Cigarette making machine

Claim 1

A CIGARETTE-MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A TOBACCO CONVEYING MEANS, A MAIN HOPPER FOR SHOWERING TOBACCO ONTO SAID CONVEYING MEANS, CONTROL APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE RATE AT WHICH SAID MAIN HOPPER SHOWERS TOBACCO ON SAID CONVEYING MEANS, A CYLINDRICAL CIGARETTE ROD FORMING APPARATUS DISPOSED TO RECEIVE TOBACCO FROM SAID CONVEYING MEANS, A SHOE MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID MAIN HOPPER AND SAID ROD FORMING APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING THE TOBACCO ON SAID CONVEYING MEANS, SAID CONVEYING MEANS HAVING A ROLLER AND AN ENDLESS BELT DISPOSED ABOVE AND BELOW SAID ROLLER, RADIO-ACTIVE SOURCE AND DETECTOR MEANS FOR PRODUCING A SIGNAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH VARIATIONS IN THE DENSITY OF THE TOBACCO ON SAID CONVEYING MEANS FROM A DESIRED DENSITY, SAID SOURCE AND DETECTOR MEANS INCLUDING A SOURCE OF RADIO-ACTIVITY, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID SOURCE IN SAID ROLLER, SAID SOURCE AND DETECTOR MEANS FURTHER INCLUDING A DETECTOR OF RADIO-ACTIVITY, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID DETECTOR ABOVE A PORTION OF SAID BELT HAVING TOBACCO THEREON AND CIRCUIT MEANS FOR APPLYING THE SAID SIGNAL DEVELOPED BY SAID SOURCE AND DETECTOR MEANS TO SAID CONTROL MEANS SO AS TO VARY THE RATE AT WHICH SAID MAIN HOPPER SUPPLIES TOBACCO IN SUCH A SENSE AS TO REDUCE SAID SIGNAL.