Abstract: A device includes a medical instrument mounting structure; a base; and a gearless longitudinal translation device connected to and enabling longitudinal movement of the medical instrument mounting structure with respect to the base. The gearless longitudinal translation device includes: a first friction wheel having at least a first beveled side surface, and a second friction wheel having at least a second beveled surface; a first linear rod disposed between the first and second friction wheels and in contact with the first and second beveled surfaces; and a control mechanism attached to the first and second friction wheels for rotating the first and second friction wheels. Rotation of the first and second friction wheels causes a longitudinal displacement of the first linear rod with respect to the first and second friction wheels, which in turn causes the medical instrument mounting structure to be longitudinally displaced with respect to the base.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing inductively heatable aerosol-forming rods (100). The method comprises the steps of supplying a continuous susceptor profile (20) to a continuous rod-forming process such as to enter and pass the rod-forming process along a center axis (80) of the rod-forming process, supplying a continuous substrate web (30) comprising an aerosol-forming substrate to the continuous rod-forming process such as to enter the rod-forming process laterally to the susceptor profile and passing the substrate web and the susceptor profile through the rod-forming process, thereby gathering the substrate web into a rod shape around the susceptor profile substantially coaxially to the center axis. The invention further relates to an apparatus (1) for manufacturing inductively heatable aerosol-forming rods (100).

Abstract: The method for supplying a continuous sheet of aerosol-forming substrate (10) from a bobbin (1) comprises providing a bobbin (1) of continuous sheet of aerosol-forming substrate (10) and unwinding the continuous sheet of aerosol-forming substrate (10) from a center (11) of the bobbin (1). Preferably, rotational movement of the bobbin (1) is prevented during unwinding of the continuous sheet of aerosol-forming substrate (10).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of wrapping smoking article rods with a wrapper. A bobbin comprising a wound web (8) and individual spaced wrappers (2) is provided. The wrappers (2) each have a longitudinal axis (Lw) and are arranged side by side on the web (8). The bobbin is unwound, and an unwound section of the web (8) is guided across a support, preferably a support plate, wherein the wrappers (2) on that section of the web (8) are exposed. Individual smoking article rods (1), which have their longitudinal axes (Lr) generally arranged in parallel, are fed towards the support under an oblique angle (?) between the longitudinal axes (Lr, Lw) of the smoking article rods (1) and of the wrappers (2). Each smoking article rod (1) is rolled over one of the wrappers (2), wherein that wrapper (2) is taken up by that smoking article rod (1) and helically wound about that smoking article rod (1).

Abstract: A finished tobacco product is formed by an inner shell and attached outer pre-rolled sheet where the inner shell has a means to open an interior volume to add selected tobacco filler material.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at various apparatus, systems and methods for forming a sealed concentric or sealed concentric hollow core tobacco rod. The methods of the invention at least comprise passing a trimmed column of metered tobacco and paper between a tongue and garniture to form a concentric shaped tobacco rod or tobacco rod with an inner hollow core; maintaining the concentric shape; and outputting a sealed concentric tobacco rod or a concentric hollow tobacco rod.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for operating a machine of the tobacco processing industry. The process includes guiding at least one wrapper strip along a conveyor path from a wrapping strip supply to a garniture device, and fixing the at least one wrapper strip in at least one preset position along the conveyor path The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: A device for rolling wrappers onto cigar bodies, includes a lower roll unit (10) with a first pair of parallel rolls (14, 16) lying in a horizontal plane and rotatable in the same direction about their own axes for supporting contact with a lower half of a cigar body when a wrapper is rolled thereon. The rolls are mounted in a holder (22) at either end of the rolls. An upper roll unit (12) has two parallel rolls (46, 48) rotatable in the same direction about their own axes, and which, when the wrapper is rolled on, are disposed in a horizontal plane above and parallel to the rolls in the lower roll unit (10) in counteracting contact against an upper half of a cigar body. The lower roll unit (10) includes at least two additional rolls (18, 20), which are mounted in the same holders (22) as the first pair of rolls (14, 16) in the lower roll unit, and rotatable about their own axes in the same direction as the first pair. The holders (22) are rotatable about their central axis in 90.degree.

Abstract: A machine and method for continuously applying wrappers to a stream of bound cigar bunches.

Abstract: Apparatus for wrapping cigar bunches has a first conveyor consisting of two endless belts having filler-engaging stretches which cross each other in space and move a single file of bunches lengthwise while simultaneously rotating the bunches about their axes. One of the stretches feeds an adhesive-coated web which is convoluted around successive bunches to form a tube consisting of partially overlapping helices. The tensile strength of the tube is reduced between successive wrapped bunches by a row of needles mounted on an endless toothed belt or drum which makes with the path of the tube a first angle equal to the angle between the plane of one belt of the first conveyor and the axis of the tube. The row of needles on the toothed belt or drum makes with the plane of the toothed belt or drum a second angle which equals 90.degree. minus the first angle.