Abstract: The making of cigarette packs is started by transferring arrays of cigarettes into successive pockets of a transporting unit while the pockets are at a standstill, and by inserting blanks into discrete pouches which are adjacent the front sides of the pockets. The pouches and the pockets are then accelerated, and the blanks are partially folded to overlie the arrays of cigarettes in the adjacent pockets prior to joint transfer of arrays and blanks into the receptacles of a continuously driven endless chain conveyor. The arms are then decelerated whereby the chain conveyor extracts the trailing portions of the blanks from their pouches and the blanks are converted stepwise into inner envelopes. The making of second envelopes around the inner envelopes can begin prior to or after completion of inner envelopes.

Abstract: A hinged lid container for arrays of cigarettes is made of a one-piece blank and has a hollow body with an open end remote from its bottom wall, a collar which is integral with the front wall of the body at the open end and extends in part into the body, and a lid which is integral with the rear wall of the body. The collar has two lateral panels with rhomboidal portions extending beyond the respective sidewalls of the body. The free edges of the lateral panels are inclined with reference to the top wall of the lid when the latter is held in closed position so that its lateral walls abut the sidewalls of the body and are outwardly adjacent the rhomboidal portions of the lateral panels.

Abstract: Apparatus for accumulating arrays of superimposed layers of parallel cigarettes has a magazine with three layer-accumulating sections having outlets at different levels and a set of pushers which expel layers of cigarettes from the sections during the intervals of dwell of an intermittently driven conveyor for a set of receptacles each of which accumulates an array by accepting one layer from each of the sections. The top and side walls of the receptacles have aligned slots for stationary and movable portions of retaining devices which prevent the cigarettes forming layers of incomplete arrays from moving relative to each other during abrupt acceleration and deceleration of the conveyor to move the receptacles from section to section. The undersides of movable portions of the retaining devices can be raised above or lowered into alignment with the undersides of the adjacent stationary portions through distances approximating the thickness of a layer.

Abstract: The magazine for parallel cigarettes in a packing machine has several groups of ducts each of which serves to accumulate successive layers of cigarettes at different levels so that the layer which is formed in the first group is disposed at a level below the layer formed in the second group, and so forth. A conveyor advances stepwise along the groups of ducts and has openended receptacles for layers which are transferred from the groups of ducts during each period of dwell of the conveyor by an intermittently actuated transfer unit. The conveyor is flanked by two stationary guide members whose undersides have sections disposed at different levels and staggered with reference to one another, as considered at right angles to the direction of travel of the conveyor. The guide members further have end faces against which the ends of cigarettes abut during travel from a preceding toward the next-following group of ducts.

Abstract: Apparatus for assembling multi-layer arrays of cigarettes in a packing machine has a magazine with a reciprocable support having platforms at different levels and a group of cigarette-delivering downwardly extending ducts above each platform so that each platform normally supports a layer of cigarettes. An intermittently driven conveyor has a series of receptacles which are adjacent to one side of the magazine and are open at least at those ends which face the platform. The magazine has elongated slot-shaped openings which are adjacent to the platforms and serve for evacuation of layers from the magazine into the neighboring receptacles during the periods of dwell of the conveyor and in response to penetration of reciprocable pushers into the magazine to move each layer along the respective platform, through the aligned opening and into the adjacent receptacle.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying labels to successive cigarette packs has a feeding unit which delivers a series of labels downwardly past an adhesive-applying device which coats one side of each label with a hotmelt and through a stationary mouthpiece which directs the oncoming label into one of two pockets on a turntable which is indexible through 180 degrees. The pockets are shorter than the labels so that the outer end portion of the label extends beyond the respective pocket and is placed against one side of a reciprocable back support after the turntable is indexed. A pusher then delivers a cigarette pack against the adhesive-coated side of the outer end portion of the label which abuts against the back support so that the outer end portion is caused to adhere to one side face of the pack. The label is thereupon folded over additional sides of the pack while the latter moves past and beyond the turntable and pushes the back support in the same direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for alternately withdrawing lowermost sheets from stacks of sheets in two magazines has a frame which is reciprocable below the magazines along a horizontal path between two end positions and carries a main support, two auxiliary supports which flank the main support, and a suction wheel between the main support and each auxiliary support. The suction wheels are driven in phase with the movement of the frame whereby the wheels turn clockwise while the frame moves in one direction and anticlockwise while the frame moves in the opposite direction. Two toothed belts have end portions which are anchored in a tensioning device between the magazines, and the belts are trained over pulleys of the suction wheels and pulleys of rollers constituting the main support.

Abstract: A packing machine wherein a first feeding unit supplies groups of cigarettes into successive mandrels of a first turret which is driven stepwise and moves successive mandrels into register with first and second supplying devices for tinfoil blanks and paper blanks which are thereupon draped around the mandrels to form open-ended packs. The packs and the groups of cigarettes are transferred simultaneously from successive mandrels into successive pockets of a second turret on which the packs are closed.