Apparatus for applying air pressure to a rod-shaped article through which air can be circulated

An apparatus for applying air pressure to a rod-shaped article through which air can be circulated, comprising:

• transportation means for transporting a rod-shaped article having two opposite ends, said transportation means including a transportation path along which the rod-shaped article is transported in a direction generally perpendicular to the axial direction thereof;
• holding means for holding the opposite ends of the rod-shaped article as the rod-shaped article is transported on the transportation path, said holding means including a pair of pads arranged on either side of the transportation path, each pad having a pad face directed to the transportation path and an elastically deformable, ring-shaped bulging portion provided on the pad face when the rod-shaped article is passing through a predetermined region of the transportation path and being adapted to be pressed against the corresponding end face of the rod-shaped article so that the ring-shaped bulging portions is elastically spread out by the peripheral edge of the corresponding end face when the rod-shaped article reaches the predetermined region, the ring-shaped bulging portion having an outer face with a rounded convex shape, the outer face of the bulging portion facing the transportation path and embracing the peripheral edge of the corresponding end face of the rod-shaped article;
• and
• input-output means for applying an input air pressure to one end of the rod-shaped article through one of the pads and for taking out an output air pressure appearing at the other end of the rod-shaped article through the other pad when the rod-shaped article is held between the paired pads.