US3883017A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for automatically feeding cigarettes into a hopper of a cigarette packing machine
Assignee: Tokyo Automatic Machinery Works Ltd
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Filing: 1973-08-02
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Granted: 1975-05-13
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Expires: 1993-08-02
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for automatically feeding cigarettes into a hopper of a cigarette packing machine from a cigarette tray, which comprises a cigarette tray feeding means, a cigarette tray transferring and withdrawing means, and cigarette tray inverting means. The cigarette tray feeding means feeds cigarette trays alongside said cigarette tray inverting means intermittently. The cigarette tray transferring and withdrawing means transfers the cigarette trays fed by the cigarette tray feeding means to the cigarette tray inverting means and withdraws them from the cigarette tray inverting means and transfers them to the cigarette tray feeding means. The cigarette tray inverting means inverts the cigarette trays transferred by the cigarette tray transferring and withdrawing means and feeds the cigarette in the tray into a hopper.
Inventors
- 👤 Haruji Shirai
- 👤 Sumio Honda
- 👤 Hisasi Kugua
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 22:32
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/35; A24C5/352; A24C5/356
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
268 words
An apparatus for automatically feeding cigarettes into a hopper of a cigarette packing machine from a cigarette tray, which comprises a cigarette tray feeding means, a cigarette tray transferring and withdrawing means, and a cigarette tray inverting means, wherein said cigarette tray feeding means is disposed alongside said cigarette tray inverting means and carries cigarette trays at predetermined intervals and feeds them intermittently; said cigarette tray transferring and withdrawing means is disposed above said tray feeding means and reciprocates in a direction at right angles to the direction of the intermittent feeding of said tray feeding means for transferring cigarette trays from said tray feeding means to said tray inverting means and withdrawing them from said tray inverting means and transferring them to said tray feeding means, when said cigarette tray inverting means is at halt; and said cigarette tray inverting means, while holding the cigarette trays, swings between the upright position of said tray, the upright position being defined as the position in which the cigarette trays are transferred and withdrawn and an upside-down position in which the cigarettes in the trays are fed into a hopper, said cigarette tray inverting means includes a inverting plate capable of swinging between the upright position and the upside-down position, a receiver stand having a cigarette tray supporting member and connected to said inverting plate and being vertically movable relative thereto, and a lift means for lifting said receiver stand when the inverting plate is in the upside-down position and causing it to descend when the inverting plate is on the way from the upside-down position to the upright position.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
268 words
An apparatus for automatically feeding cigarettes into a hopper of a cigarette packing machine from a cigarette tray, which comprises a cigarette tray feeding means, a cigarette tray transferring and withdrawing means, and a cigarette tray inverting means, wherein said cigarette tray feeding means is disposed alongside said cigarette tray inverting means and carries cigarette trays at predetermined intervals and feeds them intermittently; said cigarette tray transferring and withdrawing means is disposed above said tray feeding means and reciprocates in a direction at right angles to the direction of the intermittent feeding of said tray feeding means for transferring cigarette trays from said tray feeding means to said tray inverting means and withdrawing them from said tray inverting means and transferring them to said tray feeding means, when said cigarette tray inverting means is at halt; and said cigarette tray inverting means, while holding the cigarette trays, swings between the upright position of said tray, the upright position being defined as the position in which the cigarette trays are transferred and withdrawn and an upside-down position in which the cigarettes in the trays are fed into a hopper, said cigarette tray inverting means includes a inverting plate capable of swinging between the upright position and the upside-down position, a receiver stand having a cigarette tray supporting member and connected to said inverting plate and being vertically movable relative thereto, and a lift means for lifting said receiver stand when the inverting plate is in the upside-down position and causing it to descend when the inverting plate is on the way from the upside-down position to the upright position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes at least one electrical detecting means for detecting the level of the cigarettes within the hopper in order to control the swinging of the inverting plate and the vertical movement of the receiver stand according to the level of the cigarettes within the hopper.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes a cover plate swingably connected to said inverting plate for partly covering the upper opening of the cigarette tray supported on the receiver stand and means for preventing the disorder of cigarettes which are in the tray when said cover plate is opened for feeding the cigarettes into the hopper at the time of the upside-down position of the inverting plate and holds the uppermost surfaces of the cigarettes within the trays to prevent the disorder of the cigarettes caused by falling.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said lift mechanism lifts said receiver stand by a predetermined distance when the inverting plate is at the upside-down position, and after this lifting, the cover plate is opened and the cigarette disorder preventing means is inserted in the tray, and then the lift mechanism further lifts said receiver stand by a predetermined distance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 4 which further includes at least one electrical detecting means for detecting the level of the cigarettes within hopper in order to control the swing of the inverting plate, the vertical movement of the receiver stand, the swing of the cover plate and the insertion of the cigarette disorder preventing means accordiNg to the level of the cigarettes within the hopper.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cigarette tray feeding means comprises a plurality of hand-pushable cigarette tray transporting vehicles that can be connected in the longitudinal direction and an intermittently feeding mechanism for moving said tray transporting vehicles intermittent in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein feed pins disposed at predetermined intervals are provided on one side portion of the cigarette tray transporting vehicles, and the intermittently feeding mechanism includes a member for moving said cigarette tray transporting vehicles intermittently by the distances between the feed pins by engagement with the feed pins, and the cigarette trays are arranged on the cigarette tray transporting vehicles at intervals corresponding to the intervals between the feed pins.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cigarette tray delivering and withdrawing means comprises a frame disposed above a passageway of the cigarette feeding means, a moving plate connected to an endless chain provided in said frame and reciprocating at right angles to the feed passageway, and an arm connected to said moving plate and delivering and withdrawing the tray by reciprocating together with the moving plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said arm comprises a first arm fixed to said moving plate and having an opening at its forward end and a second arm connected swingably to the first arm and having a hook which plunges into, and projects from, the opening of said first arm, said hook being plunged in said opening for a first certain period of the process during which the arm delivers the cigarette tray towards the inverting plate and a last certain period during which the tray is withdrawn from the inverting plate, and is projected from the opening at other times.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-12 | 1978-11-11 | 1979-05-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-12 | 1982-11-11 | 1983-05-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-12 | 1986-11-11 | 1987-05-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |