US3782523A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Storing and feeding device for cigarettes
Assignee: AMF Inc
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Filing: 1972-09-01
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1992-09-01
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for storing and feeding cigarettes, which comprises a conveyor for advancing cigarettes from the output of a cigarette manufacturing unit, means for receiving cigarettes from the conveyor and transporting them to the input of a cigarette packer, a cylindrical storage unit having a plurality of cigarette receiving slots open to the periphery thereof mounted adjacent the conveyor between the output of the cigarette manufacturing unit and the input of the cigarette packer, and means responsive to operating conditions in the packer for transferring cigarettes between the conveyor and the slots in the storage unit.
Inventors
- 👤 F Giatti
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:19
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/35
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
Apparatus for storing and feeding rod-like articles, which comprises: a conveyor for advancing rod-like articles from a first location to a second location, a storage unit having a plurality of rod-like article receiving slots therein mounted Adjacent the conveyor, means for varying the depth of the slots in the storage unit, means for driving the rod-like article receiving slots of the storage unit into spaced relationship with the rod-like article conveyor, and means for transferring rod-like articles between the conveyor and the slots in the storage unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
Apparatus for storing and feeding rod-like articles, which comprises: a conveyor for advancing rod-like articles from a first location to a second location, a storage unit having a plurality of rod-like article receiving slots therein mounted Adjacent the conveyor, means for varying the depth of the slots in the storage unit, means for driving the rod-like article receiving slots of the storage unit into spaced relationship with the rod-like article conveyor, and means for transferring rod-like articles between the conveyor and the slots in the storage unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for transferring the rod-like articles between the conveyor and the slots in the storage unit comprises: a wheel having a diameter approximately equal to the distance between the conveyor and the storage unit, the wheel having flutes provided in the periphery thereof, and a source of vacuum selectively coupled to the bottoms of the flutes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is a cylindrical member including a plurality of slots provided in the periphery thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
104 words
Apparatus for storing and feeding rod-like articles, which comprises: a conveyor for advancing cigarettes from a first location to a second location, a cylindrical storage unit mounted adjacent the conveyor having a plurality of cigarette receiving slots provided in the periphery thereof, means for rotating the cylindrical storage unit to drive the slots therein into spaced relationship with the cigarette conveyor, means for transferring cigarettes between the conveyor and the slots in the cylindrical storage unit, and means selectively coupled to the means for rotating the cylindrical storage unit for varying the depth of slots in the storage unit as the storage unit rotates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
104 words
Apparatus for storing and feeding rod-like articles, which comprises: a conveyor for advancing cigarettes from a first location to a second location, a cylindrical storage unit mounted adjacent the conveyor having a plurality of cigarette receiving slots provided in the periphery thereof, means for rotating the cylindrical storage unit to drive the slots therein into spaced relationship with the cigarette conveyor, means for transferring cigarettes between the conveyor and the slots in the cylindrical storage unit, and means selectively coupled to the means for rotating the cylindrical storage unit for varying the depth of slots in the storage unit as the storage unit rotates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: the cigarette conveyor comprises a fluted drum, the first location is the output of an apparatus for producing cigarettes and the second location is the input area of a cigarette packer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for transferring cigarettes between the conveyor and the slots in the cylindrical storage unit is a fluted wheel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the storage drum includes: a pair of spaced disks rotatably mounted on a central shaft, and a plurality of ribs protruding from the inner walls of the disks in opposed pairs, the ribs on each disk being spaced around the peripheries thereof a distance from each other equal to the approximate width of a cigarette.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for varying the depth of the slots in the storage units includes a slide mounted for radial movement in each of the slots.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for varying the depth of the slots in the storage units includes: a slide mounted for radial movement in each of the slots, a gear mounted coaxially with the storage unit for driving the slides radially with respect to the slots, and means for causing relative rotation between the gear and the storage unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus for storing and feeding cigarettes, which comprises: a conveyor for advancing cigarettes from the output of a cigarette manufacturing unit, means for receiving cigarettes from the conveyor and transporting them to the input of a cigarette packer, a cylindrical storage unit having a plurality of cigarette receiving slots open to the periphery thereof mounted adjacent the conveyor between the output of the cigarette manufacturing unit and the input of the cigarette packer, and means responsive to operating conditions in the packer for transferring cigarettes between the conveyor and the slots in the storage unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus for storing and feeding cigarettes, which comprises: a conveyor for advancing cigarettes from the output of a cigarette manufacturing unit, means for receiving cigarettes from the conveyor and transporting them to the input of a cigarette packer, a cylindrical storage unit having a plurality of cigarette receiving slots open to the periphery thereof mounted adjacent the conveyor between the output of the cigarette manufacturing unit and the input of the cigarette packer, and means responsive to operating conditions in the packer for transferring cigarettes between the conveyor and the slots in the storage unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: means for increasing the depth of the slots in the storage unit as cigarettes are delivered thereto.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein: the cigarette conveyor is a fluted drum, the means for receiving cigarettes from the conveyor for transport to the packer is at least one tape conveyor, and a fluted wheel is mounteD adjacent the cigarette conveyor operable to remove cigarettes from the conveyor and transfer them to a tape conveyor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the cylindrical storage unit is mounted for rotation, and drive means are connected thereto to drive the slots of the drum sequentially into spaced relationship with the conveyor, and the means for increasing the depth of the slots as cigarettes are delivered to the storage unit includes a slide mounted for radial movement in each slot, gear means coupled to the slides for moving them radially, and means connected to the storage unit drive means for causing relative rotation between the storage unit and the gear.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: means for decreasing the depth of the slots in the storage unit wherein cigarettes are transferred from the storage unit to the cigarette conveyor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: means for modifying the connection between the storage unit drive means and the gear means for causing relative rotation between the storage unit and the gear means that is the reverse of said last named relative rotation to decrease the depth of the slots in the storage unit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, the means for transferring cigarettes between the storage unit and the conveyor includes a fluted wheel mounted therebetween, said fluted wheel being operable to receive cigarettes from the slots of the storage unit as they decrease in depth and transfer them to the conveyor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
93 words
Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein: the storage unit includes a pair of spaced disks rotatably mounted on a central shaft and a plurality of ribs protruding from the inner walls of the disks in opposed pairs, the ribs on each disk being spaced apart around the peripheries thereof a distance equal to the approximate width of a cigarette, the disks being rotatable in unison by the slides, which are mounted between the ribs of the disks, and the means for rotating the storage unit includes means for rotating one of the disks.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the gear means is mounted in spaced relationship with said one of the disks, and the means for varying the depth of the slots includes means for rotating the gear and the disk with respect to each other.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: means for modifying the connection between the storage unit drive means and the gear means for causing relative rotation between the storage unit and the gear means that is the reverse of said last named relative rotation to decrease the depth of the slots in the storage unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3680280A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |