METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PINPOINTING THE CAUSES OF MALFUNCTION OF MACHINES FOR THE MANUFACTURE AND/OR PROCESSING OF CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE

Various conveyors and/or other components of one or more machines for the production and/or processing of cigarettes or other smokers' products are indirectly monitored to allow for automatic pinpointing of that component which affects the quality of products. The products are tested to generate test signals, and such signals are thereupon evaluated to ascertain the presence or absence of various constituents each of which is characteristic of the influence of a different component upon the quality of products. Once the presence or absence of a constituent is ascertained, the corresponding component is automatically pinpointed in response to a signal from the evaluating device. In the case of conveyors, the prime mover of the respective machine is driven at a reduced speed until that portion of the pinpointed conveyor which actually affects the quality of products assumes a predetermined position of ready accessibility to an attendant or to equipment which automatically eliminates the cause for the presence or absence of the respective constituents in the test signals.