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(11) | EP 0 031 998 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Device for transferring a cigar wrapper or similar article and method of using same |
| (57) A device for transferring a cigar wrapper (W) from a first position (Y) with the
first orientation to a second position (Z) with the second orientation wherein the
device includes a shuttle (110) movable between the first and second positions in
a generally straight path (m), a wrapper carrier (140) rotatably mounted on the shuttle
(110) and a mechanism for capturing the wrapper on the carrier at the first position
and for releasing the profile from the carrier at the second position. The carrier
is rotated an angular amount as the shuttte is moved between the first and second
positions to change the orientation of the wrapper for subsequent use. |
[0001] The present invention relates to the art of handling cigar wrappers and more particularly to a device and method for transferring a cigar wrapper from one position having a first orientation to a second position having a second orientation.
[0002] In making cigars, it is common practice to cut a wrapper from either a natural tobacco leaf or a synthetic material resembling a tobacco leaf. This wrapper is then wrapped around a cigar bunch in a spiral fashion to provide the normal appearance of cigars. When using natural tobacco leaves, the wrappers are often placed in a given orientation on a bobbin or spool of porous web material which captures the wrappers between the convolutions of the web and provides a supply of parallel wrappers for use in subsequent cigar wrapping devices. These devices often involve an arrangement for picking the cigar wrapper from the web material as it is unwound from the bobbin and transferring it to a machine for wrapping a single cigar.
[0003] In recent years, it has become nearly imperative that the cigar producing equipment be mechanized to meet the economics necessary for producing a cigar at a cost which is acceptable in the marketplace. This is especially true for lower cost cigars. During mechanization of the equipment used in producing high volume cigars, the wrappers are automatically cut from natural tobacco leaves and then transferred to the aforementioned bobbins or spools of web material for subsequent use in a wrapping machine. In this process, it is necessary that the wrapper has a preselected orientation with respect to the web material forming the bobbin. Reference is hereby directed to our European Patent Applications Nos. 79300323.7 and 80301190.7 (Publication Nos. 0004170 and 0020003)which concern such mechanization. When mechanizing the wrapper cutting machines, as described in these two patent applications, the orientation of the cut wrappers is dictated by the operation of the cutting device; therefore, it is necessary to transfer the wrapper to the bobbin from an orientation dictated by the cutting device. The position of the cut wrappers on the bobbins or spools must be such that it is uniform and can be used in subsequent equipment such as automatic or manual wrapping machines for cigars. Thus, it is necessary to provide a transfer arrangement for transferring cigar wrappers from a wrapper carrying surface on a cutting device to wrapper receiving surface of a bobbin. This can be done by several transfer arrangements which remove the wrapper from the cutting device and deposit it on the web material forming the bobbin or spool which captures the individual wrappers in oriented fashion for subsequent use in manufacturing cigars. As the speed of the cutting device increases, the transfer of wrappers from the wrapper carrying surface of the cutting device to the web material of the bobbin becomes quite complex because it requires a rapid operating transfer device which is positive in operation. Also, unless the receiving bobbin is oriented with the cutting device, there must be included an arrangement for re-orienting the wrapper before it is deposited onto the supply spool or bobbin. Generally the bobbin mechanism is fixed with respect to the cutting device and cannot be re-oriented to accommodate the cutting orientations.
[0004] In the past, cigar wrappers have been transferred by various mechanisms. One mechanism involves an oscillating arm which is moved downwardly to engagement with a cut cigar wrapper, moved upwardly and then pivoted to a position for releasing the wrapper. In this arrangement, only a fixed change in the orientation can be obtained. Other wrapper transfer arrangements involve picking up the wrappers from a belt or spool at a fixed location and transferring them to a separate device in the same orientation. Such a transfer arrangement is illustrated in United States Letters Patent 4,103,692 which relates to a direct transfer in a machine for handling cigar wrappers and not the type of machine to which the present invention is particularly directed.
[0005] The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a wrapper transfer device which satisfies the requirements to be used in a high speed wrapper cutting device wherein the wrapper can be removed from the wrapper carrying surface of a cutting device, transferred to the web material of the bobbin or spool and re-oriented during this transfer action so that the bobbin or spool can be positioned at any desired location with respect to the cutting device. The preferred embodiment, which will be described in more detail hereinafter comprises a transfer device which is rapid and accurate in operation and can be adjusted to accommodate various re-orientation of the wrapper leaf during the transfer action.
[0006] The embodiment provides an improvement in a device for transferring a cigar wrapper having a longitudinal axis from the first location on a wrapper carrying surface, such as the surface of a high speed cutting device, where said wrapper is in a first orientation with its axis extending in a known first direction to a second location on a wrapper receiving surface, such as the web of a wrapper storage bobbin, where the wrapper is in a second orientation with its axis extending in a known second direction. This device includes a wrapper carrier means with a vacuum actuated wrapper capturing surface for picking the wrapper from the carrying surface at the first location and placing the wrapper onto the wrapper receiving surface at a second location, support means for the carrier and means for moving the carrier and support means between the first and second locations. The improvement in such a device includes means for rotatably mounting the wrapper carrier with respect to the support means and means for rotating the carrier with respect to the support means through an angle determined by the distance between the first and second directions of the wrapper axis when the carrier and support means are shifted from one of the locations to the other location. In this manner, the wrapper carrier is rotatable in the movable support means for the carrier so that there is a combined rotation and translation of the wrapper between the first location, which is the pick up position, and the second location, which is the place or release position. By allowing adjustment of the angle between the first and second locations, the orientation of the wrapper can be varied to allow proper orientation of the wrapper as it is deposited onto a receiving surface, such as the web material of a storage bobbin.
[0007] In accordance with another feature of the embodiment, the carrier support means is a shuttle which allows movement of the wrapper carrier in a reciprocal direction to pick up a wrapper and deposit or release a wrapper. A drive element is located at the pick-up and release locations, which elements are fixed with respect to the specific location and separate from the shuttle or support means. Thus, the support means or shuttle for the wrapper carrier does not include the device for forcing the carrier toward and away from the surfaces for picking and placing the wrapper. This substantially reduces the weight and allows a faster operation, since the momentum of the movable support means or carrier is reduced to the extent that it does not require a mechanism for reciprocating the carrier in the first and second locations. Also, the guide means for the shuttle does not move with the shuttle. This also reduces the weight to be shifted.
[0008] In accordance with another feature of the embodiment, the rotation of the carrier from the first, or pick-up, location to the second, or placing, location is controlled by an adjustable rail or device which is at an angle to the direction of movement of the shuttle or support means for the carrier. A rotating device on the shuttle or carrier is connected to the angled rail and movable therewith so that as the spaced distance between the rail and path of movement of the shuttle or support means changes with movement of the shuttle or support means between the first and second locations, the rotating device is moved with respect to the shuttle. This relative movement causes rotation of the wrapper carrier with respect to the shuttle. Thus, by providing a spaced rail interconnected with a device on the shuttle, the angle of rotation of the wrapper carrier between the first and second locations can be controlled without the complete rotating mechanism being mounted on the shuttle. This again reduces the weight and thus the momentum created during movement of the shuttle between the first and second positions or locations. ily merely changing the angle of the rail with respect to the path of movement of the shuttle, the amount of rotation of the carrier from the first location to the second location can be changed. Consequently, by an arrangement for moving a fixed rail positioned at an angle to the path of movement of the shuttle, the desired orientation at the second location for the wrapper as it is deposited onto a wrapper receiving surface can be varied.
[0009] An aspect of the embodiment is that it comprises a method of transferring cigar wrappers between a first location wherein the wrapper has a first orientation to second position wherein the wrapper has a second orientation. In this method, the wrapper is moved in a generally straight path between the locations and the wrapper is rotated on an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the wrapper at least by the time the wrapper reaches the second location. 0
[0010] Another aspect of the embodiment is that it comprises a method of re-orienting cigar wrappers on a common conveying device, such as the moving wrapper receiving surface of an automatic wrapper cutting machine, wherein the wrappers are oriented with respect to the path of movement of the conveyor device. In accordance with this method, there are provided the steps of moving wrappers from the conveyor device at a first position in the path of movement and in a generally straight line to a first remote location, rotating the wrappers from the first position about an axis generally perpendicular to the flat elongated shape of the wrappers to a first orientation at the first remote location, removing wrappers from the conveying device at a second position in the path of movement of the wrappers on the device and in a generally straight line to a second remote location and rotating the wrappers from the second position about an axis generally perpendicular to the flat elongated shape of the wrappers into a selected second orientation at the second remote location. In this manner, two or more wrapper transfer devices are used. Each of these devices operates in accordance with the method of moving the wrapper into a remote position and means for rotating the wrapper through a desired angle to orient the wrapper in a preselected manner at the remote position. Thus, a bobbin at the various remote positions can be loaded in an identical fashion even though the wrappers are picked from the conveying device at various angles relative to the final orientation of the wrappers.
[0011] Another aspect of the embodiment is that it comprises a device for transferring cigar wrappers and similar devices between first and second locations including a carrier movable in a linear path and means for rotating the carrier between the first and second locations. In the preferred embodiment, this path is a straight path and thus, the angle of rotation between the first and second locations is generally the angle between the orientation at which the wrapper is removed from a surface and the ultimate angle position or orientation of the wrapper as it is deposited on a receiving device, such as the standard bobbin of web material used in capturing and storing cigar wrappers for subsequent use in cigar wrapping machines.
[0012] Another aspect of the embodiment is that it comprises a device for transferring a flat cigar wrapper lying in a plane from a first position to a second position in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the cigar wrapper. This device includes a shuttle means for moving the shuttle between the first and second positions in a generally linear path, a wrapper carrier, means for mounting the carrier on the shuttle, means for capturing a wrapper on the carrier at the first position, means for releasing a wrapper from the carrier at the second position, and means for reciprocally mounting the carrier with respect to the shuttle in a second direction generally perpendicular to the transfer direction travelled by the shuttle. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, there is provided a separate drive element at both the first position which is the wrapper pick-up position and the second position which is a wrapper release position. These drive elements are fixed in their respective positions and the shuttle moves into operative relationship with these separate fixed drive elements when the shuttle is in either the first or second position. By actuating the drive element, the wrapper carrier is reciprocated from the shuttle to either pick up or release a cigar wrapper. Consequently, the weight of the shuttle and wrapper carrier are the primary constituents of the total weight being moved during the transfer operation. The reciprocating drive elements to force the carrier into pick-up and release positions are not moved and remain at the spaced locations where the pick-up and release operations are performed. Also, this type of mechanism can be used to reorient the wrapper from the pick up orientation to the release orientation. This is done in accordance with the present invention by rotatably mounting the carrier onto the shuttle in a manner that the carrier is rotated in essentially the plane of the wrapper as the wrapper is moved from a pick up position to the release position. To accomplish this moving action, there is provided an outboard drive arrangement which is in the form of a rail which coacts with a follower carried by an element mounted on the shuttle. This follower moves the shuttle mounted element to rotate the carrier as it is moved. In the preferred embodiment, the rail is straight and the shuttle moves in a straight path. These two paths are angularly disposed so that the angle between the two elements determines the amount of rotation of the wrapper carrier with respect to the shuttle during movement between the pick up and release positions for the wrapper. By adjusting this angle, the amount of rotation of the wrapper carrier is controllable.
[0013] A primary object of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the provision of a device and method for transferring cigar wrappers and the like from one location to another, which device and method can be used with high speed automatic wrapper cutting machines to unload cut wrappers from the machines and then place them on wrapper storage elements such as bobbins or spools.
[0014] Still another object of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the provision of a device and method, as defined above, which device and method can change the orientation of each wrapper as it is moved from a first position, known as the pick up position, to a second position, generally known as the release or place position.
[0015] Yet another object of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the provision of a device and method, as defined above, which device and method involves a mechanism which has a relatively reduced weight of the moving elements and a resultant decrease in the inertia forces necessary for the mechanism to transfer cigar wrappers.
[0016] Another object of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the provision of a device and method, as defined above, which device and method translates and rotates the wrapper as it is moved between the pick up and place positions.
[0017] Still a further object of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the provision of a device and method, as defined above, which device and method involves a mechanism wherein two spaced arrangements for reciprocating the wrapper carrying element are fixed at the pick up and release or place positions. Thus, these mechanisms do not move with the wrapper between the two positions.
[0018] In order that the invention may be well understood, the preferred embodiment thereof, which is given by way of example only, will now be described in more detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a top view of a cigar wrapper cutting machine having a plurality of transfer devices;
Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the operating characteristics of the transfer devices;
Figure 3 is a schematic layout of the movement of the wrapper between two spaced locations in accordance with the operating characteristics set forth generally in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a top plan view of one of the transfer devices with one adjusted position shown in phantom lines;
Figure 5 is a side view taken generally along line 5-5 of Figure 4;
Figure 6 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a top partial view with certain cross-sectioned portions taken generally along line 7-7 of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken generally along line 8-8 of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken generally along line 9-9 of Figure 5;
Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 taken generally along line 10-10 of Figure 5;
Figure 11 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken generally along line 11-11 of Figure 5; and
Figure 12 is a partial view of a modification of the structure generally illustrated in the upper portion of Figure 7.
[0019] Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows an automatic cigar wrapper cutting machine A which could take a variety of structural forms which result in the cutting of cigar wrappers from a natural tobacco leaf L and carrying these wrappers on wrapper carrying surfaces for subsequent transfer to a remote location where the wrappers are, in the illustrated embodiment, wrapped into standard cigar wrapper bobbins or spools formed of web material and used in various types of cigar wrapping machines. The wrapper cutting machine A is illustrated in two separate forms by the previously mentioned pending patent applications. In the illustrated embodiment of the machine A, spreader B having a plurality of angled driven belts C engage the upper and lower surfaces of leaf L and spread leaf L onto the upper vacuum capturing surface of a movable, transparent, perforated belt 10 which is entrained around spaced rollers 12, 14, supported on an appropriate frame 16. A light source 20 passes a light beam through belt 10 and leaf L which allows a scanner 22 to scan the leaf to determine appropriate positions for cutting the wrappers W from a particular leaf. On the lower run of belt 10 a scanned leaf L is transferred by vacuum onto an articulatable cutting table 30 which is then moved under a cutting head 40 supported on an appropriate frame 42. Cutting head 40 includes, in the illustrated embodiment, four separate and distinct cutters 40a, 40b, 40c and 40d each of which is individually selectable and coordinated with the movement of table 30 to cut a single wrapper when head 40 is forced downwardly against the leaf on table 30 positioned under head 40. A transfer table 50 which is indexable into six separate positions shown in Figure 1 includes clearance areas 50a, and clearance openings 50b. In this manner, cutters 40a-40d can extend through the table to cut and capture a wrapper W from a leaf L supported by vacuum on table 30 which has been articulated before the cutting operation to the desired position to create a wrapper W having desired quality control characteristics. Table 30 is movable under table 50. After a cut has been made, wrapper W is captured by a cutter 40a-40d by an appropriate vacuum arrangement. Thereafter, table 50 is indexed and the cutter is moved downwardly during the next cutting operation to deposit a cut captured wrapper onto one of several wrapper receiving plates 60 on table 50. Each plate 60 has an upper wrapper carrying surface 62 with perforations 64, best shown in Figure 6, to communicate a vacuum from vacuum line 66 to the upper wrapper carrying surface 62 to hold a previously cut wrapper onto the upper surface 62 until the wrapper is to be removed from table 50. As head 40 moves down, a wrapper is transferred to one of the surfaces 62 and another wrapper is cut by proper manipulation of table 30 and proper selection of the cutter 40a-40d. Indexing of table 50 is about axis x in the direction of arrow a as shown in Figure 1. In the illustrated embodiment, individual plates 60 are arranged in one of four radially offset positions. Lach plate has the previously mentioned surface 62; therefore, surfaces 62 are located at one of four radial distances from axis x. A wrapper cut by cutter 40a is deposited onto one of the innermost wrapper carrying surfaces 62 and from these surfaces a wrapper is transferred onto a bobbin 70 formed from a winding web 70a at position I. At position II, a wrapper cut by cutter 40b and deposited onto one of the next radially outward surfaces 62 is transferred to a bobbin 72 by way of web 72a. In a like manner, a wrapper cut by cutter 40c is deposited on one of the next radially outward surfaces 62 for transfer from table 50 to bobbin 74 by way of web 74a at position III. At position IV, a wrapper cut by cutter 40d deposited onto one of the radially outermost surfaces 62 is transferred to a bobbin 76 formed by a web 76a. To form the transfer operation between a wrapper carrying surface 62 and the web forming one of the bobbins 70-76 there is provided a transfer device. In the illustrated embodiment, four of these devices 100, 102, 104 and 106 are used since there are four radial positions for surfaces 62 with respect to axis x on the transfer table 50 of cutting machine A. These transfer devices transfer wrappers W at positions I-IV of indexing table 50 to webs 70a, 72a, 74a and 76a which webs form the wrapper receiving surfaces at remote positions with respect to table 50. Thus, wrappers are transferred between two locations, one of which is on table 50 and the other of which is formed by a web of one of the spools or storage bobbins 70-76. As is known in the cigar wrapper operation, the wrappers W must each have a preselected orientation with respect to the spools or bobbins 70-76; therefore, when transferred from the surfaces62 to the webs 72a-76a, the wrappers must be re-oriented in accordance with the position of the web axis relative to the path of movement and the position of wrappers W on table 50. Of course, other arrangements could be provided for producing a series of cut cigar wrappers which are to be transferred to receiving surfaces such as spools or bobbins 70-76 wherein the wrappers are picked up at a given position and then transferred to another position or location at which the wrappers are captured by the web as it is rolled into convolutions to form filled bobbins or spools of somewhat standard design for subsequent use in wrapper forming machinery. This type of spool is shown in previous United States Letters Patent 4,103,692.
[0020] In summary, Figure 1 shows an arrangement for producing a plurality of cigar wrappers supported on upper carrying surfaces or a single surface moving in a preselected path wherein the wrappers are to be moved from that path at selected positions to remote locations where they must be oriented in a preselected manner, which may not be the same orientation as the orientation of the wrappers on the carrying surface. A transfer device, four of which are shown as devices 100, 102, 104 and 106, forms an embodiment of the invention, and it is to be understood that the transfer device although shown in association with the illustrated cutting machine A could be used with other apparatus. Machine A merely illustrates an environment in which the transfer device may be used. Since the spools or bobbins winding mechanisms for bobbins 70-76 are positioned in an arrangement for conserving space and allowing better access, the transfer devices 100-106 must rotate the wrappers from table 50 through a variety of angles to produce fixed orientation of the wrappers deposited on the various webs which are wound into the bobbins and capture the wrappers between the convolutions thereof.
[0021] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate schematically the function of the various transfer devices 100-106. In Figure 2, it is indicated that after a wrapper has been cut, it is picked up from the wrapper carrying surface, rotated, and then placed back onto a bobbin. The amount of rotation may be adjusted to compensate for different orientations between the position of the wrapper on the cutting table 50 and the desired position of the wrapper on one of the bobbins 70-76. As can be seen in Figure 3, in the IV position, wrapper W is shifted from an orientation at a first location wherein the longitudinal axis b of wrapper W is at an angle of approximately 94o with respect to the horizontal line m defining the translating path of the transfer motion by transfer device 100-106. At the second location or position, the longitudinal axis b is at an angle of 130 with respect to the same transfer line m. Thus, during movement through the distance n from a first position to a second position, wrapper W is rotated 1070. The first location is indicated to be Y and the second position is indicated to be Z. In the second position, the line of travel of the web forming the bobbin is indicated as the conveyor line n. As can be seen, wrapper W at the second location Z has a preselected fixed orientation with the conveyor line p. All of the bobbins 70-76 shall receive a wrapper W in the position shown in Figure 3. Thus, the amount of total rotation in translation along the transfer line m is determined by the difference between the final position as shown in Figure 3 with respect to conveyor E and the existing position of the wrapper at the first location Y, which position is dictated by the geometry of the previous cutting machine and will vary from position to position for the various wrapper carrying surfaces 62 on table 50.
[0022] All of the transfer devices 100-106 are identical; therefore, only conveyor device 106 will be described in detail and this description will apply equally to the other transfer devices which have an adjusting feature that allows adjustment of the angle, as described with respect to Figure 3 and shown schematically as a block diagram in Figure 2. The longitudinal axis b of wrapper W is shifted to the angle indicated in Figure 3 to re-orient the wrapper. However, in some instances re-orientation may not be needed and the final angle or orientation of axis b may be the same as the original orientation at the pick up position Y.
[0023] deferring now to Figures 4 and 5, the transfer device 106 is shown in detail; however, before discussing the details of the preferred embodiment, it is noted that the bobbin or spool 76 is schematically illustrated in Figure 5 together with an arrangement which defines a wrapper receiving surface for depositing wrappers onto web 76a and then rolling the web over the bobbin to capture the wrappers for subsequent use in a cigar wrapping machine. In this schematic illustration, web 76a passes around roller 77 and is supplied from a spool or bobbin 76c. In the transfer area Z, there is provided a somewhat standard vacuum chamber 76d having an upper flat, perforated surface and connected to a vacuum source by a
schematically illustrated inlet line 76e. As web 76 passes over the perforated upper surface of vacuum chamber 76d, the vacuum is applied through the porous fibrous material forming web 76a and allows transfer of a cut wrapper onto the upper surface of web 76a for subsequent storage in known fashion in bobbin 76. Figures 4 and 5 show portions of table 50 at position IV, which position is labelled Y. The remote position Z is at web 76a. To accomplish transfer between Y and Z, there is provided a shuttle or carrier support means 110, best shown in Figures 6-8. This shuttle is moved between positions Y, Z by moving with respect to fixed end member 112 supported on frame 112a, generally at the first position or location Y defining the wrapper pick up location and a fixed end member 114 supported on fixed frame 114a at the second location Z, which is the wrapper placing or releasing position as previously described. Consequently, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, shuttle 110 moves between end members 112, 114 to first pick up a wrapper at position Y and then release the wrapper on web 76a at position Z. Thereafter, the shuttle returns to position Y awaiting another wrapper at a radially outermost wrapper receiving plate 60 of table 50. Of course, the movement of the shuttle between its various positions is timed with respect to the movement of table 50 by an appropriate controller, such as a computer or programmable controller, so that the shuttle is actuated in a manner to select a wrapper when a wrapper is available at position IV. Of course, this timing could employ photocells or other sensing devices to determine the existence of a wrapper.
[0024] As best shown in Figures 6 and 7, shuttle 110 includes a cylindrical guide bore 120 having a sleeve bearing 122 for slidable movement of shuttle with respect to a fixed, cylindrical rail 130 secured onto end member 112 by clamp 132 and end member 114 by clamp 134. The centre of rod 130 defines an elongate axis g extending parallel to the path m, which is the path of movement of the wrapper between positions or locations Y and Z. Thus, the fixed position of rail 130 generally defines the transfer path m which is the path travelled by a wrapper carrier 140 used to capture a wrapper W at position Y and release the wrapper at the position Z. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, wrapper carrier 140, best shown in Figure 6, includes a set of apertures 144 defining generally the outline of the wrapper W to be secured onto the capturing plate 142. A biasing seal 146 extends around the outer periphery of the pattern defined by apertures 144 and is secured to the wrapper capturing plate 142 at adhesive layer 146a. In a like manner, seal 146 is secured at an adhesive layer 146b onto an upper cover cap 148 of carrier 140. A vacuum chamber 150 is thus defined within the confines of the continuous seal 146, cover cap 148 and lower plate 142. As illustrated, a vacuum chamber 150 has an inlet 152 for directing vacuum into the chamber. Also, a separate line 154 could be used to direct air into the chamber. In both instances, flexible lines 156, 158 are used to allow movement of carrier 140 between positions Y and Z with respect to stationary sources of vacuum and/or air. In the preferred embodiment, inlet 154 is not employed. A single valve 160 either connects a vent 162 to lines 156 or connects a vacuum source 164 to line 156. In operation, plate 142 is forced downwardly, in a manner to be described later, against wrapper W carried on surface 62 of plate 60. Thereafter, line 66 is vented to release wrapper W. At the same time, a vacuum is applied to line 156 so that the wrapper is now captured onto plate 142 in an angular position determined by the position of the wrapper on table 50 and the angular position of carrier 140 during the pick up operation. This angular relationship is illustrated in Figure 3 and is fixed. Thereafter, carrier 140 is moved upwardly as shown in Figure 6 for transfer of the wrapper to remote location Z. At that position, the reverse operation takes place and a wrapper is deposited onto the web 76a. When no pick up operation is to be accomplished, carrier 140 remains in the upper position as shown in Figure 6 while table 50 indexes therebelow.
[0025] The movement of the carrier in a vertical direction is generally perpendicular to the plane of wrapper 1: and the extended direction of transfer path m. As can be seen, wrapper carrier 140 is reciprocated with respect to shuttle 110 and forms a movable part thereof. To accomplish this, cover cap 148 includes an upper coupling plate 170 onto which is secured a clamp 172 for holding carrier 140 onto an upwardly extending, generally vertical rod 174. Adjusting bolt 175 is used to adjust the relative angular position of carrier 140 with respect to rod 174. By loosening the bolt and changing the angle between rod 174 and clamp 172, the relative angular position can be manually varied. Of course, the total plate 170 could be adjustable in an angular direction with respect to cover cap 148. The axis r or rod 174 defines the direction of movement of the rod with respect to shuttle 110 and is generally perpendicular to the plane defined by wrapper Wand surface 62. Also this direction is perpendicular to the direction of movement of shuttle 110 as it moves between positions Y, Z. Not only is carrier 140 reciprocated with respect to shuttle 110, it is also rotatable with respect to the shuttle if the orientation of wrapper W is different at locations Y, Z. To accomplish this, the bore 176 which allows reciprocation of rod 174 also allows rotation of the rod with respect to the shuttle. A pinion 180, having a vertical position adjusting set screw 182, is fixedly secured onto rod 174 for rotation therewith through the use of a key 184, as shown in Figure 8. A thrust bearing 186, can be a plain bearing or ball bearing, engages the upper surface of a compression spring 188 to bias pinion 180 upwardly as shown in Figure 6 along the direction defined by axis r. Thus, in its normal position, spring 188 forces rod 174 into an upper position determined by a stop 189 which is fixedly secured to the body portion of shuttle 110 and engages pinion 180.
[0026] As so far described, shuttle 110 would rotate about cylindrical shaft or rail 130. An arrangement is provided for preventing this rotation and to maintain a fixed disposition or orientation of the shuttle as it moves along the rail. A variety of structures could be used for this purpose; however, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, an outboard beam 190 extending generally parallel to axis g of rail 130 is provided. This beam is fixed at opposite ends onto fixed end members 112, 114 by bolts 192, 194, respectively. Beam 190 includes an elongated guideway 200 having a slot 202 extending in a direction parallel to axis g of rail 130. A roller 210 fixed onto shuttle 110 by an appropriate plate 212 rides along guideway 200 to define an outboard stabilizing arrangement for shuttle 110. It is noted that this outboard arrangement provides a support on opposite sides of rod 174 so that carrier 140 is located between the parallel motion allowing structures in the form of rail 130 and outboard guideway 120 for receiving roller 210. As can be seen, shuttle 110 is now movable in the direction of path m between locations Y and Z by a sliding motion. The support structures do not move and, thus, the weight of shuttle 110 is reduced.
[0027] To effect movement of shuttle 110, there is provided a moving means or device for the shuttle. This device, in the preferred embodiment, takes the form of a double acting air cylinder 220 fixed at opposite ends onto bracket 220a, 220b. These brackets are adjustably secured at the opposite end members 112, 114 by bolts 220c which allow vertical adjustment of cylinder 220 with respect to shuttle 110. Cylinder 220 includes two cables 222, 224 extending from opposite ends thereof. These cables ride around guide wheels 222, 228 supported on fixed trunnions 230, 232, respectively. Connector bracket 234 is used to secure the ends of cables 222, 224 onto the upper portion of shuttle 110. This type of cable actuating double acting air cylinder is a standard component and other arrangements could be used for causing sliding movement of shuttle 110 along its support structures previously described. The use of cables with a single piston within cylinder 220 provides low inertia for the actuating or moving means used to reciprocate shuttle 110 along fixed rail 130. Upon an appropriate command, cylinder 220 is actuated in one of its directions to cause movement of shuttle 110. Of course, the carrier 140 has been moved upwardly as shown in Figure 6 before this moving operation.
[0028] As previously mentioned, carrier 140 is rotatably mounted in shuttle 110 by rotatably mounting rod 174. To effect precise rotation through an angle, as illustrated in Figure 3, there is provided an arrangement movable on shuttle 110 for rotating pinion 180. In the illustrated embodiment, this is a reciprocal rack 250 which is reciprocally mounted in bore 252 formed within the structure which also defines stop 189, as shown in Figure 8. The teeth of rack 250 engage the teeth of pinion 180 so that reciprocal movement of the rack causes a corresponding rotation of pinion 180 which carries rod 174 to cause the rod to rotate through an angle determined by the linear movement of rack 250 with respect to shuttle 110. To maintain the relationship of rack 250 with respect to pinion 180 there is provided a pivotally mounted control element or follower 260 which rides within an elongated slot 262 machined in rail 264. The bracket 268 is pivotably connected to follower 260 and to the end of rack 250 for causing movement of the rack in the direction indicated by the arrows of Figure 7, as shuttle 110 is reciprocated along rail 130. As is indicated in Figures 4 and 7, rail 264 and its corresponding slot 262 are at an angle with respect to rail 130 and its axis a. This angle determines the amount of reciprocal movement of rack 250 with respect to shuttle 110 as the shuttle is moved between positions Y, Z. In this manner, the angle of rail 264 controls the amount of rotation of pinion 180 and thus the amount of re-orientation of wrapper W as it is moved between the pick up position Y and the release or placing position Z. To change the angle of rail 264 there is provided a generally fixed pivot pin 270 secured onto fixed end member 112, as best shown in Figures 4 and 9. An adjustable pivot pin 272 is supported on the opposite fixed end member 114 as best shown in Figures 4 and 10. The adjustable pivot pin includes a head 274, shown in Figure 10, which head rides along a T-slot 280 extending generally perpendicular to the path m shown in Figure 4. A clamping nut 282 is used to clamp pivot pin 272 in any desired position along T-slot 280. The adjustment feature is shown in phantom lines in Figure 4. This allows the rotation of carrier 140 to be varied according to the desired amount of re-orientation as discussed in connection with the schematic illustration of Figure 3.
[0029] During this rotation, there may be a slight amount of slack between the teeth of pinion 180 and rack 250. To compensate for this possibility, there is provided a torsion spring 290 with one end abutting a pin 292 carried by pinion 180 and another end abutting or fixed to pin 294 on stop 189. Thus, pin 294 is fixed with respect to the carrying arrangement for rack 250. Since pinion 180 must reciprocate, pin 292 has a relatively long length to allow reciprocation without disengaging the interacting end of torsion spring 290. As can be seen in Figure 7, pin 292 limits the amount of angular movement of carrier 140 with respect to shuttle 110 to about 2700. Of course, various arrangements could be provided for allowing further rotation if this angle were not sufficient for operation of transfer device 106.
[0030] To determine the distance n as shown in Figure 3, there is provided a bumper 296, shown in Figure 11, at both end members 112, 114. These bumpers are actually adjustable with respect to a block 299 and are locked into position by an appropriate nut 297. To cushion the final stopping positions of shuttle 110 there are provided appropriate shock absorbers 298. Thus, as shuttle 110 is moved into final positions at location Y or location Z, the shock absorbers cushion the final movement before the shuttle engages one of the stops or bumpers 296. The distance between the two bumpers and the angle of slot 262 with respect to rail 130 determines the amount of angular movement of carrier 140 with respect to shuttle 110. By changing the angular position of carrier 140 with respect to rail 174, the starting orientation as shown in Figure 3 may be varied. After proper adjustment, the transfer device operates to remove the wrapper W whenever the wrapper is in the position Y being monitored by the particular transfer device.
[0031] Referring now to Figure 12, a modification of the arrangement for controlling the movement of rack 250 is illustrated. This modification is preferred and includes a cylindrical rod 264' which takes the place of rail 264, best shown in Figures 4 and 7. Rod 264' may be adjusted in the same basic manner as rail 264. A sleeve 265 slides along rod 264' by way of a sleeve bearing 267 carried on the inner surface of the sleeve. A trunnion 269 is fixedly secured to the end of rack 250 and carries trunnion pivot pins 271, 273 which engage opposite sides of sleeve 265 for movement of the rack with respect to shuttle 110 as the shuttle is moved in a manner previously described.
[0032] Shuttle 110 has a reduced weight because it moves on rails and includes a basically extended rotation mechanism. In addition, the shuttle does not include a mechanism for driving carrier 140 downward to pick up or release a cigar wrapper. The mechanism for forcing the carrier downward along the axis r as shown in Figure 6 is supported on the respective end members 112, ll4. At the pick up position Y an upper double acting air cylinder 300 is provided. The vertical position of the cylinder can be changed by adjusting bolts 302 in elongated slots as shown in Figure 9. A piston within cylinder 300 controls the downward movement of plunger 304 which has an outermost abutment end 306. As shown in Figure 6, when shuttle 110 is in position Y, the movable axis of plunger 304 is generally parallel to axis r of rod 174 and axially aligned therewith. Consequently, upon actuation of cylinder 300, plunger 304 forces rod 174 downward to move carrier 140 into the pick up position with respect to a wrapper W carried on surface 62. The vertical adjustment by bolts 302 is shown in Figure 9 and involves a support bracket 303 for cylinder 300 and elongated openings 303a for allowing vertical adjustment as previously described.
[0033] At the wrapper release or place position Z, there is provided a cylinder 310 substantially identical to cylinder 300. This second cylinder includes vertical adjusting bolts 312 which coact with the fixed bracket 313 having elongated slots or openings 313a to provide vertical adjustment of cylinder 310 with respect to shuttle 110. Piston control plunger 314 has an abutment end 316 that forces carrier 140 downward into the placing position to deposit a transferred wrapper onto web 76a in the desired position determined by the rotation of carrier 140 with respect to shuttle 110 during movement from position or location Y to position or location Z. As shown in Figure 6, there is a slight spacing between abutment end 306 of plunger 304 before the plunger drives the carrier into the lower position. Thus, transverse movement of the shuttle with its upstanding rod 174 does not engage the side of the plunger as the shuttle is moved into its extreme operative positions.
[0034] In summary, carrier 140 is moved downwardly by the plunger 300 where it captures a wrapper w at the monitored position for the particular transfer device. Thereafter, plunger 304 moves upwardly allowing wrapper carrier 140 to move upwardly as shown in Figure 6 by spring 188. In this position, a wrapper is captured on carrier 140 and is ready to be moved in a straight line m by shuttle 110. During this movement, if re-orientation is required, carrier 140 is rotated as determined by the angle of the outboard control mechanism for rack 250. In the final position, cylinder 310 moves the carrier into engagement with the web. During movement of the shuttle from position or location Y to position or location Z, a vacuum is maintained to hold the wrapper in place. During movement in the opposite direction, there is no need to maintain a vacuum on chamber 150. The particular vacuum directing arrangements do not form a part of the invention since the device for directing vacuum by appropriate valving units is well within the skill of a person within the cigar making art.
1. A device for transferring a cigar wrapper having a longitudinal axis from a first
location on a wrapper carrying surface where said wrapper is in a first orientation
with said axis extending in a known first direction to a second location on a wrapper
receiving surface where said wrapper is in a second orientation with said axis extending
in a known second direction, said device including a wrapper carrier means with a
vacuum actuated wrapper capturing surface for picking said wrapper from said carrying
surface at said first location and placing said wrapper onto said wrapper receiving
surface at said second location, and a support means for said carrier and means for
moving said carrier and support means between said first and second locations, and
being characterised by means (174) for rotatably mounting said wrapper carrier (140)
with respect to said support means (110) and means (180, 250) for rotating said carrier
(140) with respect to said support means (110) through an angle determined by the
difference between said first and second directions (Y, Z) when said carrier and support
means are shifted from one of said locations to the other of said locations.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said moving means includes
means (130) for guiding said carrier and said support means (110) in a generally straight
linear path (m).
3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that said guide means comprises
a generally straight rail (130) and said support means includes means (120) for slidably
engaging said rail.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said rail (130) has a generally
circular cross- section, an elongate stabilizer member (190) is generally parallel
to said rail, and said support means (110) includes a follower member (210) riding
along and supported by said elongate stabilizer member.
5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said
rotating means includes a first element (180) secured to said carrier (140) and a
second element (250) carried by said support means (110) for rotating said first element
through said angle.
6. A device as claimed in claim 5, characterised by nwans (264; 264') exterior of
said support means (110) for driving said second element (250) a selected distance
corresponding to said angle when said support means is moved between said first and
second locations.
7. A device as claimed in claim 6 when claim 5 is appended to any one of claims 2
to 4, characterised in that said exterior drive means comprises a generally straight
rotation controlling element (264; 264') extending in a given direction, a control
structure (260; 265) connected to said second element being movable along said rotation
controlling element and in said given direction, and the angle of said given direction
with respect to said straight linear path (m) being adjustable to control the rotation
angle of said carrier (140) with respect to said support means (110).
8. A device as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that said first element
is a pinion (180) rotatably mounted on said support means (110) and said second element
is a rack (250) slidably mounted on said support means.
9. A device as claimed in claim 8, characterised by means (290) for biasing said pinion
(180) in a selected rotational direction with respect to said rack (250).
10. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by means
for reciprocally mounting said carrier (140) with respect to said support means (110)
in a direction generally perpendicular to said wrapper capturing surface (142) and
means for reciprocating said carrier toward and away from said carrying surface (62)
at said first location (Y).
11. A device as claimed in claim 10, when appended to claim 8 or 9, characterised
in that said reciprocal mounting means includes a rod (174), means (176) for reciprocally
mounting said rod, means (170) for mounting said carrier on said rod and means for
mounting said pinion (180) on said rod (174), said pinion including teeth slidable
with respect to said rack.
12. A device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterised in that said reciprocating
means comprises a drive element (304) at said first location and separate from said
support means (110) for forcing said carrier (140) in a driven direction toward said
carrying surface (62) at said first location (Y).
13. A device as claimed in claim 10, 11 or 12 characterised by means (,310, 314) for
reciprocating said carrier (140) toward and away from said receiving surface (76a)
at said second location.
14. A device as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that said means for reciprocating
said carrier (140) at said second location includes a drive element (314) at said
second location (Z) and separate from said support means (110) for forcing said carrier
in a driven direction toward said receiving surface (76a) at said second location.
15. A device as claimed in claim 12 or 14, characterised by biasing means (188) carried
by said support means (110) for biasing said carrier (140) in a direction opposite
to said driven direction.
16. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by adjusting
means (296) for controlling the distance said carrier moves between said first and
second locations (Y, Z).
17. A method of transferring a cigar wrapper having a longitudinal axis from a first
location with a first orientation wherein said axis extends in a first direction to
a second location with a second orientation wherein said axis extends in a second
direction different from said first direction, said wrapper being generally in parallel
planes when in said first and second locations, said method comprising:
(a) moving said wrapper in a generally straight path between said locations; and,
(b) rotating said wrapper about an axis generally perpendicular to said parallel planes at least when said wrapper reaches said second location from said first location.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said rotating step takes place at least
partially during said moving step from said first location to said second location.
19. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said rotating step takes place totally
during said moving step from said first location to said second location.
20. A method of transferring cigar wrappers, each having a flat elongated shape with
a longitudinal axis, from a common conveyor device with a path of movement where the
wrappers have a common orientation of said axes relative to said path of movement
of said conveyor device to at least first and second remote locations with the wrappers
of said first location having a selected first orientation of their axes different
from a selected second orientation of the axes of the wrappers of said second location,
said method comprising the steps of:
(a) moving wrappers from said conveyor device at a first position in said path of movement and in a generally straight line to said first remote location;
(b) rotating said wrappers from said first position about an axis generally perpendicular to said flat elongated shape of said wrappers into said selected first orientation at said first remote location;
(c) moving wrappers from said conveyor device at a second position in said path of movement and in a generally straight line to said second remote location; and,
(d) rotating said wrappers from said second position about an axis generally perpendicular to said flat elongated shape of said wrappers into said selected second orientation at said second remote location.
21. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein said rotating step of said wrappers from
said first position takes place at the same time as said moving step for said wrappers
from said first position and said rotation step of said wrappers from said second
position takes place at the same time as said moving step for said wrappers from said
second position.
22. A device for transferring a flat sheet profile from a first position with a first
orientation in the plane of said sheet profile to a second position with a second
orientation in the plane of said sheet profile, said second orientation being displaced
from said first orientation by an angular amount, said device comprising: a shuttle;
means for moving said shuttle between said first and second positions in a generally
straight path; a profile carrier; means for rotatably mounting said carrier onto said
shuttle; means for capturing a profile on said carrier at said first position with
said profile in a plane generally parallel to said path; means for releasing said
profile from said carrier at said second position; and, means for rotating said profile
carrier said angular amount as said shuttle is moved from said first position to said
second position.
23. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said carrier is reciprocally mounted
onto said shuttle on an axis generally perpendicular to said plane and said capturing
means includes first actuator means separate from said shuttle and fixed at said first
position for forcing said carrier away from said shuttle and said releasing means
includes second actuator means separate from said shuttle and fixed at said second
position for forcing said carrier away from said shuttle.
24. A device as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein said rotating means includes a
guideway extending in a guide path between said first and second positions, said path
being spaced from said generally straight path a different distance at said first
and second positions, an element movably supported on said shuttle and having a follower
riding along said guideway whereby said element is moved with respect to said shuttle
a given distance between said first and second positions and means responsive to movement
of said element with respect to said shuttle for rotating said carrier said angular
amount when said element moves said given distance.
25. A device as claimed in claim 24, wherein said guide path is straight and extends
at an angle to said straight path.
26. A device as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 25, including means for adjusting
said angular amount.
27. A device as claimed in claim 26 when appended to claim 24 or 25, wherein said
adjusting means includes means for changing said different distance.
28. A device for transferring a flat sheet profile defining a plane from a first position
to a second position in a direction generally parallel to said plane, said device
comprising: a shuttle; means for moving said shuttle between said first and second
positions in a generally linear path; a profile carrier; means for mounting said carrier
onto said shuttle; means for capturing a profile on said carrier at said first position;
means for releasing said profile from said carrier at said second position; means
for reciprocally mounting said carrier with respect to said shuttle in a second direction
generally perpendicular to said path; a drive element fixed at said first position
and separate from said shuttle for forcing said carrier away from said shuttle in
said second direction and into a pick up location; and, means for actuating said wrapper
capturing means when said carrier is in said pick up location.
29. A device as claimed in claim 28, including a second drive element fixed at said
second position and separate from said shuttle for forcing said carrier away from
said shuttle in said second direction and into a wrapper release location; and, means
for actuating said wrapper releasing means when said carrier is in said release location.
30. A device for transferring a flat sheet profile defining a plane from a first position
to a second position in a direction generally parallel to said plane, said device
comprising: a shuttle; means for moving said shuttle between said first and second
positions in a generally linear path; a profile carrier; means for mounting said carrier
onto said shuttle; means for capturing a profile on said carrier at said first position;
means for releasing said profile from said carrier at said second position; means
for reciprocally mounting said carrier with respect to said shuttle in a second direction
generally perpendicular to said path; a drive element fixed at said second position
and separate from said shuttle for forcing said carrier away from said shuttle in
said second direction and into a wrapper release location; and, means for actuating
said wrapper releasing means when said carrier is in said release location.
31. A device as claimed in claim 28, 29 or 30, including means for rotating said carrier
a selected angular amount in a plane generally perpendicular to said second direction
as said shuttle is moved between said positions.
32. A device as claimed in any one of claims 28 to 31, including means for rotating
said carrier a selected angular amount in a plane generally perpendicular to said
second direction as said shuttle is moved between said positions.
33. A device as claimed in any one of claims 28 to 32, wherein said path is a straight
line.
34. A device for transferring a flat cigar wrapper defining a plane from a first position
to a second position in a direction generally parallel to said plane, said device
comprising: a shuttle; a pair of generally parallel spaced elongated elements extending
in a given direction; means for moving said shuttle along said parallel elements between
said first and second positions; and means for reciprocally mounting said carrier
with respect to said shuttle to move in a direction generally perpendicular to said
path, said reciprocal means includes an element adapted to be reciprocated on an axis
extending between said parallel elements.