Inventors:
Frederick Porter - Midlothian VA
Larry W. Shepherd - Glen Allen VA
Joseph J. Sprouse - Chester VA
Michael J. Steeves - Richmond VA
Assignee:
Philip Morris Incorporated - New York NY
International Classification:
B65G 104
Abstract:
A filter plug tray includes a housing having a loading port which cooperates with external loading and unloading stations, a feed conveyor for conveying filter plugs across the loading port, and expandable filter plug constraining means positioned in the housing to contain the filter plugs in a desired orientation and alignment. The constraining means includes a flexible band wound under tension on a reel rotatably mounted the housing. The flexible band unwinds as plugs are loaded into the tray and winds onto the reel to urge plugs to the loading port as plugs are unloaded.