Abstract: Rod-shaped incipient plant carrying devices which contain or can contain seeds or plant cuttings are formed from a web of paper and a filler of synthetic fibers and/or particles of synthetic foam which are first accumulated into a relatively thin but wide layer which is thereupon converted into a narrow stream. The stream is condensed and simultaneously draped into the web to form therewith a continuous rod which is severed by a cutoff to yield a file of discrete carring devices of unit length or multiple unit length. Particles of fertilizer can be admixed to the fibers and/or foam particles of the stream, and spaced-apart portions of the stream can receive seeds in such distribution that the seed in the finished carrying device is equidistant from both end faces of the filler. A bonding agent can be sprayed onto the layer to ensure adherence of neighboring fibers and/or foam particles to one another.

Abstract: Apparatus for introducing discrete seeds or clusters of two or more seeds into each of an array of seed carrying devices at a seed inserting station has a rotary drum-shaped conveyor whose shell has rows of axially parallel suction ports. Such rows form several groups each containing ports of a particular size. The rows travel past a magazine which contains a supply of seeds and from which selected rows draw seeds which remain in the respective suction ports during transport to the inserting station. To this end, the selected rows are connected to a suction generating device by way of channels which are provided in the shell. The component which determines whether a single group or two or more groups of rows are to be connected with the suction generating device is a ring-shaped selector which is rotatable with reference to the shell and has two or more sets of openings which can be moved into or out of alignment with the channels in the shell.

Abstract: A safe for storage of paper money has a reinforced housing for several upright containers each having a row of superimposed drawers for reception of stacks of paper money. Bills of different denominations are stored in different containers, and the open sides of drawers in each container can be exposed or concealed by discrete closures which are movable up to expose a larger number of respective drawers or down to conceal one or more additional drawers in the respective containers. Each closure is normally locked in the selected position against movement in a direction to expose additional drawers, and such locking action can be interrupted only by depressing a pushbutton which actuates a clock so that the latter releases the respective locking device with a preselected delay. Once the selected interval of time has elapsed, the corresponding closure can be lifted by a step so as to expose a single additional drawer of the respective container.

Abstract: Apparatus for assembling blocks of parallel cigarettes in formations ready for packing has a magazine for a supply of parallel cigarettes and three groups of downwardly extending ducts whose upper ends communicate with the magazine to admit parallel cigarettes and whose lower end portions are located at a block building station. The end portions of the two outer groups of ducts are located in horizontal planes, one above the other, and the end portion of each duct of one outer group registers with the end portion of a duct of the other outer group. The end portions of the median group of ducts are vertical or nearly vertical and are located between the end portions of the two outer groups of ducts. The rows of parallel cigarettes which accumulate in the end portions of the ducts are expelled simultaneously by a pusher whereby the expelled cigarettes pass through a mouthpiece which completes their conversion into a block.