Patent ID: 7115085

Claim:
An apparatus for providing rods for use in the manufacture of smoking articles, each rod having objects individually spaced at predetermined intervals along the length thereof, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for providing a continuous supply of rod filler material; (b) means for continuously supplying individual objects, such means including a first rotatable member having a horizontal pan for supporting a plurality of individual objects and a plurality of stems located at predetermined intervals around the periphery of the pan, said horizontal pan being substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the first rotatable member, the stems having an object seat at an upper end of the stem and coupled with an actuator to rise and lower the seat from a position below the pan to a position above the pan as the horizontal pan rotates about a central axis, said horizontal pan including means for delivering said object from a radially inward portion of the pan to a radially outward peripheral portion of the pan proximate the object seat at the upper end of the stem; (c) means for positioning the individual objects within the supply of filler material at predetermined intervals; (d) means for forming a continuous rod having the individual objects positioned at predetermined intervals in the rod; and (e) means for subdividing the continuous rod at predetermined intervals.