Abstract: The duct which delivers tobacco shreds to the underside of the lower reach of an air-permeable belt conveyor contains a guide with a concave surface which tapers gradually toward the underside of the lower reach, as considered in the direction of advancement of the lower reach. A nozzle discharges a current of compressed air against the concave surface so that the current flows along the concave surface toward the underside of the lower reach in the aforementioned direction and entrains the particles which tend to impinge upon the concave surface so that the current and the particles therein form a fluidized bed which is delivered to the underside of and is attracted to the lower reach because the upper side of the lower reach is adjacent to a suction chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for perforating the wrappers of filter cigarettes or a continuous web of wrapping material for filter cigarettes has a continuous-wave laser and one or more rotary disc-shaped shutters extending across the path of propagation of the laser beam toward the wrappers or web of wrapping material. The dimensions of perforations in the wrappers or web of wrapping material can be regulated by changing the position of the shutter or shutters relative to the laser beam and/or relative to each other.

Abstract: Apparatus for optically scanning a moving cigarette rod for the presence of defects in its external surface has two annularly arranged groups of diodes which emit green light in the wavelength range of between 0.49 and 0.58.mu. and direct such light from the opposite sides of a plane that is normal to the moving rod so that the incident light is reflected by successive annular portions of the external surface of the rod into the aforementioned plane. The reflected light is focused by systems of lenses upon discrete photosensitive transducers through discrete slit diaphragms on the transducers themselves or on a thin metallic ring which is adjustably mounted on the support for the diodes and the systems of lenses.

Abstract: The exterior of successive filter cigarettes, filter rod sections or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry is monitored for the presence of various defects including absence or improper orientation of filter mouthpieces, improperly applied or outwardly projecting uniting bands, absence of roundness and/or others by directing a beam of radiation along successive articles while they move sideways in the flutes of a drum-shaped conveyor. The beams of radiation are influenced by defects and are thereupon monitored for the purposes of generating signals which are indicative of defects, if any. The beam of radiation extends all the way along the full length of each article and can also extend partially or around the entire circumference of each article.

Abstract: A cigarette testing apparatus wherein a single layer of cigarettes is transported sideways in the flutes of two conveyors one of which exposes a first half of the wrapper of each cigarette thereon from the one to the other end of the cigarette and the other of which exposes the remaining half of the wrapper. A first optoelectrical scanning system monitors the first half of the wrapper of each cigarette on the first conveyor for the presence or absence of defects, and a discrete second optoelectrical scanning system monitors the remaining half of the wrapper of each cigarette on the second conveyor for the presence or absence of defects. Each of the two systems can employ two discrete scanning units having light sources, mirrors and lenses which focus light from the sources upon the respective halves of the wrappers, rows of photoelectric transducers, and elements which focus reflected light upon the transducers.

Abstract: A tobacco filler is formed in a machine which turns out two trough-shaped tobacco streams whose concave sides face each other. The two streams are thereupon caused to merge and to form a single stream whose central portion is less dense than the outer layer. The single stream is then compacted in the wrapping mechanism of the machine so that its cross section matches that of a cigarette, and the resulting filler is draped into cigarette paper prior to subdivision into discrete cigarettes of desired length. The density of the central portion of the filler in each cigarette is less than the density of the layer which is immediately adjacent to the wrapper. This improves the burning characteristics of the cigarettes and allows for a reduction of the quantity of tobacco which is needed to make a cigarette exhibiting a desired firmness.

Abstract: A stream of agglomerated short, medium long and long tobacco shreds as well as clumps or lumps of shreds and elongated fragments of tobacco ribs is fed onto a vibrating sieve which permits the short and medium long shreds to descend onto a first vibrating conveyor and causes the long shreds, clumps and fragments of ribs to advance onto a second vibrating conveyor whose upper surface has longitudinally extending grooves for the fragments. The long shreds and clumps are removed from the conveyor by a rotating carded drum which breaks up the clumps and delivers the long shreds and the shreds of the broken up clumps into a duct. The latter also receives short and medium long shreds from the first conveyor which is mounted below the second conveyor. The latter has openings for short and medium long shreds which might have been entrained by the long shreds, clumps and fragments of ribs. A metering device regulates the rate of admission of long shreds and shreds of the broken-up clumps into the duct.

Abstract: A portion of the path for a moving cigarette or filter rod in a cigarette rod making or filter rod making machine is surrounded by a ring-shaped carrier for a polygonal light-transmitting rod guide and a set of radiation conducting units, one behind each facet of the guide. Each unit receives a beam of radiation from a discrete source and directs such radiation radially of and at right angles to the axis of the moving rod. Radiation which is reflected by the exterior of the rod is caused to pass through the respective unit and is directed against a discrete photoelectric transducer which generates signals denoting the characteristics of reflected radiation. Such signals are used to evaluate the condition of the exterior of the rod and, if necessary, for segregation of corresponding (defective) plain cigarettes or filter rod sections from satisfactory cigarettes or filter rod sections.

Abstract: The distributor of a cigarette rod making machine has an air-permeable tobacco transporting conveyor adjacent to a channel which is bounded by two spaced apart sidewalls and receives a mixture of tobacco particles and compressed air. The quantity of air entering the channel exceeds the quantity which can be evacuated through the air-permeable conveyor. Therefore, at least one of the sidewalls has a recessed air-permeable portion adjacent to an external suction chamber to draw the surplus of air from the channel without adversely influencing the trajactories of tobacco particles which are propelled toward the conveyor to form thereon a growing homogeneous tobacco stream.

Abstract: A composite tobacco stream is built at the underside of the lower reach of an air-permeable belt conveyor below a suction chamber by showering tobacco particles of a first type into the corner between one marginal portion of the lower reach and a first sidewall bounding a tobacco channel at the underside of the lower reach, by thereupon showering tobacco particles of the first type into the corner between the other marginal portion of the lower reach and a second sidewall so that the particles form a first tobacco layer having a concave underside, by thereupon depositing a relatively narrow core consisting of tobacco particles of a different second type on the underside of the first layer midway between and spaced apart from the two marginal portions of the lower reach, and by thereupon showering tobacco particles of the first type over the core as well as over the marginal portions of the first layer.

Abstract: A homogeneous tobacco stream is built upon an air-permeable conveyor in a channel which is adjacent to one side of the conveyor and is bounded by two sidewalls. Particles of tobacco are admitted against the concave side of an arcuate guide wall, whose discharge end is adjacent to the channel and remote from the one side of the conveyor, together with streams of compressed air which accelerate the particles of tobacco and transport them toward and beyond the discharge end of the guide wall. The concave side of the guide wall has three guide faces each of which directs a discrete partial stream of tobacco particles against a different portion of the one side of the conveyor whereon the particles are retained by suction.

Abstract: Apparatus for building a continuous tobacco stream at one side of an air-permeable conveyor, the other side of which is adjacent to a suction chamber, has two sidewalls which define with the one side of the conveyor a tobacco channel receiving tobacco particles along the concave side of a third wall which can merge into one of the sidewalls and is provided with inclined passages for the flow of compressed air in directions having components in the direction of travel of the tobacco stream. This ensures that all or nearly all particles of tobacco are accelerated in the direction of travel of the stream even before they enter the channel on their way toward the one side of the air-permeable conveyor.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein the trimming device is movable toward or away from the suction conveyor on which the tobacco stream is formed so as to remove larger or smaller quantities of excess tobacco and to thereby influence the density of the resulting filler. The sidewalls of the tobacco channel which confines the tobacco stream on the suction conveyor have portions which are immediately adjacent to the trimming device and are movable therewith relative to the suction conveyor so that the positions of such portions of the sidewalls relative to the trimming device remain unchanged in all positions of the trimming device. The disc-shaped members establish a boundary between the excess of tobacco and the tobacco which is to form the filler, and the excess is removed by a rotary brush.

Abstract: Apparatus for stabilizing the pressure of air which is admitted into a cigarette testing device has a relatively large cylindrical vessel one end wall of which has an inlet receiving compressed air from a source by way of several pressure reducing valves and a flow restrictor. The inlet has a large number of openings and is surrounded by a first outlet which is also formed with a large number of openings and allows the major part of admitted air to escape from the vessel. The other end wall of the vessel has a single opening for admission of testing fluid into the testing device. The cross-sectional area of the passage which is defined by the flow restrictor for the flow of air into the vessel is a small fraction of the combined cross-sectional area of openings which form the first outlet, and the combined cross-sectional area of the openings which form the first outlet is a large multiple of the cross-sectional area of the second outlet.

Abstract: The diameter of a continuous filter rod is monitored in a tubular nozzle through which successive increments of the rod are conveyed axially and which directs against the external surface of the tubular envelope of the rod a narrow annular stream of compressed air at a pressure which does not result in deformation of the envelope. The thus admitted air is permitted to escape into the atmosphere only by way of two narrow passages which flank the region of contact between the air stream and the envelope. A flow meter indirectly monitors the rate of flow of air through such passages and generates signals which are indicative of the diameters of successive increments of the envelope. The pressure of the air stream which impinges upon the envelope is constant.

Abstract: A running web of cigarette paper or the like is perforated in a first portion of its path, thereupon tested for permeability by a pneumatic detector in a second portion of the path, and finally tested for permeability by an optical detector in a third portion of the path. Signals which are generated as a result of pneumatic testing are used to adjust the perforating unit in the first portion of the path. Signals which are generated as a result of testing by the optical detector are compared with a reference signal denoting the desired permeability of the web, and the web and perforating unit are arrested, or the cigarettes which contain defective portions of the web are segregated from satisfactory cigarettes, if the deviation of generated signals from the reference signal exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: A testing apparatus for filter cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles has a drum-shaped conveyor with a smooth or fluted cylindrical surface and with radially inwardly extending suction slots which are connected to the intake of a fan. Each slot is disposed between two cradles which support the articles to be tested in such a way that the wrappers of the articles remain spaced apart from the periphery of the conveyor. The cradles engage the articles close to the respective ends of the articles and have small article-engaging surfaces to thus insure the detection of all or nearly all leaks during testing with a fluid medium which is introduced into the interior of a wrapper during travel past the testing station. The streams of air which flow into the slots of the conveyor hold the articles against ejection under the action of gravity and/or centrifugal force.

Abstract: A running web of wrapping material which is about to be converted into adhesive-coated uniting bands for joining plain cigarettes with filter plugs in filter tipping machines is transported through the passage of a housing wherein the web travels through a series of spark gaps between pairs of spaced-apart electrodes. The sparks which are caused to jump across the gaps perforate the web with attendant development of ozone and particles of dust. The passage of the housing forms part of an endless path for the circulation of Argon which reduces the rate of development of ozone, which is cooled to cool the electrodes, and which is caused to pass through a filter serving to intercept the particles of dust which are removed from the spark gaps. The making of holes in a noble-gas atmosphere prolongs the useful life of the electrodes.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing the contents of successive cells in a chain which transports arrays of cigarettes in or to a packing machine has a support for reciprocable sensing pins, each of which is caused to engage a discrete cigarette when the support is moved toward a cell. The pins are shifted relative to the support as the latter continues to move toward the array whereby the shanks, heads or collars of the pins at least partially seal openings which connect a pneumatic monitoring unit with the atmosphere. If all of the openings are properly sealed or nearly sealed, the array of cigarettes which are engaged by the pins contains a requisite number of articles and all of the cigarettes have satisfactory tobacco-containing ends.

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.