Abstract: A blank for producing a package of tobacco articles; the package of tobacco articles has a group of tobacco articles wrapped in a tubular inner sheet of packing material closed axially by two end folds, and an outer package, which is formed by folding the blank, surrounds the group of tobacco articles, is parallelepiped-shaped, and has a top wall contacting a first end fold of the inner sheet of packing material, a bottom wall contacting a second end fold of the inner sheet of packing material, and a number of lateral walls; and the blank has two transverse fold lines, and a number of longitudinal fold lines defining, between the two transverse fold lines, a first panel forming part of a first minor lateral wall, a second panel forming a first major lateral wall, a third panel forming a second minor lateral wall, a fourth panel forming a second major lateral wall, and a fifth panel forming the rest of the first minor lateral wall.

Abstract: A device for wrapping packets of cigarettes has a conveyor for feeding the packets successively along a path; and a number of heating heads, each of which is brought into contact with a respective packet and accompanies the packet from a contact station to a withdrawal station along part of the path; on reaching the withdrawal station, the heating heads are withdrawn, crosswise to the path, from the respective packets, and are conveyed, parallel to the path, from the withdrawal station to the contact station.

Abstract: A cigarette packet of substantially parallelepiped geometry comprises an outer wrapper (3) divided into two portions (17, 18) connected one to another by a longitudinal hinge (19) extending along one of the two flanks (7, 8), each portion (17, 18) creating a compartment (20, 21) proportioned to accommodate a relative box (22), likewise parallelepiped, which is filled with a limited number of cigarettes (2); the outer wrapper (3) is topped by a lid (10) pivotable on a transverse hinge (16) between a closed position of contact with the top ends of the boxes (22), and an open position in which the boxes (22) are free to swing apart on the longitudinal hinge (19).

Abstract: A device for controlling a mass of cigarettes, and having a conveyor system for feeding the cigarettes in bulk along a path from a cigarette manufacturing machine to a cigarette packing machine; and an operating unit for both determining and at least partly compensating differences between the cigarette production and packing rates; the operating unit having an arm with a number of articulated segments.

Abstract: A rigid package of tobacco articles, having two first containers, each housing a group of tobacco articles and housed inside a second container so as to slide with respect to the second container between a closed position, in which the first container is fully inserted inside the second container, and an open position, in which part of the first container projects from the second container.

Abstract: A folded and sealed cigarette coupon is inserted typically between the outermost face of a cigarette packet and its transparent overwrap. The coupon is fashioned from a flat blank divided by crease lines into a set of panels and extended at either end to create a corresponding set of flaps. The panels are quarto folded to form a substantially rectangular main body of the coupon with the flaps combining to form a grippable closure tab along one edge of the body, which can be torn off to open the coupon. The flaps making up the tab are equal in number to the folded panels, so that the thickness of the coupon remains uniform from edge to edge in both length and breadth.

Abstract: Transparent outer wrappers for cigarette packets are prepared by advancing a continuous strip of overwrap material along a given feed path in a given direction, piercing a predetermined area of the strip with a series of slits spaced apart one from another and extending nominally transverse to the feed direction, and bonding a narrow ribbon to the strip along the predetermined area, aligned on at least one portion of the slits; the strip then passes under a blade shaped so as to cut a series of “U” notches spaced apart one from the next, each creating a pull tab at the end of the ribbon, before being divided ultimately into leaves by a pair of contrarotating cutter rollers equipped with respective blades. Each single leaf serves as a wrapper for a relative pack, fashioned so that when torn open by pulling the ribbon, the ribbon encounters the slit and initiates two break lines extending away from the ribbon on either side to facilitate the removal of the wrapper in its entirety.

Abstract: An overwrapping machine for packets of cigarettes, wherein a first feed line feeds the packets of cigarettes successively along a first path, and a second feed line feeds sheets of transparent packing material successively along a second path intersecting the first path at a cross station to pair each packet with a respective sheet of packing material; and wherein a guide for the packets is located upstream from the cross station, and has an output end, for the packets, facing the cross station; the guide is movable to and from a forward operating position, in which the guide forms part of the first path, and the output end of the guide is positioned substantially contacting the second path.

Abstract: A chain conveyor having an endless conveyor belt, which is formed by joining a number of hinged links and has a conveying surface; and at least one pulley, which rotates about an axis of rotation, and about which the conveyor belt winds on-edge, with a lateral surface of the conveyor belt perpendicular to the conveying surface and contacting a lateral surface of the pulley; the lateral surface of the pulley is shaped so that contact between the lateral surface of the pulley and the lateral surface of the conveyor belt occurs at a contact point substantially aligned with a line of action of the pull forces of the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A cigarette packing machine for producing rigid, hinged-lid, short-hinge packets of cigarettes; the packing machine has a fourth packing wheel which receives wrapped groups of cigarettes from a third transfer wheel at a third transfer station, receives collars from a first feed line at an input station upstream from the third transfer station, and folds each collar into a tube about a respective wrapped group of cigarettes; the packing machine also has a fifth packing wheel which, at a fourth transfer station, receives each wrapped group of cigarettes and the respective collar together with a respective blank supplied by a second feed line, folds the blank about the wrapped group of cigarettes to form an outer package, and releases the packets of cigarettes at a fifth transfer station.

Abstract: A device for wrapping packets of cigarettes has a conveyor for feeding the packets successively along a path; and a number of heating heads, each of which is brought into contact with a respective packet and accompanies the packet from a contact station to a withdrawal station along part of the path; on reaching the withdrawal station, the heating heads are withdrawn, crosswise to the path, from the respective packets, and are conveyed, parallel to the path, from the withdrawal station to the contact station.

Abstract: A method of producing a wallet packet with a hinged lid, whereby a blank, having a first portion defining a body and a second portion defining a hinged lid of a relative wallet packet, is fed into a respective pocket, having a respective pair of side by side seats, of a packing wheel, so that the relative first portion defines two adjacent receptacles separated by a central rib; and wherein the pocket is fed through a loading station, where the two receptacles simultaneously receive respective wrapped groups of cigarettes; one of the two receptacles then being turned over onto the other to define the body of the relative wallet packet.

Abstract: A device for controlling a mass of cigarettes, and having a conveyor system for feeding the cigarettes in bulk along a path from a cigarette manufacturing machine to a cigarette packing machine; and an operating unit for both determining and at least partly compensating differences between the cigarette production and packing rates; the operating unit having an arm with a number of articulated segments.

Abstract: A cigarette packing machine for producing rigid, hinged-lid, short-hinge packets of cigarettes; the packing machine has a fourth packing wheel which receives wrapped groups of cigarettes from a third transfer wheel at a third transfer station, receives collars from a first feed line at an input station upstream from the third transfer station, and folds each collar into a tube about a respective wrapped group of cigarettes; the packing machine also has a fifth packing wheel which, at a fourth transfer station, receives each wrapped group of cigarettes and the respective collar together with a respective blank supplied by a second feed line, folds the blank about the wrapped group of cigarettes to form an outer package, and releases the packets of cigarettes at a fifth transfer station.

Abstract: A method and device for finishing cellophane-wrapped packets, whereby a succession of stacks, each defined by two superimposed packets having respective heat-shrink overwrappings, are fed successively by a conveyor wheel along a circular track extending through an unloading station, prior to reaching which the packets in each stack are parted in an axial direction with respect to the conveyor wheel, and are then fed, in a radial direction with respect to the conveyor wheel, along respective superimposed paths separated by a heating plate.

Abstract: An overwrapping machine for packets of cigarettes, wherein a first feed line feeds the packets of cigarettes successively along a first path, and a second feed line feeds sheets of transparent packing material successively along a second path intersecting the first path at a cross station to pair each packet with a respective sheet of packing material; and wherein a guide for the packets is located upstream from the cross station, and has an output end, for the packets, facing the cross station; the guide is movable to and from a forward operating position, in which the guide forms part of the first path, and the output end of the guide is positioned substantially contacting the second path.

Abstract: A method and machine for producing a package with a coupon, whereby a product is fed to a packing station via a feed station, where the coupon is applied on to a top wall of the product; at the packing station, a sheet of packing material is wrapped about the product to enclose both the product and the coupon, and, between the feed station and the packing station, the coupon is subjected to an electric field and charged electrostatically, so as to adhere electrostatically to the product; the electric field is generated by at least one fixed guide, which is parallel to the path so as to face the top wall of the product, and comprises a number of conducting bodies having a high direct voltage with respect to an electric earth.

Abstract: A rigid package for tobacco articles has a cup-shaped, parallelepiped-shaped container having a rear wall, a front wall, two lateral walls, a bottom wall, and an open top end; and a cup-shaped lid, which is hinged to the container along a hinge to rotate between an open position and a closed position respectively opening and closing the open top end, and has a rear wall, a front wall, two lateral walls, and a top wall; the lid has two seats, each located at a respective lateral wall of the lid and having an opening facing the container and parallel to the lateral walls of the lid; and a top portion of each lateral wall of the container is designed for insertion inside a respective seat, through the opening of the seat, when the lid is in the closed position.

Abstract: A method and unit for feeding collars to a packing line for producing rigid packages, whereby a web is fed in a longitudinal feed direction and through a first cutting station where the web is cut partly along a portion of a parting line crosswise to the feed direction; the web is then fed through a second cutting station where each collar is detached from the web along the parting line, and is then fed to the packing line; at the second cutting station, each collar is detached from the web by cutting along the remaining portion of the parting line not cut at the first cutting station. (FIG.

Abstract: Packets of cigarettes are conveyed from a packer to a cellophaner by a unit utilizing a first pocket conveyor connected to the infeed of the cellophaner, and a second pocket conveyor by which packets are directed onto the first conveyor at a transfer point; the unit is also equipped with a sensor that will check whether or not each pocket of the second conveyor is occupied by a packet, and a placement mechanism, interlocked to the sensor, of which the function is to fill any empty pockets of the first conveyor with packets recycled from the cellophaner.