| 主权项 |
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a filter rod for a cigarette or other smoking article comprising a filter plug having a plurality of threads extending through at least part of the filter plug, the apparatus comprising:
a tapered duct having:
a first open end configured for introduction of filter material, anda second open end configured for expulsion of a formed filter rod, the tapered duct narrowing from the first open end to the second open end so that, in use, filter material conveyed through the tapered duct is compressed to form a filter rod; a plurality of feeder tubes, each feeder tube configured to introduce a respective one of a plurality of threads into conveyed filter material; and a tapering guide duct adjacent the first open end of the tapered duct and configured to guide filter material into the first open end of the tapered duct, the plurality of feeder tubes extending into the tapering guide duct, each feeder tube configured to introduce a respective one of the plurality of threads into filter material within the tapering guide duct as filter material passes through the tapering guide duct, wherein the tapered duct has a slot extending from the first open end towards the second open end along a bottom edge thereof, the slot configured to accommodate a garniture belt of a filter rod producing machine, the tapering guide duct being disposed upstream of the slot in the tapered duct at the first open end of the tapered duct, thereby enabling the introduction of threads into the filter material upstream of the garniture belt. |
