Patent ID: 7371298

Claim:
A method of applying tax stamps onto cigarette packages disposed within different cigarette cartons having different height dimensions, comprising the steps of: serially conveying a plurality of cigarette cartons having different height dimensions; movably disposing a contact member, disposed at a cigarette carton height determination station, into contact engagement with an upper surface portion of a particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons having the different height dimensions; using an ultrasonic sensor, disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, to sense the distance of said contact member, disposed in contact with the upper surface portion of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons having the different height dimensions and disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, from said sensor and to therefore determine the particular height dimension of the one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station; generating data which is indicative of the particular height dimension of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, when the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons is disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station; providing a tax stamp applicator at a cigarette package tax stamp application station; and automatically adjusting the elevational disposition of said tax stamp applicator at said cigarette package tax stamp application station, in accordance with said height dimension data characteristic of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, conveyed to said cigarette package tax stamp application station, as determined by said contact member and said sensor disposed at said cigarette carton height determination station, as each one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, is respectively disposed at said cigarette package tax stamp application station, such that said tax stamp applicator will be properly positioned with respect to the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, which is being conveyed to said cigarette package tax stamp application station so as to be capable of properly applying tax stamps to the individual cigarette packages of the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, when the particular one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons, having the different height dimensions, is disposed at said cigarette package tax stamp application station regardless of the particular height dimension of any one of the plurality of different cigarette cartons having the different height dimensions.