Abstract: A machine and process function to fill cavities with metered amounts of particulate material. An applicator wheel includes a series of equally spaced apart peripheral pockets each having a perforated bottom wall, and a vacuum manifold inside the wheel includes a vacuum chamber for supplying vacuum to the perforated bottom walls of the pockets as the wheel rotates. Particulate material from a filling chamber of such material outside the wheel is withdrawn into the pockets by the vacuum chamber. A downstream vacuum relief on the vacuum manifold functions to discharge particulate material from the pockets into the cavities at a predetermined discharge location on the wheel. Adjustment structure is connected to rotatably adjust the position of the vacuum manifold within the applicator wheel to thereby advance or retard the discharge location depending upon the speed of the machine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming two filters in a two-up configuration. The apparatus includes a feed wheel 18, an assembly wheel 20, a take-off wheel 22, and a flipping wheel 24. According to the method of the invention, tubes 10 are loaded from the feed wheel 18 to the assembly wheel 20 where one hollow end of the tubes is filled. The half-filled tubes 10? are then transferred to take-off wheel 22 and then to a flipping wheel 24 where the tubes are flipped. The half-filled and flipped tubes 10? are returned to vacant positions on the feed wheel and transferred back to the assembly wheel so that the remaining hollow ends can be filled. The filled tube 10?? is transferred to a take-off wheel 22, where it is then removed from the take off wheel 22 using a stripper and/or additional wheels for further processing.

Abstract: A machine and process function to fill cavities with metered amounts of particulate material. An applicator wheel includes a series of equally spaced apart peripheral pockets each having a perforated bottom wall, and a vacuum manifold inside the wheel includes a vacuum chamber for supplying vacuum to the perforated bottom walls of the pockets as the wheel rotates. Particulate material from a filling chamber of such material outside the wheel is withdrawn into the pockets by the vacuum chamber. A downstream vacuum relief on the vacuum manifold functions to discharge particulate material from the pockets into the cavities at a predetermined discharge location on the wheel. Adjustment structure is connected to rotatably adjust the position of the vacuum manifold within the applicator wheel to thereby advance or retard the discharge location depending upon the speed of the machine.

Abstract: A machine for folding and applying onserts onto consumer goods such as cigarette packs comprises a continuous roll of preprinted onserts and a transverse cutter assembly for cutting onsert segments from the continuous roll. Each onsert segment includes a pair of side-by-side preprinted onserts. A buckle folder receives each cut onsert segment and folds that segment along at least one transverse fold line. A longitudinal cutter assembly longitudinally cuts each folded onsert segment into two individual onserts. A transport system serially receives the individual folded onserts and moves the onserts along dual diverging paths where a pair of spaced apart lug belt conveyors receives the onserts from the discharge end of the transport system. Each lug belt conveyor includes spaced apart transverse lugs along the length thereof against which the onserts are positioned.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the mass production of compound cigarette filters function to deposit granular filter material into the open ends of vertically oriented filter tubes. Predetermined amounts of diverse granular material are withdrawn by suction from sources of such material, and these amounts are deposited into the tubes. Solid filter segments seal the granular material within the tube. After one half of each filter tube is filled with granular material and sealed, the tube is inverted and the opposite end is filled in substantially the same manner. When cut in half each filter tube produces two cigarette filters.