Patent ID: 8808153

Claim:
An apparatus for assembly of multi-segment rod-like articles, particularly cigarette filters, comprising: a filter segment intercalating unit, a filter assembly unit and a filter segment transfer unit coupled to the intercalating unit and the assembly unit, the intercalating unit further comprising a plurality of removably coupled filter rod delivery units and a filter segment transporting device, each filter rod delivery unit further comprising a hopper, a rotating drum having a plurality of transverse flutes and a plurality of circumferential slits defined in the surface thereof, a plurality of pushrods, each pushrod of said plurality of pushrods having a head, a rod, and a spring and having an associated flute of said plurality of flutes, a separation ring having a plurality of apertures such that each aperture corresponds to one of said plurality of pushrods, and a cutting device disposed adjacent to said rotating drum, said cutting device having a plurality of blades received within said slits of said rotating drum; the transfer unit further comprising a conveyor device, a first wheel operatively engaged with said conveyor device, a second wheel operatively engaged with said first wheel, and a third wheel operatively engaged with said second wheel, each of said first, second and third wheels having a plurality of fingers defined on the circumference thereof, said first wheel and said third wheel are vertically offset relative to each other; and the assembly unit further comprising a garniture operatively engaged with said third wheel, a filter rod gap sensor and a filter rod cutting device.