Production of filter plugs or of filter cigarettes

Abstract

Method for producing filter plugs from filter rods with a predetermined filter rod length, comprising removing the filter rods from a magazine, selectively cutting the filter rods into filter plugs of one of a first or second predetermined filter plug length. Further, the filter plugs of a respective cut filter rod are coaxially aligned to one another. Staggering the filter plugs, such that filter plugs immediately adjacent another filter plug in a longitudinally axial manner are respectively positionally displaced transverse-axially to one another at a constant staggered spacing. Transferring the filter plugs to a transfer device, so that the filter plugs are positionally displaced to one another at a transverse-axial staggered spacing to the transverse-axially adjacent filter plugs. The filter plugs are staggered in a displaced manner displaced in a longitudinally axial manner to form a row of filter plugs conveyed one behind the other in a transverse-axial manner.

1 . A method for producing filter plugs from filter rods with a predetermined filter rod length, comprising: 
 removing the filter rods from a magazine;    selectively cutting the filter rods into filter plugs of one of a first or second predetermined filter plug length, wherein the filter plugs of a respective cut filter rod are coaxially aligned to one another;    staggering the filter plugs, such that filter plugs immediately adjacent another filter plug in a longitudinally axial manner are respectively positionally displaced transverse-axially to one another at a constant staggered spacing;    transferring the filter plugs to a transfer device, so that the filter plugs are positionally displaced to one another at a transverse-axial staggered spacing to the transverse-axially adjacent filter plugs, and the filter plugs staggered in a displaced manner are displaced in a longitudinally axial manner to form a row of filter plugs conveyed one behind the other in a transverse-axial manner.    
   
   
       2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the selective cutting of the filter rods changes a number of filter plugs cut from a filter rod.  
   
   
       3 . The method in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein changing the number of filter plugs cut comprises increasing or decreasing the number of cutting devices used.  
   
   
       4 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the selectively cutting forms at least one of n-fold filter plugs having an n-fold filter plug length and k-fold filter plugs having an k-fold filter plug length.  
   
   
       5 . The method in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein a number of cutting devices for cutting n-fold filter plugs of n-fold filter plug lengths is n−1-fold cutting devices, and a number of cutting devices for cutting k-fold filter plugs of k-fold filter plug lengths is k−1-fold cutting devices.  
   
   
       6 . The method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the transverse-axial staggered spacing is changed with a increase or a reduction in the number of cutting devices.  
   
   
       7 . The method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein at least one fixed cutting device remains in a fixed position as the number of cutting devices increases or decreases.  
   
   
       8 . The method in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein a change in the selective cutting of the filter rods comprises displacing a first stop for the filter rods with respect to the at least one fixed cutting device.  
   
   
       9 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the increase or decrease in the number of cutting devices comprises one of activating or deactivating at least one second cutting device.  
   
   
       10 . The method in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the second cutting device is positionally fixed.  
   
   
       11 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , after the transfer device, displacing the filter plugs in a longitudinally axial manner to a second stop.  
   
   
       12 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein, to change the filter plug length, the second stop is changed in position.  
   
   
       13 . The method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the second stop is changed in position such that, after the change in the filter plug length, centers of previous filter plugs lengths and centers of new filter plugs lengths, lie in one plane.  
   
   
       14 . The method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the filter plugs are transferred to a transfer drum by the transfer device.  
   
   
       15 . The method in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the transfer drum or the transfer device is replaced with the change of the filter plug length.  
   
   
       16 . The method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined transverse-axial staggered spacing is changed with the change of the filter plug length.  
   
   
       17 . A method for producing filter cigarettes, comprising: 
 producing filter plugs in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the filter plugs are double-length filter plugs;    cutting double-length tobacco rods into single-length tobacco rods;    inserting the double-length filter plugs between the single-length tobacco rods;    joining the double-length filter plugs to the single-length tobacco rods by wrapping a tipping paper web to form filter cigarettes of double unit length.    
   
   
       18 . A method for producing filter plugs from filter rods with a predetermined filter rod length, comprising: 
 removing the filter rods from a magazine;    cutting the filter rods to form filter plugs of a predetermined filter plug length; and    changing the cutting of filter rods to form filter plugs of another predetermined filter plug length, wherein in the changing of the cutting, a number of cutting devices is increased or decreased;    wherein the filter plugs are aligned coaxially to one another and are staggered after cutting, such that the filter plugs immediately adjacent in a longitudinally axial manner are respectively positionally displaced transverse-axially to one another at a constant staggered spacing;    transferring the filter plugs to a transfer device, so that the filter plugs are arranged respectively staggered with respect to one another at a fixed staggered spacing to one another, and the filter plugs staggered in a displaced manner are displaced in a longitudinally axial manner to form a row of filter plugs conveyed one behind the other in a transverse-axial manner, which results in an overall reduction in a production downtime.    
   
   
       19 . The method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the transfer device includes a transfer drum having a plurality of receiving flutes, and only one filter plug is arranged in a respective receiving flute.