Abstract: Roller pair for tensioning strands of filter material in the manufacture of cigarette filters with a first roller made of metal which is rotatably driven by a drive and a second roller of which the surface consists of a resilient material, the two rollers being mounted on one side on a frame or the like and the second roller being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, away from the first roller and towards the latter, and an actuation device for pivoting the second roller, the second roller able to be driven by a drive via a second drive shaft and an articulated shaft and being mounted such that the size of the gap between the rollers can be altered along its length to adapt to the thickness of the material.

Abstract: Roller pair for tensioning strands of filter material in the manufacture of cigarette filters with a first roller made of metal which is rotatably driven by a drive and a second roller of which the surface consists of a resilient material, the two rollers being mounted on one side on a frame or the like and the second roller being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, away from the first roller and towards the latter, and an actuation device for pivoting the second roller, the second roller able to be driven by a drive via a second drive shaft and an articulated shaft and being mounted such that the size of the gap between the rollers can be altered along its length to adapt to the thickness of the material.

Abstract: A tow of filamentary filter material for tobacco smoke which is to be converted into a rod-like filler of a filter rod is conveyed along an elongated path first through a stretching or tensioning zone where the filaments are stretched and the tow is converted into a relatively wide flat web, thereupon along a relaxing portion of the path wherein the tensioning action upon the filaments is reduced, thereupon along a third portion wherein at least one side of the running web is contacted by droplets of an atomized plasticizer, and thereafter along a fourth portion of the path wherein the web is gathered by reducing its width so that it more closely resembles a rod which is thereupon draped into a web of cigarette paper or other suitable wrapping material. A wind tunnel surrounds at least one portion of the path to confine at least one stream of air which is caused to flow in the direction of advancement of the tow. A tunnel can surround the stretching zone, the relaxing and/or the fourth portion of the path.

Abstract: A tow of fibrous filter material for tobacco smoke is transported lengthwise through a so-called finger which is an elongated channel wherein the cross-sectional area of the tow is gradually reduced to that of the rod-like filler in the wrapper of a filter rod. The homogeneity of the tow is enhanced by introducing a compressed gas into longitudinally spaced apart gas admitting portions of the channel and by providing the channel with sets of openings for the evacuation of gas downstream of each gas admitting portion. The channel discharges a continuous homogenized tow into a wrapping mechanism wherein the tow is draped into a web of cigarette paper or the like, and the thus obtained filter rod is severed to yield a file of filter rod sections of unit length or multiple unit length.

Abstract: A first stream of contaminated air containing solid impurities including reusable tobacco particles is exhausted from a machine for the making of smokers' products and is caused to pass first through a first filter which separates therefrom all of the impurities, and the thus decontaminated air is caused to pass through a cooler and back to the machine. The separated impurities are caused to pass through a second filter which segregates therefrom the reusable tobacco particles, and such particles are reintroduced into the machine. The first stream of contaminated air can receive a second stream of contaminated air from a second machine, and such second stream is introduced into the first stream ahead of the first filter.

Abstract: Fragments of plastic fibers, such as cellulose acetate fibers, forming part of mouthpieces of filter cigarettes or like rod-shaped smokers' products tend to become separated from the respective filter mouthpieces at the end faces which develop in response to the making of cuts across filter rod sections of double unit length between pairs of plain cigarettes to obtain filter cigarettes of unit length. The fragments of fibers which tend to become separated and to contaminate the area around the filter cigarette making machine are either bonded (e.g., by heat and/or by a solvent) to the respective mouthpieces, or are removed by suction and/or by resorting to electrostatic precipitation. It is also contemplated to cause smoke-permeable layers of filter material to overlie the end faces of the mouthpieces.

Abstract: The treatment of a tow of filamentary filter material for tobacco smoke prior to draping of the resulting filler into a web of wrapping material is followed by advancement of the filler in a plane and single or multiple deflection of successive increments of the filler from and transversely of the plane. The deflected increments are returned into the plane and are advanced into the draping unit. Deflection of successive increments of the filler reduces the likelihood of the so-called towsplit which denotes the separation of partially bonded and gathered filaments from each other.

Abstract: Fragments of plastic fibers, such as cellulose acetate fibers, forming part of mouthpieces of filter cigarettes or like rod-shaped smokers' products tend to become separated from the respective filter mouthpieces at the end faces which develop in response to the making of cuts across filter rod sections of double unit length between pairs of plain cigarettes to obtain filter cigarettes of unit length. The fragments of fibers which tend to become separated and to contaminate the area around the filter cigarette making machine are either bonded (e.g., by heat and/or by a solvent) to the respective mouthpieces, or are removed by suction and/or by resorting to electrostatic precipitation. It is also contemplated to cause smoke-permeable layers of filter material to overlie the end faces of the mouthpieces.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing one or more tows of filamentary filter material for tobacco smoke between one or more bales and the inlet of a filter rod making machine defines for each tow an elongated path having a substantially U-shaped or V-shaped part. Successive increments of the tow are stretched at least while advancing downwardly along one one leg of the U-shaped or V-shaped part of the path, and successive increments of the tow are gathered while advancing upwardly along the other leg of the U-shaped or V-shaped part of the path. A unit which serves to spray a plasticizing agent against the filaments of the tow is adjacent the substantially horizontal portion between the lower ends of the legs of the U-shaped part or is adjacent the lower region of the other leg of the V-shaped part of the path. The length of the one leg of the U-shaped or the V-shaped part of the path need not exceed 1200 mm, and the maximum width of the tow need not exceed 150 mm.

Abstract: The degree of ventilation of ventilation zones in the wrappers of filter cigarettes is ascertained by confining the ventilation zones of successive cigarettes in a chamber during travel through a testing station and by increasing the pressure in the chamber above or by reducing the pressure in the chamber below atmospheric pressure. The pressure at that end of each cigarette which is adjacent the ventilation zone is monitored at the testing station, and the resulting signal is indicative of the degree of ventilation. Such signal can be divided by a signal denoting the pressure in the chamber during testing, and the resulting signal can be multiplied by 100 to obtain a signal which is indicative of the degree of ventilation in percent.