Abstract: A cigarette filter attachment machine comprises means for joining filter portions to cigarette portions by rolling adhesive-coated paper around adjacent parts of corresponding filter and cigarette portions, a conveyor for conveying the completed assemblies at regular intervals, a stationary pressure chamber adjacent to the conveyor and arranged to communicate successively with ports in the conveyor which are closed by the completed assemblies, a source of pressure connected to the pressure chamber, and a detector for monitoring the pressure in the chamber to detect the absence of any assembly.

Abstract: Filter tipped cigarettes are produced by dividing a continuous tobacco stream into alternate sections having respective lengths corresponding to a double cigarette filler and a double filter portion. The double filter portion sections are removed from the stream to leave spaced double filler sections which proceed to a position where double filter portions are inserted in the gaps left by the removed sections. The stream of alternating tobacco sections and filter portions is continuously wrapped and subsequently cut at the middles of the tobacco sections and filter portions to produce individual filter cigarettes. The sections of tobacco removed from the continuous stream may be returned to the stream.

Abstract: In order to feed a stream of filter rods forward at regularly spaced intervals a substantially continuous stream of rods is fed to a pair of opposed belts which grip the sides of the rods and accelerate them so as to space them apart. The spaced apart rods may then be accurately fed forward by a timing device in the form of a wheel having extending fingers which engage behind the rods and feed them forward at a controlled speed. A second pair of belts may be positioned between the first pair of belts and the timing device, these belts gripping the rods at the top and bottom. The continuous stream of rods is preferably formed by successively stripping groups of rods axially from a fluted drum.

Abstract: A ledger for use in a continuous rod cigarette making machine, or a similar machine, comprising a rod support to support the continuous rod during cutting, characterised by a rotary member which is arranged to rotate about a fixed axis, a first planetary gear which carries or is connected to the rod support and is rotatable relative to the rotary member about an axis which is parallel to the fixed axis and is spaced from the fixed axis by an adjustable distance, the first planetary gear being maintained in a fixed orientation at least partly by the action of a second planetary gear which is mounted rotatably on the rotary member and meshes with a drive gear which is arranged to rotate about the fixed axis at a speed different from that of the rotary member.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine comprises means for feeding tobacco towards a part of the machine which forms the tobacco into a tobacco stream, a trimmer arranged to trim away part of the tobacco stream, and means for feeding the discard tobacco (i.e., the tobacco removed from the stream by the trimmer) back to the tobacco-stream-forming part of the machine. The trimmer is arranged so that it can remove a temporarily increased amount of tobacco while the machine is being started. In particular, the tobacco stream is formed by showering tobacco towards a conveyor on which the tobacco builds up into a tobacco stream; and the discard tobacco is showered towards the conveyor at a position such that it forms part of the tobacco stream which is not removed by the trimmer. The tobacco may be showered upwards with the aid of an air stream towards the conveyor.