11 11 39 of unit length so that the cavities 13 and 13 39 are formed between the filter plug 9 on the one hand and the filter plugs 11 11 39 on the other hand in the next step the filter cigarette of double unit length is severed midway across the convoluted uniting band 22 and midway across the filter plug 9 to yield two filter cigarettes of unit length each of which contains a plain cigarette 8 or 8 39 a first filter plug 11 or 11 39 of unit length a second filter plug half of the plug 9 of unit length and a cavity or chamber 13 or 13 39 between the two filter plugs of unit length the cigarettes 8 8 39 and the plugs 9 are held in their flutes 2 by suction note the suction ports 12 which communicate with the flutes 3 fig1 further shows means for biasing the cigarettes 8 and 8 39 against the outer sides or surfaces 7 39 of the respective distancing elements 6 and 6 39 such biasing means comprises a pair of ring shaped motion transmitting elements 14 14 39 which are adjacent to the outer end portions of cigarettes 8 8.