Abstract: A device for feeding cigarette filters or similar rod-like articles comprises a fluted drum and a conveyor for feeding a stack-like stream of filters towards the drum and including a conveyor band which is arranged to engage one side of the stack-like stream of filters while moving between two longitudinally spaced guides between which the conveyor is capable of deflecting outwards, in response to the pressure of the filters and against a restraining force, to accommodate a variable quantity of filters in the region of the conveyor band.

Abstract: This relates to a mandrel assembly for forming a continuous web into individual pouches. The web is drawn onto a reciprocating mandrel through a suitable guide so as to have adjacent free edge portions. The free edge portions are sequentially heat sealed by a side sealer and the so formed continuous tube is sequentially pushed onto the mandrels carried by a turret, followed by the heat sealing closed of the forward most portion of the tube and then the cutting thereof from the tube. A drive is provided for reciprocating each mandrel and the drive constructed wherein the advance of each mandrel may be selectively varied. The web is preferably provided with suitable indicia printed thereon and in order that the indicia may be properly oriented with respect to each bag or pouch, there is an indicia or printing detector which functions to vary the advance of the mandrel upon each stroke thereof so as to maintain registration of the printing.

Abstract: A tension controlled apparatus for feeding web material from a supply source to processing equipment of the type that exerts a pulling force on the web, the apparatus including a drive wheel and a driven wheel mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the drive wheel and for shifting movement toward and away from the drive wheel, a web feed roller connected coaxially to the driven wheel for rotation thereby and means for guiding the web material to cause it to wrap part way around the web feed roller as it passes from the supply source to the processing equipment and exits from the web feed roller in an exiting direction having a substantial component in a direction to shift the driven wheel into driving engagement with the drive wheel in response to tension applied by the processing machine on the web of material exiting from the feed roller.