Abstract: The tongue includes a shaft, the shaft being hollow. The shaft includes a first end and a second end, the first end defining a first opening with a first radius of curvature, and the second end defining a second opening with a second radius of curvature. The first radius of curvature is larger than the second radius of curvature. The shaft defines at least one injection port that traverses through an inner surface of the shaft. A first plate is connected to the shaft. The first plate includes an engaging structure configured to mount the tongue onto a lower plate and align the shaft with a groove defined by the lower plate. The rod forming apparatus includes the tongue. The method installs the tongue onto the rod forming apparatus.

Abstract: This invention relates to a material application system for applying material to a wrapper. The material application system comprises a material applicator means and an electronic application control means. Also provided is a rod making machine comprising a rod making section and the material application system. The invention also provides a method of applying material to a wrapper used in the tobacco industry comprising supplying a wrapper and applying a material to the wrapper using a material applicator and an electronic applicator control means therefore, which electronic applicator control means ensures accurate location of material application in an electronically adjustable variable manner.

Abstract: A cigarette-making machine of the tobacco-injecting type is provided that includes a tamper-holding mechanism. In one aspect, the tamper-holding mechanism provides for positively holding the tamper in its fully-retracted position. The tamper-holding mechanism includes a tamper-engaging member with a tamper-engaging portion and a bias. The side of the tamper includes a shoulder or projection that releasably interference couples with the tamper-engaging portion. In a first embodiment, the tamper-holding mechanism includes a tamper-engaging portion with a generally triangular-shaped body having a vertex that is urged against the side to releasably interference couple with the shoulder or projection on the side of the tamper. In another embodiment, the tamper-holding mechanism includes a tamper-engaging portion with a generally pentagonal-shaped body which is retained by a generally square U-shaped or C-shaped retaining portion that biases a vertex of the tamper-engaging portion to contact the side of the tamper.

Abstract: A forming device applied to a cigarette manufacturing machine causes a garniture tape 10 to travel through a wrapping section 8, and meanwhile wraps a shredded tobacco layer T in wrapping paper P to form continuously a cigarette rod R. The tape 10 is guided to travel by a forming guide 18 in the wrapping section 8, and is simultaneously bent to have a cross section of an arc that is downward convex. On the other hand, the travel of the tape 10 is guided by a pair of guide rollers 24 in upstream and downstream sides of the wrapping section 8, and the tape 10 is bent to have a cross section of an arc that is upward convex by guide surfaces of the rollers 24. Thus, difference of travel length, that is generated between both side edges and the central part of the tape 10 in the wrapping section 8, is offset by the guide rollers 24.

Abstract: The invention relates to a do-it-yourself cigarette maker and its component assemblies, such as, a conveying device for cigarettes or tubes fitted with a lifting device, a device for shaping a tobacco rod fitted with a plucking roller, a tobacco rod conveyor fitted with a spring tappet, and a tube-aligning device with a narrowable slit for introducing the tube.