APPARATUS FOR SETTING STRIP MATERIAL IN PROCESSING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING TOBACCO

The leader of a web of cigarette paper in a cigarette rod making machine is threaded through the nip or nips one or more advancing rollers, a web bronzing device and one or more imprinting mechanisms by an apparatus employing an endless toothed belt conveyor or a chain conveyor having a stretch which is adjacent to the path of movement of the web. The conveyor carries a pin, a tongs or another suitable entraining member which is connected to the leader of the web before the conveyor is set in motion to advance the web along the path. One roller of each pair of advancing rollers is automatically retracted to allow for the passage of the leader of the web as well as of the entraining member through the nip or nips. The obstructions in the imprinting mechanism(s) and in the bronzing device are treated in the same way, i.e., one component of the pair of components which define a obstruction is retracted to permit passage of the entraining member. The width of a obstruction is reduced to normal as soon as the entraining member has advanced therethrough or when the entraining member completes its movement along the path for the web. Retraction of one component of each pair of components which define a obstruction can be effected by an electromagnet or by a pneumatic motor in response to signals from a control circuit.