Design of Buffer Device in Single-case Multi-station Cut Tobacco Case Filling System

To match the capacity of single-case multi-station cut tobacco case filling system with that of tobacco expansion system, a buffer device was installed between the longitudinal and transverse reciprocating tobacco spreading belt conveyors in the case filling system. The device was mainly composed of a cut tobacco storing trough and a belt conveyor. When case filling was in operation, the buffer device worked as a tobacco passage; the tobacco on the belt conveyor was temporarily stored in the buffer device when the case filling was completed; the tobacco in the buffer device and that on the longitudinal belt conveyor was directed to the horizontal belt conveyor until the filled case was removed and an empty case was in place, then started a filling cycle again. The results showed that case filling of single-case single-station was realized via a buffer device, the new system was simple in structure and smooth in running. Comparing with the original one, new system had the same output of 7 case/hour, but cut the site area and capital investment by 50%.