US3793512A

US3793512A - Method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of tobacco processing machines or the like

Info

Publication number: US3793512A
Application number: US00125266A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Lorenzen
Original assignee: Hauni Werke Koerber and Co KG
Current assignee: Koerber AG
Priority date: 1970-03-19
Filing date: 1971-03-17
Publication date: 1974-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-02-19
Also published as: SE371089B; GB1352941A; DE2013078A1; FR2084648A1

Abstract

The operation of parts or groups of parts in discrete machines or groups of cooperating machines for the treatment, processing and/or transport of plain or filter-tipped smokers'' products and/or their components is monitored by discrete detectors. The detectors produce signals in response to detection of malfunctions of the respective parts or groups of parts. Such signals are utilized to stop one or more machines as well as to operate circuits or devices which count and record the number of malfunctions of each part or group of parts within a selected period of time, and which also record the length of intervals of idleness of one or more machines as a result of malfunctioning of each part or group of parts as well as the ratio of intervals of idleness to the length of a selected period, such as a day''s shift or a week.

Description

United States Patent 1191' Lorenzen 1451 Feb. 19, 1974 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING THE OPERATION OF TOBACCO PROCESSING MACHINES OR THE LIKE [75] Inventor: Heinz-Christen Lorenz/en, Hamburg,

Germany [73] Assignee: Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG,

Hamburg, Germany [22] Filed: Mar. 17, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 125,266

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 19, 1970 -Germany P 20 13 078.3

[52] US. CL... 235/151.13, 131/21 R, 235/92 QC, 235/92 PD, 340/213 [51] Int, Cl G06I 15/36, (1106f 15/46 [58] Field oi'Search ..235/92 QC,92 PD,92 PC, 235/15l.13, 151, 151.3, 150; 131/21 R,2l A,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,344,408 9/1967 Singer et al 235/92 PD 3,470,424 9/1969 Flesselles et a1. 131/21 R 2,985,368 5/1961 Kohler et al 235/92 PD 3,534,225 10/1970 Poupin 131/21 R 2,207,715 7/1940 Bumstead 235/92 PD 3,324,458 6/1967 MacArthur 340 1725 3,578,960 5 1971 Georgi et al. 235 92 oc 3,599,198 8/1971 Harrell 340 267 3,660,972 5 1972 Neill et a1. 235/92 PD 3,670,147 6 1972 Wright 235/92 PD 3,672,373 6/1972 Dog] 6! a]. 235 151.3 3,694,630 9 1972 Dybel 235 92 PD FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 219,148 7 1957 Australia .1 235/92 PD Primary ExaminerFelix D. Gruber Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael S. Striker [5 7] ABSTRACT The operation of parts or groups of parts in discrete machines or groups of cooperating machines for the treatment, processing and/or transport of plain or filter-tipped smokers products and/or their components is monitored by discrete detectors. The detectors produce signals in response to detection of malfunctions of the respective parts or groups of parts. Such signals are utilized to stop one or more machines as well as to operate circuits or devices which count and record the number of malfunctions of each part or group of parts within a selected period of time, and which also record the length of intervals of idleness of one or more machines as a result of malfunctioning of each part or groupof parts as well as the ratio of intervals of idleness to the length of a selected period, such as a days shift or a week.

25 Claims, 26 Drawing Figures FATENTEDFEB 19 m4 3.7935 2 saw 03 0F 12 I l/Ml 0, 0 Man): an

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HTTORNEV PNFHTEUFEBIS 1974 3,793,512

sum 0? ar 12 New: wmm 60454250 HTTOKNE) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING THE OPERATION OF TOBACCO PROCESSING MACHINES OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the manufacture and/or processing of smokers products, such as plain or filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos, and more particularly to improvements in a method and apparatus for supervising the operation of one or more processing units in such machines or in groups of such machines; Still more particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically supervising the operation of essential or critical processing units or assemblies in machines or groups of machines which are used for the making, treatment and/or transport of tobacco leaves, tobacco shreds, wrappers for tobacco filler rods, filters for cigarettes, cigars or the like, packs for cigarettes or the like, and cartons or other containers for packs of cigarettes or the like.

The trend in the tobacco processing industry is toward the rationalization of operation by employing highly sophisticated automatic or semiautomatic machines and groups of machines which are capable of turning out large quantities of products per unit of time and which are designed to segregate defective products or defective components of products from satisfactory products. Interruptions in the operation of such automatic high-speed machines are very undesirable be cause even a short-lasting interruption or slowdown of operation results in extremely large losses in output. For example, if a modern filter cigarette making machine which turns out as many as 4,000 filter cigarettes per minute remains idle for a period of 5 minutes, the loss in output amounts to more than 20,000 cigarettes since the output of such machine during the interval of acceleration from zero speed to normal operating speed is well below maximum output. Furthermore, in many such machines, the articles which are produced immediately after starting must be discarded for a variety of reasons, for example, due to drying of adhesive which is used to unite plain'cigarettes with simple or multiplex filter plugs of unit length or multiple unit length.

On the other hand, it is unavoidable that a high-speed automatic machine which embodies a very large number of complex parts and assemblies of parts will fail to operate properly from time to time so that its prime mover must be arrested in order to allow for safe inspection and rapid elimination of the cause or causes of malfunction. The likelihood of recurring malfunction is even greater when two or more complex automatic machines are directly coupled to each other to form a production line wherein components of smokers products are subjected to a large number of successive treatments. For example, it is already known to employ production lines wherein a cigarette rod making machine is directly coupled with a filter cigarette making machine which, in turn, is directly coupled with a tray filling machine or with a packing machine. It is also known to provide such production lines with an automatic control system which regulates the operation of one or more machines in dependency on the operation of another machine or machines. Thus, the speed of a filter cigarette making machine is normally regulated to conform to the operating speed of a machine which produces plain cigarettes and is directly coupled with the filter cigarette making machine. Also, the speed of a packing machine for-plain or filter cigarettes is normally regulated as a function of the operating speed of the machine which supplies plain or filter cigarettes to such packing machine. The persons in charge of such production lines are normally called upon to supervise the automatic operation of machines and to rapidly eliminate the causes of malfunction in order to reduce the intevals of idleness to a minimum.

It was found that certain processing units or assemblies of machines in such complex production lines are more likely to malfunction than other units, and it is customary to employ detectors which monitor the operation of certain sensitive or critical processing units in order to make sure that the respective machine or machines are arrested in automatic response to detection of malfunction before the malfunction can cause excessive losses in output and/or damage to the parts of the respective machine or machines. Though trained to eliminate the immediate cause of certain malfunctions (for example, pileups of cigarettes or like rod-shaped articles), the persons in charge are often unable to determine and to eliminate the basic cause or causes of unsatisfactory operation so that the malfunctions occur again and again with attendant losses in output and potential serious damage to the machines, i.e., a damage which may necessitate a prolonged interruption of operation. Furthermore, the elimination of causes of malfunction and/or the length of interval of idleness of a complete production line due to the malfunction of a single processing unit depends entirely on the skill and conscientiousness of the personnel. For example, an attendant might be likely not to report repeated malfunctions of certain processing units if such malfunctions are due to unauthorized absence and/or improper repair work.

It is already known to record the intervals of idleness of a cigarette rod making machine. Reference may be had to German printed publication Ser. No. 1,195,655 which discloses a system serving to record the periods of idleness and to compare the sum of such periods with the periods of actual operation or with the duration of theoretically attainable maximum periods of operation. A drawback of such system is that it does not indicate the nature of malfunctions which were the cause of stoppage of the machine and/or of the loss in output. It is further known to monitor the operation of a cigarette rod making machine to determine the output and deviations of actual output from a desired output. Systems for carrying out such monitoring operations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,147,370 and 3,259,746. A drawback of such proposals is that the person in charge of evaluatingthe recorded information is unable to determine the causes of malfunction of particular processing units and/or the frequency of malfunctioning of a particular processing unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of recording the nature, frequency and duration of malfunctions of one or more processing units or assemblies in automatic machines or groups of machines for the manufacture of smokers products.

Another object of the invention is to provide a comprehensive (all embracing) method of monitoring or supervising the operation of one or more processing units or assemblies in tobacco processing or like machines in such a way that the results of the monitoring operation cannot be influenced by attendants so that the results can be objectively evaluated to determine the basic causes of malfunctions and to facilitate rapid elimination of such causes with attendant reductions in repair work and increases in output.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method according to which the monitoring of one or more processing unit in one or more relatively simple or complex machines for the processing of tobacco, filter material, wrapping material, packing material and other commodities which must be treated, transported and/or otherwise manipulated in connection with the manufacture of smokers products results in the provision of a permanent record which can be evaluated on the spot or by persons or apparatus at any desired distance from the monitored processing units.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a method of monitoring the operation and of recording malfunctions of processing units in machines or groups of machines which are used to treat tobacco leaves, fragments of tobacco leaves, streams and rods of tobacco shreds, webs or tapes of wrapping material for tobacco filler rods, plain or filter-tipped cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or cheroots, packs, cartons or bales of such rod-shaped articles and tobacco leaves, filter material, filter rods and filter rod sections which are used for the making of filter-tipped smokers products, printing ink, adhesive, coloring matter, agents which are used for curing of tobacco, trays or chargers for rodshaped tobacco-containing articles, and/or other commodities which are manipulated in connection with the manufacture of smokers products.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a single machine or a group of machines for the processing of tobacco, filter material and related commodities with a novel monitoring or supervising apparatus which can detect faulty operation of one or more processing units, initiate the stoppage of affected machine or machines, and produce a full record of the number, origin and duration of malfunctions, for evaluation by competent persons or computers to thus insure rapid detection and effective elimination of basic causes of each malfunction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supervising or monitoring apparatus which can be built into or combined with many existing machines or groups of machines for automatic processing of tobacco and/or related commodities.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supervising or monitoring apparatus whose accuracy cannot be influenced by attendants and which can be designed to monitor the operation of any desired number of processing units in a single machine or in a production line which is composed of two or more discrete machines.

An additional object of the invention is to provide the monitoring apparatus with detectors which are especially suited to scan the operation of selected processing units and with recording means which can record two or more types of information, depending on the complexity of the machines and on the desired outlay for the construction of the monitoring apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide a monitoring apparatus which can be used to objectively evaluate the carefulness, skill and other qualities of attendants and which can be resorted to for insuring rapid elimination of basic causes of recurring malfunctions of one or more sensitive processing units in machines for the treatment of tobacco or related commodities.

One feature of the invention resides in the provision of a method of supervising one or more processing units which are prone to malfunction and constitute components (especially important essential or critical components) of machines for the treatment of tobacco and/or other commodities which are employed in the manufacture (including making, testing, packing and transporting) of smokers products, such as plain or filter cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and the like. The method comprises the first step of automatically monitoring the operation of one or more processing units to detect their malfunctions, and the second step of automatically counting and recording the number of the detected malfunctions.

When the method is employed for supervision of complex machines which comprise two or more important or essential processing units and/or for supervision of entire production lines consisting of two or more directly or indirectly coupled machines each with one or more processing units so that the number of processing units which require supervision is two or more, the first step comprises separately'monitoring the operation of each of a plurality of processing units, and the second step comprises separately counting and recording the number of malfunctions of each monitored processing unit.

The method may further comprise the additional steps of arresting or slowing down the machine or machines in response to detection of each malfunction for an interval of time which is needed to eliminate the cause of malfunction, and recording the length of each interval of idleness or lower-speed operation. The method then preferably further comprises the steps of recording the combined length of intervals of idleness or lower-speed operation of the machine due to malfunctions within a predetermined period of time, e.g., within one or more hours, within a shift, within a period of 24 hours, within a week, or even a longer period of time. It is also desirable to compare the combined length of intervals of idleness or lower-speed operation with the length of the selected period, e.g., a full shift, to thus determine the ratio of the length of full-speed operation to the combined length of intervals of idleness of a particular machine or group of machines.

The first step may comprise monitoring the operation of at least one processing unit in each of a plurality of machines which together form part or constitute a production line for smokers products or for component parts of such products.

The processing units vary from machine to machine, and so does the step of monitoring their operation to detect malfunctions. Thus, in a filter cigarette making machine, the processing unit which requires monitoring may be a magazine for storage or feed of prefabricated filter rod sections, a conveyor for one or more rows of prefabricated plain cigarettes, a wrapping or rolling assembly which connects filter tips with plain cigarettes by means of adhesive-coated uniting bands, a testing assembly for filter cigarettes, a device for feeding of material which is to form uniting bands, a paster or another adhesive applying device, and/or many others. in a cigarette rod making and severing machine, the processing unit may be a magazine'and a conveyor for withdrawing shredded tobacco from the magazine, a wrapping unit which convolutes a continuous cigarette paper web about a continuous filler rod consisting of shredded tobacco, splicing device which units an expiring web of cigarette paper with a fresh web, a drum or another conveyor which causes a change in the direction of travel of plain cigarettes, and/or many others.

The processing units which can be monitored in accordance with the improved method may be built into the aforementioned machines, into conveyors for stacks of rod-shaped tobacco-containing articles, into machines for stripping, sorting and otherwise treating tobacco leaves or parts of tobacco leaves prior to introduction into a rod-forming machine, into a machine for cutting tobacco leaves to form shreds, into a machine for packing arrays of cigarettes or the like in envelopes to form packs, into a machine for processing packs of cigarettes or the like, into a machine for the making and processing of filter rods which are severed to yield filter plugs for cigarettes, cigarillos or cigars, and/or into any combinations of two or more such machines. For example, the method can be employed for the monitoring of complete production lines consisting of one or more cigarette rod making machines, one or more filter cigarette making machines and one or more tray filling machines or one or more packing machines.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved monitoring apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a production line consisting of live machines for the production and further processing of filter cigarettes and of a monitoring apparatus which supervises the operation of pro cessing units in the machines and keeps records of the duration, number and nature of interruptions due to improper operation of certain processing units in various machines and/or to the absence of certain materials and commodities;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevational view of a cigarette rod making machine which constitutes one machine of the production line shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a distributor for shredded tobacco in the cigarette rod making machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of a filter cigarette making machine which constitutes a second machine of the production line shown in FIG. 1 and is directly coupled to the cigarette rod making machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic partly side elevational and partly vertical sectional view of a tray filling machine which constitutes a third machine of the production line shown in FIG. 1 and is directly coupled to the filter cigarette making machine of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a transfer conveyor which constitutes the fourth machine and of a portion of an endless overhead conveyor which constitutes the fifth machine of the production line shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a first detector which is used in the monitoring apparatus of FIG. I to scan the operation of a processing unit in the machine of FIG. 2 and/or 4;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view ofa second detector which is used in the monitoring apparatus of FIG. 1 to scan the operation of a second processing unit in the machine of FIG. 2 or in the machine of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a third detector which serves to scan the operation of a third processing unit in the machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a fourth detector which serves to scan the operation of a further processing unit in the machine of FIG. 2 and/or FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a detector which scans the operation of a processing unit in the machine of FIG. 4;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view ofa detector which scans the operation of another processing unit in the machine of FIG. 4;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view ofa detector which scans the operation of still another processing unit in the machine of FIG. 4;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a detector which scans the operation of a further processing unit in the machine of FIG. 4;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a detector which scans the operation of a processing unit in the machine of FIG. 5;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of a detector which scans the operation of'another processing unit in the machine of FIG. 5;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of a detector which is installed in the machine of FIG. 5 but serves to produce signals in response to detection of improper operation of one or both conveyors shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of a detector which serves to scan the operation of a processing unit in the transfer conveyor of FIG. 6;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of a further detector which is installed in the machine of FIG. 5 but serves to produce signals in response to detection of improper operation of the transfer conveyor shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic plan view of a second production line which includes the machines of FIGS. 2 and 4 and a packing machine which is directly coupled with the filter cigarette making machine, there being further shown a second monitoring apparatus which supervises the operation of processing units in the machines and keeps records of the duration, number and nature of interruptions due to improper operation of certain units in various machines and/or due to other causes;

FIG. 21 is a schematic side elevational view of the packing machine in the production line of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of a detail in the machine of FIG. 21, further showing a first detector which scans the operation of a processing unit in the packing machine;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged partly perspective view of a second detector which scans the operation of a second processing unit in the packing machine of FIGS. 20 and 21;

FIG. 24 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a detail in the machine of FIG. 21 and of a further detector which scans the operation of a third processing unit in the packing machine;

FIG. is a schematic side elevational view of a tobacco cutting machine and of a monitoring apparatus which supervises the operation of processing units in the cutting machine and keeps records indicating the number, nature and duration of various interruptions in operation due to faulty functioning or other causes; and

FIG. 26 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a carrier for orbiting knives in the cutting machine of FIG. 25.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED I EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates a monitoring or supervising appara tus which is incorporated in a production line including a cigarette rod making machine 2M serving to produce plain cigarettes of unit length which are fed directly into a filter cigarette making machine FA. The filter cigarette which are produced by the machine FA are tested for the presence or absence of defects and the satisfactory filter cigarettes are fed directly into a tray filling machine SF which fills chargers or trays with stacks of filter cigarettes. The filled trays are accepted by a transfer conveyor UF which delivers such trays to an endless transporting conveyor KP.

The monitoring or supervising apparatus includes a first set of detectors I21, I22, I23 and I24 each of which monitors the operation of a discrete processing unit of the machine 2M to produce signals in response to detection of malfunction of the respective processing unit. Such signals are transmitted by a common conductor LH to motor relays 44 and 46 (FIG. 2) and serve to arrest the prime mover (including an electric motor 39) of the cigarette rod making machine 2M. The signals from the detectors [21-124 are further respectively transmitted to the inputs a of four logical cir cuits of the type known as AND-gates shown at U21, U22, U23 and U24. The inputs b of the AND-gates U21-U24 can receive signals by way of a common conductor LS; such signals are produced when the cigarette rod making machine 2M operates at the normal (higher) speed. The outputs c of the AND-gates U21- U24 are respectively connected with the inputs a of conventional signal storing circuits or devices S21, S22, S23, and S24. The signal storing devices S2l-S24 have signal erasing inputs b which are connected to and can receive signals from the conductor LS, and outputs c which are respectively connected with signal counting circuits or conductors 221,222, 223, 224 and with time measuring circuits or timers T21, T22, T23, T24. In response to a signal which is transmitted through a conductor LU, the counters 22l-224 and the timers TZl-T24 respectively transmit signals to the associated recording devices A21, A22, A23, A24. The counters 221-224 are constructed in such a way that they add up the number of signals which are transmitted by the outputs c of the associated signal storing device 821-824. The timers TZl-TZ4 are designed to total the length of intervals during which the outputs c of the respective signal storing devices S2l-S24 transmit signals. The timers T2l-TZ4 may embody conventional clockworks or commercially available electronic circuits which can receive signals at a constant rate as a function of time.

Counters according to those shown at 221-227 are well known and as described, e.g., in the journal Elektronik, 1962, No.6, p. I88.

Timers according to those shown at TZ1-TZ7 are well known and are described, e.g., in the book Handbuch fuer elektrisches Messen mechanischer Groessen by Christoph Rohrbach, 1967, VDI-Verlag- Duesseldorf, on pages 427443.

When the conductor .LU' receives a signal which causes a timer to transmit a signal to the corresponding recording device, the latter makes a written record of the sum of intervals of transmission of signals to such timer from the associated signal storing device.

The monitoring apparatus has a second set of detectors IFl, IF2, IF3, IF4, IFS, IF6, [F7 each of which monitors the operation of a different processing unit in the machine FA and produces a signal when the operation or condition of the respective processing unit is unsatisfactory. The detectors IFl-IF7 are connected with the motor relay 44, 46 of the cigarette rod making machine ZM by way of the conductor LH and can cause the relays to stop the motor 39 in response to malfunctioning of the corresponding processing units in the machine FA. The detectorsIFl-IF7 are further connected with the inputs a of AND-gates UFl, UF2, UF3, UF4, UF5, UF6 UF7. The inputs b of the AND-gates UF- lUF7 are connected with the conductor LS to receive signals when the cigarette rod making machine 2M operates at the normal (higher) speed. The outputs c of the AND-gates UFl-UF7 are respectively connected with the setting inputs a of signal storing devices SFl, SF2, SP3, SF4, SFS, SF6, SF7. The signal storing devices SFl-SF7 have signal erasing inputs b which are connected with the conductor LS and outputs c which are respectively connected with the inputs of counters ZFl, ZF2, 2F3, 2F4, ZFS, 2F 6, ZF7 and with timers TF1, TF2, TF3, TF4, TF5, TF6, TF7. In response to a signal which is transmitted by way of the conductor LU, the counters ZFl-2F7 and the timers TFl-TF7 respectively transmit signals to corresponding recording devices AFl, AF2, AF3, AF4, AFS, AF6, AF7. The counters ZFl-2F7 count the number of signals which are received from the respective signal storing devices SF 1-SF7 and the timers TFl-TF7 transmit signals representing the combined length of intervals of transmission of signals from the outputs c of the respective signal storing devices SFl-SF7. The first detector [F1 for the filter cigarette making machine FA constitutes the last detector I24 for the cigarette rod making machine 2M. Also, the signal storing device SFl constitutes the signal storing device S24, the AND-gate U24 constitu'tes the AND-gate UFl, the counter ZFl constitutes the counter 224, the timer TF1 constitutes the timer T24, and the recording device A24 constitutes the recording device AFl.

The monitoring apparatus further comprises detectors [S1 and IS2 each of which monitors the operation of a separate processing unit of the tray filling machine SF and produces a signal in response to malfunctioning of the respective processing unit. Such signals are transmitted to the relays 44, 46 of the cigarette rod I making machine 2M to cause stoppage of the motor 39. Furthermore, the detectors I81, 182 respectively transmit signals to the inputs a of AND-gate US l, USl, US2. These AND-gate have second inputs b which are connected with the conductor LS to receive signals when the cigarette rod making machine 2M operates at the normal or higher speed. The outputs c of the AND-gates U81, U82 are respectively connected with the setting inputs a of signal storing devices SS1 and SS2. The signal storing devices SS1, SS2 have signal erasing inputs b which are connected with the conductor LS and outputs c which are respectively connected with the inputs of counters 281, 282 and with timers T81, T82. When the conductor LU transmits a signal, the counters ZSl, ZSZ and the timers TSl, TS2 respectively transmit signals to recording devices A81, A82. The counters 251 and ZS2 respectively count the number of signals which appear at the outputs c of the signal storing devices SS1 and SS2, and the signals from the timers T81 and T82 are respectively indicative of the sum of intervals of transmission of signals by the signal storing devices SS1 and SS2.

The operation of the tray filling machine SF is further monitored by a third detector 183 which detects the presence or absence of empty trays ready to be filled in the machine SF. Though the detector [S3 is provided in or on the machine SF, it transmits signals which indicate faulty operation of the endless conveyor KP or of the transfer conveyor UF. Thus, the detector lS3 signals the presence of such malfunctioning (absence of empty trays) which indicates that the operation of the combination consisting of the cigarette rod making machine ZM, filter cigarette making machine FA and tray filling machine SF must be discontinued.

The conveyor UF transfers filled trays to the endless conveyor KP and its operation is monitored by two further detectors lUl, [U2 of the monitoring apparatus. Though the detector lU2-is actually mounted on the tray filling machineSF (see FIG. it is functionally related to and can be said to form part of the monitoring means for the transfer conveyor UP. The detector lUl serves to transmit signals to the input a of an AND- gate US3 which has a second input b connected with the detector 183 at the empty-tray station 91 (FIG. 5) of the tray filling machine SF. The detector 183 further transmits signals to the input b of an AND-gate US"3 which has a second input a connected with the detector lU2. The outputs c of the AND-gates US3 and US"3 are respectively connected with the inputs a of the AND-gates UUl and UU2. The inputs b of the AND- gates UUl, UU2 are connected with the conductor LS.

The outputs c of the AND-gates UUl, UU2 are respectively connected with the inputs a of signal storing devices SUl, SU2. The signal erasing inputs b of the signal storing devices SUI, SU2 are connected with the conductor LS and the outputs c of the signal storing devices SUl, SU2 are respectively connected with the inputs of counters ZUl, ZU2 and with timers TU l, TU2.

When the conductor LU transmits a signal, the counters ZUl, ZU2 and the timers TUl, TU2 respectively transmit signals to the corresponding recording devices AUl, AU2. The signals from the counters ZUl, ZU2 represent the number of signals from the signal storing devices SUI, SU2, and the signals from the timers TU 1, TU2 are respectively indicative of the combined length of intervals of signal transmission by the signal storing devices SUI, SU2.

The detectors IUl, lU2 further transmit signals to the inputs of an OR-gate OS1 and by way of this OR-gate to a conductor LH which is connected with the motor relays of the drive means for the transfer conveyor UF.

When the conductor Ll-l' transmits a signal (which is FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the details of the cigarette rod making machine ZM. Thismachine is of the type known as GARANT produced by Hauni-Werke, Korber & Co. K.G., of Hamburg-Bergedorf, Western Germany. FIG. 3 shows a distributor which serves to I form a continuous narrow stream 13 consisting of tobacco shreds and being ready to be trimmed and thereupon wrapped into a web 26 (FIG. 2) of cigarette paper. The distributor comprises a carded drum 1 which transports tobacco shreds from a magazine la and past a bladed refuser wheel 2 which removes some surplus. The layer of tobacco shreds which remains on the carding of the drum 1 is thereupon advanced into the range of a carded refuser wheel 3 which removes additional surplus and accumulates a supply 4 consisting of tobacco shreds and being scanned by a photoelectric detector 6 which can adjust the position of the first refuser wheel 2 to thus insure that the supply 4 contains a predetermined amount of tobacco shreds; The detector 6 causes the refuser wheel 2 to move toward the axis of the drum 1 when the supply 4 increases above and to move away from the axis of the drum 1 when the supply 4 decreases below a predetermined value or range. A driven picker roller 7 expels tobacco shreds from the carding of the drum 1 downstream of the second refuser wheel 3, and such shreds are caused to descend into the range of projections on a rapidly rotating winnower roller 8 which classifies the shreds according to weight. The heavier shreds (such as fragments of stem and ribs) are propelled into an intercepting receptacle 1 1 and the lighter shreds (mainly fragments of tobacco leaf laminae) are spread onto the upper stretch of an endless belt 9 to form thereon a uniform and relatively wide carpet or sliver 12 which is showered at the discharge end of the belt descend in a confining chute l4 and to form the aforementioned narrow stream 13. The stream 13 is formed on a narrow endless band 16 which is driven to move its upper stretech at right angles to the plane of FIG. 3 and moves above a stationary suction chamber 18 having an airpermeable top wall 17 so that the stream 13 is attracted to the upper stretch of the band 16 by suction.

FIG. 2 shows a suction wheel 19 which is formed with a circumferential groove to receive the tobacco stream 13 from the band 16. The bottom wall of the groove in the periphery of the suction wheel 19 is foraminous and travels around a stationary suction chamber (not shown) which causes the tobacco shreds to be attracted to the bottom wall in the groove of the suction wheel 19 during travel of the tobacco stream 13 toward, past and (if necessary) beyond a suitable trimming or equalizing device 21 which removes the surplus of shreds to thus convert the stream 13 into a filler rod 22;

A separating device or tongue 23' expels or deflects the tiller rod 22 from the groove of the suction wheel 19 whereby the tiller rod moves along the lower stretch of an endless band 24 which travels below a stationary suction chamber and transfers the filler rod into the wrapping mechanism of the cigarette rod making machine ZM. This wrapping mechanism serves to provide the filler rod 22 with a tubular wrapper which is obtained by suitable deformation of the continuous cigarette paper web 26. The web 26 is being withdrawn from a supply bobbin 27 and passes through a splicing device 30 which is adapted to connect the travelling or expiring web 26 with the leadingend of a fresh web 26a stored on a fresh bobbin 27a. The splicingdevice 30 comprises an electromagnet which is energizable by a detector serving to scan the supply of expiring web 26 on the bobbin 27. The energized electromagnet 25 lifts a lower splicing roller 25a to thereby press the leading end of the fresh web 26a against the expiring web 26 and to simultaneously press the web 26 against an upper splicing roller 25b. The rollers 25 (1, 25b then roll a so-called pressure splice which secures the trailing end of the expiring web 26 to the leading end of the fresh web 26!). It is clear, however, that the splicing device can be replaced with a different splicing device, for example, with a device wherein the two webs are connected to each other by one or more adhesivecoated uniting bands.

The expiring web 26 is further caused to pass through a conventional printing mechanism 28 and passes below the tongue 23 before reaching the upper stretch .of an endless garniture belt 29. The belt 24 advances the filler rod 22 onto the web 26 on the belt 29, and the marginal portions of the web 26 are thereupon draped around the rod 22 by a draping device 31 of the wrapping mechanism. The device 31 causes one marginal portion of the web 26 to remain exposed and to pass along a suitable paster 32 which coats the exposed marginal portion with a strip of adhesive. The thus coated marginal portion is then caused to overlap and contact the other marginal portion of the web 26 to form a seam which is dried by a heated pressure plate 33 so that the adhesive sets and provides a strong bond. The resulting wrapped filler rod or cigarette rod 34 is severed by a cutoff 36 to yield a file of discrete plain cigarettes of unit length. The successive cigarettes of the file are accelerated by the lobe or lobes of a so-called kicker cam 37 to enter successive axially parallel flutes 38a of a rotary transfer drum 38. The drum 38 converts the single file of plain cigarettes Z into two rows of cigarettes which move sideways and are introduced into the filter cigarette making machine FA.

The aforementioned motor 39 of the cigarette rod making machine ZM serves to drive the movable parts of this machine as well as the movable parts of the filter cigarette making machine FA. The motor 39 is an electric motor which can be started in response to actuation of a pushbutton 42 on a control panel of the machine ZM. The circuit of the motor 39 is such that the pushbutton 42 can accelerate the motor to a relatively low first speed. A second pushbutton 43 is depressed by the person in charge in order to accelerate the motor 39 from the lower first speed to a higher second or normal speed The pushbutton 41 is actuated to arrest the motor 39. As mentioned above, the motor 39 can also be arrested in response to signals which are transmitted by the conductor LII. When the operator depresses the pushbutton 43 to accelerate the motor 39 to the normal speed, the conductor LS starts to transmit a signal as long as the motor 39 continues to operate at the higher speed, namely, as long as the relay 46 remains energized.

FIGS. 2 and 3 further show those processing units of thecigarette rod making machine ZM whose operation is monitored by the detectors IZ1-IZ4. The detector I2] is mounted in the magazine 1a of the distributor (FIG. 3) to detect the admission of fresh tobacco shreds. The detector 122 is adjacent to the path of the expiring web 26 between the splicing device and the printing device 28 and produces a signal in response to detection of the absence of running web. The detector [Z3 scans the wrapped cigarette rod 34 between the pressure plate 33 and the cutoff 36. The detector 124 is adjacent to the transfer drum 38 to monitor the delivery of plain cigarettes Z. The details of the detectors IZI-IZ4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to FIG. 4 illustrates the details of the filter cigarette making machine FA. This machine is of the type known as MAX and is produced by Hauni-Werke, Kiirber & Co. K.G., of Hamburg-Bergedorf, Western Germany. The transfer drum 38 of the cigarette rod making machine ZM delivers two rows of plain cigarettes Z of unit length to a pair of aligning drums 52 in the machine FA. The plain cigarettes Z of one row on the transfer drum 38 are staggered with reference to the cigarettes of the other row and the purpose of the drums 52 is to move each cigarette of one row into axial alignment with a cigarette of the other row. The thus aligned pairs of cigarettes Zare introduced into successive flutes of an assembly drum 53 in such a way that the cigarettes of each pair are separated from each other by a gap having a width which at least slightly exceeds the length of a filter plug section of double unit length.

The filter cigarette making machine FA further comprises a magazine or hopper 54 for a stack of prefabricated filter rod sections of six times unit length which are discharged by way of a chute 54a to enter successive flutes of a so-called cutting drum 56 cooperating with two coaxial rotary disk-shaped knives 57 which sever each filter rod section of six times unit length so that each such rod section yields three coaxial filter rod sections or filter plugs of double unit length. The plugs are transferred to three staggering drums 58 which move the originally coaxial plugs sideways with reference to each other so that the plugs are moved out of axial alignment with each other and are introduced into successive flutes of a shuffling drum 59. The drum 59 cooperates with cams 59a to move the plugs axially so that the plugs form a single row which is transferred onto an intermediate drum 61. The drum 61 delivers the plugs into successive flutes of an accelerating drum 62 which introduces such plugs into the gaps between successive pairs of plain cigarettes Z in the flutes of the assembly drum 53. The drum 53 moves the resulting assemblies (each of which consists of two plain cigarettes Z and a filter plug between the respective plain cigarettes) along one or more condensing cams 53a which cause at least one plain cigarette Z of each assembly to move axially toward the other plain cigarette whereby the assemblies are condensed so that the inner ends of the plain cigarette Z abut against the respective ends of the filter plug therebetween. The thus condensed assemblies are transferred onto an intermediate drum 63 which moves the assemblies past a suction drum 69 serving to provide each assembly with an adhesive-coated uniting band. The uniting bands are obtained by severing the leading end of a web or tape 65 which is being withdrawn from a bobbin 64 and is caused to pass through the nip between two advancing rolls 66, 67. The tape 65 thereupon advances along a paster 68 having a roller-shaped applicator 68a which coats the underside of the tape 65 with a film of adhesive. The tape 65 thereupon reaches the suction drum 69 which cooperates with the blades of a rotary knife 71 to sever the tape 65 at regular intervals in order to form adhesive-coated uniting bands which are attached to the assemblies in the flutes of the intermediate conveyor 63. Each of the thus attached uniting bands adheres to the respective filter plug and to the adjacent inner ends of the corresponding plain cigarettes.

The resulting groups (each consisting of a filter plug, two plain cigarettes Z and an adhesive-coated uniting band) are thereupon transferred onto a rolling or wrapping drum 72 which cooperates with a stationary rolling member 73 to rotate successive groups about their axes and to thus convolute the uniting bands around the respective filter plugs and the adjacent inner ends of the corresponding plain cigarettes. Thus, each group is converted into a filter cigarette of double unit length.

The filter cigarettes of double unit length are transferred onto a testing drum 74 whereon the cigarettes are tested for the presence or absence of defects. A suitable ejector device 226 (see FIG. 14) segregates satisfactory cigarettes from defective cigarettes. The satisfactory cigarettes are transferred onto a cutting drum 76 which cooperates with a rotary disk-shaped knife 76a to sever each filter cigarette of double unit length midway between its ends to form pairs of filter cigarettes of unit length. Each filter cigarette of unit length consists of a plain cigarette, a filter plug of unit length, and one-half of a uniting band which is convoluted around the filter plug and the adjacent end portion of the plain cigarette.

The two rows of filter cigarettes of unit length are thereupon transferred onto an inverting drum 77 which inverts the cigarettes of one row end-for-end and preferably places the inverted cigarettes between the cigarettes of the other row to'form a single row of filter cigarettes which are transferred onto an intermediate drum 78 prior to transfer onto a second testing drum 79 which tests the density of the exposed ends of tobacco fillers and cooperates with an ejector which segregates the defective filter cigarettes from satisfactory cigarettes. A transfer drum 8] delivers satisfactory filter cigarettes onto one or more endless belts 82 for delivery to the tray filling machine, SF.

The moving parts of the filter cigarette machine FA receive motion from the motor 39 of the cigarette rod making machine ZM.

The detectors IFl to IF7 which monitor the operation of discrete processing units in the filter cigarette machine FA are distributed as follows:

The detector lFl (which can but need not constitute the detector IZ4 of the machine ZM) is adjacent to the transfer drum 38 to monitor the delivery of plain cigarettes Z of unit length to the machine FA. The detector [F2 is adjacent to the path of the tape 65 which is to be severed to yield uniting bands. The detector IF3 scans the supply of paste in the tank. 177 of the paster 68. The detector IF4 is adjacent to the chute 54a of the maga- Zinc 54 to monitor the feed of filter rods of six times unit length to the cutting drum 56. The detector IFS is adjacent to the inlet of the rolling gap 201 (see FIG. 12) between the drum 72 and the stationary rolling member 73 to detect eventual pileups of groups. The detector IF6 is adjacent to the rolling drum 72 downstream of the rolling member 73 to scan the filter cigarettes of double unit length. The detector IF6 is designed to detect the absence of filter cigarettes of double unit length. The detector IF7 is adjacent to the testing drum 74 and is designed to produce signals in response to detection of a certain number of successive defective filter cigarettes of double unit length. The de tails of the detectors [F1 to IF7 are shown in FIGS. 7, 9, 10,11, 12, 13 and 14.

A tray filling machine SF which can be used in the production line of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 5. This machine is of the type known as CASCADE and is produced by Hauni-Werke of H'amburg-Bergedorf, Western Germany. The machine SF comprises a first station 91 for storage of empty trays 92 which are held in readiness for transport toward, past and beyond a tray filling station 98. The means for moving the empty trays 92 off the station 91 comprises a combined lifting and transporting mechanism 93 receiving motion from a drive 94. The mechanism 93 advances successive empty trays 92 sideways (in a directionto the left, as viewed in FIG. 5), and delivers them onto a chain conveyor 97 which receives motion from a drive 96 and causes the trays to descend stepwise. The tray filling station 98 is adjacent to the path of trays 92 with the chain conveyor 97. The aforementioned endless belts 82 of the filter cigarette making machine FA deliver a single row of filter cigarettes 99- of unit length to the station 98 and such cigarettes are picked up by a pneumatic row former 103. The cigarettes 99 on the belts 82 move sideways in a direction at right angles to the plane of FIG. 5, and the underside of the row former 103 is provided with parallel flutes or receiving means 102 which receive filter cigarettes 99 and accumulate rows or layers containing predetermined numbers of such cigarettes. When the row former 103 completes the formation of a layer or row, it is lifted above and away from the upper stretches of the belts 82 and the row is thereupon removed from the flutes 102 a direction to the right; as'viewed in FIG. 5, to be transferred into the adjacent tray 92 which is at a standstill whenever a fresh row is caused to leave the flutes 102. The construction of the row former 103 is disclosed, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,519,143 issued July 7, 1970 to Kochalski et al. This row former has a suction chamher 106 which is connected with the flutes 102 by channels 104 and insures that the row former can accumulate a row of closely adjacent filter cigarettes 99 which can be properly stacked in the adjacent tray 92. The means for moving the row former 103 up and down comprises a drive 107. The means for transferring rows of filter cigarettes 99 from the flutes 102 (in raised position of the row former 103) into the adjacent tray 92 on the chain conveyor 97 comprises a reciprocable transfer member or pusher 109 which receives motion from a drive 108. The operation of the drive 108 is synchronized with that of the drive 107 for the row former 103. The cigarettes 99 of the row which is being transferred from the flutes 102 of the row former 103 pass through suitable guide means or mouthpieces 111 and are deposited in the adjacent tray 92 on top of the previously transferred row. The drive 96 thereupon causes the conveyor 97 to lower the tray 92 by a step so as to provide room for the delivery of a fresh row. Thelength of each step is slightly less than the diameter of a filter cigarette 99. The row former 103 accumulates a fresh row while the tray 92 at the station 98 descends, and the drive 107 thereupon lifts the row former with a freshly formed row in the flutes 102 before the drive 108 causes the pusher 109 to perform the next-working stroke and to push the fresh row of filter cigarettes 99 through the mouthpieces 111 and into the tray 92 where the fresh row comes to rest on the preceding row, preferably in such a way that the cigarettes in suc-

Claims

1. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit which is prone to malfunction, said one processing unit forming part of a machine for the production and transport of an at least substantially continuous stream of commodities; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detection of irregularities in said stream, said irregularities being the result of pileups of said commodities; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

2. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit which is prone to malfunction, said one processing unit forming part of a machine for the production and transport of an at least substantially continuous stream of commodities; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detection of irregularities in said stream, said irregularities being the result of periodic absence of commodities; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

3. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit which is prone to malfunction, said one processing unit forming part of a machine for the production and transport of an at least substantially continuous stream of commodities; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means arranged to produce signals in response to detection of a predetermined number of irregularities in said stream; counter means for counting the number of signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

4. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' prOducts, a combination comprising at least one processing unit which is prone to malfunction and includes at least one element which is subject to wear; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detection of a predetermined wear upon said one element; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

5. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco or other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit including at least one element which is subject to breakage; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to breakage of said one element counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

6. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit forming part of a machine for the production of rod-shaped articles and being prone to malfunction; automatic detectors means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detection of irregularities in the production, quality and/or transport rod-shaped articles; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

7. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit forming part of a machine for the production of filter-tipped smokers'' products and being prone to malfunction; automatic detectors means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detection of malfunctions of said one processing unit; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

8. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit forming part of a machine for stacking of rod-shaped tobacco-containing articles in containers and being prone to malfunction; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detection of malfunctions of said one unit; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

9. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit forming part of a conveying machine for transporting commodities between a pair of additional machines and being prone to malfunction; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detecTion of malfunctions of said one unit; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

10. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit forming part of a packing machine for tobacco-containing articles and being prone to malfunction; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detection of malfunctions of said one processing unit; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

11. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a machine or production line for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit forming part of a tobacco cutting machine and being prone to malfunction; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit and having signal generating means for producing signals in response to detection of malfunctions of said one processing unit; counter means for counting the signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted signals.

12. In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in at least one machine or in a production line for the treatment of tobacco or other commodities employed in connection with the manufacture of smokers'' products, a combination comprising at least one processing unit which is prone to malfunction; automatic detector means arranged to monitor the operation of said one processing unit to detect malfunctions thereof; signal generating means for producing malfunction signals in response to detection of malfunctions by said automatic detector means; counter means for counting said malfunction signals produced by said signal generating means; and recording means for recording the number of the thus counted malfunction signals.

13. A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said one processing unit comprises means for feeding a commodity at a predetermined rate and said detector means comprises means for producing signals in response to detection of a deviation of the rate of feed of said commodity from said predetermined rate.

14. A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said one processing unit comprises means for transporting a series of commodities at a predetermined frequency and said detector means comprises means for producing signals in response to detection of a deviation of the frequency of transport of said series of commodities from said predetermined frequency.

15. A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said one processing unit forms part of a machine for the production and transport of an at least substantially continuous stream of commodities and said detector means comprises signal generating means for producing said signals in response to detection of irregularities in said stream.

16. A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said one processing unit forms part of a production line which further comprises at least one additional processing unit, and further comprising additional automatic detector means, signal generating means and counter means for said additional processing unit.

17. A combination as defined in claim 16, further comprising additional recording means for said additional processing unit.

18. A combination as defined in claim 12, further comprising means for automatically arresting the machine which embodies said one processing unit in response to said malfunction sigNals to allow for elimination of causes of malfunction of said one processing unit, and timer means actuatable by said signals and operative to measure the length of the intervals of idleness of said machine.

19. A combination as defined in claim 18, wherein said timer means includes means for transmitting second signals representing the length of said intervals of idleness of said machine and said recording means comprises summing means for making in response to said second signals a record of the sum of said intervals of idleness of said machine within a predetermined period of time.

20. A combination as defined in claim 19, further comprising ratio forming means operatively connected with said summing means of said recording means for comparing the sum of said intervals of idleness of said machine within said predetermined period of time with the length of said predetermined period.

21. A method of supervising one or more processing units of a plurality of processing units which are prone to malfunction, particularly one or more processing units of a plurality of processing units which constitute components of one or more machines for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in the manufacture of smokers'' products and form part of a production line, comprising the first step of automatically separately monitoring the operation of several of said plurality of processing units to detect the malfunctions of said one processing unit and generating a malfunction signal in response to each of said detected malfunctions; the second step of automatically separately counting the number of the thus generated malfunction signals, and the third step of thereafter automatically recording the number of said thus counted malfunction signals of each of said several processing units.

22. A method of supervising one or more processing units of a plurality of processing units which are prone to malfunction, particularly one or more processing units of a plurality of processing units which constitute components of one or more machines for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in the manufacture of smokers'' products, comprising the first step of automatically monitoring the operation of at least one of said plurality of processing units to detect the malfunctions of said one processing unit and generating a malfunction signal in response to each of said detected malfunctions; the second step of automatically counting the number of the thus generated malfunction signals; the third step of automatically recording the number of said malfunction signals; and the step of arresting the machine which embodies said one processing unit in response to detection of each malfunction for an interval of time which is needed to eliminate the cause of malfunction, and recording the length of each interval.

23. A method as defined in claim 22, further comprising the step of recording the combined length of intervals of idleness of the machine due to malfunctions within a predetermined period of time.

24. A method as defined in claim 23, further comprising the step of automatically comparing the combined length of said intervals with the length of said period.

25. A method of supervising at least two machines for the treatment of tobacco and other commodities employed in the manufacture of smokers'' products which form part of a production line, each of said machines including at least one processing unit which is prone to malfunction, comprising the steps of automatically monitoring the operation of at least one processing unit of one of said machines to detect the malfunctions of said one processing unit and generating a malfunction signal in response to each of said detected malfunctions; automatically monitoring the operation of at least one processing unit of another of said machines to detect the malfunctions of said last mentioned processing unit and generating a malfunction signal in response to each of said detected malfunctioNs of said last mentioned processing unit; automatically counting the number of the thus detected malfunction signals; and automatically recording the number of said thus automatically detected and counted malfunction signals.