Patent ID: 8448647

Claim:
A feeder system for feeding rod components of a tobacco product, said feeder system comprising: a hopper configured to receive a plurality of rod components therein; a separator device operably engaged with the hopper and configured to receive one of the plurality of rod components at a time therefrom, the separator device comprising: a separator member that is substantially cylindrical and rotatable about a longitudinal axis defined thereby, the separator member defining at least one groove extending parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, with each groove being configured to receive one of the rod components therein from the hopper upon registration therewith and further defining at least one channel extending circumferentially thereabout so as to intersect the at least one groove, wherein the separator member is configured to receive the one rod component from the hopper at a first angular position and to dispense the one rod component to the orienting device at a second angular position, the second angular position being spaced apart from the first angular position in a rotational direction of the separator member; and a removal member disposed about the second angular position of the separator member and extending into the at least one channel upon rotation of the separator member so as to facilitate dispensation of the one rod component from the at least one groove to the orienting device; and an orienting device operably engaged with the separator device, the orienting device being configured to receive the one of the plurality of rod components in a first orientation and to direct the one of the plurality of rod components into a second orientation, different from the first orientation, and toward a subsequent process.