Abstract: Apparatus for treating filter material, particularly a filter tow for forming into a cigarette filter rod, includes an applicator chamber containing a rotatable brush for spraying a fluid additive such as a plasticizer towards the tow. A pressure manifold having a permeable surface adjacent the path of the tow produces an air flow which redirects towards the tow of plasticizer not captured initially by the tow. Air supplied to the manifold passes through an air ionization region, to reduce static electricity in the chamber. Air is withdrawn from the chamber by a pump to prevent a pressure build-up which could cause loss of uncaptured plasticizer. A separator is provided for collecting any plasticizer entrained with the extracted air and for returning it to a supply tank.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine has a suction tape 10 for carrying the cigarette filler stream 18 onto a wrapper web 22, the tape being supported by a single cable 32 which extends above the edge portions of the operative lower run of the tape and crosses over (at 34 in FIG. 2) beneath the non-operative upper run of the tape. The cable is tensioned sufficiently to provide an adequate frictional drive from one of the pulleys (12) around which the tape and cable pass. The tape needs only slight tension, being driven partly by frictional contact with the cable.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for making ventilated cigarettes. Either the cigarettes are perforated after assembly or the tipping paper is perforated before assembly. The position of the perforations as a group relative to the mouth end of the cigarette is adjustable to select a required degree of ventilation of the assembled cigarette. Automatic selection is effected by measuring the dilution of the assembled cigarettes and causing the perforator to be controlled accordingly. Perforation may be effected by pins mechanically, by spark discharge by laser or by electron beam.

Abstract: A perforating device and a method for perforating double length filter cigarette assemblies, in which cigarettes are transferred from the drying drum, of a plug assembler onto a first conveyor which conveys them into the space between a straight flight of the first conveyor and a parallel flight of a second conveyor. The speed of the first conveyor is varied cyclically relative to that of the second by means of a speed modulator, so that the cigarettes are rolled in successive steps during their travel through the device so as to present successive different segments of the outer circumferential surface of the central filter portion to a perforator device.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine comprises an air previous band, a channel through which tobacco is showered towards the band with the aid of an air stream to form a cigarette filler stream on the band, the air stream being induced at least partly by suction acting through the band to hold the tobacco against the band, whereby there is also suction pressure in the channel at the end adjacent to the band, characterized by a partly-tubular casing which covers the cigarette filler stream as it leaves the shower channel, and inclined air inlets which are arranged to introduce air streams into the part-tubular casing direction having components in the direction of the cigarette filler stream.

Abstract: A machine for making cigarette filters from filter tow includes a tow fluffing unit for blowing air into the tow before it is compressed; a suction wheel which compresses the tow while extracting air therefrom; and a tongue which further compresses and shapes the tow and includes longitudinally spaced pressure tappings by which the pressure drop through the tow is detected. The tow feed rate is adjusted automatically to maintain a constant pressure drop. Also, the consumption of tow is monitored and the amount of tow stretching is adjusted automatically to minimize the consumption.

Abstract: A hopper for a cigarette making machine includes a tobacco feeding device which delivers tobacco into a downwardly extending channel in which a column of tobacco is formed, and means for feeding tobacco continuously from the lower end of the channel, characterised in that the tobacco feeding device includes means for feeding tobacco onto a conveyor which carries the tobacco to a position at which it drops off the conveyor and enters the upper end of the channel, a spiked conveyor which is spaced slightly from the first conveyor and is arranged to pick up any lumps of tobacco of significant size from the firt conveyor, and means for opening up the lumps of tobacco and for returning the opened up tobacco into the main stream of tobacco.

Abstract: In the hopper of a cigarette making machine the tobacco slides down a ramp into a narrow downwardly extending channel situated at a position spaced from the area in the hopper which initially receives the tobacco. The tobacco is fed upwardly from that area by a spiked elevator band and is then removed from the spiked elevator band and transferred to the downwardly extending channel by further conveyor means.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine includes a tongue by which the tobacco is compressed to its final cross-section, characterized by a liquid feeding arrangement for feeding liquid to the surface of the tongue in contact with the tobacco to dilute and reduce the viscosity of any gum from the tobacco which comes into contact with the tongue.

Abstract: Cigarettes or cigarette filters are made by forming a filler by feeding continuously at least one web of filler material which has lines of spaced slits extending across the width of the web, the slits in each line being offset from those in adjacent lines; stretching the web so as to open up the slits while distorting out of their original plane the interconnected strip-like portions of the web left between the slits; compressing the web laterally to form a filler; enclosing the thus-formed filler in a wrapper to form a continuous rod; and cutting the continuous rod into individual portions.

Abstract: A hopper for a cigarette making machine has two spiked feed rollers and two cooperating high-speed spiked rollers which feed tobacco from tobacco space and onto a spiked drum; this drum feeds the tobacco along part of its path of conveyance and then cooperates with a second drum so as to stretch out lumps in the tobacco while the tobacco is being carried by the second drum. Alternatively the tobacco may be delivered by the spiked rollers onto a ramp; loose particles of tobacco slide all the way down the ramp, whereas lumps of tobacco are picked up by spiked drum which is slightly spaced from the ramp and which returns the lumps to the ramp after they have been opened out.

Abstract: A hopper for a cigarette making machine comprises means for delivering tobacco continuously into a space defined partly by a spiked drum arranged to carry tobacco continuously from the space and towards a picker roller which removes the tobacco from the spiked drum and projects it into the upper end of a downwardly extending channel in which the tobacco piles up to form a carpet, at least one wall of the channel being movable in order to feed the carpet of tobacco downwards through the channel, and including a conveyor at the lower end of the channel for receiving the carpet from the channel and for feeding the carpet towards a device for forming a cigarette filler stream from the carpet.

Abstract: A cigarette machine hopper comprises a first spiked band having an operative run; means for feeding tobacco onto the operative run of the first band; a second spiked band having an operative run adjacent to and approximately parallel to the operative run of the first band and arranged to move at a speed different from that of the first band, the spikes of the two bands being arranged to intercalate and to tease the tobacco and/or stretch lumps in the tobacco as the tobacco is fed forwards between the bands.

Abstract: A continuous-rod cigarette-making machine of the type in which tobacco is conveyed from a hopper to a winnowing zone and there thrown across a rising airstream which entrains the tobacco and carries it up to the lower face of a suction conveyor on which a tobacco filler is formed has sealing means associated with conveying means for transporting the tobacco from the hopper to the winnowing zone, said sealing means opposing air flow between the hopper and the winnowing zone to reduce disturbance of the tobacco during its transport by the conveying means.

Abstract: A ledger for a rod-making machine, especially a cigarette or filter making machine, comprises two rotary members arranged to rotate at the same speed about parallel axes and a connecting member which is pivotally connected to both of the rotary members and carries a rod support which supports the rod during each cutting stroke.