GB357970A - Improvements in or relating to cigarette packing machinery - Google Patents

Abstract

357,970. Packeting cigarettes. KIDD, D. B. and MOLINS MACHINE CO., Ltd., 2, Evelyn Street, Deptford, London. May 22, 1930, No. 15708. [Class 94 (i).] A machine for packeting cigarettes is provided with electrically operated means for detecting an incompletely filled or otherwise defective packet. The detecting means operate a device, movable in synchronism with the cigarettes or other elements of the packet but in a path independent thereof, which ensures that deficient packets are distinguished, by premature ejectment or other means, from the normal product of the machine. The machine is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1. The 'cigarettes are fed from'a hopper 1 to the machine bed 2, and are carried by pushers 3 on an endless conveyer 4 past a detecting device B, a foil applying apparatus C, and a blank feeding device D. An electric circuit is arranged from a source of supply 5, passing in one direction to a terminal on a magnet 6 and therethrough to the frame of the machine, and in the other direction to a rotary switch 7, a warning lamp 8, and a terminal block 9. Connection is made with the block by an insulated block carried on a bar 10 and thence to the detecting device B and the frame of the machine. The rotary switch 7 makes the circuit when the cigarettes are passing through the detecting device, and at all other times it is broken. Detecting devices may be associated with the cigarette feed, the foil feed or the carton blank feed, or with any or all of these mechanisms. The cigarette detecting device comprises a frame 11, Fig. 2, carrying a series of spring-pressed plungers 12 bearing upon pivoted levers 13. Each lever is arranged to lie in the path of a cigarette, so that when a complete batch passes, all the levers are lifted and the plungers 12 are raised as shown on the left of Fig. 2. The lower-portions 17 of sleeves on the plungers are insulated, and in the raised position contact with spring fingers 14 forming part of the circuit. If the batch is correct, all the plungers rise and the circuit cannot be completed because of the insulation. If, however, a cigarette is missing, the plunger falls to the position shown on the right of Fig. 2, -and the circuit is completed because the corresponding spring finger 14 comes in contact with the top portion of the plunger, which is hot insulated. Upon the circuit being completed, the magnet 6, Figs. 1 and 3, is energized and its armature 18 disengages a lever 19 from a pawl 21. The pawl moves under spring influence towards a wheel 22 carrying a series of plungers 23 held in the positions shown by catches. The pawl releases the catch and the plunger moves outwards under the influence of a spring 50. The pawl is reset by the action of the plunger on a projecting portion thereof. The projecting plunger, at a later stage in the rotation of the wheel 22, contacts with and displaces a lever 25, 'Figs. 3 and 4, to release a latch 27 rotatable therewith, and to permit the system 28, 33, 32 to move to the left, Fig. 4, under the influence of a spring 28a. The part 32 is formed as a quadrant gear engaging a pinion 34 on a hinged plate 35 in the machine bed, and this plate is caused, by the motion of the quadrant to rise and to lift the defective packet past retaining catches 37 in a guide channel 36. The interval between the point at which, the magnet 6 is energized and the lever 25 is engaged is made to correspond with that taken by the batch of cigarettes to travel from the detecting device to the plate 35. In a modified form, the detecting device may be caused to prevent the supply of a revenue stamp to a defective packet. The detecting device in association with the carton or wrapper feed comprises a light steel spring, forming part of a circuit, normally touching the guide-plate of the machine. The presence of a blank prevents the circuit from being made, thus the machine continues working normally until the absence of a blank allows the circuit to be coinpleted. In the case of the foil feeding unit, the foil is caused to make a connection between the machine bed and a spring mounted on insulating blocks in a hollow space, a relay operating accordingly. A bell may replace the warning lamp 8 and a main switch may be incorporated to cut out the detecting devices.