A pre-formed cone filling apparatus (100) is disclosed for filling paper cones (130) with a ground product such as tobacco or another leaf- or plant-based product such as cannabis The apparatus 100 has individual cone holders (110) mounted vertically on the circumference of a horizontally-oriented rotating wheel (120). The cone holders move in pairs between a number of processing stations which are located around the circumference of the wheel (120). The processing stations include a loading station (200) for loading an individual cone (130) into each cone holder (110), a seating station (300) to ensure the cones (130) are correctly seated in the holders (110) and correctly shaped, a filling station (500) for filling a cone with the product, and a closing station (600) for closing the open end of the filled cone. The filling station also has primary and secondary tamping pins for controlling the product density during and after filling.

Device for grinding and mixing of herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, preparing and dispensing of cigarettes and method for the application thereof The subject of the invention is a device for grinding and mixing of herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, preparing and dispensing of cigarettes, the device comprising a grinding chamber (2) for holding and grinding the herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, wherein the grinding chamber (2) has a plurality of tubes (9) for holding pre-rolled cigarette papers (17) and receiving ground herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, a carousel (10), which is rotatable around a central axis (16). The device further comprises a mixing chamber (5) for mixing the herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, which is located below the grinding chamber (2), a mixing unit (4) located in the mixing chamber (5), at least one door (7) on the carousel cover (8) for dispensing one tube (9) or a plurality of tubes (9) with the filled pre-rolled cigarette paper (17), wherein the carousel (10) comprises a plurality of tube holders (14) for holding the tubes (9). The subject of the invention is also the method for the application of the device.

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 cone filling apparatus for production of smoking articles includes: (a) a cone pallet including a plurality of cavities, each cavity for holding a respective cone; (b) a delivery chute having a load end for receiving a smokeable product from a source and an unload end downstream of the load end for unloading the smokeable product from the chute; and (c) a dosing tray disposed above the pallet. The dosing tray includes a plurality of transfer sleeves. Each sleeve has an upper sleeve end for receiving smokeable product unloaded from the unload end of the chute, and a lower sleeve end for dispensing the smokeable product into a cone held in a respective cavity aligned beneath the lower sleeve end.

Apparatuses and methods are provided for filling and packing herb receptacles with herb material. For example, a method of filling and packing herb receptacles is provided which includes supporting the herb receptacles in space on a vibrating platform with the aid of a support structure having a plurality of holding apertures; dosing herb material into the herb receptacles; repositioning the vibrating platform from a loading configuration to a packing configuration to lift the herb receptacles with the herb material relative to the support structure; and packing the herb receptacles with the herb material with the vibrating platform in the packing configuration.

Grinding apparatus for grinding substances, such as tobacco. In certain embodiments, grinding apparatus with a plurality of receptacles which can be selectively filled with a ground product, such as tobacco. In still other embodiments, a grinding apparatus with a cone lifting mechanism, vibration inducing mechanism and/or with a selector capability or mechanism for selecting one or more of a plurality of receptacles, or storage area(s), for delivery of a ground product.

A tube loading, filling and sealing system that includes a tube loading apparatus, a tube filling apparatus, a tube sealing apparatus configured to receive and seal a plurality of tubes, and a weighing apparatus configured to weigh a plurality of filled tubes. A method of filling tubes with a herb mixture using a tube loading, filling, and sealing system. The method including loading the tubes into a tube filling apparatus using a tube loading apparatus, filling the tubes loaded into the tube filling apparatus with a herb mixture, sealing the filled tubes using a tube sealing apparatus, and weighing the sealed tubes using a weighing apparatus.

A method of producing cigarettes in a cigarette machine provides that separated tobacco is sucked to a lower side of an air-permeable conveyor belt. A suction bar is above the conveyor belt, which is connected to an air suction, the tobacco being formed into a tobacco rod at the lower side of the first conveyor belt, by being compressed at the lower side of the conveyor belt by the suction flow. The tobacco rod is transferred from the conveyor belt to a second conveyor belt, on which upper side a cigarette paper band is arranged. The cigarette paper band is glued along the longitudinal direction of the rod and the tobacco rod is cut into cigarettes. A smokable additive substance is metered into the suction stream mixed with tobacco and the tobacco rod is formed from the tobacco and the additive substance at the lower side of the first conveyor belt.

A machine for wrapping smokable material in a wrapper includes a garniture defining a straight path along a longitudinal axis on which a wrapper is guided. A garniture belt transports the wrapper along the straight path. A feeding device for feeding a smokable material to the garniture includes a first conveyor having an upper section on which the smokable material is supported, the first conveyor being actuatable to move the smokable material in a feed direction toward a downstream side of the first conveyor. A holding container has a bottom defined at least partially by the first conveyor. A feed transports the smokable material from a supply container to the holding container so that that an amount of smokable material in the holding container is maintained within a range including a predetermined minimum amount and a predetermined maximum amount. A metering device meters the amount of smokable material that is moved by the first conveyor from the holding container toward the garniture.