SE323312B - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,217,107. Hoppers. ARENCO A.B. 10 Nov., 1969 [27 Nov., 1968], No. 54860/69. Headings B8A and B8S. In a cigarette container 1 having an upper feed-in opening 33 and a lower feed-out opening 54 leading to a packaging machine (not shown), and having a storage capacity which is variable depending on alterations in the ratio between cigarettes fed in and cigarettes fed out, at least one wall part 5 of the container 1 being displaceable by means of a driving motor 23 and the feed-in opening being limited by at least one strip-shaped, flexible covering member 35 arranged to rest on the top layer 34 of cigarettes in the container, the covering member 35 is light and freely movable, and its movements dire to alterations in the upper layer of cigarettes, are sensed by means of an electric sensing member 28 which is stationary in relation to the feed-in opening, and is arranged to be influenced by alterations in an air gap 40 between the upper surface of the covering member 35 and the sensing member 28 and, when influenced, regulates the driving motor 23 so that the air gap 40 is kept substantially constant. As shown, extendable side walls 5, 5, of thin stainless steel are arranged to on the inside of fixed walls 2, 2. One wall 5 is secured to a trolley 7 which is movable by a motor 22 acting through an endless chain 17. The other wall 5 is connected to a trolley 8 which moves with the trolley 7. The top of the container is closed by a covering strip 35. One end of the latter is connected to a bracket 36 carrying a sensing member 28. The other end 37 of the strip 35 rests freely on thetop layer of cigarettes. There is a predetermined air gap 40 between a sensing member 28 and the upper surface of the strip 35. The sensing member 28 is arranged so as to transmit a signal in dependance upon the air gap thereby activating control equipment 26, which controls the motor 22. The sensing member 28 may be a capacitance (Fig. 2, not shown), the value of which is changed by the change in proximity of the strip 35. The member 28 may be a coil (Fig. 3, not shown), which coacts with a strip of metal foil (44) secured to the strip 35. In a further modification (Fig. 4, not shown) the member 28 comprises magnetic pole shoes (45, 45) which coact with a metal strip (47) carried by the strip 35. Operation.-Cigarettes are fed into the container 1 via opening 33 by opposed endless foam rubber or plastic conveyer belts 31, 32, at a greater rate than they are supplied through the outlet 54 to the packing machine. This causes the air gap to diminish. A signal is transmitted to the equipment 26 and the motor 22 is started and raises the trolleys 7, 8. The air gap 40 increases and the motor is cut out and so on. When the capacity of the container 1 reaches its maximum, a switch (not shown) is actuated to reverse the motor 22, and the supply of cigarettes is interrupted for a predetermined period of time. When the minimum capacity of the container 1 is reached, a lower switch is operated so as to reinstate the original process.