Abstract: A continuous rod-like filler of tobacco or filter material for tobacco smoke and a continuous web of cigarette paper or other wrapping material are advanced at a plurality of different speeds toward and into a wrapping mechanism wherein the web is draped around the filler to form therewith a continuous tobacco rod or filter rod wherein the marginal portions of the draped web overlie each other to form an elongated seam. One marginal portion of the advancing web is coated by an adjustable paster with a variable quantity of adhesive which bonds the overlying marginal portions of the draped web to each other. The quantity of applied adhesive is varied in dependency upon the speed of advancement of the web in such a way that the quantity of applied adhesive is increased when the speed of the web is reduced and that the quantity of applied adhesive is decreased in response to increasing speed of the web. Such quantity can remain constant when the speed of the web reaches a nominal value.

Abstract: A first mass flow of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry is transported along a substantially horizontal path wherein the articles are moved sideways, and a second mass flow of articles is transported along a downwardly sloping path which makes with the horizontal path an acute angle and merges into the horizontal path at a junction zone wherein the flow of articles is controlled by a pivotable gate. The gate has a blocking surface which intercepts the articles of the mass flow in the horizontal or sloping path when the gate is moved to a first position, and at least one guide surface which controls the flow of articles in the first or second mass flow during advancement through the junction zone in the first position of the gate. The gate can be pivoted to a second position in which its blocking surface does not interfere with advancement of articles of both mass flows into, through and beyond the junction zone.

Abstract: In a system for manufacturing and packaging cigarettes each production unit comprising a cigarette making machine and packaging machines has associated therewith a supply station to which bobbins of raw materials are supplied, that is tipping paper, cigarette paper, carton wrapping paper, inner frame material, box blanks, pack blanks, metallized paper and cellophane or polypropylene, this being done on pallets allocated for each single article. The supply station is spanned by a portal. A portal robot movable longitudinally and transversely of the portal is provided for handling the bobbins of raw materials. Transport means are likewise provided for conveying the raw materials to the individual machines of the system and a bobbin changer is associated with each individual supply station for bobbins. The portal robot comprises an automatic tool changer.

Abstract: Bales of condensed relatively dry tobacco particles are broken up by subdividing each bale into slabs which are thereupon mechanically fragmentized, heated and moisturized with steam or steam and hot water, shredded while still heated, and thereupon subjected to one or more additional treatments. The bales are subdivided into slabs by cutting them transversely of the layers of compressed tobacco particles therein, and the heating and moisturizing steps can be carried out in a drum or in a closed tunnel of a vibratory conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding batches or a continuous stream of tobacco particles into the magazine of the distributor in a cigarette or cigar rod making machine has a container which can receive a stream of gaseous carrier medium for tobacco particles from a shredding machine or from another source and has several outlets for the carrier medium. The outlets discharge the carrier medium in different directions and contain sieves which intercept the tobacco particles. The thus accumulated particles can descend into the magazine, either continuously or at intervals, depending upon whether or not the tobacco discharging opening of the container is temporarily closed by a pivotable or otherwise movable closure.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating longer tobacco particles from shorter tobacco particles has an elongated vibratory trough for the advancement of a stream containing a mixture of shorter and longer particles from a delivering conveyor to a collecting receptacle. The upper side of the bottom wall of the trough is formed with longitudinally extending depressions which receive and align the particles of the advancing stream, and the bottom wall is formed with one or more transversely extending slots which extend across the depressions and permit shorter particles to descend into a second trough from which the shorter particles return into the distributor of a cigarette rod making machine. The properly aligned longer particles advance across the slot or slots and enter the receptacle.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring block-shaped arrays of plain or filter cigarettes in a packing machine has a rotary first conveyor which orbits a set of equidistant pockets for discrete arrays about a first vertical axis. The first conveyor is provided with drives which can pivot the pockets about discrete second vertical axes as well as impart to the pockets translatory movements radially of the first conveyor as well as radially of two turret-shaped second conveyors. One second conveyor delivers arrays to the pockets of the first conveyor, and the other second conveyor receives arrays from the pockets of the first conveyor.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein the apparatus which supplies tobacco particles to the stream building zone at the underside of a belt conveyor is designed to prevent entry of fragments of tobacco ribs into the outer layer of the stream. This is achieved by directing fragments of tobacco ribs into that portion of the stream which is to form the core of the filler of the cigarette rod and/or by directing fragments of tobacco ribs into that portion of the stream which is removed by a trimming device ahead of the station where the thus obtained filler is draped into a web of cigarette paper. Absence of fragments of tobacco ribs in the outer layer of the filler reduces the likelihood of piercing the web of cigarette paper at the wrapping station.

Abstract: Smaller and larger fragments of tobacco ribs are sifted out of a mixture of tobacco ribs and tobacco shreds before the shreds are converted into a rod-like filler which is ready to be draped into a web of cigarette paper. The larger ribs are comminuted and are mixed with smaller ribs prior to readmission into the flow of shreds in such a way that the readmitted ribs are located in the inner portion of the rod-like filler so that they are less likely to puncture the wrapper and that they contribute to hardness of the filler.

Abstract: A first mass flow of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry is transported along a substantially horizontal path wherein the articles are moved sideways, and a second mass flow of articles is transported along an upwardly or downwardly sloping path which makes with the horizontal path an acute angle and merges into the horizontal path at a junction zone wherein the flow of articles is controlled by a pivotable gate. The gate has a blocking surface which intercepts the articles of the mass flow in the first or second path when the gate is moved to a first position, and at least one guide surface which controls the flow of articles in the first or second mass flow during advancement through the junction zone in the first position of the gate. The gate can be pivoted by a second position in which its blocking surface does not interfere with advancement of articles of both mass flows into, through and beyond the junction zone.

Abstract: A method of converting particles of tobacco leaves, particularly bales or portions of bales of compacted tobacco leaf laminae, into cut tobacco involves admitting portions of and/or entire bales into a tobacco cutter while the temperature of compacted particles matches or exceeds the room temperature of 18.degree.-25.degree. C. and the moisture content of the particles is between 10 and 17 percent.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding tobacco particles to one or two cigarette rod making machines has a magazine with a duct having an open lower end above the upper reach of an endless belt conveyor. The conveyor can be driven to advance tobacco particles in the duct toward an outlet of the magazine where the particles are removed by one or more rotors which are driven to move the particles upwardly and away from the upper reach of the conveyor before the particles are caused or permitted to descend into a hopper. The bottom portion of the hopper admits tobacco particles into one of two suction-operated pneumatic conveyors each of which supplies tobacco particles to a discrete rod making machine. The conveyor is driven at a first speed when the hopper supplies tobacco particles to a single rod making machine, and at twice the first speed when the hopper supplies tobacco particles to two rod making machines.

Abstract: The hardness of cigarettes which move in a direction at right angles to their axes is measured with one or more pivotable levers which rest on the moving cigarettes to elastically deform the adjacent portions of the cigarettes. The extent of elastic deformation is measured and the results of the measurements are used to regulate the operation of a cigarette rod making or filter tipping machine so as to ensure that the hardness of cigarettes will match an optimum value.

Abstract: Bales of compressed tobacco ribs and/or tobacco leaf laminae having a moisture content of 8-11 percent are advanced past a battery of microwave generators or through one or more electric high frequency fields to raise the temperature of particles in the bales to between 30.degree. and 90.degree. C. The bales or portions of the bales are thereupon loosened, prior to complete cooling back to starting temperature, by the pins of a conveyor which delivers the particles of loosened bales or portions of bales into the magazine of a shredding machine wherein the particles are cut. The moisture content of shreds is raised to 12-13.5 percent at which the shreds are ready for processing into smokers' products, or above 13.5 percent, for example, to between 21 and 30 percent. Such moisturizing to above the processing moisture content is or can be followed by drying of the shreds.

Abstract: Filter cigarettes are mass-produced in a machine wherein parallel groups of coaxial plain cigarettes and filter plugs are moved at right angles to their axes through a first station wherein their components are connected to each other by uniting bands, thereupon through a second station wherein the resulting filter cigarettes of double unit length are severed midway across their filter plugs to yield pairs of filter cigarettes of unit length which advance in two rows and are mirror images of each other, and through a third station wherein the filter cigarettes of one row are turned end-for-end and placed between successive non-inverted filter cigarettes. The mutual spacing of groups, filter cigarettes of double unit length and/or of filter cigarettes of unit length is reduced at least once, preferably twice, namely the first time between the first and second stations and the second time at the third station.

Abstract: The combined mass flow of solid and liquid fractions of a fibrous material which is converted into a tobacco rod or filter rod in a rod making machine of the tobacco processing industry is ascertained by monitoring the liquid fraction in the distributor of the machine and by monitoring the solid fraction downstream of the monitoring station for the liquid fraction. Electric signals which are obtained as a result of such monitoring are processed in a computer which transmits a signal denoting the combined mass flow of solid and liquid fractions. Such signal is used to maintain the combined mass flow at or close to a preselected value, particularly by adjusting a trimming device which removes the surplus of fibrous material ahead of the station where the fibrous material is draped into a web of cigarette paper, imitation cork or other wrapping material.

Abstract: A single stream of comminuted tobacco leaves is divided into two discrete streams each of which contains a surplus of tobacco particles. The surpluses are removed by discrete trimming devices and the thus removed surpluses are conveyed into the distributor which forms the single stream in such a way that the surplus which is removed from one of the discrete streams is reused for the making of a next-following portion of the one discrete stream or for the making of a next-following portion of the other discrete stream. The surplus which is removed from the other discrete stream is reused for the making of a next-following portion of the other discrete stream or for the making of a next following portion of the one discrete stream.

Abstract: A unit which serves to fill trays with surplus cigarettes adjacent the path of movement of a mass flow of cigarettes from a maker to a processing machine is disposed at a level beneath a unit which empties the contents of filled trays into the mass flow when the requirements of the processing machine exceed the output of the maker. Each unit stores empty trays at an upper level and filled trays at a lower level. The two units are adjacent a device which serves to transfer trays between the storeys as well as between the two units on the one hand and a reservoir for additional empty and filled trays on the other hand.

Abstract: An inhomogeneous stream of tobacco particles is homogenized by feeding the stream onto a vibrating support having openings through which the particles descend onto a conveyor serving to transport the thus homogenized stream in a direction counter to that of advancement of the inhomogenized stream toward and on the support. The homogenizing operation can be repeated by positioning a second vibratory apertured support to receive the once homogenized stream from the conveyor and by positioning a second conveyor beneath the second support.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing filter cigarettes from a mass flow between one or more producing machines and one or more processing machines when the output of the producing machines exceeds the requirements of the processing machines, and for returning filter cigarettes into the mass flow when the requirements of the processing machines exceed the output of the producing machines, has a filling unit which withdraws cigarettes from the mass flow and introduces them into successive empty chargers or trays, and an emptying unit which dumps the contents of filled trays into a receptacle for reintroduction into the mass flow. The emptying unit is located at a level above the filling unit, and each of these units cooperates with two magazines, one for empty trays and the other for filled trays.