Abstract: A device for receiving and transferring cylindrical filter rods one at a time from a mass flow of filters. The receiving and transferring device is used to remove filter rods from the mass flow of filter rods to conduct, for example, quality control checks on the filter rods without interrupting production of the filter rods.

Abstract: An apparatus for properly positioning a spacer panel relative to a container of items and a package blank which will be subsequently folded around the item container and spacer panel to form a package enclosing the item container and spacer panel. The positioning apparatus includes a plate for receiving and supporting the package blank, spacer panel, and item container in a stacked relationship with the spacer panel disposed between the package blank and item container, and a spacer panel contact blade which is movable back and forth over the plate top to contact just the panel spacer and moving the panel spacer between the package blank and item container to a predetermined location still between the package blank and item container such that when the package blank is subsequently folded to form the package, the panel spacer will be properly positioned therein.

Abstract: A dispenser device for removing planar panels from a hopper is provided with a panel engagement drum located at the discharge of the hopper which includes friction surfaces at spaced apart locations around the perimeter for sequentially engaging subsequent bottom-most panels in the hopper and extracting them from the hopper as the drum continuously rotates. A positioner is engagable with disengagable from the bottom-most panel at the hopper discharge end to position the bottom-most spacer at a location to be engaged by the friction surfaces of the drum. A stop is operatively responsive with the positioner for engagement with the penultimate one of the panels for preventing the penultimate one of the panels from moving to the location of the positioner during the time period the positioner is in its panel disengaged position.

Abstract: A hopper apparatus for folding the end flaps of a film overwrapper across the ends of a carton enclosed in the overwrapper includes a back wall, two parallel side walls, and an access door closing the front side of the hopper. The top horizontal edges of the side walls, back wall, and closed access door define the open top end of the hopper, and the horizontal bottom edges of the back wall, side walls and closed access door define the open bottom end of the hopper. Carton engaging fingers are attached to the back wall for movement into and out of the hopper, and carton engaging fingers are also attached to the access door at the same elevation in the hopper as the engagement fingers on the back wall for movement into and out of the hopper.

Abstract: A conveyor system for conveying planar panels in single file. The conveyor system can be used for receiving panels from bulk storage to a workstation. The conveyor system includes a conveyor belt apparatus located to receive the panels at its upstream end from the bulk supply device. A panel turning device is located at the downstream discharge end of the conveyor device for receiving the panels from the conveying device and redirecting them into the inlet end of a chute. An accumulative device is located over the conveyor to maintain a steady supply of panels to the chute. A photo cell control at the chute controls the number of spacers stacked in end-to-end relationship in the chute.

Abstract: An apparatus for, in one advantageous embodiment, concurrently forming a plurality of generally longitudinally extending grooves in a filter rod, and in another advantageous embodiment, for making small apertures in the grooves as the grooves are being formed in the filter rod. The apparatus includes a reciprocating die having an upper die block and a lower die block. Each die block includes protruding, elongated projections which are adapted to be imbedded into the filter rod upon closing of the die to impress grooves in the filter rod located in the die. In the embodiment wherein apertures are to be formed in the grooves, aperture forming punches are associated with each of the groove forming projections for punching apertures in the grooves as they are being formed.

Abstract: An adapter device for a cigarette package dispensing machine for modifying the dispensing machine to contain and dispense smaller sized packages than the dispensing machine was originally designed to contain and dispense. Typical cigarette dispensing machines include a plurality of package column support structures for supporting two adjacent front to back ranks of columns of stacked cigarette packages of a predetermined size. Each column support structure includes a movable package column pusher plate for moving the back most column of packages to the front of the column support structure when the front most column of packages has been depleted.

Abstract: An apparatus for, in one advantageous embodiment, concurrently forming a plurality of generally longitudinally extending grooves in a filter rod, and in another advantageous embodiment, for making small apertures in the grooves as the grooves are being formed in the filter rod. The apparatus includes a reciprocating die having an upper die block and a lower die block. Each die block includes protruding, elongated projections which are adapted to be imbedded into the filter rod upon closing of the die to impress grooves in the filter rod located in the die. In the embodiment wherein apertures are to be formed in the grooves, aperture forming punches are associated with each of the groove forming projections for punching apertures in the grooves as they are being formed.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing coupons, and the like, on cartons includes a supply source of coupons in the form of a web of coupons, a coupon advance drum for moving the coupon web from the supply source to the location of the cartons upon which the coupons are to be deposited, a knife device for cutting the coupons to be deposited from the coupon web, a movable coupon applying device which receives coupons at the knife device as they are cut from the coupon web and moves the coupons to a position above the cartons, and moving means for contemporaneously moving the carton and the coupon away from the applying means so that the coupon is moved out of the applying means and onto the carton as the carton and coupon are being moved.

Abstract: An apparatus for collating cartons received from a plurality of sources in a tightly packed together relationship or randomly spaced apart relationship, and transferring these cartons in a substantially uniformly spaced apart relationship into a single stream of cartons for transport to another location.