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).

An apparatus for feeding rod-shaped articles includes a hopper having at least one mouth for dispensing the articles, subdivided by vertical walls parallel to each other forming vertical channels positioned side by side, each accommodating a stack of the articles At a position above an upper edge of each wall is positioned a cylindrical roller oscillating in both directions about its axis parallel to the axes of the articles for facilitating entry in the channels. The axis of each roller is offset laterally in a horizontal direction relative to the upper edge of the wall below and adjacent to it, and the upper edges of the walls relative to each channel are positioned at different levels such that the width of the passage defined between each pair of adjacent rollers lying above the walls of the channel is slightly greater than the diameter of the article.

An apparatus for feeding rod-shaped articles includes a hopper having at least one mouth for dispensing the articles, subdivided by vertical walls parallel to each other forming vertical channels positioned side by side, each accommodating a stack of the articles At a position above an upper edge of each wall is positioned a cylindrical roller oscillating in both directions about its axis parallel to the axes of the articles for facilitating entry in the channels. The axis of each roller is offset laterally in a horizontal direction relative to the upper edge of the wall below and adjacent to it, and the upper edges of the walls relative to each channel are positioned at different levels such that the width of the passage defined between each pair of adjacent rollers lying above the walls of the channel is slightly greater than the diameter of the article.

The apparatus (10) for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles (20) comprises a containing compartment (11) configured to contain smoking articles (20) and provided with a lower aperture (16), a plurality of conveying channels (30), each one having an upper aperture (34) communicating with the lower aperture (16) of the containing compartment, and a conveying device (40) comprising a support structure (41) on which there are mounted two or more conveying members (42) with an elongated shape, parallel to each other and disposed in correspondence with the upper apertures (34) of the conveying channels (30).

A station (2) for trays filled with rod-like articles (R), in a tobacco industry apparatus, provided with a receiving part (2A) to receive filled trays (3, 13); and a storage and conveying unit (2C) containing the filled trays (3, 13), provided with a conveyor (4) to convey the filled trays (3, 13) and a tray separation mechanism (4A) to separate the first tray (3, 13) from other trays (3, 13) collected on bearing elements (4D) of the conveyor (4), whereas the tray separation mechanism (4A) is provided with lifting elements (51, 51, 63, 63) adapted to lift the trays (3, 13) from the bearing elements (4D) of the conveyor (4); characterised in that further the station (2) is provided with lateral belts (56, 56) adapted to support the sidewalls (3L, 3R, 13L, 13R) of the tray (3, 13), whereas the lateral belts (56, 56) are adapted to perform a movement corresponding to the movement of the lifting elements (51, 51, 63, 63) when lifting the trays (3, 13) from the bearing elements (4D) and putting the trays (3, 13) on the bearing elements (4D). The object of the application is also an apparatus for emptying of a four-wall or five-wall tray filled with the rod-like articles.

A station (2) for trays filled with rod-like articles (R), in a tobacco industry apparatus, provided with a receiving part (2A) to receive filled trays (3, 13); and a storage and conveying unit (2C) containing the filled trays (3, 13), provided with a conveyor (4) to convey the filled trays (3, 13) and a tray separation mechanism (4A) to separate the first tray (3, 13) from other trays (3, 13) collected on bearing elements (4D) of the conveyor (4), whereas the tray separation mechanism (4A) is provided with lifting elements (51, 51, 63, 63) adapted to lift the trays (3, 13) from the bearing elements (4D) of the conveyor (4); characterised in that further the station (2) is provided with lateral belts (56, 56) adapted to support the sidewalls (3L, 3R, 13L, 13R) of the tray (3, 13), whereas the lateral belts (56, 56) are adapted to perform a movement corresponding to the movement of the lifting elements (51, 51, 63, 63) when lifting the trays (3, 13) from the bearing elements (4D) and putting the trays (3, 13) on the bearing elements (4D). The object of the application is also an apparatus for emptying of a four-wall or five-wall tray filled with the rod-like articles.

A method for producing packs for cigarettes, in which at least one group of cigarettes is wrapped in an inner wrapper and is introduced into a pocket of a folding turret and therein is packed in a blank for the pack, and a corresponding apparatus and to a pack for cigarettes. At least one dimension of the at least one cigarette group does not correspond to the respective dimension of the interior space of the pack, the at least one deviating dimension is equalized by at least one filler piece, and the at least one filler piece is wrapped in the inner wrapper conjointly with at least one cigarette group.

A method for producing packs for cigarettes, in which at least one group of cigarettes is wrapped in an inner wrapper and is introduced into a pocket of a folding turret and therein is packed in a blank for the pack, and a corresponding apparatus and to a pack for cigarettes. At least one dimension of the at least one cigarette group does not correspond to the respective dimension of the interior space of the pack, the at least one deviating dimension is equalized by at least one filler piece, and the at least one filler piece is wrapped in the inner wrapper conjointly with at least one cigarette group.

An apparatus for forming a predetermined collation of rod shaped articles, in particular smoking articles, includes a feeder arrangement, and a pocket. The pocket is adapted to house a predetermined number of rod shaped articles in the predetermined collation in a predetermined position within the pocket. The apparatus further includes a hopper with a plurality of hopper vanes, wherein each hopper vane is at least associated to one predetermined position in the pocket. The feeder arrangement includes a first feeder being adapted to provide a first subgroup of rod shaped articles of a first type to a first subset of hopper vanes, a second feeder being adapted to provide a second subgroup of rod shaped articles of a second type to a second subset of hopper vanes, and a third feeder being adapted to provide a third subgroup of rod shaped articles of a third type to a third subset of hopper vanes.

An apparatus for forming a predetermined collation of rod shaped articles, in particular smoking articles, includes a feeder arrangement, and a pocket. The pocket is adapted to house a predetermined number of rod shaped articles in the predetermined collation in a predetermined position within the pocket. The apparatus further includes a hopper with a plurality of hopper vanes, wherein each hopper vane is at least associated to one predetermined position in the pocket. The feeder arrangement includes a first feeder being adapted to provide a first subgroup of rod shaped articles of a first type to a first subset of hopper vanes, a second feeder being adapted to provide a second subgroup of rod shaped articles of a second type to a second subset of hopper vanes, and a third feeder being adapted to provide a third subgroup of rod shaped articles of a third type to a third subset of hopper vanes.