Abstract: A blank feed unit wherein a store housing a stack of blanks presents, at the bottom end, an outlet from which the blanks are withdrawn successively in a given direction and along a given path by an extracting assembly presenting a conveyor roller located at the outlet of the store, contacting the bottom end of the stack, and tangent to the path, and a brake element located at the outlet and on the opposite side of the path in relation to the conveyor roller the.

Abstract: Packets of cigarettes are conveyed singly and in succession to a first inlet of a propulsion chamber also having an outlet, connected to a duct, and at least one other inlet through which compressed air is directed into the enclosure; as one packet is carried forward by the force of inertia to the point of occupying the outlet, another packet takes its place at the inlet, the effect of which being to enclose the chamber completely and occasion a rise in pressure sufficient to generate a force by which the packet occupying the outlet is "fired" along the duct.

Abstract: A method of feeding a continuous packing machine with groups of tobacco items, in particular cigarettes, composed of at least one layer of items, whereby a continuously-moving conveyor with pockets for respective groups is supplied successively with the groups, each of which is expelled from a feedbox in a substantially transverse direction in relation to the items by arresting the items inside the feedbox and over the expelled items.