A transfer or feed drum (21; 62) for filter or cigarette portions, the drum (21; 62) comprising: a central body mounted to rotate about a first axis of rotation; a number of movable assemblies, each of which is fitted to the central body to rotate, with respect to the central body, about a respective second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation, and supports a pickup or feed head (26; 63) having at least one seat with a U-shaped cross section and for engaging at least one filter or cigarette portion; and an actuating system, which controls the angular position of each movable assembly about the respective second axis of rotation as a function of the angular position of the central body about the first axis of rotation; the drum (21; 62) being characterized in that: each movable assembly projects radially from a cylindrical lateral wall of the central body; the actuating system only rotates each movable assembly in the opposite direction to rotation of the central body, to keep the seat of each movable assembly parallel to a work plane, along an active portion of a circular path travelled by the movable assembly in the course of a complete turn by the central body; and the actuating system rotates each movable assembly in the same direction as rotation of the central body along at least a portion of a passive portion, complementary to the active portion, of the circular path. a central body mounted to rotate about a first axis of rotation; a number of movable assemblies, each of which is fitted to the central body to rotate, with respect to the central body, about a respective second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation, and supports a pickup or feed head (26; 63) having at least one seat with a U-shaped cross section and for engaging at least one filter or cigarette portion; and an actuating system, which controls the angular position of each movable assembly about the respective second axis of rotation as a function of the angular position of the central body about the first axis of rotation; the drum (21; 62) being characterized in that: each movable assembly projects radially from a cylindrical lateral wall of the central body; the actuating system only rotates each movable assembly in the opposite direction to rotation of the central body, to keep the seat of each movable assembly parallel to a work plane, along an active portion of a circular path travelled by the movable assembly in the course of a complete turn by the central body; and the actuating system rotates each movable assembly in the same direction as rotation of the central body along at least a portion of a passive portion, complementary to the active portion, of the circular path. each movable assembly projects radially from a cylindrical lateral wall of the central body; the actuating system only rotates each movable assembly in the opposite direction to rotation of the central body, to keep the seat of each movable assembly parallel to a work plane, along an active portion of a circular path travelled by the movable assembly in the course of a complete turn by the central body; and the actuating system rotates each movable assembly in the same direction as rotation of the central body along at least a portion of a passive portion, complementary to the active portion, of the circular path.