A spacer support for packets of smoking articles includes a plurality of through housing compartments to receive at least one packet and having a pair of apertures on opposite sides for introducing or extracting the packets, and wherein the spacer support also includes a pair of lateral walls having a plurality of opposite windows, and a pair of connection walls which extend between the connecting lateral walls. A plurality of positioning elements and a plurality of access openings are disposed alternately one after the other, in succession in the longitudinal direction, so that each housing compartment is delimited by the pair of opposite lateral walls and by the positioning elements so as to stably retain the packets in a static manner relative to the longitudinal direction.

A spacer support for packets of smoking articles includes a plurality of through housing compartments to receive at least one packet and having a pair of apertures on opposite sides for introducing or extracting the packets, and wherein the spacer support also includes a pair of lateral walls having a plurality of opposite windows, and a pair of connection walls which extend between the connecting lateral walls. A plurality of positioning elements and a plurality of access openings are disposed alternately one after the other, in succession in the longitudinal direction, so that each housing compartment is delimited by the pair of opposite lateral walls and by the positioning elements so as to stably retain the packets in a static manner relative to the longitudinal direction.

A cigarette filter rod boxing machine, including a cigarette filter rod holding mechanism and a cigarette filter rod pushing mechanism. The cigarette filter rod holding mechanism includes a lifting groove and a lifting power mechanism. The cigarette filter rod pushing mechanism includes a bottom plate, a middle push plate, a middle push vertical plate, an upper push plate, and an upper push plate limiting mechanism. The middle push vertical plate is vertically fixed on one side of the middle push plate, and the other side of the middle push vertical plate is precisely opposite to the other side of the U-shaped groove body. The first power mechanism used for controlling the middle push plate and the components on the middle push plate to advance to or return from the inside of the lifting groove is arranged between the bottom plate and the middle push plate.

A cigarette filter rod boxing machine, including a cigarette filter rod holding mechanism and a cigarette filter rod pushing mechanism. The cigarette filter rod holding mechanism includes a lifting groove and a lifting power mechanism. The cigarette filter rod pushing mechanism includes a bottom plate, a middle push plate, a middle push vertical plate, an upper push plate, and an upper push plate limiting mechanism. The middle push vertical plate is vertically fixed on one side of the middle push plate, and the other side of the middle push vertical plate is precisely opposite to the other side of the U-shaped groove body. The first power mechanism used for controlling the middle push plate and the components on the middle push plate to advance to or return from the inside of the lifting groove is arranged between the bottom plate and the middle push plate.

A method of forming groups of smoking articles so that each group forms an individual bundle of smoking articles for receipt in a respective smoking article pack is disclosed. The method includes supplying a receptacle of an apparatus for forming groups of smoking articles with different types of smoking articles such that they mix in the receptacle and each group is formed from the mixture of different types of smoking articles by said apparatus. An apparatus for forming groups of smoking articles and a multipack comprising a plurality of smoking article packs is also disclosed.

A method of forming groups of smoking articles so that each group forms an individual bundle of smoking articles for receipt in a respective smoking article pack is disclosed. The method includes supplying a receptacle of an apparatus for forming groups of smoking articles with different types of smoking articles such that they mix in the receptacle and each group is formed from the mixture of different types of smoking articles by said apparatus. An apparatus for forming groups of smoking articles and a multipack comprising a plurality of smoking article packs is also disclosed.

A cigarette filter rod boxing machine, including a cigarette filter rod holding mechanism and a cigarette filter rod pushing mechanism. The cigarette filter rod holding mechanism includes a lifting groove and a lifting power mechanism. The cigarette filter rod pushing mechanism includes a bottom plate, a middle push plate, a middle push vertical plate, an upper push plate, and an upper push plate limiting mechanism. The middle push vertical plate is vertically fixed on one side of the middle push plate, and the other side of the middle push vertical plate is precisely opposite to the other side of the U-shaped groove body. The first power mechanism used for controlling the middle push plate and the components on the middle push plate to advance to or return from the inside of the lifting groove is arranged between the bottom plate and the middle push plate.

A cigarette filter rod boxing machine, including a cigarette filter rod holding mechanism and a cigarette filter rod pushing mechanism. The cigarette filter rod holding mechanism includes a lifting groove and a lifting power mechanism. The cigarette filter rod pushing mechanism includes a bottom plate, a middle push plate, a middle push vertical plate, an upper push plate, and an upper push plate limiting mechanism. The middle push vertical plate is vertically fixed on one side of the middle push plate, and the other side of the middle push vertical plate is precisely opposite to the other side of the U-shaped groove body. The first power mechanism used for controlling the middle push plate and the components on the middle push plate to advance to or return from the inside of the lifting groove is arranged between the bottom plate and the middle push plate.

An apparatus, system, and method which may facilitate the placing of rod-like articles, such as cigarettes, into waiting packaging, including a space into which articles may be inserted, this space described by a base and a plurality of side walls. A sheet of deformable material may then be secured to the apparatus, such as by vacuum force provided via vacuum openings located in the side walls, to further bound the space and provide support for the articles contained therein while the apparatus is transported or reoriented during the packaging method.

An apparatus, system, and method which may facilitate the placing of rod-like articles, such as cigarettes, into waiting packaging, including a space into which articles may be inserted, this space described by a base and a plurality of side walls. A sheet of deformable material may then be secured to the apparatus, such as by vacuum force provided via vacuum openings located in the side walls, to further bound the space and provide support for the articles contained therein while the apparatus is transported or reoriented during the packaging method.