Molins Plc

George R Bennett

Dennis Hinchcliffe

Robert S Day

Frank Heybourn

A device for separating a stream of rod-like articles in stack formation by projection in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles comprises a movable support for guide means around which passes at least one flexible band. As the device is projected through the stream the part of the band in contact with the articles is held stationary thus minimizing disturbance of and possible damage to the articles. The device may be used to close off an opening through which a container is loaded or unloaded and may also by used to separate a horizontally moving stream into batches.

Handling rod-like articles

A device for separating a stream of rod-like articles in stack formation by projection in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles comprises a movable support for guide means around which passes at least one flexible band. As the device is projected through the stream the part of the band in contact with the articles is held stationary thus minimising disturbance of and possible damage to the articles. The device may be used to close off an opening through which a container is loaded or unloaded and may be used to separate a horizontally moving stream into batches.

A receiver unit for a pneumatic plug feed is adapted to feed the rods away transversely as a stack. Each successive leading rod is accelerated towards retarding means and then deflected sideways by means of one or more air jets and possibly also by a conveyor which engages the trailing end of the rod and quickly moves it out of the forward path of the next rod. Conveyor means for the stack may be arranged to move the rods into a magazine underneath a considerable 'head' of rods.

Apparatus for handling rod-like articles

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles transverse to their lengths includes a first conveyor for moving a stack of articles from an inlet to an outlet and a reversible second conveyor connected to the first conveyor at a junction. The first and second conveyors each comprise interconnected horizontal path sections, which respectively lie alongside one another. The stack passing through the inlet may be delivered from a filter rod producing machine, and that passing through outlet may be delivered to a filter cigarette making machine. In this case the first conveyor constitutes a delay line to allow curing of the filter rods, and the second conveyor forms a reversible reservoir to adjust the net flow at the junction under control of a sensor.

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles

Rod-like articles such as cigarettes are conveyed in a pneumatic carrier tube in a capsule in order to prevent degradation during conveyance. The capsule may include a support portion having an opening through which the cigarette is received, and a guide portion in the form of a flange. The carrier tube may lead to remote test equipment for the cigarettes. The capsule is preferably pneumatically shuttled between a delivery station and the test equipment in order to convey successive cigarettes randomly selected from a stream of cigarettes passing, for example, from a filter cigarette making machine.

Conveying rod-like articles

A tray unloader for rod-like articles such as cigarettes or cigarette filter rods has a rotatable frame haing a pair of tray carriers arranged back to back and in 180.degree. rotational symmetry relative to a cental axis of the frame. The frame is disposed adjacent a hopper so that a tray in one carrier can unload directly into the hopper with a minimum of clearance, while the other carrier releases an empty tray and receives a full one. The frame is rotated through 180.degree. for a tray change and in order to clear the hopper during rotation the axis of rotation is lifted.

Growing community of inventors

London, United Kingdom

George R Bennett