302,611. Marks E. C. R., (International Cigar Machinery Co.). Aug. 15, 1927. Cigar-making machines. -In a filler feeding device for cigar machines, in which filler stock is forwarded in a narrow stream and bunchlength sections of filler are compacted in the stream and severed therefrom. Means are provided for simultaneously transferring the sections sideways and lowering them from the level of the lengthwise feed into engagement with the preceding sections. The resulting mass is compacted to give it the proper density for separation into individual bunch charges. As shown, a channel for the filler stock is formed by an intermittently driven feed belt 14, passing over a feed table 13 and pulleys 27 - - 32, and side belts 15, 16 passing over pulleys 33, 35. The pulleys 33 are carried by a slide 34 adjustable on a bracket 12 bv which the feed table is mounted on the main frame 11, and the pulley 29 is also adjustable. From the belts 14, 15, 16, the filler stock passes through a shoot 54 and under a compacting roller 19, carried by a pivoted arm 55, and a compacter 20 actuated during the intervals when the feed belts are stationary. The compacter 20, Figs. 1 and 9, is suspended by links 56, 57 from a bracket 58, the joint of the links being connected by a link 59 with a slide 60 moving between vertical guide rails 61 and reciprocated by a link 62 connected to a lever 63 actuated by a cam 65 on a shaft 25. The slide 60 also operates the corrugated cutter 21. which is mounted in a frame 69 sliding, on guide posts 70 on a base 71 carrying a platform 22, the edge of which forms a ledger plate. The bunch-length section severed by the cutter 21 rests on the platform 22. Fig. 3, at a higher level than the sideways feed belt 123 and feed table 144. Each section is pushed sideways, against the mass assembled on the belt 123, by a swinging transfer arm 23 mounted on a shaft 26 and actuated by an adjustable weight 73 on an arm 112 on the shaft 26, which is actuated by a cam 118 on the shaft 25 through an arm 114 of a sleeve 113 on the shaft 26. The transfer arm 23 is tubular and is provided with a plunger 119 to which is attached a rake 120 held in contact with the platform 22 by a spring 122. The platform is horizontal while the filler stream is advanced over it and a section is severed, and is then swung about a pivot 133 to the level of the feedbelt 123 by a rod 124 connected to a lever 125 actuated by a cam 126 on the shaft 25. While each section is being transferred to the belt 123, it is held on the platform 22 and guided by adjustable fingers 24 controlled by a rod 128 and a lever 129 actuated by a cam 130 on the shaft 25. The sections pass under star wheels 145 and a grid 146 and the compacted mass is cut by a knife 147 into bunch charges for delivery to a rolling table. Driving mechanism. The feed belt 14 is driven from a shaft 48 through bevel gearing 46, 47, a shaft 44, and chain gearing 42 driving the shaft 37 of the pulley 30, and the pulley 35 for the belts 15, 16 are driven from the shaft 37 through bevel gearing. The shaft 37 may be turned by a handle 41 when adjusting the machine, and is made in two parts to facilitate the replacement of the belt 14, the drive pulley 30 being formed with a removable centre portion which forms the coupling for the two parts of the shaft. The shaft 48 is driven intermittently by a, pawl 75, Fig. 6, pivoted upon a lever 76 rotatable on the shaft 48 and rocked by a rod 77 adjustably connected to a crank 78 on a shaft 79 driven by chain gearing from the main shaft of the machine. The pawl 75 is moved periodically into engagement with the ratchet wheel 74 on the shaft 48 by a lever 84, which is pivoted on an adjustable bracket 85 and is connected by a rod 83 with an arm 82 on the shaft 26 carrying the transfer arm 23, so that the pawl is actuated only when the transfer arm reaches the end of its stroke. The pawl 75 is made in two sections, each of half the width of the ratchet wheel 74, connected by a pin on one section engaging a slot in the other: one section is half a tooth longer than the other, so that the pawl tooth nearest in mesh will engages the ratchet. A loose spring-controlled disc on the shaft, 48 has a projection for preventing the pawl from being brought accidentally into engagement with the ratchet wheel bv vibration &c. The cam shaft 25, Figs. 1 and 6, is driven from the shaft 79 by chain gearing 102, 109, the chain 102 passing over an idler sprocket 88 on the shaft 48, and the shafts 104, 107 of the sprocket wheels 103, 108 being connected by gear wheels 105, 106.