Abstract: In apparatus for feeding blanks for hinged lid packets, the blanks are supported in a stack by two pairs of pivotal claws which operate alternately so that at any given time only one pair of opposed claws supports the stack. A plunger device, having a central and two tiltable outer sections, engages the lowermost blank by suction and bends down opposite ends of the blank through a small angle, thus progressively withdrawing the blank from the stack.In a modification one pair of claws is replaced by fixed ledges, and a fixed finger is associated with each pivotal claw.

Abstract: A wrapping machine for cigarette packets has a cyclic drive for cutting the wrappers and feeding them towards cigarette bundles to be wrapped. The drive, which may take the form of a cyclic gearbox having an eccentric gear, passes through a clutch which can be disengaged at the minimum drive speed, for example when a bundle is missing or the wrapper web is being spliced.

Abstract: Packet blanks are fed stepwise along an elongated blank bed by a succession of pawls reciprocating along the length of the bed. Mechanism is provided for lifting the pawls at the end of their working strokes, and for lowering them at the end of their return strokes. In the event that the blank feed is to be interrupted, the mechanism can keep the pawls lifted without stopping reciprocating movement of the pawls.

Abstract: Wrappers of metallic foil are formed around groups of articles to be packed, in a machine which comprises a cigarette hopper, a cigarette bundle conveyor, a metallic foil feeding assembly, a foil conveyor, a cigarette compression device, a foil folding and tucking unit, a bundle transfer unit and a bundle orientation and ejection unit.Bundles of cigarettes are fed from the hopper into pockets on the bundle conveyor from which they are removed two at a time, at spaced locations, and pushed into the compression device. A single web of metallic foil is supplied to the foil feeding assembly which produces pieces of foil consisting of two overlapped portions which are fed, in turn, to the foil conveyors. The bundles are removed from the compression device and the pieces of foil are formed around the bundles as they are conveyed through the foil folding and tucking unit.

Abstract: Reciprocating piston machine having a pair of spaced, parallel, double-ended cylinders straddling a crankshaft with a single crankpin. First and second double-ended pistons reciprocate within respective cylinders and are connected to crankshaft by T-shaped connecting member journalled on crosshead. Crosshead reciprocates on the crosshead guides positioned between and parallel to the cylinders. Connecting member has outer ends of piston connecting arms slidably and rotatably connected to pistons to accommodate changes in angle of connecting member, with outer end of crank connecting arm journalled on crankpin. Clearance openings extend between inner side walls of cylinder and crankcase to accept piston connecting arms, outer ends of openings serving as inlet ports. Exhaust ports are provided on generally opposite side of cylinder to inlet ports to permit efficient scavenging of spent charge.

Abstract: In a soft packet, particularly for filter-tipped cigarettes, the narrow sides are reinforced by panels, which may be joined together at the bottom to form a U-shaped frame. The longitudinal edges of the panels may be curved, or bent perpendicularly inwards. Various moisture-proof wrappers are disclosed for directly holding the panels about the cigarettes, some incorporating tear guiding strips to assist opening of the top of the packet.

Abstract: A hopper for a cigarette-packing machine has a number of vertical channels each accommodating a single column of cigarettes, with their axes horizontal. Plungers reciprocating across the lower ends of the channels remove a selected number of cigarettes from each channel during each forward stroke. During each return stroke of the plungers, vanes interdigitated with the plungers support the cigarettes in the channels above the plungers, said vanes lowering before the next forward stroke of the plungers to control descent of the cigarettes on to a base plate.To allow faster operation of the hopper without increasing the speed of vane lowering so that cigarette descent is not sufficiently controlled, the plungers are pivotally mounted to permit them to be downwardly inclined during their return stroke and then allow vane lowering to begin earlier in each operating cycle.

Abstract: A machine for packing cigarettes in which packets, having one open end, are made by successively wrapping an inner layer of foil and an outer layer of paper round a former, transferring the open ended packets into a pocket on a conveyor, and then inserting a batch of twenty cigarettes into each packet. A plurality of packet-making devices, and batch-forming devices are provided, the conveyor being so positioned that each pocket first passes all the packet-making devices in succession and then all the batch-forming devices in succession.

Abstract: A packing machine for cigarettes comprises a carton blank reservoir, a carton blank hopper, a blank feeding device, a blank transfer conveyor, a bundle drum, a packet forming drum, a packet stacking unit and a packet orientation unit.Carton blanks are removed one at a time from the hopper by a suction device and fed intermittently by the transfer conveyor to a position adjacent a pocket in the packet forming drum, the blank then being pushed into the pocket so as to partially form it into a carton. Whilst on the transfer conveyor adhesive is applied to certain parts of the blank and initial holding of the blank takes place.Foil wrapped bundles of cigarettes are pushed, two at a time, into pockets provided on the bundle drum and transferred one at a time into a partially formed carton contained in a pocket on the packet forming drum.

Abstract: A cigarette packet is closed at one end by an air impervious tube which is sealed flat, the resulting margin and triangulated ends being folded against the packet. In one packet the tube extends to both ends of the packet, which are sealed in the same manner; in a second packet the middle part of the tube is omitted and replaced by a tubular body of card and aluminium foil; and in a third packet one end is closed by a foil cap. The packets described may be used inside a conventional hinged lid packet.

Abstract: A packing machine for cigarettes comprises a number of rotatable drums which are driven intermittently. Carton blanks and foil-wrapped bundles of cigarettes are fed by separate transfer drums to a common wrapping drum, which has pockets into each of which is inserted first a blank and then a cigarette bundle. Partial folding of the blank occurs while it is on the blank transfer drum, further folding as it is inserted into a pocket of the wrapping drum, and yet further folding after insertion of the cigarette bundle. The blank is partially gummed before it reaches the blank transfer drum and further gumming is effected on a further drum to which the cigarette bundles with their (now folded) blanks are transferred from the wrapping drum.