Blank for hinged-lid packets for smoking articles and method for making such packets

A method for making hinged-lid packets for smoking articles in a packing Machine, comprising the steps of:

• feeding groups of smoking articles into respective compartments of a first conveyor which moves with intermittent motion;
• feeding sheets of wrapping material into contact with respective hollow mandrels carried by a second conveyor which moves with intermittent motion;
• partly folding each sheet of wrapping material around the respective hollow mandrel along folding lines parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension of the selfsame hollow mandrel to form a partly finished container having four lateral panels substantially reproducing the shape and size of corresponding lateral surfaces of the hollow mandrel and adhering to those lateral surfaces;
• feeding blanks of wrapping material into contact with respective sheets of wrapping material which are partly folded around the respective hollow mandrels, each blank having four panels substantially reproducing the shape and size of corresponding lateral panels of the sheet adjacent to it;
• partly folding each blank around the respective sheet of wrapping material along folding lines parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension of the hollow mandrel to form a partly finished packet having four lateral panels forming part of the selfsame blank and respectively superposed on the four lateral panels of the container obtained from the sheet and substantially reproducing the shape and size of those lateral panels;
• transferring axially and in succession the groups of smoking articles from the compartments of the first conveyor into the respective hollow mandrels of the second conveyor;
• and
• removing the partly finished packets in succession from the hollow mandrels and completing the folding of the respective sheet and of the respective blank;
• characterized in that, before removing each partly finished packet from the respective hollow mandrel, since each blank has a portion able to form the hinged lid of the respective packet and protruding outside the selfsame hollow mandrel, there is a step of folding said portion of each blank, through folding means, forming the lid.