Feeding device and method for feeding spherical objects in a tobacco industry machine

Abstract

A feeding device for feeding spherical objects (3) for tobacco industry applications, comprising: a mass chamber (2, 2′) for storing a plurality of the spherical objects (3); at least one single layer chamber (10, 10′) located below the mass chamber (2, 2′) and connected with the mass chamber (2, 2′) such that the spherical objects (3) may flow from the mass chamber (2, 2′) to the single layer chamber (10, 10′), wherein the single layer chamber (10, 10′) comprises an outlet (15) having multiple outlet ducts (16) for outputting the spherical objects (3) to a receiving device; at least one roller (17, 18) located next to the outlet duct (16), wherein a circumferential surface (17A, 18A) of the roller (17, 18) constitutes a wall of the outlet duct (16). The feeding device further comprises a cylindrical rotary element (9, 9′) located below the mass chamber (2, 2′) in an area of connection of the mass chamber (2, 2′) and the single layer chamber (10, 10′), wherein a side surface (9A) of the cylindrical rotary element (9, 9′) constitutes a wall for guiding the flow of the spherical objects (3) from the mass chamber (2, 2′) to the single layer chamber (10, 10′).

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A machine for producing multi-segment rods for use in tobacco industry, the machine comprising:
 a mass chamber for storing a plurality of the spherical objects and having a bottom;   at least one single layer chamber located below the mass chamber and operationally connected thereto, comprising an outlet having multiple outlet ducts for outputting the spherical objects to a receiving device;   at least one roller located next to the outlet duct and having a circumferential surface constituting a wall of the outlet duct; and   a cylindrical rotary element located between the mass chamber bottom and the single layer chamber and having a side surface constituting a wall for guiding the flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical rotary element is located tangentially to a wall of the mass chamber bottom. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical rotary element is located tangentially to the single layer chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the single layer chamber is arranged vertically. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the cylindrical rotary element is located tangentially to the single layer chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the single layer chamber is arranged vertically. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the single layer chamber is arranged vertically. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one roller comprises at least two adjacent rollers with circumferential surfaces configured to rotate in an opposite direction from one another during operation of the device. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one roller comprises at least two adjacent rollers with circumferential surfaces configured to rotate in a same direction as the another during operation of the device. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one roller comprises at least two adjacent rollers with circumferential surfaces configured to rotate in an opposite direction from one another during operation of the device. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one roller comprises at least two adjacent rollers with circumferential surfaces configured to rotate in a same direction as the another during operation of the device. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the circumferential surface of at least one of the at least one rollers constitutes a side wall of two neighboring outlet ducts. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical rotary element comprises a contact surface configured to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber during operation. 
     
     
         26 . The device of claim  1 , wherein the cylindrical rotary element comprises a contact surface configured to rotate in a direction same as the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber during operation. 
     
     
         27 . A method of feeding spherical objects in a tobacco industry machine, comprising:
 feeding a plurality of spherical objects from the mass storage chamber to a single layer chamber located below the mass chamber and operationally connected thereto and comprising multiple outlet ducts;   rotating a cylindrical rotary element having a contact surface and located between the mass chamber bottom and the single layer chamber;   rotatably outputting the plurality of spherical objects from the multiple outlet ducts of the single layer chamber to a receiving device.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising rotating the cylindrical rotary element contact surface in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising rotating the cylindrical rotary element contact surface in a direction same as the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the rotatably outputting the plurality of spherical objects from the multiple outlet ducts of the single layer chamber to a receiving device step comprises rotating at least two rollers located at an inlet to the multiple outlet ducts, each roller having a circumferential surface rotating in opposite direction of the circumferential surface of the other roller. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the rotatably outputting the plurality of spherical objects from the multiple outlet ducts of the single layer chamber to a receiving device step comprises rotating at least two rollers located at an inlet to the multiple outlet ducts, each roller having a circumferential surface rotating in opposite direction of the circumferential surface of the other roller. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the rotatably outputting the plurality of spherical objects from the multiple outlet ducts of the single layer chamber to a receiving device step comprises rotating at least two rollers located at an inlet to the multiple outlet ducts, each roller having a circumferential surface rotating in opposite direction of the circumferential surface of the other roller.