Patent ID: 8322511

Claim:
An apparatus for conveying a cigarette stream ( 10 ) in a controlled manner into a machine for producing and/or packaging cigarettes, the machine comprising an initially empty conveying section ( 16 ), and the cigarettes being conveyed into the initially empty conveying section ( 16 ), the apparatus comprising a movable supporting element ( 14 ), the cigarette stream ( 10 ) being supported during conveying by the movable supporting element ( 14 ), the movable supporting element ( 14 ) being moved together with the cigarette stream ( 10 ) along the conveying section ( 16 ), wherein: the conveying section ( 16 ) is part of a cigarette magazine ( 11 ), the cigarette magazine ( 11 ) comprising an upper supply part ( 12 ) and a lower shaft part ( 13 ) having shafts ( 19 ) for cigarettes that are separated by shaft walls, with the supply part ( 12 ) comprising walls ( 18 ) that laterally delimit the supply part ( 12 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 11 ); the walls ( 18 ) are movable at least partially in order to change the cross section of the supply part ( 12 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 11 ); the supply part ( 12 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 11 ) is arranged with the walls ( 18 ) centrally and directly above the shaft part ( 13 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 11 ), the supply part ( 12 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 11 ) has a smaller width than that of the shaft part ( 13 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 11 ); the walls ( 18 ) lie opposite one another and are pivotable into a diverging position such that the cigarette stream ( 10 ) is distributable over the full width of the shaft part ( 13 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 11 ); and the walls ( 18 ) are adjustable between a position for conveying the cigarettes into the empty supply part ( 12 ) and a position after the cigarettes have been conveyed into the empty conveying section ( 16 ), the walls ( 18 ) adjoining fixed walls ( 17 ) of the supply part ( 12 ), the walls ( 18 ) being substantially upright and below the fixed walls ( 17 ) in the position for conveying the cigarettes into the empty supply part ( 12 ); the supply part ( 12 ) has a cross section that is constant substantially over the entire height of the supply part ( 12 ); and the walls ( 18 ) are moved into a diverging position after filling of the supply part ( 12 ), such that after the cigarettes have been conveyed into the empty supply part ( 12 ) the lower opening of the conveying section ( 16 ) corresponds substantially to the dimensions of the adjoining shaft part ( 13 ) having the shafts ( 19 ) for cigarettes, and wherein the shaft part ( 13 ) is fillable over its full width.