Machine and method for producing a substantially cylindrical article, which comprises a tubular body, a container element, arranged in the area of one end of the tubular element, a heat generating element, partially housed inside the container element, and loose material for generating flavour; in use, the loose material is inserted into the container element, vertically oriented, and the heat generating element is partially inserted into the container element by being moved downwards, so as to obtain a combined element; subsequently, the combined element is at least partially inserted into the tubular body.

A method involves placing a cigarette starter cone in a cavity of a holding fixture carried on a carriage at a first station, moving the carriage to a second station, loading a quantity of content into the cone at the second station by a content loading mechanism, moving the carriage to a third station, packing the loaded content in the cigarette starter cone at the third station by a packing mechanism flowing pressurized gas infused with terpene oil or vapor, moving the carriage to a fourth station, exposing the open end of the cigarette starter cone at the fourth station, clamping an exposed portion of the paper cone at the open end by a twister mechanism, activating the twister mechanism, rotating the twister mechanism at least one full turn, twisting the open end closed, and releasing the paper cone, and opening the holding fixture, releasing the packed and twisted-closed cigarette.

A method involves placing a cigarette starter cone in a cavity of a holding fixture carried on a carriage at a first station, moving the carriage to a second station, loading a quantity of content into the cone at the second station by a content loading mechanism, moving the carriage to a third station, packing the loaded content in the cigarette starter cone at the third station by a packing mechanism flowing pressurized gas infused with terpene oil or vapor, moving the carriage to a fourth station, exposing the open end of the cigarette starter cone at the fourth station, clamping an exposed portion of the paper cone at the open end by a twister mechanism, activating the twister mechanism, rotating the twister mechanism at least one full turn, twisting the open end closed, and releasing the paper cone, and opening the holding fixture, releasing the packed and twisted-closed cigarette.

A method for assembling a cigarette involves placing a cigarette starter cone in an internal cavity of a holding fixture carried on a translatable carriage at a first station, moving the carriage to a second station, loading a quantity of content into the cone at the second station by a content loading mechanism, moving the carriage to a third station, packing the loaded content in the cigarette starter cone at the third station by a packing mechanism flowing pressurized gas, moving the carriage to a fourth station, exposing the open end of the cigarette starter cone at the fourth station, clamping an exposed portion of the paper cone at the open end by a twister mechanism, activating the twister mechanism, rotating the twister mechanism at least one full turn, twisting the open end closed, and releasing the paper cone, and opening the holding fixture, releasing the packed and twisted-closed cigarette.

A cigarette assembly machine that accepts loose shredded plant material (“SPM”) and cigarette blanks that include a filter and an empty SPM holding portion and produces cigarettes. The machine has an SPM slug forming mechanism, adapted to accept loose SPM and form it into a slug of SPM in the shape of the SPM holding portion and a cigarette blank accepting and holding mechanism, adapted to hold the cigarette blank. Further, a shaft and a two-stroke shaft moving assembly is adapted to push the SPM slug into the holding portion. Finally, the shaft includes a solid distal push tip, an intermediate brush, and a proximal shaft, whereby as the shaft is moved through its strokes, the intermediate brush scrubs the SPM slug forming mechanism.

A cigarette assembly machine that accepts loose shredded plant material (“SPM”) and cigarette blanks that include a filter and an empty SPM holding portion and produces cigarettes. The machine has an SPM slug forming mechanism, adapted to accept loose SPM and form it into a slug of SPM in the shape of the SPM holding portion and a cigarette blank accepting and holding mechanism, adapted to hold the cigarette blank. Further, a shaft and a two-stroke shaft moving assembly is adapted to push the SPM slug into the holding portion. Finally, the shaft includes a solid distal push tip, an intermediate brush, and a proximal shaft, whereby as the shaft is moved through its strokes, the intermediate brush scrubs the SPM slug forming mechanism.

A device for changing operative portions for tobacco industry machines including a receiving portion made in a structural part of a tobacco industry machine; a plug member attached to an operative portion of the tobacco industry machine, a locking member, housed in the structural part of the machine and configured to adopt a locked position, where it locks the plug member in the receiving portion, and a released position, where it releases the plug member from the receiving portion and actuating means acting on the locking member at least to move the locking member from the locked position to the released position.

A device for changing operative portions for tobacco industry machines including a receiving portion made in a structural part of a tobacco industry machine; a plug member attached to an operative portion of the tobacco industry machine, a locking member, housed in the structural part of the machine and configured to adopt a locked position, where it locks the plug member in the receiving portion, and a released position, where it releases the plug member from the receiving portion and actuating means acting on the locking member at least to move the locking member from the locked position to the released position.

A compact cigarette manufacturing machine comprises a housing, a filling pipe, a loading element, a presser, and a push spoon. The housing encloses a material chamber comprising a bottom surface and an open end for receiving materials. The filling pipe is disposed on the housing to define a filling tip, and extends into a filling cavity in communication with the material chamber. The loading element is assembled with the housing and is operable to load the materials into the filling cavity through an opening of the bottom surface of the material chamber. The presser is assembled with the housing and is operable to press the materials loaded in the filling cavity. A push spoon slidably disposed inside the filling cavity is operable to deliver the materials in the filling cavity into a cigarette tube loaded on the filling tip.

A compact cigarette manufacturing machine comprises a housing, a filling pipe, a loading element, a presser, and a push spoon. The housing encloses a material chamber comprising a bottom surface and an open end for receiving materials. The filling pipe is disposed on the housing to define a filling tip, and extends into a filling cavity in communication with the material chamber. The loading element is assembled with the housing and is operable to load the materials into the filling cavity through an opening of the bottom surface of the material chamber. The presser is assembled with the housing and is operable to press the materials loaded in the filling cavity. A push spoon slidably disposed inside the filling cavity is operable to deliver the materials in the filling cavity into a cigarette tube loaded on the filling tip.