Abstract: A perforating apparatus according to the invention has a hollow shaft having two open ends, a disc mounted on the hollow shaft and rotated together therewith, a shaft, a plurality of holding arms, a rotating mechanism for rotating each holding arm about the axis of a filter cigarette, a laser generating source, and an optical system. The holding arms are arranged on the periphery of the disc, in the circumferential direction thereof, and hold filter cigarettes such that the filters project from the holding arm. The laser generating source emits a laser beam into the hollow shaft, toward one of its open ends and at a predetermined pulse separation. The optical system has a reflecting mirror which rotates together with the hollow shaft. The reflecting mirror has reflecting surfaces which correspond to the holding arms and reflect the laser beam toward the outer periphery filter. The optical system additionally has a focusing lens for focusing the laser beam on the outer periphery of the filter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for vacuum-packaging material in a soft flat packaging bag. Packaging bags filled with a material are supported in a plurality of holders in advance in a place other than a plurality of vacuum chambers adapted to be intermittently rotated along a circular path. Such holders are successively fed to the vacuum chambers. While a vacuum chamber which has been fed with such holder is rotating along the circular path, this vacuum chamber is evacuated, the opening section of the packaging bag is sealed and then the vacuum chamber is opened to the surrounding atmosphere. And the packaging bag which has completed vacuum packaging is withdrawn from the vacuum chamber. Since the vacuum chamber is fed with a relatively large-sized holder rather than a soft flat bag which is difficult to handle, errors in feeding are avoiding.

Abstract: When filling flexible bags with a specified quantity of material, the uppermost one of the bags is opened at the mouth thereof and a spatular element is inserted into the bag while streams of gas are discharged from the surface of the element. Then, a vacuum suction force is applied to the surface of the spatular element to cause the bag to be sucked to that surface so that the bag, together with the element, is moved into a recessed wall of a stand frame. The bag is inflated in the recessed wall by discharging jets of gas from the surface of the spatular element into the bag, and simultaneously the bag is sucked to the inner surface of the recessed wall under a vacuum suction force while being held in opened condition. Subsequently, the specified quantity of material is filled into the bag. In this way, each flexible bag is moved to the stand frame while being accurately sucked to and kept in the spatular element.

Abstract: A bag is put on a forming block while air streams are blown out through air holes of the forming block, then air streams are sucked through the air holes into the block so that the bag is attracted to the exterior of the block, and while this condition is kept, an outer packaging box is put on the block with the bag held therebetween. Subsequently, air streams are again blown out through the air holes to inflate the bag, and then the inflated bag and the outer packaging box are removed together form the forming blick. In this way, the bag is inserted in crease-free condition into the box.

Abstract: A tobacco manufacturing machine including a cover which covers the whole of the machine, a plurality of openable doors disposed in positions corresponding to various portions of the machine which require a manual correction by an operator, power sources for opening and closing those doors, a plurality of sensors attached to various portions of the machine for detecting states which require such a correction and a door opening and producing signals, and control means for logically processing the signals provided from those sensors and producing an operating signal for operating the power source corresponding to the door to be opened. Since the whole of the machine is covered, it is possible to greatly reduce noise during high-speed operation. Because the doors corresponding to various portions of the machine are opened automatically, the troublesome work involved in manual operation is eliminated.

Abstract: A vacuum packing apparatus for vacuum packing objects into flexible bags. The apparatus has first and second gears rotatable around a pair of spaced apart vertical axes and an endless chain which is engaged with the gears. The first gear has a plurality of chambers spaced at intervals from one another, and the chain carries a plurality of lids for hermetically sealing the chambers. Each lid includes a pair of clippers for hanging the bags in suspension with the bag openings oriented upwardly. A bag feed unit feeds bags to the clippers and a hopper unit feeds objects into the bags while the bags are supported in suspension by the clippers. Each bag, while being supported in suspension by a pair of clippers on a lid, is positioned into a chamber by the positioning of the lid over the chamber. After a vacuum is formed in the chamber, and hence in each bag, the bags are sealed to provide a vacuum packed bag.

Abstract: A vacuum packaging apparatus has two lower chambers with open upper face in side-by-side arrangement in a base box and a single upper chamber with an open bottom face in an upper head which is supported by a plurality of links on the base box and can be shifted alternately from atop one lower chamber to atop the other thereby to form alternatively two vacuum chambers for vacuum packaging. Moving parts of the apparatus are actuated by an electric and vacuum control system including some valves, some switches for controlling the valves, fluid passages formed in the base box and the upper and lower heads and a vacuum pump. While vacuum packaging is being carried out in the vacuum chamber formed on one side, preparation of a commodity to be packaged and packaging materials can be carried out in the other lower chamber.