Abstract: A shower of tobacco particles is fed into the upper end of a downwardly sloping and downwardly tapering funnel-shaped part of a conveyor wherein the particles gather into a flow of interlaced particles. Successive increments of the flow are acted upon by one or more jets of air issuing from at least one nozzle which loosens successive foremost increments of the flow prior to admission into a tobacco filler rod forming unit in a cigarette rod making machine.

Abstract: A shower of tobacco particles is fed into the upper end of a downwardly sloping and downwardly tapering funnel-shaped part of a conveyor wherein the particles gather into a flow of interlaced particles. Successive increments of the flow are acted upon by one or more jets of air issuing from at least one nozzle which loosens successive foremost increments of the flow prior to admission into a tobacco filler rod forming unit in a cigarette rod making machine.

Abstract: Fragments of plastic fibers, such as cellulose acetate fibers, forming part of mouthpieces of filter cigarettes or like rod-shaped smokers' products tend to become separated from the respective filter mouthpieces at the end faces which develop in response to the making of cuts across filter rod sections of double unit length between pairs of plain cigarettes to obtain filter cigarettes of unit length. The fragments of fibers which tend to become separated and to contaminate the area around the filter cigarette making machine are either bonded (e.g., by heat and/or by a solvent) to the respective mouthpieces, or are removed by suction and/or by resorting to electrostatic precipitation. It is also contemplated to cause smoke-permeable layers of filter material to overlie the end faces of the mouthpieces.

Abstract: Fragments of plastic fibers, such as cellulose acetate fibers, forming part of mouthpieces of filter cigarettes or like rod-shaped smokers' products tend to become separated from the respective filter mouthpieces at the end faces which develop in response to the making of cuts across filter rod sections of double unit length between pairs of plain cigarettes to obtain filter cigarettes of unit length. The fragments of fibers which tend to become separated and to contaminate the area around the filter cigarette making machine are either bonded (e.g., by heat and/or by a solvent) to the respective mouthpieces, or are removed by suction and/or by resorting to electrostatic precipitation. It is also contemplated to cause smoke-permeable layers of filter material to overlie the end faces of the mouthpieces.