The object of the invention is a feeding apparatus for feeding a single-layer stream of tobacco industry's rod-like articles (2) comprising a first feeding channel (10) adapted to convey the rod-like articles (2) in the form of a mass flow (MF), a second feeding channel (11) provided with a lower conveyor (16), adapted to convey the rod-like articles (2) in the form of the mass flow (MF), whereas the second feeding channel (11) is flow-connected with the first feeding channel (10), a storage container (3) adapted to filling with the rod-like articles (2), flow-connected with the second feeding channel (11), an outlet conveyor (5, 30) provided with a bearing surface (5A, 30A) comprising grooves (23, 31), adapted to take the rod-like articles (2) from the storage container (3) and convey the rod-like articles (2) in the form of a single-layer stream (SF) of rod-like articles (2), characterised in that the bottom of the storage container (3) is formed by the lower conveyor (16) of the second feeding channel (11) and the bearing surface (5A, 30A) of the outlet conveyor (5, 30), and that the second feeding channel (11) is provided with an upper drive element (17, 33) for the mass flow (MF) comprising a bearing surface (17A, 33A) which is at least partially situated convergently to the bearing surface (16A) of the lower conveyor (16) of the second feeding channel (11) in the direction from the first feeding channel (10) to the storage container (3).

A system for manufacturing cigarettes is provided. The system can include an easily removable and/or replaceable metering device that use a cavity drum to dispense a filler material, a modular garniture format parts bank that can be removed and replaced as a single unit from the cigarette manufacturing machinery, and a cutter head having components operated with a single motor that turns a spline shaft.

An arrangement and method for conveying rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry. The arrangement conveys article segments of first and second rows disposed side by side in pairs in a transverse axial direction. In a conveying inspection section, at least one conveying member conveys a first row of article segments disposed transversely axially behind each other and conveys a second row of article segments disposed transversely axially behind each other. Moreover, one or two head end inspection devices, preferably optical, are provided for inspecting one or both head ends of the first row of article segments along a conveyor path for the first row of article segments of the first row, and one or two head end inspection device, preferably optical, are provided for inspecting one or both head ends of the second row of article segments along a conveyor path for the second row of article segments.

A cannabis joints manufacturing machine comprises a plurality of different cannabis joints manufacturing stations, each for performing on one cannabis cone at a time a step among a sequence of steps for manufacturing a cannabis joint; one of the cannabis joints manufacturing stations including a cannabis oil injector; the plurality of different cannabis joints manufacturing stations being positioned side-by-side according to the sequence of steps for manufacturing a cannabis joint; and a cannabis cone support for receiving a plurality of cannabis cones and for sequentially moving together the plurality of cannabis cones between each of the plurality of different cannabis joints manufacturing stations.

Methods and apparatuses for detecting the fill height of a pre-filled cone and closing the cone are disclosed. A height detector, such as a laser rangefinder, detects the height of a pre-filled cone. A gripper then grips the pre-filled cone at the height plus a predetermined offset, the offset calculated to result in an optimum packing of cone fill material. The gripper then closes the cone by rotating to form a twist, which is then trimmed to the height plus the predetermined offset. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

A conveyor for aligning rod-shaped articles and including a succession of flutes which are movable along a feed path and which are configured to hold respective rod-shaped articles or groups of rod-shaped articles. For each flute, the conveyor has an abutment portion, disposed at least at one end of the flute to define an abutment surface for one end of the rod-shaped article or group of rod-shaped articles housed in the suction flute. The abutment portion is provided with at least one suction zone to hold the end of the rod-shaped article or group of rod-shaped articles by suction against the abutment portion. The suction zone is defined by a plurality of suction perforations, connected or connectable to a negative pressure source and whose transverse size is, for example, smaller than 1 mm, preferably smaller than 0.8 mm and, still more preferably, smaller than 0.6 mm.

A filling unit, configured to fill a succession of tubular wrappers of the tobacco industry. The tubular wrappers extend along a main axis of extension and internally define respective containment chambers adapted to contain a filling material of the tobacco industry and have an access opening on at least one of its ends for access to the containment chamber. The unit also includes a filling station configured to insert the filling material into respective containment chambers of the succession of tubular wrappers through a filling end of them and a closing station disposed downstream of the filling station and comprising a plurality of closing means configured to make respective walls which close the filling ends and which are transverse to the respective main axes of extension.

The present apparatus relates to an electronic cigarette manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic cigarette manufacturing apparatus with which electronic cigarettes each composed of a plurality of segments can be easily and quickly manufactured without defects and thus productivity improvement and cost reduction can be achieved. The electronic cigarette manufacturing apparatus includes: a supply means configured to accommodate a plurality of segments that form an electronic cigarette and cut and supply the segments in a set length; a delivery means formed on one lower portion of the supply means and configured to deliver the plurality of supplied segments; a transport means including a conveyor configured to divide and transport the plurality of segments delivered from the delivery means so as to prevent defects in an arrangement sequence and a conveyor for integrally transport the plurality of segments; and a finishing means configured to remove spaces between the segments transported through the transport means and cut the segments into specified lengths of the electronic cigarette.

The present invention relates to an inspection device for the quality control of rod-shaped articles, the device comprising: ⋅a drum (4) defining an outer surface (13,40) and including a plurality of seats (41), each seat (41) of the plurality adapted to receive a rod-shaped article; ⋅an inductive sensor (5) located at a seat (41) of the plurality, the inductive sensor (5) including a coil (51) defining an inner volume (50) large enough to receive therein an end of the rod-shaped article, the inductive sensor (5) being adapted to sense a characteristic of a susceptor (12) in the rod-shaped article; ⋅wherein the coil (51) includes a first semi-coil and a second semi-coil, the first semi-coil and/or the second semi-coil being movable from a first operative position where the first semi-coil and the second semi-coil are in contact to each other forming the coil (51) where current can flow to a second operative position where the first semi-coil and the second semi-coil are separated from each other and no current can flow, and vice-versa; ⋅the first semi-coil being located below the outer surface (13,40) of the drum (4) and the second semi-coil being located above the outer surface (13,40) of the drum (4); and ⋅an actuator (6) adapted to move the first semi-coil and the second semi-coil from the first operative position to the second operative position and vice-versa.

An apparatus and method for recovering tobacco material from tobacco rod sections is provided, each tobacco rod section including a wrapping paper wrapped about the tobacco material. The apparatus includes a centrifugal object-orienting device including a disc disposed at an incline within a cylindrical container, the cylindrical container and the disc being rotatable about a rotation axis such that the rotating cylindrical container and disc impart centrifugal force to the tobacco rod sections, the tobacco rod sections being responsive to the centrifugal force to orient lengthwise. A first conveyor device is configured to receive and convey in a conveyor direction the tobacco rod sections, with the tobacco rod sections being oriented lengthwise relative to the conveyor direction. A slitting device is operably engaged with the first conveyor device and configured to lengthwise slit the wrapping paper wrapped about the tobacco material of each of the tobacco rod sections.