Abstract: The rigid packet with hinged lid includes a container for a group of long elements and a lid hinged at a top, open end of the container, each having a front, a back and two sides; inside the container, fixed to and partly protruding from the latter, there is a collar with three consecutive flaps which have one or more notches defining respective tabs, hinged with their hinged side to the collar, folded inwards in the container and in contact with the group of long elements so as to form flexible compensation elements which recover the play present between the container and the group of long elements due to the reduction of the size of the latter compared to the fixed internal dimensions of the container.

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 and machine for packing products, whereby packets completed as they travel along a wrapping path are fed successively to a distributing device and selectively fed to an input of one of at least two drying conveyors parallel to each other; and the packets are fed by the drying conveyors at a frequency (F2) lower than the frequency (F1) at which the packets are fed along the wrapping path.

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: 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: A rigid, hinged-lid packet for elongated elements, particularly cigarettes, presenting a cup-shaped container; a cup-shaped lid hinged to the rear end edge of the container to close the open end of the container; and a collar projecting outwards from the open end of the container; the lid presents a front wall in turn presenting an inner reinforcing tab, one portion of which is gummed to a portion of the collar; and one of the above two portions is torn off.

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: In a cigarette packet of the type with a hinged lid composed of a rigid box and a soft inner wrapping directly enveloping the cigarettes, the lid end is reinforced internally by a frame lodged between the wrapping and the box, and the packet often assembled with a leaflet or coupon inserted between the frame and the wrapping. To ensure that the coupon does not slip out of place as assembly operations proceed, the frame or the coupon itself is fashioned with at least one slot position to interlock with a corresponding part of the coupon or the frame, accordingly.

Abstract: Divisible packs consisting in two wrappers breasted frontally one with another are conveyed broadside, singly and in succession, to the point of being taken up between paired belt loops carrying teeth which are timed to impinge on the two wrappers and bring them into vertical alignment. Thereafter, the pack draws level with an applicator station where labels are affixed to the now perfectly matched end faces of the wrappers, then passes on to a further station at which correct application of the labels is verified by two pneumatic control elements: these consist in suction cups or nozzles connected to respective transducers which, by sensing changes in the pressure levels registering at the end faces of the wrappers, will detect any pack from which either or both of the labels may be missing.

Abstract: A method of separating two superimposed rows of cigarette packets originally in direct contact with each other, whereby the two superimposed rows are fed into the input station of a separating device in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rows; and are fed in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, to a separating station where they are separated by raising the top row and subsequently inserting, between the separated rows, a separating plate which is maintained between the rows as these are removed from the separating station in a third direction parallel to the first.

Abstract: On a packing line for producing twin packets, collars are fed successively by an oscillating conveyor arm into respective conveyor seats, each for housing two side by side half packets; the conveyor arm presenting two telescopically connected portions in turn presenting respective gripping members cooperating with respective main panels of the collar and the two telescopic portions being movable in relation to each other for folding accordion-fashion a central portion of the collar interposed between the two main panels.

Abstract: A method and device for producing cartons of cigarettes from respective groups of equioriented packets forming a first and second row arranged one on top of and contacting the other, whereby the two rows of packets in each group are parted to enable the first row to be rotated substantially 180.degree. in relation to the second prior to restoring the first row to the superimposed mutually contacting position.

Abstract: The packaging machine makes use of a first wheel to supply single groups of cigarettes, in succession, to a work station, where a corrugated paper distance piece is positioned by a feed device on each group, in direct contact with the face uppermost. A second wheel carries the groups of cigarettes away from the work station, together with their distance pieces. The feed device includes a positive drive assembly that feeds a continuous strip of stiff paper toward the work station and corrugates it in the process, a set of blades which cut the corrugated strip into discrete pieces, and an actuator serving to position each of the cut pieces on a corresponding group of cigarettes.

Abstract: A method and device for feeding a succession of reels of strip material to a pickup station; the reels being fed successively, and laid flat, on to a low-friction supporting surface, being centered on the supporting surface in relation to an axis substantially perpendicular to the supporting surface, and being lifted off the supporting surface and rolled over into an on-edge pickup position in the pickup station.

Abstract: In a cigarette packet appearing essentially as a parallelepiped body capable of accommodating at least two groups of cigarettes enveloped in respective wrappers surrounded by at least one internal collar, the body and wrappers each exhibit a front face, a rear face and two flank faces; the individually wrapped groups of cigarettes are positioned one adjacent to the other with the relative wrappers in mutual contact by way of the broader front and rear faces rather than by way of the flanks.

Abstract: Cigarettes are supplied to a packaging machine by equipment comprising an infeed hopper into which the cigarettes are supplied in bulk, a rotating head providing at least one compartment to accommodate a tote-box type container filled with cigarettes, from which the contents of successive containers are directed toward the hopper, and a passage directly beneath the rotating head admitting a succession of trucks each carrying several of the containers spaced apart at identical distance; the truck is propelled forward intermittently by a drive system, proceeding in discrete steps equal to the distance between centers of the containers in such a way that an elevator can operate during the pauses to shuttle the full and empty containers to and from the head.

Abstract: The equipment is installed between a device by which single commodities are arranged into groups of parallelepiped shape, having one or more layers, and an in-line machine unit by which the groups are to be handled. Proceeding toward the machine unit, each group is supplemented with one or more distance pieces of given thickness, positioned parallel with the layered commodities, in order to compensate for any variation in depth of the group attributable to dimensional variations in the single commodity, and thus to avoid any modification or replacement of the machine unit's working parts that would otherwise become necessary.

Abstract: A device for transferring sealing bands fed in succession into a packet, from which a withdrawal element provided with two arms extracts them and transfers them to a line feeding packets which during their passage between the arms are provided with the bands; the extraction of each band from the pocket is effected with the aid of a stationary withdrawal element, interposed between the arms, which exerts on the central region of the band a suction action which ceases on the operation of valve means which are of instantaneous action so that the transfer of the band to the line feeding the packets is not hindered or delayed.

Abstract: A device for applying adhesive material to card blanks in a packeting machine, comprising a gumming roller and a pressing roller which are substantially mutually tangential and between which the blanks are led in succession to receive traces of adhesive material in predetermined zones. Should the packeting machine halt for a time exceeding a predetermined time limit, detachment means withdraw from the gumming roller that blank disposed between the two rollers in order to prevent it becoming stuck to the gumming roller.