Transfer device configured to transfer smoking articles in a direction of transfer from a feed store to a transfer conveyor with pockets of an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles. The transfer device includes a forming drawer comprising an upper wall and a bottom wall. The upper wall is disposed fixed in a position opposite the bottom wall and the bottom wall is configured automatically mobile with respect to the fixed upper wall between a closed position and an open position.

Transfer device configured to transfer smoking articles in a direction of transfer from a feed store to a transfer conveyor with pockets of an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles. The transfer device includes a forming drawer comprising an upper wall and a bottom wall. The upper wall is disposed fixed in a position opposite the bottom wall and the bottom wall is configured automatically mobile with respect to the fixed upper wall between a closed position and an open position.

Method to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles, providing to feed a plurality of pockets of a transfer conveyor with pockets moved step-wise, thrusting said organized groups of smoking articles, by means of thrusters actuated independently from each other, in a direction of transfer and through respective forming drawers, into said pockets on the basis of a predefined production rhythm. The method provides, in the event of obstruction, stoppage or blockage of a forming drawer, to vary the operating speed of the thrusters associated with the other forming drawers in coordination and in synchrony with the step-wise feed speed of said transfer conveyor with pockets, in order to obtain an effective production rhythm equal or near to said predefined production rhythm.

Method to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles, providing to feed a plurality of pockets of a transfer conveyor with pockets moved step-wise, thrusting said organized groups of smoking articles, by means of thrusters actuated independently from each other, in a direction of transfer and through respective forming drawers, into said pockets on the basis of a predefined production rhythm. The method provides, in the event of obstruction, stoppage or blockage of a forming drawer, to vary the operating speed of the thrusters associated with the other forming drawers in coordination and in synchrony with the step-wise feed speed of said transfer conveyor with pockets, in order to obtain an effective production rhythm equal or near to said predefined production rhythm.

Method to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles, providing to feed a plurality of pockets of a transfer conveyor with pockets moved step-wise, thrusting said organized groups of smoking articles, by means of thrusters actuated independently from each other, in a direction of transfer and through respective forming drawers, into said pockets on the basis of a predefined production rhythm. The method provides, in the event of obstruction, stoppage or blockage of a forming drawer, to vary the operating speed of the thrusters associated with the other forming drawers in coordination and in synchrony with the step-wise feed speed of said transfer conveyor with pockets, in order to obtain an effective production rhythm equal or near to said predefined production rhythm.

Method to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles, providing to feed a plurality of pockets of a transfer conveyor with pockets moved step-wise, thrusting said organized groups of smoking articles, by means of thrusters actuated independently from each other, in a direction of transfer and through respective forming drawers, into said pockets on the basis of a predefined production rhythm. The method provides, in the event of obstruction, stoppage or blockage of a forming drawer, to vary the operating speed of the thrusters associated with the other forming drawers in coordination and in synchrony with the step-wise feed speed of said transfer conveyor with pockets, in order to obtain an effective production rhythm equal or near to said predefined production rhythm.

Transfer device configured to transfer smoking articles in a direction of transfer from a feed store to a transfer conveyor with pockets of an apparatus to feed and form organized groups of smoking articles. The transfer device includes a forming drawer comprising an upper wall and a bottom wall. The upper wall is disposed fixed in a position opposite the bottom wall and the bottom wall is configured automatically mobile with respect to the fixed upper wall between a closed position and an open position.

A package coding system for a cigarette manufacturing process is provided. An imprinting device imprints an alphanumeric code on each of a series of cigarette packages. A conveyor device conveys the cigarette packages in a feed direction. An inspection device is operably engaged with the conveyor device and inspects the alphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette package conveyed by the conveyor device to determine whether any of the cigarette packages includes a defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code, and thus comprises a defective cigarette package. A removal device is operably engaged with the conveyor device and is configured to be in communication with the inspection device. The removal device is configured to remove the defective cigarette package from the series of cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device in response to identification thereof by the inspection device. An associated method is also provided.

A package coding system for a cigarette manufacturing process is provided. An imprinting device imprints an alphanumeric code on each of a series of cigarette packages. A conveyor device conveys the cigarette packages in a feed direction. An inspection device is operably engaged with the conveyor device and inspects the alphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette package conveyed by the conveyor device to determine whether any of the cigarette packages includes a defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code, and thus comprises a defective cigarette package. A removal device is operably engaged with the conveyor device and is configured to be in communication with the inspection device. The removal device is configured to remove the defective cigarette package from the series of cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device in response to identification thereof by the inspection device. An associated method is also provided.

An apparatus for forming a collation of rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles is provided, including: multiple movable pockets, each pocket to house a collation having a number of layers of the articles; a number of hoppers forming a reservoir of the articles, each hopper to provide a respective transfer set of the articles to the collation; and a control system to control relative movement of the respective pocket with respect to the hoppers, the respective pocket to be arranged next to each hopper enabling transfer of the respective transfer set of the articles from the respective hopper to the respective pocket, a cumulative number of the articles in all transfer sets is greater than a number of the articles in the respective collation, and the control system is further to vertically move the pockets independently of each other relative to the hoppers and/or to move the hoppers independently of each other.