Cigarette manufacturing machine

A cigarette manufacturing machine comprising a top;

• first and second motors;
• a plurality of rollers one of which is driven by said first motor;
• a conveyor belt extending along at least part of said top and wound around said rollers, said driven roller being a driving roller for said conveyor belt;
• a tobacco loading station through which said conveyor belt extends, shredded tobacco being loaded at said station on to a continuous strip of paper resting on said conveyor belt;
• guide means arranged downstream from said loading station and through which said conveyor belt extends, said guide means engaging said conveyor belt to wrap said strip of paper resting thereon about said tobacco to form a continuous cigarette rod;
• a cutting device driven by said first motor to cut said continuous rod crosswise into pieces;
• and a differential assembly connecting said first and second motors to said driving roller, said assembly comprising:
• first and second rotary input members and a rotary output member;
• said rotary output member being coupled to said driving roller for rotation therewith, said first rotary input member being coupled to said first motor;
• said second rotary input member being coupled to said second motor;
• and measuring means to measure the advancement speed of said continuous cigarette rod and to control said second motor so as to maintain an output signal from said measuring means constantly equal to a reference signal.