Apparatus for delivering cigarettes or the like from a maker to a consuming machine

Apparatus which delivers rod-shaped articles, such as cigarettes or filter rod sections, from a producing machine to a consuming machine has a switching unit whose inlet receives articles from the producing machine, one outlet of which can feed articles to a first transporting unit for admission of articles into a surge bin cooperating with a second transporting unit for delivery of articles to one side of the magazine of the consuming machine, and another outlet of which can feed articles to a third transporting unit for direct delivery of articles to another side of the magazine of the consuming machine. The third transporting unit delivers articles to the magazine when the latter is not filled to capacity, and the first transporting unit delivers articles to the surge bin when the magazine is filled to capacity. The third transporting unit transports articles from the surge bin to the magazine when the inlet of the switching unit receives articles at a rate which does not satisfy the requirements of the consuming machine or when the producing machine is idle. An observation station is defined by a conveyor of the third transporting unit or by a conveyor between the inlet of the switching unit and the producing machine to allow for visual inspection of articles. The second and third transporting units deliver multi-layer streams of articles to the respective sides of the magazine.