Abstract: A conveyor for testing successive plain or filter cigarettes or other rod-shaped smokers' products having non-circular (such as oval) cross-sectional outlines employs a rotary drum-shaped conveyor for sidewise transport of smokers' products toward, through and beyond a station where the products are tested by streams of a gaseous fluid entering the products at one axial end and issuing from satisfactory products at the other axial end. The end portions of the products are sealingly received in complementary sockets of elastically deformable sealing sleeves which are connected to their tubular fluid-conveying carriers in a manner to ensure that each sleeve remains in a selected position for optimum testing of the products.

Abstract: A running strip of cigarette paper or the like is provided with printed matter by the profiled peripheral surface of a printing roller which receives ink from one of several rollers including a pair of transfer rollers defining a nip which receives ink from an adjustable nozzle. The latter is movable back and forth longitudinally of the nip by an electric or other suitable motor receiving signals from a programmed control unit by way of an amplifier. The control unit regulates the speed of the nozzle and hence the distribution on, and the rate of delivery of printing ink to, the peripheral surface of the printing roller.

Abstract: Plain oval cigarettes which issue from a maker in such orientation that the minor axes of their oval cross-sectional outlines extend vertically are advanced lengthwise in the spiral groove of a trough toward an outlet where the major axes of their oval cross-sectional outlines extend vertically. The thus reoriented oval cigarettes are attracted to the undersides of receptacles which are pivotably mounted on a rotary carrier and deliver the cigarettes, without any further changes in the orientation of the major and minor axes of their cross-sectional outlines, to successive peripheral flutes of a rotary drum-shaped conveyor which transports the cigarettes in such a way that the minor axes of their oval cross-sectional outlines extend radially of the rotational axis of the drum-shaped conveyor. This ensures that the oval cigarettes are more reliably held in their flutes during advancement with the drum-shaped conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating the seam consisting of an adhesive layer between the longitudinally extending overlapping marginal portions of a running tubular wrapper for tobacco or tobacco filter material has an adjustable elongated infrared heater disposed at a level above and extending in parallel with the path for the wrapper, and a heatable heat transfer member which contacts the seam of the running wrapper. A mirror surrounds the infrared heater and reflects radiant energy toward the heat transfer member. The heater is adjustable in dependency upon the temperature of the seam and/or in dependency upon the speed of the wrapper.

Abstract: Adherent uniting bands are wound around adjacent end portions of successive groups of plain cigarettes and filter mouthpieces having elliptical cross-sectional outlines while the groups are transported sideways through a passage between a rotary conveyor and a stationary rolling member. The peripheral rolling surface of the conveyor has an undulate profile conforming to the outlines of the articles forming the groups and such surface is provided with axially parallel flutes wherein the groups are received during advancement toward the passage. The rolling member has a second rolling surface confronting the peripheral rolling surface across the passage and having a second undulate profile also conforming to the outlines of the articles forming the groups. Successive groups approaching the inlet of the passage are caused to leave their flutes and to roll between the two surfaces during advancement through the passage to thus convolute the uniting bands around the adjacent end portions of the respecive articles.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring cigarettes from a file of coaxial cigarettes issuing from a rod making machine into a filter tipping machine has a rotary transfer conveyor with equidistant receivers which are maintained in parallelism with the cigarettes of the file while orbiting about an axis parallel to the axes of the cigarettes in the file. The receivers accept single cigarettes or pairs of cigarettes from the file and deliver them to a transfer station between the transfer conveyor and a rotary removing conveyor having closely adjacent receivers parallel to and serving to receive cigarettes from the receivers of the transfer conveyor. The speed of receivers forming part of the transfer conveyor equals or slightly exceeds the speed of cigarettes in the file but can considerably exceed the speed of receivers forming part of the removing conveyor. The cigarettes which are transferred into the receivers of the removing conveyor are advanced sideways, i.e.

Abstract: A stream of air is circulated by a blower along an endless path a portion of which is defined by an upright duct having an air inlet at its lower end, an air outlet at its upper end, and an inlet for comminuted tobacco particles intermediate its air inlet and air outlet. The particles of tobacco which are admitted into the duct are classified according to weight by the ascending air stream which advances satisfactory particles toward the outlet where the particles are attracted to a driven foraminous belt conveyor to form a growing tobacco stream. The air inlet of the duct contains a rotary impeller which distributes the inflowing air across the full width of the duct so that the thus formed air stream ensures a predictable classifying action and the formation of a homogeneous shower of satisfactory particles which are advanced toward the stream growing zone.

Abstract: A cutting edge is provided of the type which are rotated about an axis perpendicular to the endless cigarette roll to be cut, at a tangential speed equal to the travelling speed of the tobacco roll, and which are constantly maintained parallel to each other.They each comprise a fork in which is engaged a roller rotated at the same speed as it about an axis parallel to its own axis, the plane formed by the axes of rotation about themselves of the roller and of the cutting guide remaining constantly parallel to the fixed plane containing the axes about which they rotate respectively.

Abstract: This device consists of a pump which delivers ink from a tube of ink to a reservoir device of the apparatus called ink trough, this tube of ink being tightly fitted to a first bore of the pump, and a duct, one end of which is tightly fitted to a second bore of the pump, connecting this latter to the ink trough.

Abstract: This cutter guide drive mechanism for cigarette-making machine is of the type wherein the cutter guide member is kept constantly parallel to itself while being rotatably driven at a tangential velocity equal to the linear velocity of the tobacco rod. The complete mechanism is housed in an oil-tight case consisting of one of the component elements of the cutter guide drive, whereby the mechanism is efficiently protected and can also be properly lubricated from inside.