Sasib S.p.a.

Gianni Armaroli

Oliviero Lodi

Marco Cugolli

The present invention is a device for overturning cigarette packs or the like, which are advanced in a horizontal row toward an abutment stop member and must be each capsized around an axis which is transverse to the direction of progress of the row of packs. The device according to the invention is characterized by a pack-guiding arcuate channel extending in a substantially vertical plane at about 180.degree., from a substantially horizontal top opening provided before the abutment stop member and having a width which is at least slightly greater than the extension of a pack in the direction of progress of the pack row, as far as an underlying conveyor for the capsized packs. The pack-guiding arcuate channel has its extrados convex side turned toward the direction of arrival of the pack row, while in correspondence of the opening thereof, supporting teeth that can be elastically opened out are provided, and are adapted for each time supporting the leading pack in the row of packs and for letting it through as a result of a thrust exerted thereon from above by a pusher. Thus, the pack P is dropped into the opening of the pack-guiding arcuate channel and runs along this channel by gravity, with its side that in the overlying row of packs was turned backward, being turned forward, so that it is capsized during its travel along the said arcuate channel.

Device for overturning packs, particularly cigarette packs and the like

An automatic feeder device for loading full trays over the hopper of machines for packing cigarettes and for discharging empty trays from the hopper, with the aid of a tray-carrying casing which is provided with a gate for closing the tray mouth and with tray-holding arms cooperating with the bottom of the tray. The device includes a path (4) for feeding full trays (2'), this path being directed towards the hopper (1), and a path (6) for discharging empty trays (2'), the discharge path being arranged below the tray-feeding path and being directed away from the hopper. A loading-and-unloading inclined frame (8-8, 9, 10) extends adjacent the paths and has an upper fore end which is disposed adjacent the hopper. The frame is swingably mounted so that it can alternately assume two angular positions: a less inclined position in which its upper fore end is lowered toward the inlet of the hopper, and another more inclined position in which its upper fore end is lifted from the inlet of the hopper. The tray-carrying casing is so mounted as to be both longitudinally slidable and rotatable with respect to the frame, from an overturned upper position over the inlet of the hopper, through an upstanding intermediate position where the empty tray is released to the discharge path, to an upstanding lower position where a full tray is received from the tray-feeding path, and then back to the hopper.

Automatic feeder device for cigarettes and similar rod-like articles

A method and a device for feeding rod-like articles, particularly cigarettes, carried by trays, to the feed hopper of handling machines, particularly cigarette-packing machines. In order to assure a broad time period to replace an emptied tray and to practically avoid the sudden drop of the cigarettes from the tray into the hopper, two trays in discharge position and aligned to each other in the direction of the hopper length, are arranged over the inlet opening of the hopper. The descent of the cigarettes into the hopper is permitted alternately only from one of the trays until it is emptied, while the other previously emptied tray is replaced with a stand-by full tray. The descent of the cigarettes into the portion of the hopper in register with the tray being emptied, is discontinued and prevented as soon as the tray has been emptied, so that the level of the cigarettes in the corresponding underlying portion of the hopper is maintained just below the lowest layer of cigarettes in the new full tray which is arranged in discharge position as a substitute for the emptied tray.

Growing community of inventors

Bologna, Italy

Gianni Armaroli