Method of producing and packing filter-tipped cigarettes

Abstract

 On the filter assembly machine (2) of a cigarette manufacturing and packing system (1), tobacco items (20), each consisting of two cigarette portions (21, 22) joined by a double filter (23), are fed successively to a cutting station (24) to form two successions (25, 26) of side by side, oppositely-oriented single cigarettes (11a, 11b); the cigarettes (11a) in one succession (25) being turned around 180° and outwards in relation to the cigarettes (11b) in the other succession (26) to form two successions (25, 26) of equioriented, transversely-spaced cigarettes (11), which are fed along respective paths (31, 32) to respective outputs (38) of the filter assembly machine (2), for supply to respective transversely-spaced inputs (6, 7) of a packing unit (3).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of producing and packing filter-tipped cigarettes.

[0002] As described, for example, in British Patent n. 2,241,866, filter-tipped cigarettes are produced on a filter assembly machine, along a first portion of which each portion in a first succession of cigarette portions, arranged with a given spacing, is joined, at a rolling station and by means of a sheet type joining element, to a corresponding portion in a second succession of cigarette portions, so as to form a tobacco item hereinafter referred to as a "double cigarette." Each double cigarette consists of two cigarette portions separated by a double filter made integral with the cigarette portions by said joining element, the central portion of which surrounds the double filter, and each end portion of which surrounds the end of a respective cigarette portion.

[0003] Again as described in the above British patent, once formed, the double cigarettes are fed successively through a cutting station where they are cut transversely in half to form two successions of oppositely-oriented single cigarettes. In other words, downstream from the cutting station, the cigarettes in each pair of cigarettes formed by cutting a respective double cigarette are arranged with their filters facing and substantially contacting each other.

[0004] According to the above British patent, the two successions of filter-tipped cigarettes are then fed to a turnover station, where the cigarettes in one succession are turned over those in the other succession, so as to feed each turned-over cigarette into the space between two adjacent cigarettes in the other succession, and so form a single succession of equioriented cigarettes, which are then fed to the output of the filter assembly machine and from there to the input of a packing machine.

[0005] In recent times, it has been found necessary to connect the filter assembly machine to a packing unit consisting of a dual packing machine, i.e. with two packing lines, or of a pair of single packing machines: that is to say, to connect one filter assembly machine to a packing unit having two inputs a given distance apart.

[0006] One possible solution to the above problem is to employ twin-line filter assembly machines of the type described in British Patents n. 2,201,576 and n. 2,202,127, but without the turnover station at the output for forming the two lines into one. In which case, the downstream packing units must of course be so designed as to enable the two inputs to receive respective successions of oppositely-oriented cigarettes.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method whereby, with no more than substantially minor alterations to existing single-line filter assembly machines, two successions of equioriented cigarettes may be supplied simultaneously to two separate inputs of a packing unit.

[0008] According to the present invention, there is provided a method of producing and packing filter-tipped cigarettes, the method comprising stages consisting in successively feeding tobacco items, each consisting of two cigarette portions joined by a double filter, to the cutting station of a filter assembly machine, to form a first and second side by side succession of oppositely-oriented single cigarettes; and in turning around the cigarettes in the first succession so that they are oriented the same way as those in the second succession; characterized by the fact that the cigarettes in the first succession are turned around away from those in the second succession, to form two successions of equioriented, transversely-spaced cigarettes.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the above method, said two successions of cigarettes are fed along respective separate paths to respective outputs of the filter assembly machine, and to respective transversely-spaced inputs of a two-input packing unit.

[0010] A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 shows a schematic view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a system implementing the method according to the present invention;

Fig.2 shows a larger-scale plan view of a detail of the Fig.1 system;

Fig.3 shows a section along line III-III in Fig.2;

Fig.4 shows a section along line IV-IV in Fig.2;

Fig.5 shows a spread-out plan view of a detail in Fig.2.

[0011] Number 1 in Fig.1 indicates a system for producing tobacco items, and comprising a filter assembly machine 2; and a packing unit 3 presenting two parallel packing lines 4 and 5 with respective known input feed devices 6 and 7 separated transversely in relation to lines 4 and 5.

[0012] Lines 4 and 5 comprise, in known manner, respective channels 8 and 9 connected to respective devices 6 and 7, and which provide for feeding masses 10 of filter-tipped cigarettes 11, indicated respectively 11a and 11b, to respective feedboxes 12 and 13 supplying respective known conveyors 14 and 15 for forming and supplying groups of cigarettes to respective known wrapping stations 16 and 17.

[0013] As shown in Fig.1, filter assembly machine 2 presents an output portion 18 comprising a first roller 19 supplied in known manner with a succession of double cigarettes 20, each comprising two cigarette portions 21 and 22 connected by a double filter 23. Double cigarettes 20 are fed by roller 19, rotating clockwise in Fig.1, through a known cutting station 24 where they are cut in half to form two successions 25 and 26 of respective cigarettes 11a and 11b arranged side by side and oppositely oriented, i.e. with filters 27 facing and substantially contacting each other.

[0014] Successions 25 and 26 are transferred from roller 19 to a turnaround unit 28 described in more detail later on and comprising a roller 29 substantially tangent to roller 19 and rotating anticlockwise in Fig.1. As they are fed about roller 29, cigarettes 11a in succession 25 are turned around outwards, i.e. away from succession 26, by turning them 180° about a point close to the opposite end to filter 27, so that each is aligned with and oriented the same way as a respective cigarette 11b in succession 26, but at a distance from succession 26 substantially equal to the length of cigarette 11.

[0015] Once formed on roller 29, successions 25 and 26 are transferred from roller 29 to respective side by side rollers 30 located said distance apart, both tangent to roller 29, and constituting the input rollers of respective lines 31 and 32 for feeding respective successions 25 and 26 to devices 6 and 7 at the input of lines 4 and 5 of unit 3.

[0016] Each line 31, 32 comprises, in known manner, a known test unit 33 in turn comprising a roller 34 tangent to respective roller 30 and which provides for feeding respective cigarettes 11 to known devices 35 by which they are tested successively as to permeability and/or damage and/or ventilation and, if necessary, rejected at a known reject station 36 located along the periphery of a roller 37 tangent to roller 34 and located between roller 34 and an output roller 38 cooperating with respective input device 6, 7.

[0017] As shown particularly in Fig.4, the outer surface of roller 29 of turnaround unit 28 is defined by a first and second cylindrical surface 39 and 40 coaxial with each other and with the central hub 41 of roller 29. Surface 39 is smaller in diameter and at least twice as long as surface 40 with which it is connected by an annular shoulder 42.

[0018] The end of roller 29 on the surface 39 side presents an annular cavity 43 coaxial with surface 39 and defining, on roller 29, an annular wall 44 defined externally by surface 39 and extending about a cam 45. Cam 45 is housed inside cavity 43, is connected in rotary manner to hub 41, and is maintained angularly fixed by known external lock means (not shown) when roller 29 is rotated about its axis 46 by known activating means (not shown).

[0019] As shown more clearly in Fig.3, wall 44 presents a ring of substantially cylindrical through holes 47 equally spaced in a plane perpendicular to axis 46 and intermediate in relation to surface 39, and each having an axis 48 in said plane. Axis 48 of each hole 47 forms a given angle A with the radius of surface 39 through a central point of hole 47, and slopes towards axis 46 and frontwards in the rotation direction of roller 29. A pin 49 is fitted for rotation inside each hole 47, and presents two annular flanges 50 and 51 by which it is locked axially in relation to wall 44. Flange 50 is located on the end of pin 49 projecting inside cavity 43, and presents a radial appendix 52 fitted with an eccentric tappet roller 53 having an axis 54 parallel to axis 48 of pin 49 and engaging a shaped annular groove 55 of cam 45.

[0020] Flange 51 is integral with an intermediate portion of pin 49, which presents an end portion 56 projecting outwards of surface 39, and is fitted on its free outer end with a radial appendix 57 extending from pin 49 in a direction diametrically opposite that of appendix 52. Along appendix 57 and on the opposite side to pin 49, a seat 58 communicates, via a dead axial conduit 59 in pin 49, a number of radial holes 60 in pin 49, an annular groove 61 formed in wall 44 on the surface of hole 47, and an axial hole 62 in wall 44 (Fig.4), with a suction conduit 63 for retaining cigarette 11a.

[0021] Together with respective roller 53 and respective appendix 57, each pin 49 constitutes a device 64 for turning respective seat 58 and, hence, respective cigarette 11a, around 180° between an idle position and a diametrically-opposed operating position, as shown respectively by the continuous and dotted lines in Fig.4. In the idle position, seat 58 of cigarette 11a is coaxial with and adjacent to a corresponding seat 65 formed in surface 40 and in which a cigarette 11b is retained by suction via a hole 66 connected to conduit 63. In the operating position, seat 58 is still coaxial with respective seat 65, but is separated from it by a distance substantially equal to the length of cigarette 11.

[0022] As shown clearly in Fig.s 3 and 5, on receiving cigarettes 11a from roller 19, devices 64 are set to the idle position, so that the cigarettes in each pair of cigarettes 11a and 11b are transferred from roller 19 to roller 29 in the original position, i.e. coaxial with each other and oppositely-oriented with filters 27 substantially contacting each other. As each device 64 moves along cam 45, however, by virtue of the design of groove 55 shown in Fig.5, pin 49 is rotated gradually (anticlockwise in Fig.5) so as to gradually turn respective appendix 57 outwards by 180°. This is completed before device 64 reaches the point of tangency between roller 29 and rollers 30, so that seats 58 are set to the operating position prior to transferring cigarettes 11a in known manner on to roller 30 of line 31. Subsequently, seats 58 are restored to the idle position prior to reaching the point of tangency between rollers 19 and 29.

[0023] Using a known filter assembly machine, therefore, the present invention provides for equiorienting cigarettes 11 in successions 25 and 26 in extremely straightforward manner, by simply operating in reverse a substantially known and necessarily existing turnover device, for simultaneously equiorienting and axially spacing the cigarettes with no need for additional devices, and by duplicating the part of the filter assembly machine downstream from the turnover device.

[0024] As regards axial spacing of successions 25 and 26, it should be pointed out that the value in the example shown, equal to roughly the length of cigarette 11, may be varied as required within a given range, by varying the position of axes 48 in relation to respective seats 58. Obviously, in this case, each position of axis 48 will correspond to a minimum angle A for enabling each appendix 57 to clear the adjacent appendix 57 as pin 49 is rotated.

[0025] A further point to note is that the axial spacing of successions 25 and 26 imparted by devices 64 is not particularly important, since, assuming it is other than zero, it may easily be adjusted by means of straightforward known guide devices (not shown) comprising wedges or guide channels connected, for example, to rollers 37 or 38 for selectively sliding the cigarettes axially inside their seats and so arranging successions 25 and 26 as to accurately engage input devices 6 and 7 of unit 3.

Claims

1. A method of producing and packing filter-tipped cigarettes (11), the method comprising stages consisting in successively feeding tobacco items (20), each consisting of two cigarette portions (21, 22) joined by a double filter (23), to the cutting station (24) of a filter assembly machine (2), to form a first and second side by side succession (25, 26) of oppositely-oriented single cigarettes (11a, 11b); and in turning around the cigarettes (11a) in the first succession (25) so that they are oriented the same way as those (11b) in the second succession (26); characterized by the fact that the cigarettes (11a) in the first succession (25) are turned around away from those (11b) in the second succession (26), to form two successions (25, 26) of equioriented, transversely-spaced cigarettes (11a, 11b).

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by the fact that said two successions (25, 26) of cigarettes (11a, 11b) are fed along respective separate paths (31, 32) to respective outputs (38) of said filter assembly machine (2).

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said two successions (25, 26) of cigarettes (11a, 11b) are fed along respective separate paths (31, 32) to respective outputs (38) of said filter assembly machine (2) for supply to respective transversely-spaced inputs (6, 7) of a two-input packing unit (3).

4. A method as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized by the fact that each cigarette (11a) in said first succession (25) is housed, when turned around, inside a respective seat (58) formed on a respective movable supporting body (57); each cigarette (11a) in the first succession (25) being turned around by rotating the respective said movable supporting body (57) 180° about an axis (48) in a plane perpendicular to the respective said seat (58).

5. A method as claimed in Claim 4, characterized by the fact that said axis (48) is inclined in relation to a perpendicular, in said plane, to the path (31) along which the relative cigarette (11a) is fed.

6. A method as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized by the fact that each cigarette (11a) in the first succession (25) is turned around from an idle position, wherein said cigarette (11a) is positioned with its filter (27) coaxial with, facing, and substantially contacting the filter (27) of a corresponding cigarette (11b) in the second succession (26), to an operating position wherein said cigarette (11a) in the first succession (25) is again positioned parallel to the corresponding cigarette (11b) in the second succession (26), but with its filter (27) facing the opposite way to said corresponding cigarette (11b).

7. A method as claimed in Claim 6, characterized by the fact that, in said operating position, said cigarette (11a) in the first succession (25) is positioned coaxial with the corresponding cigarette (11b) in the second succession (26).

Drawing