Patent ID: 7305994

Claim:
A device for separating at least one continuous rod of forming material for the manufacture of tobacco products, for use with a machine for making tobacco products affording a feed path along which the continuous rod is caused to advance, and equipped with at least one cut-off device by which the continuous rod is severed and diverted from the feed path, wherein the separation device comprises a gripping unit for engaging the diverted continuous rod of forming material and acting on the diverted continuous rod by applying forces oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the rod and from opposing directions, so as to generate a tensile stress in the diverted rod that causes it to break by tearing apart and thus divide into a plurality of discrete lengths, wherein the gripping unit comprises a tensioning unit acting on the diverted continuous rod at a point downstream of the cut-off device, by which a predetermined pulling force is applied to the selfsame rod and wherein the tensioning unit comprises at least one pair of tension rollers, interacting tangentially with opposite sides of the diverted continuous rod and each tension roller engaging in direct contact with the diverted continuous rod by way of a respective contact surface that presents an irregular profile, in such a manner as to engage the diverted continuous rod intermittently at predetermined intervals.