CA2182651C - System for self-production of cigarettes by consumers - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for the self-production of cigarettes by consumers, using an industrially prefabricated tobacco portion pack which in itself is non-smokable and takes the form of a string-like tobacco filling which is wrapped in a tobacco wrapper and i s the equivalent of a tobacco portion for filling the tobacco receptacle of an associated filter cigarette paper tube or a part thereof, and which comprises a device for transferring the string-like tobacco portion into the tobacco receptacle of the filter cigarette paper tube. The device contains a transfer tube (5) which is cantilevered to a housing ( 2) which serves as a mounting; one or more tobacco portions are transferred into the transfer tube from tobacco portion packs, following which these tobacco portions are transferred from the transfer tube (5) into the filter cigarette paper tube.

Description

System for the self-production of cigarettes by consumers The invention relates to a system for the self-production of cigarettes by consumers, to tobacco portion packs as industrially prefabricated products, and to a device that is used in the system.

In recent years, several systems have become known which make available to consumers a prefabricated product which in itself is non-smokable, taking the form of an industrially prefabricated, wrapped or enveloped tobacco string to facilitate the self-production of cigarettes, comparable with the usual conventional methods of self-rolling or self-stuffing cigarettes. For tax reasons, it was usually demanded that the prefabricated product be (at least functionally) non-smokable. In most of these known systems, the prefabricated, wrapped tobacco string ("cigarette tobacco cartridge") had to be inserted and pushed in axial direction into the conventional (filter) cigarette paper tube used for completing the cigarette.

Fig. 11 of the present application shows an example of such a basic form known as prior art from European Patent 0 123 150 (LIEBICH). It shows an arrangement consisting of the entire tobacco cartridge (identified as number 61) consisting of the tobacco string or filling 63 and the tobacco wrapper or envelope 62, the associated filter cigarette paper tube 64, 65, and a sliding piston 66. A perforation 68 in the tobacco wrapper and/or suitable material in tobacco wrapper 62 guaranteed that the prefabricated product (the tobacco cartridge) was non-smokable. To produce the cigarettes, tobacco cartridge 61 was first inserted into the tobacco receptacle 64 of the

2 cigarette paper tube, and then the transfer piston 66, which was guided by hand was inserted into tobacco wrapper 62 from the free front end, and the tobacco string or tobacco filling 63 was pushed out of tobacco wrapper 62 while holding the tobacco wrapper by pressing the tobacco wrapper end against the surface of transfer piston 66 while successively pushing the cigarette tube away, which was filled successively. To facilitate the insertion of the piston and its guidance during the initial phase of the transfer process, a tobacco-free section 67 could be provided at one end of the tobacco cartridge inside tobacco wrapper 62. That system has the advantage that in terms of the material composition of components and in terms of smoking behaviour, the resulting finished cigarette is the complete equivalent of a conventional industrially made cigarette. However, a certain manual dexterity and practice is required to transfer the tobacco filling from the tobacco wrapper into the cigarette paper tube by means of the hand-guided piston. Since the tobacco string has to be transferred against the frictional resistance of the wrapping, the tight wrapping considerably hampers the transfer of the tobacco string. This can have the effect that the tobacco string does not move evenly. Over the length of the filter tube, sections of the tobacco filling may become either compressed or too loose. The tobacco can become so densely packed that in extreme cases the wrapping and the filter tube may break. Due to fluctuations in density of the transferred tobacco string, it can happen that the transferred tobacco is not cut off evenly at the end of the filter tube, which means that either an empty space remains at the end of the filter tube, or the tobacco projects beyond the end of the filter tube. Also a certain disadvantage is the basic requirement that the cigarette tobacco cartridge must be inserted into the cigarette paper tube in axial direction, although with this system, it is not absolutely necessary to have an extremely close fit between the tobacco cartridge and the cigarette paper tube. However, to ensure that the tobacco filling can fill the cigarette paper tube properly and that it adheres to it

3 without compressing the tobacco filling too much during the transfer process, it is preferable to have a relatively close fit between the external diameter of the tobacco cartridge and the internal diameter of the cigarette paper tube, which on the one hand requires an appropriate dimensional stability and closer tolerances during the manufacturing process and which on the other hand can make it difficult to insert the tobacco cartridge into the cigarette paper tube.

These complications are far more critical with the system known from European patents 0 155 514 (EFKA) and 0 178 605 (LIEBICH), the so-called "Steckzigarette"
[plug-in cigarette] system. Here the tobacco wrapper of the tobacco cartridge consists of a combustible and smokable material; it remains inside the finished cigarette and is smoked as well. In this case, the non-smokability of the cartridge must be guaranteed only by means of the appropriately porous or perforated design of the tobacco wrapper, while the smokability of the finished cigarette is to be ensured by sealing this porosity or perforation of the tobacco wrapper when the cigarette paper tube is inserted. This requires an extremely close fit between the tobacco cartridge and the cigarette paper tube, with equally close, critical manufacturing tolerances between the cigarette paper tube and the tobacco cartridge. On the other hand, it becomes particularly difficult to insert the tobacco cartridge, especially when the outer cigarette paper tube is made of particularly thin cigarette paper - to keep the total paper component at a minimum. When in practice a compromise is accepted between a close fit and the practicability of inserting the cartridge into the cigarette paper tube, this results in increased second-hand smoke problems, something which clearly distinguishes the smoking behaviour of such cigarettes from that of a conventional factory-made finished cigarette. That disadvantage is intensified by the fact that in this system, due to the increase in the finished cigarette's total paper content (the tobacco wrapper

4 remaining inside the cigarette must be smoked as well), the smoking behaviour and the taste of the cigarette clearly differ from those of ordinary cigarettes.

In the German patent No. 44 04 274.4 it is suggested to first insert the wrapped tobacco strings into a tube inside an arrangement and then to transfer the tobacco filling from the tobacco wrappers in axial direction through a piston in a cigarette tube carrier which is coaxially aligned with the first tube, whereby the tobacco filling is transferred by means of a further advance of the piston into cigarette paper tubes pulled over the cigarette tube carrier. This avoids the direct insertion of the wrapped tobacco strings into the cigarette paper tube, and the final transfer of the tobacco string is made after the tobacco wrapper is removed from a metal tube offering only a minimum of friction to the tobacco filling on the interior wall of the tobacco tube. However, the initial insertion of the wrapped tobacco portion into a tube and the subsequent transfer into a tube carrier not only complicates the cigarette production process as such, but also necessitates a certain sophistication and size of the required arrangement. That (unpublished) German patent application P
44 04 274 already recommends an industrially prefabricated product which unites two or more tobacco portion units in the form of cigarette tobacco strings wrapped by means of a tobacco wrapper into a multi-portion pack, which does not allow the direct insertion of a tobacco portion into the cigarette receptacle of a cigarette paper tube, and which excludes the use of single portions as in the case of the above mentioned "plug-in cigarettes".

From European patent 0 178 605 (LIEBICH), Fig. 12, a system is known in which the tobacco wrapper of the prefabricated, wrapped or enveloped tobacco string is provided with a grip-tab that radially extends from the closed circumference and with an axial predetermined tear-off line; as an associated device it has a tube made of resilient and flexible material with a slot over part of its length in which a short piston attached to the tube is moved up and down. To self-produce the cigarette, the wrapped tobacco string is inserted into the slotted tube in such a way that the pull-off tab overlaps laterally through the slot. Then, the tab is pulled off laterally while the predetermined tear-off line is broken, and the tobacco wrapper is pulled sideways from the slotted tube. Then another cigarette paper tube is pulled over the outside of the slotted tube, and the tobacco string now without its tobacco wrapper is transferred by the short piston into the tobacco receptacle of the cigarette paper tube while the cigarette paper tube is successively pushed from the tube. However, the combination of a resilient and flexible tube with a short piston guided in the tube along a slot has not proven to be an optimal solution.

The present invention is to create a system for the self-production of cigarettes by consumers, which avoids the imperfections and detrimental features of the known systems and with which it is possible by using a simple technique and a simple device requiring little room to produce completely evenly filled cigarettes without requiring special manual dexterity or practice.

Starting with a system for the self-production of cigarettes by consumers, comprising a conventional filter cigarette paper tube, an industrially prefabricated tobacco portion pack which is not itself smokable and takes the form of a string-like tobacco filling which is wrapped in a tobacco wrapper and is the equivalent of a tobacco portion for filling the tobacco receptacle of an associated filter cigarette paper tube, and a device for making the cigarette by transferring the string-like tobacco portion into the tobacco receptacle of the filter cigarette paper tube, the invention provides that the device has a transfer tube in the form of a thin, rigid metal or plastic tube with first and second ends in which the tobacco portion pack can be inserted from one end and on which the cigarette paper tube is slideable from the first end, that means are provided to remove the tobacco wrapper after the portion pack is inserted into the transfer tube, and that after removal of the tobacco wrapper the string-like tobacco filling is transferred in the transfer tube through a piston, which is guided in the rigid tube at the second end of the tube into this tube, into the cigarette receptacle of the filter cigarette paper tube which is pushed over the transfer tube.

In accordance with preferred embodiments it can be provided that the means for removing the tobacco wrapper from the tobacco portion pack inserted into the transfer tube are provided on the device with an axially parallel slot extending at least over part of the transfer tube which accommodates the tobacco portion, and on the tobacco portion pack with a lateral pull-off tab that projects from the periphery of the tobacco wrapper and if need be a predetermined tear-off line that extends across the axial length of the tobacco wrapper.

The self-production of a cigarette by means of the system according to the invention is free from the imperfections or detrimental features of the known systems; it is completely simple, requires no special manual dexterity or practice and results in a cigarette which in terms of the evenness of its filling, external appearance and especially its smoking behaviour is completely the equivalent of an ordinary industrially manufactured cigarette. To make the cigarette, the user only needs to insert the tobacco portion pack available as an industrially prefabricated product into the transfer tube, remove it from its tobacco wrapper, pull a filter cigarette paper tube over the outside of the transfer tube and then transfer the tobacco string exposed in the transfer tube to the cigarette paper tube by simply pushing the long piston through the transfer tube. Since in the system according to the invention the tobacco portion stripped of the tobacco wrapper is transferred from the transfer tube directly into the filter tube, which is filled successively, there is friction only between the tobacco filling and the smooth exterior wall of the transfer tube, so that no great and especially no fluctuating frictional resistance must be overcome, and no relative compression or blockage can occur, especially since the filter cigarette paper tube pulled over the transfer tube is easy to slide without much friction in succession with the transfer of the tobacco portion from the smooth exterior wall of the transfer tube. Thanks to this unobstructed transfer of the tobacco portion, the completely even filling of the cigarette over its entire axial length is ensured, and after completion of the transfer process, the tobacco string is cut off smoothly at the end of the filter tube, as with an industrially manufactured cigarette.

The ease of the transfer process is also ensured particularly by the use of a long piston inserted from the other end of the transfer tube, which is guided from the beginning of the transfer process in the section of the transfer tube without tobacco, and which is also reliably guided during the further advance in the transfer tube as the transfer process continues.
The device required for the system according to the invention is of extremely simple design, easy to manufacture and providing trouble-free service; it is of small design, hardly larger than a cigarette lighter, so that the device can be carried by the user without difficulty.

According to preferred embodiments, the device can be provided with an elongated housing body that also serves to hold the device, at one end of which the transfer tube is mounted and fastened in such a way that it contains a first end sector of the transfer tube for accommodating the filter cigarette paper tube; said end sector is cantilevered along the elongated housing body at some slight distance above same. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the elongated housing body extends in axial direction across the cantilevered end of this first end sector of the transfer tube in such a way that the cigarette is supported at the end of the transfer tube and does not have to be especially captured.

In two other embodiments, the transfer tube can also be provided with a second end sector which projects from the fastening point in the direction opposite to the first end sector; this second end sector serves to accommodate the tobacco portion pack, and it may be slotted, in which case the tobacco filling can be transferred by means of the piston from the second end sector into the first end sector which forms the actual transfer sector, and into the filter cigarette paper tube. In this embodiment, the filter cigarette paper tube and the tobacco portion pack are pushed onto or into the transfer tube from opposite ends. In that case, the first end sector can be slotted.

In this case, the second end sector can also be slotted, but may also be designed only as an open trough of approximately semi-circular cross-section in which the tobacco portion pack is only laid. This is particularly practical when a number of tobacco portion packs are fastened on a belt-shaped carrier.

In the case of embodiments in which at least one end sector of the transfer tube is slotted and the tobacco wrapper is to be removed before the tobacco portion is transferred into the filter cigarette paper tube, it can also be provided, for example, that +2182651 a knife element extends radially through a slot in the transfer tube, wherein this knife-shaped element slits the tobacco wrapper when the tobacco portion pack is inserted, so that the wrapper is easy to pull out. In that case the tobacco wrapper needs no predetermined tear-off line.

The non-smokability of industrially prefabricated tobacco portion packs, which is required to qualify for preferential tax treatment, can be ensured in several ways, if 9 need be also cumulatively: the material used for wrapping the tobacco string can be non-smokable or non-combustible; the axial predetermined pull-off line which is sometimes provided can be designed in the form of perforations which precludes the independent smoking of the wrapped tobacco portion; according to an advantageous embodiment it can be provided that the outside of the tobacco wrapper of the tobacco portion pack is provided with a coating of preferably striped or lined material made of a substance that would impair smoking enjoyment but would not be detrimental to health (such as bitter tea); the portion pack can be designed with a diameter that is smaller than the interior diameter of the transfer tube so that when the wrapped tobacco portion pack is inserted (contrary to its purpose) directly into a cigarette paper tube, a secondary airway would exist which prevents normal smoking; as an alternative, the portion pack could also have a diameter that is slightly larger than the interior diameter of the filter tube, so that it cannot be inserted directly in a filter tube for direct smoking. By using an appropriately greater length or thickness for the tobacco portion pack than for the filter cigarette tube, it can be ensured that the tube is completely filled eventually.

According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the tobacco portion pack is arranged as double packs or dual portion packs made of two individual portions .2182651 connected with each other by means of a connector. In addition, the connector prevents that the individual tobacco portions can be directly inserted in a cigarette paper tube.

In all embodiments it can also be provided that the length of a tobacco portion pack corresponds substantially to a multiple of the length of the filter cigarette tube, so that only the transfer of tobacco fillings of several tobacco portion packs into the filter cigarette paper tube fills the tube completely. The tobacco strings from an appropriate number of tobacco portion packs are transferred in succession into a filter cigarette 10 paper tube to fill same completely. The shorter length of the tobacco portion packs also facilitates the process of transferring into the filter cigarette tube.

On the whole, the system according to the invention constitutes an optimal solution of the problem in the self-production of cigarettes by consumers by using industrially prefabricated tobacco portion packs.

The invention is described below by way of examples and with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 and 2 show a lateral and top view (in approximately natural size) of the device of the system according to the invention and according to a preferred embodiment;

Fig, 3 shows a lateral view of the long piston which forms part of the device;
Fig. 4A shows a cross-section at an enlarged scale through the device along ~182 65~

the line IV - IV in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4B shows a sectional view of a modified embodiment, analogous to Fig. 4A;

Fig. 5 and 6 show cross-sectional views of two embodiments of an industrially prefabricated wrapped tobacco portion pack;

Fig. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of an industrially prefabricated tobacco portion pack according to Fig. 5 or Fig. 6 with an additional transverse perforation about in the centre;

Fig. 8 shows a schematic perspective view of a conventional filter cigarette paper tube as part of the system according to the invention;

Fig. 9 shows a view analogous to the cross-sectional views in Fig. 4A or Fig. 4B of a device designed as a two-channel arrangement with an inserted double or dual portion pack;

Fig. 10 shows a schematic lateral view of a fabrication or packing unit containing several single-portion packs;

Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of a basic form of tobacco cartridge system known from European patent 0 123 150, as prior art;

Fig. 12 shows a view, analogous to Fig. 2, of a modified embodiment of the device;

Fig. 13, 14, 15 show a top view of the embodiment according to Fig. 12 together with the cut-out view of the piston; Fig. 14 and 15 beside Fig. 13 show the overall system together with tobacco portion packs which are connected in pairs;

Fig. 16 shows a lateral view analogous to Fig. 1 of a further embodiment of the device in which the tobacco portion pack is provided with a material strip which facilitates the pulling-out of the tobacco portion pack after the tobacco portion is transferred into the transfer tube;

Fig. 17 shows a top view of the embodiment according to Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 shows the piston for the embodiment according to Fig. 16 and 17;
Fig. 19 shows a detailed representation of the tobacco wrapper with the material strip;

Fig. 20 shows a further embodiment of the device, in which a housing body is arranged between the end sectors of two transfer tubes, holding these parallel to each other;

Fig. 21 shows a partial view of Fig. 20 which shows the insertion of two tobacco portion packs into the slotted second end sectors of the transfer tubes according to Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 shows a piston for the embodiment of the device according to Fig. 20;

Fig. 23 shows a further embodiment of the device in which the second end sector is designed in the shape of a trough;

Fig. 24 shows a section along line A-B according to Fig. 23;

Fig. 25 shows a top view of a belt-shaped carrier to which a tobacco portion pack is mounted, to be used with the device according to Fig. 23 and 24;

Fig. 26 shows a belt-shaped material strip to which several tobacco portion packs are fastened;

Fig. 27 shows a representation analogous to Fig. 25 with the length of the tobacco portion packs shortened;

Fig. 28 shows a view analogous to Fig. 26 of tobacco portion packs shortened in length;
Fig. 29 shows a schematic view of three portion packs which are glued to a rigid core;

Fig. 30 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of Fig. 29;

Fig. 31 shows views of individual tobacco portion packs with one third and ~1~26~1 one half the length of the receptacle of the filter cigarette paper tube.

Described first is the device which forms a substantial part of the system according to the invention, as shown in Fig. 1 to 3, showing the device in lateral view (Fig. 1), in top view (Fig. 2) and the transfer piston which forms part of the device (Fig.
3). The whole device, which is designated as 1, has a housing 2 which serves as mounting; it consists of an approximately prismatic elongated body 2 provided at its top side with a longitudinal trough 4 extending substantially across the entire length. At one end (in the drawing shown on the left) of housing body 2, a mounting ring 3 is fastened in the trough, for example by means of glue. Recessed into mounting ring 3 - as a substantial part of the invention - is a relatively rigid, thin-walled transfer tube 5 made of metal or plastic (in the following, reference is made only to a metal tube, although both materials as well as other materials, such as wood, could be used as well), which extends parallel to trough part 4 and completely penetrates mounting ring 3, ending open at its outer (in the drawing shown on the left) front side 6. Transfer tube 5 is recessed in mounting ring 3 across its entire axial extent and is thus solidly anchored; at front side 7, which is opposite the outer front side 6 of mounting ring 3, tube 5 is cantilevered with its main length and extends parallel to trough 4 of housing body 2 with which the transfer tube 5 is aligned along its projecting, cantilevered length.
Transfer tube 5 and housing body 2 are arranged in such a way in reference to longitudinal trough 4 that across the cantilevered length of transfer tube 5 between its underside facing trough 4 and the trough surface adapted to the bend of the tube, a substantially constant distance d (of about 2 to 3 mm, see cross-sectional views in Fig. 4) remains across the length, which in the example shown for the embodiment is practically the equivalent of the material thickness of mounting ring 3.

The axial extension of housing 2 is somewhat larger than that of tube 5, so that housing body 2 projects by about 1 to 2 cm beyond the free end 10 of transfer tube 5 at end 9 opposite mounting ring 3 in axial direction.

According to a substantial characteristic of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, transfer tube 5 is provided at its top side with an axial longitudinal slot 11 which extends across the entire cantilevered length of transfer tube

5 (and which if need be can also extend into the end of transfer tube 5 that is recessed in mounting ring 3 if this is to be preferred for technical reasons).
Preferably slot 11 is 10 about 1 mm wide. At its free end 5A, transfer tube 5 is tapered at 12 (in lateral view), and at 13 (top view in Fig. 2) rounded at the transition to slot 11, to facilitate the insertion (described below) of the tobacco portion pack and to facilitate the pulling-on (also described below) of the cigarette paper tube when the device is used for the self-production of cigarettes. Near its termination, slot 11 is provided with a nose 14 whose function will be explained below when the function of the device is described.

Another substantial characteristic of the device according to the invention is the sliding or transfer piston shown in Fig. 3 which in total is denoted as 15. The piston consists mainly of a cylindrical piston part 16, taking up the main length, and at one end it is provided with a flange part 17 of greater diameter, which serves as actuator and stop.
When the device is used, piston 15 with its piston sector 16 is inserted in the opening which leads into the outer front side 6 of tube 5 (as indicated by arrow I) and successively pushed forward into the tube, for the transfer (described below) of the tobacco portion from tube 5 into the cigarette receptacle of the cigarette paper tube.
The piston is pushed through until stop flange 17 comes to rest at front side

6 of mounting ring 3. This completes the transfer of the tobacco portion. When the piston ~-- 2182651 is not in use, it is pulled out of the tube and inserted at the opposite end according to arrow II, into the free end 12 of transfer tube 5. As soon as actuator and stop knob 17 approaches the area of trough 4, a slight jamming causes the piston to stop in its retaining position in the device.

Housing 2 and piston 15 can be made of any sufficiently rigid material, in particular of plastic. In the latter case, the housing and the piston can be simply made in the form of injection-moulded parts. As an alternative, the housing and/or the piston can also be made of wood.
Tube 5 should have walls as thin as possible, but high rigidity and torsional strength.
For that reason, tube 5 should be made of metal, for example of high-grade steel or hard brass. The wall thickness can be in the range of 0.2 to 0.3 mm. For example, the outer diameter of the tube, which should be adapted to the interior diameter of the cigarette paper tube which must be pulled over the tube can measure 6.8 mm.
For example, transfer tube 5 can be made of drawn seamless tubing with subsequently applied longitudinal slotting; alternatively and preferably it can be rolled from suitable sheet metal; in the latter case, slot 11 extends over the entire length of transfer tube 5, i.e. also in the sector recessed in mounting ring 3. To ensure proper functioning, the interior (and exterior) surface of the metal tube should be as smooth as possible to ensure that the tobacco portion can be pushed out easily and without hindrance on the inside and that the cigarette paper tube can be pushed on and pulled off just as easily on the outside of the tube.

The axial extent of the device is determined by the length of the industrially prefabricated tobacco portion pack, which in turn is determined by the usual length of the cigarette receptacle of a filter cigarette paper tube. The overall length of the piston can be about 11 cm, and its effective piston length, roughly the equivalent of the cantilevered length of transfer tube 5, can be about 95 mm. This results in an overall length of 12 to 13 cm for the device (which is shown in the drawing roughly in natural size) at a width of about 2 cm (top view) and a height (lateral view) of about 2 cm. As is shown, the device according to the invention has extremely small dimensions, hardly bigger than a cigarette lighter, so that users can easily carry it with them if they do not prefer to produce a larger quantity of cigarettes, such as a day's supply, in advance.

Following is a description of the other substantial component of the system for the self-production of cigarettes, namely the industrially prefabricated tobacco portion pack, two embodiments of which are shown in Fig. 5 and 6, in cross-sectional view at a right angle to the longitudinal axis. The entire tobacco portion pack, which is identified as 20, consists of the inner tobacco string 21 and a tobacco wrapper or envelope 22 which encloses same. 23 designates a predetermined tear-off line according to the invention, which is provided parallel to the axis, for example in the form of a longitudinal perforation or other weakening-seam. According to the invention, the tobacco wrapper is provided with a pull-off tab 24 that projects outwardly from the periphery.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the pull-off tab 24 is shown as a separately made part which - as indicated at 25 - is glued, at some distance from the predetermined tear-off perforation 23, to a part of the periphery of tobacco wrapper 22 by a bond of high tensile strength and with a relatively wide surface.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that pull-off tab 24 is provided at its free end 26 with a contact adhesive coating 27 and turned over onto the periphery of the portion pack in the direction of arrow 28 into the position shown by the dotted line, and glued to the tobacco wrapper at 26, 27 with an easily soluble adhesive. The result is that the pull-off tab does not interfere with machine handling and packing in the manufacturing process, but adheres to the wrapper, while later, during use as intended, it can be easily removed by the user from wrapper 22 at its free end 26, and it is accessible for the pulling-off process. That is why contact adhesive bond 27 should be of limited adhesive strength.

Indicated at 29 is a material coating applied in a longitudinal track, which would impair smoking enjoyment if an attempt is made (contrary to intended use) to burn or smoke the wrapped tobacco portion as such. This represents an additional measure to ensure the non-smokability of the industrially prefabricated wrapped tobacco portion as such, in addition to the already mentioned measures (eventual non-smokability of the tobacco wrapper material; porous design of the tobacco wrapper material; perforation of the tobacco wrapper, and if need be a larger or smaller diameter of the portion pack in relation to the interior diameter of the filter cigarette paper tube). Coating 29 should be made of a material that would spoil smoking enjoyment when burned (contrary to intended use), but would not present a health hazard and would not impair the odour or other qualities of the tobacco string when the tobacco portions must be stored for some time. For example, this material can consist of a bitter tea in a suitable carrier.
Fig. 6 shows a modified embodiment of the industrially prefabricated tobacco portion pack. Identical or equivalent parts are given the same reference numbers as in Fig. 5.
The substantial difference from the embodiment in Fig. 5 is that here, pull-off tab 24A
is designed in one piece with wrapper 22 and simply constitutes a continuation of the tobacco wrapper beyond the adhesion area 25A in which the two tobacco wrapper ends are glued to each other. At 23, the predetermined tear-off line of the wrapper is visible, ,'-. .

and at 29 the material coating to impair the enjoyment of smoking the prefabricated product (contrary to the intended purpose) is visible.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a schematic representation of a prefabricated tobacco portion pack of the kind described. At 23A, another predetermined tear-off line 23A is provided at about half the length of the portion pack; this line runs in a vertical plane in reference to the string axis, and it extends over the entire circumference of tobacco wrapper 22 including pull-off tab 24. It may be practical for this transverse predetermined tear-off line 23A to be again designed as a perforation. This facilitates the removal of the wrapper if the tobacco portion pack is used as intended in the device according to the invention, as described below. Thanks to this transverse perforation 23A it is possible to divide tobacco wrapper 22 in two axial sectors 22A, 22B
at about half its length; the lateral pull-off through the slot of transfer tube 5 of the device is even simpler and easier to accomplish than the pull-off of tobacco wrapper 22 over its entire length in a single operation.

Explained below is the self-production of a cigarette by the consumer from the cigarette tobacco portion pack described by means of Fig. 5 to 7 with the help of the device according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 to 4. An additional element for producing the cigarette is a conventional filter cigarette paper tube, as illustrated in Fig. 8. The tube, identified in its totality as 30, consists of the actual tube sector 31 made of conventional cigarette paper and the filter sector 32 attached to same. The finished cigarette is produced as follows: First sliding piston 15 is pulled out of its (assumed) retaining position in transfer tube 5 (against the direction of arrow 11 in Fig. 2). Then the wrapped tobacco portion 20 (or 20A), after its pull-off tab 24 (24A) at the free end 26 is removed from the periphery of tobacco wrapper 22 by breaking the weak contact adhesive 27 and is brought into the laterally projecting actuator position shown in Fig. 5 as fully extended, is inserted into transfer tube 5 in such a way that the laterally projecting pull-off tab 24 (24A) overlaps outside through slot 11. In this process of inserting the portion pack into slot 11, the above mentioned nose 14 provided in the initial part of the slot causes the stripping of adhesive 25 that might have been applied overly wide so that tab 24 is clearly lifted from the periphery of the tobacco wrapper along a straight line. Tobacco portion pack 20 is fully inserted in transfer tube 5, i.e. to the stop of the portion pack with its inner end against front wall

7 of mounting ring 3 of the device. Now a lateral pull of tab 24 (24A) causes the 10 wrapping of the portion pack to be torn open at longitudinal perforation 23 forming a predetermined pull-off line, and to be pulled off toward the outside. As already mentioned above with reference to Fig. 7, this process of pulling-off the tobacco wrapper can be made considerably easier through transverse perforation 23A.
This allows the tobacco wrapper to be divided for practical purposes in two halves 22A, 22B
which can be more easily pulled off separately in succession than the tobacco wrapper can be pulled off over the whole length.

Now the tobacco portion, with the tobacco wrapper removed, lies in the smooth-walled transfer tube 5 for transfer into the cigarette paper tube - the last step of the 20 production process.

For this, filter tube 30 (Fig. 8) with its tube sector 31 is pushed or pulled over the outside of tube 5. Through the slight slot d (Fig. 4) between the outer wall of tube 5 and trough 4, a certain linear guidance of the filter tube is ensured when it is pulled over tube 5, and the deformation of the thin paper of the filter tube is avoided. Filter tube 30 is pulled to a stop over transfer tube 5, i.e. to the stop of filter sector 32 against 2'182s51 the outer free end 12 of transfer tube 5. Now - from the opposite side (front side 6 of mounting ring 3) of the housing - sliding piston 15, 16 (in the direction of arrow I) is inserted and pushed through to the stop of flange 17 on front side 6. Since the tobacco abuts only to the smooth inner surface of tube 5, the tobacco, when subjected to slight piston pressure, slides easily into the filter tube which is successively stripped off the smooth outer tube just as easily. After completing the transfer process, the tobacco string is cut off cleanly at the end of the filter tube, as in the case of a factory cigarette.
A particular advantage is that due to a certain overlap of housing body 2 over tube end of tube 5, the cigarette being produced is supported during the last stage and no 10 longer has to be protected from dropping down. Handling the device is extremely easy. During the transfer process, the device is held with one hand by housing 2, while the other hand pushes piston 15, 17 through tube 5.

Since with the system according to the invention, the tobacco portion, from which the tobacco wrapper has already been removed, is transferred from the (smooth-walled) transfer tube 5 directly into the filter tube which is successively filled, there is friction only between the tobacco filling and the smooth interior wall of the transfer tube, so that no great and especially no fluctuating frictional resistance must be overcome, and no relative compression or blockage can occur; this ensures a completely even filling of the entire cigarette over its entire length and prevents empty or hollow sections to be formed on the inside or compressed or blocked sections which would place stress on the cigarette paper tube, which could lead to the tearing of the tube in known designs.
According to an especially advantageous embodiment of the invention, the industrially prefabricated tobacco portion pack can combine several, preferably two tobacco portions with each other. Such an embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 9, which shows such a double portion pack in an intermediate processing stage in an appropriately adapted two-channel design of the device, namely in cross-section in a plane that corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the tobacco portions and the transfer tubes of the device. The double or dual portion pack, identified in its entirety as number 40, consists of two individual portions 41 and 42, in the illustrated example shown as a design according to Fig. 5, although it could also match the design in Fig. 6.
Individual portions 41, 42 are connected with each other by a connector 43, which in fact consists of the lateral pull-off tabs 24 (Fig. 5) of the individual portions, which are either connected to each other at their free ends or which are designed in one piece.
At 44, in the middle section of connector 43, a predetermined tear-off line 44 is provided which extends in longitudinal direction, with which connector 43 can be ripped open, and with which the two individual portion packs 41, 42 can be separated from each other.
Fig. 9 illustrates the preferred processing of such a double tobacco portion pack that corresponds to the device shown and described in Fig. 1 to 4, but adapted as a two-channel arrangement, i.e. each with two parallel troughs 4A on the top side of the mutual housing body 2A, and two slotted tubes 5A fastened by means of mounting rings 3A. To process the dual pack in such a two-channel arrangement, it is practical to insert dual pack 40 in unseparated condition into the two parallel slotted tubes through the associated slots 11A, by which connecting section 43 is ripped open along predetermined tear-off line 44, which can be done by means of simple lifting, for example with the piston situated under it. The two half sections of connector 43 form lateral pull-off tabs 24A, the free ends of which can be used to pull off the tobacco wrappers laterally. As an alternative, dual pack 40 can also be ripped open by ripping open predetermined tear-off line 44 prior to insertion, and the separated individual portion packs can then be inserted as described above in the two tubes 5A.
After laterally pulling off the tobacco wrappers and pulling a cigarette paper tube 30, 31 over '-' 2182651 the respective slotted tube 5A, the tobacco portions are then transferred into the cigarette paper tubes by means of piston 15 (Fig. 3). According to a preferred embodiment, a dual piston assembly can be provided which can consist of two parallel pistons 15, 16 according to Fig. 3, which can be connected with each other, for example at actuator end 17, at the predetermined distance. As an alternative, the transfer can also take place by means of two separate individual pistons which are pushed through either simultaneously or successively.

Of course, the advantageous multiple portion pack, in particular the double portion pack illustrated as dual pack 40 in Fig. 9, can also be processed in a simple one-channel device according to Fig. 1 to 3, namely either simply - after the double portion pack is ripped open along predetermined tear-off line 44 - as single portion packs according to Fig. 5 or 6, or as an alternative without first ripping the pack open , so that at first a single portion, for example portion 41, is inserted into the slotted tube, namely by means of the initially unseparated connector tab 43; then the tobacco wrapper of this inserted tobacco portion is pulled out laterally and is then further processed into the finished cigarette, while the remaining tobacco portion 42 of the double portion pack is inserted into the one-channel device and processed.

Designing the industrially prefabricated product as a multiple tobacco portion pack has the further advantage that it provides an additional safeguard against using the industrially prefabricated product contrary to the intended purpose, namely as a "plug-in cigarette" known from the above-mentioned patents, and this supports the desired favourable tax designation of the product as fine cut tobacco.

Various possibilities exist for the production of the industrially prefabricated tobacco ~.. .

portion packs under the system according to the invention. For example, the single portion packs as shown in Fig. 5 or 6, in particular the preferred embodiment shown, can be manufactured with the pull-off tab turned over onto the periphery of the tobacco wrapper, in a manner resembling the production of regular industrially finished cigarettes. In a similar manner, double portion packs such as pack 40 in Fig.
9 can also be fabricated in a manner resembling the production of conventional cigarettes in appropriate packages (cigarette packs).

According to an advantageous embodiment, a multiple number of single portions can be arranged for fabrication on a common carrier. Such an embodiment is shown in Fig. 10. As can be seen, a number of single portion packs can be combined in a fabrication unit identified as number 50 consisting, for example, of 10 single portions combined into a fabrication and packaging unit 50 on a common belt- or tape-like carrier 52. Individual portions 51 can be of the kind shown in Fig. 5 or 6, and they are only indicated schematically in Fig. 10, while pull-off tabs 24, 24A (Fig. 5 and 6) are not shown for the sake of clarity. As can be seen, individual portions 51 are temporarily fastened parallel to each other on carrier belt 52 by means of adhesion areas 53 indicated at number 53. The arrangement can be such that carrier belt 52 can be folded (and if need be separated) about in the middle at 54, so that the resulting belt halves are folded back (indicated by arrow 55 in Fig. 10) until they come to lie back to back. In that form, the multiple portion pack can be fabricated, for example in a package similar to a regular cigarette pack, or if need be also in a large round pack.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the multiple portion pack as in Fig.
10 can be made not only as a fabrication and packaging unit, but also as a processing unit, analogous to and as a further development of the double or dual pack shown in Fig. 9 and described above. For example, the multiple pack shown in Fig. 10 can be designed as a six-pack, with three single portions 51 on each of the two legs of the belt-like carrier 52, connected to each other through the fold or kink 54. Such a multiple pack could be processed in an appropriate multi-channel design of the device analogous to the dual-channel design in Fig. 9. For example, the three single portions 51 on each of the two belt legs could be processed in a three-channel device, whereby belt 52 assumes the function of connector 43 in Fig. 9, i.e. it would accomplish the insertion and function as pull-off tab. Of course, as an alternative, such a six-pack could also be processed according to Fig. 1 to 4 in a simple one-channel device, whereby the 10 individual portions of the multiple pack could be inserted in succession into the device.
Above, the invention was described by means of preferred embodiments, but of course, these can be modified in many different details, and such modifications are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. For example, it is possible that the device, instead of the simple mounting of the slotted transfer tube 5 shown in Fig. 1 and 2 by means of a mounting ring 3 glued into trough 4, is provided with other types of cantilevered mounting of the slotted transfer tubes 5 via and in line with trough 4 of housing body 2. For example, as shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 4B, at the point where mounting ring 3 would be, a mounting block 3B made of solid material could be 20 provided into which transfer tube 5 would be recessed by its anchoring end and which could be somehow connected with housing body 2, for example by adhesion, or preferably by a one-piece design. Analogously, other modifications are possible for the industrially prefabricated tobacco portion packs, apart from the embodiments shown as examples in Fig. 5 and 6, in particular in terms of the design and attachment of the pull-off tabs to be pulled off laterally.

Furthermore, a predetermined tear-off line or perforation 22 of filter cigarette paper tube 22, as shown in Fig. 5 and 6, is not necessary if the embodiment of the device according to Fig. 12 to 15 is used. To make it easier to pull the tobacco wrapper out, the non-smokable wrapper 41, 42, 43 of the tobacco string can be cut open with a knife element 70 while the string is inserted into transfer tube 5. Knife element 70 can be elastically moved into the interior of the transfer tube via a leaf spring 71 through another short slot in the transfer tube. The other end of leaf spring 71 can be fastened at housing body 2. Otherwise, this embodiment is the equivalent to the embodiment according to Fig. 1 and 2.
The embodiment of the tobacco portion pack shown in Fig. 14 and 15 is substantially the same as the embodiment according to Fig. 9, but without a predetermined tear-off line in the form of a perforation. This longitudinal perforation must run at a precisely determined distance from the adhesive seam of the tab when the packs are manufactured according to Fig. 5, 6 and 9. This is not necessary with the embodiment according to Fig. 12 to 15. Cutting the wrapper makes it considerably easier to pull out the emptied pack without the effort of having to provide a predetermined tear-off line.

Knife element 70 is rigidly connected with leaf spring 71. In rest position, the tip of the knife element is outside transfer tube 5, so that the piston is not touched when the tobacco is transferred. Before double pack 41, 42 is inserted into transfer tube 5, leaf spring 71 must be pressed together with the knife element, and it remains in that position until the cutting process is completed.

Double pack 41, 42 can be chosen to have a length that is sufficient for the filling of a filter tube.

However, when the double pack is ripped open and pulled out, a design that has only half the length is considerably easier to handle. Of course, the tobacco from two half packs would have to be transferred in two steps.

The embodiment according to Fig. 16 to 18 is largely the equivalent of the embodiment according to Fig. 1 to 3, whereby the device according to Fig. 12 and 13 can be used as well. The difference lies in the embodiment of portion pack 22 according to Fig. 19, which is provided with a non-smokable, tear-proof material strip 75 extending over its entire length and about 15 mm beyond.

After inserting portion pack 22 in transfer tube 5 of the device, the projecting material strip 75 is folded over and pressed against transfer tube holder 3 while the tobacco string is transferred. Thus the portion pack remains in stable position when the tobacco string is subsequently transferred according to Fig. 18 by means of piston 16.
After the filter tube is pulled on and the tobacco is transferred, the empty wrapper is pulled out at the projecting material end 75.
When a portion pack is used, transfer tube 5 does not have to be slotted. In that case it is also possible to fasten two or more transfer tubes parallel to each other to a common housing body and to connect an appropriate number of portion packs with each other via their material strips 75.

Fig. 20 to 22 show an embodiment of the device with which the consumer can produce two cigarettes simultaneously. With that embodiment, first end sectors 105A
and second end sectors 105B project in opposite directions from housing body 102.

In that case, the first end sectors 105 have the purpose of pushing on filter cigarette paper tubes 30, while the second end sections have the purpose of accommodating portion packs 41, 42. With this embodiment, the first end sectors 105A are not slotted, while the second end sectors 105B are slotted similar to the embodiments according to Fig. 1 and 2 and serve the purpose of accommodating a double portion pack according to Fig. 9. Of course, in this case, too, portion packs according to Fig. 19 or portion packs without a predetermined tear-off line can be used if the knife element according to Fig. 12 is used in the second end sectors 105B.

The length of end sectors 105B is determined by the length of portion packs 41, 42, 43 which together with filter cigarette paper tubes 30 are shown in an elongated view in Fig. 20, in relation to device 101. When portion packs with only half or one third the length of the filter cigarette paper tubes are used, the transfer process may become considerably easier.

With the help of the double piston, especially that shown in Fig. 22, the tobacco strings are transferred from the second end sectors 105B to the first end sectors 105A
and thus to the filter cigarette paper tubes pushed onto those. This transfer process, too, is facilitated by using double portion packs which are half or one third the length of the filter cigarette paper tube.

One embodiment of the device, which is particularly well suited for portion packs and which is ...1 on a belt-shaped carrier, for example according to Fig. 25, 26, 27 and 28, is shown in Fig. 23 and 24. With this device, too, the end sectors 205A, 205B
of transfer tube 205, similar as with the device according to Fig. 20 to 22, extend in opposite direction from a mounting 203 of the device's base structure 2, whereby the first end sector 205A serves the purpose of accommodating the filter cigarette paper tubes, while end sector 205B is designed to accommodate the portion packs fastened on the belt-shaped carrier. For that purpose, the second end sector 205B can be designed not only in slotted form, but preferably trough-shaped with an essentially semi-circular cross-section, so that the tobacco portion packs fastened on the belt-shaped carrier can be inserted into this trough and then transferred by means of a piston into the first end sector 205A.

To align the belt-shaped carrier or the tobacco portion pack, mounting 203 can be provided with appropriately formed projections 207 which grasp the notches or tapers on both sides of tobacco portion pack 22 as shown in Fig. 25 to 28. The belt-shaped carrier 252 further aligns the height of tobacco portion or partial portion packs 22 as shown in Fig. 24 in relation to transfer tube 205.

As a comparison of Fig. 25, 26 or 27, 28 shows, it is also feasible here to have portion packs with half or whole length of the filter cigarette paper tube, or with other integral portions of this length. The belt-shaped carrier can consist, for example, of cardboard or relatively stiff paper, whereby this material is not smokable as such, although this is impossible at any rate, especially with the embodiment shown in Fig. 27 and 28, due to the short length of the tobacco portion packs.

Translator's note: The German word is "geeignet" = suited, but this is probably an error, and perhaps the word should read "angeordnet" = arranged.

As shown in Fig. 31, individual portion packs can be designed as well with half or one third the length of the filter cigarette paper tubes, which makes them non-smokable due to their short length. These indications, the full length, the half length, as well as a third of the length of the filter cigarette paper tube, are of course only general indications, since at least the portion pack with the full length of the cigarette paper tube is slightly longer than its tobacco receptacle, and the same applies of course to the partial tobacco portion packs with an integral portion of the length of the filter cigarette paper tube, since a certain compression occurs during stuffing.

10 Another embodiment is shown in Fig. 29 and 30, in which three portion or partial portion packs are glued to a rigid core 253 in the middle. This embodiment is particularly well-suited for the device according to Fig. 23, but also for any other devices. As the enlarged cross-sectional view of Fig. 30 shows especially, the portion or partial portion packs are not glued to each other, but only connected with rigid material core 253 via adhesive layers 254.

A substantial basic idea of the invention is the use of an industrially prefabricated product in the form of a tobacco portion string enveloped in a tobacco wrapper in a special design, in connection with an arrangement that is provided with a transfer tube 20 - if need be slotted, cantilever-mounted to a housing body - into which the prefabricated product is inserted in such a way that the tobacco wrapper of the prefabricated product can be pulled off laterally or toward the back, in such a way that the tobacco portion, which now abuts in the transfer tube against the smooth inner wall without the wrapper, can be transferred with a long piston inserted from one end of the tube to a cigarette paper tube pulled over the slotted transfer tube.

Claims (25)

1. Industrially prefabricated product to be used in the self-production of cigarettes by a consumer by means of a device with a transfer tube (5; 105; 205) and a piston (15, 16) for transferring a tobacco portion of a not itself smokable tobacco portion pack (20) after removal of its tobacco wrapper (22) into a tobacco receptacle (31) of a filter cigarette paper tube (30), characterised in that the tobacco portion pack (20) comprises a lateral pull-off tab (24, 24A) projecting from the periphery of the tobacco wrapper (22) as well as a predetermined tear-off location (23) extending over the axial length of the tobacco wrapper (22).

2. Prefabricated product according to claim 1 designed as a double or dual portion pack (40, Fig. 9) consisting of two individual portions (41, 42) arranged parallel at a distance from each other and connected with each other by a connector (23).

3. Prefabricated product according to any one of claims 1 or 2, designed as a fabrication or packaging unit (50, Fig. 10) which is provided with a number of wrapped individual portion packs (51) on a common belt- or tape-like carrier (52).

4. Prefabricated product according to claim 1, designed as a fabrication or packaging unit, in which three portion or partial portion packs (22) are glued (at 254) onto a rigid core (253), but which have no other mutual connection.

5. Prefabricated product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the lateral pull-off tab (24) of the tobacco portion pack (20) is designed as a material strip (24) mounted at the periphery of the tobacco wrapper (22) and connected or glued respectively therewith (at 25, Fig. 5).

6. Prefabricated product according to any one of claims I to 4, characterised in that the lateral pull-off tab is designed as an extension (24A, Fig. 6) of the tobacco wrapper (22) integral with said tobacco wrapper (22).

7. Prefabricated product according to any one of claims I to 6, characterised in that the lateral pull-off tab (24; 24A) during fabrication is made so that its free end (26) abuts against the periphery of the tobacco wrapper (22) and is connected to same via an easily breakable bond.

8. Prefabricated product according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the tobacco wrapper (22) of the tobacco portion pack (20) is provided on its outside with a material coating (29) preferably applied in strips or lines made of a material which while it impairs smoking enjoyment does not pose a health hazard (such as bitter tea).

9. Prefabricated product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that a material strip (75) made of material which while it impairs smoking enjoyment does not pose a health hazard is attached along a mantle line of said tobacco wrapper (22) of said tobacco portion pack (20), said material strip (75) extending beyond an end of the tobacco wrapper and serving for removing the tobacco wrapper after inserting the tobacco portion pack into said transfer tube (5).

10. Prefabricated product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the prefabricated tobacco portion pack (20, Figure 7) is provided in the middle portion of its axial extension with a transverse predetermined tear-off location (23A, Fig. 7) running across the central longitudinal axis and extending along the entire periphery of the tobacco wrapper (22) and the lateral pull-off tab (24).

11. Prefabricated product according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterised in that the connector (43), which if need be is provided with an axis-parallel predetermined tear-off location (44, Fig. 9) which is easily separated from the lateral pull-off tab(s) for processing the individual portion.

12. A system for the self-production of cigarettes by a consumer, incorporating the industrially prefabricated product according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the device (1; 101; 201) for transferring the tobacco portion into the tobacco receptacle (31) of the filter cigarette paper tube (30) comprising the transfer tube in the shape of a thin, rigid metal or plastic tube (5; 105;
205) having first and second ends, in which the tobacco portion pack (20) can be inserted from one of its ends and on which the cigarette paper tube (30) can be pushed from the first end, wherein the rod-like tobacco filling (21) without the tobacco wrapper (22) can be transferred into the transfer tube by means of the piston (15, 16) guided in the transfer tube and insertable at the second end of said transfer tube, thus transferring the tobacco filling into the tobacco receptacle of the filter cigarette tube pushed onto said transfer tube.

13. A system according to claim 12, characterised in that for removing the tobacco wrapper (22) from the tobacco portion pack (20) inserted into the transfer tube (5) on the side of the device an axis parallel slot (11) is provided that extends at least over that part of the transfer tube (5) which accommodates the tobacco portion pack (20).

14. A system according to any one of claims 12 or 13, characterised in that for removing the tobacco wrapper (22) from the tobacco portion pack (20) inserted into the transfer tube (5) a knife element (70) is provided which extends for a short distance from the inner wall of the transfer tube (5) in substantially radial direction into said tube, and whose purpose it is to slit the tobacco wrapper (22), said knife element (79) being elastically biased into the interior of said transfer tube.

15. A system according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterised in that the device is provided with a housing basic body (2; 102) holding said device, the transfer tube (5; 105; 205) being fastened to said housing body (2; 102) in such a way that at least one of the end sectors (5A; 105A; 105B, 205A; 205B) of the transfer tube is cantilevered and extends from the housing body (2; 102).

16. A system according to claim 15, characterised in that the housing basic body (2) of the device (1) is of elongated shape and is provided at its one end (at 6) with a mounting (3; 203) for the transfer tube (5; 105; 205) in such a way that the tube with at least one cantilevered end sector (5A; 205A) extends along the elongated housing body (2) at a short distance (d) above same.

17. A system according to claim 16, characterised in that the elongated housing basic body (2) at its top side that faces toward the transfer tube (5; 205) is provided with a trough (4) which corresponds to the curve of the tube wall, with which the tube is aligned via its cantilevered length while maintaining the short distance (d).

18. A system according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that the elongated housing basic body (2) extends in axial direction beyond at the least one cantilevered end sector (5A; 205A) of the transfer tube (5).

19. A system according to any one of claims 12 to 18, characterised in that the transfer tube (5; 105; 205) includes cantilevered end sectors (5A; 105A; 105B; 205A; 205B) and wherein the end of at least one of the cantilevered end sectors (5A; 105A; 105B; 205A;
205B) is tapered in a diametrical axial plane (at 12) and rounded in a vertical axial plane (at 13), to facilitate the insertion of the portion pack (20) into the transfer tube or to make it easier to push the cigarette paper tube (30, 31) over the transfer tube.

20. A system according to any one of claims 16 to 19, characterised in that the mounting for the transfer tube (5; 105) is designed as a mounting ring (3) in which the transfer tube is inserted via its axial mounting length and which is fixed with the housing basic body (2) for example by means of adhesion.

21. A system according to any one of claims 16 to 19, characterised in that the mounting for the transfer tube (5; 205) is designed as a mounting block (3B, Fig. 4B), in which the transfer tube (5; 205) is recessed via its axial mounting length.

22. A system according to claim 15, characterised in that the housing basic body (102) is fastened in an area between the end sectors (105A, 105B), that the first end sector (105A) is designed to accommodate said filter cigarette tube (30), that the second end sector (105B) is lotted an designed to accommodate said tobacco portion pack (20), and that the rod-like tobacco filling (21) is transferred by the piston (15, 16) from the second end sector (105B) to the first end sector (105A) and thus into the filter cigarette paper tube (30).

23. A system according to any one of claims 15 to 22, characterised in that the housing basic body (2; 102) carries a plurality of transfer tubes (5; 105; 205), fastened to the housing basic body (2; 102) in a pre-determined geometric configuration, that a plurality of tobacco portion packs are connected to each other in a configuration corresponding to said predetermined geometric configuration, and that a plurality of pistons are connected with each other in the same geometric configuration.

24. A system according to claim 23, characterised in that the geometric configuration is a parallel configuration in one plane, and that the tobacco portion packs are arranged on a carrier material adjacent to each other in one plane.

25. A system according to any one of the claims 22 or 23, characterised in that the filling quantity of an individual tobacco portion pack corresponds substantially to an integral portion of the filling quantity of one filter cigarette paper tube.