Centering device for rod shaped articles of the tobacco industry

Abstract

A method and an apparatus (A,B,C,D,E) for axial centering of a rod-like article () or a group of rod-like articles wherein the rod-like article () or the group of rod-like articles is conveyed in a flute () situated on the circumference of a drum conveyor (), moreover, the rod-like article () or the group of rod-like articles in the successive flutes () have the same or varying length, with the apparatus (A,B,C,D,E) being provided with pusher elements () of a shifting mechanism axially acting on the rod-like article () or the group of rod-like articles so as to change the position of the rod-like article () or the groups of articles in the flute (), characterized in that the coupled pusher elements () make swinging movements having opposite senses, moreover, the pusher elements () have contact surfaces (A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A) adapted to axially act on the rod-like article () or the group of rod-like articles, the contact surfaces (A,A,A,A,A,A,A,A) of the pusher elements () being convergently positioned in the direction of movement (T) of the rod-like articles, at least one pusher element () being connected with a dynamic element () placing the pusher elements () in a position enabling them to axially act on the rod-like articles (L,R) or the groups of rod-like articles conveyed on the drum conveyor () so that the centers of the rod-like articles () or the groups of rod-like articles are positioned principally in a common plane (S, SL, SR).