Abstract: The lower-quality leader of a filter rod or cigarette rod is deflected from the path leading from the rod making station to the subdividing station before the rod is severed behind the leader so that the next-following high-quality portion of the rod is free to advance to the subdividing station. The apparatus for separating the leader has a rotary knife which rotates within a guard. The guard carries a U-shaped deflecting unit for the leader and is pivotable with the motor for the knife to and from an operative position in which the leader is deflected and the knife can sever the rod behind the deflected leader. The apparatus further employs a back support which is pivoted against the rod opposite the guard to prop the rod during separation of the leader.

Abstract: The trailing end of a running tow of filamentary filter material in a filter rod making machine is spliced to the leader of a fresh tow, and the splice is held at a preselected location ahead of the first tow treating station in the machine. An optoelectric or pressure-responsive detector generates a signal when the splice advances beyond such location on expiry of the running tow, i.e., when the second tow begins to advance through the machine. The signal is used to reduce the speed of the prime mover of the machine during travel of the splice therethrough, to increase the width of passages which are defined for the tow by the banding, spreading, stretching, plasticizer-applying and/or other units for the tow so that the splice can readily advance therethrough, and/or to effect automatic segregation of those filter rod sections which contain portions of the splice.

Abstract: A filter rod making machine wherein a rotary brush which is installed in a housing normally atomizes successive increments of a stream of liquid plasticizer which is supplied thereto by a varibale-delivery pump at a rate matching the speed of transport of a permeable tow of filamentary filter material through the housing so that the housing confines a quantity of residual plasticizer and the tow thereafter continuously withdraws atomized plasticizer from the housing at the rate at which the pump supplies liquid plasticizer into the range of the brush.

Abstract: A filter rod making machine wherein a rotary brush which is installed in a housing normally atomizes successive increments of a stream of liquid plasticizer which is supplied thereto by a variable-delivery pump at a rate matching the speed of transport of a permeable tow of filamentary filter material through the housing so that the housing confines a quantity of residual plasticizer and the tow thereafter continuously withdraws atomized plasticizer from the housing at the rate at which the pump supplies liquid plasticizer into the range of the brush.

Abstract: A filter rod making machine wherein a continuous tow of fibrous filter material is flattened to form a foraminous layer prior to advancement through an impregnating station where a rotating brush sprays particles of atomized plasticizer against the underside of the layer. The brush is installed in the trough-shaped lower portion of a receptacle which flares upwardly and outwardly toward the underside of the layer and the bristles of the brush sweep along the internal surface of the lower portion of the receptacle. The lower portion receives a continuous stream of liquid plasticizer from the outlet of a variable-delivery pump whose intake receives plasticizer at a constant pressure. The brush is driven by an electric motor independently of the system which transports the layer of filter material.

Abstract: A filter rod making machine wherein a continuous tow of fibrous filter material is flattened to form a foraminous layer prior to passage through an impregnating station where an atomizing nozzle or a revolving brush sprays particles of atomized plasticizer against one side of the layer. An intercepting plate is placed in contact with the layer opposite the nozzle or brush so that the particles which penetrate across the layer and reach the plate are entrained by successive increments of the layer to thus insure that each unit length of the layer contains the same quantity of plasticizer. The rate of delivery of plasticizer to the brush or nozzle is changed in automatic response to changes in forward speed of the layer.

Abstract: Apparatus for making composite filter plugs for cigarettes or the like has a garniture which transports a web of cigarette paper or the like past a transfer conveyor which deposits on the web groups of aligned filter rod sections of two or more different types so that the sections are disposed end-to-end and form a continuous filler. Those portions of the web which are contacted by the sections are coated with a wet adhesive or a heat-activatable adhesive to insure that the sections cannot be shifted relative to the web, and the adhesive is heated or cooled in the region of the transfer conveyor to promote rapid setting.