Unit for feeding filters to a filter tip attachment machine

Abstract

Filter plugs for cigarettes are supplied to a filter tip attachment machine by a feed unit comprising a hopper into which filter plugs of at least one type are directed in succession from a filter maker. The hopper is positioned above a row of rotating drums, each furnished peripherally with a plurality of aspirating axial flutes by which the filters are taken up singly from the hopper and directed to a transfer station; here, the flutes are aligned axially one by one with the inlet of a pneumatic feed duct connecting with the filter tip attachment machine. The hopper is equipped with sliding baffles by which it can be partitioned to create at least two sectors, each serving at least one drum, so that filters of different length can be handled simultaneously, and the unit is able to operate in conjunction with filter makers and filter tip attachment machines of more than one type upstream and downstream.

1 . A unit for feeding filters to a filter tip attachment machine, comprising: 
 a hopper in receipt of at least one succession of cigarette filter plugs, from which the selfsame filters are subsequently dispensed;    a plurality of drums positioned at the bottom of the hopper, each rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and furnished peripherally with a plurality of aspirating axial flutes by which the filters are taken up singly from the hopper and passed on to a transfer station where the flutes assume a position of axial alignment with the inlet of a pneumatic feed duct along which the filters are directed toward the filter tip attachment machine;    means by which the hopper is partitionable into at least two sectors, each serving at least one drum.    
   
   
       2 . A unit as in  claim 1 , wherein the means by which the hopper is partitionable into at least two sectors comprise at least one translatable baffle.  
   
   
       3 . A unit as in  claim 2 , wherein the means by which to partition the hopper comprise three baffles creating four sectors.  
   
   
       4 . A unit as in  claim 1 , further comprising means by which to vary the size of at least one of the partitioned sectors created in the hopper, so as to accommodate filters of different length.  
   
   
       5 . A unit as in  claim 4 , of which the hopper comprises a front wall and a back wall, interconnected by two side walls and set apart at a prescribed distance, wherein means by which to vary the size of a partitioned sector operate by varying the prescribed distance between the front and back walls.  
   
   
       6 . A unit as in  claim 5 , wherein the means by which to vary the prescribed distance comprise at least one movable panel associated with the back wall.  
   
   
       7 . A unit as in  claim 6 , wherein the means by which to vary the prescribed distance comprise four movable panels.  
   
   
       8 . A unit as in  claim 1 , wherein the hopper presents at least two openings through which filter plugs are admitted to at least two partitioned sectors created in the hopper.  
   
   
       9 . A unit as in  claim 2 , wherein the means by which the hopper is partitionable into at least two sectors comprise at least one actuator associated with the at least one translatable baffle.  
   
   
       10 . A unit as in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises at least one pneumatic cylinder by which motion is induced in the associated translatable baffle.  
   
   
       11 . A unit as in  claim 6 , wherein the means by which to vary the size of at least one of the at least two partitioned sectors created in the hopper further comprise a drive unit associated with the at least one movable panel.  
   
   
       12 . A unit as in  claim 11 , wherein the drive unit comprises an electric motor by which the at least one movable panel is operated.  
   
   
       13 . A unit as in  claim 1 , further comprising photocells serving to monitor the level of the massed filters occupying each of the at least two partitioned sectors created in the hopper.  
   
   
       14 . A unit as in  claim 9 , comprising a control unit connected to the at least one actuator and to the at least one drive unit, by which the position of the at least one baffle and the at least one panel can be varied automatically in order to adapt the feed unit to a given type of filter.  
   
   
       15 . A unit as in  claim 11 , comprising a control unit connected to the at least one actuator and to the at least one drive unit, by which the position of the at least one baffle and the at least one panel can be varied automatically in order to adapt the feed unit to a given type of filter.  
   
   
       16 . A unit as in  claim 2 , further comprising means by which to vary the size of at least one of the partitioned sectors created in the hopper, so as to accommodate filters of different length.  
   
   
       17 . A unit as in  claim 3 , further comprising means by which to vary the size of at least one of the partitioned sectors created in the hopper, so as to accommodate filters of different length.