Abstract: A respiratory mask adapted to confront the face of a user in a manner to float with respect to the user's face on a cushion of gaseous medium contained within the mask for user breathing, the gaseous medium being contained within the mask by a flexible seal means carried by the mask and maintained in sealing engagement with the user's face while providing essentially no structural support for the mask with respect to the user's face.

Abstract: The equipment is usable by a person exposed to NBC threats. It has a helmet, a face-cover provided with fastenings for connection to the helmet and with a coupling for a breathing gas feed or ventilation hose. A flexible envelope extends the helmet and the face-cover downwards. For providing sealed connection between the helmet, the face-cover, and the envelope, a hoop is fixed to the helmet in permanent or removable manner. It projects from the base of the helmet forwards. The top edge of the hoop receives the face-cover and the lower edge hoop receives the envelope in sealed manner.

Abstract: A gaming table is provided with a coin head having a coin-in slot at each of a plurality of player locations. Each coin slot is connected by means of a coin chute to the coin bin formed as part of the chip rack. Each coin that is dropped into the coin slot rolls or slides along the coin chute and into the coin bin during the play of the game. The dealer can reach into the coin bin at any time it is necessary to refill the chip rack with coins for use during the play of the game. The coin chute is preferably configured in a C-shape so that access is available to the coin chute in the event a coin jams in the coin chute.

Abstract: Tobacco cut filler is processed to have a controlled extract content. The processed cut filler is provided by (i) providing an aqueous tobacco extract, (ii) providing tobacco cut filler which has been extracted with an aqueous liquid, (iii) contacting the aqueous extract with the extracted cut filler, (iv) deliquoring the mixture of aqueous extract and extracted cut filler such that a certain level of the tobacco extract remains in contact with the extracted cut filler, and (v) drying the deliquored cut filler to provide a processed cut filler. As such, tobacco cut filler can be processed so as to have higher or lower levels of tobacco extractables therein, as compared to that of the tobacco cut filler prior to processing.

Abstract: A golf club with an improved head and hosel design which reduces off-center drag, and corresponding twist, experienced by the head as it traverses through a viscous medium such as sand, high grass, mud, or water. The base of the hosel is formed above its traditional position adjacent the sole of the club and is specially shaped so that the horizontal position of the center of drag of the head remains aligned with the center of percussion of the head even when the club is used to hit a golf ball resting in a viscous medium. This eliminates the twisting moment which usually results from the off-center drag caused by the hosel, and assists a golfer in maintaining the proper ball contact angle during the swing so that the golf ball is less likely to diverge from its intended path.

Abstract: A wood type golf club head having a raised, aerodynamic air foil member extending upwardly from the top surface and positioned with its longitudinal axis extending rearwardly from the ball striking face toward the rear edge of the club head. The improved air foil member redirects and creates a favorable air flow pattern as the golf club head is swung, which spills over to the rear of the club head and decreases drag, thereby enabling a golfer to hit a golf ball further and straighter for a given force during the execution of a golf swing.

Abstract: A cigarette having a circumference of about 25 mm includes a rod of tobacco cut filler having a circumference of about 12.5 mm which is in turn circumscribed by an air permeable insulating material. The tobacco cut filler has a packing density of less than about 400 mg/cm.sup.3. The insulating material comprises a fibrous material (e.g., glass fibers), and has a radial thickness of greater than about 0.25 mm, and often greater than about 0.5 mm. The insulating material is in turn circumscribed by a paper wrapping material having a low air permeability (e.g., less than about 15 CORESTA units). The cigarette includes a filter element at one end. The cigarette yields low levels of visible sidestream smoke.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of controlling the "tar" delivery of cigarette smoke and more particularly to the method of controlling "tar" delivery of the non-filter cigarette while maintaining resistance to draw and other parameters of the cigarette at acceptable levels.

Abstract: Novel Oxo-ionol derivatives are described which have a but-1-en-3-ol carbonate side chain. These derivatives are stable tobacco enhancers which impart a slight hay-like flavor to tobacco smoke.

Abstract: An optical lens adapted for use with a human eye having a lens body formed of a top surface and a bottom surface and wherein the lens body has integral therewith a predetermined area which is adapted to selectively intercept and pass light through the lens body in a manner to obtain an optical effect for substitution of the loss of the accommodation of a phakic, aphakic and pseudophakic eye is shown. The optical lens may be used in an intraocular lens configuration having resilient support means operatively coupled to the lens body adapted to slidably engage tissue in the chamber of an eye to position the lens body in a proper optical relationship. Also, the optical lens can be placed over the cornea of the eye or in the cornea directly by a cornea inlay.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for treating particulate material with two or more liquid additives in a rotatable cylinder involves the use of a pressurized fluid such as steam directed obliquely against the inner wall of the cylinder to effect a cleaning action on the inner wall as the cylinder is rotated and to augment agitation action produced by the rotational movement of the cylinder and gravitational forces acting on the particulate material. Strategically located spray nozzles apply controlled amounts of the liquid additives to the particulate material as it is undergoing agitation by the combined effects of the applied forces. The method and apparatus disclosed are particularly suited to the treatment of tobacco with casing materials.

Abstract: A smoking-down device for cigarettes, wherein a piston in a smoking-down cylinder is driven by an electric stepping motor which receives a series of FM pulses per operating cycle of the smoking-down cylinder from a digital control system based on a micro-computer. Their mean frequency determines the suction or "puff" period, their total number of pulses determining the suction volume and their modulation graph determining the suction or puff pattern of the operating cycle. All three parameters may be preset with great precision and without interaction using digital signals, via the control system.

Abstract: This invention provides smoking compositions which contain a novel hydroxylactone flavorant-release additive.Under cigarette smoking conditions, an additive such as 2-(1-hydroxy-1-phenylmethyl)-.gamma.-butyrolactone pyrolyzes into volatile benzaldehyde and .gamma.-butyrolactone constituents which enhance the flavor and aroma of the cigarette smoke.

Abstract: A smoking article mouthpiece comprises a smoke passage and a ventilation air duct, both of which extend from end-to-end of the mouthpiece. The duct is of a depth of 25% or more of the diameter of the mouthpiece. When the mouthpiece is incorporated in a smoking article such that air may enter the duct, the ratio of the velocities of air and smoke is in excess of ten. The mouthpiece may also comprise a ventilation-air collection groove which extends about the element and opens into the ventilation air duct.

Abstract: A process for constituting a large surface of natural tobacco, in particular for making cigar wrappers comprising the steps of:(a) stripping the biggest rib of natural tobacco leaves;(b) dividing each leaf into two half-leaves;(c) arranging the half-leaves in a plane in succession along a continuous row in such a manner that the rectilineal side of each half-leaf corresponding to the removed rib is orientated in a fixed direction, transverse to the longitudinal axis of the large surface of tobacco forming said row, that said half-leaves are adjoining each other, that the remaining ribs are in relief on the same side of the plane and have the same orientation;(d) covering with tobacco fragments the areas between the half-leaves where the tobacco is missing;(e) maintaining all the leaf fragments in their respective arrangement.