Abstract: A conveyor system including a rack having a first level with an input conveyor being moveable with respect to the rack in a first direction of travel, a first storage conveyor being moveable with respect to the rack in a second direction of travel, a second storage conveyor being moveable with respect to the rack in a third direction of travel, and a cross transfer assembly being movable with respect to the input conveyor in both the second direction of travel and the third direction of travel so that the cross transfer assembly moves the object from the input conveyor onto one of the first storage conveyor and the second storage conveyor. The second direction of travel and the third direction of travel are transverse to the first direction of travel.

Abstract: The method of control consists in altering the flow path by means of swing and/or slide shiftable movable elements, constituting a fragment of the opposite side walls of an angularly positioned channel, which after shifting stop the flow of rod-shaped articles with the possibility of restoring the flow after shifting the movable elements to previous position. The device is situated in the channel, the first side wall of which is provided with a first movable element, and a fragment of the opposite second side wall forms a second movable element, with the first movable element being mounted on a pivot together with a perpendicular plate, on which also the second movable element by means of an actuator is mounted. The second element has the shape of a cylinder sector. Below the movable elements, and above the horizontal conveyor, is situated a shutoff element.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes an autonomous rover and a multilevel rack structure. The multilevel rack structure includes columns connected by rail beams transversely spanning between the columns. The rail beams define storage and transport levels and provide riding surfaces for the autonomous rover. The rail beams include integral fatigue resistant rover location apertures.

Abstract: A method and device for handling packs or similar unit loads in a packaging plant where packs exiting from a packaging machine are distributed and in the process optionally rotated and palletized in a palletizer, wherein distribution, rotation and palletizing are performed essentially continuously and directly consecutively from the packaging machine to the palletizer.

Abstract: A workpiece supplying apparatus includes a plurality of carriers, a carrier case, a first gear pair, a guide, and a second gear pair. Each carrier includes a base and a plurality of holding portions, which project from a surface of the base. The holding portions are arranged in a one-dimensional manner and each hold workpieces. The carrier case accommodates the carriers. The first gear pair draws out each carrier from the carrier case toward a workpiece unloading position along a drawing direction. The guide guides the carrier drawn out by the first gear pair in a direction that differs from the drawing direction while bending the carrier so that its rear surface is located at an inner side. The second gear pair collects the carrier guided by the guide.

Abstract: A slide glass storage device including: a supply tray which has a supply holding space determined by a longer edge upper limit allowed for a longer edge of a slide glass and a shorter edge upper limit allowed for a shorter edge of the slide glass and on which a slide glass to be supplied to a treatment unit operable to perform a predetermined treatment is mounted; a discharge tray which has a discharge holding space determined by a longer edge longer than the longer edge upper limit and a shorter edge longer than the shorter edge upper limit and on which a slide glass having been subjected to the treatment in the treatment unit and being to be discharged is mounted; and a support unit supporting the supply tray and the discharge tray.

Abstract: A module conveying device including a main conveying mechanism conveying products in a main conveying direction between an input location and an output location of the main conveying mechanism. The output location can be swiveled between two vertically arranged first transfer positions. A transverse mechanism accepts the conveyed products that likewise includes an input location and an output location, which input location is positioned in one of the two first transfer positions and the output location of the transverse conveying mechanism is positioned in a second transfer position. The output location of the main conveying mechanism can be swiveled between at least one additional first transfer position and the two first transfer positions. Each additional first transfer position is positioned in the event of one input location of an additional transverse conveying mechanism.

Abstract: An automatic conveyor shutoff system for a farm implement, such as a grain cart or seed tender, includes a conveying device and a storage bin. The conveying device is configured to convey material into or from the storage bin. A weighing device measures the weight of the storage bin and outputs a signal representing the weight to a controller. The controller is configured to disable the conveying device when the weight reaches a preset limit.

Abstract: A buffer means (1) and a method for buffering containers (2), in particular in a container handling apparatus, like for example bottles in a bottle filling apparatus, is described. The buffer means (1) comprises at least a first conveyor track (31). Furthermore at least a second conveyor track (32) is provided, which is drivable along a second transport direction (TR2). The first conveyor track (31) and the second conveyor track (32) are parallel to each other and form a buffer module (30). A transfer device (36) transfers the containers (2) from an infeed conveyor track (31E) onto an outlet conveyor track (32A) of the buffer module (30). By means of a sliding device the required buffer capacity of the buffer means (1) can be set. Between the infeed conveyor track (31E) and the outlet conveyor track (32A) of a buffer module (30) at least two further drivable transfer conveyors (31, 32) are provided. Thus a closed surface of the buffer module (30) is created.

Abstract: A buffer conveyor for conveying and buffering products, comprising at least a first elongated conveyor (7), which can be driven in a first direction, a second elongated conveyor (8), which can be driven in a second, opposite direction, and a transfer unit (12) having an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein a transfer element of the transfer unit describes a path between the inlet end and the outlet end which makes at most a small angle with the horizontal and which extends outside the area defined by the adjacent paths of the first and the second conveyor.

Abstract: An angular channel (6) is disposed between principally horizontal, upper (2) and lower (7, 71) conveyors, whereas along one side wall (9) of the channel (6) is disposed a guide (14) to which a first rotatable valve element (10) is slidably mounted. At the outlet of the channel (6), at the other, opposite side wall (19), is stationary mounted together with a pneumatic actuator (22), a second rotatable valve element (20) which chronologically works together with the first element (10), whereas the first element (10) is attached to the guide (14) by means of a slider (13). The first valve element (10) has three operating positions, whereas in the first position it is set principally horizontally at the inlet of the channel (6), and in the second position it is set slantwise, preferably at an angle of 45°, at the outlet of the channel (6), and in the third position it is set principally horizontally next to the channel (6).

Abstract: A device for unloading compartment trays holding rod shaped elements, for use in the tobacco industry, is disclosed. The device includes an inlet conveyor for full trays, an unloading conveyor for unloading rod shaped elements into a throat, a conveyor for out-feeding stacks of rod shaped elements that have been unloaded into the throat, and an outlet conveyor for empty trays. A linear transporter for the trays has a gripping unit that grips the full trays and moves the full trays for unloading into the throat, and a second gripping unit that grips the empty trays and moves the empty trays for cleaning in a cleaning mechanism.

Abstract: A shipping bay arrangement (1), preferably in an order-picking installation, for accepting and delivering containers (2), with ramps (3) which are arranged next to one another and one above the other, the outlets (A) of which can be reached manually by an operator and on the filling side of which, feeding and filling devices are arranged, wherein the ramps arranged next to one another respectively form a rack level (I, II, III, IV, V) of the shipping rack. A container feeding section (4) leads to a lift (5) of the shipping rack. The lift (5) transports a fed container (2) to a selected rack level, wherein a dedicated rail-guided level conveyor device (6) is provided at each rack level, and receives the fed container (2). The level conveyor device (6) can be made to move transversely in relation to the inlets (E) of the ramps (3) for transporting the fed container (2) to a selected ramp, and for filling the selected ramp with the fed container.

Abstract: A device for buffering molded parts in a beverage filling plant, and in one embodiment, for buffering container closures in a beverage filling plant, is described. The device has an intake and an outlet, between which a buffer surface for buffering the molded parts is disposed. The buffer surface is rotatably disposed.

Abstract: There is provided devices for supplying molded parts in a beverage filling plant. An exemplary device may include a circulating conveyor chain for conveying the molded parts, wherein the circular conveyor chain forms a helical conveying track between an intake area and a discharge area, and a buffer for buffering the molded parts, wherein the buffer is disposed at the intake area or at the discharge area. The buffer may include a buffer base are within the helical conveying track for buffering the molded part. Another exemplary device may include a circulating conveyor chain for conveying the molded parts, wherein the circular conveyor chain forms a helical conveying track between an intake area and a discharge area, and wherein the helical conveying track extends around a space which is free of machine parts. The space may be formed to allow for an assembly space or manhole through the device.

Abstract: A conveyor for conveying products comprises at least a drivable helically-shaped inner track conveyor member and a drivable helically-shaped outer track conveyor member. The outer track conveyor member surrounds the inner track conveyor member. The pitches of the inner track conveyor member and the outer track conveyor member are different.

Abstract: A packaging system and associated method for use with a pharmaceutical dispenser provides a turnkey solution for packaging pharmaceutical products such as solid medications and nutritional supplements to be taken orally in health care settings, including but not limited to long term care (LTC) and assisted living settings. An overall pharmacy system and methodology begins with bulk medications and supplements introduced into the work flow, individually packaged and assembled into medpass orders per patient and delivered to the LTC facility or other institution for patient consumption. The process begins by converting bulk medications and supplements to packaged unit doses and ultimately individually packaged medpass bags for each patient on a 24-hour schedule. The design of the overall system and its individual components allows for physical control of each unit dose package from start to finish without any unit dose package “free fall” in the system.

Abstract: A buffer store for storing containers having a container axis has rotor that can be driven to rotate about a vertical machine axis. The rotor includes storing units distributed around the machine axis. Each one forms a storage region extending extends along an axial direction thereof in the rotor's longitudinal direction to accommodate containers in a storage position. Each container is oriented with its axis in either square or radial to the machine axis. A transport system introduces containers into and causes them to issue from the storage regions. The transport system swivels a container into storage position upon introduction of the container from a normal container position in which its container axis extends in a vertical direction. It also swivels a container out of storage position and into the normal position as the container is issued from a storage region.

Abstract: Provided is a storage device for a mail-handling machine. The storage device includes a mailpiece-receiving deck along a longitudinal edge of which a referencing wall extends, and through which a conveyor belt passes for the purpose of conveying mailpieces along the referencing wall from an inlet of the device towards a sloping surface against which the mailpieces accumulate, and a skid-forming part that is supported by a structure secured to the storage device and that comes to press against said stack of mailpieces substantially over the entire length of said stack, so as to jog the top of the stack.

Abstract: A tubular food product launching system and method for interacting with a product loading head is disclosed. The system includes a pick belt, positioned alongside product carrying intermediate belts. The pick belt supplies additional product to a product inspector or vision equipped robot cell to replace defective or missing product observed on the intermediate belt(s) with replacement product from the pick belt. The overall system speed, and pick belt speed, can be adjusted to accommodate varying product post-launcher fill-rates in accord with the nature of the product and the abilities and speed of the robot cell and/or product inspector, so as to reliably assure 100% final fill-rate as product is fed to the loading head.

Abstract: A process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles by polymerizing an aqueous monomer solution in a kneader having at least two shafts in axially parallel rotation, wherein the reaction mixture is transported in axial direction and the region at the start of the kneader is trace-heated.

Abstract: A device for transporting objects having a first conveyor and a second conveyor which are guided via a coiled or spiraling conveyor line at least regionally parallel and at a horizontal distance to one another. The device contains a transfer unit, which can be moved in the gap between the conveyors with the aid of a travel drive, for transferring objects between the first and the second conveyor. The transfer unit supports a third conveyor, which can be driven via a conveyor drive independently of the first and second conveyors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for sorting or retrieving items to/from a plurality of destinations areas. The items are loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles follow a track that guides the delivery vehicles to/from the destination areas, which are positioned along the track. Once at the appropriate destination area, an item is transferred between the delivery vehicle and the destination area.

Abstract: A buffer assembly is configured to buffer a stream of articles moving along a conveyor. The buffer assembly is interposed in said conveyor. The buffer assembly comprises a horizontal in-feed accumulator that is configured to receive the stream of articles from said conveyor, and a horizontal mass storage accumulator connected to an output of the horizontal in-feed accumulator for receiving said stream of articles therefrom. Each of the horizontal in-feed accumulator and the horizontal mass storage accumulator are configured to buffer said stream of articles. The buffer assembly also comprises a horizontal out-feed accumulator connected to the output of the horizontal mass storage accumulator that is configured to buffer the stream of articles. The in-feed buffering the articles prevents product compression and the buffering of the out-feed articles prevents the formation of gaps between product articles.

Abstract: A conveyor system having at least one variable capacity storage for a bottle treatment machine at least two guides running laterally adjacent and at least one transfer guide are provided for a bottle carrier chain of curve-going coupled bottle carriers, with runs of the bottle carrier chain being transferable from one guide to the adjacent guide via the transfer guide are drivable along the guides. Each of the guides comprises at least one continuous tension member drivable by at least one conveyor drive of the conveyor system, and a respective run of the bottle carrier chain is arranged a certain distance along a tension member, guided there by the tension member and by means of automatically releasable and engageable positive fit and / or magnetically engaging couplings in the area of the transfer guide is driven by the tension member.

Abstract: A method and device for handling flat objects, in particular flat folded diapers (10), which are fed to a conveyor with receptacles for each object or for each diaper (10) by way of a feeder (13, 14), in particular to a compartment conveyor (17) comprising separation struts (22) which are arranged so as to protrude radially from a continuous conveyor (21) in order to form compartments (23) for each object. Provision is made for the speed (v) at which the objects are transported on the feeder (13, 14) to be reduced for handover of the objects to the conveyor. The device includes a database in which respective data records containing transport speeds (vx) for a control unit (34) being filed for different objects and/or objects of different size, the speed of the feeders (13, 14) being regulated by the control unit (34) in accordance with the transport speed (v) pertaining to the respective object.

Abstract: A planar table for accumulating items for conveying equipment, including: two parallel planar inlet and outlet conveyors that are driven in opposite directions so as to longitudinally move the items. The planar conveyors form an item transit area that has a variable receiving surface, and a diverting member for transferring the items, arranged on the inlet conveyor, to the outlet conveyor. The diverting member is shaped as a curved wall arranged on a longitudinally movable carriage. The wall extends substantially over the entire width of the inlet conveyor, between a side chute and a structure arranged between the two conveyors and on which the carriage is attached. There is an area for feeding items onto the outlet conveyor, the feeding area is arranged outside said transit area.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first operating machine arranged for processing objects, a second operating machine positioned downstream of the first operating machine and arranged for further processing the objects, an accumulating arrangement interposed between the first operating machine and the second operating machine and arranged for receiving the objects, and a command and control arrangement arranged for detecting a parameter indicating the quantity of the objects contained in the accumulating arrangement and regulating the operation of the second operating machine on the basis of the parameter. A method includes dispensing synthetic plastics in a pasty state, compression-moulding the plastics to obtain a perform, blowing the perform to obtain a container, and filling the container with a product. Each step maintains its own regulated temperature so that the dispensing temperature is greater than the blowing temperature and the blowing temperature is greater than the filling temperature.

Abstract: A process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles, wherein an aqueous polymer gel is dried in a forced-air belt drier on a circulating conveyor belt and the surface of the conveyor belt has a multitude of elevations or depressions which are suitable for restricting the mobility of the aqueous polymer gel in transverse direction.

Abstract: Systems, computer program products, and methods useful for handling or managing microplates are provided.

Abstract: A tubular food product launching system and method for interacting with a product loading head is disclosed. The system includes a pick belt, positioned alongside product carrying intermediate belts. The pick belt supplies additional product to a product inspector or vision equipped robot cell to replace defective or missing product observed on the intermediate belt(s) with replacement product from the pick belt. The overall system speed, and pick belt speed, can be adjusted to accommodate varying product post-launcher fill-rates in accord with the nature of the product and the abilities and speed of the robot cell and/or product inspector, so as to reliably assure 100% final fill-rate as product is fed to the loading head.

Abstract: A conveyor system having at least one variable capacity storage for a bottle treatment machine, at least two guides running laterally adjacent and at least one transfer guide are provided for a bottle carrier chain of curve-going coupled bottle carriers, with runs of the bottle carrier chain being transferable from one guide to the adjacent guide via the transfer guide are drivable along the guides. Each of the guides comprises at least one tension member drivable by at least one conveyor drive of the conveyor system, and a respective run of the automatically guided bottle carrier chain is arranged a certain distance along a tension member, separated there from the tension member by an air gap and is driven and guided by the respective tension member by a plurality of magnetic couplings which in the area of the transfer guide are automatically releasable and engageable.

Abstract: The device for transferring items to a transport system or to a storage unit has a feed unit for conveying a plurality of items in three parallel feeding lines. Further, is has a transfer station for receiving the items from the feed unit and for transferring the items to the transport system or to the storage device. The transfer station includes three temporary storage lines arranged in parallel. The items are provided by the feed unit in a manner that the items in each of the temporary storage lines are arranged offset from the items in the other temporary storage lines with respect to a first direction. A pusher in the transfer station pushes the items in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to a single temporary storage line.

Abstract: A log accumulator comprising a plurality of buckets, a feed arrangement and a transport system and methods are provided. The feed arrangement loads logs onto the buckets. The transport system transports the buckets past the feed arrangement for loading of the buckets. The transport system and the feed arrangement are configured to maintain the feed arrangement in a fixed relative position with one of the buckets for an extended period of time while the feed arrangement loads the one of the buckets. The accumulator may include an unload arrangement that operates to unload logs in substantially the same manner as the feed arrangement.

Abstract: A device having a variable-capacity store (3) formed with the aid of conveyors on two neighboring levels having one input channel (1), formed by a lower conveyor (4) and an upper conveyor (5), and one output channel (2), formed by an upper conveyor (6) and a lower conveyor (7), having a back plate (12), which is coupled with a slide (16) separating the levels of the store (3), equipped with a separating conveyor (17) so that they jointly effect to and fro motion, parallel to the horizontal conveyors, with the surface of the back plate (12), concave on the side of the store (3), is formed a the chain conveyor (13), characterized by the fact that the upper input conveyor (5) has at the end an arched part (8) pointing upwards, and the lower output conveyor (7) has at the beginning an arched part (9) pointing downwards, so that the two conveyors (5 and 7) approach each other with the arched parts (8 and 9).

Abstract: A process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles, wherein heated water-absorbing polymer particles are remoisturized and cooled in a high-speed mixer.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming piece goods batches, comprising a first transport device which transports the piece goods along a predefined transport path at a first transport speed, a second transport device which transports the piece goods along the predefined transport path at a second transport speed and which is arranged downstream of the first transport device along the transport path, and an assembling device which is arranged downstream of the second transport device along the transport path and forms batches from a plurality of piece goods. The apparatus may further comprise a buffer device which transports the piece goods along a variable buffer section and which is arranged between the first transport device and the second transport device, wherein the first transport speed and the second transport speed differ at least at times and the buffer device at least at times receives the piece goods streams brought about as a result of different speeds.

Abstract: An adjustable reservoir for articles such as smoking articles and smoking article filters comprises a plurality of conveyors mounted one above another in a vertical stack, each conveyor comprising an endless belt defining a curved conveying path of constant radius extending between two ends proximally spaced to define a gap through which articles carried by the belt may drop, and a drive mechanism operable to rotate at least one conveyor about the vertical axis of the stack so as to change the angular position of the gap of that conveyor relative to the gaps of adjacent conveyors. Changing the relative angular positions of the gaps allows the capacity of the reservoir to be adjusted, and further adjustment can be achieved by changing the direction of travel of the conveyor belts. The drive mechanism can be configured to move one or more groups of conveyors in unison, or to move each conveyor individually.

Abstract: A receiving and transferring station (1) for coverslipped specimen slides (2, 2?, 2?) comprises at least one vertically upright magazine frame (5), open toward the receiving side, for at least one specimen slide magazine (4) having horizontally oriented compartments (6), and a rotation apparatus, connected to the magazine frame (5) and having a vertically upright rotation axis, for conveying the magazine frame (5) from a receiving position (3) into a transferring position (8).

Abstract: A vertical storage rack system includes a vertically moveable transport conveyor and one or more vertical feed conveyors that vertically extend between the various rack levels so that items can be loaded and/or unloaded at any of the levels without the need for the vertically moveable transport to return to a loading/unloading level. This vertical rack system can be used to load and unload items from the racks as well as rearrange items in the racks. This system and technique allows items to be continuously moved in a vertical direction as well as sorts or merges the items at high speeds. In other words, this arrangement minimizes the vertical positioning of the vertically moveable transport conveyor, such as a cross-belt conveyor, before it can discharge (and/or load) items, thereby improving throughput.

Abstract: A sorting device having at least one control unit for sorting mixtures of individual elements in sorting units according to at least one characterizing feature of the individual elements and having at least one conveyor belt. The sorting device comprises at least one buffer unit having at least two displaceable storage elements for intermediate storage of individual elements.

Abstract: A buffer store for storing containers having a container axis has rotor that can be driven to rotate about a vertical machine axis. The rotor includes storing units distributed around the machine axis. Each one forms a storage region extending extends along an axial direction thereof in the rotor's longitudinal direction to accommodate containers in a storage position. Each container is oriented with its axis in either square or radial to the machine axis. A transport system introduces containers into and causes them to issue from the storage regions. The transport system swivels a container into storage position upon introduction of the container from a normal container position in which its container axis extends in a vertical direction. It also swivels a container out of storage position and into the normal position as the container is issued from a storage region.

Abstract: A storage device for a filling line for intermediately storing runners that are configured to accommodate containers includes a buffer stream configured to receive the runners with a variable intermediate storage capacity of the runners. An introduction device is configured to introduce the runners, independently of each other, from a storage area into the buffer stream.

Abstract: A movement device having an endless belt with a working portion defined in a substantially horizontal working plane and a reserve portion defined in a reserve plane optionally coinciding with said working plane; a first guide wheel linearly moveable in said working plane and guiding the endless belt; a second guide wheel linearly moveable in said reserve plane and guiding the endless belt; two deflector members for deflecting the endless belt from the working plane to the reserve plane; drive mechanism for driving the endless belt; and movement mechanism for synchronously moving the two guide wheels in such a manner that the sum of the distances between each of the guide wheels and the deflector members is constant. The length of the working portion of the endless belt is capable of varying continuously and the quantity of articles that can be placed on the working portion of the belt can vary accordingly.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for orienting thin glass plates (11) in a contamination-free manner. Said method and apparatus have the following features: a) in order to orient the glass plate (11), a lifting frame (1) is raised from below through the free space between the rolls (13) along with an orienting frame (2) which rests on the lifting frame (1) and is fitted with struts (7) that are connected in a rotatably hinged fashion to the orienting frame (2) and are provided with supporting elements (8) which penetrate the free space between the rolls (13), project beyond the supporting level of the rolls (13), and support the glass plate (11); b) the glass plate (11) is placed in a shock-free manner by means of sliding elements (3) that are actuated by individually controllable drive units (4), the movement of the sliding elements (3) being transmitted to the two longitudinal cross beams of the orienting frame (2) by means of pivot joints (6) which are fastened to the sliding elements (3).

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying products to a destination has a revolving conveyor chain embodied by entraining elements revolving along a first continuous track and have a certain chain pitch. A revolving conveying device is disposed with grippers arranged at a distance therebetween on the conveying device revolving around a second continuous track. A first zone of the first and second continuous track transfers products from the first continuous track on the conveyor chain to the second continuous track via the grippers. A second zone of the second continuous track delivers products from the grippers at the destination. A third zone of the first and second continuous track returns products not needed at the destination from the grippers on the second continuous track to the conveyor chain on the first continuous track.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of transporting food products to a loading station having a cooling conveyor that selectively drops food product into a distributor. The distributor separates product into at least two lanes and drops product onto a conveyor. A balancing and diverting conveyor monitors and counts product in each lane and diverts product selectively based upon the sensed product. An orienter transfers product from a loading conveyor to a buffer conveyor. The buffer conveyor transfers product to a main conveyor which transfers product to a loading head.

Abstract: Assembly having a plurality of conveyors (7, 8, 11, 23, 25, 29) and a variable capacity store (2) with one inlet (3) and one outlet (4) formed on two neighboring levels, a lower one (5) and an upper one (6), closed with a common back plate (9), fixed to a slide (13) making reciprocating movements, the concave surface (10) of which, on the interior side of the store (2) constitutes a conveyor (11), provided with a rotary arm, fixed to a slide (13), the axis of rotation of which is coaxial with a center of curvature of the surface (10) of the back plate (9), and at the inlet (3) there is a swing mounted valve element (18) and a swing limiter (26) for displacing rod shaped elements (1), whereas at the outlet (4) there is swing mounted valve element (20). Moreover the invention presents a method of controlling mass flow of rod shaped elements in the store (2) and self-filling and self-emptying of the store (2) constituting a part of the assembly disposed in a production line of products of tobacco industry.

Abstract: A process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles, wherein a polymer gel is removed from a polymerization reactor, stored intermediately as a particulate polymer gel in a delay vessel, removed by means of a first conveying device at the lower end of the delay vessel and dried, the intermediately stored particulate polymer gel being conveyed within the delay vessel by means of at least one second conveying device above the first conveying device in the direction of the first conveying device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conveying a cigarette stream in a controlled manner into an initially empty conveying section of a machine for producing and/or packaging cigarettes, the conveying section being delimited laterally by walls and the cigarette stream being supported during conveying by a movable supporting element which is moved together with the cigarette stream along the conveying section. The walls which delimit the conveying section laterally can be moved at least partially in order to change the cross section of the conveying section.