Method and unit for feeding elongated elements

摘要

A method of feeding cigars (2) to a hopper (3) of a wrapping machine (4), wherein the cigars (2) are housed in bulk and in orderly manner inside containers (5); each container (5) has a top opening (9) by which to receive and unload the cigars (2) in the aforementioned orderly manner; a full container (5) of cigars (2) is picked up and inverted at the hopper (3) by means of a manipulating device (13) so that the opening (9) faces downwards; and the full container (5) is rested on a supporting surface (45a, 45b) having a passage (44) smaller than the opening (9), so as to partly close the opening (9) and provide for controlled unloading of the cigars (2).