filter cigarettes are turned out by a combination unit composed of a cigarette maker coinciding with a substantially horizontal first leg , also a filter tip attachment machine coinciding with a second leg , of which the downstream machine is equipped with an infeed roller turning on a horizontal axis lying transverse to the second leg . the first and second legs extend parallel one with another and are linked by a transfer unit rotatable about an essentially vertical center axis and incorporating a plurality of holders , each designed to take up two cigarette sticks from an outfeed end of the upstream machine and direct them through a semi - circular path to an infeed end of the downstream machine .