Title of Invention	"A PACKAGING MACHINE FOR MAKING PACKETS OF CIGARETTES"
Abstract	A packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes, the machine having a wrapper wheel (8), having an outfeed station (12) at which the packets (2) are unloaded from the wrapper wheel (8), and a drying conveyor (10), the machine being characterised in that the drying conveyor (10) is a straight conveyor with a first section (19) directly connected to the wrapper wheel (8) at the outfeed station (12), so as to receive the packets (2) directly from the wrapper wheel (8).

Title of Invention

"A PACKAGING MACHINE FOR MAKING PACKETS OF CIGARETTES"

Abstract

A packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes, the machine having a wrapper wheel (8), having an outfeed station (12) at which the packets (2) are unloaded from the wrapper wheel (8), and a drying conveyor (10), the machine being characterised in that the drying conveyor (10) is a straight conveyor with a first section (19) directly connected to the wrapper wheel (8) at the outfeed station (12), so as to receive the packets (2) directly from the wrapper wheel (8).

Full Text	The present invention relates to a packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes. In cigarette packaging machines, for example of the type described in United States patent No. 4,196,660, the use of a plurality of successive wrapper wheels is known, usually five in number. In the first wrapper wheels, a group of cigarettes is wrapped in a sheet of foil, then transferred to a fourth wrapper wheel, in which an inner frame folded to form a U-shape is positioned around the group of cigarettes. Finally, the group of cigarettes and the inner frame are fed to a corresponding seat in a fifth wrapper wheel, together with a blank, which is folded around the group of cigarettes as the seat moves forwards through a succession of folding stations located around the fifth wheel. Folding of the blank around the group of cigarettes is completed at an outfeed station, through which the packet obtained is transferred to an outfeed section comprising a plurality of wheels, normally three in number, the...first being a reject-wheel, the second a stabiliser wheel and the third a transfer wheel, from which the packet is passed to a straight drying conveyor. The outfeed section of the packaging machine described above is mechanically complex and relatively expensive. The aim of the present invention is to provide a cigarette packaging machine without the above-mentioned disadvantages and which is, in particular, simple and economical to make. Accordingly, there is provided a packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes, the machine having a wrapper wheel (8), having an outfeed station (12) at which the packets (2) are unloaded from the wrapper wheel (8), and a drying conveyor (10), the machine being characterised in that the drying conveyor (10) is a straight conveyor with a first section (19) directly connected to the wrapper wheel (8) at the outfeed station (12), so as to receive the packets (2) directly from the wrapper wheel (8). In accordance with the present invention, a packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes is provided, the machine comprising a wrapper wheel, with an outfeed station at which the packets are unloaded from the wrapper wheel, and a drying conveyor, characterised in that the drying conveyor is a straight conveyor whose infeed end is directly connected to the wrapper wheel at the outfeed station, so as to receive the packets directly from the wrapper wheel. The present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment, with some parts cut away for greater clarity. In the accompanying drawing, the numeral 1 represents as a whole a packaging machine for making packets 2 of cigarettes. The machine 1 comprises an infeed section (of the known type and not illustrated) , a wrapping section 3 (of the known type and partially illustrated) and an outfeed section 4. A succession of groups of cigarettes (not illustrated) is formed at the infeed section (not illustrated), which are then transferred to the wrapping section 3 (partially illustrated), which normally comprises five wrapper wheels. In the first wrapper wheels (not illustrated) , each group of cigarettes is wrapped in a sheet of foil (not illustrated) to form a set 5. In the fourth wrapper wheel, partially illustrated with a dashed line and labelled 6, an inner frame 7 is applied to each set 5, the inner frame being folded in a U-shape around the set 5. From the wrapper wheel 6, each set 5 and its inner frame 7 are fed to the fifth wrapper wheel, labelled 8, together with a blank 9, which is folded around the set 5 to form a packet 2 of cigarettes. Once completed, the packets 2 of cigarettes are transferred from the wrapping section 3, which ends with the wrapper wheel 8, to the outfeed section 4. The outfeed section 4 is defined by a drying conveyor 10, designed to receive the packets 2 from the wrapper wheel 8 and feed them in succession towards an unloading station 11 (of the known type) which unloads the packets 2 from the machine 1. The drying conveyor 10 is a straight conveyor and is directly connected to an outfeed station 12 of the wrapper wheel 8, to feed the packets 2 of cigarettes along a drying path P which extends radially relative to the wrapper wheel 8. The wrapper wheel 8 comprises a motor-driven drum 13, designed to rotate (anti-clockwise in " the accompanying drawing) with intermittent motion about its axis 14, perpendicular to the plane illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The drum 13 has a plurality of recessed peripheral seats 15, distributed evenly about the axis 14, each seat being designed to receive a set 5 with the relative blank 9 in a feed station 16 located between the wrapper wheels 6 and 8, to feed the set 5 and blank 9 through a succession of folding stations, and to release the substantially finished packet 2 of cigarettes in the outfeed station 12. The wrapper wheel 8 also comprises a pusher 17, located at the outfeed station 12 and designed to remove a packet 2 of cigarettes from the seat 15 inside the station 12, so as to feed the packet 2 of cigarettes to the drying conveyor 10. At the outfeed station 12 there are fixed folding profiles 18 of the known type, designed to complete the folding of the blank 9 as a packet 2 is removed from the seat 15. The drying conveyor 10 comprises two successive sections extending along the path P. The first section 19 is directly connected to the outfeed station 12, and the second section 20 extends between an outfeed of the section 19 and the unloading station 11. The section 19 is defined by a tube 21, along which the packets 2 of cigarettes are fed in steps, pushed by the pusher 17. The section 20 is defined by two belts 22 looped around respective pluralities of pulleys 23 and driven, in a continuous fashion, by drive means 24. In the unloading station 11, the packets 2 of cigarettes are fed to an outfeed chute 25 of the known type. The section 19 extends through a reject station 26, in which any faulty packets 2 of cigarettes are expelled by a pusher 27 which moves across the tube 21, driven by an actuator that is not illustrated, through an unloading window 28 made in an upper wall of the tube 21. The drying conveyor 10 is supported by a frame 29 of the machine 1 and a support 30 resting on the ground. Operation of the packaging machine 1 is made clear in the above description and requires no further explanation. As regards the machine 1 described, it should be noticed that the outfeed section 4, being completely free of wheels or other similar rotating transfer drying means normally present on known packaging machines of the same type, is particularly easy and economical to make. CLAIM : 1. A packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes, the machine having a wrapper wheel (8), having an outfeed station (12) at which the packets (2) are unloaded from the wrapper wheel (8), and a drying conveyor (10), the machine being characterised in that the drying conveyor (10) is a straight conveyor with a first section (19) directly connected to the wrapper wheel (8) at the outfeed station (12), so as to receive the packets (2) directly from the wrapper wheel (8). 2. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drying conveyor (10) extends in a radial direction relative to the wrapper wheel (8). 3. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the drying conveyor (10) has a first section (19), extending from the outfeed station (12) and defined by a tube (21), along which the packets (2) of cigarettes are fed by pushing, and a second section (20), the latter being defined by a conveyor belt (22). 4. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wrapper wheel (8) has a plurality of peripheral seats (15) and a first pusher (17), being located at the outfeed station (12), for unloading a packet (2) from the respective seat (15) and feeding the packet (2) to the first section (19) of the drying conveyor (10). 5. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 3 or 4, having a control and reject station (26) which rejects faulty packets (2), being located on the first section (19) of the drying conveyor (10). 6. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the reject station (26) has a second pusher (27), the latter being mobile with alternating motion, across the first section (19) of the drying conveyor (10).

Full Text

The present invention relates to a packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes.
In cigarette packaging machines, for example of the type described in United States patent No. 4,196,660, the use of a plurality of successive wrapper wheels is known, usually five in number. In the first wrapper wheels, a group of cigarettes is wrapped in a sheet of foil, then transferred to a fourth wrapper wheel, in which an inner frame folded to form a U-shape is positioned around the group of cigarettes. Finally, the group of cigarettes and the inner frame are fed to a corresponding seat in a fifth wrapper wheel, together with a blank, which is folded around the group of cigarettes as the seat moves forwards through a succession of folding stations located around the fifth wheel.
Folding of the blank around the group of cigarettes is completed at an outfeed station, through which the packet obtained is transferred to an outfeed section comprising a plurality of wheels, normally three in number, the...first being a reject-wheel, the second a stabiliser wheel and the third a transfer wheel, from which the packet is passed to a straight drying conveyor.
The outfeed section of the packaging machine described above is mechanically complex and relatively expensive.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a cigarette packaging machine without the above-mentioned disadvantages and which is, in particular, simple and economical to make.
Accordingly, there is provided a packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes, the machine having a wrapper wheel (8), having an outfeed station (12) at which the packets (2) are unloaded from the wrapper wheel (8), and a drying conveyor (10), the machine being characterised in that the drying conveyor (10) is a straight conveyor with a first section (19) directly connected to the wrapper wheel (8) at the outfeed station (12), so as to receive the packets (2) directly from the wrapper wheel (8).
In accordance with the present invention, a packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes is provided, the machine comprising a wrapper wheel, with an outfeed station at which the packets are unloaded from the wrapper wheel, and a drying conveyor, characterised in that the drying conveyor is a straight conveyor whose infeed end is directly connected to the wrapper wheel at the outfeed station, so as to receive the packets directly from the wrapper wheel.
The present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment, with some parts cut away for greater clarity. In the accompanying drawing, the numeral 1 represents as a whole a packaging machine for making packets 2 of cigarettes. The machine 1 comprises an infeed section (of the known type and not illustrated) , a wrapping section 3 (of the known type and partially illustrated) and an outfeed section 4. A succession of groups of cigarettes (not illustrated) is formed at the infeed section (not illustrated), which are then transferred to the wrapping section 3 (partially illustrated), which normally comprises five wrapper wheels. In the first wrapper wheels (not illustrated) , each group of cigarettes is wrapped in a sheet of foil (not illustrated) to form a set 5. In the fourth wrapper wheel, partially illustrated with a dashed line and labelled 6, an inner frame 7 is applied to each set 5, the inner frame being folded
in a U-shape around the set 5. From the wrapper wheel 6, each set 5 and its inner frame 7 are fed to the fifth wrapper wheel, labelled 8, together with a blank 9, which is folded around the set 5 to form a packet 2 of cigarettes. Once completed, the packets 2 of cigarettes are transferred from the wrapping section 3, which ends with the wrapper wheel 8, to the outfeed section 4.
The outfeed section 4 is defined by a drying conveyor 10, designed to receive the packets 2 from the wrapper wheel 8 and feed them in succession towards an unloading station 11 (of the known type) which unloads the packets 2 from the machine 1. The drying conveyor 10 is a straight conveyor and is directly connected to an outfeed station 12 of the wrapper wheel 8, to feed the packets 2 of cigarettes along a drying path P which extends radially relative to the wrapper wheel 8.
The wrapper wheel 8 comprises a motor-driven drum 13, designed to rotate (anti-clockwise in " the accompanying drawing) with intermittent motion about its axis 14, perpendicular to the plane illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The drum 13 has a plurality of recessed peripheral seats 15, distributed evenly about the axis 14, each seat being designed to receive a set 5 with the relative blank 9 in a feed station 16 located between the wrapper wheels 6 and 8, to feed the set 5 and blank 9 through a succession of folding stations, and to release the substantially finished packet 2 of cigarettes in the outfeed station 12. The wrapper wheel 8 also comprises a pusher 17,

located at the outfeed station 12 and designed to remove a packet 2 of cigarettes from the seat 15 inside the station 12, so as to feed the packet 2 of cigarettes to the drying conveyor 10. At the outfeed station 12 there are fixed folding profiles 18 of the known type, designed to complete the folding of the blank 9 as a packet 2 is removed from the seat 15. The drying conveyor 10 comprises two successive sections extending along the path P. The first section 19 is directly connected to the outfeed station 12, and the second section 20 extends between an outfeed of the section 19 and the unloading station 11. The section 19 is defined by a tube 21, along which the packets 2 of cigarettes are fed in steps, pushed by the pusher 17. The section 20 is defined by two belts 22 looped around respective pluralities of pulleys 23 and driven, in a continuous fashion, by drive means 24.
In the unloading station 11, the packets 2 of cigarettes are fed to an outfeed chute 25 of the known type.
The section 19 extends through a reject station 26, in which any faulty packets 2 of cigarettes are expelled by a pusher 27 which moves across the tube 21, driven by an actuator that is not illustrated, through an unloading window 28 made in an upper wall of the tube 21.
The drying conveyor 10 is supported by a frame 29 of the machine 1 and a support 30 resting on the ground. Operation of the packaging machine 1 is made clear in the above description and requires no further explanation.
As regards the machine 1 described, it should be noticed that the outfeed section 4, being completely free of wheels or other similar rotating transfer drying means normally present on known packaging machines of the same type, is particularly easy and economical to make.

CLAIM :
1. A packaging machine for making packets of cigarettes, the machine
having a wrapper wheel (8), having an outfeed station (12) at which
the packets (2) are unloaded from the wrapper wheel (8), and a drying
conveyor (10), the machine being characterised in that the drying
conveyor (10) is a straight conveyor with a first section (19) directly
connected to the wrapper wheel (8) at the outfeed station (12), so as to
receive the packets (2) directly from the wrapper wheel (8).
2. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drying
conveyor (10) extends in a radial direction relative to the wrapper
wheel (8).
3. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the drying
conveyor (10) has a first section (19), extending from the outfeed
station (12) and defined by a tube (21), along which the packets (2) of
cigarettes are fed by pushing, and a second section (20), the latter
being defined by a conveyor belt (22).
4. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wrapper
wheel (8) has a plurality of peripheral seats (15) and a first pusher
(17), being located at the outfeed station (12), for unloading a packet
(2) from the respective seat (15) and feeding the packet (2) to the first
section (19) of the drying conveyor (10).
5. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 3 or 4, having a control
and reject station (26) which rejects faulty packets (2), being located
on the first section (19) of the drying conveyor (10).
6. The packaging machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the reject
station (26) has a second pusher (27), the latter being mobile with
alternating motion, across the first section (19) of the drying conveyor
(10).

Documents:

396-del-1999-abstract.pdf

396-del-1999-claims.pdf

396-del-1999-correspondence-others.pdf

396-del-1999-correspondence-po.pdf

396-del-1999-description (complete).pdf

396-del-1999-drawings.pdf

396-del-1999-form-1.pdf

396-del-1999-form-13.pdf

396-del-1999-form-19.pdf

396-del-1999-form-2.pdf

396-del-1999-form-3.pdf

396-del-1999-form-4.pdf

396-del-1999-form-6.pdf

396-del-1999-gpa.pdf

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Patent Number

216553

Indian Patent Application Number

396/DEL/1999

PG Journal Number

13/2008

Publication Date

28-Mar-2008

Grant Date

14-Mar-2008

Date of Filing

11-Mar-1999

Name of Patentee

G.D S.p.A.

Applicant Address

VIA POMPONIA, 10, 40133 BOLOGNA, ITALY.

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	GIUSEPPE VENTURI	13201 CHESDIN LANDING DRIVE, CHESTERFIELD 23838 VIRGINIA - U.S.A.

PCT International Classification Number

B65B 19/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	BO98A 000187	1998-03-23	Italy