Claims
- 1. In a method of producing filter cigarettes or analogous smokers' products wherein one end of a tobacco-containing first rod-shaped component is connected with a coaxial rod-shaped filter component by an adhesive-coated uniting band which is convoluted around the filter component and the adjacent end of the first component, the steps of transporting successive pairs of spaced-apart first components sideways along a first path so that the first components of each pair define a gap having a width at least equal to the length of a filter component of double unit length; transporting a series of discrete filter components of double unit length along a second path and introducing successive filter components of said series into a first portion of said first path so that each filter component is located in the gap between a pair of first components; draping discrete adhesive-coated uniting bands around successive filter components of double unit length and the adjacent ends of the first components of the respective pairs in a second portion of said first path; monitoring said second path ahead of said second portion of said first path for the presence of filter components of double unit length; generating signals in response to detection of the absence of filter components of double unit length; and moving the first components of the respective pairs axially toward each other in response to said signals ahead of said second portion of said first path.
- 2. The steps of claim 1, wherein said moving step comprises reducing the width of the corresponding gaps to a fraction of the length of a filter component of double unit length.
- 3. The steps of claim 1, wherein said moving step comprises shifting the corresponding first components through identical distances.
- 4. The steps of claim 1, wherein said moving step includes directing streams of a pressurized fluid against those ends of first components which are remote from the respective gap.
- 5. The steps of claim 1, wherein said monitoring step includes scanning said one path with a mechanical sensor.
- 6. The steps of claim 1, wherein said monitoring step includes optically scanning said one path.
- 7. The steps of claim 1, and the additional steps of moving successive coaxial first components axially against the respective filter components in a further portion of said first path ahead of said second portion.
- 8. The steps of claim 1, and the additional steps of draping uniting bands to axially moved pairs of first components in said second portion of said first path, and removing such axially moved coaxial first components from said first path downstream of said second portion.
- 9. The steps of claim 8, wherein each of said draping steps comprises rotating successive groups of coaxial components about their respective axes during transport along said second portion of said first path.
- 10. In a method of producing filter cigarettes or analogous smokers' products wherein one end of a tobacco-containing first rod-shaped component is connected with a coaxial rod-shaped filter component by an adhesive-coated uniting band which is convoluted around the filter component and the adjacent end of the first component, the steps of transporting successive pairs of spaced-apart first components sideways along a first path so that the first components of each pair define a gap having a width at least equal to the length of a filter component of double unit length; transporting a series of discrete filter components of double unit length along a second path and introducing successive filter components of said series into a first portion of said first path so that each filter component is located in the gap between a pair of first components; draping discrete adhesive-coated uniting bands around successive filter components of double unit length and the adjacent ends of the first components of the respective pairs in a second portion of said first path; monitoring one of said paths ahead of said second portion of said first path for the presence of filter components of double unit length; generating signals in response to detection of the absence of filter components of double unit length; and moving at least one of the first components of the respective pairs axially toward the other in response to said signals and ahead of said second portion of said first path.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2742856 |
Sep 1977 |
DEX |
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Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 945,696, filed Sept. 25, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,999.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3212507 |
Schubert |
Oct 1965 |
|
3699974 |
Powell et al. |
Oct 1972 |
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Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
945696 |
Sep 1978 |
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