Abstract: A ledger assembly for a continuous rod cut-off includes a rigid beam (12) carrying ledger tubes (10) and pivotally supported by fibreglass springs (16,22). Vertical springs (22) resist the cutting force of the cut-off knife (30) and allow reciprocal movement of the tubes (10) while imparting a vertical displacement to the beam (12) so that the tubes follow a straight path along the rod line (28). A horizontal spring (16) allows this vertical displacement while providing lateral stiffness for the base of the beam (12). A drive arrangement for the beam (12) includes a lubricating system for a bearing (42) of a connecting rod (36) in which lubricant is collected for return by action of centrifugal force in a housing (72) located on the side of the bearing opposite a lubricant supply path (86, 88) through a crankshaft (40).

Abstract: A microprocessor is used to control at least one conveyor in a system linking a delivery device (e.g. a cigarette maker) and a receiving device (e.g. a cigarette packer). The conveyor may be controlled in accordance with the calculated deviation in a detected value (e.g. corresponding to stack height) from a target value. Where an analogue signal is produced by the detector device this is converted to digital form and is preferably operated on by a program function so that a linear digital representation or signal relating to the detected value may be produced. For example, the angular displacement of a pivoted sensor arm is used to provide a direct indication of stack height by use of cosine look-up tables held in memory.

Abstract: A filter rod feed comprises a fluted drum (10), a hopper (14) from which filter rods are arranged to be fed into the flutes of the drum, means (16, 18) for delivering pneumatically-fed filter rods into the hopper, an agitator (20, 22) comprising a substantially horizontal row of laterally spaced bars (20) in the hopper, the bars being parallel to the filter rods and being at or above the level at which pneumatically-fed filter rods are delivered into the hopper, and the arrangement being such that movement of the bars promotes a substantially even flow of filter rods between the bars in both upward and downward directions.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating axially-aligned rods of the cigarette industry comprises a first pair of conical drums (14,16) mounted on a first common sleeve (32) and arranged to receive respectively the two rods (10) of each pair to be separated, the axes of rotation (22, 24) of the drums being inclined so as to separate the rods carried by the respective drums; a second pair of conical drums (25,26) mounted on a second common sleeve and arranged to receive the cigarettes from the first pair of conical drums, the second pair of conical drums having axes inclined so as to space the rods further apart while returning the rods to axially-aligned orientations; and device (28) for receiving the spaced-apart rods from the second pair of conical drums.

Abstract: A variable capacity region for rod-like articles such as cigarettes, particularly a buffer reservoir (48) arranged at the juction between a conveyor (10) and the entrance (28) to a consuming machine, includes a continuously-driven inclined conveyor (36) to promote recirculation of articles within the reservoir and discourage extended periods of occupation by individual articles.

Abstract: Cigarettes are fed from the rod line into a laterally moving fluted drum (1) by a rotating snail cam having a cigarette contacting surface (5) of constant radius over part of its length (arc A) and of increasing radius over a further part (arc B). The cigarettes are accelerated lengthwise over arc (A) with suction being applied to grip the cigarettes, and afterwards sideways acceleration is imparted to the cigarettes over arc (B) while the leading end of each cigarette is being displaced sideways at the same speed by the trailing wall 2b of the flute (2) receiving the cigarette.In an alternative construction in which the cigarettes are deflected by a wheel having helical grooves formed in its peripheral surface, a straight portion is provided at the start of each groove to impart only linear acceleration to the cigarettes.