A gravity-triggered cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and flipping device

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of tobacco agricultural machinery and discloses a tobacco-dispensing and flipping device for a tobacco weaving machine based on gravity-triggered linkage. It includes a frame, a chain drive mechanism, tobacco-dispensing units, and a tobacco clip flipping device. The chain drive mechanism is mounted on the frame; at least two tobacco-dispensing units are spaced apart on the chain drive mechanism, each tobacco-dispensing unit including a tobacco-dispensing plate and a connecting assembly. The connecting assembly includes a connector fixedly connected to the chain drive mechanism, a flipping shaft fixed to the connector, and a support plate fixed to the flipping shaft. The tobacco-dispensing plate is slidably connected to the connector via a guide rail slider mechanism and rotatably fitted onto the flipping shaft. The tobacco clip flipping device is hinged to the frame and located in front of the end of the tobacco-dispensing plate's movement trajectory. A fixed support is provided on the frame to provide overlapping support when the tobacco-dispensing plate is in a horizontal state. This device achieves automatic and coordinated flipping and transfer of the tobacco clips through pure mechanical linkage and gravity triggering, and has the advantages of simplified structure, reliable synchronization, smooth operation, and easy maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of tobacco agricultural machinery, specifically a tobacco weaving machine smoke discharge and turning device based on gravity-triggered linkage. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of automated tobacco primary processing, the rapid and reliable transfer of tobacco clips already bound with tobacco leaves from the tobacco-binding station to subsequent conveying or lifting stations is a crucial step in ensuring the continuous and efficient operation of the tobacco-binding production line. Currently, the mainstream technical solution for this transfer action is to use an independently driven actuator. Specifically, a tilting arm or linear push rod, directly driven by a stepper motor or cylinder, is typically installed independently next to the tobacco-binding machine. After the tobacco-binding machine completes the tobacco leaf laying and clip compaction, the main control system issues a command, and the independently driven mechanism begins to operate. Through the rotation of the robotic arm or the linear movement of the push rod, the clip is "scooped out" or "push out" from the tobacco-binding limiting station, causing it to fall into the receiving device below.

[0003] However, this independent drive transfer method, which relies on an additional power unit, has a series of inherent drawbacks. First, it introduces additional drive components, position sensors, and corresponding control valves and circuits, which not only directly increases the manufacturing cost and overall structural complexity of the equipment, but also introduces new timing coordination challenges at the control level. This independent action must be precisely synchronized with the completion signal of the main tobacco-binding process at the millisecond level, making program design, on-site debugging, and subsequent parameter maintenance quite cumbersome. After long-term operation, mechanical wear of the drive components themselves, drift in response characteristics, or changes in sensor sensitivity can easily lead to slight misalignment between this "additional action" and the main machine's cycle time. This misalignment may manifest as the action occurring prematurely, interfering with the tobacco clips that are not yet fully opened; or as the action being delayed, causing the production line to wait and reducing overall efficiency. More significantly, the "active push" mechanical action lacks buffering. When the tobacco clips become slightly stuck due to the looseness or slight deformation of the tobacco leaves, the rigid force applied by the drive mechanism can easily damage the tobacco clip structure, deform the clips, or scrape the neatly arranged tobacco leaves, directly affecting the binding quality. At the same time, this independent module itself also constitutes a new point of failure, and its reliability directly restricts the stability of the entire production line.

[0004] The aforementioned defects collectively lead to increased equipment failure rates, increased maintenance frequency, higher cigarette clip wear rates, and difficulties in achieving the theoretical design efficiency of the overall production line in actual production environments. Especially in large-scale, intensive tobacco processing scenarios where the requirements for long-term equipment stability and consistent production rhythm are increasingly stringent, the existing independent-drive transfer scheme has become a technical bottleneck restricting further improvements in the reliability, economy, and process quality of automatic cigarette-making machines. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an innovative technical solution that can fundamentally avoid the defects of independent drives and achieve a simpler, more reliable, and gentler cigarette clip transfer. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to propose a tobacco feeding and turning device for a tobacco weaving machine based on gravity triggering linkage. By setting up a linkage tobacco feeding unit consisting of a chain drive mechanism, a connecting assembly including a sliding connector and a turning shaft, and a support plate that can be attached to the fixed support part of the frame, and a tobacco clip turning device hinged to the frame and corresponding to the end of the movement trajectory of the tobacco feeding unit, the tobacco feeding unit carrying the tobacco leaves, after reaching the tobacco clip at the end of its step, is released from the lock of the support plate by the continuous movement of the chain drive mechanism through pure mechanical linkage. Then, the tobacco feeding unit and the tobacco clip turning device are coordinated by gravity triggering the system itself to complete the turning and unloading action. This solves the problems of complex equipment structure, difficulty in control timing coordination, easy action incoordination due to component wear or response drift during long-term operation, and easy damage to the tobacco clip and tobacco leaf arrangement caused by rigid pushing in the prior art that relies on an independent drive mechanism for tobacco clip transfer.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A gravity-triggered cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and flipping device includes a frame, characterized in that: a chain drive mechanism is provided on the frame; the chain drive mechanism includes two parallel closed-loop transmission chains; at least two smoke-discharging units are spaced apart along the movement direction of the closed-loop transmission chains, each smoke-discharging unit includes a smoke-discharging iron plate and a connecting assembly; the connecting assembly includes a connector, which is fixedly connected to the closed-loop transmission chain; the connecting assembly also includes a guide rail slider mechanism and a flipping shaft, the flipping shaft is fixedly mounted on the connector, the smoke-discharging iron plate is slidably connected to the connector through the guide rail slider mechanism, and the smoke-discharging iron plate is rotatably sleeved on the flipping shaft; a cigarette clip flipping device is hinged on the frame in front of the end of the movement trajectory of the smoke-discharging iron plate; a fixed support part is also provided on the frame; the connecting assembly also includes a support plate, which is fixedly mounted on the flipping shaft; when the smoke-discharging iron plate is in a horizontal support state, the support plate overlaps the fixed support part.

[0007] Furthermore, the connecting assembly also includes an elastic reset component, which is connected between the smoke-emitting iron plate and the connecting member.

[0008] Furthermore, the elastic reset component is a tension spring.

[0009] Furthermore, the chain drive mechanism also includes a power source, a drive shaft, and a sprocket. The power source is connected to the drive shaft via the sprocket, and the drive shaft drives the closed-loop transmission chain via the sprocket.

[0010] Furthermore, the cigarette clip flipping device includes a support plate and a reset drive component. The support plate is hinged to the frame, and the reset drive component is connected between the frame and the support plate.

[0011] Furthermore, the reset drive component is a cylinder.

[0012] Furthermore, the fixed support is a support block that is fixedly installed on the frame.

[0013] This utility model has the following beneficial effects: This invention integrates a linkage-driven smoke release unit and a cigarette clip flipping device, utilizing pure mechanical linkage and gravity triggering to achieve automatic cigarette clip transfer. This simplifies the overall equipment structure, eliminating the need for a separate flipping drive motor, cylinder, and complex electrical control system, significantly reducing manufacturing costs and control complexity. The continuous movement of the chain-driven mechanism directly triggers the unlocking of the support plate and subsequent coordinated flipping, achieving absolute mechanical synchronization between the smoke release station's stepping and the cigarette clip unloading action. This fundamentally eliminates the problem of action misalignment caused by electrical signal delays or independent driver response drift, greatly improving long-term reliability and stability. The flipping and unloading process, driven by the system's own gravitational potential energy, is smooth and gentle, avoiding potential damage to the cigarette clip structure and the arrangement of the woven tobacco leaves caused by rigid pushing, thus improving the quality of the finished woven cigarettes. Simultaneously, the device has a robust mechanical structure and simple operating logic, significantly reducing the frequency and difficulty of daily maintenance, making it particularly suitable for continuous automated production scenarios requiring high cycle consistency and high reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the overall device; Figure 2 This is a front view of the overall device; Figure 3 This is a side view of the overall device; Figure 4 This is a top view of the overall device; Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the entire device; Figure 6 This is a detailed structural diagram of the smoke emission device.

[0015] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Frame; 11. Motor; 12. Reducer; 13. Drive shaft; 141. First closed-loop drive chain; 142. Second closed-loop drive chain; 2. Smoke discharge unit; 21. Smoke discharge plate; 22. Connector; 231. Slider; 232. Guide rail; 24. Tilting shaft; 25. Support plate; 26. Elastic reset component; 3. Smoke clip tilting device; 31. Support plate; 32. Reset cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0017] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model; the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0018] Reference Figure 1-6 This utility model provides an embodiment of a cigarette-making machine's smoke-discharging and turning device based on gravity-triggered linkage. The main body of the device is a rigid frame 1 welded from rectangular steel pipes and channel steel, which forms the basic framework for the installation and load-bearing of the entire device. A motor 11, serving as the core power source, is fixedly mounted on the right exterior of the frame 1 via a mounting base plate with anti-vibration pads and fastening bolts. The output shaft of the motor 11 is coaxially connected to the input shaft of a reducer 12 via a rigid coupling, ensuring concentricity and efficiency of power transmission. The reducer 12 is also fastened to an independent mounting base with bolts, which is welded to the side of the frame 1.

[0019] Within the internal cavity of the frame 1, two high-strength alloy steel drive shafts 13 are mounted parallel to each other along its length via two pairs of steel bearing seats with pre-embedded bronze bushings. The axes of the two drive shafts 13 are at the same horizontal level and are strictly parallel. A drive sprocket is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the reducer 12 located on the right side of the frame 1 via a key connection. A first drive chain surrounds this drive sprocket and a driven sprocket mounted on the end of the drive shaft 13 near the motor 11, thereby transmitting the power of the motor 11 to the drive shaft 13. To ensure synchronous rotation of the two drive shafts 13, a synchronization sprocket is also mounted on the other end of each drive shaft 13 facing inwards from the frame 1. A second drive chain surrounds these two synchronization sprockets, thereby forcibly and synchronously transmitting the rotational motion of one drive shaft 13 to the other drive shaft 13. This design guarantees absolute synchronicity for all subsequent actions relying on these two drive shafts 13.

[0020] On each drive shaft 13, two drive sprockets are fixedly mounted along its length via flat keys. The two sprockets closest to the front end of the frame 1 (with the direction of the cigarette clip movement as forward) are tensioned together by a first closed-loop drive chain 141; the two sprockets closest to the rear end of the frame 1 are tensioned together by a second closed-loop drive chain 142. The first closed-loop drive chain 141 and the second closed-loop drive chain 142 are parallel to each other, and the transmission plane they form is at the same horizontal level, together constituting a chain drive mechanism that drives the subsequent cigarette release unit 2 to perform precise stepping movements. The chain tension can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the bearing housing or using a dedicated tensioning wheel mechanism to ensure smooth transmission without tooth skipping.

[0021] Four identical smoke-releasing units 2 are fixedly arranged at equal intervals along the movement directions of the first closed-loop drive chain 141 and the second closed-loop drive chain 142. The core functional component of each smoke-releasing unit 2 is a rectangular metal smoke-releasing plate 21. The upper surface of the smoke-releasing plate 21 is usually flat or has anti-slip textures, used for manually laying tobacco leaves. The smoke-releasing plate 21 is not directly connected to the chain, but is associated with the chain drive mechanism through a set of precision connecting components, and has specific degrees of freedom of movement.

[0022] The core of the connecting assembly is a cast or machined metal connector 22. Each of the left and right sides of the connector 22 has a connecting lug with a through hole. The connector 22 is securely fixed to the two chains by using high-strength bolts passing through these connecting lugs and the connecting holes of specific chain plates on the first closed-loop drive chain 141 and the second closed-loop drive chain 142. Therefore, the movement trajectory and speed of the connector 22 are entirely determined by the two closed-loop drive chains 141 and 142.

[0023] On the main body of the connector 22, facing the smoke-emitting iron plate 21, two linear guide sliders 231 are fixedly installed using countersunk bolts. The ball grooves of these two sliders 231 face the same direction. Corresponding to these two sliders 231, a high-strength linear guide 232 is welded to the lower left and right sides of the smoke-emitting iron plate 21. The mounting base of the linear guide 232 is precision machined to ensure that it is perpendicular to the main body of the smoke-emitting iron plate 21. During assembly, the sliders 231 on the connector 22 precisely fit into the slide rails of the linear guides 232 on the smoke-emitting iron plate 21, thus forming a guide slider mechanism. This mechanism allows the smoke-emitting iron plate 21 to slide smoothly and to a limited extent in a straight line relative to the fixed connector 22 along the length direction of the linear guide 232 (this direction is approximately parallel to the direction of chain movement).

[0024] The connecting assembly also includes a robust tilting shaft 24. Both ends of the tilting shaft 24 are press-fitted into pre-set shaft holes on both sides of the connecting piece 22 and circumferentially fixed with set screws to prevent rotation. The axis of the tilting shaft 24 is perpendicular to the plane of chain movement (i.e., the horizontal plane). Two bushings with oil-impregnated bearings or sliding bearings are fixedly installed on the smoke-emitting plate 21 at positions corresponding to the tilting shaft 24. The smoke-emitting plate 21 is rotatably mounted on the tilting shaft 24 via these two bushings. This means that, in addition to sliding along the guide rail, the smoke-emitting plate 21 can also rotate and tilt significantly in a vertical plane around the axis of the tilting shaft 24.

[0025] At each end of the rotating shaft 24 extending from the connector 22, an L-shaped metal support plate 25 is welded and fixed. The vertical edge of the support plate 25 is fully welded to the end of the rotating shaft 24, while its horizontal edge extends outward horizontally. The lower surface of the horizontal edge of the support plate 25 is machined to be relatively flat.

[0026] The final key component of the connecting assembly is an elastic reset part 26, which in this embodiment is specifically a tension spring. One end of the tension spring is connected to a pull ring welded to the center of the bottom of the smoke vent plate 21 via an open hook, and the other end is hooked to a pin protruding from the lower part of the connector 22. When the smoke vent plate 21 is in a horizontal position and the slider 231 is located in the rear middle of the guide rail 232, this tension spring is in a stretched state. Therefore, it always applies a pulling force to the smoke vent plate 21, and the direction of this pulling force is to try to pull the smoke vent plate 21 along the linear guide rail 232 in the opposite direction of the chain movement (i.e., backward).

[0027] Inside the frame 1, corresponding to the position of each smoke-releasing unit 2 at its foremost (i.e., working end) position, a rectangular metal support block is welded to the inner side wall of the frame 1. The upper surface of the support block is machined smoothly. When the smoke-releasing unit 2 is not in operation (such as during the return trip or waiting to lay tobacco), the horizontal edge of its support plate 25 rests smoothly on the smooth upper surface of the support block. Since the support plate 25 is rigidly connected to the connecting piece 22 via the flip shaft 24, and the connecting piece 22 is fixed by a chain, the support block provides a stable, gravity-resistant support force to the smoke-releasing iron plate 21 through the support plate 25, reliably locking the smoke-releasing iron plate 21 in a horizontal unfolded posture, so that workers can lay tobacco leaves safely and conveniently.

[0028] In the middle of the frame 1, in front of the terminals of all smoke discharge units 2, a smoke clamp flipping device 3 is hinged to a pair of short rotating shafts. The main body of the smoke clamp flipping device 3 is a scoop-shaped metal support plate 31 with an open front end and rims on both sides and the bottom. The support plate 31 is engaged with the corresponding short rotating shafts on the frame 1 by bushings welded to its sides, allowing the entire support plate 31 to rotate around this horizontal hinge shaft between a horizontal receiving position and an inclined unloading position. Below the bottom of the support plate 31, a reset drive is provided; in this embodiment, a double-acting single-piston rod reset cylinder 32 is selected. The tail of the reset cylinder 32 is hinged to a bracket welded to the bottom of the frame 1 by a pin and a cotter pin. The piston rod end of the reset cylinder 32 is hinged to a connecting lug welded to the bottom of the support plate 31 by another pin. By controlling the intake and exhaust of the reset cylinder 32, the extension and retraction of the piston rod can be precisely controlled, thereby driving the support plate 31 to rotate around the hinge axis, thus achieving the reset and maintenance of its position.

[0029] In this embodiment, the workflow is as follows: First, the entire device is in its initial preparation state. The piston rod of the reset cylinder 32 is in the retracted state, pulling and holding the support plate 31 of the tobacco clip flipping device 3 in a precise horizontal position via the linkage mechanism. At this time, a complete tobacco clip, which has already completed the tobacco leaf insertion and upper and lower clip closure in the previous process, is placed in the middle groove of the support plate 31. Meanwhile, one of the four tobacco discharge units 2, for example, is in the feeding waiting position (which can be called position A), and its tobacco discharge plate 21 is in a horizontal position. The support plate 25 of position A rests steadily on the corresponding support block, and its tension spring 26 is stretched and stored. At this time, a safety gap of several tens of millimeters is maintained between the front edge of the tobacco discharge plate 21 of position A and the front face of the tobacco clip placed on the support plate 31. The chain drive mechanism is in a stopped state, and the motor 11 is not powered.

[0030] The work cycle is initiated. The control system issues a command, the motor 11 is powered on and started, and after being reduced in speed and increased in torque by the reducer 12, it drives the transmission shaft 13 to rotate. The two transmission shafts 13 are kept absolutely synchronized by a synchronous chain, which in turn drives the first closed-loop transmission chain 141 and the second closed-loop transmission chain 142 to move synchronously, in the same direction, and at the same speed. The movement of the chains pulls all four connecting parts 22 fixed on them, thereby driving the four smoke-releasing units 2 as a whole to move step by step along the preset track towards the smoke clamp flipping device 3 (i.e., forward). The smoke-releasing unit 2 at workstation A moves forward accordingly, its support plate 25 slides smoothly forward on the upper surface of the support block, and the smoke-releasing iron plate 21 moves forward steadily while maintaining a horizontal posture.

[0031] As the chain continues to move, the front end of the smoke-releasing plate 21 at station A gradually approaches the cigarette clip on the support plate 31. Eventually, the leading edge of the smoke-releasing plate 21 contacts and gradually presses against the front face of the cigarette clip, forming a tight seal. Since the cigarette clip and the support plate 31 below it together constitute a robust mechanical barrier, the smoke-releasing plate 21 itself cannot move forward even a millimeter at this point. However, according to the pre-set control logic, the motor 11 does not stop immediately at this moment, but is designed to continue running for a very short time (or rely on system inertia), causing the chain drive mechanism to have a small but definite "overshoot" or "continuous traction" action. This design is the key trigger condition.

[0032] Because the smoke-releasing plate 21 is physically blocked and jammed by the smoke clip and the support plate 31, the traction force F of the chain on the connecting member 22 still exists and continues. This continuous traction force F cannot push the entire smoke-releasing unit 2 forward, so it acts entirely on the slider 231 fixed to it through the connecting member 22. The direction of the force is forward. The slider 231 is pushed forward, but because it is in a cooperative relationship with the linear guide rail 232, this forward pushing force is transformed into a driving force for the slider 231 to slide forward (i.e., towards the smoke clip) within the fixed track of the linear guide rail 232. The slider 231 begins to slide forward along the linear guide rail 232.

[0033] The forward sliding of slider 231 causes the connecting piece 22, which is bolted to it, to move forward together. The movement of connecting piece 22, in turn, causes the flip shaft 24, which is fixed to it by an interference fit, to translate forward together. The translation of flip shaft 24 ultimately causes the support plates 25 welded to its two ends to move forward together. The horizontal edge of the support plate 25 was originally resting on the upper surface of the stationary support block. As the support plate 25 moves forward as a whole, the contact area between its horizontal edge and the upper surface of the support block gradually decreases, from complete coverage to partial coverage, and finally the leading edge of the horizontal edge of the support plate 25 completely moves out of contact with the rear edge of the upper surface of the support block. From the front end of the smoke release plate 21 abutting against the smoke clip to the support plate 25 completely separating from the support block, the chain drive mechanism drives the connecting piece 22 forward by a specific designed distance S. This distance S is determined by the mechanical structure dimensions, ensuring the repeatability of the action.

[0034] The moment the support plate 25 completely detaches from the support block, the entire mechanical system undergoes a sudden change. Previously, the gravity G of the assembly of the smoke-releasing iron plate 21, the possibly remaining small amount of tobacco leaves, and the tobacco clip tightly pressed against it, was directly below the axis of the flipping shaft 24. This gravity was balanced by the upward vertical support force N provided by the support block through the support plate 25 and the flipping shaft 24, and the system was stable. After the support plate 25 detaches, the upward vertical support force N disappears instantly. At this moment, since the combined center of gravity of the smoke-releasing iron plate 21 and its load is in front of the axis of the flipping shaft 24, gravity G generates a counterclockwise (viewed from the side of the device) gravitational torque M (M = G * d, where d is the horizontal distance from the center of gravity to the axis of the flipping shaft 24) on the axis of the flipping shaft 24. Driven by this sudden gravitational torque M, the system loses balance, and the smoke-releasing iron plate 21, along with its load, rapidly rotates and flips downwards around the axis of the flipping shaft 24. This flipping action occurs instantaneously with a large acceleration.

[0035] The rapid downward flip of the cigarette release plate 21 exerts two key effects on the tightly held cigarette clip at its front end: a direct downward pressure P and a frictional force or torque generated by rotation, causing the cigarette clip to roll backward (towards the flip axis 24). The combined force of these two effects effectively disrupts the static frictional balance between the cigarette clip and the groove of the lower support plate 31, and provides the cigarette clip with a clear downward and slightly backward tendency to move.

[0036] Under the combined action of gravity G (the weight of the cigarette clip), the downward pressure P applied by the cigarette release plate 21, and the rotational effect, the cigarette clip quickly detaches from the scoop-shaped support plate 31 of the cigarette clip flipping device 3, slides rapidly down the inclined surface of the support plate 31 due to the flipping, and falls accurately into the receiving device (such as the receiving tray of the vertical elevator) set below the frame 1 in the next process, thus completing the automatic transfer from the cigarette weaving station to the conveying station.

[0037] After the cigarette clip slips off, the load on the support plate 31 is greatly reduced. The control system immediately vents the rod chamber of the reset cylinder 32 and exhausts the rodless chamber, causing the piston rod to extend rapidly. The extension of the piston rod pushes the support plate 31 through the hinge point, causing it to rotate in the opposite direction (i.e., back to the horizontal direction) around the short axis of rotation until it is mechanically limited or detected by a sensor to have returned to the precise initial horizontal position, and remains in that position, ready to receive the next woven cigarette clip from the upstream process. Almost simultaneously with the action of the reset cylinder 32, the chain drive mechanism also enters the next control cycle (such as stop, reverse, or intermittent waiting).

[0038] After the cigarette clip slips off and the external force is released, the tension spring 26, which had been stretched, begins to release its stored elastic potential energy. The contraction force of the spring 26 acts on the cigarette release plate 21, producing two effects: First, this tension creates a clockwise torque on the cigarette release plate 21 around the flipping axis 24 (i.e., the upward return direction), driving the cigarette release plate 21 to rotate upward and gradually return to a horizontal position; second, the horizontal component of this tension pulls the cigarette release plate 21, causing the linear guide rail 232 on it to slide backward relative to the slider 231 on the connecting piece 22, that is, the cigarette release plate 21 has a tendency to move in the opposite direction of the chain movement. As the chain drive mechanism may enter the return stroke or the next step cycle, under the combined action of the spring force and the mechanism movement, the cigarette release plate 21 eventually causes the support plate 25 to descend again and fall back onto the upper surface of the support block. Once the support plate 25 is placed back on the support block, the smoke-releasing plate 21 is locked back into a horizontal and stable state, and the entire smoke-releasing unit 2 is fully reset to its initial, acceptable standby posture for smoke-laying operations. At this point, a complete work cycle ends, and the device is ready to proceed with the next smoke-laying, stepping, and triggering flipping process.

[0039] This embodiment achieves significant technical benefits through the specific structural design and workflow described above. The entire device creatively utilizes the stepping motion of the tobacco release unit itself as a trigger source, using the purely mechanical action of the support plate separating from the support block as a switch. This converts the system's gravitational potential energy into a flipping force, achieving automatic and precise unloading of the tobacco clips. This design completely eliminates the need for traditional independent flipping motors, cylinders, sensors, and complex synchronization controllers, greatly simplifying the overall electrical and mechanical structure and reducing manufacturing costs and failure rates. The mechanical linkage triggering method ensures absolute synchronization between the flipping action and the main production line's rhythm, eliminating electrical delays or drift issues and ensuring extremely high long-term operational reliability. The gravity-driven flipping unloading process is gentle and natural, avoiding impact damage to the tobacco clips that might be caused by rigid pushing mechanisms, thus protecting the neat arrangement of the tobacco leaves. The device has a robust structure; the main moving parts are chains, guide rails, and shafts, which are wear-resistant and durable, requiring only routine lubrication and making maintenance very simple. These advantages make this device particularly suitable for modern automated tobacco processing lines requiring high-paced, high-reliability continuous production, effectively improving the overall efficiency and quality stability of the tobacco-making process.

[0040] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Although the present utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A gravity-triggered cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and turning device, comprising a frame, characterized in that: The frame is equipped with a chain drive mechanism; the chain drive mechanism includes two parallel closed-loop transmission chains; at least two smoke-emitting units are spaced apart along the movement direction of the closed-loop transmission chains, each smoke-emitting unit includes a smoke-emitting iron plate and a connecting assembly; the connecting assembly includes a connector, which is fixedly connected to the closed-loop transmission chain; the connecting assembly also includes a guide rail slider mechanism and a flip shaft, the flip shaft is fixedly mounted on the connector, the smoke-emitting iron plate is slidably connected to the connector through the guide rail slider mechanism, and the smoke-emitting iron plate is rotatably sleeved on the flip shaft; a smoke clamp flipping device is hinged to the front of the end of the movement trajectory of the smoke-emitting iron plate on the frame; a fixed support part is also provided on the frame; the connecting assembly also includes a support plate, which is fixedly mounted on the flip shaft; when the smoke-emitting iron plate is in a horizontal support state, the support plate overlaps the fixed support part.

2. The cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and flipping device based on gravity-triggered linkage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting assembly further includes an elastic reset component, which is connected between the smoke-emitting iron plate and the connecting member.

3. The cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and flipping device based on gravity-triggered linkage according to claim 2, characterized in that: The elastic reset component is a tension spring.

4. The cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and flipping device based on gravity-triggered linkage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chain drive mechanism further includes a power source, a drive shaft, and a sprocket. The power source is connected to the drive shaft via the sprocket, and the drive shaft drives the closed-loop transmission chain via the sprocket.

5. The cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and flipping device based on gravity-triggered linkage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cigarette clip flipping device includes a support plate and a reset drive component. The support plate is hinged to the frame, and the reset drive component is connected between the frame and the support plate.

6. The cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and flipping device based on gravity-triggered linkage according to claim 5, characterized in that: The reset drive component is a cylinder.

7. The cigarette-making machine smoke-discharging and flipping device based on gravity-triggered linkage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixed support is a support block that is fixedly installed on the frame.

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