Valve device for changing over the mass flow of rod-like articles in conveying channels of the tobacco industry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9420828-B2
Application number	US-201514711470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2014
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

A valve device for changing over the mass flow of rod-like articles of the tobacco industry, between at least two non-parallel conveying channels feeding the rod-like articles and a conveying channel receiving the rod-like articles or between a conveying channel feeding the rod-like articles and at least two non-parallel conveying channels receiving the rod-like articles, comprising at least one rotatable element changing over the mass flow comprising a through channel for the transfer of the mass flow between the feeding conveying channel and the receiving conveying channel, with the rotatable change-over element having different angular positions relative to its principally horizontal axis of rotation which allow connecting individual feeding and receiving channels, characterized in that in the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ) at least one conveying unit ( 5 ) situated at the wall ( 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, 7 d ) of a through channel ( 7 ) of the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ) is disposed, with the conveying unit ( 5 ) having an operating section ( 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d ) supporting the mass flow of the rod-like articles (E) via the through channel ( 7 ) in the direction from the feeding channel ( 2, 2 a, 2 b ) to the receiving channel ( 3, 3 a ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising a valve device for changing over mass flow of rod-like articles of the tobacco industry, between at least two non-parallel conveying channels feeding rod-like articles and a conveying channel receiving rod-like articles or between a conveying channel feeding rod-like articles and at least two non-parallel conveying channels receiving rod-like articles, the valve device comprising:
at least one rotatable change-over element for changing over mass flow comprising a through channel for transferring mass flow between the feeding conveying channel and the receiving conveying channel, the rotatable change-over element having different angular positions relative to its principally horizontal axis of rotation which allow connecting individual feeding and receiving channels,
in which in the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ) at least one conveying unit ( 5 ) situated at a wall ( 7 a , 7 b , 7 c , 7 d ) of a through channel ( 7 ) of the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ) is disposed, the conveying unit ( 5 ) having an operating section ( 8 a , 8 b , 8 c , 8 d ) supporting mass flow of rod-like articles (E) via the through channel ( 7 ) in the direction from a feeding channel ( 2 , 2 a , 2 b ) to a receiving channel ( 3 , 3 a ).

2. The apparatus as in claim 1 characterised in that the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ) has at least one shut-off surface ( 10 , 11 ) rotatable together with the through channel ( 7 ) for shutting-off a channel ( 2 , 2 a , 2 b , 3 , 3 a ) opening which is not connected with the through channel ( 7 ) of the change-over element ( 4 ).

3. The apparatus as in claim 1 characterised by being provided with a guiding surface ( 13 ) for rod-like articles (E) located in the through channel ( 7 ) of the change-over element ( 4 ) during the rotation of the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ).

4. The apparatus as in claim 1 characterised in that the conveying unit ( 5 ) comprises a conveying belt or chain and guiding elements ( 9 , 9 a ) for guiding the conveying belt or chain situated at both ends of the operating section ( 8 a , 8 b , 8 c , 8 d ) of the conveying unit ( 5 ).

5. The apparatus as in claim 4 characterised in that at least one wall ( 7 a , 7 b , 7 c , 7 d ) of the through channel ( 7 ) is formed by the operating section ( 8 a , 8 b , 8 c , 8 d ) of the conveying unit ( 5 ) and by at least one wall element ( 15 , 16 ).

6. The apparatus as in claim 5 characterised in that the axis of rotation (A) of the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ) is situated within the guiding element ( 9 , 9 a ) or the wall element ( 15 , 16 ).

7. The apparatus as in claim 4 characterised in that at least one wall ( 7 a , 7 b ) of the through channel ( 7 ) is formed entirely by the operating section ( 8 a , 8 b ) of the conveying unit ( 5 ).

8. The apparatus as in claim 7 characterised in that the axis of rotation (A) of the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ) is situated within the guiding element ( 9 a , 9 b ).

9. The apparatus as in claim 4 characterised in that the walls ( 7 a ) of the through channel ( 7 , 7 b , 7 c , 7 d ) are essentially parallel to each other.

10. The apparatus as in claim 1 characterised in that the pushing away elements ( 14 ) for separating the rod-like articles (E) situated in the feeding channel ( 2 , 2 a , 2 b ) from the rod-like articles (E) situated in the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ) are disposed in between the feeding channel ( 2 , 2 a , 2 b ) and the rotatable change-over element ( 4 ).

11. The apparatus as in claim 10 characterised in that the pushing away elements ( 14 ) are compressed air nozzles ( 14 a ).

12. The apparatus as in claim 10 characterised in that the pushing away elements ( 14 ) are pushing away rollers ( 14 b ).

Assignees

• Int Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp Zoo
• Int Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp Zoo

Inventors

• Ugrewicz Grzegorz

Classifications

• A24C5/35 Primary

  Adaptations of conveying apparatus for transporting cigarettes from making machine to packaging machine · CPC title

• B65G47/647

  the axis being perpendicular to the conveying direction · CPC title

• B65G37/00

  Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes (series of co-operating belt conveyor units B65G15/22; series of co-operating chain conveyor units B65G17/26; sequence control of combined conveyors B65G43/10) · CPC title

• A24C5/00 Primary

  Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes · CPC title