A cigarette rolling machine deposits uniformly metered charges of smoking material into a trough formed in a belt as dispensed from a bulk supply. A length of smoking paper sufficient for the combined length of two cigarettes is deposited nearby on the belt on a movable platen. As the platen moves, the belt glides over a fixed arbor and at least one other movable arbor, and the belt forms into a bight, rolling the material into a cylindrical volume. Filters are delivered and abutted to the ends of the volume and the smoking paper is entrained into the bight to encircle the smoking material and filters. A pre-moistened adhesive along a leading edge of the paper adheres to its trailing edge as a circular ouroboros and forming a tube. The twinned pair of cigarettes is then drawn across a cutting plane knife and parted into two individual cigarettes.

An aerosol-generating article comprising an outer wrapping sheet to form an outer tubular element of an aerosol-generating article that when rolled about a longitudinal axis, the outer wrapping sheet comprising a first edge comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the proximal portion includes a glued section, and wherein the distal portion extends from the proximal portion at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

An aerosol-generating article comprising an outer wrapping sheet to form an outer tubular element of an aerosol-generating article that when rolled about a longitudinal axis, the outer wrapping sheet comprising a first edge comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the proximal portion includes a glued section, and wherein the distal portion extends from the proximal portion at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

A method for making a sub-unit of a smoking article, specifically an HNB smoking article, includes preparing a rod segment, of the tobacco industry and wrapping a connecting strip of wrapping material round that rod segment, about a wrapping axis, in such a way that a first portion of the connecting strip is superposed on a first end of the rod segment and a second portion of it is axially protruding from the first end of the rod segment thereby defining a tubular wrapping which encloses a containment chamber. Then a filling material of the tobacco industry is placed inside the containment chamber. The method also includes a step of making a wall, transverse to the wrapping axis, defining an at least partial closure of the containment chamber, specifically by folding an end portion of the second portion the connecting strip.

A method for making a sub-unit of a smoking article, specifically an HNB smoking article, includes preparing a rod segment, of the tobacco industry and wrapping a connecting strip of wrapping material round that rod segment, about a wrapping axis, in such a way that a first portion of the connecting strip is superposed on a first end of the rod segment and a second portion of it is axially protruding from the first end of the rod segment thereby defining a tubular wrapping which encloses a containment chamber. Then a filling material of the tobacco industry is placed inside the containment chamber. The method also includes a step of making a wall, transverse to the wrapping axis, defining an at least partial closure of the containment chamber, specifically by folding an end portion of the second portion the connecting strip.

A cone staging apparatus for production of smoking articles includes (a) a frame, and (b) a cone pallet releasably supported by the frame. The cone pallet includes a plurality of cavities. Each cavity has an open upper end for receiving a cone therein. The apparatus further includes (c) a cone magazine adjacent the frame for holding a supply of cones. The cone magazine includes at least one escapement alignable over the open upper end of a respective cavity of the cone pallet to facilitate transferring a single cone from the supply of cones to the respective cavity.

A cone closure apparatus for production of smoking articles includes: (a) a frame; and (b) at least one cone holder supported by the frame and extending along an axis. The cone holder has a lower grip surface for applying a rotational force about the axis to an outer surface of a lower filled portion of a cone received in the cone holder. The cone having an upper empty portion disposed above the lower filled portion and protruding clear of the lower grip surface to receive a counter-rotational force about the axis, in a direction opposite the rotational force. The closure apparatus further includes (c) a drive supported by the frame for applying at least one of the rotational force and the counter-rotational force to twist the upper empty portion closed when the drive is energized.

A cone closure apparatus for production of smoking articles includes: (a) a frame; and (b) at least one cone holder supported by the frame and extending along an axis. The cone holder has a lower grip surface for applying a rotational force about the axis to an outer surface of a lower filled portion of a cone received in the cone holder. The cone having an upper empty portion disposed above the lower filled portion and protruding clear of the lower grip surface to receive a counter-rotational force about the axis, in a direction opposite the rotational force. The closure apparatus further includes (c) a drive supported by the frame for applying at least one of the rotational force and the counter-rotational force to twist the upper empty portion closed when the drive is energized.

A closing machine including a cone loading/unloading station, at least one pick and place gripper, a holder assembly, a closing station, and a collection station. The cone loading/unloading station is configured to receive a lower tube assembly and a tray including a plurality of cones. The at least one pick and place gripper is configured to grab at least one cone of the plurality of cones. The holder assembly is configured to receive the at least one cone and move the at least one cone through the closing machine. The closing station is configured to receive the at least one cone from the holder assembly and configured to close an end of the at least one cone. The holder assembly is further configured to release the at least one cone into the collection station.

A closing machine including a cone loading/unloading station, at least one pick and place gripper, a holder assembly, a closing station, and a collection station. The cone loading/unloading station is configured to receive a lower tube assembly and a tray including a plurality of cones. The at least one pick and place gripper is configured to grab at least one cone of the plurality of cones. The holder assembly is configured to receive the at least one cone and move the at least one cone through the closing machine. The closing station is configured to receive the at least one cone from the holder assembly and configured to close an end of the at least one cone. The holder assembly is further configured to release the at least one cone into the collection station.