Abstract: An adhesive spray delivery apparatus and a method of applying a predetermined quantity of anchoring adhesive in a predetermined spray pattern to an advancing web of cigarette paper are disclosed. The apparatus includes a pressurized spray system under control of a programmable controller for precisely and uniformly applying the adhesive in an atomized spray to the advancing cigarette paper, thereby eliminating the need to increase the density of the tobacco rod at discrete intervals of the rod to compensate for a significant volume of loose ends. The apparatus is portable and may be retrofitted to existing cigarette makers.

Abstract: A method of and a robotic system for preparing product samples to be analyzed at a later time has a plurality of processing stations in different locations. Each station performs a different function of a process for preparing a product sample for later chemical analysis. A robot moves a first container between a container storage area and a prepared sample area for storing in a second container a product sample which has been prepared for analysis and in which the robot moves the first container from the container storage area to each of the processing stations in a predetermined sequence and then removes some of the prepared product sample from the first container and dispenses it into the second container which is located in the prepared sample area. A specific application of such a robotic sample preparation system is disclosed for use in preparing tobacco samples for analysis of nicotine and sugar content.