Apparatus for imparting combined sidewise and rotary movements to receptacles for rod-shaped smokers' products

Apparatus for imparting rotary and sidewise movements to receptacles for cigarettes has a rotary conveyor carrying pairs of levers pivotable about discrete axes which are parallel to and surround the axis of the conveyor. One lever of each pair is pivotable about the respective discrete axis relative to the conveyor under the action of a stationary cam which is tracked by a follower on the lever, and each pair of levers carries two shafts for a receptacle. The shafts are caused to turn the respective receptacles through at least 360.degree. while the receptacles are located at a perforating station where the wrappers of the cigarettes therein are perforated by a stationary laser; at such time, the cam causes the corresponding pair of levers to pivot their receptacles counter to the direction of rotation of the conveyor so that the cigarettes are held against orbital movement while the respective receptacles are being rotated by gear trains installed in selected levers and receiving motion from pivots for such levers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to apparatus for manipulating plain or filter 
cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and/or filter rod sections in general, and 
more particularly to improvements in apparatus for imparting composite 
movements to such articles or products of the tobacco processing industry. 
Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in 
apparatus for imparting combined sidewise and rotary movements to 
rod-shaped articles, such as plain or filter cigarettes (hereinafter 
referred to as cigarettes or filter cigarettes). 
A so-called filter tipping machine is designed to assemble plain cigarettes 
and filter rod sections into filter cigarettes. As a rule, such machines 
are designed to produce filter cigarettes of double unit length (with two 
coaxial plain cigarettes of unit length and a filter rod section or filter 
plug of double unit length between them), and the articles are then 
severed midway across their filter plugs to yield pairs of filter 
cigarettes of unit length. 
The treatment or processing of filter cigarettes of unit length or multiple 
unit length often necessitates rotation of the articles about their 
longitudinal axes. For example, a filter cigarette which is caused to 
rotate about its own axis is much more likely to be accurately tested in 
order to ascertain its diameter, its exact cross-sectional outline, the 
integrity or lack of integrity of its wrapper, the permeability of its 
wrapper, the presence or absence of smudges at the exterior of its 
wrapper, the condition of the uniting band of tipping paper which is 
convoluted around the filter mouthpiece of double unit length and the 
adjacent end portions of the two plain cigarettes of unit length, and/or 
other characteristics or parameters of such articles. 
Another very important treatment of cigarettes involves the enhancement of 
the permeability of selected portions of the wrappers of such articles. As 
a rule, the enhancement involves the making of perforations in selected 
portions of the wrappers during advancement of articles past a stationary 
instrument or implement. The perforations are normally formed in arrays 
constituting one or more annuli extending in the circumferential 
directions of the articles. Thus, it is necessary to rotate each cigarette 
about its own axis while it is being advanced sideways (i.e., transversely 
of its central longitudinal axis) past the perforating station. The making 
of perforations is considered to be desirable in order to ensure the 
penetration of cool atmospheric air into the column of tobacco smoke 
flowing from the lighted end of a cigarette into the smoker's mouth. The 
inflowing atmospheric air is believed to exert a beneficial influence upon 
the nicotine and/or condensate content of tobacco smoke. As a rule, the 
perforations are provided in the convoluted uniting band surrounding the 
filter mouthpiece close to the adjacent end of the plain cigarette forming 
part of the respective filter cigarette. 
At the present time, the making of perforations in the wrappers of 
cigarettes is carried out by resorting to electrically operated spark 
generating instruments but particularly by resorting to lasers which are 
designed to meet the necessary qualitative and quantitative requirements 
for the making of requisite numbers of perforations in a desired 
distribution in desired or selected portions of the wrappers. 
Reference may be had, for example, to commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 
4,281,670 granted Aug. 4, 1981 to Uwe Heitmann et al. for "APATUS FOR 
INCREASING THE PERMEABILITY OF WRAPPING MATERIAL FOR ROD-SHAPED SMOKERS' 
PRODUCTS" which discloses a laser and a system of conveyors serving to 
transport successive cigarettes past the perforating station in such a way 
that a cigarette being acted upon by coherent radiation is caused to turn 
about its own axis and to temporarily interrupt its movement with that 
conveyor which actually serves to advance cigarettes toward and beyond the 
perforating station. A drawback of the patented apparatus is that 
cigarettes are apt to be subjected to relatively rough treatment because 
they must rotate with reference to their respective receptacles. 
A somewhat similar apparatus is disclosed in commonly owned copending U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,265,254 granted May 5, 1981 to Franz-Peter Koch et al. for 
"APATUS FOR PERFORATING CIGARETTE PAPER OR THE LIKE". 
The disclosures of the above US patents are incorporated herein by 
reference. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for 
imparting combined sidewise (transverse) and rotary movements to 
rod-shaped smokers' products, and more specifically to receptacles for 
such smokers' products. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be 
readily installed in the existing machines and/or production lines for the 
making of plain or filter cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars and/or filter rod 
sections and/or other types of rod-shaped smokers' products. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be 
utilized with advantage for the transport of filter cigarettes past one or 
more permeability enhancing units in a filter tipping machine. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a machine or a 
production line which embodies the above outlined apparatus. 
Still other object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can 
convey rod-shaped articles at a high frequency and which can treat the 
conveyed articles gently prior to, during and subsequent to advancement 
past one or more treating or processing stations. 
A further object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with novel 
and improved means for imparting several different movements to 
receptacles for rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. 
Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved 
transmissions for use in the above outlined apparatus. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with 
novel and improved means for regulating the speed and/or the direction of 
movement of receptacles for rod-shaped articles in filter tipping and/or 
other machines for the making and/or processing of rod-shaped articles of 
the tobacco processing industry. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
method of manipulating rod-shaped articles during transport past one or 
more testing, inspecting and/or perforating units. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which 
constitutes an improvement over and a further development of apparatus 
disclosed in the aforediscussed US patents. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can convey 
rod-shaped articles at a frequency that is necessary to take full 
advantage of the capacity of one or more tools, implements, instruments 
and/or other units which are used to inspect, test, perforate the wrappers 
of and/or otherwise influence the characteristics of rod-shaped articles 
in modern high-speed machines or production lines for the making and/or 
processing of plain or filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos, filter rod 
sections and/or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing 
industry. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is embodied in an apparatus for manipulating receptacles for 
elongated rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry during 
transport of receptacles relative to and at an article treating station. 
The apparatus comprises means for conveying the receptacles in a 
predetermined direction along an arcuate path at least substantially 
transversely of the elongated articles in the receptacles, means for 
temporarily moving the receptacles counter to the predetermined direction 
relative to the conveying means at the treating station, and means for 
rotating the receptacles about longitudinal axes for the receptacles at 
least during temporary movement of the receptacles relative to the 
conveying means counter to the predetermined direction. 
The receptacles are or can be configurated in such a way that they are 
provided with flutes for rod-shaped articles. 
The apparatus further comprises at least one unit which is disposed at the 
treating station and is or can be provided with means for influencing the 
permeability of tubular wrappers of articles in the receptacles being 
located at the treating station. The means for influencing can comprise 
one or more lasers. 
It is preferred to employ rotating means which is designed to turn each 
receptacle through an angle of at least 360.degree.. 
The conveying means can comprise means for orbiting the receptacles about a 
fixed axis so that the longitudinal axes are being conveyed at a first 
speed, and the means for temporarily moving can include means for moving 
the receptacles counter to the predetermined direction so that the 
longitudinal axes are moved at a second speed at least approximating the 
first speed. This ensures that the positions of the receptacles at the 
treating station --as seen in the predetermined direction--remain at least 
substantially fixed during rotation of the receptacles and of the articles 
therein about the respective longitudinal axes. 
The conveying means, the means for temporarily moving the receptacles 
counter to the predetermined direction and the rotating means can jointly 
constitute an integral power train. The arrangement can be such that at 
least one of these three (conveying, temporarily moving and rotating) 
means receives motion from another of the three means. 
As mentioned above, the conveying means can comprise means for orbiting the 
receptacles about a fixed axis, and the means for temporarily moving can 
include at least one lever for each receptacle. The levers orbit about the 
fixed axis and are pivotable relative to the conveying means about further 
axes which are parallel to the fixed axis. The receptacles are rotatable 
relative to the corresponding levers about the respective longitudinal 
axes. The means for conveying can comprise a housing and drive means for 
rotating the housing about the fixed axis, and the means for temporarily 
moving can further comprise pivots which define the further axes and are 
rotatably mounted in the housing, and a cam follower rigid with each 
pivot. Still further, such means for temporarily moving can comprise a 
stationary cam having one or more tracks for the followers. For example, 
the cam can be provided with first and second tracks, and each follower 
can be provided with first and second rollers which travel along the 
respective tracks when the housing of the conveying means is rotated about 
the fixed axis. 
The levers of the means for temporarily moving the receptacles counter to 
the predetermined direction are pivotable relative to the conveying means 
and rotatably support the respective receptacles, and such levers can 
include or constitute cases for transmissions of the rotating means. Each 
such transmission can include a sun gear fixed to the pivot which rockably 
mounts the respective lever in the conveying means, and a further gear 
which receives torque from the sun gear (such as by way of one or more 
intermediate gears) and is affixed to a shaft defining the longitudinal 
axis for the respective receptacle. 
The longitudinal axes for the receptacles are preferably offset relative to 
the central longitudinal axes of the articles therein; this can be 
achieved by providing each receptacle with an offset which ensures that 
the longitudinal axis for the receptacle (and more specifically the 
longitudinal axis of the shaft for such receptacle) is radially offset 
relative to and parallel with the central axis of the article in the 
receptacle. 
Each receptacle can comprise two aligned portions or sections, and the 
means for temporarily moving then includes means for coupling the aligned 
sections of each receptacle to each other for synchronous rotation about 
the respective longitudinal axis. The means for coupling can include two 
coaxial pivots for each receptacle each of which is indirectly connected 
(by a lever and a pivot) to one of the two sections of such receptacle. 
The pivots form part of the means for moving the receptacles, and the 
coupling means can further comprise muffs or sleeves which non-rotatably 
receive portions of two coaxial pivots to ensure that the thus coupled 
pivots rotate as a unit and drive the sections of the respective 
receptacle at a desired speed. 
The means for conveying can comprise a drum which is rotatable about the 
fixed axis and carries the means for temporarily moving the receptacles 
counter to the predetermined direction. The drum further carries the means 
for rotating as well as the receptacles. 
The receptacles can be constructed, assembled and designed to receive and 
transport filter cigarettes of double unit length, preferably in such a 
way that the convoluted wrappers for the filter mouthpieces of such 
cigarettes are fully exposed for the application of perforations and/or 
for other treatment or processing. 
The receptacles preferably comprise means for pneumatically holding the 
articles for movement along the predetermined path. 
The means for temporarily moving can be designed in such a way that a 
receptacle approaching the treating station is moved relative to the means 
for conveying in the predetermined direction prior to movement counter to 
the predetermined direction. 
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention 
are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus 
itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, 
together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best 
understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain 
presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, there is shown a portion of an 
apparatus which is designed to transport successive filter cigarettes 2 of 
double unit length toward and beyond a treating station occupied by a 
stationary unit (denoted by an arrow 6) which serves to influence the 
permeability of selected portions of the wrappers of the cigarettes. For 
example, the unit denoted by the arrow 6 can constitute or comprise one or 
more lasers which are constructed, assembled and installed to provide the 
wrapper (convoluted uniting band) 4 for the filter rod section of each 
cigarette 2 with one or more annuli of perforations 5 by directing one or 
more beams of coherent radiation against the cigarette. 
The apparatus comprises a drum-shaped conveyor 1 which is rotatable about a 
fixed axis 13 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 
(note the arrow 57), and carries an annulus of elongated axially parallel 
two-piece or two-section receptacles 3 having flutes wherein the 
cigarettes 2 are held pneumatically (by suction) during conveying by the 
conveyor 1 along a certain portion of an arcuate path having its center of 
curvature on the axis 13. 
In order to ensure that the unit (hereinafter called laser) 6 can provide 
each wrapper 4 with at least one annulus of perforations 5, the cigarette 
2 which reaches the treating station must be temporarily held against 
movement in the direction of the arrow 57 and must be caused to rotate 
about its central longitudinal axis while the wrapper 4 is exposed to the 
action of one or more beams of coherent radiation. Therefore, the improved 
apparatus further comprises novel and improved means for temporarily 
moving the receptacles 3 and the cigarettes 2 therein counter to the 
direction indicated by the arrow 57 (note the arrow 59 in each of FIGS. 4 
and 5) while a cigarette 2 is being acted upon by radiation, and means for 
rotating the receptacle 3 at the treating station about a longitudinal 
axis (shown at 8 in each of FIGS. 1 and 2) which parallel to but is 
radially spaced apart from the axis 13 of the conveyor 1. In other words, 
the receptacles 3 are caused to orbit about the axis 13, they are caused 
to move counter to the direction of rotation of the conveyor 1 during 
their dwell in the range of the laser 6, and the receptacles are caused to 
turn through not less (or not appreciably less) than 360.degree. during 
dwell at the treating station. The length of the interval of dwell at the 
treating station depends on the number of receptacles 3 on the conveyor 1, 
on the minimum time required to complete the rotation of a receptacle 3 
about the respective longitudinal axis 8 without affecting the quality of 
the perforating operation, and on the desired output of the machine or 
production line which embodies the improved apparatus. The illustrated 
conveyor 1 can form part of a filter tipping machine wherein pairs of 
plain cigarettes of unit length are connected with filter mouthpieces or 
filter rod sections of double unit length by adhesive coated uniting bands 
of tipping paper which are convoluted around the filter mouthpieces and 
around the adjacent inner end portions of the plain cigarettes to form 
tubular wrappers 4 which convert each pair of plain cigarettes of unit 
length and the respective filter mouthpiece of double unit length into a 
filter cigarette 2 of double unit length. However, the improved apparatus 
can be utilized with equal advantage for the making of perforations in 
and/or for other treatment of other types of rod-shaped articles of the 
tobacco processing industry, such as filter mouthpieces of selected 
length, plain cigarettes of unit length, filter cigarettes of unit length 
and/or others. 
The means for rotating a receptacle 3 about the respective axis 8 comprises 
two coaxial shafts 7 which together define the axis 8 and are rotatably 
mounted on discrete levers or arms 9 indirectly carried by a housing 18 of 
the conveyor 1. As can be seen in FIG. 1, each receptacle 3 comprises two 
similar or identical portions or sections which are spaced apart from each 
other in the direction of the respective axis 8 in order to fully expose 
the wrapper 4 of the cigarette 2 in the receptacle for the making of one 
or more complete annuli of perforations 5, or to expose at least that 
portion of a wrapper 4 at the treating station which is to be provided 
with perforations. It is also possible to employ means for forming at 
least two annuli of operations, one in that portion of a wrapper 4 which 
surrounds the inner end portion of a first plain cigarette and the other 
in that portion of the same wrapper which surrounds the inner end portion 
of the second plain cigarette of the filter cigarette 2. 
The means for rotating a receptacle 3 further comprises a transmission 12 
(shown in the form of a gear train) which is installed in a hollow case 11 
forming part of or constituting one of the two levers 9 for a receptacle 
3. The gear train 12 operates between a pivot 14 for the respective lever 
9 and one of the two shafts 7 for the respective receptacle. The pivots 14 
are elongated shafts which are rigidly secured to the corresponding levers 
9 (such as to the cases 11 of the levers) by the flanges 16 (which are of 
one piece with or are rigidly secured to the pivots 14) and by fasteners 
17 which affix the flanges 16 to the respective levers 9. Each pivot 14 is 
rotatably journalled in the housing 18 of the conveyor 1, and such housing 
is rotated in the direction of the arrow 57 by a drive shaft 22 which 
defines the fixed axis 13 and carries one or more flanges 21 affixed to 
the housing 18 by one or more threaded or other suitable fasteners 19. 
Each pivot 14 is rigidly connected with a discrete two-armed follower 23 
having free end portions carrying the rollers 24, 26 which respectively 
follow the endless tracks 27, 28 defined by a stationary cam 29. This cam, 
its tracks 27, 28, and the followers 23 with their pairs of rollers 24, 26 
also form part of means for temporarily moving the receptacles 3 relative 
to the conveyor 1 counter to the direction indicated by the arrow 57 while 
the receptacles are located at the testing station, i.e., while the 
respective cigarettes 2 are being rotated about the corresponding axes 8 
and are being acted upon by the beam or beams of coherent radiation 
issuing from the laser 6. The cam 29 is secured to a stationary casing 31 
for the conveyor 1 by screws 32 and/or other suitable fasteners. The cam 
29 and its tracks 27, 28, the pivots 14 and the followers 23 with their 
rollers 24, 26 can be said to constitute a cam and follower assembly or 
transmission which, in turn, forms part of an integrated power train 
including the shaft 22 of the conveyor 1, the means for temporarily moving 
the receptacles 3 in the direction of the arrow 59 (while the shaft 22 
continues to rotate the housing 18 in the direction of the arrow 57), and 
the means for rotating the receptacles 3 about the respective axes 8. 
Each gear train 12 includes a holder 33 which is rigidly affixed to the 
housing 18 and receives one portion of a shaft of a sun gear 34 which 
shaft is journalled in the respective pivot 14. The sun gear 34 is located 
in the case 11 of the respective lever 9 and mates with a gear or pinion 
36 mounted on an intermediate shaft 37 journalled in the respective case 
11. A gear 38 which is rotatable with the intermediate shaft 37 and with 
the pinion 36 meshes with a pinion or gear 39 on a further intermediate 
shaft 41 which is journalled in the case 11, and a gear 42 which is rigid 
with the intermediate shaft 41 and pinion 39 mates with a gear or pinion 
43 on the respective shaft 7. 
That portion of that section of a receptacle 3 which is affixed to a driven 
shaft 7 (i.e., to the shaft journalled in a transmission case 11 
containing a gear train 12) is provided with an offset part 44 which 
ensures that the central longitudinal axis of a cigarette 2 being 
pneumatically held in the flute of the receptacle 3 is parallel to and 
radially spaced apart from the corresponding axis 8. The importance of the 
offset part 44 will be pointed out hereinafter in connection with the mode 
of operation of the improved apparatus. 
The aforementioned power train can be said to include the shaft 22 and the 
housing 18 of the conveyor 1, the pivots 14, the transmissions each of 
which includes a follower 23 and the cam 29 (which is common to all 
followers), the levers 9, and the gear trains 12. The components of this 
power train are interlinked or synchronized in such a way that the levers 
9 are caused to move the respective receptacles 3 in the direction of the 
arrow 59 as soon as the receptacles arrive at the treating station (where 
the respective cigarettes 2 are being acted upon by radiation issuing from 
the laser 6), and that the receptacles 3 are caused to turn through at 
least 360.degree. while moving (relative to the conveyor 1) in the 
direction of the arrow 59, i.e., during temporary dwell at the treating 
station. All movements are or can be derived from the drive shaft 22 for 
the housing 18 of the conveyor 1 and from the stationary cam 29. 
The movements of the driven section of a receptacle 3 and of the aligned 
non-driven section of the same receptacle are synchronized by one of the 
coupling elements 46 in the form of a sleeve or muff which connects the 
two pivots 14 for each receptacle to one another in a manner as shown in 
FIG. 1. This ensures that the right-hand lever for the receptacle 3 of 
FIG. 1 (and more particularly for the right-hand shaft 7 for such 
receptacle) is compelled to share all movements of the left-hand lever 9, 
i.e., of the lever which comprises a case 11 for a transmission or gear 
train 12. Of course, it is also possible to provide two gear trains 12 for 
each receptacle 3, one in each of the respective levers. 
The means for temporarily retaining cigarettes 2 in the flutes of the 
respective two-piece receptacles 3 comprises a suction generating device 
(e.g., a fan, not shown) having a suction side connectable to channels 47 
in the stationary casing 31, one for each receptacle 3. Each channel 47 
communicates with a radially outwardly extending channel 48 communicating 
(during certain stages of each revolution of the shaft 22) with one of 
several radially outwardly extending channels 51 in the rotary part of the 
conveyor 1 by way of a suitable valve plate having a control slot 49. Each 
channel 51 communicates with a longitudinally extending channel 56 in the 
respective receptacle 3 by way of additional channels 52, 53, 54, and each 
channel 56 can draw air from the flute of the respective receptacle 3 by 
way of ports (shown but not referenced) at the deepmost zone of the flute 
of such receptacle. The exact construction of the pneumatic system for 
temporarily holding cigarettes 2 in the flutes of the respective 
receptacles 3 forms no part of the present invention. 
The mode of operation of the apparatus which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is as 
follows: 
The shaft 22 drives the housing 14 of the conveyor 1 in the direction of 
the arrow 57 so that the receptacles 3 are caused to orbit about the axis 
13 along an arcuate path. Successive empty receptacles 3 receive fresh 
(untreated) cigarettes 2 during advancement along a first portion of such 
arcuate path (upstream of the station for the laser 6), and such 
cigarettes are held in the flutes of their receptacles 3 by suction during 
advancement toward, during dwell at, and during advancement beyond the 
laser 6 to a removing or evacuating station where the freshly treated 
cigarettes 2 are transferred into the flutes of a further rotary conveyor 
(not shown), onto a belt conveyor or onto any other suitable transporting 
assembly. 
During advancement toward the treating station, the rollers 24, 26 of 
successive followers 23 engage cylindrical or substantially cylindrical 
portions of the respective tracks 27, 28 on the stationary cam 29 so that 
the orientation of the corresponding levers 9 relative to the rotating 
housing 18 does not change at all or changes only negligibly. The levers 9 
then extend substantially radially outwardly as shown in the right-hand 
portion of FIG. 3. 
However, once the rollers 24, 26 of a follower 23 reach the suitably 
configurated non-convex portions of the respective tracks 27, 28, the 
aforementioned power train for a lever 9 approaching the laser 6 is 
activated in a sense that the lever 9 is first caused to pivot relative to 
the housing 18 in the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 22 (note 
the arrow 58 in FIG. 4) prior to being turned about the axis of the 
respective pivot 14 counter to the direction indicated by the arrows 57 
and 58, namely in the direction of the arrow 59 shown in each of FIGS. 4 
and 5. The configuration of those portions of the tracks 27, 28 on the 
fixed cam 29 which induce a pivoting of successive levers 9 in the 
direction of the arrow 59 is preferably such that the speed of rearward 
movement of the shaft 7 in the lever 9 at the treating station matches or 
at least very closely approximates the speed of the pivot 14 with the 
housing 18 (in the direction of the arrow 57). 
As a lever 9 pivots relative to the rotating housing 18 under the combined 
action of the stationary cam 29 and the respective follower 23, the pinion 
36 of the corresponding gear train 12 is caused to roll along the 
respective sun gear 34, i.e., the gear train 12 is activated in such a way 
that the receptacle 3 at the treating station rotates about the respective 
axis 8 through at least 360.degree. while the receptacle is practically at 
a standstill, i.e., it does not share the movement of the housing 18 and 
of the pivots 14 in the direction of the arrow 57. The direction of 
rotation of a receptacle 3 at the treating station is shown in FIGS. 4 and 
5, as at 60. 
The offsets 44 compensate for eccentric mounting of the levers 9, and more 
specifically for radial deflection component of movement of the 
receptacles 3. Each offset 44 can be readily dimensioned in such a way 
that the radial displacement of a cigarette 2 (relative to the axis 13) 
during rotation with the respective receptacle 3 is zero or at least close 
to zero. This renders it possible to more accurately control the sizes of 
the perforations 5 which are being formed while the cigarette 2 rotates 
with the receptacle 3 relative to the stationary laser 6 and relative to 
the respective levers 9. As a rule, the offsets 44 render it possible to 
maintain the extent of stray movements of a cigarette 2 at the treating 
station to less than one tenth of one millimeter which is considered to be 
an acceptable range of tolerances. 
FIGS. 4 and 5 show several different angular positions of a receptacle 3 
ahead of, at, and beyond the treating station. FIG. 5 further shows that 
the position of the axis 61 about which a receptacle 3 turns while 
dwelling at the treating station remains unchanged irrespective of the 
rotation of the receptacle at such station (three different angular 
positions of the receptacle 3 at the treating station are shown in FIG. 5 
at P1, P2 and P3). 
When the perforating operation upon the wrapper 4 of a cigarette 2 at the 
treating station is completed, the rollers 24, 26 of the respective cam 23 
which orbits with the corresponding shaft 14 reach differently 
configurated portions of the respective tracks 27, 28 so that the lever 9 
is caused to leave the treating station by pivoting relative to the 
rotating housing 18 in the direction of the arrow 62 (FIG. 4), and this 
returns the lever to a position shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 3, 
i.e., again substantially radially of the housing 18 and shaft 22. 
The tracks 27, 28 of the stationary cam 29 are or can be readily designed 
in such a way that the speed of orbital movement of the receptacles 3 
reaches an optimum value during advancement past the cigarette receiving 
station upstream of the laser 6 (as seen in the direction of the arrow 57) 
and/or past the cigarette transferring or evacuating station downstream of 
the laser 6. The means for supplying untreated cigarettes 2 to the flutes 
of successive empty receptacles 3 can include a rotary drum-shaped 
conveyor having axially parallel peripheral flutes for cigarettes, and the 
means for receiving treated cigarettes from the conveyor 1 can also 
comprise a rotary drum-shaped conveyor having axially parallel peripheral 
flutes for cigarettes 2 having wrappers 4 provided with desired arrays of 
perforations 5. 
An important advantage of the improved apparatus is that it can ensure the 
treatment of rod-shaped articles at a high frequency and with a high 
degree of accuracy and predictability. Another important advantage of the 
apparatus is that the articles are treated gently and that a selected 
portion of each article can remain fully exposed for monitoring and/or 
treatment through an angle of 360.degree., i.e., all the way around the 
periphery of the selected portion. 
Though it is within the purview of the invention to provide a separate 
prime mover for the conveyor 1, for the means for temporarily moving the 
receptacles 3 in the direction of the arrow 59, and for the means for 
rotating the receptacles 3, the illustrated apparatus is preferred at this 
time because all mobile components receive motion from the shaft 22 for 
the housing 18 of the conveyor 1 with assistance (for the means for 
temporarily moving) from the fixed cam 29. Thus, the illustrated power 
train including the shaft 22, the pivots 14, the levers 9, the gear trains 
12 and the shafts 7 ensures that all of the mobile parts are driven by the 
prime mover (not shown) for the shaft 22. 
The levers 9 constitute a desirable but optional feature of the improved 
apparatus. For example, such levers could be replaced with a guide or 
carrier which movably supports the receptacles 3 and is coaxial with the 
shaft 22. This would obviate the need for discrete gear trains 12. 
However, the illustrated apparatus is preferred at the present time 
because the discrete levers 9 and the gear trains 12 therein render it 
possible to accurately select and synchronize the movements of the 
receptacles 3 in the direction of the arrow 59 with rotary movements in 
the direction of the arrow 60. 
The mounting of the pivots 14 in the housing 18 of the conveyor 1, and the 
establishment of rigid connections between the pivots 14 and the 
respective followers 23 contribute to simplicity and compactness of the 
improved apparatus. The provision of the stationary cam 29 (particularly 
with plural tracks 27, 28) and the mounting of the cam in such a way that 
certain portions of its tracks have centers of curvature on the axis 13 
contributes to simplicity, reliability and compactness of the apparatus. 
The same applies for the selection of levers 9 which include or constitute 
cases 11 for the respective gear trains 12. 
The offsets 44 of the receptacles 3 are desirable and advantageous on the 
ground that they can fully compensate for the relatively small radial 
displacement of the shafts 7 relative to the fixed axis 13 during pivoting 
of the levers 9 relative to the housing 18, i.e., while the shafts 7 are 
caused to move in the direction of the arrow 59 in order to ensure that 
the article 2 being treated by the laser 6 is at a standstill as seen in 
the direction of the arrow 57. As mentioned above, the offsets 44 ensure 
that, when located at the treating station, the articles 2 are not caused 
to move radially of the axis 13. 
An advantage of the pneumatic means for holding the articles 2 in the 
flutes of the respective receptacles 3 is that this reduces the likelihood 
of damage to the wrappers of the articles during transport toward, during 
dwell at, and during transport away from the treating station. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of the above outlined 
contribution to the art of manipulating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco 
processing industry and, therefore, such adaptations should and are 
intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of 
the appended claims.