Apparatus for forming groups of rod-like articles

Apparatus for forming groups of rod-like articles comprising means for delivering successive rows of spaced rod-like articles, transfer means for receiving each successive row and for moving the row in a direction transverse to the lengths of articles of the row while changing the spacing between said articles, said transfer means being movable at variable speed, a row conveyor for receiving rows of articles with said changed spacing from the transfer means, said row conveyor being movable at substantially constant speed, and a group conveyor for receiving rows of articles from the row conveyor and for assembling at least two rows to form a group of articles.

Apparatus for forming groups of rod-like articles comprising means for delivering rows of rod-like articles in a direction parallel to their lengths, a plurality of cyclically movable transfer means each for receiving successive rows of articles while stationary and for accelerating said rows to a predetermined speed, and a group conveyor movable substantially at said predetermined speed and for receiving rows of articles from at least two of said transfer means to form groups of articles, each group comprising superimposed rows of articles from different of said transfer means.

Apparatus for forming groups of rod-like articles comprising means for delivering rows of rod-like articles in a direction parallel to their lengths, a plurality of cyclically movable transfer means each for receiving successive rows of articles while stationary and for accelerating said rows to a predetermined speed, said transfer means comprising a transfer drum and means for driving said transfer drum at variable speed, and a group conveyor movable substantially at said predetermined speed and for receiving rows of articles from at least two of said transfer means to form groups of articles comprising superimposed rows.

Apparatus for forming groups of rod-like articles comprising means for delivering rows of rod-like articles in a direction parallel to their lengths, a plurality of cyclically movable transfer means each for receiving successive rows of articles while stationary and for accelerating said rows to a predetermined speed, said transfer means comprising a transfer bar and means for reciprocating said transfer bar along a substantially linear path at variable speed, and a group conveyor movable substantially at said predetermined speed and for receiving rows of articles from at least two of said transfer means to form groups of articles comprising superimposed rows.

Apparatus for forming groups of rod-like articles comprising means for delivering rows of rod-like articles in a direction parallel to their lengths, a plurality of cyclically movable transfer means each for receiving successive rows of articles while stationary and for accelerating said rows to a predetermined speed, said transfer means comprising a transfer drum and means for driving said transfer drum such that its peripheral speed is substantially equal to said predetermined speed, and a group conveyor movable substantially at said predetermined speed and for receiving rows of articles from at least two of said transfer means to form groups of articles comprising superimposed rows.

Apparatus for forming groups of rod-like articles comprising a hopper, means for removing articles from the hopper in an axial direction, variable speed transfer means for receiving successive rows of articles from the removing means, constant speed row conveyor means for receiving rows of articles from the transfer means, and group conveyor means for receiving rows of articles from the row conveyor means and for forming groups from superimposed rows of articles.