Apparatus for feeding rod-like articles such as cigarettes

Claim 2

Apparatus for feeding rod-like articles comprising: a. guide means comprising separate substantially vertical walls to accommodate rod-like articles loaded into it; b. a first conveyor positioned to remove the rod-like articles from the guide means; c. a variable volume reservoir located downstream of the first conveyor to accommodate rod-like articles fed into it by the first conveyor, and comprising two members each of which is pivotally mounted at one of its ends and the other end of each of which intercalates with the other end of the other member so that pivotal movement of the two members results in a change in the internal volume of the reservoir formed thereby; and d. means for withdrawing rod-like articles from the reservoir.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which: a. a first sensor is positioned to be energized when at least one of the said pivoted members reaches a predetermined position representative of a predetermined volume of the reservoir; b. the first sensor is operable to control the movement of the first conveyor so that when the first sensor is actuated by the said member reaching the said predetermined position it causes the said first conveyor to stop.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including: a. a support movable in the guide means between an upper and a lower position to carry the rod-like articles down towards the outlet of the guide means; b. means to drive the support between its upper and lower position; c. means operable to withdraw the support from the lower position and reposition it at the upper position; d. a second sensor connected to control the said first conveyor so that when the said second sensor is operated it causes said first conveyor to be stopped; and e. a third sensor positioned to be energized by the reinsertion of the support into its upper position to cause the said first conveyor to be started.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 including a second conveyor to also support the rod-like articles in the said guide means, the second conveyor being upstream of the first conveyor, means to drive the second conveyor at a speed slower than the first conveyor and means to drive said first and second conveyors at a speed faster than the said withdrawing means.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including a third conveyor positioned above the said first conveyor downstream of the guide means and upstream of the said reservoir, and means to drive the said third conveyor to assist in the forward feed of the said rod-like articles toward the said reservoir.

Claim 7

Apparatus for receiving rectangular batches of cigarettes or similar rod-like articles and for feeding the articles transversely to their lengths, comprising guide means having separated substantially vertical side walls parallel to the axes of the articles to accommodAte the rectangular batches of articles successively, with the bottom surface of each batch substantially horizontal; substantially horizontal conveyor means positioned to remove a continuous stack of the articles from the guide means: a reservoir located downstream of the conveyor means to accommodate articles fed into it by the conveyor means, said conveyor means carrying the stack towards the variable capacity reservoir; receiving means for carrying articles transversely to their lengths from the downstream end of the conveyor means; and means to stop the conveyor means while a new batch is being brought into position on top of the articles remaining from the previous batch, during which time the receiving means receives and conveys articles from a surplus of articles in the reservoir.

Claim 8

Apparatus for receiving rectangular batches of cigarettes or similar rod-like articles and for feeding the articles transversely to their lengths, comprising guide means having separated substantially vertical side walls parallel to the axes of the articles to accommodAte the rectangular batches of articles successively, with the bottom surface of each batch substantially horizontal; substantially horizontal conveyor means positioned to remove a continuous stack of the articles from the guide means: a reservoir located downstream of the conveyor means to accommodate articles fed into it by the conveyor means, said conveyor means carrying the stack towards the variable capacity reservoir; receiving means for carrying articles transversely to their lengths from the downstream end of the conveyor means; and means to stop the conveyor means while a new batch is being brought into position on top of the articles remaining from the previous batch, during which time the receiving means receives and conveys articles from a surplus of articles in the reservoir.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the receiving means comprise a substantially horizontal conveyor.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 6 in which a flat horizontal plate contacts the top surface of each batch of articles as it passes downwards through the guide means to maintain the top surface of the batch substantially flat and horizontal.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the receiving means for carrying articles from the downstream end of the conveyor means comprises means for carrying the articles as a continuous stack.

Claim 12

Apparatus for receiving batches of rod-like articles and for feeding the articles transversely to their lengths, comprising guide means having separated substantially vertical side walls to accommodate batches of articles; a conveyor positioned to remove the articles from the guide means; a reservoir located downstream of the conveyor to accommodate articles fed into it by the conveyor; means for withdrawing articles from the reservoir; means to stop the conveyor while a new batch is being brought into position on top of the articles remaining from the previous batch; and a flat horizontal plate which contacts the top surface of each batch of articles as it passes downwards through the guide means to maintain the top surface of the batch substantially flat and horizontal.

Claim 13

Apparatus for receiving batches of rod-like articles and for feeding the articles transversely to their lengths, comprising guide means having separated substantially vertical side walls to accommodate batches of articles; a conveyor positioned to remove the articles from the guide means; a reservoir located downstream of the conveyor to accommodate articles fed into it by the conveyor; means for withdrawing articles from the reservoir; means to stop the conveyor while a new batch is being brought into position on top of the articles remaining from the previous batch; and a flat horizontal plate which contacts the top surface of each batch of articles as it passes downwards through the guide means to maintain the top surface of the batch substantially flat and horizontal.