Molins Plc

Molins Machine Co. Inc.

Peter A Clarke

Leonard James Bryant

Desmond W Molins

Dennis Hinchcliffe

Robert Howard Taylor

Kerry Hierons

Neil Thorp

David C Carter

Anthony R Brown

Wilfred B Heginbotham

Keith K Martin

James McLeod

John Dawson

Frank Heybourn

Ivan Yehudi Hirsh

Stanley V Starkey

Albert D Seim, Ii

Kevin R Fincham

John G Dowding

Eric A Luddington

David M Hawkins

William A Stone

Robert J Mitchell

William Robert Garton

Robert Antony Macgregor

Simon G Calverley

Richard R Armour

Kenneth B Carter

A conveyor system for transporting cigarettes between a making machine and a packing machine includes a mass flow conveyor (,) for transporting cigarettes directly and a reservoir system (,) in which successive batches of cigarettes comprising portions of the stream on an input conveyor (,) are diverted when required into compartmented containers (,). Transfer to the containers is made by way of a plunger (,) and shuttle (,) arrangement which allows the stream to move continuously during transfer of a batch. Unloading containers to reform a continuous stream may involve use of a similar plunger and shuttle arrangement so that the reformed stream can move continuously on an output conveyor (,). The input and output conveyors (,) may be provided with retractable spaced partitions to bound the ends of batches of cigarettes transferred from or to the respective conveyor.

Conveyor system for rod-like articles

A reservoir system for rod-like articles such as cigarettes has a first-in, first out buffer conveyor with a variable capacity. The capacity of the reservoir is varied by moving a pair of guidestoward or away from each other. The guides support the conveyor belt in a spiral fashion from a lower input level to a higher output level to compensate for temporary fiddefences in flow rates.

Reservoir system for rod-like articles

A system for conveying cigarettes in multi-layer stack formation between at least two combinations, each including a cigarette maker (10,10A), packer (14,14A) and buffer reservoir (12,12A), includes an interconnecting conveyor defining a closed loop path (18,20,18A,20A) allowing cigarettes made (or stored) in one combination to pass to the packer of any combination, the arrangement being such that associated with each combination there is an inverted T-junction (16,16A) at which cigarettes are delivered from above to the path from the maker or reservoir, and a further T-junction (22,22A) at which cigarettes are delivered downwards from the path to the packer.

A reservoir system for rod-like articles such as cigarettes includes a control system which operates to monitor the maximum time any articles can have remained in the reservoir, and initiates a reservoir emptying cycle when necessary so as to avoid occupation in the reservoir by any articles in excess of a predetermined maximum time. The reservoir may take the form of a reversible conveyor for a stream of articles in multi-layer stack formation, or a module for storing articles in containers including a container loading, unloading and transporting unit. A first-in first-out buffer reservoir may be associated with the main reservoir, and may be provided by a variable length portion of a delivery conveyor leading to the reservoir.

Reservoir for cigarettes with maximum time monitoring

Containers for rod-like articles are provided with a device, e.g. a transponder, capable of carrying variable coded information. Read and write devices are provided at appropriate positions, e.g. tray fillers and unloaders, to ensure that only containers of the correct type and contents are passed for further processing. The coded information may also relate to time of manufacture or loading, particularly where the articles are filter rods, to ensure unloading of only those containers in which the rods have received adequate curing time. A buffer reservoir system having a tray filler, tray unloader, and a tray handling system includes a transfer member capable of transferring trays between different positions of the tray handling system and a static trolly. The transfer member may comprise a robotic or other programmable member.

In a cigarette filter rod manufacturing plant at least one tow bale (6; 108) is located in a position remote from the corresponding tow opening machine (2; 100) and a conveying system (10; 112) is provided for transporting the tow to the machine. In a preferred arrangement the conveying system comprises a pneumatic duct (10) in which the tow is conveyed with the assistance of air movers (12). Removing the tow bales from the vicinity of the machines, preferably to a common area, allows flexibility in laying out a production floor and provides easy access for replacement of the bales.

Cigarette filter manufacture

Containers for rod-like articles are provided with a device, e.g. a transponder, capable of carrying variable coded information. Read and write devices are provided at appropriate positions, e.g. tray fillers and unloaders, to ensure that only containers of the correct type and contents are passed for further processing. The coded information may also relate to time of manufacture or loading, particularly where the articles are filter rods, to ensure unloading of only those containers in which the rods have received adequate curing time. A buffer reservoir system having a tray filler, tray unloader, and a tray handling system includes a transfer member capable of transferring trays between different positions of the tray handling system and a static trolley. The transfer member may comprise a robotic or other programmable member.

A cigarette conveying system for connecting several makers, packers and reservoirs is arranged with cross linking conveyors (22) which allow sub-division of the system into sub-systems which can be operated independently and can therefore handle different brands. Sub-systems may be defined by activating or de-activating selected conveyors and/or closing and opening gates provided at junctions between conveyors. In a preferred arrangement the system comprises a main loop and the cross linking conveyors sub-divide the main loop into sub-loops.

A conveyor system links two or more cigarette making machines and associated reservoirs with two or more packing machines and includes a first junction to which articles are delivered from at least two makers, a second junction from which articles pass to at least two receiving machines, and a transfer conveyor linking the junctions. The system allows each maker/reservoir to supply either packer but prevents articles passing from one reservoir to the other.

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles between a delivery device (M), e.g. a cigarette maker, and a receiving device (P), e.g. a cigarette packer, includes a conveyor (C) for articles in stack formation, a container loading device (TF), a container unloading device (TU), and a container handling system (TS) for moving containers between the devices. The container loading and unloading devices (TF, TU) may be in non-parallel orientations and the container handling system (TS) may include a common container reservoir (ER, FR) and a container turning device (FTT, ETT). The container loading and unloading devices (TF, TU) may be linked to the main conveyor (C) by subsidiary conveyors (CTF, CTU) which include a twisting path portion (SC).

Conveying apparatus for rod-like articles

A vertical feed apparatus for conveying a continuous stack of cigarettes upwards and/or downwards includes one or two bands which convey the stack around a rotatable member, from a horizontal conveyor to a pair of vertical conveyors, the bands being laterally offset from the horizontal and vertical conveyors.

Conveyor systems for cigarettes and other rod-like articles

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles includes a conveyor particularly adapted for moving a stream of articles in stack formation around a curved path of small radius. The conveyor includes an endless conveyor carrying cantilevered slats and guided around a double curved path on the upper run of which the outer ends of the slats are elevated by a guide. On the curved path the outer side of the stream is elevated and moved at an increased speed by the slats. The conveyor may be used to turn articles in the stream through 180.degree. prior to merging with another stream and is, therefore, usable in a 'tip turner38 for attachment to a filter cigarette making machine.

Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles

A conveyor system for cigarettes includes means defining a junction zone, at least two conveyors each having one end adjacent to the junction zone and arranged to carry cigarettes into or from the junction zone, and a moving sensor band which has an operative section partly defining the junction zone and capable of flexing outwards, against a tensioning force, under the pressure of cigarettes in the junction zone, the sensor band being driven so as to assist the movement of cigarettes through the junction zone.

Conveyor systems for cigarettes and similar rod-like articles

A stack former for rod-like articles includes a variable capacity transfer region between a supply conveyor and a stack conveyor. The supply conveyor is mounted on a unit which is pivotable to alter the capacity of the transfer region and which also carries a level sensor. The speed of the stack conveyor and the pivoting drive for the unit are selectively controlled by this sensor. The speed of the stack conveyor is also dependent on the angular displacement of the unit.

Apparatus for feeding rod-like articles

The invention involves the transfer of rod-like articles to or from an endless belt conveyor which has protrusions at regular intervals on its operative face by a pulley having a middle part around which the conveyor passes and two coaxial outer parts on opposite sides of the middle part which are of a larger diameter than the middle part for guiding the rod-like articles.

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London, United Kingdom

Peter A Clarke