Device for feeding a plurality of cigarette machines with cut tobacco
United States Patent Quester 1 Apr. 15, 1975 DEVICE FOR FEEDING A PLURALITY OF [56] References Cited CIGARETTE MACHINES WITH &#39;CUT UNITED STATES PATENTS TOBACCO 2,060,130 11/1936 Scott 214/64.2 x Inventor: Karl Wi Quester, 3,319,808 5/1967 Sackett 214/17 CA CO|ogne Lindemhal Germany 3,713,552 1/1973 Schnyder 214/17 CB [73] Assignee: Wilh. Quester, Cologne, Germany Primary Examiner-Albert J. Makay Assistant Examiner-George F. Abraham [22] Flled&#39; 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmDiller, Brown, Ramik &amp; 21 Appl. No.: 320,277 Wight [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Jan 25 972 Germany 2203385 This disclosure relates to a device for feeding cut tobacco to a plurality of cigarette machines in which the [52] US. Cl. 214/17 13 V21 131/108, cut tobacco is fed to a rotating conveyor which depos- 4/17 its the tobacco along a circular path with means being [51] Int Cl 365g 65/42 provided for determining the level of the tobacco to [58] Field 7 CA 16 assure that a deficiency of tobacco being fed to the individual cigarette machines is precluded.  
 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR FEEDING A PLURALITY OF CIGARETTE MACHINES WITH CUT TOBACCO The present invention relates to a novel machine for feeding cut tobacco to a plurality of cigarette machines wherein a central loose mass of tobacco fibers is fed to individual machines by a conveyor which rotates in a circular fashion.  
  Machines of this type are known in which, for the creation of a loose mass of material, an upright cone is provided and the loose mass of material is guided onto the tip of the cone. The cone and a feed device associated therewith are mounted for swivel or pivotal movement relative to each other about an eccentric ofa predetermined size and a table for receiving the loose mass of material is provided with closable outlet openings from which each machine is fed. The object with such an arrangement is to maintain the material being fed at a specific height so that a loosely knit mass of the material or thickness is maintained in a ready state for supply for each individual cigarette machine. This also maintains the normally unhomogeneous nature of the material (long and short fibers of tobacco) in an admixed condition which is highly desirable.  
  As compared to the latter-described conventional arrangement the present invention is concerned with feeding the loose material (tobacco) to individual cigarette machines in a shorter period of time, more efficiently, and while retaining all known advantages thereof. The present machine includes a discharge conveying belt which rotates in a circular fashion to deposit loose material (tobacco) upon a circular table or runway, and means are provided for maintaining a predetermined level of the material upon the circular table such that should a deficiency develop the belt is rotated to whatever area requires additional material. In effect, the circular table includes a plurality of receiving stations each associated with one of the cigarette machines and by means of the discharge belt continuously rotating in response to the loose material level detecting means it is possible to eliminate any shortage of material occurring at any of the cigarette machines. Due to the inventive arrangement the receiving stations, hoppers. or supply containers are filled as the height of the material therein is reduced and the fill height is basically maintained as constant as possible in the absence of extreme variations (empty and completely full).  
  In further accordance with this invention the circular table is preferably in the form of a circular channel mounted for oscillation or vibration in order that the material might be more evenly distributed therealong with the channel having along its periphery a plurality of closable openings each associated with a trough or chute leading to an associate cigarette or similar machine.  
  With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.  
 IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view partly in cross section of a novel machine constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a conveyor which is rotatable in a horizontal plane to deposit loose material into a generally circular upwardly opening channel.  
  FIG. 2 is a top plan view looking downwardly in FIG. 1, and illustrates a plurality of discharge troughs or chutes located about the periphery of the channel for delivering the material to individual machines associated therewith.  
  In accordance with this invention a suitable frame 1 supports a table 2 which is rockably, swivelly, pivotally, or like mounted thereupon. The table 2 includes an upwardly opening circular or annular channel 3 having a downwardly and outwardly inclined wall 4 and an upwardly and outwardly inclined wall 5. The wall 5 includes a plurality of openings (unnumbered) which are closed by hingeably mounted doors 6 each disposed above an associated discharge chute or trough 7. The troughs 7 each lead to a treatment station which, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention, is a machine for manufacturing cigarettes. The table 2 is preferably vibrated or reciprocated by conventional means (not shown) in the directions indicated by the double headed arrow 8 of FIG. 2. If desired the table 2 may also be tipped or tilted in a reciprocal fashion relative to its normal horizontal position. Thus, a wobbling motion of the table 2 is affected to assure that material deposited into the channel 5 is evenly distributed therethrough.  
  A discharge conveyor belt 9 which is entrained about rollers or pulleys 10, 11 is mounted above the table 2 for rotation about a vertical axis 13. The discharge belt 9 is supported upon a column 15 which is rotatable in the direction indicated bythe dashed headed arrow 17 of FIG. 1 by means of a conventional drive mechanism 16. A frusto-conical feed hopper or trough 18 is disposed with its axis generally along the column 15 and thus deposits the material which is to be fed upon the conveyor belt 9 adjacent the end thereof most proximate the roller 11.  
  Schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 is a level sensing or checking device 19 which is simply a detector carried by the frame 14 supporting the conveyor belt 9. The detecting device 19 may simply be in the form of a drag sensing device which has a depending feeler arm capable of contacting the mass of loose material 20 lying in the channel 3. If the detecting device 19 reaches a gap in the material 20 the same is an indication of an undesired height of material and by a suitable trigger mechanism the conveyor belt 9 is driven to deliver additional material thereto.  
  The loose material 20 is in keeping with the preferred embodiment of this invention tobacco which is fed into channel 3 as the conveyor belt 9 not only discharges material in the direction indicated by the arrow 12 of FIGS. 1 and 2, but also as the frame 14 carrying the conveyor belt 9 rotates in the direction of the arrow 17 to fill the channel 3 to a predetermined height. The height of the material is, of course, determined by the sensing device 19 and upon the establishment of a uniform level of material within the channel 3 the discharge movement of the discharge belt 9 in the direction of the arrow 12 is terminated, as is the delivery of the material to the hopper or trough 18. Though the conveyor belt 9 is inactive insofar as the motion thereof in the direction of the arrow 12 is concerned, the same continues to rotate constantly about its axis 13 in order that the detecting means 19 is continually operative about the channel 3 to determine the existend of gaps within the material 20. As soon as an under supply position is determined by the detecting device 19 at any one or more of the troughs 7 suitable conventional control means are employed to trigger the operation of the supply to the trough 18 and motion to the conveyor belt 9 in the direction of the arrow 12. Suitable control means are provided for stopping the motion of the conveyor 9 about its axis 13 until the gap is filled or rotation about the axis 13 may be continuous but movement of the belt in the direction of the arrow 12 will only occur when the terminal end overlies any gaps within the loose material 20.  
  In further accordance with this invention provision may also be made for the rotation of the table 2 and thus the channel 3 thereof in unison with the rotation of the belt 9 in the direction of the arrow 17 of FIG. 2. In this arrangement the speed of rotation of the conveyor belt 9 in the direction of the arrow 17 is greater than that of the table 2 in the same direction. Thus when the material is removed from the channel 3 through the opening of any of the doors 6 the belt 9 will, due to its faster speed of rotation, advance to the particular position from which the material is extracted so that the appropriate consumption point is directly supplied with additional material. As the supply takes place the speed of rotation of the belt 9 and the table 2 about the axis 13 is maintained constant and upon the desired height being achieved as indicated by the detecting means 19 the rotation of the conveyor belt 9 about the axis 13 is again increased relative to the speed of rotation of the table 2, once again in the direction of the headed arrow 17. In this arrangement the troughs 7 are preferably in the form of a continuous channel, much as the channel 3, as opposed to individual chutes or troughs.  
  in further accordance with this invention the table 2 may be completely eliminated with the material being deposited from the conveyor belt 9 directly into anyone of the troughs or chutes 7. In such instances each chute 7 is preferably provided with detecting means, similar to the means 19, and in response thereto the conveyor belt 9 is rotated about the axis 13 for positioning at the particular chute 7 requiring additional material at which time motion is imparted to the belt in the direction of the headed arrow 12 of FIGS. 1 and 2.  
  While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in detail and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.  
 I claim:  
 1. A mechanism for feeding a mass of material to a I plurality of consumption areas comprising a conveyor I of said belt, means for detecting the level of deposited material during the rotational movement of said conveyor belt along said circular path, and means responsive to the detection means for generally simultaneously stopping rotation of said conveyor belt about said vertical axis, imparting motion to the upper run thereof, and instituting the operation of said feeding means.  
  2. The mechanism as defined in claim 1 including means for imparting motion to said consumption areas.  
  3. The mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said detecting means includes a sensor carried by a support for said conveyor belt.  
  4. The mechanism as defined in claim 1 including means for imparting rotational movement to said consumption areas.  
  5. The mechanism as defined in claim 1 including means for imparting rotation to said consumption areas, and the speed of rotation of said conveyor belt is greater than that imparted to said consumption areas. =l