Abstract: A control device for re-starting a cigarette packing machine, while it is slowing down after having cleared itself of a cigarette starvation condition in a flow channel (2), comprises: a triggering circuit (A2, I1) pulsed by a stroboscopic switch (S1) at machine speed, and controlling two flip-flop counters (F1 and F2); a fault emission circuit (R1, C1, R2, C2 and A1) fed from the starvation detector switch (40); a main shut-down circuit (I2, S2) connected from the output of one flip-flop (F1); and a re-start circuit (C3, R3, S3) connected from the output of the other flip-flop (F2).

Abstract: A cut-off device for a cigarette or filter rod making machine is designed to work with a knife having an aperture which, when the knife is spent, is detected by a system including a light emitter and a detector, with an electronic timing system sensitive to specific light/dark transitions to enable the presence of an aperture to be detected at various speeds of rotation of the member carrying the knife.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the timing of control signals concerning operations on conveyed cigarettes or other articles of the cigarette industry comprising means for generating a first control signal; means for measuring the speed of transport of the cigarettes; processing means arranged to receive a signal representing the measured speed of transport, to receive the first control signal and to generate a second control signal which is transmitted to an operating device after a delay dependent upon the signal representing the measured speed of transport and upon the characteristics and position of the operating device.

Abstract: A magazine (2) for stamps is provided with an escapement mechanism in the form of upper and lower gripping means (24, 26) which alternately support the stack of stamps, thereby allowing the stamps to be fed at a constant head to a withdrawal rotor (10). The upper and lower gripping may each be constituted by a rubber tube (38) which is inflatable against the side of the stack via a thin pivotal strip (36).

Abstract: A cigarette packing machine with a plurality of passageways leading from a hopper, includes an ends testing device (16, 16a) for individual cigarettes, so that faulty cigarettes can be rejected from the hopper before the cigarettes are ejected in groups at the bottom of the passageways (2).Leading from the hopper are two channels (6, 8) feeding each of the passageways. In one embodiment of the invention cigarettes are held up for ends testing in alternate channels by suction ports (14) formed in inclined surfaces leading to each passageway. In a second embodiment a set of horizontal reciprocating wires (30, 32) acts as an escapement mechanism.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring partly formed soft packs of cigarettes, the adhesive in whose folded bottom ends may not have fully set, comprises a pair of air cylinders 54,56 which are pivotally mounted for alternately swinging into successive open-sided pockets 20 of a drying drum 12. As a soft pack 16 on a pack-forming drum 10 is stripped off its mandrel 14 by a pusher 62, one of the two cylinders engages its bottom end and maintains slight compression of the end during transfer. Meanwhile the other cylinder is extended in readiness for the next pack to be transferred.

Abstract: An apparatus for pneumatically feeding tobacco to a number of cigarette making machines having a plurality of conveyors. The conveyors feed tobacco onto a circular feed table where the tobacco is distributed to each of the cigarette machines. The table is arranged to convey the tobacco along a circular path around the vertical central axis of the table. The apparatus further includes a number of suction pipes which are circumferentially spaced with respect to the table and are arranged to pick up tobacco for delivery to respective cigarette making machines. Each cigarette making machine has a hopper for accumulating tobacco including detectors for detecting the quantity of accumulated tobacco. In addition, there is a drive mechanism associated with each pipe for moving each pipe substantially radially with respect to the table to control the rate at which tobacco is picked up from the table. Such control is responsive to the detectors.

Abstract: Apparatus for ejecting cigarettes, comprises a conveyor (10) arranged to carry a sideways-moving row of cigarettes (14) through an ejection station at which there is a nozzle (20) arranged, when a cigarette is to be ejected, to direct a jet of air (32, 34) transversely past the cigarette and onto an air-deflecting surface (26) on the conveyor which deflects the air jet onto the cigarette so as to blow the cigarette transversely off the conveyor.

Abstract: A soft pack made from a composite laminate blank has inner and outer films 6, 8 of polyethylene laminated to a paper substrate 4. The outer film is formed with an integral tear strip 26 thicker than the remaining film.The blank is folded as a tube around the cigarette bundle, the ends closed by the conventional tuck-and-fold closure and then heat sealed. To one side of the revenue stamp 20 is provided a perforated band 24 which is torn away on pulling of the tear strip.