The method includes transporting tobacco into and through a shaft of a tongue of a compression box, and compressing the tobacco into a tobacco rod as the tobacco is transported through the compression box, the compression box including a first plate, a first portion of the first plate being formed over an upper portion of the shaft, the first portion running along a majority of a longitudinal length of the shaft.

The tongue includes a major body, where the major body has a first longitudinal length that runs from a first end to a second end of the major body. The major body includes a first channel defined along a first edge of the major body, and a second channel defined along a second edge of the major body. The first channel and the second channel is hollow and runs substantially along the first longitudinal length from the first end to the second end of the major body. The first channel and the second channel oppose each other and face away from each other. The tongue support assembly and the rod forming apparatus include the tongue. The method aligns the tongue with a lower plate of a compression box.

A system for portioning a beaded substrate in a rod. The system includes a suction conveyor belt. The suction conveyor belt includes a belt suction chamber, a first belt end, and a second belt end, the second belt end opposite and downstream of the first belt end. The system also includes a metering device configured to provide the beaded substrate to the suction conveyor belt, and more specifically to the first belt end. The metering device includes a reach and a hopper. The metering device may provide the beaded substrate to the first belt end prior to the suction conveyor belt biasing a filler material onto the first belt end. The system may further includes a cutting mechanism that cooperates with the metering device to position the beaded substrate a first distance away from a first cut end.

The tongue includes a shaft, the shaft being hollow. The tongue includes an upper plate connected to the shaft. The upper plate includes a first protrusion on a first side of the upper plate, and a second protrusion on the first side of the upper plate. The first protrusion and the second protrusion define a notch. The first protrusion runs along at least part of an upper portion of a longitudinal length of the shaft. The rod forming apparatus includes the tongue. The method installs the tongue on the rod forming apparatus.

A method for continuously manufacturing aerosol generating articles includes: (i) providing a continuous web of an aerosol generating substrate, the continuous web including a substantially flat surface having a centre line; (ii) applying at least one susceptor patch to the substantially flat surface substantially along the centre line to leave an exposed region of the continuous web of aerosol generating substrate on each side of the at least one susceptor patch; (iii) cutting the exposed regions of the continuous web of aerosol generating substrate to form a plurality of aerosol generating strips on each side of the at least one susceptor patch; and (iv) forming the plurality of aerosol generating strips and the at least one susceptor patch into a continuous rod.

A system for portioning a beaded substrate in a rod. The system includes a suction conveyor belt. The suction conveyor belt includes a belt suction chamber, a first belt end, and a second belt end, the second belt end opposite and downstream of the first belt end. The system also includes a metering device configured to provide the beaded substrate to the suction conveyor belt, and more specifically to the first belt end. The metering device includes a reach and a hopper. The metering device may provide the beaded substrate to the first belt end prior to the suction conveyor belt biasing a filler material onto the first belt end. The system may further includes a cutting mechanism that cooperates with the metering device to position the beaded substrate a first distance away from a first cut end.

A system for portioning a beaded substrate in a rod. The system includes a suction conveyor belt. The suction conveyor belt includes a belt suction chamber, a first belt end, and a second belt end, the second belt end opposite and downstream of the first belt end. The system also includes a metering device configured to provide the beaded substrate to the suction conveyor belt, and more specifically to the first belt end. The metering device includes a reach and a hopper. The metering device may provide the beaded substrate to the first belt end prior to the suction conveyor belt biasing a filler material onto the first belt end. The system may further includes a cutting mechanism that cooperates with the metering device to position the beaded substrate a first distance away from a first cut end.

The tongue includes a shaft, the shaft being hollow. The tongue includes an upper plate connected to the shaft. The upper plate includes a first protrusion on a first side of the upper plate, and a second protrusion on the first side of the upper plate. The first protrusion and the second protrusion define a notch. The first protrusion runs along at least part of an upper portion of a longitudinal length of the shaft. The rod forming apparatus includes the tongue. The method installs the tongue on the rod forming apparatus.

The tongue includes a major body, where the major body has a first longitudinal length that runs from a first end to a second end of the major body. The major body includes a first channel defined along a first edge of the major body, and a second channel defined along a second edge of the major body. The first channel and the second channel is hollow and runs substantially along the first longitudinal length from the first end to the second end of the major body. The first channel and the second channel oppose each other and face away from each other. The tongue support assembly and the rod forming apparatus include the tongue. The method aligns the tongue with a lower plate of a compression box.

There is described an apparatus for shaping a tobacco industry product, the apparatus comprising a shaping head configured to change the shape of a first end of the tobacco industry product. The apparatus also includes an actuator configured to move the shaping head and/or tobacco industry product such that the shaping head is brought into contact with the tobacco industry product in order to change the shape of the first end of the tobacco industry product. The actuator can be configured to move the shaping head and/or tobacco industry product in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tobacco industry product. The shaping head can be brought into contact with a first longitudinal end surface and/or an inner surface of the tobacco industry product in order to change the shape of the tobacco industry product. Also described is a corresponding method of shaping a tobacco industry product and a tobacco industry product formed using the method.