Transfer apparatus for rod-shaped articles

Claim 2

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined diameter, particularly sections of tobaccocontaining rods, comprising a conveying unit and a feeding unit, one of said units being arranged to deliver articles to the other unit and said feeding unit comprising a pneumatic tube wherein the articles are transported lengthwise, said conveying unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel wherein the articles are conveyed sideways and at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less then said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said conveying unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying unit comprises a roller having a circumferentially complete peripheral portion which constitutes said one wall.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying unit comprises at least one endless belt and wherein said belt constitutes said one wall.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying unit comprises a plurality of endless belts which constitute said one wall.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said belts is of substantially circular cross-sectional outline.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting at least one of said walls with reference to the other wall to thereby select the width of said channel.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising blocking means operative to prevent return movement of articles into said channel.

Claim 9

Apparatus as Defined in claim 7, wherein said blocking means comprises at least one spring-biased blocking lever.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said blocking means comprises a pair of driven rollers forming part of said conveying means and defining said other end of said channel, the minimum distance between said rollers being at least slightly less than said diameter.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a magazine for articles, said magazine having inlet means adjacent to the other end of said channel.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said feeding unit comprises an outlet located within the confines of said magazine.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said magazine comprises a lower zone and said inlet means is arranged to admit articles into the lower zone of said magazine.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said feeding unit is arranged to admit articles into said channel lengthwise in such direction that the axes of articles make an oblique angle with the direction of travel of said one wall.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said walls is stationary and wherein said walls are located one above the other.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises means for moving said one wall at a plurality of speeds.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said one end is located at a level below the other end of said channel.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising accelerating means for increasing the distance between successive articles prior to delivery of articles from said one unit to said other unit.

Claim 19

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined distance between a magazine and a processing machine, particularly for transporting sections of filter rods or tobacco-containing rods, comprising a conveying unit operatively connected with the magazine and a feeding unit operatively connected with the processing machine, one of said units being arranged to deliver articles to the other unit along a first path and said other unit being arranged to transport the thus delivered articles along a second path which is inclined with reference to said first path, said feeding unit comprising a pneumatic tube wherein the articles are transported lengthwise and said conveying unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel wherein the articles are conveyed sideways and at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said conveying unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel.

Claim 20

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined distance between a magazine and a processing machine, particularly for transporting sections of filter rods or tobacco-containing rods, comprising a conveying unit operatively connected with the magazine and a feeding unit operatively connected with the processing machine, one of said units being arranged to deliver articles to the other unit along a first path and said other unit being arranged to transport the thus delivered articles along a second path which is inclined with reference to said first path, said feeding unit comprising a pneumatic tube wherein the articles are transported lengthwise and said conveying unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel wherein the articles are conveyed sideways and at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said conveying unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel.

Claim 21

Apparatus for converting a single file of exactly aligned rod-shaped articles having a predetermined diameter, particularly sections of filter rods or tobacco-containing rods, into at least one row of articles wherein the articles are disposed side by side, comprising a pneumatic unit for transporting the single file of articles and a mechanical unit for conveying the row of articles, one of said units having an outlet which discharges successive articles and the other unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said other unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel, and deflecting means for continuously deflecting successive articles which issue from the outlet of said one unit into the one end of said channel.

Claim 22

Apparatus for converting a single file of exactly aligned rod-shaped articles having a predetermined diameter, particularly sections of filter rods or tobacco-containing rods, into at least one row of articles wherein the articles are disposed side by side, comprising a pneumatic unit for transporting the single file of articles and a mechanical unit for conveying the row of articles, one of said units having an outlet which discharges successive articles and the other unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said other unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel, and deflecting means for continuously deflecting successive articles which issue from the outlet of said one unit into the one end of said channel.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said deflecting means comprises means for mechanically deflecting the articles.

Claim 24

Apparatus as defined in claIm 19, wherein said deflecting means is stationary.

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said deflecting means has a curved deflecting surface for articles.

Claim 26

Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said deflecting means comprises a mobile article-deflecting member.

Claim 27

Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said deflecting means comprises means for producing at least one article-deflecting stream of compressed gaseous fluid.

Claim 28

Apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said stream producing means comprises at least one nozzle which directs the stream of compressed gas across the path of articles issuing from said outlet.

Claim 29

Apparatus as defined in claim 19, further comprising means for adjusting the position of said deflecting means with reference to at least one of said units.

Claim 30

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined diameter, particularly sections of filter rods, comprising conveying means including a pair of adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end, and drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one toward the other end of said channel, said one wall consisting of a plurality of endless belts including at least one shorter belt and at least one longer belt; and feeding means for admitting articles lengthwise into said one end of the channel whereby said one wall moves the articles substantially sideways toward and beyond the other end of said channel, the articles admitted by said feeding means being engaged and moved sideways first by said longer belt and thereupon at least by said shorter belt.

Claim 31

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined diameter, particularly sections of filter rods, comprising conveying means including a pair of adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end, and drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one toward the other end of said channel, said one wall consisting of a plurality of endless belts including at least one shorter belt and at least one longer belt; and feeding means for admitting articles lengthwise into said one end of the channel whereby said one wall moves the articles substantially sideways toward and beyond the other end of said channel, the articles admitted by said feeding means being engaged and moved sideways first by said longer belt and thereupon at least by said shorter belt.

Claim 32

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined diameter, particularly sections of tobacco-containing rods, comprising a conveying unit and a feeding unit, said feeding unit being arranged to deliver articles to said conveying unit and said feeding unit comprising a pneumatic tube wherein the articles are transported lengthwise, said conveying unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel wherein the articles are conveyed sideways and at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said conveying unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel, said walls converging toward each other in the direction of lengthwise travel of articles in said tube.

Claim 33

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined diameter, particularly sections of tobacco-containing rods, comprising a conveying unit and a feeding unit, said feeding unit being arranged to deliver articles to said conveying unit and said feeding unit comprising a pneumatic tube wherein the articles are transported lengthwise, said conveying unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel wherein the articles are conveyed sideways and at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said conveying unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel, said walls converging toward each other in the direction of lengthwise travel of articles in said tube.

Claim 34

Apparatus as defined in claim 28, wherein the maximum and minimum widths of said channel at said one end thereof respectively exceed and are less than said predetermined diameter.

Claim 35

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined diameter, particularly sections of tobacco-containing rods, comprising a conveying unit and a feeding unit, said feeding unit being arranged to deliver articles to said conveying unit and said feeding unit comprising a pneumatic tube wherein the articles are transported lengthwise, said conveying unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel wherein the articles are conveyed sideways and at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said conveying unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel, and deflecting means for deflecting the leading ends of successive articles admitted by said feeding unit into the one end of said channel.

Claim 36

Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of predetermined diameter, particularly sections of tobacco-containing rods, comprising a conveying unit and a feeding unit, said feeding unit being arranged to deliver articles to said conveying unit and said feeding unit comprising a pneumatic tube wherein the articles are transported lengthwise, said conveying unit comprising at least two adjacent but spaced walls defining a channel wherein the articles are conveyed sideways and at least a portion of which has a width which is slightly less than said diameter, said channel having a first end and a second end and said conveying unit further comprising drive means for moving at least one of said walls from one end toward the other end of said channel to thereby transport the articles through the channel, and deflecting means for deflecting the leading ends of successive articles admitted by said feeding unit into the one end of said channel.

Claim 37

Apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein said deflecting means comprises a guide face which is inclined with reference to and extends into the path of movement of successive articles admitted by said feeding unit.

Claim 38

Apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein said guide face is of arcuate shape.

Claim 39

Apparatus as defined in claim 30, further comprising means for adjusting the position of said deflecting means with reference to said conveying unit.

Claim 40

Apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein said deflecting means is movable.

Claim 41

Apparatus as defined in claim 34, wherein said deflecting means comprises a convex guide face which is turnable about a predetermined axis.

Claim 42

Apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein said deflecting means comprises means for discharging at least one stream of compressed gas against the leading ends of successive articles admitted by said feeding unit to thereby deflect such articles sideways into said one end of said channel.