Apparatus for determining the firmness of fillers in cigarette rods or the like

Claim 1

In a machine for the production of articles containing comminuted tobacco, a combination comprising converting means for converting a stream of comminuted tobacco particles into a rodlike filler, including an equalizing device having removing means for removing tobacco particles from the stream; deforming means for directing a gas against successive increments of and for thereby subjecting the filler to deformation whose extent is inversely proportional to the firmness of the filler; measuring means for determining the extent of deformation of the filler and for producing signals indicating such deformation; and regulating means for regulating the quantity of comminuted tobacco in the filler as a function of said signals, said regulating means being arranged to change the position of said removing means with reference to the stream and including a rotary pneumatic motor and a pair of conduit means for supplying compressed gas to said motor whereby the motor causes said removing means to remove less tobacco in response to admission of gas by way of one of said conduit means and to remove more tobacco in response to admission of gas by way of the other conduit means, said measuring means comprising means for producing signals indicating positive and negative deviations from an optimum firmness of the filler, first control means provided in one of said conduit means to admit gas to said motor in response to signals indicating said positive deviations and second control means provided in the other conduit means for admitting to said motor gas in response to signals indicating said negative deviations.