The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device (500) for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device (75) for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.

A method of manufacturing a compressed rod of web material for the filter rod of a aerosol-generating article, comprising: supplying a feed of web material (140) from a supply apparatus (110); drawing the web material (140) through a filter rod manufacturing apparatus; introducing a curved ridge (146B) into the central portion of the width wise cross-section of the web material (140) as it approaches contact with the interior of a folding funnel (120), by drawing the web material (140) across a forming surface (130 A) of a former (130) that contacts a central portion of the web material (140), in which the forming surface (130A) deflects the central portion of the web material (140) from a line extending between where the web material (140) leaves the supply apparatus (110) and the centre of an outlet (120B) of the folding funnel; and folding the web material (140) in the folding funnel (120) to form a compressed rod of web material.

The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.

The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.

The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device (500) for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device (75) for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.

An apparatus for forming a circumferential slit in a tobacco industry rod article is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a drum and a rolling hand spaced apart from one another so as to form a space for a tobacco industry rod article, and a cutting element extending into the space and configured to form a circumferential slit in the tobacco industry rod article.

A method of manufacturing a compressed rod of web material for the filter rod of an aerosol-generating article, comprising: supplying a feed of web material from a supply apparatus; drawing the web material through a filter rod manufacturing apparatus; introducing a curved ridge into the central portion of the width wise cross-section of the web material as it approaches contact with the interior of a folding funnel, by drawing the web material across a forming surface of a former that contacts a central portion of the web material, in which the forming surface deflects the central portion of the web material from a line extending between where the web material leaves the supply apparatus and the center of an outlet of the folding funnel; and folding the web material in the folding funnel to form a compressed rod of web material.