A machine for making plant material smoking articles is provided having a feeding assembly that is configured to feed plant material to a combustible material rolling assembly. The combustible material rolling assembly includes a continuous stream of paper and a forming chute having a semispherical channel at a length and at least one adjustable guide. The combustible material rolling assembly is configured to roll the plant material in the continuous stream of paper at a wrapping rate within the semispherical channel to make at least one plant material smoking article. In some embodiments, the feeding assembly is either driven via gravity or a pneumatic delivery system. In one embodiment, at least one adjustable guide includes a tapered conical guide configured to additionally adjust the wrapping rate.

A rotational transfer assembly is provided to transfer at least one smoking article from a combustible material rolling assembly to a filter assembly. The rotational transfer assembly includes a transfer wheel configured to rotate in a rotational direction at a rotational speed and a plurality of transfer elements attached and positioned radially to the transfer wheel. Each of the plurality of transfer elements is configured to receive a smoking article traveling in a first direction at a linear speed from the combustible material rolling assembly. Next, each transfer element comprising a member of an air component set holds and retains the smoking article on the transfer element during rotation. In some embodiments, each transfer element of the plurality of transfer elements includes a semispherical shaped engagement surface configured to engage the plant material smoking article. In operation, the rotational speed and the linear speed is synchronized by the smoking article machine and a control assembly.

A system and method for manufacturing a plurality of uniform cigarettes that uses air current and a vacuum to move and pack plant matter into pre-rolled cigarette papers is provided. Such an apparatus includes an air current generator with an air outlet portion and an air intake portion, a channel configured to channel air current from the air outlet portion of the air current generator, means for holding at least one pre-rolled paper in the channel so that air current generated by the air current generator passes through all pre-rolled papers, and an opening configured to receive organic leafy material and introduce the organic leafy material received into the channel. Airflow from the air current generator provides organic leafy material to the opening, the channel, and the at least one pre-rolled paper in the channel.

A stem removal device for a cigarette making process is disclosed, including a feeding unit (N1), a flexible air sorting unit (N2), a pure tobacco collection unit (N3), a tobacco conveying unit (N4), a coarse stem removal unit (N5) and a fine stem removal unit (N6). A method for removing the stems during the cigarette making process using the stem removal device is also disclosed.

A method of and control system for controlling transport of fibrous material travelling in dune or dune and layer flow mode conveyed by a pneumatic fluid flow through a transport line of a pneumatic conveying system, such as a cut tobacco conveying system in a device for feeding cut tobacco to a tobacco processing device. The transport velocity of a dune or layer and the velocity of pneumatic fluid passing the dune or layer in the transport line are determined. A difference between the determined dune or layer transport velocity and the determined passing fluid velocity is controlled by controlling the pneumatic fluid flow in the transport line. An optical sensor and a computer program product for use with the method and system are provided.

A conveyor for conveying strands of aerosol-generating material is disclosed. The conveyor comprises a conveying surface, comprising a plurality of openings, on which the strands of aerosol-generating material are conveyed, and an air flow generator for generating a flow of air through the plurality of openings in the conveying surface to provide an air cushion between the conveying surface and the strands of aerosol-generating material. Apparatus for producing a rod of aerosol-generating material comprising a slitting unit arranged to slit a web of aerosol-generating material into a plurality of strands of aerosol-generating material that are received by the conveyor is also disclosed, as well as a method of conveying strands of aerosol-generating material.

Apparatus for Manufacturing a Rod of Aerosol Generating Material, Methods of Manufacturing a Rod of Aerosol Generating Material and Methods of Manufacturing an Article for an Aerosol Provision System The present disclosure relates to an apparatus (9) for manufacturing a rod of aerosol generating material (3). The apparatus (9) comprises a suction belt (11) for conveying aerosol generating material, the suction belt (11) comprising suction holes (16) to retain aerosol generating material on the suction belt (11), and wherein the apparatus (9) is arranged such that the suction belt (11) receives a first aerosol generating material (4) at a first supply zone (17). The apparatus (9) further comprises a blocking member (19) configured to block some of the suction holes (16) in CA the suction belt (11) at the first supply zone (17) such that the first aerosol generating material (4) is arranged in a profile comprising a plurality of first regions of the first aerosol generating material (4), with no or a reduced amount of first aerosol generating material provided between the first regions. The apparatus (9) further comprises a first feeding device (30) configured to supply at least one of beads, pellets or granules of a second aerosol generating material (5) between said first regions. The present disclosure also relates to methods of manufacturing a rod of aerosol generating material, and to methods of manufacturing an article for an aerosol provision system. The present disclosure also relates to an article for use in an aerosol provision system.

A machine for making plant material smoking articles is provided having a feeding assembly that is configured to feed plant material to a combustible material rolling assembly. The combustible material rolling assembly includes a continuous stream of paper and a forming chute having a semispherical channel at a length and at least one adjustable guide. The combustible material rolling assembly is configured to roll the plant material in the continuous stream of paper at a wrapping rate within the semispherical channel to make at least one plant material smoking article. In some embodiments, the feeding assembly is either driven via gravity or a pneumatic delivery system. In one embodiment, at least one adjustable guide includes a tapered conical guide configured to additionally adjust the wrapping rate.