Abstract: An air interface plane (AIP) of a radio frequency (RF) aperture includes: a circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; and a matrix of tapered elements arranged on the first side of the circuit board and secured to the circuit board, the matrix of tapered elements cooperating to at least one of receive or transmit an over-the-air RF signal. Suitably, each tapered element of the matrix has: a central hub extending along a longitudinal axis from a hub base which is proximate to the first side of the circuit board to an apex of the tapered element which is distal from the first side of the first circuit board; and a plurality of arms extending from the central hub at the apex of the tapered element, each of the plurality of arms including a first portion that projects the arm radially away from the longitudinal axis and a second portion that projects the arm longitudinally toward the first side of the circuit board.

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: A conveyor system linking a cigarette making machine and a cigarette packing machine includes a container buffer reservoir (42) having a tray filler (20) and a tray unloader (22), each arranged so that the cigarettes are disposed in the transfer position at 90.degree. to those in the main conveyor (10). Twisted downdrops (16, 32) are provided in the conveyors leading to the tray filler (20) and from the tray unloader (22). Tray transport conveyors (44, 46) extend between the tray filler (20) and tray unloader (22) parallel to the main conveyor (10), and include lateral delivery and receiving slides (68, 70) for full trays. An inclined pivoted guide (62) is provided for transfer of empty trays (64) from the tray unloader (22, 24) to a transport conveyor (44).

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles between a delivery device (M), e.g. a cigarette maker, and a receiving device (P), e.g. a cigarette packer, includes a conveyor (C) for articles in stack formation, a container loading device (TF), a container unloading device (TU), and a container handling system (TS) for moving containers between the devices. The container loading and unloading devices (TF, TU) may be in non-parallel orientations and the container handling system (TS) may include a common container reservoir (ER, FR) and a container turning device (FTT, ETT). The container loading and unloading devices (TF, TU) may be linked to the main conveyor (C) by subsidiary conveyors (CTF, CTU) which include a twisting path portion (SC).