Method and apparatus for the handling of tow in the manufacture of tobacco smoke filters containing particulate material

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the handling of tow in the manufacture of filter rods containing particulate material. The process is characterized by feeding a continuous web of filter material, folding the edges of the web beneath the center portion of the web, and forming the shaped web into a longitudinally extending channel with the edges of the web beneath the base of the channel. The web so formed is then processed into a filter rod by depositing particulate material into the channel at axially spaced positions and gathering the web and particulate material into a filter rod with the particulate material forming a center core. The apparatus disclosed includes means for feeding a continuous web of filter material, aperture defining means in the path of the web for receiving the web through said aperture and folding the web edges beneath the center portion of the web, means in the path of the web feed for forming the folded web into a channel. The apparatus also includes filter rod forming means comprised of means for depositing particulate material into the channel at axially spaced positions and means for gathering the web and particulate material into a filter rod.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.