Apparatus for compacting cigarette filter tip assemblies containing granular material

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH A CIGARETTE FILTER TIP ATTACHMENT MACHINE WHEREIN CIGARETTE FILTER TIP ASSEMBLIES ARE DEPOSITED SUCCESSIVELY INTO INTERPOSED RELATION BETWEEN CIGARETTE TOBACCO PORTIONS, AN APPARATUS FOR COMPACTING CIGARETTE FILTER TIP ASSEMBLIES, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF MOVABLE PRESSURE PADS IN FACING RELATION BETWEEN AND WITH RESPECT TO WHICH CIGARETTE FILTER TIP ASSEMBLIES MAY BE BROUGHT SUCCESSIVELY INTO AXIALLY ALIGNED RELATION IN THE COURSE OF TRAVEL OF SAID ASSEMBLIES THROUGH SAID MACHINE, AND ACTUATING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PRESSURE PADS TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, SAID MEANS BEING ENGAGED WITH THE DRIVE SYSTEM OF SAID MACHINE IN SUCH A WAY THAT SAID PRESSURE PADS ARE MOVED TOWARD EACH OTHER WHEN A CIGARETTE FILTER TIP ASSEMBLY IS BROUGHT INTO AXIALLY ALIGNED POSITION BETWEEN THEM TO BEAR ON THE ENDS OF AND EXERT COMPACTING FORCE UPON SAID ASSEMBLY AND ARE THEREAFTER MOVED AWAY FROM EACH OTHER IN THE COURSE OF CONTINUED OPERATION OF SAID CIGARETTE FILTER TIP ATTACHMENT MACHINE AND FURTHER TRAVEL OF SAID CIGARETTE FILTER TIP ASSEMBLY.