System for monitoring and controlling machines used in the manufacture of tobacco products

A system for monitoring and controlling a line manufacturing tobacco products, comprising:

• a plurality of production devices and units connected by a common interface network to at least one of a respective master control unit and a visual display;
• an auxiliary inspection unit associated with the manufacturing line and connected to the network, for receiving tobacco products from at least one of the production devices and units as test samples, for verifying at least one characteristic of the tobacco products taken as test samples and transmitting signals indicative of the at least one characteristic to the network;
• wherein the auxiliary inspection unit comprises a transferring mechanism for transferring the tobacco products, connected to the manufacturing line by a sampling device for sampling products for testing purposes;
• wherein the sampling device comprises a conveyor having single pockets, each for containing a tobacco product;
• wherein the sampling device comprises a shifter mechanism, interposed between an outfeed roller of the filter tip attachment machine and the conveyor, and movable between a first position and a second position in which a feed channel directing products onto the conveyor is opened and closed, respectively;
• a processing and control unit associated with each production device and unit, each processing and control unit connected to the network for receiving the signals as prompts for corrective action;
• the auxiliary inspection unit thereby forming a feedback control loop with all of the processing and control units such that a corrective action can be applied to each production device and unit on which the at least one characteristic depends.