Abstract: A sealer for the adhesive-containing seam of a tubular wrapper surrounding a running filler of tobacco or filter material for tobacco smoke has an at least partially ceramic heating device which contacts the moving seam and contains an electric conductor of ceramic material. The temperature of the heating device can be regulated to decrease, either stepwise or gradually, in the direction of movement of the seam. The heating device can consist of or contain silicon nitride and can be doped with titanium nitride to enhance its heat conductivity.

Abstract: An explosive cutter for severing a mooring of a moored mine includes a securing apparatus for attaching the explosive cutter to a mooring and for detaching the explosive cutter from an underwater vessel. The securing apparatus includes a mooring capturing jaw; a clamping lever having a withdrawn position in which it is clear of the capturing jaw and a clamping position in which it closes off the capturing jaw for holding the mooring captive in the capturing jaw; and a slidable shuttle having a first position and a second position.

Abstract: A minehunting apparatus is carried by an underwater transporting drone to the mooring cable of a mine. The minehunting apparatus includes a housing and clamping levers pivotably mounted on the housing to close around the mooring cable. Inside the housing are explosives which are detonated by a coded sonar signal. To improve the maneuverability of the transporting drone, the weight of the minehunting apparatus is balanced so that the apparatus has an essentially neutral buoyancy during the transporting process in the water. After the clamping mechanism has clamped itself around the mooring cable, a lighterweight is released to cause the remainder of the minehunting apparatus to float upwardly toward the mine.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing cigarette packs for the presence or absence of several defects including the configuration of the packs, the orientation of their constituents and the quality of bonds between overlapping constituents has an intermittently driven turret with an annulus of receptacles which are supplied with packs by an intermittently driven feeding conveyor. The receptacles have relatively small engaging devices in the form of spring-biased strips, suction cups and/or simple abutments to locate and hold the packs therein in such a way that by far the major part of each pack remains accessible and exposed for testing by a series of photocells which are disposed at several stations adjacent to the path of movement of the receptacles. Tested defective and satisfactory packs are expelled from their receptacles in two separate portions of the path downstream of the testing stations.

Abstract: Apparatus for assembling multi-layer blocks of parallel cigarettes has a magazine with several outlets having narrow elongated horizontal openings for the discharge of successive layers of cigarettes. An endless conveyor transports a succession of variable-volume receptacles stepwise along a path a horizontal portion of which extends along the outlets so that the opening of each outlet registers with a receptacle when the conveyor is arrested. The volumes of the receptacles are varied by a system of cams, which act upon movable top walls of the receptacles, in such a way that the volumes of the receptacles exceed the space requirements of the layer or layers therein only while the conveyor is idle, i.e.