Method of and apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry

Abstract

Plain cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry are finished and/or converted into filter cigarettes, and/or the envelopes of plain and/or filter cigarettes, cigarillos and/or filter mouthpieces are perforated and/or such rod-shaped articles are otherwise treated in or with an apparatus wherein at least one drum-shaped and/or at least one chain-shaped, endless belt-shaped and/or at least one other transfer conveyor receives articles from a maker, e.g., a plain or filter cigarette or cigarillo making machine. The transfer conveyor(s) delivers or deliver portions of or entire articles to one or more processing conveyors wherein or whereon the articles and/or their portions are treated (such as perforated, densified and/or otherwise manipulated) while in motion. The thus at least partly finished articles are returned onto the transfer conveyor(s).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES

This application claims the priority of the commonly owned European patent application Serial No. 03 019 322.1 filed Aug. 27, 2003.

The disclosure of the above referenced European patent application, as well as those of all US and foreign patents and/or patent applications identified in the specification of the present application, are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for treating or manipulating rod-shaped articles, especially rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. Such articles include, among others, plain or filter cigarettes, cigarillos and cigars, filter mouthpieces and other commodities wherein rod-like fillers of natural, reconstituted and/or other smokable materials and/or filter material for tobacco smoke are to be subjected to any one or two or more of a plurality of different treatments. The treatments can include uniting plain cigarettes or the like with filter mouthpieces (normally by so-called uniting bands of tipping paper), uniting different types of filter material for tobacco smoke, changing the permeability of tubular envelopes of cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos and/or filter mouthpieces, standardizing the diameters of cigarettes or the like and/or any other undertakings which, as a rule, must be carried out at a high or very high speed in order to be suitable for practice in or in conjunction with modern high-speed cigarette making and/or analogous tobacco processing machines.

It is well known to treat or process plain or filter cigarettes, filter mouthpieces and other rod-shaped smokers' products in such a way that the products are supplied by a first conveyor (often referred to as a transfer conveyor) to a second conveyor (often called processing conveyor and adapted to include one or more rotary drums) which maintains the articles in motion while they undergo one or more treatments (e.g., uniting plain cigarettes with filter mouthpieces to form filter cigarettes of unit length or multiple unit length). For example, European patent No. EP 0 432 663 B1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,965 granted Jan. 19, 1993 to Komori et al. for “APPARATUS FOR FORMING MICRO-HOLES ON CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS”) discloses an apparatus which is designed to perforate the envelopes or wrappers of filter cigarettes. The filter cigarettes are supplied by a drum-shaped conveyor which delivers them to a first transfer drum. A portion of cigarettes which are advanced by the first transfer drum is delivered to a first perforating drum which, in turn, delivers perforated cigarettes to a first removing drum. The remaining cigarettes which are supplied by the first transfer drum are delivered onto a second transfer drum which, in turn, supplies such cigarettes to a second perforating drum. The latter delivers perforated cigarettes to a second removing drum which, in turn, delivers such cigaretes to the first removing drum. The first removing drum delivers perforated cigarettes to a so-called dilution drum. An “eliminator” system removes defective cigarettes from the dilution drum.

Another prior publication (WO 03/043449 A1 published May 30, 2003) discloses a filter tipping machine wherein a drum-shaped main conveyor cooperates with several additional drum-shaped conveyors. The main conveyor supplies component parts of filter cigarettes, namely complete rod-shaped plain cigarettes or fractions of such plain cigarettes, filter mouthpieces and finished filter cigarettes. A removing drum is employed to shift fractions of plain cigarettes and filter mouthpieces between them for the purpose of applying uniting bands consisting of tipping paper and serving to attach the filter mouthpieces to the corresponding fractions of plain cigarettes. The filter cigarettes of multiple unit length are severed while away from the main conveyor, and the thus obtained filter cigarettes of unit length are returned onto the main conveyor by a further drum-shaped conveyor.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An important object of the present invention is to improve the aforediscussed conventional apparatus and methods, particularly as concerns the number of required drums and/or other conveyors. Thus, a first conveyor can receive the components of rod-shaped smokers' products from a single additional conveyor, and such single additional conveyor (e.g., a drum) can be utilized to remove assembled rod-shaped smokers' products from the first conveyor. In conventional apparatus, the first conveyor must cooperate with a plurality of (such as four) additional conveyors with attendant increase of space requirements and of complexity of the means for supporting, rotating (or otherwise moving) and servicing the additional conveyor or conveyors.

Another object of our invention is to distribute various rod-shaped components and other parts of plain or filter cigarettes or the like in a novel and improved manner.

A further object of the invention is to enhance the versatility of conveyors which are utilized to transport parts of or complete rod-shaped smokers' products.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus which render it possible to subject the constituents of and/or the assembled rod-shaped smokers' products (e.g., filter cigarettes or cigarillos) to a number of different treatments, such as changing the permeability of their tubular wrappers or tipping paper, their appearance, their quality, their subdivision into rod-shaped products of ultimate length, the draping of uniting bands of tipping paper (a) around rod-shaped articles which contain tobacco and (b) around filter mouthpieces, the application of printed matter to cigarette paper and/or tipping paper and/or other treatments which, heretofore, necessitated the utilization of a large number of additional parts and/or additional steps.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above outlined character which can be readily combined with or embodied in existing cigarette making, filter mouthpiece making and/or analogous machines.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus which can be utilized in modern high-speed cigarette making or analogous machines without necessitating a reduction of the speed and/or the quality of the output of such machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a method of manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. The method comprises the steps of supplying the articles by at least one transfer conveyor along a predetermined path, transposing or transferring articles from at least one portion of the predetermined path onto at least one processing conveyor, moving the transposed articles by and simultaneously treating the moving articles on the at least one processing conveyor, and returning the treated articles from the at least one processing conveyor onto the at least one transfer conveyor.

The moving step can include transporting the articles along an endless path through an angular distance of at least about 360°.

At least one of the moving and treating steps can include rotating the articles about their respective longitudinal axes through an angular distance of at least about 360°.

Alternatively, the treating step can comprise at least one of several undertakings including rolling the articles about their longitudinal axes and changing the permeability of at least a portion of each article (such as its tubular wrapper) in the course of the moving step.

The method preferably includes manipulating a series of successive rod-shaped articles having predetermined diameters d, and the moving step of such method can include advancing successive articles of the series in a predetermined direction and at a mutual spacing of at least 1 d, preferably at least 4d.

The number of processing conveyors can equal n, and each processing conveyor can be provided with a series of spaced-apart receptacles for rod-shaped articles. The transposing step of the method which can be practiced by resorting to such processing conveyor(s) can include delivering articles into each nth receptacle. The number n is preferably between one and four, and the returning step of the method which can be practiced by resorting to such processing conveyor(s) can include delivering treated articles into unoccupied receptacles of the transfer conveyor(s). The treating step of the novel method which can be practiced by resorting to one or more processing conveyors having spaced-apart receptacles for rod-shaped products can include rolling each article on the processing conveyor(s) through an uneven multiple of the spacing of receptacles on the processing conveyor(s).

If the articles have envelopes (e.g., envelopes made of tipping paper and/or cigarette paper), the treatting step can include rolling the articles about their respective longitudinal axes and simultaneously perforating the envelopes of the rolling articles.

If the treated articles have a plurality of constituents including elongated cores and envelopes which at least partially surround the cores, the treating step can include draping the envelopes around the respective cores. Such draping step can include rotating the cores around their axes in the course of the draping step. Before performing the treating step it is possible to provide the envelopes to the cores by performing a step of attaching the envelopes to the cores. The attaching step can be carried out while the constituents of the articles are contacted by at least one of the following: the transfer conveyor, at least one intermediate conveyor which is arranged to deliver articles from the at least one transfer conveyor onto the at least one processing conveyor, the processing conveyor.

The transporting step can include conveying the articles from the at least one transfer conveyor onto the at least one processing conveyor by way of at least one intermediate conveyor, and the returning step of such method can include conveying the treated articles from the at least one processing conveyor onto the at least one transfer conveyor by way of the at least one intermediate conveyor.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a method of manipulating cigarettes and/or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. This method comprises the steps of supplying the articles by at least one transfer conveyor along a first path, transposing or transferring articles from the first path into at least one second path which is defined by at least one processing conveyor, moving the articles along and simultaneously treating the articles in the second path, and utilizing the processing conveyor to transport treated articles to the at last one transfer conveyor.

A further feature of our present invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. The apparatus comprises at least one transfer conveyor which is arranged to supply rod-shaped articles along a predetermined path, at least one processing conveyor which is arranged to receive articles being supplied by the at least one transfer conveyor and to move the thus supplied articles along at least one second path, and means for treating the articles in the second path. The conveyors are constructed and arranged to permit return of treated articles from the at least one second path back into the predetermined path.

The predetermined path can include a transfer portion where the articles leave the transfer conveyor for entry into the at least one second path which latter can constitute an endless path and include an evacuating portion where the treated articles leave the processing conveyor. The articles which enter the second path at the transfer portion can be arranged to advance along the second path through an angular distance of at least 360° prior to leaving the processing conveyor at the evacuating portion of the second path. The at least one processing conveyor can be provided with a series of spaced-apart neighboring receptacles (e.g., in the form of flutes) for discrete articles, and the treating means can comprise article rolling means which is adjacent the second path. The receptacles are arranged to advance the articles therein along the rolling means through an uneven multiple of the spacing between a pair of neighboring receptacles. If the apparatus is arranged to manipulate articles having variable-permeability portions, the treating means can further comprise at least one laser which is associated with the at least one processing conveyor and is arranged to change the permeability of the variable-permeability portions of the articles. Such apparatus can further comprise an article supplying conveyor which is arranged to deliver a series of untreated articles to selected receptacles of the transfer conveyor. The selected receptacles can include successive nth receptacles of the series, n being the number of transfer conveyors in such apparatus.

The at least one processing conveyor can include receptacles for the articles being supplied by the transfer conveyor and receptacles which are arranged to receive treated articles from the predetermined path.

If the number of processing conveyors is at least two, the treating means can include a laser which is arranged to emit a single beam of radiation, means for splitting the single beam into discrete beams, and means for directing discrete beams upon portions of articles on the at least two processing conveyors.

The apparatus can further comprise at least one intermediate conveyor which is arranged to transport untreated articles from the transfer conveyor toward the processing conveyor as well as to transport treated articles from the second path toward the predetermined path.

An additional feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry and comprising at least one transfer conveyor arranged to supply rod-shaped articles along a first path, at least one processing conveyor which is arranged to receive articles from the at least one transfer conveyor and to advance the thus received articles along a second path, and means for treating the advancing articles in the second path. The at least one processing conveyor is constructed and arranged and associated with the at least one transfer conveyor to effect at least partial delivery of treated articles from the second path into the first path. The at least one processing conveyor can comprise two endless flexible conveyors which define an article rolling channel, a first rotary conveyor having receptacles arranged to deliver untreated articles from the at least one transfer conveyor into an inlet of the rolling channel and second receptacles, a second rotary conveyor arranged to receive treated articles from an outlet of the rolling channel, and a third rotary conveyor arranged to transport treated articles from the second rotary conveyor to the first rotary conveyor. The rolling channel can be arranged to effect a rolling of the articles therein so as to ensure that the treated articles being advanced by the third rotary conveyor enter the second receptacles of the first rotary conveyor, and the first rotary conveyor can be arranged to deliver treated articles to the at least one transfer conveyor in one of a plurality of modes including (a) directly and (b) by way of at least one additional conveyor.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and the modes of assembling, adjusting and utilizing the same, together with numerous additional important and advantageous features and attributes thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic elevational view of an apparatus which embodies a first form of the present invention and is provided with means for changing the permeability of tubular envelopes or wrappers of rod-shaped smokers' products;

FIG. 2 is a similar fragmentary schematic elevational view of an apparatus constituting a modification of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic elevational view of an aparatus constituting a second modification of the apparatus which is shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view of a fourth apparatus wherein rod-shaped articles constituting or forming part of smokers' products are attached to each other by lengths of tipping paper;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic elevational view of a fifth apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a detail of the apparatus which is shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of an additional apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows certain relevant constituents of an apparatus 1 for manipulating rod-shaped articles 2 each of which constitutes a filter cigarette, cigar or cigarillo (hereinafter called cigarette or filter cigarette) of double unit length. Each of the illustrated cigarettes 2 is assumed to contain two axially spaced apart coaxial plain cigarettes of unit length, a rod-shaped filter mouthpiece of double unit length between the two plain cigarettes of unit length, and a tubular envelope or wrapper which surrounds the entire filter mouthpiece of double unit length as well as the adjacent end portions of the plain cigarettes. The envelope is normally made of so-called tipping paper which is halved in the region midway across the filter mouthpiece of double unit length before the treatment of the article 2 is completed so that such article yields two filter cigarettes of unit length.

Machines which can turn out articles 2 are disclosed for example, in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,008 granted Aug. 4, 1992 to Oesterling et al. for “METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FILTER CIGARETTES”.

A rotary drum-shaped conveyor 4 supplies cigarettes 2 from the maker (such as the aforementioned machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,008 to Oesterling et al.) to a first rotary drum-shaped transfer conveyor 12. The peripheral surface 10 of the conveyor 4 is driven to rotate counterclockwise (arrow 6) about the axis 8 and has equidistant axially parallel peripheral receptacles in the form of flutes which deliver successive cigarettes of a continuous series of normally equidistant cigarettes into successive axially parallel receptacles or flutes 20 in the cylindrical peripheral surface 18 of the conveyor 12. The latter is rotatable clockwise (see the arrow 16) about an axis 14 which is parallel to the axis 8 of the article supplying conveyor 4. The peripheral surface 18 defines an arcuate path for the transport of successive articles 2 delivered by the supplying conveyor 4 into a (predetermined) path defined by the peripheral surface 18 of the transfer conveyor 12. The reference character 44 denotes in FIG. 1 the peripheral surface of a cigarette 2; a portion of such peripheral surface is received in the corresponding axially parallel peripheral flute in the cylindrical peripheral surface 10 of the article supplying conveyor 4. The distances between neighboring flutes in the cylindrical peripheral surface 10 of the conveyor 4 (as seen in the direction of the arrow 6) equal or exceed 2 d (wherein d is the diameter of an article 2). The peripheral speed of the surface 10 matches that of the surface 18; this ensures predictable transfer of cigarettes 2 from the flutes of the article supplying conveyor into the oncoming flutes of the conveyor 12. Such predictable transfer of articles 2 from the conveyor 4 onto the conveyor 12 is further ensured by proper selection of the distance between the axes 8 and 14. The mutual spacing of neighboring receptacles or flutes 20 in the peripheral surface 18 of the transfer conveyor 12 equals one-half the mutual spacing of neighboring flutes in the peripheral surface 10 of the article supplying conveyor 4; this ensures that each second flute 20 in the peripheral surface 18 remains empty when such flutes advance along and beyond the transfer station between the conveyors 4 and 12.

The apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 further comprises a first drum-shaped rotary article processing conveyor 22 which is driven counterclockwise (see the arrow 24) about its axis 26 and has a cylindrical peripheral surface 28. The axis 26 is parallel to the axes 8 and 14, and the distance between the axes 14, 26 is selected with a view to ensure highly reliable transfer of cigarettes 2 from the flutes 20 of the conveyor 12 into the peripheral receptacles or flutes 30 of the conveyor 22. The widths of the flutes 30 (as seen in the direction of the arrow 24) are selected in such a way that the peripheral surface 44 of the article can roll in such flute under the action of a rolling member 34 which constitutes or forms part of a means for treating the articles 2 during travel with the processing conveyor 22.

Each flute 32 is flanked at its trailing end (as seen in the direction of arrow 24) by an axially parallel projection 32 in the form of an elongated rib which abuts the peripheral surface 44 of the cigarette 2 in the respective flute 30 when the rolling of such cigarette by the member 34 is completed. The distance between each pair of neighboring ribs 32 is 4n wherein n is the spacing between neighboring flutes 30 provided in the peripheral surface 28 of the processing conveyor 22. The widths of the flutes 30 (as seen in the direction of the arrow 24) are selected in such a way that the extent of rolling of an article 2 in its flute 30 (again as seen in the direction of the arrow 24) matches three times the distance between the neighboring flutes 20 on the transfer conveyor 12 of the apparatus 1 being illustrated in FIG. 1.

The rotating rolling member 34 has an external rolling surface 36 which comes in contact with the external surfaces 44 of successive articles 2. The speed of the surface 36 matches that of the peripheral surface 28 of the processing conveyor 22, and the axis of the rolling member 34 is parallel to that (26) of the conveyor 22. This rolling member is caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 1) and is provided with suitable recesses, cutouts and/or windows for the passage of the beam or beams 40 issuing from a laser 38 (such beam or beams can also reach the wrappers of the articles 2 in successive recesses or receptacles 30 by traveling along the exterior of the suitably configurated rolling member 34). The beam or beams 40 can impinge upon the adjacent articles 2 in a direction radially of the peripheral surface 28 of the treating or processing conveyor 22. At least one lens 42 is provided to focus the beam(s) 40 upon selected portions of external surfaces 44 of the tubular wrappers of successive cigarettes 2 in order to change the permeability of such wrappers. The parts 34, 38 can cooperate to provide the wrappers of the articles 2 with one or more annuli of perforations of desired size and/or shape, depending upon the desired or required permeability of the wrappers of the finished smokers' products. The articles 2 are in motion with the conveyor 22 (about the axis 26) as well as clockwise relative to this conveyor (as a result of rolling movement in the respective flutes).

The apparatus 1 further comprises a second treating or processing conveyor 52 which is adjacent the transfer conveyor 12 but is spaced apart from the first treating conveyor 12. The conveyor 52 is or can be identical with the conveyor 22 and its parts are denoted by similar reference characters plus 30. For example, the conveyor 52 is arranged to rotate about an axis 56 which is parallel to the axis 26 of the conveyor 22, the conveyor 52 has a cylindrical peripheral surface 58 corresponding to the peripheral surface 28 of the conveyor 22, and so on. Analogously, the rolling member 64, the laser 68 and the lens 72 (these parts are associated with the second treating conveyor 52) correspond to the aforedescribed parts 34, 38 and 42 which are means for treating the articles 2 on the conveyor 22.

Still further, the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 comprises a rotary drum-shaped removing conveyor 80 which is driven to rotate counterclockwise (see the arrow 82) about its axis 84 which is parallel to the axes 8, 14, 26 and 56. The peripheral surface 86 of the removing conveyor 80 is provided with axially parallel flutes for finished filter cigarettes 178 of double unit length which are supplied by the transfer conveyor 12. The latter delivers some of the unfinished cigarettes 2 to the first treating or processing conveyor 22 at a first transfer station 31 and receives finished (perforated) cigarettes 178 (see also FIG. 5) at a returning or evacuating station 33. Analogously, the transfer conveyor 12 delivers untreated cigarettes 2 (which have bypassed the stations 31 and 33) to a transfer station 61 where such untreated articles are taken over by the second treating or processing conveyor 52, and the latter delivers finished (perforated) cigarettes 178 to the first transfer conveyor 12 at a second evacuating or delivering station 63. A collecting conveyor 80 which is driven to rotate counterclockwise (arrow 82) about its axis 84 has axially parallel peripheral flutes for finished cigarettes 178. Such flutes are provided in the peripheral surface 86 of the removing conveyor 80.

The operation of the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 is as follows:

The article supplying conveyor 4 delivers a series of equidistant parallel untreated cigarettes 2 from a suitable machine, e.g., that disclosed in the aforementioned commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,008 to Oesterling et al. The cigarettes advance in the direction of arrow 6 and are supplied into the flutes 20 of the first transfer conveyor 12 which is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow 16. The spacing between neighboring cigarettes 2 on the conveyor 4 is at least 2 d wherein d is the diameter of a cigarette. Since the spacing of neighboring flutes 20 in the peripheral surface 18 of the first transfer conveyor 12 equals d, the conveyor 4 delivers untreated cigarettes 2 into each second flute 20.

The conveyor 12 delivers each second article 2 into successive rolling flutes 30 in the peripheral surface 28 of the first treating or processing conveyor 22. The reason for such transfer of articles from the conveyor 12 onto the conveyor 22 is that the spacing between neighboring flutes 30 equals four times the spacing between neighboring flutes 20 on the transfer conveyor 12.

Successive articles 2 advance with the conveyor 22 and are caused to roll in the respective flutes 30 when they reach the peripheral surface 36 of the rolling member 34. Each article 2 is caused to roll rearwardly (i.e., counter to the direction indicated by the arrow 24) and such rolling movement is terminated when an article reaches the respective projection or rib 32 at the trailing end of the corresponding flute 30. The cylindrical wrappers of the articles 2 in the respective recesses 30 in the peripheral surface 28 of the processing conveyor 22 are perforated by the laser beam 40 or by the split portions of the beam 40 while such articles rotate with and roll relative to the conveyor 22. The beam 40 is or can constitute a pulsating laser beam so that it can provide the wrappers of successive articles on the conveyor 22 with a desired pattern of perforations. The arrangement is or can be such that each article 2 performs at least one full revolution about its longitudinal axis while its external surface 44 rolls in the corresponding flute 30 of the conveyor 22.

The freshly perforated articles 178 on the conveyor 22 (i.e., those which have advanced beyond the rolling member 34) are shown as being darker than the articles with unperforated wrappers; such illustration is being resorted to for convenient distinguishment between treated and untreated articles. Each article 2 which has undergone a perforating treatment at the rolling member 34 remains in its flute 30 while the treating conveyor 22 rotates through slightly more than 360° and such article is then transferred (at 33) back onto the first transfer conveyor 12. The locus where an untreated article 2 leaves the conveyor 12 for transfer onto the first treating of processing conveyor 22 is shown at 31. It will be seen that, in the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1, an article 2 which is being treated while advancing with the conveyor 22 remains on this conveyor (from 33 to 31 while advancing in the direction of the arrow 24) through an angle of slightly more than 360°. It is also possible to select the position 31 in such a way that it coincides with the position 33. Each article 178 (perforated filter cigarette of double unit length) which returns onto the conveyor 12 is angularly offset (rearwardly) through a distance which equals that between the flutes 20 in the peripheral surface 18 of the conveyor 2.

The conveyor 12 transports each freshly obtained finished (treated) article 178 in a clockwise direction (arrow 16) toward and beyond the second treating or processing conveyor 52. In other words, the once treated and finished articles 178 bypass the conveyor 52 and are transferred onto the removing conveyor 80 which rotates counterclockwise (arrow 82) about its axis 84 (which is parallel to the axes 8, 14, 26 and 56). The peripheral surface 86 of the drum-shaped removing conveyor 80 can be identical with the cylindrical peripheral surface 10 of the article supplying conveyor 4. The finished articles 178 can be halved on the conveyor 80 (so that each thereof yields two filter cigarettes of unit length) and/or otherwise treated (e.g., imprinted with the trade-mark of the manufacturer and/or provided with other printed matter, rolled once more or more than once to obtain a desired optimum diameter prior to delivery to storage or into a packing machine (not shown). It goes without saying that the distance between the axes 14 and 84 is selected with a view to ensure unimpeded transfer of finished articles 178 from the first transfer conveyor 12 onto the removing conveyor 80, even if the improved apparatus is installed in a modern high-speed filter cigarette making and processing machine.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of an apparatus 90 (for use in a filter cigarette making and processing machine) which distinguishes from the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 only or primarily in that the two perforating units 34-43 and 64-72 of FIG. 1 are replaced with a modified perforating apparatus including a single laser 92 arranged to furnish two laser beams 40 and 70. The beam 40 is manipulated by or cooperates with a rolling member 34 having a rolling surface 36 and serving to perforate the tubular wrappers (of tipping paper and/or cigarette paper) on the rod-shaped articles 2 constituting filter cigarettes which travel with and roll relative to the peripheral surface 28 of the first drum-shaped treating or processing (perforating) conveyor 22. The second laser beam 70, also furnished by the laser 92, is utilized to peforate the tubular wrappers of articles 2 on the second drum-shaped rotary perforating conveyor 52. The conventional beam divider which splits the beam issuing from the laser 92 into the beams 40, 70 is not shown in FIG. 2.

The manner in which the rod-shaped articles 2, 178 are attracted to the peripheral surfaces of various drum-shaped and/or other conveyors, and in which such articles are caused or permitted to move from a preceding rotary and/or otherwise movable conveyor (e.g., normally by suction and by resorting to jets of compressed air) is well known in the art of making and manipulating plain and/or filter cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, filter rod sections, cigarette, cigar or cigarillo rods and analogous commodities and, therefore, is not specifically shown in the drawing. Reference may be had, for example, to FIG. 2 of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,965 to Komori et al. Furthermore, identical reference characters employed in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the present application, as well as in FIGS. 3 through 7, denote identical or plainly analogous parts and, therefore, will be described in detail again only to the extent which is necessary for a full understanding of various embodiments of the instant invention as well as for a full understanding of differences between various embodiments of the invention.

As already mentioned hereinbefore, the transfer station 31 for unfinished articles 2 between the conveyors 12 and 22 in the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 is or can be identical (i.e., it can coincide) with the transfer station 33 for delivery of finished articles 178 from the conveyor 22 back to the conveyor 22. This ensures that the perforated (treated) articles 178 coming from the conveyor 22 and returning onto the conveyor 12 are offset by a distance corresponding to that between three neighboring grooves 20 of the conveyor 12 relative to such articles before they leave the conveyor 12.

The conveyors 12 and 52 cooperate in such a way that all treated articles 178 which have been delivered to the conveyor 12 by the first treating or processing conveyor 22 are not accepted by the conveyor 52. The latter accepts only those (untreated) articles 2 which have advanced from the supplying conveyor 4, which have been transferred from the conveyor 4 onto the first transfer conveyor 12, which have bypassed (at 31, 33) the conveyor 22 on their way with the conveyor 12 from the conveyor 22, past the stations 31, 33 and to the transfer station 61 between the conveyor 12 and the second treating or processing conveyor 52. The latter is driven to rotate counterclockwise (arrow 54) toward and cooperates with the peripheral surface 66 of the rotating rolling member 64 so that the external surfaces 44 of the theretofore untreated articles 2 roll between the surfaces 60 and 62 until the freshly treated articles 178 reach the projections 62 at the corresponding flutes 60. This takes place downstream of the peripheral surface 66 of the rotating rolling member 64, i.e., downstream of the region where the laser beam(s) has or have completed the perforating action so that the permeability of the wrappers of articles 2 abutting the respective projections 62 has reached the desired optimum value.

The articles 178 which were treated on the conveyor 22 remain on the first transfer conveyor 12 and advance therewith past the stations 61, 63 toward and onto the removing conveyor 80. They are joined (on the conveyor 12 downstream of the stations 61, 63 (which can coincide with each other) by the freshly treated articles 178 which have been perforated by the laser beam(s) 70) and are accepted by the fluted removing conveyor 80. The distribution of flutes in the peripheral surface 86 of the removing conveyor 80 is preferably identical with that of the flutes in the cylindrical peripheral surface 10 of the article supplying conveyor 4.

An important advantage of the apparatus 1 and 90, as well as of the methods which can be practiced by resorting to such apparatus, is that a single transfer conveyor (such as 12) suffices to receive untreated articles 2, to transport untreated articles to at least one treating or processing conveyor (such as 22 and/or 55) and to receive (at 31 and/or 33 and/or at 61 and/or 63) freshly treated articles (such as 178) for transport to one or more next processing stations. This entails substantial savings, especially as concerns the number of conveyors; for example, the apparatus of FIG. 1 can reliably guarantee the dispensing with up to four conveyors. One feature of the invention resides in the recognition that the transfer conveyor (such as 12), which can constitute a relatively simple drum, need not be fully occupied, i.e., that it can comprise empty flutes or analogous receptacles (e.g., including those between the conveyors 80 and 4). The empty flutes can serve to receive finished or partly finished articles from the treating or processing conveyor(s).

Another important advantage of the improved method and apparatus is that the articles can travel along arcuate paths (between the locations 31, 33) of at least 360° on their way from a transfer conveyor (such as the conveyor 12) and back to the transfer conveyor. This ensures that the articles which necessitate a treatment can undergo one or more necessary treatments (e.g., enhancing or improving the (cylindrical) shape of the articles as a result of simultaneous rolling contact with the surfaces 28 and 36 and improving the permeability of the tubular wrappers of plain cigarettes and/or the permeability of tubular tipping paper wrappers which bond the plain cigarettes to the filter mouthpiece(s) between them).

FIG. 3 shows certain details of a simplified third apparatus 100 with a single rotary drum-shaped treating or processing conveyor 22. Save for the absence of the second treating conveyor 52 and the associated perforating (treating) parts 64, 68, 72, the apparatus 100 is identical with the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 and its parts are denoted by similar reference characters.

The operation of the apparatus which is shown in FIG. 3 is as follows:

The article supplying conveyor 4 cooperates with a further article supplying conveyor (not shown, e.g., a conveyor of a filter cigarette making machine) in such a way that only each second flute in the peripheral surface 44 of the conveyor 4 receives an article 2. Consequently, and due to different distribution of flutes in the peripheral surface 10 of the conveyor 4 and flutes 20 in the peripheral surface 18 of the transfer conveyor 12, only each fourth flute 20 receives an article 2 from the conveyor 4. This ensures that all of the articles 2 supplied by the conveyor 4 can be treated (perforated) on a single treating or processing conveyor (22). In other words, the second treating conveyor 52 of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, as well as the second perforating assembly including the laser 68 and the rolling member 64, can be omitted.

It will be seen that, by the simple expedient of properly selecting the number of treating or processing conveyors, one can conform the improved apparatus to the output of the machine which delivers partly finished rod-shaped articles and to achieve savings in equipment (such as commodities including those shown at 64, 68 in FIG. 1) which is required to treat the partly finished rod-shaped articles.

The apparatus 1 or 100 can be further modified (simplified) by omiting the first treating or processing conveyor 22 if the treatment of articles does not involve a change of permeability of tubular envelopes of the articles. In such simplified apparatus, the articles are simply transported by the conveyor 12 from the supplying conveyor 4 to the removing conveyor 80. This also constitutes an important improvement over the state of prior art because, in conventional apparatus which are set up to perforate the envelopes or wrappers, all parts which are needed to carry out the perforating step(s) are present even if the perforating of certain series or types or groups of rod-shaped articles is not desirable or required. The presence of certain conveyors and/or tools or implements which are needed only to carry out one or more types of treatment not needed in connection with the making of all cigarettes or other articles of the tobacco processing industry normally or invariably reduces the output of the machinery and contributes, at least temporarily, to unnecessary space requirements of the machine. The apparatus of the present invention can be constructed to avoid often substantial space requirements of its parts, to reduce the numbers of such parts, and to minimize the amount of maintenance work.

It is often desirable and advantageous to provide the improved apparatus with a transfer conveyor which is associated with several processing or treating conveyors. For example, if the transfer conveyor is provided with an even number of receptacles (such as flutes), each second receptacle can be arranged to receive an article and such articles can be alternatively supplied to two identical drum-shaped processing conveyors which are adjacent to each other. Reference may be had, for example, to the apparatus of FIG. 1 wherein the transfer conveyor 12 has 72 flutes and cooperates with two processing conveyors 22, 52.

If the improved apparatus comprises a single treating or processing conveyor (such as the conveyor 22 in the apparatus 100 of FIG. 3), the arrangement can be such that only each fourth receptacle of the transfer conveyor receives an article or a set of coaxial articles and the spacing between neighboring receptacles is at least one-third of the circumference of a receptacle. This ensures that the (treated) articles arriving from the single processing conveyor (22) back onto the transfer conveyor (12) are spaced apart from each other by a distance (as seen in the direction of advancement of the articles) which matches or exceeds the circumferential length of an article. A preferred arrangement is that wherein the distance is four thirds of the circumference of an article; this ensures that the article which is to be perforated is treated all the way around its periphery. Reference may be had to the aforediscussed flutes 30 in the peripheral surface 28 of the processing conveyor 22 in the apparatus 100 of FIG. 3.

The exact manner in which the conveyors of the improved apparatus can rotate and/or otherwise move relative to each other (in order to ensure predictable transfer of rod-shaped articles between such conveyors) is well known from the art of filter cigarette making and analogous tobacco or tobacco filter material processing machines. This applies, for example, for the selection of rotational speeds of various conveyors, such as the transfer conveyor 12 and the processing conveyor 22 in the apparatus 100 of FIG. 3. In other words, the diameters of such conveyors, the spacings between their flutes and their rotational speeds must be related to each other with a view to ensure highly predictable transfer of untreated rod-shaped articles from the conveyor 12 into empty flutes of the conveyor 22, as well as equally predictable transfer of finished articles from the conveyor 22 into empty flutes of the conveyor 12. Presently preferred transfer and treating conveyors (such as 12 and 22) can include drums having receptacles in the form of flutes which are provided in their peripheral surfaces, and such receptacles can be spaced apart from each other (in the direction of travel of the articles) by distances which equal or exceed one-third of the circumferential length of an article.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a fourth apparatus 104 for the processing of cigarettes or the like (not shown). This apparatus is especially suited for the branching off of various treatments of cigarettes or the like. The median portion of FIG. 4 shows a substantially horizontal (production) line or chain 106 of rotary drums or other suitable conveyors for rod-shaped articles in a filter tipping machine. Two processing branches 108, 110 extend from the chain 106 substantially vertically downwardly, and each such branch is equipped with means for processing the articles. The characters 112, 114 denote branches which serve to supply filter rod sections substantially vertically downwardly for assembly with the plain cigarettes. The maker of the filter cigarettes can select the branches 108, 110 and/or the branches 112, 114 which are to be put to use in order to make selected types and/or quantities of plain and/or filter cigarettes.

In the apparatus 104 of FIG. 4, the branches 108 and 110 serve to provide groups of coaxial rod-shaped articles (such as of coaxial plain cigarettes with a coaxial filter mouthpiece or filter rod of double unit length between them) with tubular envelopes consisting of tipping paper or the like. The filter mouthpieces which are supplied at 148 are furnished by the branch 112. The branch 114 supplies filter mouthpieces which are united with pairs of coaxial plain cigarettes in the branch 110. The various conveyors of the apparatus 104 are designed and driven and cooperate with each other in a manner which is customary in filter cigarette making machines.

In order to provide the branches 108, 110 with requisite quantities of plain cigarettes and filter mouthpieces, the linear chain 106 of conveyors respectively receives such rod-shaped products from a supply branch 116 (filter mouthpieces) and a supply branch 118 (plain cigarettes). The branch 116 supplies articles to the branch 108, and the branch 118 supplies articles to the branch 110. It is clear that the just described sequences of delivery of rod-shaped articles can be reversed, and it is also possible to omit or disconnect (deactivate) the branch 116 or 118 without necessitating a full stoppage of the chain 106. It is presently preferred to design the chain 106 in such a way that each of the branches 108, 110, 116 and 118 can be operated independently of the other branch(es), e.g. each of such branches can be turned on or off without necessitating complete stoppage of the other branch(es).

It is equally within the purview of the invention to deliver filter mouthpieces at one or more locations other than the branch(es) 112 and/or 114, namely at any suitable location or locations disposed ahead of the station or locus where the filter mouthpieces are to be coupled to single plain cigarettes or to pairs of plain cigarettes by uniting bands made of tipping paper or the like.

One presently preferred mode of assembling and operating the apparatus 104 of FIG. 4 is as follows: The major part of the illustrated chain 106 includes a substantially linear array of successive drum-shaped conveyors 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134 and 136, i.e., the articles advance from the conveyor 120, through the conveyors 122-134 and to the conveyor 136. Finished filter cigarettes leave the apparatus 104 at the conveyor 136 in the direction indicated by the arrow 138. Such finished articles can be taken over in a customary way by a removing conveyor corresponding to the conveyor 80 in the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1. Each finished filter cigarete of double unit length is halved to yield a pair of filter cigarettes of unit length. Such cigarettes can be fed into an apparatus (e.g., of the type shown in FIG. 3) wherein the tubular wrappers of the filter cigarettes are perforated with one or more laser beams or in another suitable manner. The pairs of coaxial perforated filter cigarettes are thereupon moved axially and away from each other prior to undergoing a so-called head test and, if necessary, one or more additional tests which are customary in connection with the making and processing of filter cigarettes.

The first drum-shaped conveyor 120 of the chain 106 receives plain cigarettes from the branches 116 and 118. The branch 116 includes the conveyor 140 which receives plain cigarettes from a machine (not shown) serving to turn out a row of pairs of plain cigarettes from a machine which is designed to turn out a single row of plain cigarettes or from a machine which furnishes a row of pairs of coaxial plain cigarettes. A machine which is designed to turn out pairs of cigarettes obtained from two simultaneously produced cigarette rods is disclosed, for example, in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,419 granted Jun. 30, 1992 to Heitmann for “METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PLURAL TOBACCO STREAMS”.

The conveyor 140 of the chain 106 delivers plain cigarettes of double unit length to a severing drum 142 which cooperates with a knife 144 to divide each plain cigarette of double unit length into two plain cigarettes of unit length. The severing drum 142 delivers pairs of plain cigarettes of unit length onto a spreading drum 146 which moves the cigarettes of each pair axially and away from each other in order to provide between them room for filter mouthpieces of double unit length.

The conveyors 140a, 142a, 146a and the knife 144a of the branch 118 operate in the same way as the aforedescribed parts 140, 142, 146 and 144, i.e., they also furnish to the drum-shaped transfer conveyor 120 pairs of axially spaced apart plain cigarettes of unit length. Thus, the conveyor 120 receives and transports two families or groups of pairs of spaced-apart coaxial plain cigarettes, namely those obtained from the conveyors 146 and 146a. To this end, the conveyor 120 is provided with suitable receptacles in the form of flutes which are provided in its peripheral surface and are parallel to its axis. The pairs of articles received from the conveyors 146, 146a are transferred by the conveyor 120 onto the conveyor 122 of the chain 106. It will be seen that the conveyor 122 can be said to serve as a distributor which supplies pairs of coaxial articles (coming from the drum 140) to the branch 108 of the apparatus 104 of FIG. 4. The pairs of coaxial articles which the distributor conveyor 122 receives from the conveyor 140a are transferred onto a further (e.g., drum-shaped) conveyor 124 to be processed in that portion of the apparatus 104 which includes the branch 110.

The conveyor 124 performs the additional function of assembling pairs of plain cigarettes of unit length coming from the conveyor 122 with discrete filter rod sections of unit length which are supplied by the drum-shaped conveyor 148 of the branch 112 in the apparatus 104. The conveyor 148 can receive filter mouthpieces from one or more additional conveyors (not shown), or directly from a filter rod making machine, e.g., a machine disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,007 granted Aug. 10, 1976 to Greve for “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILTER ROD SECTIONS OR THE LIKE”.

The conveyor 124 advances filter rod sections of double unit length which are obtained from the filter rod section supplying drum 148 and each of which enters (on the conveyor 122) a gap between two coaxial plain cigarettes of unit length (supplied by the conveyor 120) in a flute of the conveyor 124. An intermediate transfer conveyor 150 of the branch 108 receives from the conveyor 122 successive arrays of three coaxial rod-shaped articles, namely two spaced apart plain cigarettes of unit length and a filter mouthpiece of double unit length between them. The branch 108 further comprises a drum-shaped conveyor 152 which receives successive arrays from the conveyor 150 and delivers such arrays to the flutes of a drum-shaped conveyor 160 analogous to one of the treating or processing conveyors 22, 52 in the apparatus of FIG. 1. The conveyor 152 cooperates with a uniting band attaching drum-shaped conveyor 158 which cooperates with a rotary severing drum 156 carrying an annular array of knives which subdivide a continuous uniting band 154 into discrete uniting bands of a length sufficient for conversion into cylindrical enevelopes. The conveyor 152 cooperates with the conveyor 158 in such a way that each successive array of two plain cigarettes of unit length and a filter rod section of double unit length between them receives a uniting band in a position to adhere to the entire filter rod section of double unit length and to the adjacent (inner) end portions of the respective plain cigarettes of unit length. Such arrays are transferred onto the conveyor 160 which cooperates with the concave surface of a rolling or wrapping member 162 to convert each array and the respective uniting band of double unit length into a filter cigarette of double unit length. It will be appreciated that one side of the continuous uniting band 154 or each discrete uniting band on the conveyor 152 is coated with a film of adhesive not later than when the respective array reaches the rolling gap between the parts 160, 162 of the branch 108.

When the rolling of an array on the conveyor 160 is completed, the thus obtained filter cigarette of double unit length is received in an empty flute of the conveyor 160 (or in an empty portion of such flute) for transfer back into an empty flute of the conveyor 152 and thence back into an empty flute of the conveyor 150.

The function of the conveyor 130 is analogous to that of the transfer conveyor 122, i.e., it receives finished filter cigarettes of double unit length from the conveyor 150a for delivery to a removing conveyor 132 which delivers such articles to the conveyor 134. The latter supplies the thus received commodities to the conveyor 136 which delivers them to one or more additional stations (in the direction of arrow 138), e.g., to one or more imprinting stations, to a packing station or to a magazine, not shown.

The transfer conveyor 130 further serves to receive rod-shaped articles in a manner analogous to that already described with reference to the transfer conveyor 122, namely from a filter rod sections supplying conveyor 161 by way of the conveyor 132. The conveyor 161 forms part of the second filter mouthpiece supplying branch 114. The flutes of the conveyor 130 receive pairs of axially spaced apart coaxial plain cigarettes from the conveyors 124, 126, 128 and filter rod sections of double unit length from the conveyor 161 via conveyor 132. Such arrays of pairs of plain cigarettes of unit length and a filter mouthpiece of double unit length between them are transferred from the conveyor 130 to the conveyor 150a which is a functional equivalent of the aforedescribed conveyor 150.

The conveyors 152a and 160a respectively cooperate with the conveyor 158a and rolling member 162a. The conveyor 158a cooperates with the severing drum 156a to deliver uniting bands (obtained as a result of severing of a second endless web 154a of tipping paper) to the arrays of three rod-shaped articles each on the conveyor 152a. The finished filter cigarettes of double unit length which are obtained or formed in the arcuate rolling gap between the parts 160a, 162a are transported onto the conveyor 130 (by way of the parts 160a, 152a, 150a) and are merged with the finished filter cigaretttes of double unit length which are delivered to the conveyor 130 by the conveyor 128. The two groups of filter cigarettes of double unit length are taken over by the conveyor 132 and are transported in the direction of the arrow 138 via conveyors 132, 134 and 136.

FIG. 5 shows in greater detail and drawn to a larger scale a portion of the apparatus 104 of FIG. 4 and certain additional features, especially those embodied in or associated with the branches 108, 112 and 116 of the apparatus 104. The conveyor 146 of the branch 116 has axially parallel peripheral flutes, and each third flute supplies a composite article 166 consisting of two axially spaced apart plain cigarettes of unit length into each third flute on the conveyor 120. Each such group 166 is illustrated as a circle with a horizontal diameter. The circles 168 with inclined diameters denote articles furnished to the conveyor 120 from the conveyor 146a of the branch 118.

The conveyor 146 of FIG. 5 carries an article 166 in each third flute. The same holds true for the articles 168 (in each third flute of the conveyor 146a). The arcuate arrows denote in FIG. 5 the directions of rotation of the conveyors 146, 146a and others. The conveyors 146 and 146a deliver the respective articles 166, 168 into the flutes of the conveyor 120. The purpose of the conveyors 146, 146a is to move the components of the respective articles 166 and 168 axially and away from each other, and the conveyor 120 delivers the articles 166, 168 into the flutes of the conveyor 122. The latter delivers the articles 168 coming from the branch 118 directly to the drum-shaped removing conveyor 124. As already described with reference to FIG. 4, the conveyor 122 delivers the articles to the conveyor 126 by way of the conveyor 124 and thence to the conveyor 150a of the processing branch 110 by way of the conveyors 128, 130.

The twin articles 166 which are furnished by the supplying branch 116 advance toward and onto the conveyor 150 by way of the conveyors 120, 122 and are assembled with filter mouthpieces 170 of double unit length while advancing with the conveyor 122. The filter mouthpieces 170 are supplied by the branch 112. The thus obtained groups 172 (each containing two plain cigarettes 168 of unit length and a filter mouthpiece 170 of double unit length between them) are shown in FIG. 5 in the form of circles with a pair of diagonals which are normal to each other.

The groups 172 are transferred from the conveyor 150 onto the conveyor 152 which advances past the drum 158 to receive tipping papers 174 of predetermined length, and such tipping papers are convoluted around the respective groups 172 in the gap between the conveyor 160 and the rolling implement 162 to form finished filter cigarettes 178 of double unit length. Such finished articles 178 are denoted by filled circles.

The source of continuous (endless) web 154 of tipping paper is not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The same applies for the means for moving the rolling implement 162 which can be operated to move in the direction of arrow 176 shown in FIG. 5. This arrow indicates that, while a uniting band 174 is being rolled around the article 172 moving in the arcuate passage between the parts 160, 162, the article 172 moves rearwardly (i.e., counter to the direction of rotation of the conveyor 160).

The thus obtained finished filter cigarette 178 of double unit length moves toward and onto the conveyor 124 by way of the conveyors 152, 150 and 122, and thereupon advances in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. 5, namely onto the conveyor 126 (shown in FIG. 5 merely as an arrow) and thence onto the conveyors 128, 130, 132, 134 and 136 (as shown in and as already described with reference to FIG. 4). Such mode of operation is possible because the conveyors 124, 126, etc. have empty flutes for the products 178 as well as additional flutes for other products including components received from the branches 110 and 114 shown in FIG. 4.

The apparatus 106 of FIGS. 4 and 5 can be modified in a number of additional ways without departing from the spirit of our invention. For example, the dotted circle 150a′ shown at the top of FIG. 5 indicates that the branch 110 of FIG. 4 can be arranged to deliver finished articles 178 directly into empty flutes of the drum-shaped conveyor 122. FIG. 5 further shows a dotted-line circle 150a′ which denotes that the branch 110 can be arranged to deliver finished rod-shaped articles 178 directly to the conveyor 152; this renders it possible to dispense with the conveyors 126, 128 and 130. The drum 160′ could serve to receive and deliver filter cigarettes 168 of double unit length with attendant savings in space and parts; this applies for each of the two embodiments employing the parts 150′, 150″.

In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention which resembles or is identical with that of FIGS. 4 to 6, the transfer conveyor (such as the conveyor 122 shown in FIG. 5) has an even number (e.g., 32) of peripheral flutes which are equidistant from each other as seen in the circumferential direction of the conveyor. The associated article processing conveyor (such as the conveyor 160 of FIG. 5) also comprises an even number (e.g., 18) of axially parallel equidistant peripheral flutes. The flutes on the processing conveyor 160 are arranged in such a way that the articles (such as 172, 178) which are received therein are compelled to roll along the concave surface of the stationary rolling member 162 through an uneven multiple of the length of circumference of an article (as measured in the direction of transport of articles in the rolling gap). The uneven multiple can amount to not less than one-third of the circumference of an article. This ensures that the finished articles 178 enter unoccupied flutes of the transfer conveyor (122) which delivers such articles into the receptacles (e.g., flutes) of a further conveyor (such as the drum-shaped removing conveyor 124 of FIG. 5).

It is often preferred and advisable to select the spacing between the articles (such as 178 in FIG. 5) which leave the article treating or processing conveyor (such as the conveyor 160 of FIG. 5) in such a way that their mutual spacing equals or exceeds the circumference of an article. This ensures that each such article can invariably rotate (on the processing conveyor 160) about its axis through an angle of at least about 360° which, in turn, guarantees predictable changes of permeability (as a result of perforation) all the way around the axis of the article. It has been ascertained that a rotation of artices through four thirds (360°+120°) of the circumference of an article is highly satisfactory for predictable changes of permeability of rod-shaped articles 178 on the article treating or processing conveyor 160 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows a portion of the branch 108 in the apparatus or unit 104 of FIGS. 4 and 5 but drawn to a still larger scale. The characters 172 again denote pairs of coaxial filter cigarettes of unit length and discrete filter mouthpieces of double unit length which are advanced by the conveyors 150, 152 and 160 into the arcuate rolling gap between the conveyor 160 and the rolling member 162, and finished filter cigarettes 178 of double unit length which advance from the aforementioned rolling gap along the left-hand portion of the conveyor 160, along the conveyor 152 and onto the conveyor 150 which latter delivers the finished articles to the conveyor 122 (see FIG. 5). The directions in which the groups 172 and finished cigarettes 178 are transferred between neighboring conveyors are indicated by non-referenced arrows.

FIG. 7 illustrates a portion (branch 108) of a further apparatus wherein the stationary rolling member 162 of FIGS. 4 to 6 is replaced with a rolling member employing two endless conveyor belts 188, 196. The finished filter cigarettes of double unit length are shown 178 and the groups of coaxial plain cigarettes with a filter rod section between them are shown at 172. The structure of FIG. 7 can be utilized in the apparatus of FIGS. 4 to 6 as a substitute for the branch 108.

The endless conveyor belts 188, 196 include spaced-apart straight portions which define a straight rolling channel 180 for the conversion of groups 172 into finished rod-shaped aticles 178. The belt 196 is trained over two pulleys 192, 194, and the belt 188 is trained over drums 182, 184 and a driven pulley 190 between such drums. A drum-shaped conveyor 186 serves to transport successive finished articles 178 from the drum-shaped conveyor 184 onto the drum 182 whence the finished articles 178 are transferred onto the conveyor 152 for transport onto the drum-shaped conveyor 122 via conveyor 150. Portions of the belt 188 are recessed into peripheral grooves which are provided in the drums 182, 184, 186.

The speed of the belt 196 departs from that of the belt 188 so that the articles 172 are compelled to advance in the rolling channel 180 and to simultaneously roll about their axes. This causes the uniting bands 174 (delivered onto the articles 172 during travel with the conveyor 152) to roll about the filter mouthpieces of double unit length as well as around the adjacent end portions of the respective plain cigarettes of unit length; the rolling operation is completed not later than when the articles of successive groups 172 reach the discharge end or outlet of the channel 180.

The conveyor 182 serves to transfer successive groups 172 of rod-shaped articles from the conveyor 152 directly into the inlet of the rolling channel 180. The purpose of the conveyor 184 is to accept finished filter cigarettes 178 of double unit length from the discharge end or outlet of the channel 180. The conveyor 184 transfers the finished filter cigarettes 178 onto the conveyor 186, and the latter advances such finished articles to the conveyor 122 via conveyors 182, 152 and 150.

The endless conveyor belts 188, 196 cooperate (in the same way as the conveyor 160 and stationary rolling member 162 of FIG. 6) to decelerate the groups 172 in the rolling channel 180 so that the groups 172 roll along the adjacent stretches of the belts 188, 196 and ensure predictable winding of the uniting bands 174, i.e., the conversion of such uniting bands into cylindrical envelopes which connect the filter rod sections 170 (see FIG. 5) to the respective pairs of plain cigarettes. Moreover, such deceleration of groups 172 in the rolling channel 180 ensures that the finished articles leaving the rolling channel 180 enter empty flutes of the conveyor 184 which, in turn, ensures predictable transfer of finished articles 178 into empty flutes of the conveyors 186, 183, 152, 150 and 122. It will be seen that the apparatus of FIG. 7 also embodies conveyor means (such as the conveyor 182) which can deliver unfinished commodities 172 to a treating station (rolling channel 180) and which can also deliver treated commodities 178 from such treating station.

Certain details of the structure which is shown in FIG. 7 are illustrated and described in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/1,095,466 (publication No. US-2002-0129 823 A1).

An important advantage of the feature that the articles to be treated are rotated about their own axes through angles of at least 360° is that this ensures predictable conversion of various components of filter cigarettes into finished articles exhibiting optimum characteristics as far as their appearance and/or other parameters are concerned. This involves the permeability of articles which are treated in the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 3 and the draping of uniting bands in the apparatus of FIGS. 4 to 7. It is clear that the distance between a conveyor (e.g., 160) and the associated rolling member (e.g., 162), or between the confronting parallel stretches of the belts (188, 199) must be selected with a view to ensure a highly predictable rolling of the articles in the arcuate or straight rolling gap. The same applies for the stretchability of the belts 188 and 199.

It will be appreciated that the treatment which involves perforation of tubular cigarette paper or tipping paper (in a manner as carried out in the apparatus 1, 90 and 100 of FIGS. 1 to 3) can be performed independently of or jointly or practically simultaneously with at least one other treatment, such as the application of uniting bands (e.g., 174) in the apparatus 104 of FIGS. 4 to 7. Furthermore, an apparatus for simultaneous or successive plural treatments of rod-shaped smokers' products can employ common components; for example, a single transfer conveyor can be utilized to deliver untreated articles to s first processing conveyor (such as the conveyor 122) which delivers partly processed articles to a second processing conveyor (such as 22) which, in turn, returns twice treated articles onto the transfer conveyor. Still further, it is possible to employ a single prcessing conveyor which rolls uniting bands about sets of coaxial articles and thereafter (or simultaneously) cooperates with a laser or the like to perforate the wrappers of articles on the single processing conveyor.

Regardless of the exact nature of treatment of filter cigarettes or the like, it is always of advantage to withdraw the articles from their path from the transfer conveyor(s) to the outlet of the apparatus for the purpose of carrying out one or more treatments, e.g., in a manner as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and/or in a manner as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7. This renders it possible to convert conventional apparatus into apparatus embodying the present invention because it is merely necessary to provide one or more processing conveyors which is or are coupled to one or more (transfer) conveyors of conventional apparatus to permit one or more treatments of rod-shaped articles prior to their return onto the transfer conveyor(s).

The improved method and apparatus exhibit the additional advantage that they reduce the need for lengthy stoppages of an entire machine which embodies one or more improved apparatus. For example, if the machine develops a defect in one or more attachments (such as 108 and/or 110 in the apparatus of FIG. 4), the defective attachment(s) can be arrested, temporarily disconnected from the major part of the machine, repaired, reattached to the major part of the machine and restarted while the major part of the machine continues to turn out acceptable articles. It is to be borne in mind that certain treatments are not critical for acceptability of the ultimate products. Furthermore, the machine can be furnished with one or more spare perforating, wrapping and/or other apparatus which can be put to use as substitutes for defective apparatus. All that counts is to ensure that each processing unit (such as the units 108, 110 in the apparatus 104 of FIG. 4 or the units including the processing conveyors 22, 52 in the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1) can be coupled with the respective transfer conveyor or conveyors in such a way that the finished or partly finished articles can be returned onto the respective transfer unit(s).

It is to be borne in mind that a transfer conveyor, or at least one of two or more transfer conveyors, can include one or more discrete conveyors without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the conveyors 140, 142, 146, 120, 122, 150 and 152 in the apparatus 104 of FIG. 4 can be said to constitute a composite transfer conveyor which applies filter cigarettes of double unit length to the article processing cnveyor 160, and the latter supplies finished or partly treated articles to that part of the composite transfer conveyor which includes the discrete conveyors 152, 150 and 122.

In the just described part of the apparatus 104, the conveyors 150, 152 can be interpreted as a composite intermediate conveyor which serves to deliver untreated or partially treated (at 118) articles to the processing conveyor 160 of the treating unit 108, and which serves to transport partially treated or fully treated articles from the processing conveyor 160 back to the transfer conveyor 22. For example, the utilization of one or more intermediate conveyors is advisable or necessary if the processing conveyor (such as 160 shown in FIG. 4) or at least two or more processing conveyors should or must be installed at a certain (e.g., substantial) distance from the nearest transfer conveyor.

Still further, and referring for example again to FIG. 7, it is often advisable to employ one or more intermediate conveyors in order to assemble one or more parts of a composite rod-shaped article with one or more additional parts before the thus obtained composite rod-shaped articles undergo one or more treatments at the processing station. Thus, the intermediate conveyor 158 of FIG. 7 serves to supply discrete uniting bands 174 to the intermediate conveyor 152 which, in turn, causes the rod-shaped articles to change their orientation prior to reaching the inlet of the rolling channel 180 where a particular treatment (rolling of the uniting bands 174 around the respective rod-shaped articles 172) is completed before the intermediate conveyors 182, 152 return (jointly with the conveyors 184, 186 and 150) the treated articles 178 onto the transfer conveyor 122.

It will be appreciated that the just described apparatus of FIG. 7 can be modified still further in a number of different ways. For example, the uniting bands 176 can be coupled to the rod-shaped components 172 of the ultimate articles 178 on the conveyor 122 or on the conveyor 182. In such apparatus, the intermediate conveyors 150, 152 can be omitted or they can serve solely as a means for transporting assembled or partially assembled articles between the transfer (conveyor 122) and the treating (belts 188, 196) stations.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of the above outlined contribution to the art of manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, comprising the steps of:

supplying the articles by at least one transfer conveyor along a predetermined path;

transposing articles from at least one portion of said path onto at least one processing conveyor;

moving the transposed articles by and simultaneously treating the moving articles on the at least one processing conveyor; and

returning the treated articles from the at least one processing conveyor onto the at least one transfer conveyor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said moving step includes transporting the articles along an endless path through an angular distance of at least about 360°.

3. The method of claim 1 of manipulating rod-shaped articles having longitudinal axes, wherein at least one of said moving and treating steps includes rotating the articles about their respective axes through an angular distance of at least about 360°.

4. The method of claim 1 of manipulating rod-shaped articles having longitudinal axes, wherein said treating step comprises at least one of the undertakings including rolling the articles and changing the permeability of at least a portion of each article in the course of said moving step.

5. The method of claim 1 of manipulating a series of successive rod-shaped articles having predetermined diameters d, wherein said moving step includes advancing successive articles of the series in a predetermined direction and at a mutual spacing of at least 1 d, preferably at least 4 d.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of processing conveyors equals n and each processing conveyor has a series of spaced-apart receptacles for rod-shaped articles, said transposing step including delivering articles into each nth receptacle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein n is between one and four.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said returning step includes delivering treated articles into unoccupied receptacles of the at least one transfer conveyor.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the articles have longitudinal axes and said treating step includes rolling each article on the processing conveyor through an uneven multiple of the spacing of receptacles on such processing conveyor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the articles have envelopes and longitudinal axes, said treating step including rolling the articles about their respective axes and simultaneously perforating the envelopes of the rolling articles.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the treated articles have a plurality of constituents including elongated cores having longitudinal axes and envelopes at least partially surrounding the cores, said treating step including draping the envelopes around the respective cores by rotating the cores about their respective axes.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of attaching the envelopes to the cores before said treating step.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said attaching step is carried out while the constituents of the articles are contacted by at least one of the following: the transfer conveyor, at least one intermediate conveyor arranged to deliver articles from the at least one transfer conveyor onto the at least one processing conveyor, the processing conveyor.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said transporting step includes conveying the articles from the at least one transfer conveyor onto the at least one processing conveyor by way of at least one intermediate conveyor, said returning step including conveying the treated articles from the at least one processing conveyor onto the at least one transfer conveyor by way of the at least one intermediate conveyor.

15. Apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, comprising:

at least one transfer conveyor arranged to supply rod-shaped articles along a predetermined path;

at least one processing conveyor arranged to receive articles being supplied by said at least one transfer conveyor and to move the thus supplied articles along at least one second path; and

means for treating the articles in said second path, said conveyors being constructed and arranged to permit return of treated articles from said at least one second path into said predetermined path.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said predetermined path includes a transfer portion where the articles leave said transfer conveyor for entry into said at least one second path, said second path being an endless path and including an evacuating portion where the treated articles leave said processing conveyor, the articles entering said second path at said transfer portion being arraned to advance along said second path through an angular distance of at least 360° prior to leaving said processing conveyor at said evacuating portion of said second path.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said at least one processing conveyor has a series of spaced-apart neighboring receptacles for discrete articles, said treating means comprising article rolling means adjacent said second path and said receptacles being arranged to advance the articles therein along said rolling means through an uneven multiple of the spacing between a pair of neighboring receptacles.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 for manipulating articles having variable-permeability portions wherein said treating means further comprises at least one laser associated with said at least one processing conveyor and arranged to change the permeability of said variable-permeability portions of the articles.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an article supplying conveyor arranged to deliver a series of untreated articles to selected receptacles of said transfer conveyor, said selected receptacles including successive nth receptacles of said series and n being the number of transfer conveyors in the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said at least one processing conveyor includes receptacles containing articles being supplied by said transfer conveyor and receptacles arranged to receive treated articles from said predetermined path.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the number of processing conveyors is at least two, said treating means including a laser arranged to emit a single beam of radiation, means for splitting said single beam into discrete beams and means for directing discrete beams upon portions of articles on said at least two processing conveyors.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising at least one intermediate conveyor arranged to transport untreated articles from said transfer conveyor toward said processing conveyor as well as to transport treated articles from said second path toward said predetermined path.

23. A method of manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, comprising the steps of:

supplying the articles from at least one source by at least one transfer conveyor along a first path;

transposing articles from the first path into at least one second path defined by at least one processing conveyor;

moving the articles along and simultaneously treating the articles in said second path; and

utilizing the processing conveyor to transport treated articles to the at least one transfer conveyor.

24. Apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, comprising:

at least one transfer conveyor arranged to supply rod-shaped articles along a first path;

at least one processing conveyor arranged to receive articles from said at least one transfer conveyor and to advance the received articles along a second path; and

means for treating the advancing articles in said second path, said at least one processing conveyor being constructed and arranged and associated with said at least one transfer conveyor to effect at least partial delivery of treated articles from said second path into said first path.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said at least one processing conveyor comprises two endless flexible conveyors defining an article rolling channel, a first rotary conveyor having first receptacles arranged to deliver untreated articles from said at least one transfer conveyor into an inlet of said rolling channel and second receptacles, a second rotary conveyor arranged to receive treated articles from an outlet of said rolling channel and a third rotary conveyor arranged to transport treated articles from said second rotary conveyor to said first rotary conveyor, said rolling channel beng arranged to effect a rolling of the articles therein so as to ensure that the treated articles being advanced by said third rotary conveyor enter the second receptacles of said first rotary conveyor, said first rotary conveyor being arranged to deliver treated articles to said at least one transfer conveyor in one of a plurality of modes including (a) directly and (b) by way of at least one additional conveyor.