Patent ID: 8256432

Claim:
A wrapping unit for tobacco products, comprising: a rotating drum furnished peripherally with a plurality of carrier mechanisms rotatable about axes parallel to the axis of the drum, by which products are supported and carried through an assembly station together with leaves of wrapping material; a rotating conveyor supplying such leaves, rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the drum and revolving substantially tangential to the rotating drum at the assembly station, wherein the rotating conveyor comprises a transfer mechanism by which single leaves of material are transferred to each carrier mechanism; the transfer mechanism including a diverting mechanism by which to divert a leading edge of the leaf away from the rotating conveyor and toward a restraint mechanism, associated with the carrier mechanism, by which the edge of the leaf is restrained; and wherein the wrapping unit is configured to control a tangential velocity of the carrier mechanisms when passing through the assembly station to be substantially the same as a tangential velocity of the rotating conveyor.