An apparatus for perforating the servings of stabfoermigen smoking articles

摘要

Apparatus for perforating the wrappers of filter plugs of filter cigarettes has a drum-shaped conveyor which transports filter cigarettes sideways past a stationary housing having a counter-surface defining with the periphery of the conveyor a gap of a width less than the diameter of a cigarette so that the cigarettes are caused to roll during travel through the gap. Tapered needle-like perforating elements are mounted on a carrier in the housing and are movable toward or away from the periphery of the conveyor to thereby increase or reduce the size of holes which are formed by the perforating elements in the wrappers of filter plugs while the respective cigarettes roll during travel through the gap. Alternatively, a first group of perforating elements is mounted on the housing at a fixed distance from the conveyor to perforate each and every filter plug, and one or more additional perforating elements are mounted on the carrier. The carrier is adjustable to move the additional perforating element or elements into the path of movement of successive filter plugs.