Apparatus for applying additives to cigarette filter tow

Claim 1

IN A DEVICE FOR APPLYING A COATING MATERIAL TO CONTINUOUS FILAMENT FILTER TOW INCLUDING, A PAIR OF ROTATABLE APPLICATOR MEMBERS HAVING INNER AND OUTER SURFACES, EACH APPLICATOR BEING FURTHER COMPRISED OF A DRIVE SHAFT HAVING AN AXIAL PASSAGE THEREIN, A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT DISCS HAVING APERTURES THERETHROUGH POSITIONED ON SAID SHAFT AND BEING SPACED RELATIVE THERETO, THEREBY FORMING A CHAMBER BETWEEN THE INNER SURFACES OF THE DISCS AND THE SHAFT, MEANS FOR COMPRESSING THE DISC AGAINST EACH OTHER, AT LEAST A SINGLE PASSAGE-WAY IN THE SHAFT CONNECTING THE CHAMBER WITH SAID AXIAL PASSAGE, MEANS FOR CONDUCTING THE COATING MATERIAL THROUGH THE PASSAGE INTO THE CHAMBER AND THENCE BETWEEN THE DISCS TO THEREBY COAT THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE APPLICATOR WITH A LAYER OF SAID MATERIAL, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID APPLICATORS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, AND MEANS INCLUDING MOVABLE MEMBERS ADAPTED TO MOVE INTO AND OUT OF CONTACT WITH SAID TOW, THEREBY RAISING AND LOWERING THE TOW WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATORS AND THUS ADJUSTING THE ANGLE AND AREA OF CONTACT THEREBETWEEN.