Abstract: A probe for use in sampling rods from a mass flow of parallel rods moving perpendicular to their axes, the probe including an elongate body of generally wedge shaped cross section which has first and second main faces diverging away from a narrow edge to a wider base and which is for mounting parallel to such rods to extend across and laterally beyond such mass flow with the narrow edge facing upstream; an elongate passage extending within the body longitudinally thereof for accommodating a rod from such mass flow; a first elongate opening in the first face through which a rod from such mass flow can fall laterally into the passage for longitudinal transport along the passage away from such mass flow; and a second elongate opening through which a rod can drop laterally from the passage out of the body after such longitudinal transport.

Abstract: A check rod (1) for apparatus for measuring properties of longitudinally permeable rods, the check rod (1) comprising a hollow cylindrical body (2) having first, second and third transverse walls (4, 5, 6); a first chamber (17) defined by body (2) and the first and second transverse walls (4, 5); a second chamber (8) defined by body (2) and the second and third transverse walls (5, 6); at least one first ventilation window for air to flow laterally into chamber (7); at least one second ventilation window for air to flow laterally into chamber (8); and tubes (9, 10, 11) which are open at each end and provide for laminar air flow therethrough which is the only flow of air through the transverse walls, said tubes comprising at least one short tube (9) which passes through wall (4) and opens into chamber (7); at least one intermediate length tube (10) which passes through walls (5, 6) and opens into chamber (8), and at least one long tube (11) which passes through all walls (4, 5, 6) to allow passage of air throu

Abstract: In security printing apparatus for attaching a foil imprint of predetermined shape to stock (10) such as bank note sheets, a tape (8; 108)) carrying foil to be printed and a layer of hot-melt adhesive is conveyed with the stock past a heated printing roll (2; 102). In order to allow high printing speeds the adhesive is at least partially activated by pre-heating just prior to printing. The pre-heating means may comprise hot air, radiation or heated guide means for the foil carrier web. Details of pattern or shape may be etched on the foil, either before or after printing, by means of laser beam, the details being defined by a mask moving with the foil.

Abstract: Cigarette tipping paper is perforated by a laser 31 emitting a beam which is directed onto the tipping paper via an acousto-optical beam deflector 33 and a beam splitter 34 producing two parallel perforation tracks 24 along the tipping paper. Each track may include a number of rows of perforations, the laser beam being deflected for that purpose by the acousto-optical device. The porosity of the tipping paper and/or the dilution of the completed cigarettes can be controlled in various ways, particularly by the use of an acousto-optical device; the latter may be used to vary the perforation pattern, the laser beam being directed onto a heat sink 52 when it is not required to perforate the tipping paper. Control of the perforation pattern, as well as allowing different patterns to be applied, is used to control the dilution factor of the finished cigarettes.

Abstract: Rod-like articles, particularly cigarettes or cigarette filter rods, are conveyed in a stream in a direction transverse to their lengths at a speed which is progressively reduced, so that the height of the conveyed stream is increased. Prior to the reduction in conveyance speed the speed of individual articles is increased briefly to avoid damage from following articles. The speed reduction takes place in a path having divergent boundary walls.

Abstract: The position of a rod-like article of the tobacco industry is detected by measuring the delay in receiving sound transmitted towards and reflected from the article. In a preferred arrangement a stack level detector comprises a transmitter (22) for pulsed ultrasound (above 20 kHz), a receiver (24) and a circuit (10) for measuring the delay. The circuit (10) may include a latch (30) which generates regular pulses having duration corresponding to the delay.

Abstract: Oval filter cigarettes are made by forming rod groups each comprising at least one cigarette portion and at least one filter portion in axial alignment; placing each rod group on a wrapping member rotatably carried by a conveyor having a succession of such wrapping members, each group being provided with a portion of uniting paper overlapping the members of the group; and rotating each wrapping member with respect to the conveyor about an axis parallel to that of the rods so as to wrap the uniting paper of least partly around the corresponding rod group.During rotation of each wrapping member the uniting paper may be gripped by suction ports to provide a tight wrap.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine or feed apparatus for fibrous material other than tobacco includes a pinned conveyor (20) arranged to feed material from a supply and past refusing means (22) whereby the feed conveyor will carry a metered stream of the material, characterized in that the feed conveyor has relatively high pins (36) which are substantially evenly distributed among relatively low pins (38) or lie in obliquely extending rows (34, 40, 42, 44) between rows of relatively low pins.