System for feeding pairs of cigarettes with an interposed double length filter plug, directly from a maker to a packer

Claim 3

The method in accordance with claim 1, in which the cigarette assemblies include a filter plug at the center portion thereon, comprising the step of dividing the filter plugs into halves when the cigarette assemblies are cut thereby providing each cigarette with a filter tip.

Claim 4

The method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising the step of rotating one cigarette of each pair after the filter plug thereof has been divided so all of the filter tips are disposed on the same side of the single aligned row of cigarettes.

Claim 5

Apparatus providing a direct link-up between a cigarette maker producing cigarette assemblies of pairs of cigarettes, and a packer, comprising: reservoir means including a hopper for receiving and holding cigarette assemblies; transfer means for receiving cigarette assemblies from the maker and for transporting the assemblies to the reservoir means; said transfer means including a fluted vacuum drum receiving cigarette assemblies from the cigarette maker and having two axially spaced areas of vacuum acting on the cigarette assemblies, and a pair of vertically disposed endless belts each having a vertical run in spaced face to face relationship with a vertical run of the other belt providing an elevator means receiving cigarette assemblies from said drum and transporting such assemblies to a horizontally disposed conveyor. each of said pair of belts being driven at the same speed as the other belt and being of limited width for engaging only the center portions of said cigarette assemblies which extend beyond both sides of said belts; means for removing cigarette assemblies from the hopper one by one at a rate determined by the operating speed of the packer; means for receiving the cigarette assemblies as they are removed from said hopper and cutting said assemblies into pairs of cigarettes of equal lengths aligned axially with one another; means for forming a single aligned row of cigarettes each moving laterally to its axis; means for inspecting each of the cigarettes and removing unacceptable ones from the aligned row of cigarettes; and means for transferring the remaining cigarettes to the packer thereby providing a substantially continuous flow of acceptable cigarettes to be packaged.

Claim 6

Apparatus providing a direct link-up between a cigarette maker producing cigarette assemblies of pairs of cigarettes, and a packer, comprising: reservoir means including a hopper for receiving and holding cigarette assemblies; transfer means for receiving cigarette assemblies from the maker and for transporting the assemblies to the reservoir means; said transfer means including a fluted vacuum drum receiving cigarette assemblies from the cigarette maker and having two axially spaced areas of vacuum acting on the cigarette assemblies, and a pair of vertically disposed endless belts each having a vertical run in spaced face to face relationship with a vertical run of the other belt providing an elevator means receiving cigarette assemblies from said drum and transporting such assemblies to a horizontally disposed conveyor. each of said pair of belts being driven at the same speed as the other belt and being of limited width for engaging only the center portions of said cigarette assemblies which extend beyond both sides of said belts; means for removing cigarette assemblies from the hopper one by one at a rate determined by the operating speed of the packer; means for receiving the cigarette assemblies as they are removed from said hopper and cutting said assemblies into pairs of cigarettes of equal lengths aligned axially with one another; means for forming a single aligned row of cigarettes each moving laterally to its axis; means for inspecting each of the cigarettes and removing unacceptable ones from the aligned row of cigarettes; and means for transferring the remaining cigarettes to the packer thereby providing a substantially continuous flow of acceptable cigarettes to be packaged.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, and said fluted drum comprising a pair of axially spaced fluted rings disposed on a common support, and one end of one of said pair of endless belts being disposed between said fluted rings.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 and said reservoir means further comprising: a substantially horizontal endless belt having one end disposed adjacent the top of said hopper; a vertical support mounted on the upper run of said endless belt; level sensing means for sensing the level of cigarette assemblies in said reservoir means, and means for driving said belt and for moving said vertical support towards and away from said hopper in response to said level sensing means thereby varying the volume of said reservoir means for storing cigarette assemblies.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: limit means for determining when said vertical support has reached its maximum distance of travel from said hopper and providing a signal to stop the cigarette maker.

Claim 10

Apparatus providing a direct link-up between a cigarette maker producing cigarette assemblies each consisting of a filter plug connected between equal lengths of cigarette rods, and a packer comprising: reservoir means including a hopper for receiving and holding cigarette assemblies; transfer means for receiving cigarette assemblies from the maker and for transporting the assemblies to the reservoir means; said transfer means including a fluted vacuum drum receiving cigarette assemblies from the cigarette maker and having two axially spaced areas of vacuum acting on the cigarette rod portions of such assemblies and a pair of vertically disposed endless belts each having a vertical run in spaced face to face relationship with a vertical run of the other belt providing an elevator means receiving cigarette assemblies from said drum and transporting such assemblies to a horizontally disposed conveyor; each of said pair of belts being driven at the same speed as the other belt and engaging the filter plugs of said cigarette assemblies; means for removing cigarette assemblies from the hopper one by one at a rate determined by the operating speed of the packer; means for receiving the cigarette assemblies as they are removed from said hopper and cutting each filter plug into halves providing a pair of axially aligned filter tip cigarettes of equal lengths from each assembly with the filter tip of one cigarette of each pair being disposed adjacent the filter tip of the other; means for forming a single aligned row of cigarettes moving laterally to their axes, and including means for turning one cigarette of each pair so all of the filter tips are disposed on the same side of said aligned row of cigarettes; means for inspecting each of the cigarettes and removing unacceptable ones from the aligned row of cigarettes; and means for transferring the remaining cigarettes to the packer thereby providing a substantially continuous flow of acceptable cigarettes to be packaged.

Claim 11

Apparatus providing a direct link-up between a cigarette maker producing cigarette assemblies each consisting of a filter plug connected between equal lengths of cigarette rods, and a packer comprising: reservoir means including a hopper for receiving and holding cigarette assemblies; transfer means for receiving cigarette assemblies from the maker and for transporting the assemblies to the reservoir means; said transfer means including a fluted vacuum drum receiving cigarette assemblies from the cigarette maker and having two axially spaced areas of vacuum acting on the cigarette rod portions of such assemblies and a pair of vertically disposed endless belts each having a vertical run in spaced face to face relationship with a vertical run of the other belt providing an elevator means receiving cigarette assemblies from said drum and transporting such assemblies to a horizontally disposed conveyor; each of said pair of belts being driven at the same speed as the other belt and engaging the filter plugs of said cigarette assemblies; means for removing cigarette assemblies from the hopper one by one at a rate determined by the operating speed of the packer; means for receiving the cigarette assemblies as they are removed from said hopper and cutting each filter plug into halves providing a pair of axially aligned filter tip cigarettes of equal lengths from each assembly with the filter tip of one cigarette of each pair being disposed adjacent the filter tip of the other; means for forming a single aligned row of cigarettes moving laterally to their axes, and including means for turning one cigarette of each pair so all of the filter tips are disposed on the same side of said aligned row of cigarettes; means for inspecting each of the cigarettes and removing unacceptable ones from the aligned row of cigarettes; and means for transferring the remaining cigarettes to the packer thereby providing a substantially continuous flow of acceptable cigarettes to be packaged.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, and said fluted drum comprising a pair of axially spaced fluted rings disposed on a common support, and one end of one of said pair of endless belts being disposed between said fluted rings.

Claim 13

Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 and said reservoir means further comprising a substantially horizontal endless belt having one end disposed adjacent the top of said hopper; a vertical support mounted on the upper run of said belt, level sensing means for sensing the level of cigarette assemblies in said reservoir means, and means for driving said belt and for moving said vertical support toward and away from said hopper in response to said level sensing means thereby varying the volume of said reservoir means for storing cigarette assemblies.

Claim 14

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising limit means for determining when said vertical support has reached its maximum distance of travel from said hopper and providing a signal to stop the cigarette maker.