Abstract: A first signal is generated indicative of the gas permeability of the wrapper of the article being tested. A second signal is generated indicative of the porosity of the material of the wrappers of the articles being tested. The first and second signals are processed to form for each article a third signal indicative, to an extent greater than the respective first signal, of the component of the gas permeability of the article not attributable to the porosity of the material of the wrapper. The third signal is compared to a reference signal to determine whether the wrapper of the tested article is defective. The aforementioned second signal is generated by averaging out the gas permeabilities of the wrappers of a number of such articles.

Abstract: Tobacco shreds which are conveyed from a source in the form of a continuous stream are mixed with expanded tobacco ribs in such a way that the ratio of dry weights of successive unit lengths of the two streams which reach a mixing station remains constant. To this end, the moisture content of successive unit lengths of the two streams is measured by discrete detectors, and the overall weight of successive unit lengths of the stream of tobacco shreds is determined by a weighing device. A first analog computer is connected with the moisture detector for tobacco shreds and with the weighing device and transmits signals which are indicative of the dry weight of successive unit lengths of the stream of shreds. A ratio selector circuit determines the required dry weight of successive unit lengths of the rib stream in response to signals from the first computer and transmits such signals to a second analog computer which is further connected with the moisture detector for the rib stream.

Abstract: Moist tobacco is conveyed through a rotating drum which is heated by steam circulating coils and wherein a current of hot air is caused to flow counter to the direction of tobacco transport. The moisture content of conditioned tobacco is monitored by a detector which produces a first signal when the monitored moisture content deviates from a desired moisture content. The first signal is used to rapidly change the temperature of the air current from a standard temperature by adjusting the position of a valve which mixes hot air with cooler air whereby the extent of adjustment corresponds to the extent of deviation of monitored moisture content from desired moisture content. A second signal whose intensity is indicative of the extent of valve adjustment is transmitted to the input of a proportional-plus-integral amplifier which immediately changes the steam pressure in the coils and additionally changes the steam pressure while the temperature of the hot air current deviates from the standard temperature.

Abstract: Particles of a tobacco stream are first expanded by passing through a liquid bath with attendant increase in volume. The thus expanded particles of the tobacco are thereupon conveyed through a drying zone wherein the particles are externally heated by hot air for a short period of time to thus effect rapid drying of strata immediately adjacent to external surfaces of the particles and to thereby stabilize the particles against shrinkage. In the last step, the tobacco stream is forcibly cooled with air to effect a condensation of vaporized moisture in the capillaries.

Abstract: A stream of moist tobacco is fed into one end of a rotating drum which is heated by steam circulating coils and wherein a current of heated air flows counter to the direction of tobacco travel. A portion of moisture-laden air issuing at the one end of the drum is evacuated into the atmosphere and the remaining portion of moisture-laden air is intercepted and recirculated into the other end of the drum by way of a duct which contains an adjustable device for mixing the recirculated portion of moisture-laden air with fresh air. The mixture is heated upstream of the other end of the drum, and the moisture content of dried tobacco is measured and compared with a desired moisture content. When the measured moisture content deviates from the desired moisture content, the rate of evacuation of moisture-laden air is changed simultaneously with the rate of admission of fresh air.

Abstract: The material whose mass is to be determined is transported along a predetermined path. At a measurement station it forms the dielectric of a capacitor which is part of a high-frequency oscillator circuit. The capacitance of the capacitor and the attenuation of the high-frequency oscillator circuit at resonance are measured and the mass of the material, such as tobacco, is automatically calculated by means of an nth degree polynomial whose constants are stored in the computer and whose variables are the signals corresponding to the resonant attenuation and capacitance. The mass of a substance, such as moisture, associated with the tobacco is calculated similarly, but utilizing different constants. The polynomials can be expanded to include temperature terms.

Abstract: Successive filter rod sections which are produced in a filter rod making machine are caused to pass through a body of ionized air before they leave the machine. This insures that ionized air destroys the electrostatic charges which the non-conductive wrappers and/or fillers of filter rod sections accumulate in the machine upstream of the ionizing station. The conveyor or conveyors which transport the filter rod sections through ionized air are designed to transport the sections sideways. At least one electrode of the ionizing device or devices for air is preferably connected with a source of high-voltage a-c energy.

Abstract: The particles of a continuous tobacco stream are conditioned during transport through a vibratory conveyor having a bottom wall located above a stationary chamber which receives conditioned air from one or more blowers. The bottom wall is formed with apertures through which the air passes across the tobacco stream in the form of pulsating currents which agitate the particles of the stream to insure a pronounced energy exchange between tobacco particles and air. The currents pulsate due to vibration of the bottom wall relative to the chamber, and the latter is provided with transversely extending baffles which insure that the tobacco stream is traversed by air currents having different intensities. The same result can be achieved by forming the bottom wall with larger and smaller apertures.

Abstract: Filter rod sections are produced by moving a tow of filamentary filter material past a device which showers the filaments with atomized plasticizer and by thereupon converting the thus treated tow into a rod-like filler which is wrapped to form a filter rod. The latter is severed to yield a succession of filter rod sections which are transported by a fluted drum to storage or to a machine for the production of filter-tipped smokers' products. Groups of filter rod sections are withdrawn from the flutes of the drum at regular intervals for weighing to thus determine the quantity of filter material and/or plasticizer. The results of the weighing operation are utilized to adjust the feeding mechanism for the tow and/or plasticizer if the measured quantities deviate from desired quantities. The feeding mechanism for the tow employs rolls which can be driven at a variable speed to thereby subject the filaments of the tow to a more or less pronounced stretching action.

Abstract: A turn-around device for filter cigarettes has a fluted conveyor which transports a row of filter cigarettes to be turned end-for-end to a first transfer station where the cigarettes are picked up by successive suction heads of a first set and are transpoted to a second transfer station while being simultaneously reoriented by 90.degree.. At the second transfer station, the partially reoriented cigarettes are transferred into successive suction heads of a second set which complete the reorientation and insert the inverted cigarettes into empty flutes of the conveyor at the first station. The suction heads of the first set are mounted on first links each of which is articulately connected to two disk-shaped supports rotating about parallel axes. The suction heads of the second set are mounted on second links each of which is articulately connected to two disk-shaped supports rotating about parallel axes. One support for the first links is coaxial with one support for the second links.

Abstract: Apparatus for making filter plugs wherein the extent to which the tow is stretched or the rate of transport of a uniformly stretched tow to the wrapping mechanism is controlled by a testing unit which determines the resistance of filter plugs to axial flow of air therethrough. Alternatively, the speed of the garniture belt in the wrapping mechanism is regulated as a function of changes in resistance to flow of testing air transversely across successive increments of a uniformly stretched tow.

Abstract: Cigarettes are tested with air streams which are caused to pass lengthwise through the fillers while the cigarettes move sideways past a testing station. One or two stationary chambers for air at subatmospheric or superatmospheric pressure are mounted at the testing station so that the ends of cigarettes which are being tested extend into the chamber or chambers. The air pressure in the chamber or chambers equals or approximates the pressure of air streams at the respective ends of the wrappers of cigarettes so that air in the chamber or chambers prevents the streams from communicating with the atmosphere during testing. The streams are monitored for changes in pressure. Such changes are indicative of defects of cigarettes and signals which are produced during monitoring are used to segregate defective cigarettes from satisfactory cigarettes.

Abstract: A curling bar for webs of imitation cork or stiff paper which are used for the making of adhesive-coated uniting bands in filter cigarette making machines has a sharp edge which extends transversely of and flexes the running web to eliminate localized stresses in the material of the web and/or to equalize the length of lengthwise extending portions of the web. The bar is pivotable or otherwise movable in its support (e.g., it can be mounted for pivotal movement about an axis which is normal to the edge) so that the bar can change its angular position in response to unequal distribution of web pressure lengthwise of the edge. Such mounting of the bar reduces the likelihood of breaking the web when the length of the one and/or other marginal portion of the web exceeds the length of the median portion.

Abstract: Filter mouthpieces with one or more thin filter disks of first filter material and one or more filter plugs of second filter material are produced by inserting filter disks between groups of axially aligned tobacco rod sections and filter plugs and thereupon wrapping adhesive-coated uniting bands therearound.

Abstract: The spacing of cigarettes which are moved sideways in the flutes of two driven drum-shaped conveyors is changed during transfer of successive cigarettes from one of the conveyors whose flutes are spaced apart by a greater distance onto the other conveyor whose flutes are spaced apart by a lesser distance, or vice versa. The speed ratio of the conveyors is proportional to the ratio of the two distances and the configuration of flutes is such that they can bypass each other during travel past a transfer station at which successive flutes of the one conveyor are in temporary register with successive flutes of the other conveyor. The transfer takes place by suction, and the cigarettes are held by suction in those flutes which transport them toward the transfer station as well as in the flutes which transport them away from the transfer station.

Abstract: A packing machine wherein a first feeding unit supplies groups of cigarettes into successive mandrels of a first turret which is driven stepwise and moves successive mandrels into register with first and second supplying devices for tinfoil blanks and paper blanks which are thereupon draped around the mandrels to form open-ended packs. The packs and the groups of cigarettes are transferred simultaneously from successive mandrels into successive pockets of a second turret on which the packs are closed.

Abstract: A turn-around device for filter cigarettes wherein alternate flutes of a rotary drum-shaped conveyor transport pairs of filter cigarettes in such a way that the filter tips of each pair of cigarettes are adjacent to each other. One cigarette of each of successive pairs of filter cigarettes is transferred into one of two flutes of one of an annulus of inverting elements which are rotatably mounted on a rotary turntable. The turntable completes one full revolution about its axis while an inverting element completes one-half of a revolution counter to the direction of rotation of the turntable and about a second axis which is parallel to the axis of the turntable whereby a cigarette on the inverting element is automatically turned end-for-end when the inverting element returns to the station where its one flute has received a cigarette from the conveyor. The inverted cigarette is inserted into an empty flute of the conveyor in front of a first and behind a second non-inverted cigarette.

Abstract: Particles of a tobacco stream are first expanded by passing across a high-frequency field wherein they are exposed to the action of electromagnetic waves which effect a vaporization of moisture in the capillaries with attendant increase in volume. The thus expanded particles of the tobacco are thereupon conveyed through a drying zone wherein the particles are externally heated by hot air for a short period of time to thus effect rapid drying of strata immediately adjacent to external surfaces of the particles and to thereby stabilize the particles against shrinkage. In the last step, the tobacco stream is forcibly cooled with air to effect a condensation of vaporized moisture in the capillaries. The expansion of tobacco can be enhanced if the tobacco stream is caused to pass through a bath containing freon or another organic fluid having a boiling point lower than water before the tobacco stream is conveyed across the high frequency field.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating the leader of a filter rod or cigarette rod intermediate the wrapping mechanism and the cutoff of a filter rod or cigarette rod making machine has a clipper which is pivotable by a fluid-operated or electric motor so that its blades move with the leader of the rod, and one or more cams which cause one or both blades of the moving clipper to move across the path for the rod and to thus separate the leader from the next-following portion of the rod before the leader reaches the cutoff. The leader, which is normally defective, is caused to descend into a collecting receptacle. The clipper severs the rod in a plane which is not normal to the axis of the rod so that the foremost part of the clipped rod has a slanting front end face and readily finds its way into the cutoff.

Abstract: Cigarettes or like rod-shaped articles are conveyed sideways in equidistant flutes of a rotary drum at a speed of at least one thousand articles per minute and along an ejecting station having a width which substantially exceeds and can be a multiple of the distance between a pair of neighboring flutes. Selected articles are ejected from their flutes in response to electric or pneumatic signals by being subjected to the action of a mechanical force and/or to the action of a force produced by a stream of gaseous fluid whereby the point of application of the force moves with the flute which contains the respective selected article while such flute travels through the ejecting station. The articles can be held in their flutes by suction or by mechanical means, and the suction or the mechanical retaining action is terminated when a selected article reaches the ejecting station so that the selected articles are separated under the action of gravity and/or under the action of centrifugal force.