Abstract: A method of making a non-wrapped filter rod in the field of the tobacco processing industry, includes the steps of applying filter material to a forming belt where the filter material is substantially fully separated prior to being applied to the forming belt; shaping the filter material in a forming apparatus into the filter rod; and exposing the formed filter rod in the forming apparatus to energy to obtain a bond of the filter material. In addition, an apparatus for making a non-wrapped filter rod includes a fiber shower-producing apparatus where substantially fully separated fibers of a filter material may be accumulated to form a non-woven web; and a forming apparatus having a moveable forming belt for receiving the separated fibers of the filter material where the forming belt is capable of being wound about filter material of finite length to produce a filter rod.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine employs an endless foraminous belt one side of which advances a surplus-containing stream of comminuted smokable material toward, through and beyond a trimming station where a trimming device removes the surplus and the resulting rod-like filler is advanced past an instrument which monitors the density of the filler prior or subsequent to draping of such filler into a web of cigarette paper or the like. If the density of the filler departs from a desired density, a shoe-like guide member abutting the other side of the belt opposite the trimming device is moved toward or away from the trimming device and/or vice versa. The other side of the belt is adjacent a suction chamber, and the guide member has one or more openings through which the suction chamber attracts the running belt to an at least slightly convex side of the guide member.

Abstract: A machine for making one or more cigarette rods or analogous smokers' products is provided with a cooling apparatus for one or more cooling elements, one for each rod. Each such element has a finger which frictionally contacts and is thus heated by the respective advancing rod preferably immediately downstream of a station where one or more tobacco streams is or are converted into one or more rod-like fillers, and a guide wall which carries the finger and frictionally contacts and is thus heated by the advancing filler at a wrapping station for the rod. The cooling apparatus has at least one part which is cooled by a circulating fluid coolant and is movable into and from surface-to-surface contact with the finger(s) and the guide wall(s).

Abstract: A liquid cooling arrangement is provided for machine components of production machines of the tobacco-processing industry. The arrangement includes a closed liquid cooling system having at least two liquid loops.

Abstract: Process and device for measuring bar-shaped articles. The process includes conveying the bar-shaped articles in a conveyor line, and optically measuring at least one physical property of the bar-shaped articles. The device includes an optical measuring device structured and arranged to measure at least one physical property of the filter bars. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of and to an apparatus for at least substantially simultaneously producing at least two wrapped rod-like fillers of smokable material. The fillers are advanced lengthwise along discrete paths having spaced-apart upstream portions where the fillers are draped into discrete webs of cigarette paper or the like, and downstream portions which are nearer to each other than the upstream portions and wherein the draped fillers are severed at least substantially simultaneously to yield discrete series of successive rod-shaped cigarettes or the like having desired lengths. The distance or distances between discrete paths can decrease gradually along the upstream portions of such paths, the minimum distance can be less than the width of a web, and the maximum distance can match or exceed the width of a web.

Abstract: A dryer for drying a tobacco product including a drying device structured and arranged to dry the tobacco product passing through the drying device. The dryer further including a measuring device arranged to produce a measurement signal related to an input moisture of the tobacco product before the tobacco product is supplied to the drying device. Moreover, the dryer includes a controller structured to variably control a product mass stream passing through the drying device as a function of the measurement signal. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: Staggering drum for conveying rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry for arranged next to one another in at least two parallel rows. The staggering drum includes conveyor disks having seats for the articles, and at least two of the conveyor disks are arranged for a row of articles. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: Staggering drum for conveying rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry arranged in at least two rows next to one another. The staggering drum includes at least one conveyor disk with seats for a row of articles, and at least one of the seats includes at least two suction bores structured and arranged to be coupled to a vacuum. At least one of the at least two suction bores being not disconnectable from the vacuum in a transport area of the articles. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: Particles of non-smokable material are segregated from a flow of a mixture of smokable and non-smokable materials by subjecting the flow to a first segregating treatment which divides the flow into a first stream consisting practically exclusively of smokable material, and a second stream constituting a relatively small percentage of the flow and containing substantially all of the non-smokable material and the remnant of smokable material. The second stream is treated for a second time, preferably at the discharge end of a pneumatic conveyor system including at least one conduit, to segregate the non-smokable material from the remnant of smokable material which latter can be admitted to the first stream. The segregating device which divides the flow into the first and second streams is or can be utilized to treat the second stream, i.e., to segregate smokable material of the second stream from the non-smokable material of the second stream.

Abstract: Device and method for separating tobacco and transport air. The device includes an inlet structured to receive tobacco carried by transport air flow, and a discharge side coupled to at least two sites to discharge the received tobacco separated from the transport air flow. A tobacco guide wall is provided that is movable so that the discharge side consecutively communicates with the at least two sites. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring rod-like articles from a longitudinal conveyor that longitudinal-axially conveys the articles onto a transverse conveyor that transverse-axially conveys the articles. Moreover, the apparatus includes a conveyor that receives the articles from the longitudinal conveyor and delivers the articles to the transverse conveyor, the conveyor comprising at least a first conveying element and a separate second conveying element which are configured to be in functional connection with one another. Additionally, the first conveying element being structured and arranged to rotate the articles by a predetermined angle. Furthermore, the second conveying element being structured and arranged to reduce the transport speed of the articles. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: An method for increasing the permeability of tubular wrappers of a succession of cigarettes by at least one pulsed beam of coherent radiation issuing from a laser has a hollow drum-shaped conveyor cooperating with a rolling member to define an arcuate channel wherein successive cigarettes roll while advancing sideways past a perforating station. Each beam of coherent radiation is generated in or is caused to enter the interior of the conveyor prior to being influenced by one or more deflecting and/or focussing elements to be propagated substantially radially and through an opening of the hollow conveyor and to impinge upon the wrapper of a cigarette rolling at the perforating station.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for transferring rod-shaped articles from a longitudinal conveyor transporting the articles in a longitudinal axial direction onto a transverse conveyor transporting the articles in a transverse axial direction, in which the directions of transport of the longitudinal conveyor and the transverse conveyor are oriented transversely to each other. The apparatus includes a conveying device having receptacles, and the receptacles are structured and arranged to receive a plurality of articles transported adjacent each other on a track of the longitudinal conveyor and to discharge the articles as a plurality of groups of articles onto different tracks of the transverse conveyor. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for manufacture of continuous tobacco rods. At least one continuous rod conveyor, having at least two suction tapes, that transports continuous tobacco rods constructed from tobacco fleece as continuous double rods, at least one separator associated with each suction tape structured and arranged to separate surplus tobacco from continuous tobacco rods, and at least one garniture tape and at least one garniture structured to shape continuous tobacco rods. At least one device is structured to deliver cigarette paper onto each garniture tape, and at least one gluing device is structured and arranged to glue projecting edges of cigarette papers. At least one rod conveyor is structured and arranged to manufacture at least two continuous double rods, which are arranged in pairs. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: An apparatus for the transfer of rod-shaped articles from a longitudinal conveyor that longitudinal axially conveys the articles onto a transverse conveyor that transverse axial conveys the articles transversely to their axes, a direction of transport of the longitudinal conveyor and the transverse conveyor being transverse to each other. The apparatus includes a conveyor having receptacles structured to receive articles from the longitudinal conveyor and to discharge the received articles onto the transverse conveyor. Moreover, the conveyor is structured and arranged to receive at least two pairs of articles, which are delivered to the conveyor on separate tracks of the longitudinal conveyor. Additionally, the conveyor is further structured and arranged to discharge the pairs of articles to two separate tracks of the transverse conveyor. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: Apparatus for making one or more rod-like fillers of shredded tobacco for use in the making of cigarettes or the like employs one or two pneumatic conveyors having endless foraminous belts trained over pulleys and including elongated stretches below communicating parts of a common suction chamber. A shower of intermixed tobacco shreds and smaller particles including tobacco dust and coarser particles is directed against the undersides of the elongated stretches. The shreds are attracted to and advance with the respective belts to form streams which are ready to be trimmed and thereupon draped into cigarette paper or the like. At least some smaller particles penetrate through the respective belts into the corresponding parts of the suction chamber. The contents of the suction chamber are evacuated by suction and are returned to the undersides of the elongated stretches of the belts for classification.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting articles of the tobacco-processing industry including a rotationally driven conveying element, a support and, a clamping device. The clamping device has at least one drive element and at least two holding elements. The rotationally driven conveying element is detachably connected by the clamping device to the support so that a movement of the at least one drive element of the clamping device causes the at least two holding elements to change their position relative to each other, in a direction crosswise to the direction of movement the drive element. Depending on the direction of movement of the at least one drive element, the movement causes the at least two holding elements to either hold or release the rotationally driven conveying element and the support.

Abstract: Plain cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry are finished and/or converted into filter cigarettes, and/or the envelopes of plain and/or filter cigarettes, cigarillos and/or filter mouthpieces are perforated and/or such rod-shaped articles are otherwise treated in or with an apparatus wherein at least one drum-shaped and/or at least one chain-shaped, endless belt-shaped and/or at least one other transfer conveyor receives articles from a maker, e.g., a plain or filter cigarette or cigarillo making machine. The transfer conveyor(s) delivers or deliver portions of or entire articles to one or more processing conveyors wherein or whereon the articles and/or their portions are treated (such as perforated, densified and/or otherwise manipulated) while in motion. The thus at least partly finished articles are returned onto the transfer conveyor(s).

Abstract: Method and printing mechanism for applying print marks on an article. The method includes conveying a tobacco processing industry article along a transport direction at a predetermined conveying speed, and applying the print mark to the tobacco processing industry article via at least one ink jet printer cartridge. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.