Apparatus for testing cigarettes and the like

1,120,174. Testing cigarettes. HAUNI-WERKE KÍRBER & CO. K.G. 20 Dec., 1965 [23 Jan., 1965], No. 53889/65. Heading A2C. A method, of testing cigarettes or like articles travelling transversely to their axes, by passing an air test current therethrough, is characterized in that the test current pertaining, to every nth article provides a separate train of signals so that altogether n such trains are produced and each such signal controls the continuing conveyance or the rejection of the respective article. In apparatus for carrying out the method cigarettes are conveyed in grooved members 328; 330, 332 and 334 on a drum; 300 rotatably mounted on a shaft 302 and driven by a gear 308. The cigarettes are held in the grooves by suction applied through apertures 336 and ducts 338. A rotary flange 310, rotates with the drum 300, and bears against a spring biased control ring 312. The ducts 338 are continued through the flange 310 and communicate with a duct 341 in the control ring leading to a main suction duct 342 in the shaft 302. The periphery of the drum is also connected to pressure air through apertures 344 and ducts 346 in the drum, duct 348 in the flange 310 and a main duct 350, 352 in the shaft 302. Rotary valves 354 in the flange 310 control the application of either suction to apertures 336 or pressure to apertures 344. Stationary cams 314 and 325 are provided at the ends of the drum which, by means of rollers 392, operate slide valves 384 and 386 to grip a cigarette at the testing position shown at the top of the drum in Fig. 1. Each slide valve has a centre duct 373 and openings 374, 375. The slide valves are displaced under sliders 376, 378 (Fig. 5) provided with two series of ducts 394, 400 and 396, 398 respectively which register in the testing position with either openings 374 or 375. Above the sliders are positioned stationary test blocks 404, 406, provided with slots 412, 414 and 420, 422 respectively. A source of testing air current is applied to the slots 412, 414 in the test block 404 and alternate cigarettes are tested by the air current passing either through slot 412, duct 396, opening 375 and duct 373 of the slider 384, through the cigarette duct 373 and opening 374 of the slider 386, duct 398 and slot 420 of test blocks 406, or through slot 414, duct 394, opening 374 and duct 373 of slider 384, through the cigarette, duct 373 and opening 375 of slider 386, duct 400 and slot 422 of test block 406. The testing air currents are fed through