Abstract: A pressure sensor (P) and a time-measurement component actuate a gate (15) for clearing out a duct (7) as a function of a predetermined program. When the gate is open, the feed of the machine is interrrupted. When the gate is closed, suction air carries along tobacco particles from a bed (5), and negative pressure having a critical threshold exists at the level of the sensor. If, when the gate is closed, a plug of tobacco forms in the bottom opening of a sleeve (23), this sleeve is drawn upward by suction and butts against bolts (19), which dislodges the plug of tobacco. If the pressure continues to drop, the gate is opened, the sleeve falls back, and the plug is definitely dispelled.

Abstract: An upper conveyor (4) moves full compartments (9) toward an emptying station (2) so that rods contained in the compartments enter a horizontal conduit (15). Empty compartments are taken over by a lift (7). Another conveyor (5) feeds empty compartments to the entrance of a filling station (3) into which the rods flow from the conduit. The full compartments are recovered on the lift or on still another conveyor (6) which can route them via the lift or via another lift (8) toward a storage position on one of the conveyors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the cyclic rearrangement of a pile of rectangular or square pictures, with a first and a second frame part (12, 14), which can be moved back and forth parallel to the principal plane of the pile of pictures held by them, with a separator bar (20), arranged in the second frame part (14), which defines a separating through-gap for a picture and a return through-gap for the picture, with a retaining element in the first frame part (12) for retaining a picture taken from one end of the pile and guided through a separating through-gap, and with a guide element for shifting the retained picture transversely to the pile and returning it through the return through-gap to the other end of the pile, and with a viewing window (35) in one of the frame parts (12), wherein the two frame parts (12, 14) are coupled by way of a free-wheel-type device which, when the two frame parts (12, 14) are in the end position where they are pulled completely apart, frees the return movement and, in t

Abstract: A container for accommodating data storage media such as video cassettes is disclosed. The container has a slider member that carries the storage media and moves out of the housing. The slider member allows the cassette to be grasped freely after ejection of the slider member from the housing. One or more door elements connected to the housing are controlled by the movement of the slider member between open and closed positions. The media are protected by the door element(s) being closed when the slider member is inserted into the housing.