Method for producing filter cigarettes

Abstract

A method for producing filter cigarettes, which includes cutting double-length cut tobacco rods into single-length cut tobacco rods, spacing apart the cut tobacco rods in a longitudinally axial manner, inserting a double-length filter plug between longitudinally axial spaced apart cut tobacco rods, connecting, with uniting bands, the double-length filter plugs to the longitudinally axial spaced apart cut tobacco rods, and, prior to the inserting of the double-length filter plug, conveying at least one of the double-length cut tobacco rods and the single-length cut tobacco rods with a transverse axial spacing from adjacent cut tobacco rods that is smaller than a length of the uniting bands. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

1 . A method for producing filter cigarettes, comprising: 
 cutting double-length cut tobacco rods into single-length cut tobacco rods;    spacing apart the cut tobacco rods in a longitudinally axial manner;    inserting a double-length filter plug between longitudinally axial spaced apart cut tobacco rods;    connecting, with uniting bands, the double-length filter plugs to the longitudinally axial spaced apart cut tobacco rods; and    prior to the inserting of the double-length filter plug, conveying at least one of the double-length cut tobacco rods and the single-length cut tobacco rods with a transverse axial spacing from adjacent cut tobacco rods that is smaller than a length of the uniting bands.    
   
   
       2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the transverse axial spacing from adjacent cut tobacco rods before the insertion of the filter plugs is changed to a transverse axial spacing that is smaller than the length of the uniting bands.  
   
   
       3 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the transverse axial spacing from adjacent cut tobacco rods is reduced after the transfer of the cut tobacco rods from a cigarette rod maker to a filter tipping machine.  
   
   
       4 . The method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the at least one of the double-length and the single-length cut tobacco rods before the reduction of the transverse axial spacing are conveyed with a transverse axial spacing that is the same as or greater than the length of the uniting bands.  
   
   
       5 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein during the insertion of the double-length filter plug between the longitudinally axial spaced apart cut tobacco rods, the process further comprises conveying the double-length filter plugs with a transverse axial spacing from their adjacent filter plugs that is smaller than the length of the uniting bands.  
   
   
       6 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein during the insertion of the double-length filter plugs between the longitudinally axial spaced apart cut tobacco rods, the transverse axial spacing between the pairs of cut tobacco rods is increased.  
   
   
       7 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein after the insertion of the double-length filter plugs between the longitudinally axial spaced apart cut tobacco rods, the transverse axial spacing between the cut tobacco rod/filter plug/cut tobacco rod groups is increased.  
   
   
       8 . The method in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein after the increase of the transverse axial spacing between the cut tobacco rod/filter plug/cut tobacco rod groups, the process further comprises conveying the cut tobacco rod/filter plug/cut tobacco rod groups with a transverse axial spacing that is the same as or smaller than the length of the uniting bands.  
   
   
       9 . The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the cut tobacco rods and the double-length filter plugs are conveyed with a transverse axial spacing of 18 mm to 28 mm.  
   
   
       10 . The method in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the at least one of the cut tobacco rods and the double-length filter plugs are conveyed with a transverse axial spacing of 18 mm to 22 mm.  
   
   
       11 . The method in accordance with  claim 7 , further comprising feeding the cut tobacco rod/filter plug/cut tobacco rod groups as articles of a first and second group to a tipping device and providing the articles of the first and second groups with uniting bands.  
   
   
       12 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 feeding the articles of the first and second group to a joint rolling device; and    wrapping the articles of the first and second group with the uniting bands in the rolling device.    
   
   
       13 . The method in accordance with  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 feeding the cut tobacco rod/filter plug/cut tobacco rod groups as articles of a first and second group;    feeding the articles of the first and second group to a first tipping device, in which the articles of the first group are provided with a uniting band;    feeding the articles of the first and second group on different conveyor paths to a joint rolling device; and    feeding the articles of the second group to a second tipping device, in which the articles of the second group are provided with uniting bands.    
   
   
       14 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein a conveyor speed of the articles of the first and second group at least one of before and after a transfer point at which the uniting bands are provided is varied.  
   
   
       15 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the articles of the first and second group are braked before being provided with the uniting bands.  
   
   
       16 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the articles of the first and second group are accelerated after being provided with the uniting bands.  
   
   
       17 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein when the uniting bands are provided to the articles of the first and second groups, the uniting bands are partially applied to the articles of the first and second group.  
   
   
       18 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the articles of the first group are removed from a joint conveyor drum for the articles of the first and second group.  
   
   
       19 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the articles of the first and second group before the uniting bands are provided to the first group are arranged alternately on a conveyor drum.  
   
   
       20 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the articles of the first and second group are arranged alternately on a conveyor drum during a combined conveyance of the article groups.  
   
   
       21 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the uniting bands are transferred to the articles of the first and/or second group at a constant speed.