the functioning producing machine in that the corresponding pusher 3007a or 3007b continues to form groups 3008 which are transferred into the chambers 3039 of the turret 3036 and trigger the transfer of empty packs 3041 from the path section V3d into the path Y3. Thus, when one of the producing machines is idle, each second chamber 3039 of the turret 3036 continues to receive groups 3008 and each second empty pack 3041 which reaches the transfer station B3 can be transferred into the adjacent pocket 3178 of the turret 3179.

If desired, the packing machine 3012 can also include a control system which is analogous to the control system described in connection with FIGS. 13a to 13c and includes one or more counters which count the number of empty chambers 3039 and/or the number of empty packs 3041 which are transferred onto the elevator 3516 and automatically arrests the packing machine 3012 when the number of empty chambers 3039 or the number of empty packs 3041 on the conveyor 3042 reaches a predetermined maximum permissible number. For example, the just mentioned counter can arrest the packing machine 3012 when each mandrel 3043 carries a pack 3041. When the packing machine 3012 is thereupon started, it immediately begins to deliver properly assembled empty packs 3041 to the transfer station B3 so that the packing machine can proceed to make filled packs as soon as the first group 3008 reaches the pack filling station C3. It will be seen that the path V3 defined by the compositie conveyor 3042 can store a substantial number of empty packs 3041. Thus, the conveyor 3042 can serve for the making of empty packs 3041 as well as for temporary storage of empty packs whereby the number of stored empty packs can substantially exceed the number of packs which can be accommodated in the magazine 3014.

An important advantage of the packing machine 3012 is that all such operations which involve the application, heating, and/or cooling of adhesive, as well as folding and tucking of blanks are invariably completed before the packs 3041 can leave the path V3 defined by the composite conveyor 3042. Short-lasting interruptions in the operation of producing machines are much more likely to occur than interruptions in operation of the packing machine. Since the packing machine can continue to operate during short-lasting inactivations of producing machines, the likelihood that adhesive which is applied to paper blanks would dry before the corresponding portion of the paper blank overlaps another portion of such blank is practically non-existent. Consequently, even though the packing machine is directly coupled with one or more producing machines, all such critical operations which involve the application and setting or heating of adhesive, as well as folding and tucking and transfer of parts between several positions, are invariably completed before the packing machine can be brought to a full stop.

Another important advantage of the packing machine 3012 is that several of its parts can be operated continuously so that the wear on its moving parts is much less pronounced than the wear on the moving parts of a machine wherein all parts are operated intermittently.

Still another important advantage of the packing machine 3012 is that there is ample time for proper heating and/or cooling of adhesive before the respective empty packs 3041 reach the transfer station B3. This is particularly important if the chambers 3039 of the turret 3036 are designed to subject the groups 3008 to substantial compressive stresses so that the adhesive-coated seams of the paper blanks 3132 must be strong enough to prevent uncontrolled expansion of groups 3008 in sealed packs which are transferred from the turret 3179 downstream of the pack filling station C3.

The packing machine 4012 of FIGS. 26a to 33 differs from the previously described packing machines in that the composite conveyor 4042 in its converting assembly comprises two turrets, an upright magazine and two horizontal conveyors. The operations which involve actual manufacture of empty packs 4041 are performed while the blanks travel with the turrets of the conveyor 3042. The mandrels 4043 are not rigidly connected to the components of the conveyor 4042 but are movable from one of these components onto the next-following component.

As shown in FIGS. 26a, 26b and 27, the packing machine 4012 comprises two magazines 4004a, 4004b which are associated with transfer members or pushers 4007a, 4007b corresponding to the pushers 3007a, 3007b of FIG. 17 and are reciprocable in directions which are respectively indicated by arrows 4006a, 4006b (see FIG. 27). The pushers 4007a, 4007b can transfer groups 4008 of 20 cigarettes 4022 each from the respective magazines into alternating chambers 4039 of a condensing or compacting conveyor or turret 4036 which is indexed at predetermined intervals. Each of the magazines 4004a, 4004b receives filter cigarettes 4022 from a separate producing machine (see the conveyor belt 4023b in FIG. 26a). However, it is equally possible to deliver to the magazines 4004a, 4004b the output of a single producing machine. Each of these magazines has three inclined ducts or shafts (see the ducts 4018b of the magazine 4004b in FIG. 26b) which deliver cigarettes 4022 to a transfer station A4'. The operation of the drive which reciprocates the pushers 4007a, 4007b in directions indicated by the arrows 4006a, 4006b shown in FIG. 27 is synchronized with operation of the drive which indexes the turret 4036 so that one of the pushers performs a working stroke whenever a chamber 4039 dwells at the transfer station A4'. The frequency at which the pushers 4007a, 4007b perform working strokes is half the frequency at which the turret 4036 is indexed to move successive chambers 4039 to the transfer station A4'.

The chambers 4039 of the turret 4036 travel along an endless path U4.

A testing device or detector 4505 is adjacent to the path U4 downstream of the transfer station A4'. The purpose of the testing device 4505 is to detect the presence or absence of groups 4008 in the adjacent chambers 4039, as well as to detect whether or not the adjacent group 4008 contains a requisite number of properly arrayed cigarettes 4022. The cigarettes 4022 can be plain cigarettes or filter cigarettes. As shown in FIG. 28, the testing device 4505 comprises a reciprocable testing member 4507 having twenty parallel rods 4501 each of which is provided with a sensing head 4502. Those ends of the rods 4501 which are remote from the sensing heads 4502 are provided with movable contacts 4503 each of which engages two stationary or fixed contacts 4506 whenever the sensing head 4502 of the respective rod 4501 is caused to bear against the end of an adjacent cigarette 4022 in the group 4008 which registers with the station accommodating the testing device 4505. Helical springs 4504 are provided to move the contacts 4503 away from the respective pairs of contacts 4506 when the testing operation is completed. The distribution of rods 4501 and sensing heads 4502 in the testing member 4507 of FIG. 28 is identical with the distribution of cigarettes 4022 in a properly arrayed group 4008 of cigarettes in a chamber 4039. The mechanism which moves the testing member 4507 against the ends of cigarettes 4022 in the adjacent group 4008 of that chamber 4039 which dwells at the testing station is not shown in the drawing. The operation of such mechanism is synchronized with that of the mechanism which indexes the turret 4036. Thus, the testing member 4507 is advanced to move the sensing heads 4502 into engagement with the cigarettes while the turret 4036 is at a standstill.

All of the fixed contacts 4506 are connected in series and form part of a testing circuit 4511. If a single cigarette 4022 in the group 4008 at the testing station is missing, the testing circuit 4511 produces a signal which is transmitted to an ejector 4508 located downstream of the testing device 4505. Such signal causes a ram 4509 of the ejector 4508 to expel the defective group 4008 from its chamber 4039 before the group can reach a pack filling station C4. The control system which includes the testing circuit 4511 further includes an operative connection between a transfer unit 4175 (shown in FIG. 26b) and the circuit 4511 whereby the unit 4175 does not transfer a finished empty pack 4041 into the path which would lead the empty pack toward the filling station C4 whenever the detector 4505 detects the presence of a defective group 4008. The turret 4039 constitutes a magazine for temporary storage of a certain number of groups 4008.

The magazines 4004a, 4004b can be provided with photosensitive detectors or other types of detectors (similar to those shown in FIG. 2 at 28, 29, 31) which scan the level of cigarettes 4022 in the respective magazine and transmit signals whenever the cigarettes rise above a predetermined maximum level or descend below a predetermined minimum level. Such detectors are not shown in FIGS. 26a and 26b.

The composite conveyor 4042 of the packing machine 4012 shown in FIGS. 26a and 26b is designed to produce empty packs 4041 each of which comprises an inner envelope consisting of tinfoil and an outer envelope consisting of paper. Each such empty envelope is conveyed to the filling station C4 where it receives a group 4008 of 20 cigarettes 4022 by means of a pack filling device 4187 which transfers such group from the adjacent chamber 4039 of the turret 4036.

The empty packs 4041 are formed during travel of their components along a path V4 which includes five sections V4a, V4b, V4c, V4d and V4e. These sections are de-fined by the aforementioned five components in the composite conveyor 4042 in the converting assembly of the packing machine 4012. The path V4 simultaneously serves for temporary storage of a certain number of empty packs 4041.

Referring to the composite conveyor 4042 in greater detail, this conveyor comprises two indexible turrets 4044, 4046, a vertical conveyor 4514 which receives mandrels 4043 and empty packs 4041 from the turret 4046 and constitutes a magazine (similar to the magazine 3514 of the conveyor 3042 shown in FIG. 16) wherein the mandrels and empty packs descend in stepwise fashion, a first conveyor belt 4179 which constitutes a means for receiving empty packs and mandrels from the magazine 4514, and a second conveyor belt 4181 which receives mandrels from the belt 4179. The components of the composite conveyor 4042 together define the endless path V4 wherein the mandrels 4043 advance and which includes arcuate and straight sections. As mentioned above, the mandrels 4043 are not rigid with the components of the composite conveyor 4042. These components have pockets and receptacles for reception and transport of mandrels 4043. The mandrels 4043 are block-shaped bodies consisting of synthetic plastic material or metal (for example, aluminum).

As shown in FIG. 30, each of the mandrels 4043 is provided with a pair of grooves 4517 for reception of guide rails 4518. The guide rails 4518 prevent uncontrolled lengthwise movements of the mandrels 4043.

The turret 4044 is provided with pockets 4047 for the mandrels 4043. This turret is indexible along the path section V4a and is adjacent to a tinfoil blank forming apparatus 4069 shown in the upper right-hand portion of FIG. 26a. The apparatus 4069 can carry a reel or bobbin 4073 for a web 4074 of convoluted tinfoil. The web 4074 is drawn off the reel 4073 by two advancing rolls 4072 and is thereupon trained over a transfer roller 4077 which deflects it into an arcuate path W4 extending along the periphery of the turret 4044. The advancing rolls 4072 (or at least one of them) are driven intermittently so that they withdraw from the reel 4073 such lengths of the web 4074 which correspond to the length of a single tinfoil blank 4071. The numeral 4076 denotes in FIG. 26a an adjustable severing device whose knife is movable by an electromagnet 4078 so as to move its cutting edge against the periphery of the turret 4044 at intervals necessary to subdivide the web 4074 into a succession of tinfoil blanks 4071. Each blank 4071 is severed by the knife of the device 4076 while it overlies one of the pockets 4047 in the turret 4044. During severing of the web 4074, the turret 4044 is at a standstill. The manner in which the tinfoil blanks 4071 adhere to the periphery of the turret 4044 so as to be transported toward a transfer station B4' will be described later. The transfer station B4' is adjacent to the section V4a and is located directly opposite an inserting station F4a which is adjacent to the path section V4e. The inserting station F4a accommodates an inserting device 4048 which transfers mandrels 4043 into the adjacent pockets 4047 of the turret 4044. The station F4a is followed by a folding device 4049 which serves to perform the operation shown in FIG. 33c, namely, to fold over one of the large flaps at the front end of the mandrel 4043. The folding device 4049 is adjacent to the path section V4a which begins at the transfer station B4'. The path section V4a terminates and the path section V4b begins at a removing station F4b where the mandrels 4043 are removed from the pockets 4047 of the turret 4044 and are introduced into the pockets 4052 of the turret 4046. The turret 4046 advances its pockets 4052 along a transfer station B4" where the mandrels 4043 receive paper blanks 4132. The paper blanks 4132 are stored in a magazine forming part of the blank supplying apparatus 4131 shown in the upper part of FIG. 26a. The station B4" is located upstream or ahead of the removing station F4b, as viewed in the direction of rotation of the turret 4046, and each paper blank 4132 is caused to overlie one of the pockets 4052. The path along which the paper blanks 4132 are fed toward the station F4b is shown at X4. Selected portions of the paper blanks 4132 are coated with strips 4670 (see FIG. 33d) of adhesive which is applied by a paster 4139 forming part of the blank supplying apparatus 4131.

After having been advanced beyond the removing station F4b, the pockets 4052 of the turret 4046 reach a tucking device 4053 (shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 26a). The tucking device 4053 performs the operation shown in FIG. 33g, namely, it folds the tucks at the front end of the mandrel 4043. The tucking device 4053 is followed by a folding device 4054 which performs the operation shown in FIG. 33h. Thus, the folding device 4054 at least partially completes the closing of the front ends of successive empty packs 4041. A shifting device 4056 is provided at a transfer station F4c where the mandrels 4043, each carrying an empty pack 4041, are transferred from the pockets 4052 of the turret 4046 into the upper end of the magazine 4514. The section V4c of the path V4 begins at the upper end of the magazine 4514. The magazine 4514 can be provided or combined with one or more heating devices (not shown) which heat the seams of adhesive on the deformed paper blanks 4132 of the empty packs 4041 while the packs descend in stepwise fashion along the path section V4c. For example, the walls of the magazine 4514 can be heated by electric resistance wires or by a suitable heat-radiating device.

When the mandrels 4043 and their packs 4041 reach a transfer station F4d at the lower end of the magazine 4514, they are transferred into the section V4d of the endless path defined by the composite conveyor 4042. At the station F4d, the mandrels 4043 are transferred into the receptacles 4178 of the belt 4179. The belt 4179 consists of foraminous material and is trained over pulleys 4182 and 4183. The belt 4181 is located behind the belt 4179, as viewed in FIG. 26b, and is trained over pulleys 4185 and 4186 respectively located behind the pulleys 4182, 4183. In order to eliminate slippage, the belts 4179 and 4181 can be provided with teeth; the pulleys 4182, 4183, 4185, 4186 are then replaced with gears having teeth which mesh with the teeth of the respective toothed belts. The belts 4179, 4181 are preferably provided with suitable holders, for example, with dovetailed holders (not shown) which can receive and hold the receptacles 4178, 4184 in such a way that the receptacles can be readily attached to or separated from the respective belts. The holders can be provided with stops to prevent uncontrolled shifting of the receptacles. Such mounting of the receptacles 4178, 4184 renders it possible to rapidly convert the packing machine 4012 for treatment of different types of packs. For example, the packing machine can be converted for introduction into empty packs of groups or blocks each of which consists of 10, instead of 20, cigarettes 4022.

The path section V4d extends from the transfer station F4d to a transfer station F4e where the path section V4e begins. The transfer station F4e accommodates the transfer unit 4175 which transfers mandrels 4043 from the belt 4179 onto the belt 4181, i.e., from the receptacles 4178 into the receptacles 4184. The numerals 4161, 4162 denote in FIG. 26b pneumatic holders for finished empty packs 4041. The holders 4161, 4162 are connected to a suction generating device when the empty packs 4041 are to be stripped off the respective mandrels 4043 in a direction at right angles to the plane of FIG. 26b. Thus, the transfer station F4e coincides with a stripping or pack removing station B4 where the finished empty packs 4041 can be separated from the respective mandrels 4043. The thus separated empty packs 4041 are then transferred from the path section V4e into a path Y4 which leads them to the filling station C4. The path Y4 begins where the path section V4e ends and includes an arcuate section which extends along the filling station C4. It will be seen that the belt 4179 performs two functions, namely, to transport mandrels 4043 with empty packs 4041 thereon from the station F4d to the station F4e and to transport empty packs from the station F4e to the filling station C4.

The pack filling station C4 accommodates the pack filling device 4187 which transfers groups 4008 of 20 cigarettes 4022 each from the chambers 4039 of the turret 4036 into empty packs 4041 in the receptacles 4178 of the belt 4179. The transfer unit 4175 and the filling device 4178 together constitute a means which transfers the components of filled packs from the paths V4 and U4 into the path Y4. The filling station C4 is followed by a tucking device 4188 and by a folding device 4189, both adjacent to that portion of the path Y4 which is defined by the lower stretch of the belt 4179. The device 4188 performs the operation which is shown in FIG. 33g, and the device 4189 preforms the operation shown in FIGS. 33h and 33i. A receptacle 4178 which advances beyond the folding device 4189 contains a finished pack 4201. Such pack is thereupon provided with a tax stamp.

The means for applying tax stamps comprises an applicator 4199 which is shown in the left-hand portions of FIGS. 26a and 26b. An intermediate conveyor 4191 is provided to transfer packs 4201 from the receptacles 4178 of the belt 4179 to the applicator 4199. The transfer of packs 4201 from the receptacles 4178 into the receptacles 4193 of the intermediate conveyor 5191 takes place at a station A4'". This station accommodates a twin pusher 4192. The pusher 4192 thereupon transfers finished packs 4201 from the receptacles 4193 of the intermediate conveyor 4191 into the tax stamp applicator 4199 at a further transfer station A4". cigarettes 4022 each from the chambers 4039 of the turret 4036 into empty packs 4041 in the receptacles 4178 of the belt 4179. The transfer unit 4175 and the filling device 4178 together constitute a means which transfers the components of filled packs from the paths V4 and U4 into the path Y4. The filling station C4 is followed by a tucking device 4188 and by a folding device 4189, both adjacent to that portion of the path Y4 which is defined by the lower stretch of the belt 4179. The device 4188 performs the operation which is shown in FIG. 33g, and the device 4189 performs the operation shown in FIGS. 33h and 33i. A receptacle 4178 which advances beyond the folding device 4189 contains a finished pack 4201. Such pack is thereupon provided with a tax stamp.

The means for applying tax stamps comprises an applicator 4199 which is shown in the left-hand portions of FIGS. 26a and 26b. An intermediate conveyor 4191 is provided to transfer packs 4201 from the receptacles 4178 of the belt 4179 to the applicator 4199. The transfer or packs 4201 from the receptacles 4178 into the receptacles 4193 of the intermediate conveyor 4191 takes place at a station A4'". This station accommodates a twin pusher 4192. The pusher 4192 thereupon transfers finished packs 4201 from the receptacles 4193 of the intermediate conveyor 4191 into the tax stamp applicator 4199 at a further transfer station A4".

The applicator 4199 comprises a magazine 4194 which contains a stack of tax stamps and from which the lowermost tax stamps are withdrawn one after the other by a suction drum 4196. The thus removed tax stamps are coated with adhesive by a coating roller 4197 which receives adhesive from a roller 4198 dipping into the supply of liquid adhesive in a tank 4195. The marginal portions of the tax stamp are thereupon folded over the adjacent major surfaces of the finished pack 4201 and the pack is transferred onto a take-off conveyor belt 4200. The belt 4200 can transfer packs 4201, each having a tax stamp applied thereto, to storage, to a carton filling machine, or to a second packing machine corresponding to the machine 13 of FIG. 1.

As stated before, the packing machine 4012 comprises a testing device 4505 which is adjacent to the path U4 downstream of the transfer station A4'. The device 4505 scans the chambers 4039 of the turret 4036 for the presence or absence of groups 4008 as well as for the completeness of such groups. The testing circuit 4511 which receives signals from the device 4505 is connected with the ejector 4508 and with the transfer unit 4175. Such connections are indicated in FIG. 26b by phantom lines. The transfer unit 4175 effects the transfer of an empty pack 4041 from the path section V4d into the path Y4 only when the testing device 4505 detects the presence of a satisfactory group 4008.

The packing machine 4012 comprises additional detectors which are adjacent to the path V4. These detectors include detectors 4223 and 4224 which respectively control the delivery of components of empty packs 4041 to the turrets 4044 and 4046. More particularly, the detector 4223, which is adjacent to the path section V4d, is operatively connected with the electromagnet 4078 for the knife of the severing device 4076. The detector 4224 is adjacent to the transfer station B4' and is connected with the drive for the withdrawing roller 4668 in the blank supplying apparatus 4131. The detector 4223 scans the mandrels 4043 and permits the formation of tinfoil blanks 4071 and their delivery to the transfer station B4' only if it determines that the scanned mandrel does not carry a tinfoil blank. The detector 4224 permits the delivery of a fresh paper blank 4132 from the magazine of the apparatus 4131 to the transfer station B4" only when it determines that the scanned mandrel 4043 carries a tinfoil blank. Thus, the electromagnet 4078 is energized so that the knife of the severing device 4076 performs a cutting stroke only when the detector 4223 fails to detect a tinfoil blank. The detector 4223 further controls the deenergization of a clutch (not shown) in the drive for the rolls of the advancing device 4072 which serves to transport the web 4074 of tinfoil lengthwise toward the transfer roller 4077 and into the path W4. The detector 4224 produces a signal only when it detects a tinfoil blank 4071 on the adjacent mandrel 4043. Such signal is transmitted to a clutch (not shown) between the withdrawing roller 4668 of the blank supplying apparatus 4131 and a drive which can rotate the roller 4668 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 26a, so that a roller 4668 can withdraw the lowermost paper blank 4132 from its magazine and delivers it into the path X4.

A detector 4227 is adjacent to the section V4d of the path defined by the composite conveyor 4042 and serves to scan the adjacent mandrels 4043 for the presence or absence of empty packs 4041. If the detector 4227 determines the absence of an empty pack 4041, it transmits a signal to the testing circuit 4511 whereby the latter actuates the ejector 4508 so that the ram 4509 expels the corresponding group 4008 from the adjacent chamber 4039 of the turret 4036. This is necessary in order to insure that each group 4008 which is permitted to advance beyond the ejector 4508 meets an empty pack 4041 at the filling station C4. The signal-transmitting connection between the detector 4227 and the testing circuit 4511 is indicated in FIG. 26b by a phantom line.

The means for imparting intermittent movements to the above described parts of the packing machine 4012 preferably receive motion from the main drive of the packing machine. Such means may include one or more Geneva movements or analogous devices which can convert continuous motion into intermittent motion whereby each step takes up a first interval of time and is followed by a period of dwell taking up a second predetermined interval of time. Such movements which must be carried out while the indexible turrets and certain other parts of the packing machine 4012 are at a standstill (this includes particularly the movable folding devices of the packing machine) can be initiated by discrete drives or by cams or analogous devices which receive motion from the main drive of the packing machine. The following parts of the packing machine 4012 are operated intermittently and thereupon remain at a standstill between successive steps: the advancing rolls 4072, the turret 4044, the moving parts of the blank supplying apparatus 4131, the turret 4046, the pulley 4182, the pulley 4185, the turret 4036, and the intermediate conveyor 4191. Those parts which are operated while the just described parts are at a stand-still between successive stepwise advances include the knife of the severing device 4076, the folding device 4053, the folding device 4054, the shifting device 4056, the transfer unit 4175, the inserting device 4048, the pushers 4007a and 4007b, the filling device 4187, the tucking device 4188, the folding device 4189 and the twin pusher 4192.

FIG. 29 illustrates the details of the shifting device 4056 at the transfer station F4c of FIG. 26 which serves to transfer mandrels 4043, each carrying an empty pack 4041, from the pockets 4052 of the turret 4046 into the upper end of the magazine 4514. Each mandrel 4043 which reaches the transfer station F4c is assumed to carry a finished empty pack 4041. The shifting device 4056 comprises a pusher 4057 with a pivotably mounted entraining member 4058. The member 4058 is pivotable in the direction indicated by arrow 4059 whereby it comes to rest behind a mandrel 4043 in a pocket 4052 of the turret 4046. The pusher 4057 is reciprocable in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 4061 and performs a working stroke (forwardly, as viewed in FIG. 29) when the turret 4046 dwells between two successive indexing movements. The pusher 4057 can receive motion from a suitable cam, not shown.

FIG. 30 illustrates the details of the transfer unit 4175 which is located at the transfer station F4e shown in FIG. 26b. The transfer unit 4175 serves to transfer empty mandrels 4043, or mandrels carrying empty packs 4041, from the belt 4179 (namely, from the path section V4d) to the belt 4181 (namely, to the path section V4e). FIG. 30 also illustrates the construction of the holders 4161, 4162. The transfer unit 4175 comprises a pusher 4163 which carries a pivotable entraining member 4164. The member 4164 is pivotable from the illustrated position in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow 4166, and has a projection or pallet 4167. The pusher 4163 receives motion from a suitable drive, for example, from a cam which is rotated by the drive of the packing machine 4012. The directions in which the pusher 4163 can move are indicated in FIG. 30 by a double-headed arrow 4168.

The holders 4161, 4162 for empty packs 4041 respectively comprise suction chambers 4169, 4171 which can be connected with a suction generating device (not shown) by means of solenoid-operated valves 4172, 4173. The valves 4172, 4173 are actuated only when the testing device 4505 detects a satisfactory group 4008 and when the detector 4227 detects a satisfactory empty pack 4041. The pusher 4163 is moved toward the mandrel 4043 of FIG. 30 while the turrets 4044, 4046 of the conveyor 4042 are at a standstill. When the pusher 4163 reaches its right-hand end position, as viewed in FIG. 30, the pallet 4167 of its entraining member 4164 enters the upper groove 4517 of the mandrel 4043. When the pusher 4163 thereupon performs a return stroke in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. 30, it entrains the mandrel 4043. Such mandrel is then transferred into the adjacent receptacle 4184 of the belt 4181.

If the mandrel 4043 is to be transferred alone, the solenoids of the valves 4172, 4173 are energized so that the suction chambers 4169, 4171 are connected with the suction generating device. The suction is effective through the airpermeable belt 4179 so that the suction chambers 4169, 4171 hold the empty pack 4041 while the pusher 4163 transfers the mandrel 4043 into the adjacent receptacle 4184.

FIG. 31 illustrates the details of the pack filling device 4187 at the filling station C4 of FIG. 26b. The purpose of the device 4187 is to transfer groups 4008 of twenty cigarettes 4022 each from the chambers 4039 of the turret 4036 (path U4) into empty packs 4041 in the receptacles 4178 of the belt 4179 (path Y4). The pack filling device 4187 comprises a fixed mouthpiece 4151 which is disposed between the turret 4036 and the belt 4179, and a pusher 4153 which is reciprocable in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 4152. The pusher 4153 is reciprocable by a cam or the like, not shown, and performs working strokes while the turret 4036 is at a standstill. When it performs a working stroke, the pusher 4153 transfers a group 4008 from the registering chamber 4039 through the mouthpiece 4151 and into the empty pack 4041 in the adjacent receptacle 4178 of the belt 4179.

Referring to FIGS. 32a and 32b, the turret 4044 comprises a substantially cylindrical drum 4601 which is mounted on a hollow shaft (not shown) and is indexible in the direction indicated by an arrow 4602. Each pocket 4047 of the drum 4601 accommodates an expelling member 4603 having a shank 4604 and being biased radially outwardly by a spring 4606. The inner end portion of the shank 4604 carries a roller follower 4607 which tracks a cam face 4608 provided on a cam 4609. The spring 4606 maintains the roller follower 4607 in permanent engagement with the cam face 4608. The expelling members 4603 and the cam 4609 together constitute a removing device 4051 which is active at the transfer station F4b. Each of the pockets 4047 in the drum 4601 of the turret 4044 is adjacent to a folding member 4611 which is mounted on the drum 4601 and can pivot on a shaft 4612. Each folding member has several interconnected prongs or tines. The pivotal movements of the folding members 4611 are controlled by a cam 4613 having a cam face 4614 which is engaged by the roller followers 4616 of the folding members 4611. Springs 4617 bias the roller followers 4616 against the face 4614 of the cam 4613. The cams 4609 and 4613 are mounted on a shaft 4618 which is rotatably telescoped into the hollow shaft of the drum 4601 and are rotatable with reference to the drum. The arrangement is such that the shaft 4618 for the cams 4609, 4613 shares the indexing movements of the drum 4601 in the direction indicated by the arrow 4602 and, when the drum is at a standstill, the shaft 4618 is caused to rotate the cams 4609, 4613 counter to the direction of indexing movement of the turret 4044 (see the arrow 4619 in FIG. 32b). The extent of movement of cams 4609, 4613 in the direction indicated by the arrow 4619 equals the extent of their movement in the direction indicated by the arrow 4602 (while the drum 4601 is being indexed by a step). It will be noted that the cams 4609, 4613 perform oscillatory movements in the directions indicated by arrows 4602, 4619.

Each pocket 4047 of the drum 4601 is flanked by sets of suction ports 4621 (see FIG. 32a) which are connectable to a suction generating device and serve to attract the tinfoil blanks 4071.

As shown in FIG. 32b, each mandrel 4043 has a surface 4043a which is provided with suction ports 4043b. Such suction ports can be connected with a suction generating device (not shown) by way of bores 4622 provided in the drum 4601 of the turret 4044. The purpose of suction ports 4043b is to attract the adjacent portions of a tinfoil blank 4071.

The construction of the turret 4046 shown in FIG. 32a is analogous to that of the turret 4044. All such parts of the turret 4046 which are identical with or clearly analogous to the corresponding parts of the turret 4044 are denoted by similar reference characters plus 30. For example, the numeral 4648 denotes the shaft for the cams 4639 and 4643. The shaft 4648 can rotate these cams in the direction indicated by an arrow 4649 while the drum 4631 of the turret 4046 is at a standstill. The configuration of cams 4639 and 4643 deviates somewhat from the configuration of cams 4609 and 4613. This is due to the fact that, during conversion of a tinfoil blank 4071 into a tube, this blank forms two legs of identical length (see FIG. 33b) whereas a paper blank 4132 is converted into a tube in such a way that it first forms a U-shaped body (see FIG. 33e) one leg of which is considerably longer than the other leg. However, the manner in which the cams 4639 and 4643 are caused to oscillate about the axis of the drum 4631 is the same as described for the cams 4609 and 4613.

The exact details of the folding devices 4049, 4054 and tucking device 4053 form no part of the present invention.

FIGS. 32a, 32b further show two pressing rolls 4651, 4652 serving to press such portions of the blanks 4071, 4132 which tend to extend away from the mandrels 4043. The pressing rolls 4651, 4652 are rotatably mounted at the free ends of levers 4653, 4654. The peripheral surfaces of these pressing rolls are provided with circumferentially extending grooves (not shown) for the aforementioned prongs or tines of the folding members 4611 and 4641. It will be noted that the pressing rolls 4651, 4652 respectively cooperate with the drums 4601, 4631 of the turrets 4044, 4046. The levers 4653, 4654 for the pressing rolls 4651, 4652 are pivotable on a shaft 4656 and are respectively biased by springs 4657, 4658.

The turrets 4044, 4046 respectively advance their pockets 4047, 4052 along stationary abutments or folding members 4659, 4661, which are respectively mounted upstream of the pressing rolls 4651, 4652. The folding members 4659, 4661 automatically fold the outwardly extending portions of tinfoil and paper blanks as such portions move toward the pressing rolls 4651, 4652.

The blank supplying apparatus of FIG. 32a comprises a magazine 4666 for a stack of paper blanks 4132. The lowermost blanks 4132 of the stack in the magazine 4666 can be withdrawn by the suction drum 4668 which constitutes a withdrawing roller and is rotatable in a counterclockwise direction. The periphery of the suction drum 4668 is provided with suction ports 4667. The purpose of the suction ports 4667 is to attract the adjacent paper blank 4132 during transfer to the station B4" of FIG. 26a. The paster 4139 comprises a tank 4673, a first roller 4672 which dips into the tank 4673 and transfers a film of adhesive to a second roller 4671, and a third roller 4669 which receives adhesive from the roller 4671 and applies adhesive strips 4670 (see FIG. 33d) to the adjacent paper blank 4132.

The inserting device 4048 at the inserting station F4a of FIG. 32b serves to introduce mandrels 4043 into the receptacles 4184 of the belt 4181. This inserting device comprises a pusher 4676 shown in the right portion of FIG. 32b and having a rod 4677 which is mounted on parellel links 4678, 4679. The rod 4677 of the pusher 4676 carries a roller 4681 which is biased by a spring (not shown) against the face 4682 of a cam 4683. When the cam 4683 is rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow 4684, the pusher 4676 performs a working stroke and transfers a mandrel 4043 from the receptacle 4184 of the belt 4181 into the adjacent pocket 4047 of the turret 4044. The directions of movement of the pusher 4676 are indicated by a double-headed arrow 4686. The pusher 4676 is provided with a recess so that it can transfer a mandrel 4043 without interfering with the movement and mounting of the belt 4181. The arrangement is such that the pusher 4676 engages only the ends of a mandrel which is accommodated in the adjacent receptacle 4184.

As stated above, the intermediate conveyor 4191 (shown on a larger scale in FIG. 32b) serves to transfer finished packs 4201 from the belt 4179 onto the take-off conveyor belt 4200. Thus, the intermediate conveyor 4191 transports finished packs 4201 between the stations A4'" and A4". The twin pusher 4192 is reciprocable in fixed bearings 4687, 4688. The median portion of this pusher is slotted so that it does not interfere with movements of the belt 4179. The pusher 4192 receives motion from a cam 4689 having a cam face 4691 which is tracked by a roller follower 4692. A spring 4693 biases the roller follower 4692 against the cam face 4691. The roller follower 4692 is mounted on a lever 4694 which is articulately connected to the twin pusher 4192 by a link 4697 which reciprocates in directions indicated in FIG. 32b by a double-headed arrow 4698 when the cam 4689 rotates. When the twin pusher 4192 performs a working stroke, namely, when it is caused to move in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. 32b, its lower arm automatically transfers a finished pack 4201 from a receptacle 4181 of the belt 4179 into the adjacent receptacle 4193 of the intermediate conveyor 4191. At the same time, the upper arm of the twin pusher 4192 automatically transfers a finished pack 4201 from the adjacent receptacle 4193 of the intermediate conveyor 4191 onto the take-off conveyor belt 4200. The tax stamp applicator (not shown in FIG. 32b) is adjacent to the conveyor belt 4200 and applies tax stamps to successive finished packs 4201 before such packs reach the storage, a carton filling machine or a second packing machine (not shown), such as the machine 13 of FIG. 1.

The operation of the packing machine 4012 is as follows:

It is assumed that all of the mandrels 4043 are empty and that the magazines 4004a, 4004b are also empty. The following description will trace the movements of of a mandrel 4043 during its transport along the sections of the path V4 and thereupon the movement of the corresponding empty pack 4041 along the path Y4. The packing machine 4012 is started simultaneously with the associated producing machines (not shown) which deliver cigarettes 4022 directly into the magazines 4004a, 4004b. The detector 4223 at the station B4 of FIG. 26b scans the adjacent mandrel 4043 in the receptacle 4184 of the belt 4181. Such scanning takes place before the mandrel reaches the transfer station B4'. The detector 4223 finds that the scanned mandrel 4043 does not carry a tinfoil blank 4071. Therefore, the blank forming apparatus 4069 is caused to deliver a tinfoil blank 4071 along the path W4. Such blank is formed after the advancing rolls 4072 withdraw from the reel 4073 such a length of the tinfoil web 4074 that the path W4 downstream of the knife of the severing device 4076 accommodates a length of tinfoil corresponding to that of a blank 4071. The signal from the detector 4223 is transmitted to the electromagnet 4078 of the severing device 4076 which moves its knife against the periphery of the turret 4044 and separates from the leading end of the web 4074 a tinfoil blank 4071. Such blank overlies the adjacent pocket 4047 of the drum 4601 and adheres to the periphery of the drum because the corresponding suction ports 4621 (see FIG. 32a) are then connected to the suction generating device, The formation of a tinfoil blank 4071 is shown in FIG. 33a.

The turret 4044 is thereupon indexed by a step so that the tinfoil blank 4071 is transferred to the station F4a of FIG. 26b. Simultaneously with the indexing of the turret 4044, the empty mandrel 4043 which was scanned by the detector 4223 is transferred from the station B4 to the station F4a. During the next-following interval of idleness or dwell of the turret 4044, the inserting device 4048 transfers the empty mandrel 4043 into that pocket 4047 which is overlapped by the freshly formed tinfoil blank 4071. This results in the transfer of the blank 4071 from the path W4 into the path section V4a simultaneously with transfer of the previously scanned mandrel 4043 which is transferred from the path section V4a. The empty mandrel is transferred from the receptacle 4184 of the belt 4181.

The transfer of the empty mandrel 4043 at the inserting station F4a is effected by the pusher 4676 of FIG. 32b. The cam 4683 causes the roller 4681 to shift the rod 4677 of the pusher 4676 in an upward direction, as viewed in FIG. 32b. As stated before, the upper face of the pusher 4676 is provided with a cutout for the belt 4181 but the marginal portions of the pusher 4676 can readily transfer the empty mandrel 4043 into the adjacent pocket 4047 of the turret 4044. During such insertion of the mandrel 4043 into the pocket 4047, the originally undeformed tinfoil blank 4071 is converted into a U-shaped body.

During the expulsion of the empty turret 4043 from the receptacle 4184 of the belt 4181, the shaft 4618 causes the cams 4609, 4613 to rotate in the direction indicated in FIG. 32b by the arrow 4619. Such rotation of the shaft 4618 causes the cams 4609, 4613 to move from the phantom-line positions to the solid-line positions of FIGS. 32a and 32b. During such rotation of the cams 4609, 4613, the expelling member 4603 in the pocket 4047 at the station F4a is gradually withdrawn into the bottom part of the respective pocket 4047 in synchronism with outward movement of the pusher 4676 of the inserting device 4048. Such synchronization of movements of the inserting pusher 4676 and expelling member 4603 insures that the mandrel 4043 is held by the parts 4676 and 4603 during introduction into the pocket 4047. When the introduction of the mandrel 4043 into the pocket 4047 is completed, the cam 4613 causes the folding member 4611 to pivot about the axis of its shaft 4612 so that the member 4611 folds one leg of the U-shaped tinfoil body in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 33b. FIG. 32b illustrates the folding member 4611 at the inserting station F4a in a position it assumes upon completed folding of the adjacent leg of the U-shaped tinfoil body.

The cam 4683 thereupon causes the roller 4681 to retract the pusher 4676 of the inserting device 4048 before the turret 4044 is indexed again. This completes the transfer of the mandrel 4043 from the path section V4e into the path V4a.

As the turret 4044 is indexed again, the mandrel 4043 is transferred from the station F4a into registry with the folding device 4049. During such indexing of the turret 4044, the other leg of the U-shaped tinfoil body is automatically folded by the member 4659 which is adjacent to the peripheral surface of the drum 4601. The folded portions of the legs of the tinfoil blank 4071 are caused to adhere to the exposed surface 4043a of the mandrel 4043 because the suction ports 4043b are then connected to the suction generating device by way of bores 4622 in the drum 4601. The cams 4609, 4613 share the indexing movements of the turret 4044 so that they return from the solid-line positions to the phantom-line positions shown in FIG. 32a and 32b. The pressing roll 4651 presses that leg which was folded by the stationary folding member 4659 so that the thus folded leg overlies the leg which was previously folded by the member 4611 at the station F4a. The tinfoil blank 4071 is thereby converted into a tube. The folding device 4049 thereupon performs the operations shown in FIG. 33c, namely, it folds the two large flaps at the front end of a mandrel 4043 so that only the two triangular tucks extend forwardly beyond the mandrel. While the mandrel 4043 dwells in registry with the folding device 4049, the shaft 4618 rotates the cams 4609, 4613 in the direction indicated by the arrow 4619. Such rotation of the cams 4609, 4613 takes place during transfer of the next-following mandrel 4043 at the station F4a.

The turret 4044 is thereupon indexed again so that the mandrel 4043, with a nearly completed tinfoil envelope thereon, advances to the station F4b where the mandrel is to be transferred into the adjacent pocket 4052 of the second turret 4046. The suction ports 4043b of the mandrel 4043 are still connected with the suction generating device by means of the bores 4622 in the drum 4601 so that the overlapping legs of the tinfoil blank are attracted to the surface 4043a.

The detector 4224 and the station B4' has detected the presence of a tinfoil blank 4071 during insertion of the mandrel 4043 into the adjacent pocket 4047 of the turret 4044. Such detection of the tinfoil blank resulted in the transmission of of a signal to the aforementioned clutch in the drive for the withdrawing roller 4668 of the blank supplying apparatus 4131. The construction of the detector 4224 is such that it detects whether or not the mandrel 4043 at the station B4' is empty (i.e., that it does not carry any blanks) or whether or not the mandrel carries a pack 4041 (i.e., whether or not the mandrel is provided with a paper blank surrounding the tinfoil blank). The withdrawing roller 4668 is driven during the next indexing of the turrets 4044,4046 and withdraws the lowermost paper blank 4132 from the magazine 4666. Such paper blank is transferred into the path X4 so that it overlies the adjacent pocket 4052 of the turret 4046 and is automatically coated with adhesive applied by the coating roller 4669 of the paster 4139. The adhesive which is applied by the roller 4669 forms the strips 4670 shown in FIG. 33d. The paper blank 4132 which overlies the adjacent pocket 4052 adheres to the peripheral surface of the drum 4631 because the suction ports 4651 (see FIG. 32a) are then connected to the suction-generating device. It will be seen that the detector 4224 insures that a paper blank 4132 is caused to overlie that pocket 4052 of the turret 4066 which is to receive the mandrel 4043, with a tinfoil blank 4071 thereon, at the removing station F4b.

The transfer of the mandrel 4043 from the pocket 4047 into the pocket 4052 at the removing station F4b takes place in a manner which is analogous to that described in connection with the insertion of the mandrels 4043 into the pockets 4047. Such transfer is effected by the removing device 4051. Rotation of the cam 4609 while the turret 4044 is at a standstill causes the expelling member 4603 to move outwardly and to push the mandrel 4043 from the pocket 4047 into the pocket 4052. This is shown in FIG. 32a. At the same time, the cam 4639 withdraws the expelling member 4633 at the station F4b so that the mandrel 4043 is held by the members 4603, 4633 during transfer into the pocket 4052. During retraction of the member 4633 into the bottom part of the pocket 4052 at the station F4b, the cam 4639 is caused to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow 4649. The movements of the cams 4609, 4613 and 4639, 4643 are synchronized so that the members 4603, 4633 can perform their movements in the above-described manner.

As a mandrel 4043 enters the pocket 4052 at the station F4b, it deforms the paper blank 4132 so that the latter is converted into a U-shaped body (see FIG. 33e). The U-shaped body which is obtained in response to deformation of the paper blank 4132 has a longer leg and a shorter leg. This is clearly shown in FIG. 33e. The cam 4643 thereupon pivots the folding member 4641 at the station F4b whereby the member 4641 folds the shorter leg over the adjacent surface of the mandrel (see FIG. 33e).

The turret 4046 is thereupon indexed and the cams 4639, 4643 share such movement of the turret. The end positions of the cams 4639, 4643 are shown in FIG. 32a by phantom lines. During indexing of the turret 4046, the other leg, namely, the longer leg of the U-shaped paper body, is folded over by the stationary member or abutment 4661. The pressing roller 4652 thereupon presses the longer leg of the paper blank over the adjacent surface of the mandrel whereby the paper blank 4132 is converted into an accurately defined U-shaped body shown in FIG. 33f. The two legs of the paper blank adhere to each other due to the provision of the adhesive strip 4670 shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 33d. When the turret 4046 is brought to a standstill, the shaft 4648 rotates the cams 4639, 4643 to the solid-line positions shown in FIG. 32a. The arrow 4649 in FIG. 32a indicates the direction of rotation of cams 4639, 4643 back to their solid-line positions. Such rotation of the cams 4639, 4643 causes the folding member 4641 to overlap the longer leg of the paper blank and to press it against the shorter leg. Thus, the member 4641 prevents an opening of the seam before the corresponding adhesive strip 4670 sets.

The turret 4046 is thereupon indexed again and reaches the tucking device 4053 which forms the tucks shown in FIG. 33g. It will be noted that the tucking device 4053 deforms both blanks on the adjacent mandrel 4043.

In response to renewed indexing of the turret 4046, the mandrel 4043 reaches the folding device 4054 which performs the operation shown in FIG. 33h, namely, it at least partially closes the adjacent end of the pack on the mandrel 4043. If the device 4054 performs the operations shown in FIGS. 33h and 33i, the overlapping flaps adhere to each other due to the provision of the respective adhesive strip 4670. If desired, the folding device 4054 can fold only one of the long flaps at the front end of the mandrel 4043 (see FIG. 33h). The other flap is then folded by a portion of the magazine 4514 in a manner to be described below.

The turret 4046 is thereupon indexed again so that the mandrel 4043 reaches the transfer station F4c. While the turret 4046 dwells between two successive indexing movements, the shaft 4648 rotates the cams 4639, 4643 in the direction indicated by arrow 4649 shown in FIG. 32a. This causes the folding member 4641 to return to a retracted position shown at the top of FIG. 32a. Consequently, the mandrel 4043 is free to leave the pocket 4052 at the station F4c. The transfer of the mandrel 4043 from the path section V4b into the path section V4c takes place while the turret 4046 is at a standstill. The transfer is effected by the shifting device 4056 shown in FIG. 29. The drive for the pusher 4057 causes the latter to perform a movement in a direction toward the turret 4046 whereby the mandrel 4043 pivots the entraining member 4058 so that the latter slides over the mandrel and is free to assume the vertical position shown in FIG. 29 when the pusher 4057 completes its stroke. The pusher 4057 is thereupon caused to move forwardly, as viewed in FIG. 29, whereby the entraining member 4058 engages the mandrel 4043 in the adjacent pocket 4052 and transfers it into the upper part of the magazine 4514. This completes the transfer of the mandrel 4043, with a nearly completed empty pack 4041 thereon, from the path section V4b into the path section V4c.

During each period of standstill of the belt 4179, a receptacle 4178 receives a mandrel 4043 at the transfer station F4d where the mandrels are transferred from the path section V4c into the path section V4d. Thus, the mandrels in the magazine 4514 descend in stepwise fashion and provide room for introduction of fresh mandrels by the shifting device 4056 of FIG. 29. The mandrel 4043 which was transferred by the shifting device 4056 descends stepwise in the magazine 4514 and reaches the transfer station F4d where it is ready for transfer into the path section V4d. During the first step which the mandrel 4043 performs in a direction from the transfer station F4c toward the transfer station F4d, the lower flap at the front end of the mandrel is folded over the upper flap whereby the adhesive strip which is supplied to the lower flap (see FIG. 33d) insures that the two flaps cannot be separated. The folding of the lower flap is carried out by a stationary portion of the magazine 4514 which is adjacent to the duct wherein the mandrel 4043 descends toward the transfer station F4d. This completes the conversion of blanks 4071, 4132 into an empty pack 4041 which surrounds the respective mandrel 4043. The adhesive between the overlapping flaps at the front end of the empty pack 4041 in the magazine 4514 has ample time to set while the empty pack descends toward the transfer station F4d. As stated before, the magazine 4514 can be combined with or it may incorporate a suitable heating device for the adhesive on the paper blanks 4132.

When the first mandrel 4043 which carries a finished empty pack 4041 reaches the transfer station F4d, it enters the adjacent receptacle 4178 of the belt 4179 and is advanced along the path section V4d. The removal of such mandrel from the lower end of the magazine 4514 preferably takes place automatically in response to indexing of the pulley 4182 for the belt 4179. When the belt 4179 is arrested, the mandrel 4043 (with a finished empty pack 4041 thereon) dwells at the station F4e. As stated before, this station coincides with the stripping station B4. The decision whether or not the empty pack 4041 at the station F4e will be stripped off the respective mandrel 4043 is made by the detector means of the packing machine. If the empty pack is to be stripped off the mandrel, it remains in the respective receptacle 4178 and is transported into the path Y4 so that it advances toward the pack filling station C4. The mandrel 4043 is then withdrawn from the empty pack 4041 in a manner as described in connection with FIG. 30 and is introduced into a receptacle 4184 of the belt 4181 preparatory to transfer into one of the pockets 4047 in the turret 4044. However, if the empty pack is to remain on the mandrel 4043, the suction chambers 4169, 4171 of FIG. 30 remain disconnected from the suction generating device so that the pusher 4163 can withdraw the mandrel 4043 together with the empty pack 4041 thereon whereby the empty pack also enters the receptacle 4184 of the belt 4081.

The retention of a finished empty pack on the belt 4179 or its transfer onto the belt 4181, together with the corresponding mandrel 4043, depends on the supply of cigarettes in the magazine 4004a or 4004b. If the cigarettes in the magazine 4004a or 4004b reach the level of the photoelectric detector means, not shown, the pusher 4007a or 4007b is actuated and transfers a group 4008 from the respective magazine into the adjacent chamber 4039 of the turret 4036 (see the transfer station A4' in FIG. 26b). If the level of cigarettes in the magazine 4004a or 4004b does not reach the respective photoelectric detector means, the pusher 4007a or 4007b is held at a standstill so that the chamber 4039 at the transfer station A4' does not receive a group 4008. The absence of the group 4008 is detected by the testing device 4505. This means that the testing circuit 4511 cannot transmit signals to the valves 4172, 4173 of the holders 4161, 4162 shown in FIG. 30. Consequently, the empty pack 4041 is not retained by the suction chambers 4169, 4171 but is permitted to leave the receptacle 4178 at the station F4e to be transferred into the adjacent receptacle 4184 of the belt 4181 which transports the empty pack and the corresponding turret 4043 back to the station F4a.

The detector 4223 detects that the mandrel 4043 at the station F4e carries an empty pack and, therefore, this detector does not transmit a signal to the blank forming apparatus 4069. Consequently, the apparatus 4069 does not deliver a fresh tinfoil blank 4071 when the mandrel 4043, with a finished empty pack 4041 thereon, reaches the station B4'. The inserting device 4048 thereupon transfers the mandrel 4043, with the empty pack 4041 thereon, into the adjacent pocket 4047 of the turret 4044. The detector 4224 at the station F4a detects the presence of a paper blank 4132 on the mandrel 4043 and prevents energization of the clutch which drives the withdrawing roller 4668 of the blank supplying apparatus 4131. Therefore, when the mandrel 4043, with an empty pack 4041 thereon, reaches the station F4b, it does not meet a fresh paper blank 4132 and is merely transferred into the pocket 4052 of the turret 4046 for transport toward the transfer station F4c. The mandrel 4043, with a pack 4041 thereon, then enters the magazine 4514 and is again transported to the transfer station F4d and thereupon to the station F4e.

If the level of cigarettes 4022 in the magazine 4004a and/or 4004b has risen sufficiently to reach the aforementioned photoelectric detector means, the drives for the pushers 4007a, 4007b receive impulses which cause the pushers to transfer groups 4008 into the adjacent chambers 4039 of the turret 4036. The testing device 4505 detects the presence of groups 4008 in the chambers 4039 and transmits signals to the circuit 4511 which actuates the transfer unit 4175 at the station B4. However, the transfer unit 4175 receives such signals only if the detector 4227 has detected a satisfactory empty pack 4041 at the station B4. The output signal from the circuit 4511 results in energization of the solenoids for the valves 4172, 4173 shown in FIG. 30 whereby the suction chambers 4169, 4171 retain the empty pack 4041 in the receptacle 4178 of the air-permeable belt 4179 while the pallet 4167 on the entraining member 4164 of the pusher 4163 transfers the respective mandrel 4043 from the receptacle 4178 into the adjacent receptacle 4184 of the belt 4181. During the next-following indexing of the pulley 4182, the belt 4179 advances the empty pack 4041 along the path Y4. In response to completion of two additional indexing steps, the empty pack 4041 reaches the filling station C4. At this station, the empty pack receives that particular group 4008 whose presence at the testing station (see the testing device 4505 of FIG. 26b) has triggered the withdrawal of the respective mandrel 4043 at the stripping station B4. It will be noted that each empty pack 4041 is assigned to a particular group 4008. The transfer of groups 4008 into empty packs 4041 at the filling station C4 takes place in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 31. Thus, the pusher 4153 performs a working stroke to expel the group 4008 from the respective chamber 4039 whereby the group 4008 passes through the stationary mouthpiece 4151 and enters the empty pack 4041 in the adjacent receptacle 4178. The thus filled pack is thereupon advanced stepwise to move past the tucking device 4188 and folding device 4189 on its way toward the transfer station A4'". The devices 4188, 4189 close the open end of the pack so that the pack is converted into a finished pack 4201 which is ready for transfer into a receptacle 4193 of the intermediate conveyor 4191. The intermediate conveyor is rotatable about a horizontal axis, as viewed in FIG. 26b, so that the angular position of a finished pack 4201 therein is changed by 90.degree. before the pack reaches the transfer station A4". The upper arm of the twin pusher 4192 then transfers the finished pack 4201 onto the conveyor belt 4200 whereby the finished pack advances along the tax stamp applicator 4199 which withdraws a tax stamp from the magazine 4194 by way of the suction drum 4196. Such tax stamp is then coated with adhesive by the roller 4197 which receives adhesive from the roller 4198 dipping into the tank 4195.

If the testing device 4505 detects the presence of an incomplete group 4008, it transmits a signal to the ejector 4508 whose ram 4509 expels the defective group from the respective chamber 4039. If the detector 4227 detects the presence of an unsatisfactory empty pack 4041 at the station F4e, it transmits a signal to the testing circuit 4511 which causes the ejector 4508 to expel the corresponding group 4008 from the respective chamber 4039. Thus, the detector 4227 insures that a group 4008 can reach the filling station C4 only when it is certain to meet a satisfactory empty pack 4041.

If the production machine or machines which deliver cigarettes 4022 into the magazines 4004a, 4004b happen to malfunction for whatever reason, the level of cigarettes in the magazine 4004a and/or 4004b descends whereby the aforementioned photoelectric detector means transmit signals which prevent the pushers 4007a, 4007b from performing working strokes. Consequently, the chambers 4039 of the turret 4036 fail to receive groups 4008 whereby the corresponding empty packs 4041 are caused to remain on the respective mandrels 4043 when they reach the stripping station B4. This insures that the chambers 4039 can receive only such groups 4008 which are satisfactory for introduction into empty packs 4041.

If each of the magazines 4004a, 4004b receives cigarettes 4022 from a separate producing machine, and if one such producing machine fails to deliver cigarettes to the respective magazine, the other producing machine can continue to deliver cigarettes to the corresponding magazine so that only some of the chambers 4039 receive groups 4008 of 20 cigarettes 4022 each. This means that only some of the empty packs 4041 which reach the stripping station B4 are transferred into the path Y4 whereas the remaining empty packs continue to advance along the path section V4e and are transferred with their mandrels 4043 into the pockets 4047 of the turret 4044. Thus, the packing machine 4012 can operate at full capacity or at half capacity, depending upon whether one or both magazines 4004a, 4004b contain a requisite supply of cigarettes 4022.

It is further within the purview of the invention to provide the packing machine 4012 with one or more counters of the type described in connection with FIGS. 13a to 13c which serve to count the number of empty packs 4041 on the mandrels 4043 in the sections of the path V4 and automatically arrest the packing machine when the number of empty packs in the path V4 reaches a predetermined maximum permissible number. For example, a counter can arrest the packing machine 4012 when each mandrel 4043 carries an empty pack 4041.

When the packing machine 4012 is thereupon started again, an empty pack 4041 is immediately ready for stripping at the station B4 provided, of course, that the testing device 4505 detects a satisfactory group 4008 which is to reach the filling station C4 simultaneously with the corresponding empty pack 4041, namely, that empty pack which is stripped off the mandrel 4043 to enter the path Y4.

An advantage of the packing machine 4012 is that all such operations which involve draping, folding, tucking, drying, heating and/or other steps are invariably completed before the packing machine is arrested. Therefore, the number of defective empty packs 4041 is minimal. Also the packing machine can continue to make empty packs 4041 during short-lasting interruptions in the operation of one or more producing machines which deliver cigarettes to the magazines 4004a, 4004b. As a rule, the interruptions in the operation of producing machines are frequent but rather short so that the packing machine can continue to form empty packs while the one or the other producing machine is at a standstill. It is clear that the packing machine 4012 can be provided with a single magazine 4004a or 4004b and that such single magazine can receive the output of one or more producing machines.

Another important advantage of the packing machine 4012 is that the actual formation of empty packs 4041 takes place on turrets which have been found to be particularly satisfactory for carrying out such operations. The belts 4179 and 4181, as well as the magazine 4514, are desirable because they insure that the adhesive on the paper blanks 4132 of the packs 4041 has ample time for setting regardless of whether the adhesive is a wet adhesive from which the excess moisture must be expelled or a heat-activatable adhesive which must be heated in order to establish a satisfactory connection between the overlapping portions of paper blanks.

It is further clear that the packing machines of the present invention can be employed with equal advantage for the manufacture of other types of packs, namely, not necessarily for the manufacture of so-called soft packs. For example, the packing machines can be used for the production of empty packs whose flaps and tucks are not located at the two ends of the pack. Furthermore, the packing machines can be used for the manufacture of packs which consist of relatively stiff material, for example for the manufacture of hinged-lid packs.

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

1. A method of making, filling and treating containers for groups of rod-shaped tobacco products, comprising the steps of converting blanks of deformable sheet material into open empty containers and transporting the thus obtained containers along at least one first path; forming and transporting a succession of groups of rod-shaped tobacco products along a second path independently of the conversion of blanks into empty containers and vice versa, said forming step comprising producing said tobacco products at a producing station, establishing a direct third path for the transport of tobacco products from said station to said second path, accumulating in said third path a floating supply of tobacco products, withdrawing said groups of tobacco products from said supply for delivery to said second path, and interrupting the withdrawal of groups when said supply is depleted to a predetermined minimum level; withdrawing from said first path an empty container only when a group is advanced along said second path and introducing such group into the respective empty container to form a filled container; and subjecting only the filled containers to at least one further treatment.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of transporting filled containers along a fourth path, said step of subjecting filled containers to at least one treatment being carried out simultaneously with the transport of filled containers along said fourth path.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said step of subjecting filled containers to at least one treatment comprises closing and at least partially sealing the containers around the respective groups.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein said first path is distinct and separate from said fourth path.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said first path is an endless path.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said converting step comprises introducing the blanks into said first path, transporting the blanks along at least a portion of said first path, and deforming the blanks during transport along said portion of said first path so that each of the thus deformed blanks constitutes at least one envelope of an open empty container.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein said first path is an endless path.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first path constitutes at least one endless path wherein empty containers circulate preparatory to withdrawal from said first path for reception of a commodity.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of temporarily storing empty containers in a portion of said first path.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first path constitutes at least one endless path wherein empty containers circulate preparatory to withdrawal for reception of a group and wherein such withdrawal takes place in a predetermined portion of said endless path so that an empty container which is not withdrawn from said portion of said endless path can thereupon be withdrawn only after completion of travel along the full length of said endless path.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first path constitutes at least one endless circular path for empty containers.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said first path comprises at least one straight portion.

13. A method of making, filling and treating containers, particularly packs for rod-shaped tobacco products or analogous commodities, comprising the steps of converting blanks of deformable sheet material into open empty containers and transporting the thus obtained empty containers along at least one first path comprising at least one straight portion and at least one endless portion, said converting step comprising transporting the blanks along said endless portion and deforming the blanks during transport along such endless portion so that each of the thus deformed blanks constitutes at least one envelope of an open empty container and thereupon transferring the empty container from said endless portion into said straight portion; transporting a succession of commodities along a second path; withdrawing from said first path an empty container only when a commodity is advanced along said second path and introducing such commodity into the respective empty container to form a filled container; and subjecting only the filled containers to at least one treatment.

14. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said converting step comprises providing selected portions of at least some blanks with an adhesive, deforming the blanks to form open empty containers, and heating said selected portions of the blanks.

15. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of removing from said first path those empty containers which are not withdrawn for reception of groups.

16. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring said second path to detect the presence and absence of groups, and withdrawing from said first path empty containers in response to detection of groups in said second path.

17. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of transporting filled containers along a fourth path, said step of subjecting filled containers to at least one treatment being performed upon containers in said fourth path and said withdrawing step comprising transferring empty containers from said first into said fourth path.

18. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second paths extend along a filling station and further comprising the steps of scanning said second path at a predetermined distance from said filling station to detect the presence and absence of groups, selecting in said first path an empty container for each of the thus detected groups, and transporting the detected group and the selected empty container at such speeds that the detected group reaches said filling station simultaneously with the selected empty container.

19. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said converting step comprises transporting the blanks stepwise, always for a first predetermined interval of time, maintaining the blanks at a standstill for predetermined second intervals of time which alternate with said first intervals, and deforming the blanks during at least one of said first intervals and at least one of said second intervals.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein said deforming step is completed during a period which is a whole multiple of the sum of one of said first and second intervals.

21. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of scanning said first path to detect the presence and absence of empty containers therein, and regulating said converting step in dependency on such detection.

22. A method as defined in claim 21, further comprising the steps of scanning said first path to detect the presence and absence of empty containers therein, and regulating the admission of blanks into said first path in dependency on such detection.

23. A method as defined in claim 22, wherein the admission of blanks into said first path takes place in response to detection of the absence of empty containers.

24. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of scanning said first path to detect the presence and absence of empty containers and regulating said converting step in response to such detection.

25. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of scanning said first path for the presence and absence of blanks, and regulating said converting step in dependency on such detection.

26. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of supplying blanks into said first path along at least one further path, scanning said further path to detect the presence and absence of blanks, and producing signals in response to such detection.

27. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said transporting steps comprise intermittently advancing the containers and the groups, always for a first predetermined interval of time, and maintaining the containers and groups at a standstill for second predetermined intervals of time, said converting step comprising moving the blanks intermittently into and along said first path in synchronism with said containers and groups.

28. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein said converting step further comprises deforming the blanks in said first path during at least one period which is a whole multiple of the sum of one of said first and one of said second intervals.

29. A machine for making, filling and treatment of containers, particularly packs for groups of rod-shaped tobacco products, comprising blank supplying means including at least one source of deformable sheet-like blanks, an assembly for converting blanks furnished by said source into open empty containers, including blank deforming means and first transporting means for conveying empty containers along a first path; means for producing tobacco products; conveyor means for delivering the output of said producing means; a magazine arranged to receive such output and to accumulate therein a floating supply of tobacco products; means for forming a succession of groups of rod-shaped tobacco products independently of the operation of said blank deforming means and vice-versa, comprising means for removing groups of tobacco products from said floating supply; means for deactivating said forming means in response to depletion of said supply to a predetermined level; second transporting means for conveying the groups along a second path; filling means for transferring groups from said second path into empty containers; transfer means for transferring from said first path to said filling means empty containers when said filling means transfers groups from said second path; and treating means for treating the thus filled containers.

30. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein at least a portion of said first path constitutes an endless path.

31. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said first transporting means comprises at least one rotary conveyor.

32. A machine as defined in claim 31, wherein said deforming means comprises deforming elements arranged to move with said conveyor.

33. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said first transporting means includes means for temporary storage of empty containers.

34. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said filling means and said transfer means are respectively adjacent to said second and first paths.

35. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said first transporting means comprises at least one rotary turret.

36. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said first transporting means comprises at least one conveyor which defines a substantially straight portion of said first path.

37. A machine as defined in claim 36, wherein said one conveyor comprises at least one endless flexible element.

38. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said first transporting means comprises a conveyor arranged to accommodate and to advance a row of empty containers.

39. A machine as defined in claim 38, wherein said conveyor constitutes a magazine for temporary storage of empty containers and defines a substantially straight portion of said first path.

40. A machine as defined in claim 38, wherein said blank supplying means is arranged to supply blanks which are provided with adhesive and wherein said deforming means is arranged to convert such blanks into envelopes forming part of said containers and having adhesive-coated portions overlapping other portions of the respective envelopes, and further comprising means for promoting the binding action of adhesive on said envelopes.

41. A machine as defined in claim 40, wherein said means for promoting the binding action of adhesive comprises heating means.

42. A machine as defined in claim 40, wherein said means for promoting the binding action of adhesive is adjacent to that portion of said first path which is defined by said conveyor.

43. A machine as defined in claim 40, wherein the adhesive is a heat-activatable adhesive.

44. A machine as defined in claim 38, wherein said conveyor constitutes a substantially vertical magazine and said row of empty containers is a stack of superimposed containers.

45. A machine as defined in claim 44, wherein said magazine comprises movable supporting means for the stack of containers therein.

46. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said blank deforming means comprises a plurality of mandrels which are movable with and relative to said first transporting means.

47. A machine as defined in claim 46, wherein said first transporting means comprises a plurality of conveyors and further comprising means for transferring said mandrels between said conveyors.

48. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said blank deforming means comprises a plurality of mandrels and said transfer means comprises stripping means for separating empty containers from such mandrels.

49. A machine as defined in claim 48, wherein said stripping means comprises pneumatic holder means for holding empty containers by suction.

50. A machine as defined in claim 49, further comprising means for moving said holder means with reference to said mandrels and for connecting said holder means to a suction generating device in response to relative movement between such holder means and said mandrels.

51. A machine as defined in claim 29, further comprising segregating means for removing from said first path those empty containers which are not transferred by said transfer means.

52. A machine as defined in claim 29, further comprising signal generating detector means for scanning the groups in said second path and control means for actuating said transfer means in response to signals from said detector means.

53. A machine as defined in claim 52, wherein said detector means is arranged to generate signals in response to detection of groups in a predetermined portion of said second path.

54. A machine as defined in claim 53, wherein said first transporting means and said transfer means are arranged to convey empty containers at predetermined rates of speed and said second transporting means is arranged to convey groups at such a speed that said transfer means transfers to said filling means a selected empty container simultaneously with the arrival of the detected group to said filling means.

55. A machine as defined in claim 29, further comprising drive means for intermittently operating at least some of said deforming means and said first and second transporting means.

56. A machine as defined in claim 29 further comprising signal generating detector means for scanning empty containers in said first path and control means for operating said deforming means in response to signals from said detector means.

57. A machine as defined in claim 29, wherein said converting assembly further comprises conveyor means for transporting blanks along a third path, and further comprising signal generating detector means for scanning the blanks in said third path and control means for operating said deforming means in response to signals from said detector means.

58. A machine as defined in claim 29, further comprising control means for regulating the delivery of blanks from said source to said deforming means.

59. A machine as defined in 38, 29, further comprising signal generating detector means for monitoring the delivery of blanks from said source to said deforming means and means for receiving signals from said detector means in to detected absence of blanks.

60. A machine as defined in claim 29, further comprising drive means for operating at least some of said deforming means and said first and second transporting means in stepwise fashion for first predetermined intervals of time which alternate with second predetermined intervals of dwell, arresting means actuatable to stop the operation of said deforming means and said first transporting means, and means for continuing the operation of said deforming and first transporting means when said arresting means is actuated at a time other than upon completion of a stage including one of said first intervals and one of said second intervals.

61. A machine as defined in claim 36, wherein said first transporting means further comprises at least one rotary conveyor for transport of blanks during conversion into empty containers by said deforming means and means for transferring containers from said rotary conveyor to said one conveyor.

62. In a machine for the making of partially open empty packs each of which consists of at least one envelope, particularly for reception of groups of rod-shaped tobacco products, a combination comprising conveyor means; a plurality of mandrels arranged to travel with said conveyor means along a predetermined path; a source of blanks having adhesive-coated portions; means for supplying blanks from said source to successive mandrels; and converting means for converting the thus supplied blanks into empty packs which surround the respective mandrels and wherein the adhesive-coated portions overlap with other portions of converted blanks, said converting means comprising means for pressing said adhesive-coated portions of blanks against said other portions during travel of the respective mandrels along at least one elongated portion of said path, said pressing means having at least one pack-engaging surface adjacent to said elongated portion of said path and said conveyor means comprising means for reducing the mutual spacing of said mandrels during travel along said elongated portion of said path.

63. A combination as defined in claim 62, wherein each of said mandrels has a predetermined length and each of said packs has a closed end at one end and an open end at the other end of the respective mandrel.

64. A combination as defined in claim 62, wherein each of said mandrels is a substantially box-shaped body.

65. A combination as defined in claim 62, wherein the mutual spacing of said mandrels during travel along said elongated portion of said path is zero.

66. A combination as defined in claim 62, further comprising means for separably coupling said mandrels to said conveyor means, the mandrels travelling along said elongated portion of said path forming a stack of superimposed mandrels.

67. A combination as defined in claim 62, further comprising at least substantially upright wall means flanking said elongated portion of said path and means for heating said wall means, said surface being provided on said wall means.

68. A combination as defined in claim 62, further comprising drive means for operating said conveyor means in stepwise fashion so that a mandrel enters and a mandrel leaves said elongated portion of said path in response to each stepwise operation of said conveyor means.