Cutting and arranging rods for tobacco industry products

1 . A tobacco industry product assembly machine ( 1 ) comprising an apparatus ( 2 ) for cutting and arranging rods for use in a tobacco industry product assembly machine, the apparatus comprising:

a first cutting mechanism ( 13 ) for cutting a four-length rod ( 11 ) into first and second axially-aligned double-length rods ( 16 , 17 ), each double-length rod having a near end and a remote end, and

a positioning mechanism ( 19 ) for moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods such that said first and second double-length rods are moved from a first configuration in axial-alignment in which the near ends of the first and second double-length rods are disposed proximal to one another and the remote ends are disposed distally, to a second configuration in which:

the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment,

the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart,

the remote end of the first double-length rod is disposed proximal to the remote end of the second double-length rod, and

the near end of the first double-length rod is disposed proximal to the near end of the second double-length rod;

wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a turning mechanism ( 19 ) configured to rotate said first double-length rod ( 16 ) into alignment with said second double-length rod ( 17 ) so that the first and second double-length rods are arranged in the second configuration,

the tobacco industry product assembly machine further comprising a second cutting mechanism ( 21 ) downstream of the first cutting mechanism for cutting said first and second double-length rods into single-length rods ( 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ).

2 . The tobacco industry product assembly machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said turning mechanism ( 19 ) comprises at least one pivoting arm ( 20 ) for rotating said first double-length rod ( 16 ) into alignment with said second double-length rod ( 17 ) so that the first and second double-length rods are arranged the second configuration.

3 . The tobacco industry product assembly machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , comprising a rod making station ( 3 ) disposed upstream of the first cutting mechanism ( 13 ) and configured to produce said four-length rods ( 11 ) to be provided to the first cutting mechanism.

4 . The tobacco industry product assembly machine ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , comprising a transfer station ( 4 ) disposed between said rod making station ( 3 ) and said first cutting mechanism ( 13 ) and configured to convey said four-length rods ( 11 ) from said rod making station towards said first cutting mechanism.

5 . The tobacco industry product assembly machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a receiving station ( 5 ) upstream of the first cutting mechanism ( 13 ) and configured to transfer said four-length rods ( 11 ) to the first cutting mechanism, and wherein the receiving station comprises a receiving drum ( 12 ).

6 . The tobacco industry product assembly machine ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a tipping station ( 9 ) downstream of the second cutting station ( 8 ), configured to join at least one further component ( 31 ) of said tobacco industry product to said single-length rods ( 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ) with a tipping paper (T) so as to form tobacco industry product assemblies ( 32 , 33 ).

7 . The tobacco industry product assembly machine ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , further comprising a third cutting station ( 10 ) downstream of the tipping station ( 9 ), configured to cut the tobacco industry product assemblies ( 32 , 33 ) at a mid-point of the at least one further component so as to form tobacco industry products ( 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ).

8 . An operating method of the tobacco industry product assembly machine of claim 1 , the method comprising:

providing a four-length rod ( 11 );

cutting said four-length rod into first and second double-length rods ( 16 , 17 ), each double-length rod having respective remote ends;

positioning said first and second double-length tobacco rods by moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods from a first configuration in which they are axially aligned, to a second configuration in which the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment and the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart, and the remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other, wherein positioning said first and second double-length rods ( 16 , 17 ) adjacent to each other comprises rotating said first double-length rod ( 16 ) into alignment with said second double-length rod ( 17 ) so that the first and second double-length rods are arranged the second configuration;

cutting said first and second double-length rods into single-length rods ( 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ); and,

joining at least one further component ( 31 ) of tobacco industry product manufacture to said single-length rods so as to form tobacco industry product assemblies ( 32 , 33 ).

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein rotating said first double-length rod ( 16 ) comprises using at least one pivoting arm ( 20 ) for rotating said first double-length rod into alignment with said second double-length rod ( 17 ) so that the first and second double-length rods are arranged the second configuration.

10 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein rotating said first double-length rod ( 16 ) comprises rotating said first double-length rod by an angle of about 180 degrees around an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said second double-length rod ( 17 ).

11 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising cutting the tobacco industry product assemblies ( 32 , 33 ) at a mid-point of the at least one further component ( 31 ) so as to form tobacco industry products ( 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ).

12 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the four-length rod ( 11 ) comprises remote ends,

wherein the method comprises cutting said four-length rod into the first and second double-length rods, each double-length rod ( 16 , 17 ) having respective first and second remote ends, wherein the first remote end of each double-length rod corresponds to a respective remote end of the four-length rod

and wherein in the second configuration the first remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other.

13 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein said at least one further component ( 31 ) of tobacco industry product manufacture is located between the single-length rods ( 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ).