US3712455A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for conveying rod-shaped objects and especially cigarettes
Assignee: Societe Nationale dExploitation Industrielle des Tabacs et Allumettes SAS
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Filing: 1970-12-22
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Granted: 1973-01-23
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Expires: 1990-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A device for conveying rod-shaped objects and especially cigarettes, comprising a first endless-belt conveyor element so arranged that the objects deposited on the external face of a predetermined portion of the said element are maintained thereon under the action of forces which are directed towards the interior of the said element, at least one second endless-belt conveyor element having one section substantially parallel to one section of said first element and moving in the same direction as said predetermined section, the distance between the said two sections being substantially equal to the thickness of said objects, means for applying to the objects located between said two sections forces directed towards the interior of said second element and means for varying the intensity of the forces which are directed towards the interior of at least one of said elements in order to initiate the transfer of objects from one element to the other.
Inventors
- 👤 H Anfossi
- 👤 R Poupin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 02:55
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/35
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A device for conveying rod-shaped objects and especially cigarettes, comprising a first endless-belt conveyor so arranged that the objects deposited on the external face of a predetermined portion of the said conveyor are maintained thereon under the action of vacuum forces which are directed towards the interior of the said conveyor, at least one second endless-belt conveyor as a diverter unit having one section substantially parallel to one section of said first conveyor and moving in the same direction as said one section of said first conveyor, the distance between the said two sections being substantially equal to the thickness of one of said objects, means for applying to the objects located between said conveyors unequal forces directed towards the interior of said conveyors and means for varying the intensity of the forces which are directed towards the interior of said conveyors for selectively transferring objects between said conveyors and imparting to the transferred objects the motion of the conveyor to which the objects are transferred, the path of motion of said objects being selectable by selectively transferring said objects from one conveyor to the other.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
186 words
A device for conveying rod-shaped objects and especially cigarettes, comprising a first endless-belt conveyor so arranged that the objects deposited on the external face of a predetermined portion of the said conveyor are maintained thereon under the action of vacuum forces which are directed towards the interior of the said conveyor, at least one second endless-belt conveyor as a diverter unit having one section substantially parallel to one section of said first conveyor and moving in the same direction as said one section of said first conveyor, the distance between the said two sections being substantially equal to the thickness of one of said objects, means for applying to the objects located between said conveyors unequal forces directed towards the interior of said conveyors and means for varying the intensity of the forces which are directed towards the interior of said conveyors for selectively transferring objects between said conveyors and imparting to the transferred objects the motion of the conveyor to which the objects are transferred, the path of motion of said objects being selectable by selectively transferring said objects from one conveyor to the other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
A device according to claim 1 further including vacuum force chambers forced beneath those sections of the conveying elements on which the said vacuum forces are to be exerted and which are connected to at least one negative pressure source and means for modifying the degree of negative pressure source within at least one chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device according to claim 2, wherein are provided a plurality of contiguous negative-pressure chambers in the case of a single conveyor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device according to claim 3, further comprising means for modifying at will the degree of negative pressure within each of said chambers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein are associated with a first conveyor a plurality of diverter conveyors each including sections which are substantially parallel to corresponding sections of the first conveyor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device according to claim 5, further comprising means for adjusting separately the magnitude of the vacuum forces exerted on each of the said corresponding parallel sections.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device according to claim 6, wherein one conveyor communicates with the inlet of a storage container and another conveyor communicates with the outlet of said storage container.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device according to claim 7, further comprising means for controlling the outlet of the storage container, said means being dependent on a level detector disposed downstream of the said outlet above the conveyor which communicates with the said outlet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device according to claim 7, further comprising a level detector disposed upstream of the outlet of the storage container above the conveyor which communicates with the said outlet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
161 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein one of the conveyors comprises a succession of contiguous chambers provided in an even number, each chamber of an uneven order being arranged in the same manner as the first chamber and each chamber of an even order being arranged in the same manner as the second chamber, the device being additionally provided with conveyors in a number half of the number of said chambers and arranged in the same manner as the second of the said conveyors and associated chamber, at least one of said chambers being located in the diverter zone on the one hand opposite to the downstream end at least of the chamber of uneven order and on the other hand opposite to the upstream section of the chamber of even order which is positioned downstream of the preceding whilst the downstream extremity of the said chamber of even order extends beyond the downstream extremity of the said diverter zone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3472358A
Cited
US3529713A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-23 | 1976-07-24 | 1977-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-23 | 1980-07-24 | 1981-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-23 | 1984-07-24 | 1985-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |