The invention relates to a drum conveyor defining a drum rotational axis and an outer peripheral surface, the drum conveyor comprising: o a first seat and a second seat, each of the first seat and second seat being adapted to transport a rod-shaped article, the first seat and the second seat being located at the outer peripheral surface of the drum conveyor; o a first shaft and a second shaft, wherein the first shaft defines a first shaft longitudinal axis and the second shaft defines a second shaft longitudinal axis, the first shaft longitudinal axis and the second shaft longitudinal axis being substantially perpendicular to the drum rotational axis, the first seat being attached to the first shaft and the second seat being attached to the second shaft, so that a rotation of the first shaft around the first shaft longitudinal axis and of the second shaft around the second shaft longitudinal axis cause the first seat and the second seat to rotate; o a pusher coupled with the first shaft and the second shaft by mechanical coupling, the pusher being adapted to linearly move along a pusher direction and engage with the first shaft and second shaft while moving; o an actuator adapted to move the pusher along the pusher direction while the drum conveyor rotates around the drum rotational axis so as to rotate the first shaft and the second shaft and the attached first seat and second seat at the same time. The invention also relates to a method to rotate rod-shaped articles.

Embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus for cutting and arranging rods for use in a tobacco industry product assembly machine. The apparatus comprises a first cutting mechanism for cutting a four-length rod into first and second axially-aligned double-length rods. Each double-length rod has respective remote ends. A positioning mechanism for moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods such that said first and second double-length rods are moved from a first configuration in axial-alignment, to a second configuration in which the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment and the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart, and the remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other. Also disclosed is a method of cutting and arranging rods for tobacco industry product assembly, and a method of tobacco industry product assembly.

An apparatus and associated methods for cutting and arranging rods for use in a tobacco industry product assembly machine, the apparatus including a first cutting mechanism for cutting a four-length rod into first and second axially-aligned double-length rods where each double-length rod has respective remote ends, a positioning mechanism for moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods such that said first and second double-length rods are moved from a first configuration in axial-alignment, to a second configuration in which the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment and the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart, and the remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other.

Embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus for cutting and arranging rods for use in a tobacco industry product assembly machine. The apparatus comprises a first cutting mechanism for cutting a four-length rod into first and second axially-aligned double-length rods. Each double-length rod has respective remote ends. A positioning mechanism for moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods such that said first and second double-length rods are moved from a first configuration in axial-alignment, to a second configuration in which the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment and the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart, and the remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other. Also disclosed is a method of cutting and arranging rods for tobacco industry product assembly, and a method of tobacco industry product assembly.