Patent ID: 7381175

Claim:
Apparatus for continuously making a compound filter rod comprising: a tow transport for continuously delivering an expanded fiber tow while compressing the tow as it travels in a downstream direction, the tow transport including a conical transport jet having a decreasing cross-sectional area for compressing the tow in the downstream direction until it obtains a desired cross-sectional area; at least one rotating pocket wheel having a plurality of spaced apart pockets therein; a filter media supply positioned to deliver filter media to the pockets; a vacuum source applied to the pockets of the rotating wheel constructed and arranged to draw filter media into the pockets from the filter media supply; and an air transport tube in alignment with the pockets of the rotating pocket wheel for discharging the filter media from the pockets as they rotate past the transport tube, the air transport tube having a discharge end interior of the conical transport jet for delivering the filter media to interior portions of the fiber tow as the tow is compressed in the conical transport jet and continues to be compressed as it travels downstream to obtain its desired cross-sectional area.