Apparatus for replenishing the supplies of filter rod sections in the magazines of filter tipping machines

Apparatus for replenishing the supply of filter rod sections in the magazine of a processing machine, such as a filter tipping machine, wherein the magazine comprises a plurality of spaced-apart portions and is normally filled to a predetermined level, comprising at least one source of filter rod sections;

• discrete first and second pneumatic conveyors for axial transport of filter rod sections, said conveyors having inlets adjacent to said source and outlets adjacent to said magazine;
• discrete first and second propelling units including means for delivering filter rod sections from said source into the inlets of the respective conveyors;
• and discrete first and second receiving units, each of said receiving units having means for accepting filter rod sections from the outlet of the respective pneumatic conveyor, deflecting means for converting the thus accepted filter rod sections into at least one row wherein the sections advance sideways, and means for feeding such row from the respective deflecting means into one of said spaced-apart portions of said magazine in a region below said predetermined level so that a row which is introduced into one portion of said magazine by one of said feeding means does not interfere with introduction of a row into another portion of said magazine by the other of said feeding means.