A machine for making sub-units of smoking articles includes a conveyor, a feed unit and an applicator. The conveyor conveys a succession of tubular segments transversely along a conveying direction. The feed unit feeds and conveys a continuous web and advances the web along a feed direction parallel to the conveying direction of the tubular segments so that the web faces respective application ends of the tubular segments. The applicator is movable along an application direction parallel to an axis of predominant extension of the succession of tubular segments and is configured to engage the web so as to separate respective closing elements from it. The applicator is also configured to apply the closing element internally or externally on an application end of a respective tubular segment in such a way as to form a closing wall to at least partly close the application end.

A system for folding cigarettes filled with a smoking material, including a body, an insert coupled to the body, the insert is configured to store the cigarette, the insert includes a base and sidewalls extending upwards from the base, where the base and the sidewalls match a size of the cigarette, the insert, the cigarette is configured to be mounted on a top surface of the base, a folding mechanism secured to the body, the folding mechanism includes multiple folding units, each folding unit of the multiple folding units includes a moving member that moves towards the insert for hitting a top portion of the cigarette from another angle, a mechanism for moving the moving member towards the cigarette.

A system for folding cigarettes filled with a smoking material, including a body, an insert coupled to the body, the insert is configured to store the cigarette, the insert includes a base and sidewalls extending upwards from the base, where the base and the sidewalls match a size of the cigarette, the insert, the cigarette is configured to be mounted on a top surface of the base, a folding mechanism secured to the body, the folding mechanism includes multiple folding units, each folding unit of the multiple folding units includes a moving member that moves towards the insert for hitting a top portion of the cigarette from another angle, a mechanism for moving the moving member towards the cigarette.

A pre-roll cone folding system for use in folding top portions of pre-roll cones, including at least (A) one or more pre-roll cone holders, a given one of the one or more pre-roll cone holders including at least a sloped cavity for supporting a pre-roll cone with a top portion of the pre-roll cone protruding from the sloped cavity; (B) one or more pre-roll cone folders for engaging the one or more pre-roll cone holders, a given pre-roll cone folder of the one or more pre-roll cone folders including at least (1) a receptacle to receive at least a portion of the protruding top portion of the pre-roll cone, and (2) a slot; and (C) a pre-roll cone plunger with a shaft for insertion through the slot of the given pre-roll cone folder and with a shaper for shaping at least the top portion of the pre-roll cone.

A pre-roll cone folding system for use in folding top portions of pre-roll cones, including at least (A) one or more pre-roll cone holders, a given one of the one or more pre-roll cone holders including at least a sloped cavity for supporting a pre-roll cone with a top portion of the pre-roll cone protruding from the sloped cavity; (B) one or more pre-roll cone folders for engaging the one or more pre-roll cone holders, a given pre-roll cone folder of the one or more pre-roll cone folders including at least (1) a receptacle to receive at least a portion of the protruding top portion of the pre-roll cone, and (2) a slot; and (C) a pre-roll cone plunger with a shaft for insertion through the slot of the given pre-roll cone folder and with a shaper for shaping at least the top portion of the pre-roll cone.

An enclosed cannabis cigarette preparation system that includes an indexing module configured to accept a plurality of pre-rolled cones, each having a sealed end and an open end, and to move the pre-rolled cones through a plurality of stations. The system further includes a filling module configured to dispense, at a first station, a portion of cannabis shake material into the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form loosely filled cones; a tamping module configured to compress, at a second station, the cannabis shake material in each of the loosely filled cones to form tamped cones; a de-clogging module; and a pinching module configured to pinch-twist, at a third station, the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form rolled cigarettes.

An enclosed cannabis cigarette preparation system that includes an indexing module configured to accept a plurality of pre-rolled cones, each having a sealed end and an open end, and to move the pre-rolled cones through a plurality of stations. The system further includes a filling module configured to dispense, at a first station, a portion of cannabis shake material into the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form loosely filled cones; a tamping module configured to compress, at a second station, the cannabis shake material in each of the loosely filled cones to form tamped cones; a de-clogging module; and a pinching module configured to pinch-twist, at a third station, the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form rolled cigarettes.

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 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 system and method for closing and sealing a cone filled with a smokable material provides a cone filler control system, a plurality of cone inserts each including a tapered inner wall defining a taper lock area for holding a cone filled with smokable material, and an insert ring provided at a lower end of each cone insert, each of the plurality of cone inserts removably inserted in corresponding cone receptacles residing in a cone carousel, a cone tamper actuator for compacting smokable material in a filled cone, a cone closer system including a gripper actuator for closing the cone top of the filled cone, and a cone sealing drive system including a motor with a drive wheel operated to impart a rotational force on the insert ring of each cone insert to rotate both the cone insert and a filled cone to form a wick seal at the end of the filled cone.