Apparatus for manipulating filter rod sections or the like

Abstract

Apparatus for manipulating filter rod sections in a filter cigarette making machine has a magazine for filter rod sections of six times unit length and a drum-shaped first conveyor which is formed with axially parallel flutes receiving filter rod sections from the magazine and serving to transport the removed sections past two rotary cutters which subdivide each section into three coaxial filter plugs of two times unit length. The filter plugs are introduced into discrete flutes of three coaxial disks which form a staggering conveyor and wherein the flutes of each disk are staggered circumferentially with respect to the flutes of the other disks. The groups of filter plugs are removed from successive flutes of the first conveyor by the inclined edge faces of arcuate shrouds which extend along the path of movement of filter plugs in the flutes of the disks and are located downstream of the transfer station between the two conveyors. The means for introducing filter plugs into the flutes of the respective disks includes portions of surfaces flanking the flutes of the disks and/or the edge faces of additional shrouds which retain the filter rod sections and filter plugs in the flutes of the first conveyor during transport from the magazine to the transfer station. The filter plugs on the disks of the staggering conveyor are transferred into successive flutes of a further drum-shaped conveyor and are moved axially so that they form a single row wherein the filter plugs move sideways and each filter plug is located exactly behind the preceding filter plug. The distance between the axes of the first conveyor and staggering conveyor slightly exceeds the radius of the pitch circle of the first conveyor plus the radius of the pitch circle of the staggering conveyor, and the staggering conveyor is driven clockwise if the first conveyor rotates counterclockwise, or vice versa.