Abstract: A label feeder unit associated with a machine for packing tobacco products holds a stack of labels placed in a channel presenting an infeed end, and an outfeed end from which the labels are released to a take-up station, then picked up singly and transferred to a further unit of the machine. The outfeed end of the channel incorporates a transfer mechanism comprising a pair of contrarotating rollers placed on either side of the channel at a distance less than the width of the stack in such a way as to intercept the labels and transfer them to the take-up station, which is movable relative to the outfeed end of the channel under the pressure transmitted to the station by the labels taken up between the rollers. The transfer mechanism forms part of a feedback control loop by which the pressure registering through the labels at the take-up station is kept within prescribed limits.

Abstract: Tobacco products are wrapped by a unit equipped with a rotating drum carrying a set of holder mechanisms around the periphery, each rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the drum, by which single products are supported and carried through an assembly station together with leaves of wrapping material received from a vacuum roller turning on an axis parallel to the axis of the drum; the vacuum roller revolves tangentially to the drum at the assembly station and comprises a system by which each leaf is transferred to a gripper associated with the support mechanism. The transfer system is timed to operate in a situation of substantially zero relative peripheral velocity between the support mechanism and the vacuum roller.

Abstract: A method and device for controlled filling of a channel supplying tobacco articles, whereby a lead-in member is positioned inside the channel to completely cut off passage along the channel; a mass of tobacco articles is then fed into the channel so that the mass of tobacco articles is positioned contacting the lead-in member; and, finally, the lead-in member is eased along the channel, while keeping the mass of tobacco articles in contact with the lead-in member, to ease the mass of tobacco articles along the channel.

Abstract: In a packaging machine, typically a cellophaner for overwrapping packets of cigarettes, each of the packets is enveloped by a wrapping unit in a heat shrinkable wrapper presenting at least two opposite faces disposed parallel one with another. The machine also comprises a unit by which heat is applied to the wrappers, equipped with a pair of belt conveyors that present two branches, facing one another and set in motion in such a way as to transport the packets by gripping the two opposite faces of each wrapper, and at least one heating head associated with each transport branch; the heating heads are faced with a leaf of lamellar graphite bonded to the head on one side and offered in direct contact on the other to the respective branch of the corresponding belt conveyor, so as to minimize friction between the belt and the head.

Abstract: A method and unit for feeding products to a group-forming unit forming groups of products, each defined by a given number of products; an orderly succession of products is fed in a first direction by a first conveyor; the products are transferred from the first conveyor to a second conveyor by a first transfer device; an orderly succession of products is fed in a second direction by the second conveyor; the products are transferred from the second conveyor to a third conveyor by a second transfer device; an orderly succession of products is fed by the third conveyor in a third direction parallel to the second direction; and, when a vacancy is detected on the first transfer device, the second conveyor is stopped, and, at the same time, the second transfer device is moved towards the first transfer device in the opposite direction to the second direction.

Abstract: A method and device for feeding sheets to a user machine, whereby the sheets, arranged in a stack along a channel having a substantially horizontal longitudinal axis, are fed to a single-sheet pickup member by dividing the stack into an output portion, an intermediate portion, and an input portion; pushing the output portion towards the pickup member at a given constant first pressure; compressing the input portion at a given second pressure; transferring sheets from the intermediate portion to the output portion to compensate for the withdrawn sheets and keep a length of the output portion substantially constant and equal to a given value; and transferring sheets from the input portion to the intermediate portion to keep the density of the sheets along the intermediate portion substantially constant and equal to a given value.

Abstract: A method and unit for feeding products to a group-forming unit for forming groups of products, each containing a given number of products; an orderly succession of products is fed in a first direction by means of a first conveyor; an orderly succession of products is fed in a second direction, parallel to the first direction, by means of a second conveyor parallel to the first conveyor; and the products are transferred from the first conveyor to the second conveyor by means of a transfer device which is permanently integral with an output end of the first conveyor, is moved in the second direction upon detection of a gap along the first conveyor, and is moved in the opposite direction to the second direction to form, along the second conveyor, a number of consecutive gaps equal to the number of products in each group of products.

Abstract: A method and unit for heat-shrinking overwrappings of heat-shrink plastic material of a succession of products; an orderly succession of products is conveyed by conveying means; each product is subjected to a first heat-shrink operation along the conveying means and by means of a first heat-shrink device; and each product is subjected to a second heat-shrink operation along the conveying means and by means of a second heat-shrink device separate and at a distance from the first heat-shrink device.

Abstract: An embossing device having a first embossing unit for satin finishing a strip of packing material, and a second embossing unit for impressing graphics on the strip of packing material; the second embossing unit has two embossing rollers, at least one of which only has embossing pins in areas for impressing the graphics.

Abstract: A machine for applying inland revenue stamps to packets of cigarettes, the machine having a conveying device for feeding the packets along a given path through an application station; and a feed device for feeding the stamps to the application station, and applying each stamp to a given portion of a respective packet; the feed device being movable crosswise to the travelling direction to adjust the given portion of the packet to which the stamp is applied.

Abstract: An automatic cigarette maker and/or packer incorporates a welding or sealing head with an electrically conductive heating foil mounted to an electrically insulating backing element; the foil is retained on the backing element by an overlay of ceramic material, which is covered in turn by a further overlay of smooth silicone that can be offered in direct contact to a weldable or sealable wrapping material.

Abstract: Wrapping material (2) supplied to a packaging machine is caused to advance along a predetermined feed path (3) through a first checking station (27a) where an emitter device (29) charges at least one predetermined portion (30, 34) of the wrapping material (2) electrostatically, and a second checking station (27b) where a sensor (31) detects the presence of the electrostatic charges applied previously to the predetermined portion (30, 34) of the material (2). The sensor (31) is positioned along the feed path (3) downstream of and at a predetermined distance from the emitter device (29).

Abstract: A method of making a brand change, on an automatic production system for processing tobacco articles and which produces a first product from first materials; the method has the steps of: stopping the automatic production system once production of the first product is completed; feeding second materials onto the automatic production system; restarting the automatic production system to commence production of a second product from the second materials; checking all the second products in a first lot to ensure each second product in the first lot conforms with production specifications; externally marking each second product in the first lot conforming with production specifications; and generating a pass signal when a given number of consecutive second products conforming with production specifications is produced.

Abstract: A method and unit for applying labels to products fed by a conveyor along a conveying path; a number of pickup heads are fed along a feed path to withdraw the labels successively from a feeder and apply the labels successively to respective products on the conveyor; and, in the event of stoppage or malfunctioning, the pickup heads are fed along a reject path, adjacent to the feed path, to transfer at least some of the labels on the pickup heads to a collecting device.

Abstract: A unit for feeding cigarettes to a packer machine is equipped with a hopper containing a mass of cigarettes and a device serving to compensate the depletion of the mass as groups of cigarettes are removed from the hopper and directed into a plurality of boxes carried and transported by a conveyor. The compensating device is located internally of the hopper and comprises an articulated mechanism designed to create a movable wall, also a pair of lateral conveyors converging toward the articulated mechanism, its operation being coordinated with that of a further device by which the groups of cigarettes are removed from the hopper, in such a way as to vary the capacity of the hopper according to the volume of cigarettes removed.

Abstract: A label feeder unit associated with a machine for packing tobacco products holds a stack of labels placed in a channel presenting an infeed end, and an outfeed end from which the labels are released to a take-up station, then picked up singly and transferred to a further unit of the machine. The outfeed end of the channel incorporates a transfer mechanism comprising a pair of contrarotating rollers placed on either side of the channel at a distance less than the width of the stack in such a way as to intercept the labels and transfer them to the take-up station, which is movable relative to the outfeed end of the channel under the pressure transmitted to the station by the labels taken up between the rollers. The transfer mechanism forms part of a feedback control loop by which the pressure registering through the labels at the take-up station is kept within prescribed limits.

Abstract: A method and unit for feeding products to a group-forming unit forming groups of products, each defined by a given number of products; an orderly succession of products is fed in a first direction by a first conveyor; the products are transferred from the first conveyor to a second conveyor by a first transfer device; an orderly succession of products is fed in a second direction by the second conveyor; the products are transferred from the second conveyor to a third conveyor by a second transfer device; an orderly succession of products is fed by the third conveyor in a third direction parallel to the second direction; and, when a vacancy is detected on the first transfer device, the second conveyor is stopped, and, at the same time, the second transfer device is moved towards the first transfer device in the opposite direction to the second direction.

Abstract: Groups containing a given number of products are produced using a transfer assembly, wherein a first, pocket-type output, conveyor of a production machine, and a second, pocket-type input, conveyor of a group-forming machine move continuously in a first and, respectively, second direction opposite each other, and are connected to each other by a pocket-type transfer member, which is interposed between the first and second conveyor, and is operated to selectively rotate about an axis of rotation crosswise to the first and second conveyor; or to translate, together with the second conveyor, crosswise to the axis of rotation to compensate for one or more voids on the first conveyor; or to translate, together with the first conveyor, crosswise to the axis of rotation to form, on the second conveyor, a succession of voids in time with the group-forming machine.

Abstract: A method and unit for heat-shrinking overwrappings of heat-shrink plastic material of a succession of products; an orderly succession of products is conveyed by conveying means; each product is subjected to a first heat-shrink operation along the conveying means and by means of a first heat-shrink device; and each product is subjected to a second heat-shrink operation along the conveying means and by means of a second heat-shrink device separate and at a distance from the first heat-shrink device.

Abstract: Packets of cigarettes with a predominating longitudinal axis, presenting two larger side faces, two smaller flank faces and two end faces, are overwrapped by a unit incorporating a first conveyor rotatable about a relative axis, on which a sheet of transparent film is folded initially around the side and flank faces of each packet by one of a set of peripheral holder mechanisms pivotable about respective axes parallel to the axis of the conveyor. Each holder mechanism supports a relative packet, gripped between a pair of jaws and disposed with the longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of the conveyor, and comprises a clip serving to grip and retain one end of the sheet, operating in conjunction with suction holes by which the remaining free end of the sheet is attracted and restrained and thus kept perfectly under control during the transfer of the packet to a second conveyor that will complete the initial overwrapping step.