Japan Tobacco Inc.

Tokyo Automatic Machinery Works, Ltd.

Hitoshi Tachikawa

Isao Endo

Kabsuhiko Kumata

Method and apparatus for supplying rod-like articles, such as cigarettes, cigars, filter plugs, and tampons. A group of such articles is moved from a receiving location to a discharging location in a predetermined configuration within a storage container. At the discharging location, the container is inverted so that its open side faces downwardly to thereby discharge the articles therefrom. Concurrently with the discharge, the container is lifted from the support surface and containing plates are raised to engage the articles. The distance between the plates is substantially the same as the distance between a respective pair of inner side walls of the container so that the articles are substantially maintained in the predetermined configuration upon the retraction of the container. In one embodiment, the plates are movable vertically and advance the articles a predetermined amount along the supply passage until they abut a shutter mechanism which blocks further advancement. In a second embodiment, the containing plates engage the articles on a support surface located along side of the supply passage and a pusher mechanism shifts the articles onto the supply passage to a position adjacent the shutter mechanism. In both embodiments, once the articles have been located adjacent the shutter mechanism, the plates are withdrawn as a feeding mechanism located upstream along the supply passage engages a rear surface of the articles to thereby advance the articles along the supply passage following the opening of the shutter mechanism. The articles then are advanced in the direction of a storage device.

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Tokyo, Japan

Hitoshi Tachikawa