Transport jet adapter

Apparatus for forming cigarette filter rods from cigarette filter tow comprising;

• (a) means for opening a cigarette filter tow;
• (b) a source of pressurized transport gas;
• (c) a pneumatic transport jet having a first open end operatively connected to said tow opening means for receiving opened tow, a second open end, and a passageway therebetween connected to said source of transport gas;
• (d) a cigarette filter rodmaker having a garniture for forming cigarette filter rods, a garniture tongue for compressing an opened cigarette filter tow, and a garniture tongue intake for receiving the filter tow;
• and
• (e) means for operatively interconnecting said second open end of said transport jet and said garniture tongue intake, said means having;
• (i) a first open end substantially coextensive and communicating with said second open end of said transport jet;
• (ii) a second open end communicating with said garniture tongue intake;
• (iii) an annular wall defining a passageway between said first and second open ends and having a multiplicity of radial apertures therein for the passage of transport gas radially outwardly therethrough;
• and
• (iv) a rotatable sleeve closely fitted over and rotatable on said annular wall and having a multiplicity of apertures therein, said sleeve cooperating with said annular wall so as to reduce the size of openings defined by said apertures in said annular wall, thereby to regulate the flow of transport gas through said apertures in said annular wall.

In an apparatus for making cigarette filters from opened cigarette filter tow wherein the apparatus includes a cigarette filter rodmaker means and a means for opening the cigarette filter tow that includes a pneumatic transport jet for assisting in delivery of the opened tow from the tow opening means to the rodmaker means, and wherein the rodmaker means includes a garniture for forming cigarette filter rods, a garniture tongue for compressing an opened cigarette filter tow, and a garniture tongue intake for receiving the opened filter tow from the tow opening device, and wherein said transport jet includes a first open end for receiving the opened tow, a second open end, and a passageway therebetween for opened tow and for pressurized transport gas, the improvement comprising improved means for interconnecting the transport jet with the garniture tongue intake, said improved means comprising;

• (i) a first open end substantially coextensive and communicating with said second open end of said transport jet;
• (ii) a second open end communicating with said garniture tongue intake;
• (iii) an annular wall defining a passageway between said first and second open ends and having a multiplicity of radial apertures therein for the passage of transport gas radially outwardly therethrough;
• and
• (iv) a flange-like collar including an integral fixed sleeve adjacent said first end of said means and integral with said annular wall, said collar and fixed sleeve mounting said means on the transport jet at the second end thereof.

In an apparatus for making cigarette filters from opened cigarette filter tow wherein the apparatus includes a cigarette filter rodmaker means and a means for opening the cigarette filter tow that includes a pneumatic transport jet for assisting in delivery of the opened tow from the tow opening means to the rodmaker means, and wherein the rodmaker means includes a garniture for forming cigarette filter rods, a garniture tongue for compressing an opened cigarette filter tow, and a garniture tongue intake for receiving the opened filter tow from the tow opening device, and wherein said transport jet includes a first open end for receiving the opened tow, a second open end, and a passageway therebetween for opened tow and for pressurized transport gas, the improvement comprising improved means for interconnecting the transport jet with the garniture tongue intake, said improved means comprising;

• (i) a first open end substantially coextensive and communicating with said second open end of said transport jet;
• (ii) a second open end communicating with said garniture tongue intake;
• (iii) an annular wall defining a passageway between said first and second open ends and having a multiplicity of radial apertures therein for the passage of transport gas radially outwardly therethrough;
• and
• (iv) a rotatable sleeve closely fitted over and rotatable on said annular wall and having a multiplicity of apertures therein, said sleeve cooperating with said annular wall so as to reduce the size of openings defined by said apertures in said annular wall, thereby to regulate the flow of transport gas through said apertures in said annular wall.