Abstract: Plain oval cigarettes which issue from a maker in such orientation that the minor axes of their oval cross-sectional outlines extend vertically are advanced lengthwise in the spiral groove of a trough toward an outlet where the major axes of their oval cross-sectional outlines extend vertically. The thus reoriented oval cigarettes are attracted to the undersides of receptacles which are pivotably mounted on a rotary carrier and deliver the cigarettes, without any further changes in the orientation of the major and minor axes of their cross-sectional outlines, to successive peripheral flutes of a rotary drum-shaped conveyor which transports the cigarettes in such a way that the minor axes of their oval cross-sectional outlines extend radially of the rotational axis of the drum-shaped conveyor. This ensures that the oval cigarettes are more reliably held in their flutes during advancement with the drum-shaped conveyor.

Abstract: Adherent uniting bands are wound around adjacent end portions of successive groups of plain cigarettes and filter mouthpieces having elliptical cross-sectional outlines while the groups are transported sideways through a passage between a rotary conveyor and a stationary rolling member. The peripheral rolling surface of the conveyor has an undulate profile conforming to the outlines of the articles forming the groups and such surface is provided with axially parallel flutes wherein the groups are received during advancement toward the passage. The rolling member has a second rolling surface confronting the peripheral rolling surface across the passage and having a second undulate profile also conforming to the outlines of the articles forming the groups. Successive groups approaching the inlet of the passage are caused to leave their flutes and to roll between the two surfaces during advancement through the passage to thus convolute the uniting bands around the adjacent end portions of the respecive articles.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring cigarettes from a file of coaxial cigarettes issuing from a rod making machine into a filter tipping machine has a rotary transfer conveyor with equidistant receivers which are maintained in parallelism with the cigarettes of the file while orbiting about an axis parallel to the axes of the cigarettes in the file. The receivers accept single cigarettes or pairs of cigarettes from the file and deliver them to a transfer station between the transfer conveyor and a rotary removing conveyor having closely adjacent receivers parallel to and serving to receive cigarettes from the receivers of the transfer conveyor. The speed of receivers forming part of the transfer conveyor equals or slightly exceeds the speed of cigarettes in the file but can considerably exceed the speed of receivers forming part of the removing conveyor. The cigarettes which are transferred into the receivers of the removing conveyor are advanced sideways, i.e.

Abstract: Discrete uniting bands which are used in a filter tipping machine to connect filter plugs with plain cigarettes consist of foraminous material, and the permeability of such material is varied, when necessary, by changing the quantity of adhesive which is applied to the uniting bands prior to convolution around the respective plain cigarettes and filter plugs. This ensures that each convoluted uniting band admits a preselected quantity of cool atmospheric air into the column of tobacco smoke when the respective filter cigarette is lighted. The paster which applies adhesive to a continuous web which is about to be subdivided into uniting bands is adjusted in response to signals which are generated by a testing device for the wrappers of successive filter cigarettes. If the permeability is too high, the paster is adjusted by reducing or increasing the quantity of adhesive which is applied to successive unit areas or unit lengths of the running web.

Abstract: The wrappers of filter cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of smokers' products and wherein portions of the wrappers have perforations are tested while moving sideways in the flutes of an endless conveyor. The testing involves establishing a less pronounced pressure differential between the interior and exterior of unperforated wrapper portions and a more pronounced pressure differential between the interior and exterior of perforated wrapper portions. An electropneumatic transducer generates first signals which denote the rate of fluid flow through the perforated and unperforated wrapper portions. Such signals are compared with first and second reference signals which respectively denote the maximum permissible and minimum acceptable permeability of wrappers, and the articles wherein the permeability of wrappers exceeds the maximum permissible permeability or is less than the minimum acceptable permeability are segregated from other articles.

Abstract: Discrete uniting bands which are used in a filter tipping machine to connect filter plugs with plain cigarettes consist of foraminous material, and the permeability of such material is varied, when necessary, by changing the quantity of adhesive which is applied to the uniting bands prior to convolution around the respective plain cigarettes and filter plugs. This ensures that each convoluted uniting band admits a preselected quantity of cool atmospheric air into the column of tobacco smoke when the respective filter cigarette is lighted. The paster which applies adhesive to a continuous web which is about to be subdivided into uniting bands is adjusted in response to signals which are generated by a testing device for the wrappers of filter cigarettes and denote the permeability of wrappers of successive filter cigarettes. If the permeability is too high, the paster is adjusted by reducing or increasing the quantity of adhesive which is applied to successive unit areas or unit lengths of the running web.

Abstract: Various conveyors and/or other components of one or more machines for the production and/or processing of cigarettes or other smokers' products are indirectly monitored to allow for automatic pinpointing of that component which affects the quality of products. The products are tested to generate test signals, and such signals are thereupon evaluated to ascertain the presence or absence of various constituents each of which is characteristic of the influence of a different component upon the quality of products. Once the presence or absence of a constituent is ascertained, the corresponding component is automatically pinpointed in response to a signal from the evaluating device.

Abstract: A web which is converted into wrappers of plain or filter cigarettes, or the wrapper or each cigarette is perforated by needles, teeth, punching tools, sparks or laser beams prior to arrival of corresponding cigarettes at a pneumatic testing station. The testing device at such station transmits signals which denote the permeability of successive wrappers, and the signals are compared with a reference signal denoting the desired permeability of wrappers. If the monitored permeability deviates from the desired permeability, the device which makes holes in the web or in the wrappers is automatically adjusted to change the combined area of holes.

Abstract: The permeability of portions of or entire wrappers of successive filter cigarettes is tested with a gaseous fluid independently of the permeability of perforated portions of wrappers around the filter mouthpieces. Signals denoting the permeability of major portions of or entire wrappers are compared with a reference signal denoting the maximum permissible permeability, and the cigarettes having wrappers of excessive permeability are segregated from satisfactory cigarettes. Signals denoting the permeability of perforated wrapper portions are made visible to attendants or cause the generation or audible signals, for example, to facilitate proper adjustment of perforating instrumentalities if the permeability of perforated wrapper portions is too low.

Abstract: The wrappers of filter cigarettes wherein wrapper portions surrounding the filter mouthpieces have holes for admission of atmospheric air into the column of tobacco smoke are tested during sidewise movement at the periphery of a rotary drum. A first testing device establishes a first pressure differential between the interior and exterior of successive wrappers, and a second testing device establishes a second pressure differential between the interior and exterior of those wrapper portions which surround tobacco as well as a different third pressure differential between those wrapper portions which surround the filter material. An evaluating circuit has two electropneumatic transducers which furnish first and second signals respectively denoting the pressure differential between the interior and exterior of successive wrappers and the pressure differential between the interior and exterior of successive wrapper portions which surround tobacco.

Abstract: Cigarettes with composite fillers wherein the mouthpiece consists of first tobacco shreds having a low nicotine content and the major portion of the filler consists of second shreds having a higher nicotine content are manufactured by showering second shreds onto a narrow band conveyor to form a continuous stream, by depositing batches of first shreds on the band conveyor at regular intervals so that the batches overlie the adjacent portions of the first stream or vice versa, by trimming the thus obtained composite stream so as to remove second shreds in the region of the batches whereby the resulting filler contains batches of first shreds alternating with filler portions consisting of second shreds, wrapping the filler into a web of cigarette paper, and severing the resulting rod across or adjacent to the batches.