Abstract: A device for applying bronze or similar powder, particularly in a cigarette making machine, uses a corona discharge wire (36) or similar conductor maintained at high voltage to establish an electrostatic field which causes powder to be attracted to prepared adhesive patches on a paper web (14). Excess powder carried by the web is removed with the assistance of vibration, which may be produced by passing the web over an ultrasound device (44) or a pulsed air mover (102). Excess powder may also be removed by an air mover (152) directing a stream of air at the surface of the web carrying the powder.

Abstract: A hopper for a cigarette making machine has a carded roller (14;52;54;60) arranged to feed a carpet of tobacco, a generally horizontally extending conveyor band (32) for receiving the tobacco from the carded roller, and means for removing the tobacco from the carded roller, for delivery onto the conveyor band, comprising an air pressure source (26;66) and one or more air passages (22;24;56;58;64;68) extending from the air pressure source for directing one or more jets of air into the tobacco to project the tobacco in a generally horizontal direction as a shower onto and along the conveyor band.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine includes a suction conveyor arranged to carry a tobacco filler stream which is substantially wider than its depth, a suction chamber situated downstream of the zone in which the filler stream is formed on the conveyor or received by the conveyor and arranged to induce an air flow through the filler stream and also along the filler stream, whereby tobacco from peaks in the filler stream tends to be carried forward and to be attracted to the conveyor by suction drawn through the conveyor in regions of less tobacco, and including structure for subsequently reducing the width and increasing the depth of the filler stream before the filler stream is conveyed to a rod-forming pad of the machine in which the filler stream (possibly after trimming) is enclosed in a wrapper web to form a continuous cigarette rod.

Abstract: A device for applying adhesive to the wrapper in a cigarette making machine (particularly upstream of the garniture) includes a conveyor for conveying the wrapper web (18) along a path between two guides (24, 26), a pair of nozzles (28, 30) each of which is movable into and away from contact with the wrapper web, and a device (36) for controlling the positions of the nozzles so that one nozzle at a time is brought into contact with the wrapper web and that the inoperative nozzle lies in a retracted position at which a brush (32) is provided for automatically removing the adhesive string from it, the arrangement being such that movement of the thus-cleaned nozzle towards the wrapper web is continued so as to displace the wrapper web from the previously active nozzle, which is then retracted for cleaning, whereupon the newly active nozzle is slightly retracted to assume its normal operating position adjacent to the wrapper web at which it will apply adhesive until the other nozzle, in a similar manner, displace

Abstract: A flexible seal (2), particularly for use in pneumatic testing of cigarettes, includes a conical seat (6) attached to a tube (4) having a resilient collar (8). The collar permits longitudinal movement of the seat relative to the tube, thereby permitting an effective seal against the cigarette being tested, and contributes to extended life for the seal.

Abstract: The state of fill of a reversible cigarette reservoir is monitored by use of an encoder (40) which responds to movement of the reservoir conveyor (2). Signals from the encoder are processed by a microprocessor (44) which also receives signals from cigarette detectors (46,50) which indicate when the reservoir is full or empty. These signals are used to reset the encoder-based value of the state of fill and so help to avoid cumulative errors. The use of encoder-based signals allows users to set the value of fill at which related events occur (e.g. when the speed of an associated maker or packer is changed) using software. Also disclosed is a conveyor speed optimization system in which the average deviation of a level sensor (74) from a target value is monitored and if necessary a correction applied to the nominal conveyor speed so as to reduce the average deviation to zero.

Abstract: In a cigarette filter rod manufacturing plant at least one tow bale (6; 108) is located in a position remote from the corresponding tow opening machine (2; 100) and a conveying system (10; 112) is provided for transporting the tow to the machine. In a preferred arrangement the conveying system comprises a pneumatic duct (10) in which the tow is conveyed with the assistance of air movers (12). Removing the tow bales from the vicinity of the machines, preferably to a common area, allows flexibility in laying out a production floor and provides easy access for replacement of the bales.

Abstract: In a cigarette making machine, tobacco is arranged to be showered towards two suction bands to form tobacco sub-streams on the respective bands which are then merged to form a single cigarette filler stream which (possibly after trimming) is enclosed in a wrapper web to form a continuous cigarette rod, and the machine includes means for disturbing at least part of the tobacco of at least one of the tobacco sub-streams before the two sub-streams are merged. This disturbance of the sub-streams preferably causes or permits a degree of reorientation of the disturbed tobacco and a degree of interengagement between tobacco particles of the two sub-streams. In one example at least part of this disturbance is caused during the transfer of both sub-streams to a further suction band which carries the merged stream to the wrapper web.

Abstract: In cigarette conveying apparatus cigarettes are conveyed along a path so that they are intercepted in sequence by beams directed at different portions of the path to produce a complete circumferential row of perforations on each cigarette after it has traversed the path. An incident laser beam (14) is time-shared to produce pulses for making perforations by mutually inclined rotatable discs (20, 28). A temperature sensor (150) is provided to detect build-up of contaminants on a lens or mirror (146) for a laser beam (32B). A stream of air containing small quantities of water is supplied by tubes (380,388) terminating in the region in which the cigarettes are perforated so as to assist removal of contaminants resulting from laser perforation.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine includes a suction band which is arranged to carry a cigarette filler stream towards a rod forming device in which the filler stream (possibly after trimming)is enclosed in a continuous wrapper, characterized by means (for example, a second suction band 24, 60, 112 or 210 and means for transferring the tobacco between that band and the main suction band 14, 52, 100 or 206) for reorientating at least some of the tobacco particles before the filler stream is delivered to the rod-forming device by the main suction band or by a further band (116)forming a continuation thereof. The cross-sections of the filler stream on the two bands (if two are used) are preferably significantly different, one being wider and shallower than the other.

Abstract: A reversible reservoir for cigarettes or filters includes relatively small and relatively large capacity sections arranged in series with a drive for driving these sections at different rates. The small section is preferably arranged adjacent the reservoir inlet and is capable of buffering the main part of the reservoir so that the latter is not required to undergo high accelerations. The reservoir may be in the form of an elongated helix with an endless conveyor (2;102) passing around spaced columns of wheels (8, 10, 12, 14, 16; 108, 112, 114), one of the lowermost wheels (8;108) being bodily movable so as to be capable of imposing an additional velocity on the section of conveyor adjacent the reservoir inlet (7;107). The movable wheel is carried on a (36;136) which also carries a pulley (26;126) for the conveyer return run. Tensioning (42-50;142-150) for the conveyor is provided by arranging for the position of the pulley (26;126) to be adjustable relative to the beam (36;136).

Abstract: Air is blown into filter tow during or immediately after the application of plasticizer; this foams and distributes the plasticizer in the tow. Air may be delivered from a porous plate closely adjacent to the path of the tow or from nozzles in an air injecting unit. Alternatively air may be used to foam plasticizer at a location remote from the tow and foamed plasticizer subsequently conveyed to and into the tow by a roller.

Abstract: In a machine for wrapping articles such as cigarette packets, feed rolls deliver a wrapper web onto a suction drum at a controlled speed which is less than the peripheral speed of the drum. The drum carries a cutter blade which cooperates with a fixed blade to sever successive leading sections of the web which are conveyed from the drum by a delivery conveyor moving at the same speed as the drum. Eccentric pinch rollers momentarily grip each wrapper section to assist separation from the web. The delivery conveyor transfers the wrapper sections to a further conveyor which conveys successive sections across the path of articles to be wrapped. The further conveyor has a lower run for diverting the leading portion of each wrapper section away from the article conveyor.

Abstract: An air mover (14) for producing a stream of air along a guide surface (28,30) for conveying web or other sheet material along a path adjacent the surface is constructed in two parts (16,18) having mating surfaces (23,24) one of which includes a recess (22) which defines a slot (26) through which conveying and entraining air is delivered to the guide surface from an air pressure chamber (20) within the air mover.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine includes a shower channel (10; 46; 59; 75; 90; 102; 113; 121) through which tobacco is arranged to be showered towards two suction bands (11,12; 66,67; 76,77; 103,104; 114,115) arranged to move towards one another so as to form two tobacco substreams (13,14; 78,79) from the showered tobacco and to bring these streams together in a region (15) where the bands are closest.

Abstract: Cigarette perforating apparatus comprises a rotary stepped reflector (5) for directing an incident laser beam (2) along a reflected path (2R) to produce axially spaced perforations on a cigarette. The size of the perforations is controlled by varying the duration of the reflected beam by means of a mask (8) which is rotatable with the reflector and effective to intercept the beam for varying periods dependent on the radial distance at which the beam is incident on the reflector. The reflected beam (2R) may be further divided to provide separate beam paths (e.g. leading to the separate cigarette tracks in a filter attachment machine) by means of a further reflective disk (12) synchronized with the stepped reflector.

Abstract: Article wrapping apparatus, particularly for wrapping cigarette packets in wrapper film, includes separate cutters (34A,14) respectively for severing a wrapper web into separate sections and for cutting the leading end of a tear strip attached to each section. Drive means (24) is provided for varying the path length of the web between the cutters. Separate drives (12,30) are provided respectively for the cutters and for the web, these being synchronized with a further separate drive for the articles. An air mover (32) assists feeding of the web towards the main cutter (34A); a further air mover (50) assists feeding of wrapper sections across and beyond the path of an article to be wrapped. Opposed belt conveyors (43,44) may be clamped together under action of air cylinders for feeding of wrapper sections without loss of timing.

Abstract: A receiver unit for a pneumatic distribution system for rod-like articles, particularly cigarette filter rods, includes multiple vertically spaced devices (10) each of which receives axially moving rods and transfers them into a transversely-moving stream, the streams from the devices extending in different directions and being subsequently combined in a common junction zone (38, 46) to form a combined stream of increased height. Each device may cooperate with an adjacent channel (166) forming reservoir for rods and including detectors (168, 170) controlling conveyance of the transversely moving steam.

Abstract: Laser perforation apparatus for filter cigarettes includes a drum (10) for conveying cigarettes (11), bands (33, 34) for slowly rotating each cigarette as it is conveyed by the drum, and a laser beam deflector (21, 22) carried by a tubular member (19) coaxially and rotatably mounted relative to the drum, the tubular member being rotated at relatively high speed and the laser being pulsed so that successive pulses are directed by the deflector towards successive cigarettes and each cigarette thus has a number of perforations formed in its wrapper as it is conveyed between the drum and the bands.

Abstract: An adhesive testing device includes a movable carriage (2) carrying a substrate (4) to which adhesive is applied by an applicator wheel (32). The carriage is brought to rest opposite the anvil (46) carrying another substrate. The substrates are pressed together and the force required subsequently to separate them measured. In a preferred arrangement the anvil is carried by a beam (48) bearing a strain gauge (60). The carriage is preferably inverted during its movement to the applicator wheel: this allows it to have its operative surface uppermost initially for ease of application of the substrate. Various parameters (e.g. periods between operations, speed of the carriage, temperature of adhesive and/or anvil) may be varied to simulate conditions in a packing machine.