Abstract: A filter-tipped cigarette having: a tobacco portion having an outer end and an inner end; a filter butt-connected to the inner end of the tobacco portion; a first sleeve wound about the tobacco portion and the filter to connect the filter permanently and non-detachably to the tobacco portion; a cap butt-connected to the outer end of the tobacco portion, at the opposite end from the filter, and removable to smoke the filter-tipped cigarette; and a second sleeve, which is wound about the cap and the tobacco portion, is integral with the cap, and is at least partly removable axially from the tobacco portion together with and to remove the cap.

Abstract: An apparatus for assembling a multi-segmented cylindrical product is described. The apparatus can include a feeder adapted to supply segments of a pliable material; and a rotating drum having an outer periphery and a plurality of fixtures distributed around the outer periphery, each fixture adapted to support a substantially cylindrical object, and wrap a segment of the pliable material around the substantially cylindrical object and a portion of the fixture to form a fill tube defining a pocket in the pliable material. Other features and related methods are also described.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for dispersing fine catalyst powders having nanoscale or microscale particles throughout the tobacco rod portion of a cigarette. A source of vacuum is connected to the filter end of a cigarette through a tube that is sealingly engaged with the filter end of the cigarette. The opposite cut filler end of the tobacco rod portion of the cigarette is placed in the proximity of a predetermined amount of the catalyst powder contained in a container. The vacuum is applied to the cigarette filter in an amount and for a period of time that is a function of the size and quantity of the particles to be drawn into and dispersed throughout the tobacco rod portion of the cigarette.

Abstract: A method combines smoking article components. Cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a first group are supplied to a first tipping apparatus. Cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette articles of a second group are supplied to a second tipping apparatus. Each the articles of the first group and the second group are provided with a uniting band at the respective tipping apparatus. The articles of the first group and the second group are transported to a joint rolling apparatus. Each of the articles of the first group and the second group are wrapped with the respective uniting band at the joint rolling apparatus.

Abstract: In an apparatus for making and inspecting a multi-component cigarettes, each cigarette including two or more different components arranged relative to one another, the apparatus includes a device for advancing a web in a first direction. The apparatus further includes a device for positioning at least two different components of a cigarette relative to one another on the web as the web advances in the first direction. The apparatus further includes a garniture device for wrapping the web around the at least two different components by moving opposite edges of the web transversely to the first direction such that, at a closure point in the garniture device, the opposite edges overlap each other. The apparatus further includes an imaging device disposed upstream of the closure point for generating an image of the at least two different components.

Abstract: In an apparatus for making and inspecting a multi-component cigarettes, each cigarette including two or more different components arranged relative to one another, the apparatus includes a device for advancing a web in a first direction. The apparatus further includes a device for positioning at least two different components of a cigarette relative to one another on the web as the web advances in the first direction. The apparatus further includes a garniture device for wrapping the web around the at least two different components by moving opposite edges of the web transversely to the first direction such that, at a closure point in the garniture device, the opposite edges overlap each other. The apparatus further includes an imaging device disposed upstream of the closure point for generating an image of the at least two different components.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for forming a cigar type product having a filter disposed therein. The filter is positioned inwardly of the ends of the cigar such that the smoke may pass through the filter and subsequently through the additional tobacco filler. A band is provided on the overwrap of the cigar to indicate the location of the filter. This has the advantage of preventing inadvertent smoking of the filter by the smoker. The apparatus is arranged such that the filter may be selectively positioned within the filler of the cigar type product.

Abstract: A device for filling prefabricated cirgarette tubes, especially filter-tipped cigarette tubes, comprising a tobacco pressing chamber (14) with a filling opening (13), in which tobacco introduced through the filling opening (13) is pressed to form a tobacco rod (10) by means of a pressing beam (17) movable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the tobacco pressing chamber (14), a socket for fitting the cigarette tube thereon, clamping means for retaining the cigarette tube on the socket, and an ejector (25) for ejecting the tobacco rod (10) from the pressing chamber (14) into the cigarette tube. In order to prevent tobacco fibres from projecting out of the filling opening of the tobacco pressing chamber, a separate lid (1) cooperates with the filling opening (13) of the tobacco pressing chamber (14), the closing movement of said lid being in advance of the movement of the pressing beam (17) is pressing direction.

Abstract: Making an aerosol generating cartridge useful for a smoking article is described. The method comprises filling a non-combustible elongated capsule, open at one end, with a substrate bearing an aersol forming material, and applying a fuel element to the open end of the capsule to enclose the substrate within the capsule.

Abstract: A device for the do-it-yourself making of cigarettes employs a pre-proportioned tobacco rod (16) which is transferred from a cylindrical rod wrapping (18) into a cigarette paper tube (14) by an axially moveable pusher member (10; 110), which is associated with a tube-like insertion nozzle (12; 112) having an insertion end (6; 106) formed with an outer diameter which is slightly less than that of the cigarette tube (14).

Abstract: A non-volatile source of ketone to flavor tobacco smoke is provided by a .beta.-ketocarboxylic acid ester of a sugar or related compound. The ester is applied to the smoking material and remains in place until the burning coal releases the ketone.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a filter cigarette with a filter unit which is provided with a porous or perforated covering strip. A porous or perforated connecting strip joins the tobacco part to the filter unit. The adhesive for connecting the covering strip to the outside of the filter element on the one hand and the adhesive for connecting the connecting strip to the outsides of the filter unit and of the tobacco part on the other hand is applied on those surfaces on the one hand of the covering strip and on the other hand of the connecting strip which are inwardly oriented on the filter cigarette.

Abstract: A method of monitoring filters and sections in a filter tipping machine wherein pairs of coaxial plain cigarettes are united with filter plugs of double unit legnth by adhesive-coated bands. When a filter plug is missing, a mechanical or a photosensitive filter plug detector transmits a signal to a valve which admits compressed air to two nozzles to cause the plain cigarettes which are not separated by a filter plug to move toward each other so that a uniting band which is applied around the adjacent inner end portions of the thus shifted plain cigarettes can adequately connect the plain cigarettes to each other during further transport to a station where the united plain cigarettes can be readily segregated from satisfactory products.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for manufacturing a filtered large cigar which includes the steps of simultaneously introducing onto the rolling table of a cigar rolling machine preformed cigar filters and a charge of tobacco filler material for spiral wrapping within a sheet of cigar binder material which has simultaneously been introduced onto the rolling table. A reinforcement strip including layers of reinforcing tape and a nonflammable foil is also introduced onto the rolling table. In this manner, during the subsequent rolling operation, the reinforcement strip becomes circumferentially wrapped about and bonded to the binder over the interface between the filter and filter material. Depending on the relative placement on the table of the reinforcement strip and binder, the reinforcement strip will be positioned either over or under the binder.

Abstract: A method for mechanically wrapping closed tip cigars of the type in which the bunches are wound in the normal direction of the machine used when wrappers are to be employed which are cut out from a half-leaf corresponding to the "type" of the machine, i.e. "right-hand" or "left-hand", and said bunches are wound in the direction opposite said normal direction when wrappers are to be employed which are cut out from a half-leaf not corresponding to the type of the machine, wherein, in this latter case, a shaper is used for covering the tip of said bunches, which shaper has the characteristics of a shaper belonging to a machine of a type contrary to that of the machine used.

Abstract: A filter tipping machine wherein pairs of coaxial plain cigarettes are united with filter plugs of double unit length by adhesive-coated bands. When a filter plug is missing, a mechanical or a photosensitive filter plug detector transmits a signal to a valve which admits compressed air to two nozzles to cause the plain cigarettes which are not separated by a filter plug to move toward each other so that a uniting band which is applied around the adjacent inner end portions of the thus shifted plain cigarettes can adequately connect the plain cigarettes to each other during further transport to a station where the united plain cigarettes can be readily segregated from satisfactory products.

Abstract: When wrappers are applied to cigar bunches by rolling the bunches over the wrappers while laid on a supporting surface, the tail portion of each wrapper will not properly wrap itself around a shaped head of the bunch. A mechanism to overcome this problem involves a specially designed header block which presses the initial part of the wrapper tail against the shaped head of the rolling bunch, retracts from this pressing operation while the final part or extremity of the tail is being lifted from the supporting surface by the rolling bunch and then presses the lifted extremity of the wrapper tail against the shaped head of the rolling bunch.

Abstract: A cigarette filter attachment machine comprises means for joining filter portions to cigarette portions by rolling adhesive-coated paper around adjacent parts of corresponding filter and cigarette portions, a conveyor for conveying the completed assemblies at regular intervals, a stationary pressure chamber adjacent to the conveyor and arranged to communicate successively with ports in the conveyor which are closed by the completed assemblies, a source of pressure connected to the pressure chamber, and a detector for monitoring the pressure in the chamber to detect the absence of any assembly.