Smoking article component transfer device and method

A device for transferring rods comprising:

• a hopper for feeding a plurality of rods to a transfer point, said hopper capable of feeding the rods using agitation and gravity to align the rods in a stacked single-file configuration,
• a first rotating drum with at least one flute for removing the rods from the transfer point on the hopper to a first rotating drum by engaging one end of the rod at the bottom of the hopper with a raised surface of the flute to strip the rod from the hopper, the flute having a vacuum for retaining the rods within each flute;
• a second rotating drum for transferring the rods from the first drum to a third drum by removing the vacuum from the first drum and applying a vacuum to flutes in the second rotating drum;
• a third rotating drum for removing the rods from the second rotating drum by removing the vacuum from the second rotating drum and applying a vacuum to flutes in the third rotating drum;
• a continuous cable for removing the rods from the third drum by removing the vacuum from the third drum and engaging the rods with pushers on the continuous cable to transfer the rods to a position for insertion in a tobacco column.

A method for transferring rods comprising:

• feeding a plurality of rods into a hopper;
• feeding the rods through the hopper using agitation and gravity to align the rods in a single-file stacked configuration;
• transferring the rods to a rotating drum with at least one flute by engaging one end of the rod at the bottom of the hopper with a raised surface of the flute to strip the rod from the hopper;
• and
• removing the rods from the rotating drum by removing the vacuum from the third drum and engaging the rods with pushers on a continuous cable to transfer the rods from the drum to a position for insertion in the tobacco column.

A device for transferring rods comprising:

• a hopper for feeding a plurality of rods to a transfer point, said hopper capable of feeding the rods through the hopper using agitation and gravity to align the rods in a stacked single-file configuration;
• a rotating drum with at least one flute for removing the rods from the transfer point on the hopper by engaging one end of the rod at the bottom of the hopper with a raised surface of the flute to strip the rod from the hopper, the flute having a vacuum for retaining the rods within each flute;
• and
• a continuous cable for removing the rods from the rotating drum by engaging the rods with pushers on the cable so that the rods may be transferred for insertion in the tobacco column.

A method for transferring rods comprising:

• feeding a plurality of rods into a hopper;
• feeding the rods through hopper using agitation and gravity to align the rods in a single-file stacked configuration;
• and
• sequentially removing the rods from the bottom of the hopper by engaging the rods with pushers on a first continuous cable to transfer the rods from the hopper to a position for insertion in the tobacco column.