Abstract: A conveyor system for rod-like articles, particularly cigarettes, includes a transfer conveyor comprising twisting endless bands arranged to convey a multiple-layer stream of articles in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles and to twist the stream about an axis generally parallel to the conveyance direction. Also disclosed is a conveyor system in which at least one stream of substantially horizontal rod-like articles is twisted and conveyed to a junction beyond which a mutltiple-layer stream of substantially vertical articles is conveyed. The conveyor systems are particularly useful for "tip turning" filter cigarettes so that a stream on a first conveyor may be combined with a parallel stream on a second conveyor after being twisted and laterally displaced by the transfer conveyor so that the filter tip ends of both streams are on the same side.

Abstract: A cigarette elevator for conveying upwards a stack-like stream of cigarettes comprises substantially parallel upwardly-extending conveyors of which at least one has transversely extending ribs on its operative face for engaging the cigarettes, a first pulley around which the ribbed conveyor passes at the upper end of the elevator, and a second pulley which is adjacent to the first pulley and has an axis of rotation which is parallel to (but slightly offset from) the axis of rotation of the first pulley, and including a substantially horizontal conveyor which passes around the second pulley, the arrangement being such that the ribs on the ribbed conveyor disappear progressively below the upper surface of the horizontal conveyor.