A spacing drum comprising: a segment receiving drum section capable of receiving a predetermined number of segments per revolution of the drum from a procession of segments approaching the segment receiving drum section at a segment-feed spacing and a segment-feed speed; a segment releasing drum section capable of releasing the predetermined number of segments at a segment-release spacing and a segment-release speed; and a radial profile flight comprising a continuous arc segment extending across at least portions of the segment receiving drum section and the segment releasing drum section. Associated methods are also provided, including method of changing pitch along a spacing drum progressively with a radial profile flight.

Provided is a material (cigarette component) that enables the elimination or minimization of illicit cigarette production. Specifically, related is a cigarette filter tow band including a crimped bundle of filaments. The tow band includes a detectable marker for identifying the source of the tow band.

Apparatuses are provided for manufacturing a rod member for a cigarette filter element. Each rod member defines a longitudinal axis and includes a generally longitudinally-extending filter material and a plurality of objects disposed therein along the longitudinal axis. Such an apparatus comprises a rod-forming unit configured to form a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member. An object insertion unit is configured to introduce a plurality of objects into engagement with the rod member. A rod-dividing unit is configured to divide the rod member into a plurality of rod portions such that each rod portion includes a plurality of the objects. Associated methods are also provided.

A filter material is described for manufacturing a nicotine delivery product, wherein the filter material is hydroentangled and contains at least 50% and at most 100% cellulose fibers, each with respect to the mass of the filter material, wherein the filter material has a basis weight of at least 25 g/m.sup.2 and at most 60 g/m.sup.2, and wherein the filter material has a structure that is characterized in that it provides the filter material with a transparency that, measured in accordance with DIN 53147:1993-01, is at least 45% and at most 70%. Furthermore, a segment comprising a filter material for a nicotine delivery product, a smoking article which comprises such a segment, an oral nicotine delivery product, and a process for the manufacture of the filter material are described.

An apparatus and method for forming a rod member used to manufacture cigarette filter elements, involve an insertion device for inserting objects into and along the rod member formed from a continuous filter material supply. The insertion device includes an insertion member adjacent to the filter material supply and defining a series of receptacles about a periphery thereof. The insertion member rotates in a first rotational direction to receive the objects in the receptacles at a first rotational position and to insert the objects from the receptacles into the rod member at a second rotational position. A cleaning element is adjacent to the insertion member between the second and first rotational positions in the first rotational direction, and engages each of the receptacles upon rotation of the insertion member between the second and first rotational positions to remove residual material from the receptacles prior to the first rotational position.

A spacing drum comprising: a segment receiving drum section capable of receiving a predetermined number of segments per revolution of the drum from a procession of segments approaching the segment receiving drum section at a segment-feed spacing and a segment-feed speed; a segment releasing drum section capable of releasing the predetermined number of segments at a segment-release spacing and a segment-release speed; and a radial profile flight comprising a continuous arc segment extending across at least portions of the segment receiving drum section and the segment releasing drum section. Associated methods are also provided, including method of changing pitch along a spacing drum progressively with a radial profile flight.

Apparatuses are provided for manufacturing a rod member for a cigarette filter element. Each rod member defines a longitudinal axis and includes a generally longitudinally-extending filter material and a plurality of objects disposed therein along the longitudinal axis. Such an apparatus comprises a rod-forming unit configured to form a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member. An object insertion unit is configured to introduce a plurality of objects into engagement with the rod member. A rod-dividing unit is configured to divide the rod member into a plurality of rod portions such that each rod portion includes a plurality of the objects. Associated methods are also provided.

The present disclosure relates to a component for a delivery system. The component includes a body formed from a sheet of material and at least one object held in a space within the body. The sheet material includes a first internal edge at least partially defining a boundary of the space. The present disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing a component for a delivery system and to an apparatus for manufacturing a component for a delivery system. The present disclosure also relates to a rod configured to be cut at least once to form a plurality of components and to a delivery system including a component.

A spacing drum comprising: a segment receiving drum section capable of receiving a predetermined number of segments per revolution of the drum from a procession of segments approaching the segment receiving drum section at a segment-feed spacing and a segment-feed speed; a segment releasing drum section capable of releasing the predetermined number of segments at a segment-release spacing and a segment-release speed; and a radial profile flight comprising a continuous arc segment extending across at least portions of the segment receiving drum section and the segment releasing drum section. Associated methods are also provided, including method of changing pitch along a spacing drum progressively with a radial profile flight.

A method of, and equipment for gathering fibres (12) entrained a gas stream, for example by melt blowing, comprises an enclosure (50) having an inlet (57), through which a gas stream carrying entrained fibres (12) may be directed into the enclosure (50), a fibre outlet (58) from which an assembly of gathered fibres (12) may be withdrawn from the enclosure (50) and an exhaust outlet (41) through which gas may pass out of the enclosure (50). The enclosure (50) is constructed to provide a pathway for the fibres (12) from the inlet (57) to the fibre outlet (58) in which surplus gas in the gas stream is separated from the entrained fibres (12) and directed to the exhaust outlet (41), thereby reducing turbulence in the fibres (12) in the enclosure (50) which may affect the quality of the finished assembly.