Abstract: A filter-tipped cigarette having: a tobacco portion having an outer end and an inner end; a filter butt-connected to the inner end of the tobacco portion; a first sleeve wound about the tobacco portion and the filter to connect the filter permanently and non-detachably to the tobacco portion; a cap butt-connected to the outer end of the tobacco portion, at the opposite end from the filter, and removable to smoke the filter-tipped cigarette; and a second sleeve, which is wound about the cap and the tobacco portion, is integral with the cap, and is at least partly removable axially from the tobacco portion together with and to remove the cap.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for connecting smoking article components. Process includes feeding connecting sheets on a suction roller with a defined spacing, feeding the smoking article components on a grooved drum, and transferring portions of the connecting sheets to the smoking article components, such that the connecting sheets partially connect the smoking article components. 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 method and device for the production of filter tip bands for ventilated cigarettes, according to which a continuous strip is advanced along a pre-set feed path, an adhesive substance is applied to the strip using a gumming device, defining on the strip itself a periodic succession of gummed areas alternated with non-gummed areas and the strip is cut using a cutting device according to transversal lines at pre-set intervals defined by the gummed areas to produce the bands. A control device controls the timing between the gumming device and the cutting device. The timing is compared with a pre-set value and is corrected, using a correction device in order to eliminate any variation of the pre-set value.

Abstract: A device for laterally and axially transferring an orderly succession of smoking items, whereby each item is picked up at a first position by a gripping head on a carousel conveyor, and is fed by the carousel conveyor along a curved path into a respective seat on an intermediate roller shifted laterally by a given distance in relation to the first position, and which feeds the item to a second position substantially coaxial with, and shifted said given distance in relation to, the first position.

Abstract: A pneumatic filter transport system has a gate (18) in a section of conveying duct (2), which gate and is openable in response to signals indicating a filter rod jam in a receiver unit (15) connected to the duct. Once opened, the gate allows remaining filters in the duct to be directed to a dump (30): this reduces the risk of a receiver jam developing into a line jam (which is more difficult to clear). The gate may be provided in a curved section of duct just upstream of the receiver. The duct may incorporate a longitudinally-extending partition (60), which allows removal from the duct of loose material (e.g., carbon granules) which has become separated from the conveyed filters. The duct may have longitudinal slots (68) which allow conveying air to exhaust from the duct upstream of the receiver.

Abstract: The trailing end (5) of a strip of paper (8) which was wound on a first reel (3) is immobilized by means of suction devices (16, 17, 18) relative to a counterplate (19). The trailing end is severed by means of a cutter (29), the rear portion being discarded by blowing. The leading end of the new strip of paper (11) is then positioned between a punch (20) and the counterplate, immobilized by means of a suction device (18), and joined to the trailing end by interpenetration, brought about by the punch, of the material of two superposed joining areas.

Abstract: This invention relates to the machines for manufacturing filter-tip cigarettes by forming successive groups (S+2F+S) each formed by two aligned cigarettes (S) and one interposed double filter (2F), and by wrapping and glueing a covering strip (T) around the double filter (2F) and adjacent ends of the two cigarettes (S). The formation of the groups (S+2F+S) is carried out on a composition drum (1) whereon the double filters (2F) and the pairs of cigarettes (S) are held by suction. The application of the strip (T) may be carried out either on said composition drum (1) or on a successive assembling drum (6), and the strips are fed by a strip-carrying drum (7) whereon they are held by suction. In the absence of a component, e.g. a double filter (2F), in a group (S+2F+S), all the other components of the same group, i.e. the two cigarettes (S) and covering strip (T), are discarded automatically by affecting for this purpose only the suction exerted on the components to be discarded.

Abstract: A device for dividing a continuous web of wrapping material into successive single sections of the same length, particularly for dividing a web of wrapping material into successive single bands used in the manufacture of filter-tipped cigarettes. The device includes a rotary cutting roller with one or more angularly equispaced peripheral radial blades, the cutting edge of which is parallel to the axis of a shaft for driving in rotation the said cutting roller (1). The blade or blades are each secured to a bridge-shaped blade-carrying member which by elastic deformation is elastically yieldable in the radial direction and can be completely or partly made from the skirt of the cutting roller fastened to the roller or from a block added and secured to the skirt.

Abstract: An apparatus for making cigarettes from preformed rods of tobacco and precut sheets of cigarette paper comprises a rotatable fluted drum, a hopper for feeding the preformed rods to flutes in the drum, means for presenting to each rod when each flute reaches a predetermined position a precut sheet of cigarette paper that is provided along an edge with a strip of adhesive, and means for rolling the rod in the flute so that the cigarette paper is thereby wrapped round the rod and adheres to itself by means of the adhesive to form a cigarette.

Abstract: A filter assembly machine having an input roller with spaced peripheral seats for cigarette groups, each group being to coaxial cigarettes with a double filter therebetween; and a rolling unit for said groups; the rolling unit having first and second conveying apparatus for the groups, supply apparatus to supply each group with a connecting strip, and wrapping apparatus to wrap a strip about the double filter and the ends of the two cigarettes, the first conveying apparatus having spaced group supports cooperating with the input roller for successively receiving said groups from said input roller, and for advancing said groups along a first portion of a given route; the second conveying apparatus being a speed-change conveying apparatus which is substantially tangent with said first conveying apparatus, and cooperates with the group supports for successively receiving said groups from the first conveying apparatus, and feeding the groups at reduced speed along a second portion of said route, said second route

Abstract: A filter tipping machine wherein a drum-shaped conveyor whose peripheral flutes deliver groups of coaxial rod-shaped components of filter cigarettes and partially applied adhesive-coated uniting bands to a draping station where the uniting bands are rolled around the respective groups of components has a rolling block which is movable toward and away from the peripheral surface of the conveyor so as to roll the oncoming components ahead of the draping station to the extent which is necessary to dislodge the components and the uniting bands from the respective flutes. This enables the dislodged components to leave the conveyor by gravity and/or under the action of centrifugal force when it becomes necessary to clean the peripheral surface of the conveyor and/or other parts of the machine at the draping station.

Abstract: Filter cigarettes are produced by uniting tobacco sections (12, 122) and filter portions (21, 120) with a wrapper (28, 124) which carries a relatively thick circumferential bead (126) of adhesive or other filler material to provide an effective seal around the cigarette. The cigarettes may be assembled on parallel assembly lines (16, 18) supplied with tobacco sections from a common maker line (10) by a carrier conveyor (14) arranged to supply alternate sections to different assembly lines disposed at 90.degree. to the maker line.

Abstract: A method of applying metal foil embellishment to cigarette paper or tipping paper comprises pressing foil against tipping using a heated former of a configuration corresponding to that of the desired embellishment. The method, which is preferably carried out on a filter tip assembly machine, may result in a depression in the tipping, in which case it is advantageous for the tipping to comprise a thermoplastic material.

Abstract: In the production of filter cigarettes by a process in which the tobacco sections and filter portions are united while moving in an axial direction, the wrapper sections are resiliently pressed onto the abutting tobacco sections and filter portions, preferably by resilient pads. The pads are carried by a suction conveyor and their spacing may be adjusted by means for changing their timing or path length, to suit different lengths of tobacco sections and filter portions. The tobacco sections and filter portions may be assembled on a suction conveyor adapted to allow axial adjustment of the position of a conveyed article following slight lateral displacement of the article to reduce the suction grip of the conveyor.

Abstract: A variable dilution filter cigarette is provided which includes a substantially cylindrical tobacco rod, an axially aligned, substantially cylindrical wrapped filter plug, and tipping paper which circumscribes the filter plug and joins the filter plug to the tobacco rod. The filter plug has first and second ends, which are open to permit the passage of air and smoke. The plug wrap is substantially air-impermeable and is divided into a mouth-end band, a central band, and a rod-end band having a first opening. The first and third bands are attached to the filter. The tipping paper is also substantially air-impermeable, circumscribes the filter plug, and extends from the mouth end of the filter plug to a position on the tobacco rod adjacent the rod end of the filter plug. The tipping paper is divided into first and second bands, the first band extending from the mouth end of the filter plug to a position overlying the rod-end band.

Abstract: A cork knife cleaning apparatus for cigarette filter attaching machine in a cork paper cutting apparatus is provided. The apparatus has a rotating drum which has cork knives projecting from the circumference of the same, receiving drum arranged to work with the rotating drum whereby a continuous tape of cork paper applied with paste on one side is cut into a desired length by pressing a cork knife against the tape paper, and has a cork knife cleaning apparatus comprising rotating brushes to clean the blades of the cork knives, an oil injecting nozzle having a plurality of oil injecting ports over the entire width of the nozzle, an oil supply system connected to the oil injecting nozzle, and a compressed air supply system connected to the oil injecting system, whereby the rotating brushes are uniformly sprayed with atomized oil.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with the manufacture of double cigarette units each consisting of a double-length tobacco rod having filters secured to its opposite ends. Cutting in half of such double cigarette units to form separate filter cigarettes may be delayed until just prior to packing of the cigarettes, until which time the filters at the ends of the double cigarette units seal in the tobacco. The manufacture of double cigarette units according to this invention is an in-line process in which double tobacco rods and intervening double filters are joined by portions of tipping paper while moving axially so as to form a continuous rod which is then cut through the middle of the double filters to produce the desired double cigarette units.

Abstract: A device for attaching two axially aligned cigarette tobacco columns to an intermediately disposed double length rigid mouthpiece, hereinafter referred to as a cigarette group, by wrapping a sheet of tipping material around the double length rigid mouthpiece and a portion of each tobacco column adjacent to each end of the double length mouthpiece. The device comprises a stationary rolling block located in spaced relationship to the periphery of a cigarette group feed drum. The feed drum carries a plurality of cigarette groups at spaced apart intervals on its' periphery with a sheet of tipping material adhesively attached at the leading edge thereof to each of the cigarette groups.

Abstract: A device for applying filters to cigarettes, in which a conveyor roller, provided with a plurality of peripheral axial seats for respective groups constituted by at least one cigarette and a filter tip which are axially aligned, cooperates with a rolling device provided with a support member rotatable about a first axis and rotatably supporting in an eccentric position a support element carrying at least two rolling plates which are selectively mobile from and towards a rolling position in contact with the cigarette and filter groups to retain the cigarette and filter groups against the conveyor roller at a rolling station.

Abstract: A device for wrapping a glued junction band (T) around an axially arranged pair of cigarettes (S) with a double filter interposed therebetween, wherein the cigarettes and filters are aligned by terns on a rotary drum (1) comprising rolling sectors defined between peripheral gabled ridges (2) on the periphery of the drum.

Abstract: A running web of tipping paper in a filter tipping machine is attracted to the peripheral surface of a rotary suction conveyor constituting a counterknife for a set of equidistant knives which are radially movably mounted in axially parallel grooves of a rotary knife carrier. Each knife is adjustable radially of the carrier by a discrete first adjusting device, and all of the knives are adjustable simultaneously by a common adjusting device having a support movable axially of the carrier and mounting all of the first adjusting devices. Simultaneous radial adjustment of all of the knives by the common adjusting device is effected after certain periods of use and attendant wear upon the cutting edges of the knives.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a cutting head for a cigarette filter attachment machine, for cutting a filter attachment web at regular intervals in cooperation with a cutting drum, comprising a rotary member which carries one or more knives, an arrangement for urging the rotary member towards the cutting drum with a predetermined force, and a damping member arranged to resist movement of the rotary member towards the cutting drum, at least along part of the range of such movement. Each end of the rotary member is preferably supported by a separately movable carrier member, each carrier member having its own urging arrangement and its own damping member. The or each damping member may comprise a dashpot or a rubber pad or sleeve.

Abstract: A method is disclosed according to which a cylindrical object, such as a rod of smoke filter material, is pressed against a heated former element to form a permanent impression in one portion of the object as the former element and the object are simultaneously moved along a predetermined path. The object is then disengaged from the first former element, and pressed against a second heated former element to form a permanent impression in another portion thereof as the second former element and the object are moved along a second predetermined path, which may be an extension of the first, or not. Apparatus is disclosed, in one preferred embodiment of which the first and second former elements are disposed on the periphery of respective drums in such a manner that as the drums rotate in opposite directions, the object is transferred from the first to the second former element as the two former elements pass each other.

Abstract: Apparatus for selectively transferring cigarettes, uniting bands or other discrete articles from a first onto a second conveyor has a first suction generating device which communicates with suction ports in the periphery of the cylindrical rotor of the first conveyor while such ports advance along a first portion of a first endless path, and a discrete second suction generating device which can be activated to draw air from the ports in a second portion of the first path adjacent to a portion of a second endless path defined by the second conveyor. When the second suction generating device is activated, the articles which reach the second portion of the first path are not transferred onto the second conveyor. The second suction generating device can constitute an injector which can be activated or deactivated by a valve within a few milliseconds.

Abstract: The applicator roll is provided with two recesses to apply uniform layers of glue to a travelling stream of tipping paper. In addition, the applicator roll has a series of spaced apart grooves in each recess so as to apply additional stripes of glue onto the tipping paper near the edges. The additional stripes of glue provide for a more secure bonding of the tipping paper to the tobacco column of the filter cigarette construction.

Abstract: A device for applying filters to cigarettes by means of adhesive connection bands of a type comprising a peripherally grooved conveyor roller which transfers to a position, referred to as rolling position, units comprising two axially aligned cigarettes with the interposition of a filter section. At the rolling position an element, referred to as counter-rolling element, defines in combination with said conveyor roller a passage at which said bands are rolled up about the units. By means of a cutting device cooperating with said conveyor roller, the bands are provided by a paper web fed from a reel.After receiving adhesive on one face by a gluing device and before reaching the conveyor roller, said web skirts the surface of a heated rotating roller which causes the partial evaporation of the solvent in the adhesive.

Abstract: Filter-tipped cigarettes, cigars and similar smoking products which employ self-supporting non-wrapped fibrous filters are disclosed wherein the tobacco-containing portions are attached to the fibrous filters by tipping paper that is coated in a specified manner with a hot-melt adhesive.

Abstract: A device for fitting filters to cigarettes by glued joining bands, in which a peripherally grooved carrier roller transfers groups composed of two cigarettes aligned axially with a filter to a rolling position where a counter-rolling element defines, through one of its fixed counter-rolling surfaces and in combination with the cylindrical surface of the carrier roller, a passage in the region of which rolling of the bands around the groups occurs.The counter-rolling element is provided with at least two counter-rolling surfaces which, in turn, can be carried into the rolling position with the surface momentarily not in use for rolling cigarettes being cleaned, the cleaning taking place without disrupting cigarette production.

Abstract: Filter cigarettes which are produced in a filter tipping machine are conveyed past several successive testing devices, each of which monitors different characteristics of the cigarettes, thereupon past a cigarette removing device, past a segregating device and on to a conveyor for transport of satisfactory cigarettes to a packing machine or into storage. When any one of the testing devices detects a defective or presumably defective cigarette, it generates a defect signal which is transported to the segregating device for expulsion of the respective cigarette from the path which leads to the conveyor. If the operator wishes, the defective or presumably defective cigarettes which are detected by a selected testing device can be conveyed only to and expelled by the removing device in response to the corresponding defect signals so that the removed cigarettes can be examined for the purpose of ascertaining the quality of testing operation which is carried out by the selected testing device.

Abstract: In a cigarette tipping machine an apparatus for monitoring the size and position of cork patches (12) comprises a rotary knife (13) which cooperates with the surface of a rotary drum (11) to cut a strip (10) of material into a series of spaced patches (12). At the instant of cut a generator (15) produces a reference signal and when the leading edge of a patch passes an optical detecting head (14) a patch signal is produced. The reference and patch signals are processed in a circuit (16) and a fault signal is produced if the delay between the two pulses is outside an acceptable range.

Abstract: A cutting head for a cigarette filter attachment machine, for cutting a filter attachment web at regular intervals in cooperation with a cutting drum comprising a rotary member which carries one or more knives and is mounted on a movable carrier so as to be movable towards and away from the cutting drum, and including a fluid-powered actuator which is arranged to urge the cutting head towards the cutting drum.

Abstract: The air dilution filter of the cigarette is provided with an annular zone in the plug wrap paper which enables air to pass directly into the fibrous body of the filter material after passing through apertures in the tipping paper.The annular zone can be comprised of a groove which is fabricated by a pair of rotating knives and a rotatable spacer with radial cutting edges which rout out material from each filter plug during conveyance of the plug on an alignment drum of a cigarette making machine. Alternatively, a plurality of closely spaced rotating knives which cut through the plug wrap paper only may be used to form a series of closely spaced annular grooves or slits in the filter periphery.

Abstract: One side of the web which is subdivided into uniting bands in a filter tipping machine is coated with a water-containing adhesive. A certain percentage of water is expelled from the adhesive prior to application of uniting bands to groups of coaxial plain cigarettes and filter plugs by a heating device whose heating action upon the adhesive on the web and/or uniting bands is regulatable in dependency on the speed of transport of the adhesive-coated web and/or uniting bands toward the location of attachment of uniting bands to the respective groups.

Abstract: A smoke-filter rod comprises a body of rod form consisting or having as at least major constituent a thermoplastics cellulose acetate or polypropylene smoke-filtration material, preferably of a fibrous or filamentary nature, and wrapped in a plugwrap comprising at least 50%, suitably at least 90%, by weight of fibres or filaments of, respectively, cellulose acetate or polypropylene material of substantially the same chemical identity as said major constituent of the filtration material, said plugwrap being bonded to said body and having a permeability for air of not less than 10,000 Coresta units. The bonding is by an agent which is a bonding agent for the material of said plugwrap and said filtration material, suitably triacetin in the case of cellulose acetate. Portions of such filter rod can be subjected to a hot-shaping process.

Abstract: A rod-form body of smoke filtration material, preferably fibrous or filamentary, is wrapped in a fibrous or filamentary plugwrap comprising at least 50% by weight of fibres or filaments of thermoplastics material. The plugwrap may have premeability for air of not less than 10,000 Coresta units. The majority, suitably at least 80% by weight, of the material of the rod-form body is a material other than the said themoplastics material of the plugwrap. Thus the smoke-filtration material may comprise crimped polypropylene tow and the plugwrap be composed substantially wholly of fibrous cellulose acetate or conversely. Portions of such filter rod may be subjected to a hot-shaping process to provide grooved filter elements.

Abstract: Filter-tipped cigarettes, cigars and similar smoking products which employ self-supporting non-wrapped fibrous filters are disclosed wherein the tobacco-containing portions are attached to the fibrous filters by tipping paper that is coated in a specified manner with a hot-melt adhesive.

Abstract: Discrete uniting bands which are used in a filter tipping machine to connect filter plugs with plain cigarettes consist of foraminous material, and the permeability of such material is varied, when necessary, by changing the quantity of adhesive which is applied to the uniting bands prior to convolution around the respective plain cigarettes and filter plugs. This ensures that each convoluted uniting band admits a preselected quantity of cool atmospheric air into the column of tobacco smoke when the respective filter cigarette is lighted. The paster which applies adhesive to a continuous web which is about to be subdivided into uniting bands is adjusted in response to signals which are generated by a testing device for the wrappers of filter cigarettes and denote the permeability of wrappers of successive filter cigarettes. If the permeability is too high, the paster is adjusted by reducing or increasing the quantity of adhesive which is applied to successive unit areas or unit lengths of the running web.