Abstract: A method and arrangement are provided for producing compound filters for products in the tobacco-processing industry. A filter tube, having a filter element in a central region of the filter tube, is supplied to a predetermined position. Predetermined portions of filtering material are then inserted into the filter tube from at least a first end of the filter tube so that filter segments form in at least a first part of the filter tube.

Abstract: A method for reducing noise level in a tobacco-processing production machine that is acted upon by flowing process air includes supplying process air to the production machine predominantly conveyed by sound-damping line segments.

Abstract: A roller-supported pressure roll for texturing textile machines has a shaft, an outer ring, an elastic covering slip over the outer ring, and a quick-release closure which secures the outer ring by positive engagement to the shaft and can be undone without using tools.

Abstract: Apparatus for making one or more rod-like fillers of shredded tobacco for use in the making of cigarettes or the like employs one or two pneumatic conveyors having endless foraminous belts trained over pulleys and including elongated stretches below communicating parts of a common suction chamber. A shower of intermixed tobacco shreds and smaller particles including tobacco dust and coarser particles is directed against the undersides of the elongated stretches. The shreds are attracted to and advance with the respective belts to form streams which are ready to be trimmed and thereupon draped into cigarette paper or the like. At least some smaller particles penetrate through the respective belts into the corresponding parts of the suction chamber. The contents of the suction chamber are evacuated by suction and are returned to the undersides of the elongated stretches of the belts for classification.

Abstract: The conveyor which converts an ascending shower of tobacco particles into a rod-shaped filler ready to be draped into a running web of cigarette paper in a cigarette rod making machine employs an endless permeable belt having a lower reach disposed beneath a suction chamber and at a level above a channel for advancement of the filler toward the wrapping mechanism. The channel and the marginal portions of the lower reach of the belt are flanked by walls which consist, at least in part, of a wear-resistant ceramic material capable of standing long periods of use due to a minimal wear as a result of sliding contact with tobacco particles, even if the belt is driven at an elevated speed to advance tobacco particles past a trimming device and thereupon into the wrapping mechanism of the cigarette rod making machine.

Abstract: In an arrangement of a collecting receptacle integrated into a production machine in the tobacco-processing industry for collecting tobacco products sorted out from the production machine during a production process, the collecting receptacle is removable from the production machine and is comprised of two parts.

Abstract: The mass of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry is ascertained by advancing a multi-layer mass flow of plain or filter cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry over one or more stationary and/or mobile weighing devices which generate signals denoting the combined weight of articles in successive increments of the mass flow. Such signals are processed with signals denoting the numbers of articles in the respective increments and/or with signals denoting the speed of advancement of the mass flow to generate signals denoting the average mass of discrete articles in successive increments of the mass flow.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing surplus at one side of an unequalized tobacco stream includes a transporting unit with a pneumatic conveyor having an endless foraminous belt which overlies the stream and defines with two sidewalls a channel for advancement of the stream along an elongated path so that the surplus extends downwardly beyond a preselected distance from the underside of the belt. The mechanism for trimming the surplus off the moving stream comprises two disc-shaped gripping members which define a nip for the entry of successive increments of the stream directly above the surplus, and a rotary knife having a circular cutting edge which separates the surplus from the major portion of the stream immediately below the nip. The knife can form part of or can be disposed immediately above a coaxial rotary deflector which directs the severed suplus in a desired direction.

Abstract: Various machines of a production line in a plant of the tobacco processing industry are installed in an air conditioned enclosure. In order to prevent the heat which is generated and dissipated by selected components of such machines from affecting the conditioned air in the enclosure, the production line is associated with a cooling system which withdraws and/or otherwise receives heat from the selected components and includes a portion outside of the enclosure. The cooling system operates with a fluid coolant which conveys heat from the heat generating and dissipating components and out of the enclosure to be cooled in the portion outside of the enclosure prior to being reintroduced into the enclosure to again withdraw heat from the selected components. This ensures that the air conditioning system for the enclosure is not affected or is not unduly affected by heat which is being generated and dissipated by the selected components of the machines in the enclosure.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing the end portions of cigarettes to detect end portions containing insufficient quantities of tobacco has a conveyor which transports the cigarettes sideways past at least two testing stations each of which accommodates a discrete capacitive and/or photoelectronic testing unit. Repeated monitoring of the end portions of successive cigarettes reduces the likelihood that unsatisfactory cigarettes, particularly cigarettes with end portions which are empty or contain insufficient quantities of tobacco particles, would reach the consumers. Signals which are generated by the testing units can be used to segregate cigarettes having defective end portions.

Abstract: A tobacco stream which contains a surplus of tobacco particles is conveyed in a channel past a trimming device which serves to remove the surplus and has two disc-shaped tobacco engaging members extending through openings in the sidewalls of the channel and into the stream in such a way that the surplus is located at one side and the remainder of the stream is located at the other side of the plane of the tobacco engaging members. These members are rotated in opposite directions, and their marginal portions come nearest to each other at a point normally midway between the sidewalls. A rotating tube is disposed at the one side of the tobacco engaging members and has a serrated or smooth cutting edge which removes the surplus only, or practically only, at the aforementioned point. Such surplus is evacuated by suction through the tube whose axis makes an oblique angle with the direction of advancement of the stream in the channel.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein the flow of loosely intermingled tobacco shreds, tobacco ribs and foreign objects (such as nuts, bolts, pieces of wire and/or particles of plastic material) is classified to segregate the ribs and foreign objects from the shreds. The ribs are thereupon separated from foreign objects in a sifter and are comminuted in a rotary cutter prior to being readmitted into the flow downstream of the classifying location(s). Successive increments of the flow are converted into successive increments of a stream which carries a surplus of shreds and is trimmed for conversion into a filler which is ready to be wrapped into cigarette paper. The comminuted ribs are admitted into the flow at a location such that they are confined in the central portion of the filler.

Abstract: Two tobacco streams are made simultaneously by feeding a main flow of tobacco particles upwardly through a suction duct which terminates beneath two parallel foraminous belt conveyors. The sidewalls of the duct have alternating wedge-like ramps which divide the ascending main flow into plural first and second flows in such a way that the first flows advance from one of the sidewalls toward the other sidewall and the second flows advance from the other sidewall toward the one sidewall. In addition, the sidewalls and their ramps define several passageways for unimpeded ascent of numerous relatively small third flows of tobacco particles directly against the convex underside of a partition which is located in the duct between the two conveyors. The partition breaks up each third flow into two equal partial flows and causes each partial flow to rise toward a different foraminous conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding batches or a continuous stream of tobacco particles into the magazine of the distributor in a cigarette or cigar rod making machine has a container which can receive a stream of gaseous carrier medium for tobacco particles from a shredding machine or from another source and has several outlets for the carrier medium. The outlets discharge the carrier medium in different directions and contain sieves which intercept the tobacco particles. The thus accumulated particles can descend into the magazine, either continuously or at intervals, depending upon whether or not the tobacco discharging opening of the container is temporarily closed by a pivotable or otherwise movable closure.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein the apparatus which supplies tobacco particles to the stream building zone at the underside of a belt conveyor is designed to prevent entry of fragments of tobacco ribs into the outer layer of the stream. This is achieved by directing fragments of tobacco ribs into that portion of the stream which is to form the core of the filler of the cigarette rod and/or by directing fragments of tobacco ribs into that portion of the stream which is removed by a trimming device ahead of the station where the thus obtained filler is draped into a web of cigarette paper. Absence of fragments of tobacco ribs in the outer layer of the filler reduces the likelihood of piercing the web of cigarette paper at the wrapping station.

Abstract: Smaller and larger fragments of tobacco ribs are sifted out of a mixture of tobacco ribs and tobacco shreds before the shreds are converted into a rod-like filler which is ready to be draped into a web of cigarette paper. The larger ribs are comminuted and are mixed with smaller ribs prior to readmission into the flow of shreds in such a way that the readmitted ribs are located in the inner portion of the rod-like filler so that they are less likely to puncture the wrapper and that they contribute to hardness of the filler.

Abstract: The hardness of cigarettes which move in a direction at right angles to their axes is measured with one or more pivotable levers which rest on the moving cigarettes to elastically deform the adjacent portions of the cigarettes. The extent of elastic deformation is measured and the results of the measurements are used to regulate the operation of a cigarette rod making or filter tipping machine so as to ensure that the hardness of cigarettes will match an optimum value.

Abstract: A single stream of comminuted tobacco leaves is divided into two discrete streams each of which contains a surplus of tobacco particles. The surpluses are removed by discrete trimming devices and the thus removed surpluses are conveyed into the distributor which forms the single stream in such a way that the surplus which is removed from one of the discrete streams is reused for the making of a next-following portion of the one discrete stream or for the making of a next-following portion of the other discrete stream. The surplus which is removed from the other discrete stream is reused for the making of a next-following portion of the other discrete stream or for the making of a next following portion of the one discrete stream.

Abstract: A relatively wide first layer of tobacco particles is broken up into several narrower second and several narrower third layers. The second layers are converted into a first tobacco filler stream which is trimmed to form a rod-like filler ready to be draped into a web of cigarette paper, and the third layers are converted into a second tobacco filler stream which is ready to be trimmed to form a rod-like filler ready to be draped into a web of cigarette paper. The tobacco layers are caused to advance along and closely follow concave sides of guide surfaces and are propelled along the respective surfaces by streams of compressed air. Subdivision of the first layer into several second and several third layers reduces the likelihood of unmixing or dehomogenization of the mixtures of tobacco particles which are about to be converted into plural tobacco filler streams.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein the surplus of smokable material which is removed by the trimming device is returned into the magazine of the distributor next to the supply of fresh tobacco. Fresh tobacco is withdrawn from the supply in the form of a relatively wide first layer, and the returned surplus is removed in the form of a narrower second layer adjacent one marginal portion of the first layer. The two layers are converted into a stream which advanced toward and past the trimming device in such a way that the latter removes mainly recirculated surplus tobacco which is again admitted into the magazine for conversion into the second layer.