METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND ELIMINATING CIGARETTES WITH LOOSE FILTER TIPS DURING CIGARETTE MANUFACTURING

摘要

This invention relates to a loose filter tipdetecting machine for filter tip cigarettes. A splittable drum assembly has first and secondvacuum force means in respective first and second segmentsthereof. The vacuum force applied through each segmentcommunicates with either the tobacco rod or filter tip ofa filter tip cigarette held in a groove on the splittabledrum assembly. The first and second segments of the splittable drumassembly can be moved apart, whereby the vacuum forceapplied to either section of a filter tip cigarette pullsthe filter tip away from the tobacco rod, or vice versa,thus testing whether the attachment between the twosections is loose or not.