GB1087577A - Method and apparatus for producing filter rods or like assemblages of component rod-like elements for cigarettes or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

1,087,577. Tobacco smoke filters. K. KÍRBER. Nov. 10, 1964 [Nov. 11, 1963], No. 44137/64. Heading A2C. In a method of producing composite filter rods, filter rods of a first sort and filter rods of a second sort are disposed successively in the same grooves of a conveyer and are cut while on the conveyer to form a number of portions, and some of the portions of one sort are caused to travel in an auxiliary path away from the conveyer and are subsequently returned to the conveyer in a different axial position to form composite rows of first and second sort plugs in alternating sequence, the composite rows so formed being subsequently enclosed in a wrapper. As shown in Fig. 1 filter rods 1 of the first sort are delivered from a magazine 34 by a drum 35 to a drum 36. The rods are cut into two portoins 2, 3 (Fig. 3) by a cutter 37 and moved apart (Fig. 4) by guides 38. Filter rods 4 of a second sort are then fed from a magazine 39 by a drum 40 between the portions 2, 3 (Fig. 6). The filter rod portions 2, 3, 4 are then cut by cutters 41, 42 and 43 into rod portions 5-10 (Fig. 7) and the portion 8 is cut into portions 12 and 13 by a subsequent cutter 44 (Fig. 8). A take-off drum 46 removes the portions 6 and 9 (Fig. 9) and the portions 7 and 13 are moved axially towards the portions 5 and 10 by guides 45 (Fig. 10). The removed portions 6 and 9 are transferred to a shifter drum 47 and moved inwardly (Figs. 11 and 12) by guides 48 until they coincide with the gaps 14 and 15 (Fig. 10) between the portions 7, 12 and 13. The portions 6 and 9 are delivered to the gaps 14 and 15 by a drum 49 (Fig. 13) and guides 50 effect abutment of the rod portions (Fig. 14). A connector sheet 18 is fed to the rod by tipping apparatus 51-55 (Fig. 15) and wrapped around the assembled rod portions by a wrapper drum 56 (Fig. 16). In an alternative arrangement the guides 50 may be omitted and granular material may be fed into the gaps between adjacent portions prior to wrapping (Fig. 17, not shown).