Method for combining smoking article components

Abstract

A method combines smoking article components. Cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a first group are supplied to a first tipping apparatus. Cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a second group are supplied to a second tipping apparatus. Each the articles of the first group and the second group are provided with a uniting band at the respective tipping apparatus. The articles of the first group and the second group are transported to a joint rolling apparatus. Each of the articles of the first group and the second group are wrapped with the respective uniting band at the joint rolling apparatus.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for combining smoking article components, comprising: 
 supplying cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a first group to a first tipping apparatus;    supplying cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a second group to a second tipping apparatus;    providing each the articles of the first group and the second group with a uniting band at the respective tipping apparatus;    transporting the articles of the first group and the second group to a joint rolling apparatus; and    wrapping each of the articles of the first group and the second group with the respective uniting band at the joint rolling apparatus.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first group supplying step includes initially supplying the articles of the first group and the second group to the first tipping apparatus at which only the articles of the first group are supplied with the uniting bands, 
 wherein the transporting step includes transporting the articles of the first group and the second group along first and second conveying paths, respectively, to the joint rolling apparatus, and    wherein the second group supplying step includes supplying the articles of the second group with the uniting bands along the second conveying path.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting step includes conveying the articles of the first group and the second group at a conveying speed, and wherein the transporting step further includes varying the conveying speed of at least one of the first group and the second group at at least one of before and after the respective uniting band has been provided.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting step includes decelerating the articles of at least one of the first group and the second group prior to the providing of the uniting band.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting step includes accelerating the articles of at least one of the first group and the second group following the providing of the uniting band.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, following the providing step, partially wrapping one end of the uniting bands to the articles of at least one of the first group and the second group.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting step includes conveying the articles of the first group and the second group on a joint conveying drum and further includes removing the articles of the second group from the joint conveying drum  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting step includes conveying the articles of the first group and the second group in an alternating pattern on a joint conveying drum, said conveying step occurring at least prior to the uniting band being provided to the articles of the first group.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising combining the cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of the first group and the second group on a conveying drum, the first group and the second group being arranged on the conveying drum in an alternating pattern on the conveying drum.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing step includes transferring the uniting bands to the articles of at least one of the first group and the second group at a constant speed.  
     
     
         11 . An arrangement for a filter-attachment machine of the tobacco-processing industry, comprising: 
 a first tipping apparatus for applying respective uniting bands to articles of a first cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group;    a second tipping apparatus for applying respective uniting bands to articles of a second cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group; and    a joint rolling apparatus for wrapping each of the articles of the first cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group and the second cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group with the respective uniting band.    
     
     
         12 . The arrangement of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one conveying drum for conveying the articles to at least one of the first and second tipping apparatuses, wherein the at least one conveying drum includes means for changing a spacing of the articles of at least one of the first group and the second group.  
     
     
         13 . The arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one conveying drum comprises a plurality of small brackets.  
     
     
         14 . The arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one conveying drum comprises pivoting lever segments.  
     
     
         15 . The arrangement of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one feeder element for joining at least one exposed end of a uniting band to the articles of at least one of the first group and the second group.  
     
     
         16 . The arrangement of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one multifunctional drum for the articles of the first and second group.  
     
     
         17 . The arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein the multifunctional drum is arranged to join at least one exposed end of a uniting band to the articles of the first group and to remove the articles of the second group from a conveying drum.  
     
     
         18 . In a multifunctional drum for use in a filter attachment machine in the tobacco-processing industry, the improvement wherein the drum includes a mechanism to join at least one exposed end of a uniting band to an article group and to remove a different article group from a conveying drum.  
     
     
         19 . In a conveying drum for conveying articles in a filter attachment machine in the tobacco-processing industry, the improvement wherein the drum includes pivoting lever segments for the articles.  
     
     
         20 . The conveying drum of  claim 19 , wherein the lever segments include recesses for the articles.  
     
     
         21 . The conveying drum of  claim 20 , wherein a spacing between two adjacent recesses is greater than an exposed end of a uniting band between the articles.  
     
     
         22 . The conveying drum of  claim 19 , wherein the drum includes at least one spacer on each lever segment for holding an exposed end of a uniting band.