Machine for filling containers with rod-shaped objects

A machine for supplying rod-shaped objects in container comprising:

• a supply hopper in which a plurality of the rod-shaped objects are horizontally stacked and housed;
• a discharge section arranged in the lower portion of said supply hopper, said discharge section including
• a plurality of partition walls arranged at intervals, and defining discharge passages through which the rod-shaped objects pass one by one,
• guiding means for smoothly guiding the rod-shaped objects in the supply into the discharge passages,
• a plurality of stop rollers, each rotatably arranged directly under its corresponding partition wall and shaped such that when said stop rollers are at a first rotational position, their corresponding discharge passages are fully opened at the lower ends thereof while when said stop rollers are at a second rotational position, said stop rollers project themselves into their corresponding discharge passages to reduce the width of each of the discharge passages, so that discharging of the rod-shaped objects through the discharge passages can be prevented, and
• rotating means for rotating said stop rollers to either the first or the second rotational position;
• said container being arranged to enclose the lower portion of said supply hopper and receive the rod-shaped objects discharged through the discharge passages of said discharge section;
• and
• means for gradually lowering said container as it is filled with more and more rod-shaped objects.