Abstract: A container for accommodating a pile of pictures, having a picture exchanging mechanism, is provided. The container has a window under which the pile of pictures is held in a viewing and storage position. At least one picture in the pile can be pulled out on a slider member such that when the slider member is pushed back in, the at least one picture is returned to the other end of the pile, so that a different picture can be viewed in the window. A hold-down member which prevents the withdrawn picture from falling out of the slider member while the slider member is pulled out is at least partially retracted when the slider member is pushed back in, so that it is not visible in the window.

Abstract: In a hinge lid cigarette pack of which one pair of opposite walls are profiled to project beyond the elevation of the other pair of walls the lid is attached to a profiled wall by an improved hinge structure which does not distort the wall on opening.

Abstract: A radiant energy reflector sleeve is provided for a smoking or flavor generating article of the type having a heat source and a flavor bed which generates a flavored aerosol or other flavors when heated. The sleeve can be erected from a one-piece foil blank in a continuous or semi-continuous process as part of the assembly of the article.

Abstract: A mounted cantilever bracket is provided in which a cantilever is secured in a sleeve bearing assembly, is mounted to a wall or parapet by means of vertical trusses, at least one supporting brace, at least one horizontal support, and an angle support landing, and is easily and safely disengaged by a locking pin to horizontally swivel about a vertical fulcrum bolt. A mounted cantilever bracket is provided such that repair and maintenance of fixtures attached to the exteriorly extended end of the cantilever may be accomplished safely and expediently.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for measuring average individual gate delays on integrated circuit wafers without the need for high bandwidth is provided. A chain of gates is provided on the wafer. A reference signal is propagated through the chain to produce a delayed signal. The delayed signal is logically combined with the reference signal to provide a periodic train of pulses whose period is proportional to that of the reference signal. The pulse widths represent the total gate delay of the chain, and are determined by statistically sampling the pulse train to determine its duty cycle. The apparatus and method are compatible with automated testing equipment and methods which can be synchronized with the reference signal.

Abstract: A layer of tobacco (5) is accumulated against a conveyor belt (2) by a flow of air (6). A trimmer (7) eliminates the superfluous tobacco and forms the final layer (10) which is to be wrapped in paper to form the cigarette rod. One measuring unit (13) measures the thickness of the layer by means of the attenuation of a ray, while another measuring unit (14) measures the degree of porosity of the layer by means of the drop in air pressure between the bottom and the top of the layer. These two data are transmitted to an arithmetic unit (19) which forms a parameter (F), transmitted to a central processing unit (17) which supplies to a transducer (16) the pulses actuating an encoder (15) of a motor (11) governing the thickness of the final layer.

Abstract: A carbonaceous heat source for a smoking article is provided. The heat source is designed to maximize heat transfer to a flavor bed in the smoking article. The heat source undergoes substantially complete combustion leaving minimal residual ash, has a relatively low degree of thermal conductivity and ignites under normal lighting conditions for a conventional cigarette.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of this invention relates to the detipping of cigarettes at high speed without degradation of the tobacco in the tobacco rod and regardless of the intial orientation of the filter tip and the tobacco rod in the apparatus. Cigarettes are fed onto a conveyor belt so that they are traveling in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal axis. A rolling belt disposed above the conveyor belt straightens bent cigarettes and rolls uneven cigarettes. The cigarettes are then fed onto a fluted rotating drum and aligned on the drum by means of an optical sensor and an air jet so that the filter tip portion of each cigarette is adjacent either side of the drum. Rotating knives are properly oriented so they engage the cigarettes only at the point where the filter tip is connected to the tobacco rod and cut off the filters of the cigarettes.

Abstract: A device for the cyclic rearrangement of a pile of sheets with a housing having a viewing window, from which housing a slider member can be withdrawn and reinserted, and with elements for removing a sheet from an inserted pile and transferring the same to the other end of the pile on each movement cycle of the slider member. When the slider member is inserted the pile is pressed against the viewing window by a pressing arrangement which comprises rails supported on leaf springs. The rails have integrally moulded function elements, such as anchoring projections, sheet stop members, blocking projections, spacer ribs and guide prongs.

Abstract: An article is provided in which a flavor generating medium is electrically heated to evolve inhalable flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form. The article has a plurality of charges of the flavor generating medium which are heated sequentially to provide individual puffs.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for securing a replaceable inner sole to an open toe/open heel shoe are provided. Flaps are provided at the toe and heel portions of the unit bottom of the shoe. The replaceable inner sole is positioned within slots formed by the flaps. The flaps may extend around the front and rear of the shoe to prevent forward and rearward slippage, and may extend along the sides of the shoe to prevent lateral slippage. The flaps may be tapered to help eliminate irritation of the wearer's foot. A specially contoured last for pressing the sole of a shoe having toe and heel flaps is also provided.

Abstract: A blank book attachment having a mark and sweep leaf with a fold out feature is provided. The leaf is pivotably retained along one edge on a frame, and the frame is pivotably retained at the binding spine of the host blank book. Pulling outward on the leaf causes the leaf to extend out and beyond the pages of the book allowing the pages to turn freely. When the leaf is placed within the host book, with the book open or closed, the leaf can be turned as a page, in which case it also acts as a mark to identify a specific position in the host book. Alternatively, the leaf may be pivoted on the frame to allow the host book pages to be turned past it in either direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the cyclic rearrangement of a pile of rectangular or square sheets, especially a pile of photographic prints, having a first and a second frame part which may be moved relative to one another and parallel to the main plane of the pile, and having structure that, on movement of the frame parts backwards and forwards, remove an individual sheet at one end of the pile and add it to the other end of the pile again, this structure comprising:(a) a separating element to separate the individual sheet from the pile,(b) a feeding element to feed sheets to the separating element,(c) a retaining element, to hold the individual sheet in the first frame part and the remainder of the pile in the other frame part, and(d) a guide element, to guide the separated individual sheet for the purpose of returning it to the other end of the remainder of the pile,wherein as the feeding element, there is provided a transporter (22, 404, 420) engaging the sheet to be separated at its rear edge in t

Abstract: An insert for inclusion in a substantially sealed container to control the relative humidity within the container is provided. The insert is a packet at least part of the surface of which is a membrane capable of passing water vapor and which contains a buffering substance which is a saturated salt solution selected according to the desired relative humidity, and modified by a nonelectrolyte, if necessary, to adjust the relative humidity.

Abstract: An insert for inclusion in a substantially sealed container to control the relative humidity within the container is provided. The insert is a packet at least part of the surface of which is a membrane capable of passing water vapor and which contains a buffering substance which is a saturated salt solution selected according to the desired relative humidity, and modified by a nonelectrolyte, if necessary, to adjust the relative humidity.

Abstract: A polyolefin material having improved fibrillation properties, allowing one to achieve higher yield in cigarette filters made from the fibrillated material is provided. The material includes between about 70% and about 99% of at least one polypropylene homopolymer with a melt index of between about 1.2 to about 3.0 (measured according to ISO standard 1133 at 230.degree. C., 2.16 kgf) and a density of about 0.905 g/cc, and between about 1% and about 30% of at least one low density polyethylene homopolymer with a melt index of between about 0.9 and 3.0 (measured according to ISO standard 1133 at 190.degree. C., 2.16 kgf) and a density of about 0.921 g/cc.

Abstract: The trailing end (5) of a strip of paper (8) which was wound on a first reel (3) is immobilized by means of suction devices (16, 17, 18) relative to a counterplate (19). The trailing end is severed by means of a cutter (29), the rear portion being discarded by blowing. The leading end of the new strip of paper (11) is then positioned between a punch (20) and the counterplate, immobilized by means of a suction device (18), and joined to the trailing end by interpenetration, brought about by the punch, of the material of two superposed joining areas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for applying foamed material to tobacco, and for drying and setting the foamed material, particularly in connection with the making of cigarettes. The foamed material may be added to the tobacco, for example, in the paper guide section of a cigarette maker, at the garniture mouth or through the short tongue or through both, or at the chimney. Drying and setting can occur in the chimney, on the vacuum belt, or in the garniture, after the material has been applied to the tobacco filler. Drying can be accomplished, for example, by using heated air or microwave radiation. Addition of material to tobacco filler, during the cigarette making process in the form of a foam, results in a cigarette in which the material added is more uniformly distributed.