A material handling machine dispenses uniformly metered charges of smoking material from a bulk supply, by means of a metered material feeder that has a first hopper with an opening disposed over a first horizontal chute. The first chute is mounted on slanted springs and has a dispensing end above a second chute also mounted upon slanted springs. The second chute discharges onto a tippable weighing tray above a set of nested hoppers in which one is fixed and the other is vertically movable. A weight sensor may be attached to the tippable tray or the fixed hopper, or both. The move-able hopper may comprise a forming belt indenter to form a trough in a cigarette rolling apparatus. The first hopper may include an agitator that has at least one vertical rod for stirring the bulk material. The dispensing end of the first chute may also include a rotating rake.

A lighter includes a lighter component that is configured to ignite a smokeable item. The lighter includes a housing that is connected to the lighter component and that includes a cavity. The lighter includes a component that permits access to the cavity of the housing to permit the smokeable item to be stored within the cavity of the housing.

A lighter includes a lighter component that is configured to ignite a smokeable item. The lighter includes a housing that is connected to the lighter component and that includes a cavity. The lighter includes a component that permits access to the cavity of the housing to permit the smokeable item to be stored within the cavity of the housing.

A cigarette rolling apparatus designed to form a cigarette by rolling a paper around a smoking material is provided. The apparatus includes a base, a ramp coupled to the base, a handle with arms pivotably mounted to the base and having rollers rotatably mounted to the arms, and a belt with first and second ends coupled to the base so that the belt extends along the ramp and around the rollers mounted to the handle. The handle in a load position forms a U-shaped pocket in the belt between the ramp and rollers to receive the smoking material and a portion of the belt on the ramp to receive the paper. Pivotal movement of the handle from the load position toward the front end of the base allows the rollers to apply compression forces on portions of the belt to roll the paper around the smoking material.

A cigarette rolling apparatus designed to form a cigarette by rolling a paper around a smoking material is provided. The apparatus includes a base, a ramp coupled to the base, a handle with arms pivotably mounted to the base and having rollers rotatably mounted to the arms, and a belt with first and second ends coupled to the base so that the belt extends along the ramp and around the rollers mounted to the handle. The handle in a load position forms a U-shaped pocket in the belt between the ramp and rollers to receive the smoking material and a portion of the belt on the ramp to receive the paper. Pivotal movement of the handle from the load position toward the front end of the base allows the rollers to apply compression forces on portions of the belt to roll the paper around the smoking material.

A cone closure apparatus for production of smoking articles includes: (a) a frame; and (b) at least one cone holder supported by the frame and extending along an axis. The cone holder has a lower grip surface for applying a rotational force about the axis to an outer surface of a lower filled portion of a cone received in the cone holder. The cone having an upper empty portion disposed above the lower filled portion and protruding clear of the lower grip surface to receive a counter-rotational force about the axis, in a direction opposite the rotational force. The closure apparatus further includes (c) a drive supported by the frame for applying at least one of the rotational force and the counter-rotational force to twist the upper empty portion closed when the drive is energized.

A cone closure apparatus for production of smoking articles includes: (a) a frame; and (b) at least one cone holder supported by the frame and extending along an axis. The cone holder has a lower grip surface for applying a rotational force about the axis to an outer surface of a lower filled portion of a cone received in the cone holder. The cone having an upper empty portion disposed above the lower filled portion and protruding clear of the lower grip surface to receive a counter-rotational force about the axis, in a direction opposite the rotational force. The closure apparatus further includes (c) a drive supported by the frame for applying at least one of the rotational force and the counter-rotational force to twist the upper empty portion closed when the drive is energized.

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.

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.

The present invention relates to a device and method for rolling a paper tube around ground material to form a cigarette. In an embodiment of the present invention, the device comprises an openable chamber configured to receive ground material, the chamber having a first end and a second end; a rolling assembly disposed within the chamber, the rolling assembly receiving paper and forming a paper tube around the ground material, the rolling assembly having a first end and a second; and a first gear assembly at the first chamber end and communicatively connected the first end of the rolling assembly, and a second gear assembly at the second chamber end and communicatively connected to the second end of the rolling assembly, the first and second gear activating the rolling assembly when rotated to roll the paper around the ground material forming a cigarette.