Method and apparatus for producing cigarettes with dense ends

摘要

Cigarettes with dense ends are produced by converting a continuous tobacco stream into a rod-like filler wherein spaced-apart portions contain more tobacco than the parts therebetween. The conversion involves removal of surplus tobacco from the stream in two stages during the first of which the stream is equalized to form an equalized stream of constant height and during the second of which the equalized stream is trimmed immediately following mechanical compacting of those portions of the equalized stream which correspond to spaced-apart portions of the filler. The trimming step involves removal of tobacco from non-compacted parts of the equalized stream. The quantity of tobacco in spaced-apart portions of the filler is monitored (either prior or subsequent to conversion of the filler and a web of wrapping material into plain cigarettes), and the equalizing stage of the tobacco removing step is regulated in dependency on the extent of deviation of monitored quantities from a predetermined quantity. The trimming stage of the tobacco removing step can be regulated in dependency on measurements of the quantity of tobacco in non-compacted parts of the filler.