Rod forming apparatus and method
A method of forming a wrapped article, comprising the steps of: forming a continuous stream of material such as an agricultural product; moving the continuous stream of material along an elongated path; compressing the continuous stream of material to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof until a predetermined cross-sectional dimension is achieved; drawing the compressed continuous stream of material through a rod-forming arrangement, the rod-forming arrangement having a non-contact displacement transducer associated therewith; folding at least one web longitudinally around the compressed continuous stream of material to form a continuous rod of material; and detecting variations in rod density within the rod-forming arrangement from a signal obtained from the non-contact displacement transducer.
1. A folder for forming a wrapped article, the folder comprising:
a base defining an elongated trough;
an upper portion coupled to the base;
a wedge between the base and the upper portion; and
a non-contact displacement transducer coupled to the base or the upper portion.
2. The folder of claim 1 , wherein the base further defines a hole, and the non-contact displacement transducer is in the hole.
3. The folder of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact displacement transducer is on the upper portion.
4. The folder of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact displacement transducer is an eddy current sensor.
5. The folder of claim 1 , wherein the wedge has a fixed slope.