Apparatus for handling rod-like articles

Claim 2

A conveyor system for rod-like articles, including a reservoir, the reservoir including means for receiving a multi-layer stream of rod-like articles delivered substantially horizontally from a supply in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles; conveyor means forming a part of the reservoir for conveying the articles in a multi-layer formation within the reservoir; means for supporting the reservoir so that it is mobile; means for storing and retaining the articles in the reservoir so that it may be separated and moved away from said supply including means for confining a leading end of the stream delivered into the reservoir during conveyance by said conveyor means; and drive means for said conveyor means, said drive means including drive connecting means movable with said reservoir and adapted to be releasably connected to stationary output drive means associated with said supply, whereby said conveyor means is driven when said reservoir is in an operative position with respect to said supply.

Claim 3

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor means is reversible so as to be capable of feeding the rod-like articles from the reservoir back to the supply.

Claim 4

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor means is arranged to move and store said rod-like articles as a continuous stream in the reservoir.

Claim 5

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said confining, means includes an end closure device movable with said conveyor means for bounding the end of a stack of rod-like articles in the reservoir.

Claim 6

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising subsidiary conveyor means for inserting the end closure device into the reservoir.

Claim 7

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conveyor means defines a continuous helical path for the rod-like articles.

Claim 8

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the reservoir includes at least one inlet through which the stream of rod-like articles is received, the retaining means including closure means for said inlet.

Claim 9

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the closure means comprises a separator plate adapted for insertion into a stream of rod-like articles.

Claim 10

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conveyor means of the reservoir includes a number of conveyors defining a zig-zag path extending substantially in a constant plane normal to the axis of the rod-like articles.

Claim 11

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 9, comprising two substantially vertical zig-zag conveyor paths arranged alongside one another.

Claim 12

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 10, including a diagonal connecting conveyor connecting said two paths to form a continuous conveyor path.

Claim 13

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said confining means includes an end closure device movable with said conveyor means for bounding the end of a stack of rod-like articles in the reservoir, wherein said device is adapted to pass around the curves of said zig-zag path.

Claim 14

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, including at least two separate openings for transfer of rod-like articles to or from the reservoir, wherein the conveyor means forms a continuous path for rod-like articles between said openings.

Claim 15

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving means is adapted to receive the rod-like articles in batches each comprising a stack of rod-like articles.

Claim 16

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the conveyor means is arranged to move and store the rod-like articles in separate batches.

Claim 17

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the conveyor means comprises opposed endless conveyors provided with spaced ledges for supporting each batch.

Claim 18

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 16, including retaining means for the batches in the form of guides which support the ends of a batch on the conveyor means, the guides for the leading end of a batch constituting said confining means.

Claim 19

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, including locating means adapted to position the reservoir relative to a supply.

Claim 20

A conveyor system for rod-like articles, including at least one reservoir, the reservoir including means for receiving a multi-layer stream of rod-like articles, conveyor means forming a part of the reservoir for conveying the articles as a multi-layer stream within the reservoir, means for supporting the reservoir so that it is mobile, means for storing and retaining the articles in the reservoir; delivery means for moving a multi-layer stream of rod-like articles substantially horizontally into said reservoir in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles; locating means for locating and guiding a reservoir into position for transfer of rod-like articles between the conveyor means of the reservoir and the delivery means, said reservoir being arranged to receive articles from the delivery means without substantial change of the formation of the articles; and drive means for said conveyor means of the reservoir, said drive means including drive connecting means movable with said reservoir and adapted to be releasably connected to a stationary output drive means associated with said delivery means whereby said reservoir conveyor means is driven when said reservoir is in an operative position with respect to said delivery means.

Claim 21

A conveyor system for rod-like articles, including at least one reservoir, the reservoir including means for receiving a multi-layer stream of rod-like articles, conveyor means forming a part of the reservoir for conveying the articles as a multi-layer stream within the reservoir, means for supporting the reservoir so that it is mobile, means for storing and retaining the articles in the reservoir; delivery means for moving a multi-layer stream of rod-like articles substantially horizontally into said reservoir in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles; locating means for locating and guiding a reservoir into position for transfer of rod-like articles between the conveyor means of the reservoir and the delivery means, said reservoir being arranged to receive articles from the delivery means without substantial change of the formation of the articles; and drive means for said conveyor means of the reservoir, said drive means including drive connecting means movable with said reservoir and adapted to be releasably connected to a stationary output drive means associated with said delivery means whereby said reservoir conveyor means is driven when said reservoir is in an operative position with respect to said delivery means.

Claim 22

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the output means of the delivery means controls the reservoir conveyor means.

Claim 23

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the output means comprises a drive means connected to the drive means for said reservoir conveyor means.

Claim 24

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the delivery means is reversible.

Claim 25

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, further including closure means for blocking said delivery means to prevent outflow of rod-like articles when a reservoir is not connected to the delivery means.

Claim 26

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the delivery means comprises an elevator for rod-like articles.

Claim 27

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the delivery means comprises a conveyor having separators for dividing a stream of rod-like articles on the conveyor into batches.

Claim 28

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, comprising a plurality of delivery means, a sensor associated with each delivery means, and drive means for each delivery means, said drive means being controlled by the associated sensor.

Claim 29

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, wherein a fixed permanent reversible reservoir is connected to the system.

Claim 30

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the delivery means is at least partly controlled by a signal derived from the permanent reservoir.

Claim 31

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conveyor means includes means for moving the rod-like articles in a generally upward direction.

Claim 32

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said confining means comprises a separable end closure device.

Claim 33

A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, including a supply means for supplying rod-like articles to the reservoir, wherein means are provided for selectively reversibly driving the supply means and the conveyor means such that the reservoir is capable of moving and storing the rod-like articles and selectively returning the rod-like articles to the supply means.