Abstract: Longitudinally spaced-apart portions of a tobacco stream in a cigarette maker are densified and the stream is then draped into a web of cigarette paper prior to being severed across the densified portions to yield a succession of plain cigarettes each having two dense ends. The characteristics of both ends of some or all of the cigarettes are monitored independently of each other and the resulting signals are totalized and thereupon compared to indicate the extent of deviation of the quality of one dense end from the other dense end. If the deviation exceeds a selected threshold value, the densifying station is shifted nearer to or further away from the severing station so as to eliminate or reduce the differences.

Abstract: The height of a continuous tobacco stream between a first side which is supported by a conveyor and an uneven second side is monitored by an opto-electrical level detector which directs a row of parallel light rays transversely across the stream and has a battery of photosensitive elements at different distances from the first side of the stream so that each element produces a signal in response to impingement of a different light ray upon its photosensitive surface. The number of elements which generate signals is indicative of the height of the stream portion advancing past the level detector. Such signals can be utilized to adjust a trimming device which removes the surplus at the second side of the stream before the thus equalized stream enters a wrapping mechanism to be converted into a cigarette rod which is thereupon severed to yield discrete cigarettes.

Abstract: An adjustable distributor transports particles of tobacco into a stream building zone wherein the tobacco is converted into a stream containing a surplus of particles. The surplus is removed by an equalizing device and the equalized stream is converted into a rod-like filler. An optical level detector monitors the height of the stream ahead of the equalizing device, and a second detector monitors the height of the equalized stream. Signals which are furnished by the detectors are transmitted to the corresponding inputs of a dividing circuit whose output transmits signals which are used to adjust the distributor in such a way that the rate of tobacco transport to the stream building zone is increased when the quantity of removed surplus decreases and vice versa. The equalizing device, together with the second detector, is movable transversely of the tobacco stream in response to signals from a detector which monitors the density of the filler.