305,750. Molins, W. E. Dec. 5, 1927. Packeting by wrapping-up. - A machine for packeting cigarettes &c. automatically comprises an endless conveyer or other means operable to move two batches of cigarettes into engagement with a blank composed of two sections united by a flap so that the axes of the cigarettes are disposed at right angles to the longer dimension of the blank, and means to move the batches of cigarettes, together with the blank, through folding mechanism adapted to fold the two sections each into a U-shaped block ended pocket about a batch of cigarettes, the open ends of the pockets being directed towards one another. Alternatively, a single batch of cigarettes may be enclosed in one section of a blank comprising two sections, the other section being formed into a cover for the pocket formed by the first section. Cigarettes from a hopper 2, Fig. 1, having two distinct sets of vane openings 2<a>, 2<b> are removed in two separate batches by a pusher piece 3 on an endless conveyer 4, the cigarettes resting on the bed 1 of the machine and being bunched together by the tapered ends of side plates 7 preparatory to their meeting strips of tin foil drawn downwards across their paths from rolls 9. A severed length of foil is folded lengthwise of the cigarettes, above, beneath and around one end of the batches, by the passage of the foil and the batches beneath plates 13, 14 mounted a short distance above the bed 1. The partly wrapped batches are fed into the lower compartments 15, Fig. 9, of a rotatable carrier 16 having similar upper compartments 15, and the carrier is rotated half a turn by a Geneva mechanism to allow the upturned edge of the plate 14 to fold the trailing end H of the foil on to the top of the carrier. A conveyer 19 now feeds forwards the batches past guides 21, which fold the end flaps H of the foil on to the cigarettes, to a position K above a blank on to which they drop. The blanks are fed from a pile 23 by mechanism of the type described in Specification 285,540, [Class 100 (i), Feeding and delivering webs &c.], and comprising rollers 24 adapted to scone each blank along the dotted lines, Fig. 2, and guides 27, 28 between which the blank is thrust by grippers carried on arms 30, 33 to bend upwards the side portions a, b, d, e. In the depressed position. the blank engages continuously rotating rollers which co-operate with rollers 37 on the upper grippers 29 to feed the blank past folders 38 adapted to bend down the side portions flat upon the centre portion thereof. The side portions then, by their own elasticity, straighten themselves once more whilst a roller 41 bends up the scallops in the slotted end portion c of the blanks and a conveyer 45 feeds the blank to the position K. A conveyer 47 transfers the blank and the two batches of cigarettes past a presser plate 48, fixed folders 52 adapted to turn up the end flaps c about the lines k, and fixed folders 53 which turn down the end flaps c about the lines l, to a horizontally reciprocating claw member 54 raised periodically, to clear the package by a cam-operated lever 60. The claw member disposes the package in position in the path of a conveyer 64, moving at right angles to the con. veyer 47 and parallel plates 65, 66 turn up the side portions d, e and keep horizontal the portions a, b ready to be gummed by wheels 68. Folders 70 complete the folding of the side portions before the package reaches a heated stacker 71. Here the packages rest on a platform 72 adapted to be raised periodically a distance approximating to the thickness of a package to allow a succeeding package to pass on to the plate 72. As each package is raised it is displaced lengthwise to prevent fouling of tabs m, Figs. 2 and 3, which subsequently enter slots in the other section of the package to keep it closed. The packages rise above the top of the stacker 71 whereupon a reciprocating pusher 78 thrusts each one sideways on to a conveyer 80, a projection 84 on the pusher turning down the front tab n of the central flap to a horizontal position. On its return from this operation, the pusher also turns down the rear tab n. The tabs are gummed by a roller 86 and then folded back on to the flap, the front one by a fixed member 91 and the rear one by a roller 93. During this operation the pockets of the package are bent backwards by guides to expose clearly the central flap and finally, an oscillating arm 94 raises one pocket to a vertical position where it is held by a spring finger 97 and a second oscillating arm 98 folds it down on to the other pocket, an arcuate guide ensuring that the tabs in enter their respective slots.