Abstract: A novel cigarette smoke filter element is provided which achieves an increased removal of tar from cigarette smoke while retaining a higher flavor level than is achieved using conventional filter materials. The filter comprises an elongate cylinder of microfine fibers which is closed at the upstream end of the filter element and tobacco smoke filter material located both externally and internally of the cylinder of microfine fibers. A tobacco smoke flow path blocking means is provided at the downstream end of the filter element to permit filtered tobacco smoke to pass from the filter element only from the tobacco smoke filter material located internally of the cylinder of microfine fibers.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding batches or a continuous stream of tobacco particles into the magazine of the distributor in a cigarette or cigar rod making machine has a container which can receive a stream of gaseous carrier medium for tobacco particles from a shredding machine or from another source and has several outlets for the carrier medium. The outlets discharge the carrier medium in different directions and contain sieves which intercept the tobacco particles. The thus accumulated particles can descend into the magazine, either continuously or at intervals, depending upon whether or not the tobacco discharging opening of the container is temporarily closed by a pivotable or otherwise movable closure.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating longer tobacco particles from shorter tobacco particles has an elongated vibratory trough for the advancement of a stream containing a mixture of shorter and longer particles from a delivering conveyor to a collecting receptacle. The upper side of the bottom wall of the trough is formed with longitudinally extending depressions which receive and align the particles of the advancing stream, and the bottom wall is formed with one or more transversely extending slots which extend across the depressions and permit shorter particles to descend into a second trough from which the shorter particles return into the distributor of a cigarette rod making machine. The properly aligned longer particles advance across the slot or slots and enter the receptacle.

Abstract: A chemical heat source comprising metal nitride, metal oxide and carbon, particularly useful in smoking articles, and methods of making the heat source are provided. The metal nitride of the heat source has an ignition temperature substantially lower than conventional carbonaceous heat sources, while at the same time provides sufficient heat to release a flavored aerosol from a flavor bed for inhalation by the smoker. Upon combustion the heat source produces virtually no carbon monoxide. The metal nitride is prepared by pre-forming the starting materials into a desired shape, and converting them to metal nitride in situ, without substantially altering the shape of the starting materials.

Abstract: Cigarette perforating apparatus comprises a rotary stepped reflector (5) for directing an incident laser beam (2) along a reflected path (2R) to produce axially spaced perforations on a cigarette. The size of the perforations is controlled by varying the duration of the reflected beam by means of a mask (8) which is rotatable with the reflector and effective to intercept the beam for varying periods dependent on the radial distance at which the beam is incident on the reflector. The reflected beam (2R) may be further divided to provide separate beam paths (e.g. leading to the separate cigarette tracks in a filter attachment machine) by means of a further reflective disk (12) synchronized with the stepped reflector.

Abstract: A flavoring granule for tobacco products comprising, a solid substrate granule of which comprises natural polysaccharides or derivatives thereof, and a flavor for tobacco products which is contained in said solid granule and is encapsulated in said solid granule so as to be released upon breakage of said solid granule, wherein said solid granule further contains casein as a diluent. Also disclosed is a preparation method thereof, by which the flavoring granule of large size and excellent sphere shape can be obtained.

Abstract: An ash tray having a vessel formed with an open top and an internal flange for supporting a cigarette rest bracket and a side entrance for removably sliding a drawer-like receptacle into a lower portion of the vessel. The cigarette rest bracket having a plurality of cigarette rest members fromed by a pair of spaced triangular plates which sequentially defines a first trough with its gap larger than the diameter of a standard cigarette and a second trough with its gap smaller than the diameter of a standard cigarette thereby a lighted cigarette positioning on the cigarette rest member will finally fall through the first trough into the drawer-like receptacle and be extinguished by an extinguishing fluid contained within the receptacle.

Abstract: A portable console includes a universal positioning arm for holding a surgical instrument such as an endoscope during a surgical procedure. Coarse adjustment of instrument elevation above an operating table is provided by a reversible drive motor which extends and retracts an upright support shaft from which the instrument is supported. Coarse adjustment of instrument X-Y position within the sterile zone above an operating table is provided by an articulate arm which is rotatably coupled to the upright support shaft. Fine adjustment of instrument position across the sterile zone is provided by a reversible drive motor which extends and retracts the instrument along the longitudinal axis of the support arm. Fine adjustment of instrument elevation is provided by a reversible drive motor which lifts and lowers the distal end of the support arm. The insertion orientation of the instrument is adjustable by a rotatable coupling.

Abstract: A cigarette includes a longitudinally segmented combustible fuel element, and a substrate carrying tobacco extract and glycerin positioned physically separate from the fuel element. The substrate is a gathered paper-type material, and is positioned in a spaced apart relationship from the fuel element. The fuel element is composed of a carbonaceous material and is extruded in such a manner that when positioned within the cigarette, its extrusion axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette. The fuel element includes a burning segment at one end, a base segment at the opposite end, and an isolation segment between the burning and base segments. The fuel element is circumscribed by glass fibers so as to hold the fuel element in place within the cigarette.

Abstract: An apparatus for extinguishing a lighted cigarette comprises a hollow external seat and a storing container. A blade for cutting and extinguishing the burning portion of a lighted cigarette in combination with an L-shaped plate are provided within a seat. Both the plates are made from shape memory alloys having different temperature reaction gradients. When the burning portion of a cigarette is placed into the seat and comes into contact with the blade, the plate will restore to its memory shape by the temperature response in cutting off the lighted portion of the cigarette and extinguishing the lighted portion by pressing it on the L-shaped plate. The L-shaped plate stretches straight to let the cigarette ash drop into the storing container. When the temperature of the L-shaped plate is decreased, the plate recovers to its original position to cover the storing container. The cigarette ash is thus restricted within the storing container to prevent it from dispersing and causing pollution.

Abstract: A tool for use for performing inclined push-ups with a hand grip (1) to hold the tool and support arms of sufficient length to hold an exerciser away from the object a persons is exercising against and of sufficient strength to support the weight of the user. The support arms are attached to a support bracket (3) which is used to anchor the exercise apparatus in place, and should be of sufficient size as to provide a secure anchor. Attached to the support bracket are anti-slip tabs that insure against the exercise apparatus sliding, while the person is exercising.

Abstract: In an apparatus for forming micro-holes on a cigarette, a laser beam is divided into first and second laser beams by a two-dividing mirror. Parts of the laser beams are detected by photo detectors, respectively and the other parts of the laser beams are guided to polyhedron mirrors through first and second optical paths and divided into segment beams by the mirrors, respectively. The segments beams are focused on the corresponding cigarette so that micro-holes are formed on the cigarette. The cigarette is transferred to a dilution detection stage and the dilution is detected in mode, detection signals from the photodetector are processed and a first driving signal is generated. Thus, the two-dividing mirror is driver by a driving mechanism in accordance with the first driving signal so that the intensity of the laser beams guided in the first and second optical paths are maintained in substantially equal level.

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

Abstract: It has been found that the addition of specific levels of sodium, advantageously in the form of sodium carbonate, to low sodium level binder, e.g., ammonium alginate, containing carbonaceous fuel compositions results in dramatic changes in the performance of both the fuel element themselves and, cigarettes (or other smoking articles) incorporating the fuel elements. These performance differences include variation in the yields of aerosol and/or flavorants. The addition of sodium carbonate to the fuel elements greatly improves the smolder rates and also improves puff calories, without overheating the cigarette, thereby resulting in substantial improvements in total (and puff by puff) aerosol yield.

Abstract: A filtered smoker's mouthpiece having three sections; means to hold a cigarette or cigar in line with a chamber holding a filter, and a mouth piece therefore, wherein the filter is originally of greater volume than the filter chamber and is flexible and compressable. The mouthpiece includes stops to provide space between the end of a smoking article and the filter.

Abstract: A dynamic splint which braces any joint and particularly any body joint, and which is capable of cyclically moving the joint through a programmable range of motion while accommodating normal joint component motion and triplanar motion. In a preferred embodiment, a set of inner joint segments nest within a set of outer joint segments and are pivotally attached thereto. An extendable cable slidably attached to the outer joint segments causes a pivoting of the outer joint segments with respect to the inner joint segments and a consequent flexing and extending of the joint.

Abstract: Annular guide grooves and rotating ratchet wheels are provided, and feed claws formed in said ratchet wheels moves along said annular guide groove in a circumferential direction. Also, first and second supply conveyers are provided, articles are arranged in the same direction and transferred on these supply conveyers, and sent into said annular guide grooves by supply mechanisms. Said first supply conveyer is arranged to be directed in a direction of a contact line of said annular guide grooves and in the same direction as the moving direction of said feed claws. Said second supply conveyer is arranged to be directed in a direction of a contact line of said annular guide grooves and in the opposite direction to the moving direction of said feed claws. The back portions of said articles sent from said first supply conveyer are pressed by said feed claws, and the front portions thereof are moved toward the advancing direction.

Abstract: A cigarette includes a cigarette portion, a filter portion and a fire extinguishing portion installed therebetween. The fire extinguishing portion has a doughnut shape cross-section and includes a thinner outer peripheral wall and a thicker inner peripheral wall which are radially spaced from each other to form a water storage therebetween. When a smoker wants to extinguish the light after smoking and presses the fire extinguishing portion by applying thereto a force with his fingers, the outer peripheral wall will be broken and then the stored water will fall over the outer surface of a combustible wrapper material of the cigarette portion towards the lower end of the cigarette so that the light of the cigarette can be timely put out by wetting the end portion of the lit cigarette.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of producing a non-burning wrapper for use with smoking products. A non-burning wrapper is formed by treating a base paper with a solution consisting essentially of water, calcium chloride and a reactive size for paper; drying the thus treated paper; coating one side of the thus treated base paper with a solution consisting essentially of water, calcium carbonate, potassium silicate and sodium carboxymethycellulose; and drying the thus treated and coated paper to form a non-burning wrapper for use with smoking products.

Abstract: The device is made up of a cylindrical rotary disk (32), part of the cylindrical outside surface (32b) of which intercepts a surplus portion of the stream of tobacco and separates it from the main stream. The surplus portion is eliminated and recycled without damaging the tobacco fibers. The device is intended to be disposed before trimming and compression apparatus which prepares a rod of tobacco in order to regulate the thickness of the rod before segments thereof are compressed. Thus, each compressed segment will have the same density of tobacco.