US3771281A

US3771281A - Apparatus for transporting discrete commodities to high-speed consuming machines or the like

Info

Publication number: US3771281A
Application number: US00250955A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Witte
Original assignee: Hauni Werke Koerber and Co KG
Current assignee: Koerber AG
Priority date: 1969-06-26
Filing date: 1972-05-08
Publication date: 1973-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-13
Also published as: FR2051059A5; SE362194B; DE1932360A1; GB1308665A

Abstract

A packing machine for cigarettes or other tobacco-containing products receives a continuous stream of blanks of wrapping material from a suction conveyor which moves past two transfer stations at each of which it can receive blanks from a separate blank forming and feeding unit. These units sever the leading ends of webs of wrapping material and one thereof begins to form and deliver blanks to the suction conveyor when the web which is being severed by the other unit is exhausted, and vice versa. The position of each web with reference to the corresponding unit can be adjusted automatically in response to scanning of bits of information which is encoded on the webs.

Description

[ Nov. 13, 1973 United States Patent [191 Witte APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING 3,546,850 12/1970 Hatanaka........

ISC COMMODITIES o 3,029,571 4/1962 Douthit....... HIGH SPEED CONSUMING MACHINES 0R 3,245,297 4/1966 THE LIKE lnventor:

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spruill Attorney-Michael S. Striker [75] Fritz Witte, Hamburg, Germany [22] Filed:

Related U.S. Application Data A packing machine for cigarettes or other tobacco- [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 43,732, June 5, 1970,

abandoned.

containing products receives a continuous stream of blanks of wrapping material from a suction conveyor [30] Foreign Application Priority Data which moves past two transfer stations at each of June 26, 1969 Germany...................

P19 32 3605 which it can receive blanks from a separate blank forming and feeding unit. These units sever the leading ends of webs of wrapping material and one thereof begins to form and deliver blanks to the suction con- [52] U.S. 53/64, 53/389, 83/417, 83/650 B65b 41/12, B65b 57/02 veyor when the web which is being severed by the other unit is exhausted, and vice versa. The position of [51] Int.

[58] Field of Search 53/51, 64, 168, 389; 83/367, 417, 650; 242/56, 58, 181

each web with reference to the corresponding unit can be adjusted automatically in response to scanning of [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS bits of information which is encoded on the webs.

1,096,546 5/1914 53/168 19 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDNUVIBISIS 3.771.281

SHEET 10F 3 Fig. 1

INVENTOR Flllrz HT PATENTEUHOV 13 I975 SHEET E OF 3 IN VE N TOR.

v FRITZ (1 ITT SHEET 30F 3 PATENTEDHUY 13 I973 INVENTOR;

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING DISCRETE COMMODITIES T HIGH-SPEED CONSUMING MACHINES OR THE LIKE This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 43,732, filed June 5, 1970 now abandoned. I

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transporting streams of discrete commodities to consuming machines, particularly to high-speed consuming machines including packing machines for plain or filter cigarettes, cirgarillos and other tobaccocontaining rod-shaped products. In one of its presently preferred forms, the transporting apparatus of .my invention can be utilized to supply a continuous stream of properly oriented and spaced blanks of paper, cork, plastic foil, metallic foil or like sheet material to a packing machine for cigarettes or the like. Such blanks can be formed by severing elongated webs which are being drawn from bobbins or analogous sources.

It is known to employ in a filter cigarette machine or in a filter tipping machine an apparatus which makes and transports adhesive-coated uniting bands. Such bands are utilized to join filter rod sections of double unit length with pairs of tobacco rod sections of unit length to form filter cigarettes of double unit length, or to unite a filter plug with a tobacco rod section of unit length. The uniting bands are formed by drawing a web of paper or cork from a bobbin and along a paster which coats one side of the web with a suitable adhesive. The web is caused to adhere to a rotary cutting wheel which carries or cooperates with one or more knives serving to sever the leading end of the adhesivecoated web at regular intervals. The resulting uniting bands are transferred onto a rolling or wrapping conveyor which convolutes them around the filter rod sections or filter plugs and the adjoining ends of tobacco rod sections. Prior to complete exhaustion of a bobbin, the travelling expiring web is spliced to the leading end of a fresh web and the expiring web is thereupon separated from the remainder of the exhausted bobbin. The splicing often requires stoppage of the transporting apparatus and hence also of the consuming machine or machines with resulting losses in output. The consuming machine can be stopped in automatic response to exhaustion of a web and remains idle during replacement of the expired web with a fresh web. The fresh web must be threaded into the transporting apparatus and such operation consumes additional time. Furthermore, the uniting bands which are formed in response to severing of the overlapping spliced-together portions of an expired web and a fresh web are unsatisfactory and the products which include such uniting bands must be detected and discarded.

Splicing of successive webs end-to-end is particularly difficult when the webs are rather wide, for example, if the webs are used to form blanks which must be fed to a packing machine to be converted into inner, median or outer envelopes of cigarette packs. Presently employed transporting apparatus which deliver blanks to packing machines for cigarettes or the like are invariably arrested when a web is exhausted, and the fresh web is thereupon threaded into such apparatus while the packing machine is idle. This causes considerable losses in output, especially in modern high-speed production lines where a packing machine takes up and processes the output of several high-speed cigarette making or filter cigarette making machines. It is therefore highly desirable to either eliminate intermittent stoppage of packing machines or to reduce the periods of idleness to a minimum.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of making, orienting, transporting and delivering blanks of paper or metallic foil or other discrete commodities to one or more consuming machines in such a way that each consuming machine receives a continuous stream of discrete commodities despite the fact that the sources of commodities are exhaustible and msut be intermittently replaced with fresh sources.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a method of transporting a cigarette packing macine or to an analogous consuming machine which processes tobacco-containing rod-shaped products a stream of flexible sheet-like blanks in such a way that the flow of blanks to the consuming macine need not be interrupted at all when a source of blanks, particularly a bobbin of convoluted web material, is exhausted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method according to which the stream of commodities is formed in such a way that it contains only satisfactory commodities so that the likelihood of the consuming machine turning out defective products is reduced to a minimum, i.e., that the number of rejects is considerably less than in consuming machines which are supplied with commodities in accordance with the presently known methods.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a method which does not require splicing of expiring webs with fresh webs when the commodities are blanks of paper or the like and are obtained by severing a web of such material immediately prior to transport to the consuming station.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved transporting apparatus for blanks of paper, plastic foil, cork, metallic foil or other commodities and to provide the apparatus with novel and improved means for monitoring the orientation and spacing of commodities prior to transfer to a consuming station and for automatically adjusting the orientation and/or spacing when necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide a transporting apparatus which can operate in such a way that the machine or machines which receive commodities need not be stopped or slowed down when a source containing a finite number of commodities or of material which yields the commodities is exhausted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transporting apparatus for use in combination with cigarette packing machines or the like which requires less supervision than presently known transporting apparatus and enables a single workman to supervise the operation of an entire battery of such apparatus in a cigarette manufacturing plant or the like.

The method of the present invention is employed for breaking up supplies of starting material for discrete commodities and for transporting such commodities to a consuming station, particularly for subdividing webs of wrapping or like material into discrete blanks or bands for transport to a station for the processing of tobacco-containing products. For example, the blanks may be converted into inner, outer or intermediate envelopes of cigarette packs. The method comprises the steps of breaking up a first supply into a first series of successive commodities (e.g., of severing a continuously or intermittently running web of sheet material to form a succession of blanks) with progressing exhaustion of the first supply, intermittently or continuously transporting the thus obtained commodities to a consuming station by moving the commodities along a predetermined (straight or arcuate) path, breaking up a second supply into a second series of successive commodities upon exhaustion of at least the major part of the first supply, and transporting at least the majority of commodities of the second series along the path so that the foremost commodity of the majority of the second series follows the last commodity of the first series and that the distribution of commodities in the path remains unchanged.

In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of my method, the major part of the first supply (e.g., a first web of sheet material) is broken up by severing to yield the first series of commodities which are transferred into the path for transport to the consuming station and the remainder of the first supply is severed to yield commodities which are intercepted prior to entry into the path. Analogously, the first commodity or commodities of those which are obtained by subdividing a second web of sheet material are intercepted prior to entry into the path. This insures that the commodities which are most likely to be defective or defaced are prevented from reaching the consuming station.

It is further desirable to advance the commodities of the first and second series (or the supplies which yield the first and second series of commodities) along separate paths toward and into the first-mentioned path. The distance between the points where such separate paths terminate adjacent to the first-mentioned path preferably equals to the length of at least one commodity.

The changeover from introduction into the predetermined path of commodities of the first series to introduction of commodities of the second series is preferably carried out in a fully automatic way, most preferably by scanning the first supply to detect the progress of exhaustion of commodities in such first supply and by starting the introdution of commodities of the second series in response to detection that the first supply is exhausted to a predetermined extent. The commodities which enter the predetermined path are preferably confined to movement in and are advanced along such path by suction.

When the supplies contain webs of convoluted material which are caused to move lengthwise toward the points where the webs are severed to yield blanks, the webs can be provided with bits of information which is scanned by photo-tubes or the like. The signals produced in response to such scanning can be used to adjust the speed of lengthwise movement of the webs in order to insure that the webs are severed at predetermined points. This renders it possible to insure that printed matter or other information on the blanks is in an optimum position when a blank is converted into an envelope for arrays of rod-shaped tobacco-containing products.

The blanks which are obtained in response to severing of the respective webs can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the respective webs or sideways, depending upon whether the webs are advanced continuously or intermittently.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved transporting apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a transporting apparatus which embodies one form of the invention and is utilized to supply an uninterrupted stream of paper blanks or the like to a packing machine for cigarettes or other tobacco-containing products;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the circuit which effects automatic switchover from severing of blanks from an exhausted web to severing of blanks from a fresh web;

FIG. 4 illustrates a circuit which is utilized to automatically adjust the position of blanks for transfer to the consuming machine in predetermined positions;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a differential gearing which is controlled by the parts shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating various curves representing signals produced by the circuit shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a second transporting apparatus which forms and advances blanks consisting of metallic foil.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a transporting apparatus including a conveyor 1 for an uninterrupted series of successive equidistant commodities in the form of blanks 11 consisting of flexible sheet material. The conveyor 1 is a rotary suction drum and serves to deliver successive blanks 11 of the series to the rotary turret 2 of a packing machine for cigarettes, cigarillos or analogous rod-shpaed tobacco-containing products. The turret 2 is provided with equidistant pockets for arrays 12 of rod-shaped products; such arrays are enclosed in envelopes or are surrounded by hollow open-ended mandrels. For example, each array 12 can contain 20 plain cigarettes or filter cigarettes in the customary formation, namely, two outer layers of seven cigarettes .each and a median layer of six cigarettes. The array 12 of FIG. 1 is about to reach a discharging zone D where the blanks 11 travelling along the arcuate path defined by the drum 1 are taken over, one after the other, by the revolving turret 2.

The drum 1 cooperates with two blank forming and feeding units 3, 4, always with one of these units at a time. The feeding unit 3 can deliver blanks 11 to a first portion of the arcuate path, namely, at a first transfer station A. When the unit 3 terminates such delivery, a second portion of the arcuate path receives blanks 11 from the feeding unit 4 at a second transfer station B. The distance between the transfer stations A and B, as considered in the direction in which the drum 1 rotates about its axis, at least equals the length of a blank 1 l.

The aforementioned arcuate path extends along the peripheral surface of the drum 1 which is formed with pairs of radially inwardly extending suction ducts 13 (see also FIG. 2) and each such pair of suction ducts 13 communicates with an axially parallel suction channel 14. The channels 14 are blind bores which extend inwardly from one side surface of the drum 1 (see FIG. 2), namely, from that side surface which is adjacent to a stationary disk-shaped valve plate 16. When the ducts 13 are connected with a suction generating device (e.g., a suction pump or a blower) by way of the respective channels 14 and the valve plate 16, they can hold the blanks 11 for travel with theperipheral surface of the drum 1. The valve plate 16 is secured to the frame (not shown) of the transporting apparatus by brackets 17 shown in FIG. 2. That surface of the valve plate 16 which is adjacent to the aforementioned side surface of the drum 1 is provided with two

arcuate grooves

18 and 19 along which the open ends of the suction channels 14 travel when the drum 1 is in motion. The groove 19 is relatively short and extends from the transfer station A toward but short of the transfer station B. The groove 18 is longer and extends from the transfer station B to the discharging zone D, i.e., to the path for pockets in the turret 2 of the packing machine. The groove 19 communicates with a first suction conduit 23 connected with a second suction conduit 28 by means of a valve 24 which is controlled by an electromagnet 25. The discharge end of the second suction conduit'28 is connected to the aforementioned suction generating device. The groove 18 communicates with a suction conduit 27 which is also connected to the suction generating device. When the valve 24 is open, i.e., when the groove 19 is connected with the suction generating device, the area of the blank-attracting part of the peripheral surface on the drum 1 is increased; the drum 1 is then capable of transporting blanks 11 from the first feeding unit 3 (transfer station A) to the pockets of the turret 2. When the valve 24 is c losed,'the drum 1 accepts blanks 11 from the second feeding unit 4 (transfer station B) and delivers them to the turret 2.

The blank forming and feeding units 3, 4 comprise transfer elements in the form of

rotary suction wheels

29, 31 each of which cooperates with a stationary diskshaped valve plate (not specifically shown because located behind the

respective wheel

29, 31, as viewed in FIG. 1). The

suction wheels

29, 31 are so-called cutting wheels and are respectively provided with knives 32, 33 which serve to sever two

continuous webs

61, 62 of flexible starting sheet material to form the blanks 11. The manner in which the knives 32, 33 sever the respective webs is similar to that known from the art of forming and feeding adhesive-coated uniting bands to the wrapping or rolling conveyor of a machine for the production of plain cigarettes or filter cigarettes. As mentioned above, the distance between the cutting

wheels

29, 31 at least equals the length of a blank 11. These cutting wheels are respectively provided with radially inwardly extending

suction ducts

34, 36 which communicate with axially parallel suction channels 37, 38 whose open ends are adjacent to the corresponding valve plates. The valve plate which is associated with the cutting wheel 29 is provided with two arcuate grooves 39 and 41 along which the open ends of the suction channels 37 travel when the cutting wheel 29 is in motion. The other valve plate (associated with the cutting wheel 31) is formed with arcuate grooves 47 and 48 which communicate with the open ends of successive suction channels 38 when the cutting wheel 31 is caused to rotate. With reference to FIG. 1, the drum 1 rotates clockwise (arrow C), the turret 2 rotates counterclockwise, and the cutting

wheels

29, 31 also rotate counterclockwise.

The groove 39 of the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 29 is connected with a first suction conduit 42 which is connected with a second suction conduit 57 by way of a valve 43 controlled by an electromagnet 44. The suction conduit 57 is connected to the suction generating device. The groove 41 communicates with the suction generating device by way of a further suction conduit 46. The groove 47 of the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 31 is connected with a first suction conduit 53 which is connected with a second suction conduit 56 by a valve 51 controlled by an electromagnet 52. The groove 48 is connected to the suction generat-- ing device by a further suction conduit 54. The conduit 56 is also connected to the suction generating device.

The transporting apparatus further comprises two blank intercepting or collecting devices 58, 59'which are respectively adjacent to the cutting

wheels

29, 31. These intercepting devices collect such blanks 11 which respectively travel past the transfer stations A and B but are not taken over by the suction drum 1. Thus, when the web 61 is moved lengthwise and the knife 32 severs the leading end of such web to form a series of successive blanks 11 while the valve 43 is open, the blanks 11 are caused to travel along the groove 39 (which is then connected with the suction conduit 57) and into the intercepting device 58. Analogously, the intercepting device 59 receives blanks 11 when the knife 33 severs the web 62 and the valve 51 is open so that the groove 47 is in communication with the suction conduit 56. It will be seen that the

valves

43, 51 can increase or reduce the area of those portions of peripheral surfaces on the cutting

wheels

29, 31 which attract the blanks 11. In the transporting apparatus of FIG. 1, the

groove

39 or 47 is connected to the suction generating device at a timewhen the corresponding knife 32 or 33 severs the foremost or rearmost portion of the

web

61 or 62. The resulting blanks 1 1 (which are most likely to be defective) are then prevented from advancing along the normal path for such blanks (namely, from the transfer station A past the transfer station B and on to the turret 2 or from the transfer station B to the turret 2). The thus deflected blanks 11 enter the intercepting device 58 or 59.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the transporting apparatus comprises two discrete web supplying units which are respectively arranged to advance the

webs

61, 62 toward the transfer stations A and B along two separate paths. These web supplying units respectively comprise bobbins or reels 6, 7 of convoluted web material and

web advancing devices

8, 9 which respectively transport the

webs

61, 62 lengthwise. The outermost convolutions of the bobbins 6, 7 are respectively engaged by

mechanical detectors

63, 64 which are mounted on

pivots

66, 67 and are biased against the respective bobbins by

helical springs

68,69. These detectors are two-armed levers and their shorter arms contitute actuating means or trips which can respectively close

sensitive limit switches

71, 72. The switch 71 is about to be actuated because the supply of web 61 on the bobbin 6 is nearly exhausted. The bobbin 7 is a fresh bobbin and, therefore, the shorter arm of the detector 64 is remote from the movable contact of the limit switch 72. The purpose of the limit switches 71, 72 is to effect automatic shifting or changeover from delivery of blanks l 1 to drum 1 at the transfer station A to delivery of blanks to drum 1 at the transfer station B, or vice versa. In this way, the person or persons in chage have ample time to replace a fully exhausted bobbin with a fresh bobbin. As mentioned above, the transporting apparatus is preferably designed in such a way that the blanks 11 which are formed by severing of the rearmost portion of a web are caused to enter the respective intercepting device 58 or 59.

The web 61 is caused to travel about a single guide roll 73 mounted between the advancing device 8 and the cutting wheel 29. The other web 62 is caused to travel about two guide rolls 74 and 76. Two stationary scanning or sensing devices in the form of

phototubes

77, 78 are respectively adjacent to the paths of travel of the

webs

61, 62 and serve to produce electric signals at regular intervals, namely, in response to detection of bits of information encoded on longitudinally spaced portions of the respective webs. Such bits of information may represent a trademark or trade name of the manufacturer or they may consist of a row of discrete markers or notches provided on or in the respective webs for the specific purpose of being detected by the

phototubes

77 and 78. The manner in which the

phototubes

77, 78 insure that the knives 32, 33 sever accurately determined portions of the

respective webs

61, 62 to thus insure the transfer of blanks to accurately determined portions of the peripheral surface on the drum 1 will be described below. Phototubes which can be used in the transporting apparatus of the present invention are photodiodes of the type known as one-eyed detectors and are produced, for example, by the West- German Firm Sick of Waldkirch in Breisgau. They are sold under the catalog number NT 9a.

The advancing

devices

8, 9 respectively comprise driven

rollers

79, 81 and shiftable

idler rollers

82, 83. When the idler roller 82 is moved toward the rotating driven roller 79 so that the web 61 is clamped between such rollers, the bobbin 6 is rotated clockwise to pay out the web 61 and the web is moved lengthwise and is maintained under tension downstream of the advancing device 8 in response to rotation of the cutting drum 29 whose peripheral speed preferably slightly exceeds the forward speed of the web 61. Analogously, when the roller 81 rotates and the idler roller 83 is moved in a direction to engage and clamp the web 62, the bobbin 7 rotates in a counterclockwise direction and its foremost part is maintained under tension by the cutting drum 31 which also rotates at a speed exceeding that of the lengthwise movement of the web 62.

The

rollers

79, 81 receive motion from the drive of the packing machine and their speed can be regulated, respectively, by

differential gearings

84, 86. These differential gearings are respectively adjustable by servomotors 87, 88 which receive impulses from control cir'

cuits

92,93. The inputs of the

circuits

92, 93 are respectively connected with two

timers

89, 91. These timers are driven by the drum 1 through the intermediary of suitable gear trains, not shown.

The function of the

timers

89, 91, of the

phototubes

77, 78 and the differential gearings 84, 86 (which are driven by the packing machine and are adjustable by the servomotors 87, 88) will be described in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5. The

parts

77, 78, 84, 86, 89, 91 and the

circuits

92, 93 together form a regulating assembly which contributes to automatization of the transporting apparatus.

FIG. 5 shows a portion of the driven roller 79, the servomotor 87 and the details of the differential gearing 84. The latter comprises an input shaft 96 fixed to a driver gear 94 which receives torque from the drive of the packing machine by way of a gear train, not shown. The input shaft 96 is journalled in one end wall of an adjustable casing 104 and is coaxial with an output shaft 97 which is journalled in the other end wall of the casing 104 and is fixed to the driven roller 79. The inner end portion of the input shaft 96 is connected with a pinion 98 which meshes with a gear 99 on an intermediate shaft 102 whose ends are journalled in the end walls of the casing 104. The intermediate shaft 102 is further connected with a pinion 101 which meshes with a gear 106 on the output shaft 97. The pinion 98 and gear 99 are respectively identical with the pinion 101 and gear 106. The diameter of the gear 99 is twice the diameter of the pinion 98. The casing 104 is provided with a ring gear 107 meshing with a pinion 108 on the output shaft of the servomotor 87.

The manner in which the servomotor 87 is rotated by the control circuit 92 in a clockwiseor in a counterclockwise direction to change the angular position of the casing 104 is illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 further shows the timer 89 and the phototube 77. The timer 89 comprises a disk 109 which is driven in synchronism with the drum 1 and carries an arcuate electromagnet 111 extending along an arc of A pointed second magnet 112 is mounted on the periphery of the disk 109 and its tip is in line with the leading end of the arcuate magnet 111, it being assumed that the disk 109 is arranged to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. The magnets 111, 112 respectively cooperate with pointed Hall generators 113, 114 which are fixedly mounted adjacent to-the paths of the respective magnets in such positions that the magnet 112 registers with the Hall generator 1 14 when the trailing end of the magnet 111 has moved beyond the Hall generator 113. These positions of the

magnets

111, 1 12 are shown in FIG. 4. The Hall generator 113 is connected in series first with a Schmitt trigger 116, then with an AND-gate 117, an amplifier 118 and a motor relay 119 which latter controls a first motor switch 131. The Hall generator 114 is in series with an AND-gate 121, an inverter 122, another AND-gate 123, an amplifier 124 and a second motor relay 126 which controls a second motor switch 132. The AND-gate 123 is further connected with the output of the Schmitt trigger 116 by way of an inverter 127. The phototube 77 is connected with a threshold circuit 128 and a pulse or signal shaper 129 which latter is connected to a tap between the AND-

gates

121, 123. It will be seen that the pulse or signal shaper 129 is in parallel with the three AND-gates 1 17, 121 and 123. The motor switches 131, 132 are connected in parallel and are installed in the circuit of the servomotor 87 to control the connections between this motor and a source 130 of polyphase current. The connection of the switch 131 differs from the connection of the switch 132 by two interchanged phases.

The regulating assembly which includes the servomotor 88, the timer 91 and the phototube 78 is analogous to the regulating assembly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The purpose of the illustrated regulating assembly is to determine the positions of successive blanks 11 with reference to the peripheral surface of the drum 1, namely, the positions of those blanks which are obtained in response to severing of the web 61. The

parts

77, 128, 129 constitute a photosensitive scanning assembly which tracks the information encoded on the web 61. The disk 109, its magnets 1 1 1, 1 12 and the Hall generators 113, 114 constitute a contactless magnetic initiator, and the differential gearing 84 constitues the adjuster of the regulating assembly. The exact function of the regulating assembly is to insure that the knife 32 severs the web 61 at a predetermined intermediate point between two successive bits of information on the web. As stated before, such bits can be encoded for the specific purpose of being detected by the phototube 77 or they can constitute the trademark and/or the trade name of the manufacturer.

The purpose of the electric circuit shown in FIG. 3 is to insure that the delivery of blanks 1 1 at the transfer station A or B is automatically terminated when the

respective web

61 or 62 is nearly or fully exhausted. Another function of this circuit is to insure that the blank forming and feeding unit 3 begins to deliver to the drum 1 blanks 11 at the transfer station A and that the blank forming and feeding unit 4 beings to deliver blanks 11 at the transfer station E as necessary to insure that the drum 1 transports to the turret 2 an uninterrupted series or stream of blanks 11 positioned at an exactly determined distance from each other.

FIG. 3 shows the

aforementioned limit siwtches

71, 72 which are respectively actuatable by the

detectors

63, 64, the

shiftable idler rollers

82, 83 of the advanc-,

ing units

8, 9, the

values

24, 43, 51 and the associated

electromagnets

25, 44 and 52, and the pairs of

suction conduits

23, 28; 42, 57; 53, 56. The inputs ofa flip-flop circuit 133 are connected with the limit switches 71, 72 and the outputs of this flip-flop circuit are connected with the windings of two

relays

137, 138 which control relay switches 134, 136. The energy source is shown at 135. The

idler rollers

82, 83 are respectively movable by

electromagnets

139, 141. Two

further relays

144, 146 respectively control relay switches 142, 143. The contacts of the relay switches shown in FIG. 3 are identified by reference characters a, b, c, d and e. The

relays

144 and 146 are time delay relays.

It is to be noted that the transporting apparatus of FIG. 1 may comprise more than two blank forming and feeding units and a corresponding number of web supplying units. The circuit of FIG. 3 is then modified accordingly. The main components of this circuit are the

elements

139, 141 which control the idler rollers82, 83, the

elements

25, 44, 52 which control the

valves

24, 43, 51 and the

elements

71, 72 which adjust the flipflop circuit 133 as a function of the length of the

webs

61, 62.

The Operation Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the drive of the packing machine'rotates the turret 2, the drum 1, the

timers

89, 91, the driven

rollers

79, 81 and the cutting

wheels

29, 31. Those pockets of the turret 2 which approach the drum 1 (discharging zone D) contain arrays 12 of rod-shaped articles. The idler roller 82 engages the web 61 so that the latter is transported past the phototube 77 and toward the peripheral surface of the cutting wheel 29. The supply of web 61 on the bobbin 6 is nearly exhausted, i.e., the shorter arm of the detector level 63 is about to actuate the limit switch 71. The peripheral speed of the cutting wheel 29 exceeds the forward speed of the web 61 so that the latter is tensioned intermediate the nip between the

rollers

79, 82 and the transfer station A. Thus, there is some slippage between the peripheral surface of the cutting wheel 29 and the foremost part of the web 61. The knife 32 severs the web 61 at predetermined intervals and at exactly determined points between successive bits of information on the web 61 to form a succession of blanks 11 which are taken over and transported by the drum 1 because the groove 19 of'the valve plate 16 is connected with the suction generating device by way of the valve 24. The peripheral speed of the drum 1 is also greater than the speed of the web 61. This is desirable to insure the formation of clearances between successive blanks 11 on the drum 1. Such clearances are necessary in order to make sure that a predetermined portion of each blank 11 overlies the open outer side of the respective pocket in the turret 2 at the discharging zone D.

The front portion of the fresh web 62 is threaded between the

rollers

81, 83 and passes around the guide rolls 74, 76 and the periphery of the cutting wheel 31. However, the electromagnet 141 (FIG. 3) is deenergized so that the idler roller 83 does not cooperate with the driven roller 81 and the web 62 is not caused to travel lengthwise. The leading end of the web 62 overlies the groove 48 of the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 31 which latter rotates at the speed of the cutting wheel 29. The orbiting knife 33 comes close to the peripheral surface of the drum 1 during each revolution of the cutting drum 31 but with no effect because the web 62 does not move lengthwise and its leading end is located slightly behind the transfer station B where the servering of the web 62 takes place when the advancing device 9 is operative. The arrangement is such that the knife 31 comes close to the peripheral surface of the drum 1 (transfer station B) in the clearances between successive blanks 11 which are formedat the transfer station A. Thus, the peripheral surface of the cutting wheel 31 and the knife 33 merely slide along the web 62 without the formation of blanks 11. However, since the groove 48 is permanently connected with the suction generating device by way of the suction conduit 54, the leading end of the web 62 is caused to adhere to the peripheral surface of the cutting wheel 31. The groove 41 of the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 29 is also permanently connected with the suction generating device by way of the suction conduit 46.

When the supply of web 61 on the bobbin 6 is nearly fully exhausted, the detector 63 actuates the limit switch 71 which in turn adjusts the flip-flop circuit 133 (FIG. 3) so that the latter energizes the relay 138 for the switch 136. The latter closes its contact a to thereby energize the electromagnet 141 which moves the idler roller 83 against the web 62. Thus, the web 62 begins to move lengthwise toward the transfer station B. At the same time, the contact a of the switch 136 completes the circuit of the electromagnet 52 by way of the contact d of the switch 143 (which is controlled by the time delay relay 146). The electromagnet S2 is energized and opens the valve 51 so that the groove 47 of the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 31 is connected with the suction generating device by way of the

conduits

53 and 56. Thus, though the knife 33 severs the web 62 at the transfer station B, the first blanks 11 are caused to adhere to the peripheral surface of the cutting wheel 31 along the groove 47 and are introduced into the intercepting device 59. In the meantime, the time delay relay 146 is energized with a predetermined delay to change the positions of moving contacts in the switch 143 with the following results.

The contact e of the switch 143 opens to deenergize the electromagnet 139 which permit or causes the idler roller 82 to move away from the driven roller 79 and to thus arrest the forward movement of the web 61. The contact b of the switch 143 closes to energize the electromagnet 44 for the valve 43 by way of the closed contact a of the relay switch 142. The valve 43 connects the suction generating device with the groove 39 of the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 29 by way of the

conduits

42 and 57 so that the blanks 11 formed in response to severing of the web 61 by the knife 32 at the transfer station A adhere to the peripheral surface of the cutting wheel 29 and enter the intercepting device 58. The contact of the switch 143 opens to deenergize the electromagnet 25 which causes or permits the valve 24 to close and to thus seal the suction generating device from the groove 19 in the valve plate 16. Therefore, no blanks 11 are transported from the transfer station A toward the transfer station B. Also each of the blanks 11 formed by the knife 32 is evacuated from the feeding unit 3 by entering the intercepting device 58. The contact d of the switch 143 opens and deenergizes the electromagnet 52 to effect closing of the valve 51 which seals the suction generating device from the groove 47 in the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 31. Consequently, the blanks 11 which are formed by severing the web 62 with the knife 33 are prevented from entering the intercepting device 59; they are caused to adhere to the peripheral surface of the drum 1 and are transported from the transfer station B toward the turret 2 (discharging zone D). The operator is free to remove the core of the bobbin 6 and to replace it with a fresh bobbin. The foremost part of the web on such fresh bobbin is threaded between the

rollers

79, 82, around the guide roll 73, and its leading end is placed against the peripheral surface of the cutting wheel 29 in the region of the stationary groove 41 which is permanently connected to the suction generating device by the suction conduit 46. Placing of the fresh bobbin into the space previously occupied by the expired bobbin 6 causes the shorter arm of the detector lever 63 to move away from the limit switch 71 but with no result because the flip-flop circuit 133 is adjusted again only in response to closing of the limit switch 72, i.e., in response to almost total exhaustion of the running web 62.

When the diameter of the bobbin 7 is reduced to a certain minimum value, the detector 64 actuates the limit switch 72 which in turn adjusts the flip-flop circuit 133 with the result that the transporting apparatus automatically switches from delivery of blanks 11 at the transfer station B to delivery of blanks at the transfer station A in the following way. The flip-flop circuit 133 energizes the relay 137 which actuates the switch 134 to close the latters contacts a and b. The contact a of the switch 134 energizes the electromagnet 139 which shifts the idler roller 82 toward the driven roller 79 to start lengthwise movement of the fresh web 61 (it is to be recalled that, during withdrawal of the web 62, the exhausted bobbin 6 was replaced with a fresh bobbin 6 containing a full supply of web 61). The contact b of the switch 134 energizes the time delay relay 144 which actuates the switch 142 to open the latters contact a and to thus deenergize the electromagnet 44 for the valve 43. The valve 43 closes and seals the groove 39 of the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 29 from the suction generating device. The contact b of the switch 142 closes and energizes the electromagnet 52 which opens the valve 51 to connect the groove 47 of the valve plate behind the cutting wheel 31 with the suction generating device. Therefore, the last few blanks 11 which are formed by the knife 33 of the cutting wheel 31 are caused to adhere to the periphery of the cutting wheel 31 along the groove 47 and enter the intercepting device 59. The contact C of the switch 142 also closes and energizes the electromagnet 25 which opens I the valve 24 to thus connect the groove 19 of the valve plate 16 with the suction generating device. Therefore, the blanks 11 which are formed by the knife 32 of the cutting wheel 29 immediately adhere to the peripheral surface of the drum 1 and travel from the transfer station A, past the transfer station E and on toward the turret 2, namely, to the discharging zone D.

It is assumed that the

webs

61 and 62 are provided with encoded information in the form of bits which are tracked or scanned by the

phototubes

77 and 78. Such bits enable the transporting apparatus to effect severing of the

webs

61 and 62 at predetermined points between successive bits, or in the region of such bits, in order to insure that the trade name or trademark of the manufacturer or other matter which is imprinted on or otherwise applied to the webs appears on de-sired portions of a finished cigarette pack. Such function is performed in connection with the web 61 by the structure shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing. The operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and also with reference to FIG. 6which illustrates curves representing signals or pulses produced by the phototube 77 and Hall generators 113, 114. i

The phototube 77 scans the travelling web 61 and produces a pulse or signal 147 or 148 or 149 (see the

curves

151, 152 and 153 of FIG. 6) whenever it detects a bit on the web. The disk 109 of the timer 89 completes a full revolution during each stage of operation of the packing machine, namely, while the array 12a shown in the upper right-hand portion of FIG. 1 moves from the illustrated position into the space (discharging zone D) occupied by the preceding array 12. During each of its full revolutions, the disk 109 causes the generation of two signals, namely, a directional signal 156 (see the curve 154 of FIG. 6) produced by the Hall generator 113 and a comparison signal 158 (see the curve 157 of FIG. 6) produced by the Hall generator 114. The directional signal 156 is rather long because it is produced while the arcuate magnet 1 1 travels along the tip of the Hall generator 113. On the other hand, the

comparison signal 158 is short and its timing coincides with the end of the signal 156. It will be seen that the phototube 77 and the Hall generators 113, 114 produce three signals, namely a

signal

147 or 148 or 149, a directional signal 156 and a comparison signal 158. Whether the phototube 77 produces a

signal

147 or 148 or 149 depends on the relationship between the moment when this phototube detects a bit on the travelling web 61 and the moment when the magnet 112 causes the Hall generator 1 14 to produce a comparison signal 158. The signal 147 is generated prior to the comparison signal 158; the timing of the signal 148 co incides with timing of the comparison signal 158; and the signal 149 is produced after the comparison signal 158. Thus, the signal 147 is produced during generation of the directional signal 156 and the signal 149 is generated after completion of the directional signal 156.

When the phototube 77 produces a signal 147, the latter is amplified by the threshold circuit 128 and shaped by the pulse shaper 129 and is thereupon transmitted to the AND-

gates

117, 121 and 123. The other input of the AND-gate 117 simultaneously receives a directional signal 156 from the Hall generator 113; such directional signal is shaped by the Schmitt trigger 116. Thus, each input of the AND-gate 117 receives a signal and, therefore, the output of the AND-gate 117 transmits a signal to the amplifier 1 18 and thence to the relay 119 for the motor switch 131. The switch 131 closes for an interval of time which is determined by the amplifier 118. During the interval when the switch 131 is closed, the servomotor 87 rotates the casing 104 of the differential gearing 84 (FIG. by way of the pinion 108 and ring gear 107 whereby the casing 104 rotates in the same direction as the driven roller 79 to thus accelerate the forward movement of the web 61. During such operation of the servomotor 87, the AND- gate 121 receives a signal from the pulse shaper 129 but not from the Hall generator 114 because the latter is not in registry with the pointed magnet 1 12 on the revolving disk 109. Therefore, the output of the AND- gate 121 does not emit a signal. The Schmitt trigger 116 transmits the directional signal 156 on the inverter 127 which inverts such signal so that the AND-gate 123 cannot transmit a signal to the amplifier 124 and relay 126. The adjustment of the casing 104 in response to closing of the motor switch 131 suffices to insure that the next signals produced by the phototube 77 are signals 148.

When the phototube 77 produces a signal 148, its timing coincides with that of the comparison signal 158. This means that one input of the AND-gate 117 receives from the pulse shaper 129 a singal (148) after the Hall generator 113 ceases to transmit a directional signal 156 to the other input of the AND-gate 117; therefore, the output of the AND-gate 117 cannot transmit a signal and the relay 119 for the motor switch 131 remains deenergized. When the pulse shaper 129 transmits a signal 148 to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 121, the other input of the AND-gate 121 receives from the Hall generator 114 a comparison signal 158. Thus, the output of the AND-gate 121 transmits a signal to the inverter 122 which inverts the signal so that the corresponding input of the AND-gate 123 fails to receive a signal which is necessary to send a signal on to the amplifier 124 in order to energize the relay 126. Thus, the

switches

131, 132 remain open and the casing 104 of the differential gearing 84 remains in its position because the timing of the travel of bits past the phototube 77 requires no correction.

When the phototube 77 produces a signal 149, the latter is amplified, shaped and transmitted to the corresponding inputs of the AND-

gates

117, 121 and 123. The other input of the AND-gate 117 does not receive a directional signal 156 (because the arcuate magnet 111 has already moved past the Hall generator 113) and the other input of the AND-gate 121 does not receive a comparison signal 158 because the magnet 112 has already moved past the Hall generator 114. Consequently, the relay 119 remains deenergized and the output of the AND-gate also fails to transmit a signal. Thus, the input of inverter 122 does not receive a signal but its output transmits a signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 123. The input of the inverter 127 also fails to receive a directional signal 156 from the Schmitt trigger 116; therefore the output of the inverter 127 transmits a positive signal to the corresponding input of the AND-gate 123. Thus, the AND-gate 123 receives three positive signals and it consequently transmits a signal to the amplifier 124 which causes energization of the relay 126 which closes the motor switch 132. The servomotor 87 rotates the casing 104 of FIG. 5 counter to the direction of rotation of the driven roller 79 so that the speed of the web 61 is reduced until the signal (148) produced by the phototube 77 coincides with the comparison signal 158.

The just described system automatically insures that the web 61 is severed at desired points to thus insure that the printed matter on each blank 66 is located on a desired portion of the cigarette pack.

Since the transporting apparatus includes

means

98, 73 and 9, 74, 76) for delivering to the transfer stations A and B two

webs

61, 62 along separate paths, the danger that the operations of the units 3 and 4 would overlap is eliminated and the unit 4 has ample time to start delivery of blanks to the drum 1 subsequent to termination of delivery by the unit 3 because the portion of the arcuate path between the transfer stations A and B can accommodate at least one blank 11 which advances from the transfer station A toward and past the transfer station B prior to start of delivery of blanks by the suction wheel 31, i.e., prior to sealing of the groove 47 from the suction generating device. inversely, the suction wheel 31 continues to deliver blanks 1 l to the suction drum 1 at the transfer station B while the suction wheel 29 begins delivery of blanks at the transfer station A. The delivery of blanks by the suction wheel 31 is terminated when the portion of the path between the transfer stations A and B contains at least one blank.

FIG. 7 illustrates a portion of a second transporting apparatus wherein the conveyor 201 corresponding to the suction drum 1 of FIG. 1 comprises two endless foraminous bands or

belts

202, 203 disposed in two horizontal planes with the belt 202 located at a level above the belt 203. These belts serve for sidewise transport of blanks 204 consisting of metallic foil and obtained in response to severing of a

web

206 or 207. The direction (arrow 227-) in which'the blanks 204 travel sideways with the front stretches of the

belts

202, 203 is normal to the direction of intermittent lengthwise travel of the

webs

206, 207. The

belts

202, 203 are trained over a first pair of fixedly mounted pulleys 208 which rotate in the direction indicated by arrow 228 and a second pair of coaxial fixedly mounted pulleys 209 which are rotated by the drive for the packing machine. The front stretch of the upper belt 203 travels along

stationary suction chambers

238, 221a, 241, 221b and the front stretch of the lower belt 202 travels along

stationary suction chambers

239, 222a, 242, 222b. The

chambers

238, 239 are adjacent to the path of downward movement of the web 206, the

chambers

241, 242 are adjacent to the path of downward movement of the web 207, the chambers 221a, 222a are disposed between the two paths, and the chambers 221b, 222b are located downstream of or past the

chambers

241, 242, as

considered in the direction of travel of the blanks 204 (arrow 227). The suction chambers have open sides which are adjacent to the front stretches of the respective belts, and, when a chamber is connected to a suction generating device, it enables the corresponding belt to move a blank 204 toward the intersection (discharging zone 229) where the conveyor 201 delivers blanks 204 to the packing machine. The chambers 221a, 222a, 2211) and 222b are permanently connected with the suction generating device (e. g., to a pump or blower). The

chambers

238, 241, 239, 242 are connectable with the suction generating device in response to opening of suitable solenoid-operated valves substantially in the same way as described in connection with the

valves

24, 43, 51 of FIGS. 1 and 3.

The

webs

206, 207 are respectively stored on

bobbins

211, 212 which are rotatably mounted at a level above the upper belt 203 and whose diameters are respectively scanned by detectors each including a light source (not shown) and a

photosensitive receiver

213, 214. The receiver 213 is about to receive light from the associated source because the supply of web 206 on the core of the bobbin 211 is nearly exhausted. The bobbin 212 is fresh, i.e., it contains a full supply of convoluted web material and, therefore, the receiver 214 cannot receive light from the associated source.

The signals produced by the

photosensitive receiver

213 or 214 in response to exhaustion of web material on the adjacent core are amplified in a conventional way and are used to actuate an electromagnetic changeover clutch 216. This clutch is the output element of the drive for two advancing

devices

217, 218 which respectively serve to transport the

webs

206, 207 downwardly toward the

belts

202, 203. Each of these advancing devices comprises two rollers one of which can be driven by the clutch 216. The function of the aforementioned photoresponsive detectors including the

receivers

213, 214 is analogous to that of the detector levers 63, 64 shown in FIG. 1 and the manner in which the clutch 216 is energizable to drive the advancing

device

217 or 218 is analogous to the manner in which the limit switches 71, 72 cooperate with the flipflop circuit 133 to energize the

electromagnet

139 or 141.

A manually operable lever 219 is mounted in a housing 223 which accommodates the clutch 216. The lever 219 can be manipulated to manually set the clutch 216 either to drive one roller of the advancing device 217 or one roller of the advancing device 218. The housing 223 further contains a control circuit, analogous to that shown in FIG. 3, and regulating means for two

cutting devices

224, 226 of known design which are provided to respectively sever the web 206 and web 207.

The front stretches of the

conveyor belts

202, 203 intersect at right angles the path 231 defined by a guide trough 231a disposed at the lower end of a duct 233 containing a stack of arrays each including a predetermined number of cigarettes or other rod-shaped products 232. A transfer member or pusher 236 is reciprocable in and counter to the direction indicated by arrow 237 to shift the lowermost array of cigarettes 232 against the foremost blank 204 whereby the blank is partially draped around such array during travel at the intersection 229 of paths for the blanks and for the arrays. The thus partially deformed blank is thereupon converted into an envelope in a manner not forming part of the present invention. The intersection 229 is located in the space between the front stretches of the

belts

202, 203. The arrays are formed in the packing machine and each such array contains a hollow mandrel 234 for the cigarettes 232. The pusher 236 is reciprocated in synchronism with the operation of the ma chine which furnishes the arrays including the mandrels 234. The intersection 229 may accommodate a suitable mouthpiece or an analogous confining member through which the foremost blank 204 passes during partial draping around the respective hollow mandrel 234. The function of the mouthpiece is to convert the blank 204 into a U-shaped body which is thereupon further deformed in a well-known manner to form a metallic envelope around the contents of the mandrel 234.

The operation of the transporting apparatus shown in FIG. 7 is as follows The

foraminous belts

202, 203 of the conveyor 201 are intermittently driven by the pulleys 209 in synchronism with operation of the packing machine so that their front stretches, as viewed in FIG. 7, travel at intervals in the direction indicated by the arrow 227. The suction chambers 221a, 222a, 221b, 222b are connected with the suction generating device and cause streams of air to pass forwardly through the perforations or interstices of the front stretches of

belts

202, 203. The clutch 216 is set in such a way that it intermittently drives the rollers of the web advancing device 217 in synchronism with operation of the packing machine. The bobbin 211 pays out the web 206 which travels downwardly toward the station A behind the

suction chambers

238, 239 which are then sealed from the suction generating device. The front stretches of the

belts

202, 203 do not interfere with downward movement of the lowermost portion of the web 206 because the belts are at a standstill. When the rollers of the advancing device 217 come to a standstill, the knives of the cutting device 224 sever the web 206 to form a blank 204 and the

chambers

238, 239 are connected to the suction generating device to enable the

belts

202, 203 to entrain the freshly formed blank 204 toward and past the suction chambers 221a, 222a which are already connected to the suction generating device. The belts 202', 203 are set in motion when the rollers of the advancing device 217 are idle, and vice versa.

When the rollers of the advancing device 217 are idle, the

belts

202, 203 advance the freshly formed blank 204 into registry with the suction chambers 221a, 222a which attract the blank as the belts come to a standstill. The

chambers

238, 239 are thereupon disconnected from the suction generating device, the rollers of the advancing device 217 are started to advance the web 206 by the length of a blank, the cutting device 224 is actuated to form a blank 204, and the

belts

202, 203 are set in motion simultaneously with the connection of

chambers

238, 239 to the suction generating device to advance the last blank 204 into registry with the suction chambers 221a, 222a. The same procedure is repeated again and again so that the length of the web 206 decreases progressively and the knives of the cutting device 224 form a series of successive blanks 204 which are moved stepwise into registry with the suction chambers 221a, 222a, thereupon into registry with the

suction chambers

241, 242, then into registry with the suction chambers 221b, 222b, and finally into registry with the lowermost array in the mandrel 234 resting on the guide 231a. When the clutch 216 is set to intermittently drive the rollers of the advancing device 217, the

chambers

241, 242 are continuously connected with the suction generating device so that a blank 204 which has moved past the suction chambers 221a, 222a is constantly attracted to the front stretches of the

belts

202, 203 during travel toward the junction 229, i.e., toward the discharging zone between the conveyor 201 and the packing machine. The pusher 236 performs a forward stroke (arrow 237) during each interval between successive intermittent advances of the

belts

202, 203 so that the foremost blank 204 is stripped off the front stretches of these belts and is draped around the adjacent mandrel 234. The pusher 236 is retracted before the

belts

202, 203 move the next blank 204 to the discharging zone. The freshly draped blank 204 can be deformed by tucking, pressing, folding and like instrumentalities which are located adjacent to the path 231 behind the junction 229.

When the detector including the photosensitive re-' ceiver 213 detects that the supply of web 206 on the bobbin 211 is nearly exhausted, the receiver 213 produces a signal which is transmitted to the control circuit in the housing 223. Such signal is used to deenergize the clutch 216 and to hold the rollers of the advancing device 217 at a standstill during a single stage of operation of the packing machine. Upon completion of the third stage of operation of the packing machine, the clutch 216 is set automatically to intermittently drive the rollers of the advancing device 218 for the fresh web 207. The last blank 204 which was formed by the knives of the cutting device 224 is then located behind the suction chambers 22lb, 222b past the transfer station B where the web 207 is subdivided to yield blanks 204. The

suction chambers

241, 242 are sealed from the suction generating device when the advancing device 218 moves the web 207 downwardly, and the belts 202 are then at a standstill. When the knives of the cutting device 226 complete the severing of the web 207 to form a fresh blank 204, the

chambers

241, 242 are reconnected with the suction generating device and the

belts

202, 203 are started to advance the blank by a step into registry with the suction chambers 221b, 222b which are continuously in communication with the suction generating device. Thus, the junction 229 continues to receive a continuous stream of equidistant blanks 204 which, however, are obtained in response to intermittent severing of the web 207.

If the means for forming and feeding of blanks 204 fail to operate properly, e.g., if the feed of blanks is interrupted prior to complete exhaustion of the

web

206 or 207, the operator can intervene by actuating the lever 219 to change the setting of the clutch 216 and to thus change over from severing of the web 206 to severing of the web 207 or vice versa in the same way as when the changeover takes place in response to the signal from the

photosensitive receiver

213 or 214. The lever 219 can also be moved to a position in which the clutch 216 is disengaged.

It is clear that the optical detectors (including the receivers 213, 214) of FIG. 7 can be replaced with mechanical detectors (63, 64 of FIG. 1), with pneumatic detectors or any other means which is capable of scanning the progress of exhaustion of the webs and of producing signals usable to effect a changeover from delivery of blanks at the transfer staion A to delivery of blanks at the transfer station B or vice versa. It is further clear that, when each of the bobbins contains a predetermined length of convoluted sheet-like material, the detector means may include suitable counters (analogous to frame counters in motion picture cameras) which measure the length of the withdrawn portions of the webs and automatically terminate the delivery of blanks at the transfer station A or when the web 61 (206) or 62 (207) has already yielded a certain number of

blanks

11 or 204.

The transporting apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 7 exhibit the advantage that the packing machine or another consuming machine receives an uninterrupted stream of blanks 11 or 204 (or other discrete commodities) so that the output of the consuming machine is not affected by the fact that the source of commodities is exhausted at shorter or longer intervals. Also, the transporting apparatus can maintain a desired distance between successively delivered commodities. The replacement of bobbins or other sources of commodities is simple and convenient; also, the operator has ample time to replace an exhausted source with a fresh source so that the operation of the transporting apparatus need not be supervised at all times. A periodic inspection at intervals shorter than those required to subdivide a full-length web suffices to insure that the feeding of commodities is not interrupted. The replacement of an exhausted bobbin with a fresh bobbin or another source of commodities necessitiates no stoppage of the consuming machine.

Another advantageous feature of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is that it can automatically adjust the feeding of comodities in accordance with signals generated on detection of bits of information which are encoded on or in the traveling

web

61 or 62. It is norm ally impossible to completely avoid any shifting or blanks consisting of paper, foil or the like so that an automatic adjustment of the positioning of blanks on the conveyor is a decided advantage in such types of apparatus. The shifting of blanks can take place due to unpredictable elongation or shrinkage ofa web, due to minute inaccuracies in synchronization of the movements of various parts, and/or for other reasons. The apparatus of FIG. 7 is also provided with a monitoring system which can include structure similar to that shown in FIGS. 4 and The transporting apparatus of the present invention can be utilized with advantage for delivery of commodities to high-speed consuming machines to insure uninterrupted feeding, proper positioning and automatic adjustment in the event of inaccuracies in feed, as well as to avoid constant supervision and frequent replacement of exhaust bobbins or like sources of commodities. It is clear that, with minor adjustments, the apparatus of FIG. 1 or 7 can be set up to employ three or even more sources of blanks so as to further increase the length of intervals between successive replacements of exhausted bobbins or the like.

Suction conveyors utilizing rotary drums or one or more foraminous belts are preferred in apparatus which are designed for transport of sheet-like commodities, particularly of blanks which consist of relatively thin and readily flexible sheet material. Such conveyors are capable of confining blanks against movement away from the predetermined path and of advancing the blanks toward the consuming station without permitting uncontrolled shifting of blanks during transport. A conveyor including a suction drum is preferred in a compact transporting apparatus.

The information which is tracked by the

phototubes

77, 78 or by analogous scanning devices will be applied to the webs when the customary printed matter (such as trademarks or the like) is not applied with a high degree of accuracy. The apparatus would be likely to sever the

webs

61, 62 at irregular intervals if the

phototubes

77, 78 were used to scan a row of printed matter which is applied to such webs at unequal intervals. Severing of webs at such points that the printed matter on the blanks is invariably located in the same position is desirable to enhance the appearance and the sales appeal of the final products, for example, packs of cigarettes or the like.

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 which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. Apparatus for subdividing elongated webs of wrapping or other material into discrete blanks for transport to a consuming machine, particularly to a packing machine for the processing of tobacco-containing products or the like, comprising a continuously driven conveyor arranged to advance a continuous stream of at least substantially equidistant blanks to a consuming machine along an elongated path; a plurality of sources each containing an exhaustible supply of web; a plurality of advancing means, one for each of said sources and each activatable to advance the web from the respective source toward said path; severing means for subdividing the advancing web into a series of blanks which enter said path to constitute a portion of said stream; detector means adjacent to said sources and arranged to produce signals in response to at least substantial exhaustion of the respective supply of web; and changeover means arranged to deactivate the respective advancing means in response to said signals and to activate another advancing means so that the thus activated advancing means advances the web from the respective source for subdivision of such web into a series of blanks which enter said path to constitute the next portion of said stream.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor is a suction conveyor.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said conveyor is a rotary suction drum.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said path extends along the periphery of said drum and said drum is provided with peripheral suction ducts, and further comprising a stationary valve member adjacent to said drum and arranged to regulate the suction in said ducts.

5. Apparatus for subdividing elongated webs of wrapping or other material into discrete blanks for transport to a consuming machine, particularly to a machine for the processing of tobacco-containing products or the like, comprising a rotary suction conveyor arranged to advance blanks to a consuming machine along an elongated path extending along the periphery of said conveyor, said conveyor being provided with peripheral ducts; a stationary valve member adjacent to said conveyor and arranged to regulate the pressure in said ducts; a plurality of blank forming and feeding units adjacent to said path and each including means for subdividing a web into a series of successive blanks and transfer means operative to deliver blanks into the adjoining portion of said path; and changeover means arranged to operate one of said transfer means at a time so that the conveyor delivers to the consuming machine a continuous stream of blanks in a predetermined distribution.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said conveyor comprises at least one endless foraminous belt and suction chamber means adjacent to said belt.

7. Apparatus for subdividing elongated webs of wrapping or other material into discrete blanks for a consuming machining, particularly to a machine for the processing of tobacco-containing products or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to advance blanks to a consuming machine along an elongated path having first and second portions and a third portion extending between said first and second portions and along enough to accommodate at least one blank; a plurality of blank forming and feeding units including first and second units respectively adjacent to said first and second portions of said path and each including means for subdividing a web into a series of successive blanks and transfer means operative to deliver blanks into the adjoining portion of said path; and changeover means arranged to operate one of said transfer means at a time so that the conveyor delivers to the consuming machine a continous stream of blanks in a predetermined distribution.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said transfer means comprises a rotary wheel and said severing means comprises knife means on the respective wheels.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said wheels are provided with peripheral suction ducts to attract portions of the respective webs.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein each of said units further comprises a valve member adjacent to the respective wheel and arranged to regulate suction in the corresponding suction ducts.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising means for changing the number of those suction ducts in said wheels which attract the respective webs.

12. Apparatus for subdividing elongated webs of wrapping or other material into discrete blanks for transport to a consuming machine, particularly to a machine for the processing tobacco-containing products.

or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to advance blanks to a consuming machine along an elongated path; a plurality of blank forming and feeding units adjacent to said path and each including means for subdividing a web into a series of successive blanks and transfer means operative to deliver blanks into the adjoining portion of said path, said units including a first and a second unit; separate soruces of webs for said units; discrete advancing means operative to transport the webs from said source to the respective units; and changeover means arranged to operate one of said transfer units at a time so that the conveyor delivers to the consuming machine a continuous stream of blanks in a predetermined distribution, said changeover means comprising means for operating one of said advancing means at a time.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, further com prising detector means for scanning said sources and for actuating said changeover means in response to at least substantial exhaustion of a source.

14. Apparatus for subdividing elongated webs of wrapping material which are provided with bits of information encoded therein into discrete blanks for transport to a consuming machine, particularly to a machine for the processing of tobacco-containing products or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to advance blanks to a consuming machine along an elongated path; a plurality of blank forming and feeding units adjacent to said path and each including means for subdividing a web into a series of successive blanks and transfer means operative to deliver blanks into the adjoining portion of said path; adjustable advancing means for moving the webs lengthwise toward the respective units; scanning means adjacent to the webs and arranged to produce signals in response to detection of bits of information therein; control means for adjusting said advancing means in response to said signals; and changeover means arranged to operate one of said transfer means at a time so that the conveyor delivers to the consuming machine a continuous stream of blanks in a predetermined distribution.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said control means comprise adjustable differential gearings for said adjusting means, servomotors for adjusting said gearings, said control circuits arranged to operate said servomotors in response to signals from the respective scanning means.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, further comprising timer means operating in synchronism with the consuming machine and arranged to transmit signals to said control circuits.

17. Apparatus for subdividing elongated webs of wrapping or other material into discrete blanks for transport to a consuming machine, particularly to a machine for the processing of tobacco-containing products or the like, comprising a suction conveyor arranged to advance blanks to a consuming machine along an elongated path; a plurality of blank forming and feeding units adjacent to said path and each including means for subdividing a web into a series of successive blanks and transfer means operative to deliver blanks into the adjoining portion of said path, said transfer means including suction wheels; and changeover means arranged to operate one of said transfer means at a time so that the conveyor delivers to the consuming machine a continuous stream of blanks in a predetermined distribution, said changeover means including valve means for regulating the suction in said conveyor and said wheels.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said changeover means further comprises electromagnets energizable to change the positions of said valves and means for changing the condition of said electromagnets in response to at least substantial exhaustion of the webs.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said severing means comprises a severing device for each of said advancing means, and further comprises means for independently operating each of said severing devices so that only that severing device which is associated with the activated advancing means is operative at any time,

Claims

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor is a suction conveyor.

12. Apparatus for subdividing elongated webs of wrapping or other material into discrete blanks for transport to a consuming machine, particularly to a machine for the processing tobacco-containing products or the like, comprising a conveyor arranged to advance blanks to a consuming machine along an elongated path; a plurality of blank forming and feeding units adjacent to said path and each including means for subdividing a web into a series of successive blanks and transfer means operative to deliver blanks into the adjoining portion of said path, said units including a first and a second unit; separate soruces of webs for said units; discrete advancing means operative to transport the webs from said source to the respective units; and changeover means arranged to operate one of said transfer units at a time so that the conveyor delivers to the consuming machine a continuous stream of blanks in a predetermined distribution, said changeover means comprising means for operating one of said advancing means at a time.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising detector means for scanning said sources and for actuating said changeover means in response to at least substantial exhaustion of a source.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said severing means comprises a severing device for each of said advancing means, and further comprises means for independently operating each of said severing devices so that only that severing device which is associated with the activated advancing means is operative at any time.