Abstract: Cigarette packs which leave a packing machine by moving sideways so that one of the major surfaces of each pack faces forwardly are monitored for the presence of defective envelopes during travel between two endless belt conveyors. When the monitoring system or systems detect a defective pack, such system or systems generate one or more signals which are used to expel the defective pack from the path between the conveyors. The ejection is effected by changing the orientation of defective packs relative to the conveyors so as to reduce the frictional hold of conveyors upon the relatively narrow lateral faces of the defective packs with the result that the thus released defective packs can descend by gravity. The orientation of defective packs can be changed by discrete pins which move into the path of the packs from above, from below or from one side so as to be nearer to the one than to the other conveyor.

Abstract: Tobacco particles which escape from plain cigarettes and/or filter cigarettes in machines for the making of plain and filter cigarettes are partially separated from streams of suction air before such streams reach the main separator. This relieves the main separator so that the latter necessitates less frequent cleaning and/or replacement of filters. In a filter cigarette making machine with or without a main separator, one or more separators for reusable tobacco particles can be installed to collect reusable particles which escape at one, two or more stations where the escape of tobacco is likely and pronounced. Such separators employ suction fans, vessels below the respective units, and pipes which convey the contents of vessels to a tobacco removing device upstream of the fans.