There as been a rising interest in allergy filters for the home over the last several years. Transport tape 12 may be adjusted to run faster or slower than endless belt 17. An optimal speed differential between transport tape 12 and belt 17 will ensure that the vacuum applied to pockets 16 will draw all, or nearly all, of the free-flowing material 8 off transport tape 12, thereby eliminating the need to refeed or recirculate free-flowing material 8.
Transport tape 12 may be adjusted to run faster or slower than endless belt 17. An optimal speed differential between transport tape 12 and belt 17 will ensure that the vacuum menthol filter rod applied to pockets 16 will draw all, or nearly all, of the free-flowing material 8 off the tape, thereby eliminating the need to refeed or recirculate free-flowing material 8.

1). As the force of the vacuum applied through transport tape 12 ceases, the free-flowing material is no longer held on the surface of transport tape 12. Also at approximately point 21, pockets 16 pass directly over the free-flowing material 8 that is on transport tape 12. Also at point 21, pockets 16 pass under a vacuum hood or chamber 20. Vacuum hood 20 applies vacuum through apertures 39 of pockets 16. This vacuum draws the free-flowing material off transport tape 12 and up into the lower portion 38 of each pocket 16. Screen 22 is permeable enough to allow the pull of vacuum, yet tight enough to prevent passage of free-flowing material 8.
21. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first conveyor comprises a first rotary drum and said receiving means comprises axially parallel peripheral flutes provided at the periphery of said drum and being at least substantially equidistant from one another, as considered in the circumferential direction of said drum, said second conveyor comprising a second rotary drum having axially parallel peripheral flutes for reception of pairs of coaxial articles, the mutual spacing of neighboring flutes of said first drum being equal to half the mutual spacing of neighboring flutes on said second drum.
15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said receiving means are elongated flutes each of which has a length at least matching the combined length of two articles and a filter rod section, each article which assumes said first position being adjacent to one end of the respective flute and each article which assumes said second position being nearer to the other end of the respective flute.

The pockets 16 are individually attached to a continuous or endless belt 17 by a support or stalk 47. Endless belt 17 travels around a plurality of wheels 18 and 19. Said wheels may be aligned and positioned in the horizontal plane in a position approximately perpendicular to wheels 13 and 14. Either or both wheels 18 and 19 may be driven by an electric motor or other suitable method.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein a single magazine suffices to supply the tobacco-containing rod-shaped articles, wherein such articles are manipulated in a novel and improved way prior to assembly with filter rod sections, and which is much simpler, less expensive and less sensitive than commercially available mass-producing filter tipping machines.
For example, for a smoking article having a demi slim-sized tobacco rod, a reduced proportion of the smoke stream is in proximity to the outer wrapper of the smoking article than would be the case with a super-slim tobacco rod (circumference approximately 17mm), due to the reduced surface-area to volume ratio of the interior of the cigarette through which the smoke stream passes.