Abstract: In a method and device for continuously wrapping products (3), while the products (3) are being fed continuously at a first speed (V1) along an intermediate portion (44) of a first path (P1) and in a first direction (D1), together with their intermediate wrappers (2a), the latter having a first and a second wing (37, 38), projection from, and on opposite sides of a surface (30) of the product (3), the wings (37, 38) make contact with a first folder (43) that moves at a second speed (V2) which is faster than the first speed (V1) in a second direction (D2) coinciding with the first speed (D1) along a section (45) of a second a path (P2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for continuously wrapping products, according to which, during the continuous feed of the products and respective intermediate wrappers which have four flaps to be folded, projecting in such a way that they are offset from the lower surface of the product, along a path with an instantaneous tangent extending in a first direction which may vary from point to point on the path, two opposite flaps make contact with respective first and second folding tools, located on opposite sides of an intermediate folding portion of the path.

Abstract: Flat articles to be formed into groups for packaging are advanced in succession at a set tempo toward a transfer station where each article is made to assume a predetermined position in space, standing on edge. Thereafter, the articles are advanced in a direction perpendicular to the position in space and toward a release station by means of a first conveyor equipped with pockets. The articles are caused to advance at a first linear velocity in such a way that each pocket receives an article and, at predetermined intervals, are accelerated to a second velocity for a predetermined duration between the arrival of one article at the transfer station and the arrival of the next article. In this way, one or more pockets remain empty, and groups of articles forming on the conveyor are separated one from the next by the empty pockets.

Abstract: On a conveying device for forming and conveying groups of products, a screw conveyor is supplied at the input with an orderly succession of products, and has an input portion along which the products are formed into groups, and a tubular output portion for feeding the groups separately and successively to a pocket conveyor extending inside the output portion and having a number of push and lead members, each separating two adjacent pockets on the pocket conveyor.

Abstract: An ordering device for arranging products received in the loose state in an orderly succession comprises a first and a second conveyor with belts defining a product feed path divided into active portions with variable lengths equaling complementary fractions of the total length of the path; a pair of transmission pulleys, respectively connected to the first and second conveyors to define the active portions and supported by a carriage which moves in both directions along the path; drive means designed to move the transmission pulleys so as to vary the length of the portions; compensator means for compensating the variations in the length of the active portions of the path with corresponding opposite variations in the length of the respective complementary sections of the belts; the device comprises one carriage and the compensator means comprise mechanisms equipped with rigid elements which are connected to one another and which connect the carriage and the belts and vary their geometric configuration accordi

Abstract: Flat articles to be formed into groups for packaging are advanced in succession at a set tempo toward a transfer station where each article is made to assume a predetermined position in space, standing on edge. Thereafter, the articles are advanced in a direction perpendicular to the position in space and toward a release station by means of a first conveyor equipped with pockets caused to advance at a first linear velocity in such a way that each pocket receives an article and, at predetermined intervals, accelerated to a second velocity for a predetermined duration between the arrival of one article at the transfer station and the arrival of the next article; in this way, one or more pockets remain empty, and groups of articles forming on the conveyor are separated one from the next by the empty pockets.

Abstract: The typical rigid cigarette packet consists of a box-like container with one open top end that can be exposed and closed by rotating a lid hinged to a rear edge of the container; the contents of the packet are restrained by a separate "U"-shaped frame element of which a first portion is anchored to the container and a second portion projects through the open top end and into the closed lid. To advantage, a front section of the first portion of the frame element incorporates a set of transverse stiffening ribs near the open top end of the container.

Abstract: A method and line for forming and conveying orderly groups of elongated products, particularly cigarettes, whereby each group is formed of a number of superimposed layers of products arranged side by side and separated by a given distance less than the width of the product and such as to compensate for the absence of at least one product in each of the layers each group being formed by feeding the relative layers axially and successively into a forming spindle, at least the bottom wall of which presents seats separated by the aforementioned given distance and for receiving and transversely retaining in position the products in a first layer; and each pair of adjacent products in one layer defining a seat for transversely retaining in position a product in an upper layer.

Abstract: A method and device for supplying collar-coupon assemblies to the wrapping line of a packing machine for producing rigid hinged-lid packets, whereby a collar and a respective coupon, as they travel along respective paths to a mating station, are respectively provided, by cutting, with a pocket, and with an appendix which is inserted at least partly inside the respective pocket at the mating station to make the collar and coupon substantially integral with each other as they travel along a common path extending downstream from the mating station.

Abstract: A method of overwrapping packets of cigarettes is implemented utilizing a machine by which packets and respective sheets of wrapping material are fed singly and in timed succession to a folding station where each packet is directed against a central portion of the corresponding sheet and advanced together with the sheet through a tubular duct of proportions such that the sheet is constrained to fold into a U formation around the packet. To optimize the folding action, the duct is fashioned with two longer side walls of convex profile by which the two lateral portions of the sheet flattened over the main lateral faces of the respective packet are engaged and compressed only along a limited central band of their full advancing width, and caused as a result to spread gradually into uniform contact with the overwrapped surfaces, without creasing.

Abstract: A storage unit for elongated elements, particularly cigarettes, wherein a mass of cigarettes is supported on a first conveyor movable both ways through a loading-unloading station where the first conveyor is connected to a second conveyor by a connecting plate; the first conveyor being defined by a helical conveyor belt presenting at least two longitudinal grooves defining, on the conveyor belt, at least two longitudinal bands, each presenting a respective succession of projections; and the connecting plate presenting a comb-shaped free end connected to the longitudinal grooves of the first conveyor.

Abstract: A conveyor for step-feeding half packets along a wrapping line for producing twin packets of cigarettes consisting of two half packets with respective foil wrappings and arranged side by side inside an outer wrapping; the half packets being fed through a restoring station and being engaged by a restoring device which, when operated, provides for selectively shifting a half packet from a first location to a second location in the succession of half packets along the conveyor.

Abstract: A method and device for feeding wrapping material and a tear strip to a user machine, whereby a strip of wrapping material and a tear strip are fed continuously along respective paths to a joining station where they are joined integral with each other to form a wrapping strip complete with a tear strip; a compensating store for compensating the wrapping strip being located between the joining station and a cutting station at which the wrapping strip is cut into a succession of portions.

Abstract: A device for picking up stacks of products from a support, wherein a head for picking up a stack of products from a flat support is provided with presser elements adapted to act on the stack and with a flexible lamina adapted to enter between the stack and the flat support; the pick-up head supports presser cylinders to act on the flat support, and the lower end of the presser cylinders has feet that are movable between an inactive position and a position for insertion between the stack and the flat support to raise the stack at least at the region for the insertion of the lamina between the stack of products and the flat support.

Abstract: Twin packets of cigarettes, each consisting of two half packets with respective foil wrappings and arranged side by side inside an outer wrapping, are formed on a wrapping line by feeding a single succession of half packets along the input portion of the wrapping line, and successively transferring the half packets to the output portion of the wrapping line by grouping the half packets into twos to form, at the output portion, a single succession of groups, each consisting of two side by side half packets.

Abstract: The device for picking up stacks of products from a support has a head for picking up a stack of products from a supporting platform, and is provided with presser elements for pressing on the stack. The presser elements act in an upward region of the stack and with a flexible lamina that is adapted to fit between the stack and the supporting platform. Additional presser elements are supported by the pick-up head to act on the stack, whereby to take the weight of the stack off the supporting platform and facilitate the insertion of the lamina between the platform and the stack of products.

Abstract: A system for producing and packing tobacco items, particularly cigarettes, wherein two packing machines are supplied with items by at least as many production machines, and wherein the outputs of the production machines are connected to one another by a conveyor channel for conveying the items and from which extend input channels connecting the conveyor channel to the individual packing machines; the items being fed along the conveyor channel by means of reversible conveyors.

Abstract: A method of fashioning tubular overwrappings with a heat-sealable material, and a device in which single commodities are directed in succession together with respective sheets of heat-sealable material into a set of pockets spaced apart at a constant pitch around the periphery of an indexing wheel rotated through steps of length equal to a submultiple of the pitch of the peripheral pockets. The pockets currently occupied pause after each step in alignment with a relative set of heat-seal stations and are accompanied through the first step, approaching the first heat-seal station, by a moving folder positioned so as to flatten a first longitudinal flap of the relative sheet against the flank of the commodity; a second flap is flattened similarly over the first flap by a fixed folder whereupon the two flaps are held fast in overlap contact, ready for heat-sealing.

Abstract: The filling of a cigarette is controlled by detecting a brightness curve of at least one part of the open end of the cigarette, processing the resulting brightness curve to obtain a contrast index, and comparing the resulting contrast index with an equivalent index of a correctly filled cigarette to obtain a signal indicating acceptance of the cigarette under observation.

Abstract: A method of producing cartons of cigarettes, whereby groups of packets of cigarettes are formed wherein the packets are arranged in at least two side by side stacks, and wherein each packet in each stack is laid flat with its longer axis horizontal and aligned with the longer axis of a corresponding packet in the other stack; and each group is fed, crosswise to the longer axes of the packets and together with a flat blank from which to form a rigid hinged-lid wrapping, into a folding spindle, the bottom wall of which supports the group with the interposition of a panel of the blank corresponding to a lateral wall of the rigid wrapping.