Transfer device configured to transfer smoking articles in a direction of transfer from a feed store to a transfer conveyor with pockets of an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles. The transfer device includes a forming drawer comprising an upper wall and a bottom wall. The upper wall is disposed fixed in a position opposite the bottom wall and the bottom wall is configured automatically mobile with respect to the fixed upper wall between a closed position and an open position.

Transfer device configured to transfer smoking articles in a direction of transfer from a feed store to a transfer conveyor with pockets of an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles. The transfer device includes a forming drawer comprising an upper wall and a bottom wall. The upper wall is disposed fixed in a position opposite the bottom wall and the bottom wall is configured automatically mobile with respect to the fixed upper wall between a closed position and an open position.

A method of feeding rod-shaped consumer goods to a packing apparatus is provided, including providing a plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods to an upstream end of a stacking channel, and feeding the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods along the stacking channel to a downstream end of the stacking channel. The upstream end of the stacking channel is higher than the downstream end in the vertical direction, and at least a portion of the stacking channel extends at an angle of between about 25 degrees and about 75 degrees with respect to the vertical direction. The method further includes receiving the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods into a hopper from the downstream end of the stacking channel, and distributing the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods from the hopper into a packing apparatus.

A method of feeding rod-shaped consumer goods to a packing apparatus is provided, including providing a plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods to an upstream end of a stacking channel, and feeding the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods along the stacking channel to a downstream end of the stacking channel. The upstream end of the stacking channel is higher than the downstream end in the vertical direction, and at least a portion of the stacking channel extends at an angle of between about 25 degrees and about 75 degrees with respect to the vertical direction. The method further includes receiving the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods into a hopper from the downstream end of the stacking channel, and distributing the plurality of rod-shaped consumer goods from the hopper into a packing apparatus.

A replenishing device for replenishing a flute of a transporter with a rod-like element, wherein the transporter comprises multiple flutes located transversally with respect to a transporting direction and adapted to transport rod-like elements, the replenishing device comprising: a feeding duct for feeding the rod-like element; a rotary replenishing element having an axis of rotation, comprising at least one transferring seat for receiving the rod-like element from the feeding duct in a receiving zone and for transferring the rod-like element to the flute of the transporter in a transferring zone, wherein the rotary replenishing element is adapted to repeatedly pass the same rod-like element through the transferring zone before transferring that rod-like element to the flute of the transporter; and a transferring mechanism for effecting the transfer of the rod-like element from the transferring seat to the flute of the transporter.

A method of emptying trays filled with rod-shaped articles produced in the tobacco industry, which consist of the following stages: the trays designated for emptying are conveyed to the input area of a hopper containing adjacent channels separated by dividers; the rod-shaped articles are transferred from the tray to the channels of the hopper using support plates; the channels of the hopper are filled with the rod-shaped articles; the support plates are retracted from the channels of the hopper; the channels of the hopper are successively emptied into a chute adapted to move between channel outlets of the hopper; finally, the rod-shaped articles are transferred from the channels of the hopper and through the chute to the discharge conveyor moving towards the receiving device. The method is further characterized in that during emptying at least one channel (7) of the hopper (2), the hopper (2) moves linearly in the direction (S2) opposite to the direction (T) in which the rod-shaped articles are transported by the discharge conveyor (19); and after the channel (7) has been completely emptied, the hopper (2) moves in the direction (S1) concurrent with the direction (T) in which the rod-shaped articles are transported by the discharge conveyor (19), until it achieves a position in which the outlet of the next channel filled with rod-shaped articles is aligned with the inlet (21) of the chute (20), whereas the hopper (2) moves at a variable velocity when moving in the direction (S1) concurrent with the direction (T) in which the rod-shaped articles are transported by the conveyor.

A method of emptying trays filled with rod-shaped articles produced in the tobacco industry, which consist of the following stages: the trays designated for emptying are conveyed to the input area of a hopper containing adjacent channels separated by dividers; the rod-shaped articles are transferred from the tray to the channels of the hopper using support plates; the channels of the hopper are filled with the rod-shaped articles; the support plates are retracted from the channels of the hopper; the channels of the hopper are successively emptied into a chute adapted to move between channel outlets of the hopper; finally, the rod-shaped articles are transferred from the channels of the hopper and through the chute to the discharge conveyor moving towards the receiving device. The method is further characterized in that during emptying at least one channel (7) of the hopper (2), the hopper (2) moves linearly in the direction (S2) opposite to the direction (T) in which the rod-shaped articles are transported by the discharge conveyor (19); and after the channel (7) has been completely emptied, the hopper (2) moves in the direction (S1) concurrent with the direction (T) in which the rod-shaped articles are transported by the discharge conveyor (19), until it achieves a position in which the outlet of the next channel filled with rod-shaped articles is aligned with the inlet (21) of the chute (20), whereas the hopper (2) moves at a variable velocity when moving in the direction (S1) concurrent with the direction (T) in which the rod-shaped articles are transported by the conveyor.

Reclosable package of cigarettes, comprising: a group of cigarettes; a soft envelope having a parallelepiped shape and comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, the envelope encloses the group of cigarettes and is provided with a cigarette extraction opening; a stiffening element wrapping the envelope along at least two opposite surfaces of the envelope and at the extraction opening; a reclosable opening system consisting in an adhesive closing panel superimposed in a removable manner on an adhesive frame panel, the opening system covers the extraction opening; wherein the closing panel is movable between an opening position and a closing position of the extraction opening, and wherein the opening system is fastened to the stiffening element by firmly superimposing the frame panel on at least two opposite walls of the stiffening element and at the extraction opening.

Reclosable package of cigarettes, comprising: a group of cigarettes; a soft envelope having a parallelepiped shape and comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, the envelope encloses the group of cigarettes and is provided with a cigarette extraction opening; a stiffening element wrapping the envelope along at least two opposite surfaces of the envelope and at the extraction opening; a reclosable opening system consisting in an adhesive closing panel superimposed in a removable manner on an adhesive frame panel, the opening system covers the extraction opening; wherein the closing panel is movable between an opening position and a closing position of the extraction opening, and wherein the opening system is fastened to the stiffening element by firmly superimposing the frame panel on at least two opposite walls of the stiffening element and at the extraction opening.

There are described a method and machine (8) for manufacturing truncated-cone shaped tubular elements (1). The machine comprises: a conveyor (22) provided with a number of first seats (30), each produced to receive a respective tubular element (1), which feeds said first seats along an output path (P4) and in which said first seats (30) are divided into sets (S) each comprising a predetermined number of first seats (30); an insertion station (S11) arranged along the output path (P4) and in which the tubular elements (1) housed inside the first seats (30) of a set(S) are transferred simultaneously inside respective second seats (34) of a loader (33); in which each second seat (34) is designed to house, on the inside, a first number (ng) of tubular elements (1) stacked one inside the other; a packing conveyor (37) which moves tubular packs (36) along a packing path (P6); and an insertion station (S14) of the tubular elements (1) which are transferred from the loader (33) to the tubular pack (36) arranged along the packing path (P6), wherein the loader (33) is movable from the insertion station (11) arranged along the conveying path (P4) to the insertion station (S14) arranged along the packing path (P6).