Apparatus for assembling arrays of cigarettes or the like

摘要

Apparatus for assembling multi-layer blocks of parallel cigarettes has a magazine with several outlets having narrow elongated horizontal openings for the discharge of successive layers of cigarettes. An endless conveyor transports a succession of variable-volume receptacles stepwise along a path a horizontal portion of which extends along the outlets so that the opening of each outlet registers with a receptacle when the conveyor is arrested. The volumes of the receptacles are varied by a system of cams, which act upon movable top walls of the receptacles, in such a way that the volumes of the receptacles exceed the space requirements of the layer or layers therein only while the conveyor is idle, i.e., while the receptacles in register with the openings of the outlets are about to receive and are in the process of receiving layers of cigarettes; during each stage of movement of the conveyor, each receptacle which contains one or more layers of cigarettes is filled to capacity because the system of cams ensures that the movable top wall of each such receptacle is held as close to the nearest layer of cigarettes as is necessary to prevent any misalignment of cigarettes in the receptacles due to rapid acceleration or deceleration and/or abrupt starting or stoppage of the conveyor.