Apparatus comprising a tipping paper suction drum

Apparatus comprising a tipping paper suction drum and a cutting unit, the tipping paper suction drum being adapted to receive a web of tipping paper and the cutting unit being adapted to cut the web of tipping paper on the tipping paper suction drum to form successive patches of tipping paper for wrapping smoking articles, the tipping paper suction drum being adapted to rotate at a speed greater than the speed at which the web of tipping paper is fed onto the tipping paper suction drum such that spaces are formed between the cut patches of tipping paper, wherein a peripheral surface of the tipping paper suction drum comprises:

• first suction holes arranged to retain the cut patches of tipping paper on the peripheral surface of the suction drum, and
• second suction holes arranged to pull a leading edge portion of the web of tipping paper towards the peripheral surface of the tipping paper suction drum in the time between successive cuts;
• and,
• wherein the apparatus further comprises a suction control component adapted to deactivate suction through said second suction holes as they move past a leading edge of the web of tipping paper.