Abstract: A folding machine for wrapping a bundle of cigarettes in metal-laminated paper. A partially wrapped bundle of cigarettes, including an unwrapped trailing end, is received in a pocket of a shuttle from a pusher. The shuttle comprises a top folder, two side folders and two bottom folders that are integrated with the shuttle and can operate on the partially unwrapped package along respective edges of its end face and produce a wrapped package in the pocket. Another pusher is configured to eject the wrapped package from the pocket of the shuttle. The shuttle also includes a gripper for gripping the partially wrapped bundle. The driving mechanism for the gripper is integrated with the driving mechanism for the shuttle.

Abstract: In cigarette conveying apparatus cigarettes are conveyed along a path so that they are intercepted in sequence by beams directed at different portions of the path to produce a complete circumferential row of perforations on each cigarette after it has traversed the path. An incident laser beam (14) is time-shared to produce pulses for making perforations by mutually inclined rotatable discs (20, 28). A temperature sensor (150) is provided to detect build-up of contaminants on a lens or mirror (146) for a laser beam (32B). A stream of air containing small quantities of water is supplied by tubes (380,388) terminating in the region in which the cigarettes are perforated so as to assist removal of contaminants resulting from laser perforation.