The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final folded packages. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus packs the crumbled leaves into the cones, closes the wide top portion of the cone into a precise shape, and then runs a quality control check to ensure that the final filled cone meets preset specifications.

A rolling system including a measuring station. The measuring station includes a hopper for receiving a smokable product, a vibratory bowl for receiving the smokable product from the hopper, a weigh bowl for receiving the smokable product from the vibratory bowl, a weigh module attached to the weigh bowl for measuring the smokable product in the weigh bowl, and a puck defining a plurality of cavities for receiving the smokable product therein. Each cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to receive a predetermined amount of smokable product within a predetermined tolerance of the predetermined amount.

A rolling system including a measuring station. The measuring station includes a hopper for receiving a smokable product, a vibratory bowl for receiving the smokable product from the hopper, a weigh bowl for receiving the smokable product from the vibratory bowl, a weigh module attached to the weigh bowl for measuring the smokable product in the weigh bowl, and a puck defining a plurality of cavities for receiving the smokable product therein. Each cavity of the plurality of cavities is configured to receive a predetermined amount of smokable product within a predetermined tolerance of the predetermined amount.

A particulate delivery and packing apparatus for depositing and compressing particulate material in elongate containers. The containers may have one closed end or two open ends. A modular elongate container magazine is positioned on a base plate of the apparatus to receive a controlled-descent hopper having a plurality of packing tubes extending downwardly from a bottom end of the hopper. Each of the plurality of packing tubes is aligned with a channel in the container magazine and is incrementally lowered into the channel to deposit particulate material. The leading edge of the packing tube compresses the deposited material via an oscillation movement and is incrementally withdrawn to deposit additional particulate material. A vibration-emitting electromagnet/magnetic conductor combination imparts vibration energy to the packing tubes to perform the packing/compression function. Alternatively, a motor applies rotational motion that is converted to a vertical vibratory motion imparted to the packing tubes to perform the packing/compression function.

The apparatus for combining tobacco sheets comprises a first shaft for carrying a first bobbin of tobacco sheet and a second shaft for carrying a second bobbin of tobacco sheet. The apparatus also comprises a splicing unit for combining an end portion of tobacco sheet from the first bobbin to a head portion of tobacco sheet from the second bobbin. The splicing unit comprises a cutting device for cutting the tobacco sheets such as to provide complementary cuts to the tobacco sheets from the first bobbin and from the second bobbin, a dispensing device for dispensing water to at least one of the tobacco sheets, and a combining device for applying force onto the tobacco sheets thereby producing a spliced tobacco sheet.

A plant material loader has a hopper, a hopper tray, a transfer tamper assembly, a transfer tray, a product retainer tray, product tubes and a loader tamper assembly. The hopper is configured to receive plant material. The hopper tray receives the plant material from the hopper. The hopper tray has hopper tray openings. The hopper tray has a hopper tray motion from a hopper position where the hopper tray is below the hopper to a transfer position where the hopper tray is away from the hopper and at a transfer tamper assembly. The transfer tamper assembly has transfer tamper rods and a transfer tray. The transfer tamper rods push the plant material from the hopper tray to the transfer tray.

The apparatus for combining tobacco sheets comprises a first shaft for carrying a first bobbin of tobacco sheet and a second shaft for carrying a second bobbin of tobacco sheet. The apparatus also comprises a splicing unit for combining an end portion of tobacco sheet from the first bobbin to a head portion of tobacco sheet from the second bobbin. The splicing unit comprises a cutting device for cutting the tobacco sheets such as to provide complementary cuts to the tobacco sheets from the first bobbin and from the second bobbin, a dispensing device for dispensing water to at least one of the tobacco sheets, and a combining device for applying force onto the tobacco sheets thereby producing a spliced tobacco sheet.

Suction belt conveyor of a rod-forming machine of the tobacco processing industry for conveying materials, in particular tobacco, a rod-forming machine of the tobacco processing industry and use of the rod-forming machine and a method for measuring material properties of a material rod of the tobacco processing industry. The suction belt conveyor includes at least one rod guiding channel, which is open at the bottom and which is delimited by two lateral channel sides and a suction belt along a conveying path. At least one electromagnetic measuring device is integrated in the channel sides of the suction belt conveyor at at least one position along the conveying path in order to determine properties of the conveyed material.

A cigarette rolling machine formed of a frame pivotably supporting a drum for rotation about a drum axis. The drum circumference forms hopper channel and a spaced apart removal channel parallel to the axis. A forming roller is pivotably mounted adjacent to and spaced from the surface of the drum. An idler roller is also pivotably supported on the frame for rotation parallel to the drum axis. An elongate belt forms a loop extending about the forming and idler roller. The belt has two ends attached to spaced apart sides of the removal channel. A tensioner roller is pivotably supported for rotation parallel to the drum axis. A belt tension adjuster cooperates with the tensioner roller and the frame to releasably affix the axis of the tensioner roller at a plurality of positions relative to the belt in order to vary the diameter of a cigarette to be formed.

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.