Abstract: A smoking article such as a filter cigarette can have an adjustable delivery air dilution while exhibiting a reduced pressure drop decrease during air dilution thereof. The pressure drop decrease is controlled during various stages of air dilution by providing a mouthpiece which exhibits greater effective length at a low or non-air dilution setting than at a high air dilution setting. Filter cigarettes of this invention are capable of exhibiting a somewhat constant smoking character at various air dilution levels.

Abstract: A smoking article such as a filter cigarette can have an adjustable delivery air dilution while exhibiting a reduced pressure drop decrease during air dilution thereof. The pressure drop decrease is controlled during various stages of air dilution by positioning the structure for greatest air dilution on the cigarette a greater distance from the extreme mouthend of the cigarette relative to the structure for least air dilution. Filter cigarettes of this invention are capable of exhibiting a somewhat constant smoking character at various air dilution levels.

Abstract: A process for reclaiming tobacco comprises providing tobacco material including relatively large fibrous forming tobacco leaf stem material, passing the tobacco through a pressurized roller system, and forming a reclaimed tobacco material under pressure. Tobacco stems, fines, dust and waste can be reconstituted in strand form or sheet-like form using a process which utilizes relatively low amounts of moisture.

Abstract: A carton flap folding assembly, particularly intended for use with single tuck flap cigarette cartons, uses a hinged upper plate provided with vacuum ports to elevate a major carton face. A lower tucker blade raises the flap face of the single carton flap and an upper tucker blade, which is carried at the end of a rotatable upper tucker arm, folds or tucks a flap edge portion of the single flap into the space between the surface of the upper cigarette pack row and the elevated major carton face. The upper tucker blade and arm are rotated out of the space in the carton while the upper hinge plate lowers the major carton face and releases it. The flap edge of the single tuck face is thereby held between the pack surface and the carton wall to close the carton.

Abstract: The invention relates to method and apparatus for removing the flaps from a perforated web of paper by drawing the perforated web over an abrasively surfaced drum rotating in the same direction as the paper is traveling and at a peripheral speed about seven times greater than the speed of the web. The web is passed over the drum such that the flaps are at the leading or downstream edges of the perforations and lie between the paper and the drum. A spring-biased pressure yoke holds the perforated web against the drum surface with a predetermined amount of pressure to facilitate abrading the flaps from the web.

Abstract: An adjustable shelf assembly intended primarily for use with a rack having a plurality of spaced, slotted generally vertical uprights is disclosed. The adjustable shelf assembly includes a generally planar rectangular shelf pan to which are secured front and rear shelf support tabs. The tabs at the rear of the shelf are fixed while those at the front are slideable forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the shelf pan. An actuator button is provided for each of the slideable shelf support tabs which are biased forwardly by coil springs. Rearward force applied to the actuator buttons causes the slideable forward shelf tabs to move to the rear so that the shelf can be disconnected from the rack frame.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided to delaminate farmer's bales of tobacco. The apparatus includes a bed and a delamination chamber and is carried on wheels for portability. Within the delamination chamber, a farmer's bale is gripped by structure which feeds the bale at a uniform, controlled, and selected rate. The structure may include combinations of rollers, belts, or the like. Delamination is accomplished by engaging the bale with a delamination knife in a direction parallel to the lamina and slicing the bale into portions of suitable size for further processing.

Abstract: A cigarette, having a tobacco rod consisting of at least two segments. The segment toward the filter end of the tobacco rod has a density at least 20% greater than the fire-end segment. The density differential may be combined with a nicotine differential, such that the fire-end segment has a higher nicotine content than does the filter-end segment. This configuration alters the nicotine delivery of the invention, providing a nicotine delivery either uniform during the last half of the cigarette or at levels reduced from those seen during the first few puffs.

Abstract: A parallelepipedic aseptic container and a blank therefor formed of a multilayer paperboard laminate material are disclosed. The laminate material comprises a paperboard layer with a thin layer of polyethylene on the outer side thereof and a layer of metal foil disposed between thin layers of polyethylene on the inner side of the paperboard layer. The container blanks are formed such that at one of the container side walls, in an area covered by a folded portion of the top wall, a small pentagonally-shaped opening is partially or completely precut from the paperboard layer before it is laminated to the other layers to form a weakened portion that can be easily cut away to form a pouring opening. Scorelines are formed in the side wall adjacent the weakened portion to cause the wall to project outwardly to facilitate pouring liquids through the opening. A drinking straw/sutting implement is provided with the container for use in cutting away the weakened portion and withdrawing the contents of the container.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for collecting sidestream smoke produced by a cigarette is disclosed. The apparatus includes a chamber that has upper and lower portions between which smoke may freely move. A cigarette holder is attached to the lower portion so that substantially all of the sidestream smoke produced by the cigarette is released into the chamber means. Smoking means is connected to the cigarette holder means to intermittently draw air through the cigarette and segregate the mainstream smoke from the sidestream smoke. The total relative amount of sidestream smoke may be measured by measuring the opacity of the collected sidestream smoke.

Abstract: A variable air dilution cigarette filter is disclosed. A thin, generally rigid cylindrical sleeve having internal retention steps or barbs is provided with one or more air passing slots or perforations. A filter rod having a filter wrap is inserted within the cylindrical tube or sleeve and is held within the tube by the retention steps. Relative rotation between the sleeve and the filter rod varies the amount of smoke diluting air which is allowed to pass through the slots in the sleeve and then through the filter rod. A tobacco rod is joined to the sleeve by tipping paper or the like to thereby produce a cigarette incorporating the variable air dilution cigarette filter assembly.

Abstract: The sidestream smoke emanated by a smoking article, such as a cigarette, can be significantly reduced by constructing the smoking article with a double wrapper, one of the wrappers having alkali metal salt burning additives in an amount in the range from about 9 to 20% by weight. A commercially feasible reduced sidestream cigarette can be produced according to this invention, having both wrappers made from a low-porosity flax base, with the inner wrapper containing 11% and the outer wrapper 6% potassium citrate.

Abstract: A fluid pressure treating apparatus including a cylindrical tubular shell with a reciprocal spool assembly mounted for movement between a loading position outside the shell and a treating position within the shell, sealing members on said spool assembly for engaging the shell to form the pressure chamber. Conduits are provided to introduce processing fluid into the pressure chamber.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multi-blend segmented cigarette by providing a first blend of tobacco to an appropriate point adjacent to a tobacco conveying belt of a conventional cigarette making machine. A transfer wheel apparatus is utilized to form a plurality of spaced portions of the first blend and transferring the formed portions from the first blend supply to the conveyor belt, depositing the portions on said conveyor belt at spaced intervals. A second blend is delivered to the tobacco conveying belt and fills the gaps or intervals while also covering the formed portions to produce a multi-blend segmented layer. The multi-blend segmented layer is trimmed to remove only a portion of said second blend, thereby providing a layer of a uniformed thickness. The trimmed uniformed layer is transferred to a tobacco rod forming device which forms a continuously wrapped tobacco rod.

Abstract: A flexible multi-layer structure having at least one layer pigmented with a color and/or an energy absorber with the outer two layers consisting of pure polytetrafluoroethylene to provide a food contacting surface.

Abstract: A comingling jet having a body or housing through which a right cylindrical yarn chamber extends and an air entry orifice which intersects and communicates with the yarn chamber so that their axis are perpendicular to one another. An adjustable pin assembly is provided at the entry opening of the yarn chamber to modify the air flow characteristics of the yarn chamber.

Abstract: A folding apparatus for use on a cartoning machine which folds and secures the end flaps of a blank to form a carton including a pivoting rocker arm positioned adjacent to the path of said carton movement and a fold blade pivotedly attached to one end of said rocker arm which engages the flap and moves it into contact with the side of the carton. A device for manipulating said rocker arm is provided so that the fold blade will engage and disengage the flap and a yieldable means associated with said fold blade to apply a selected pressure to said flap with a roller assembly for engaging the fold blade and control the pressure applied by said yieldable means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for counting indeterminately spaced articles traveling in a continuous stream. Successive individual lead articles of the stream are diverted from their direction of movement in an oblique direction. A sensor located beneath the stream at the point of oblique movement detects the sequential presence and absence of articles which information is accumulated to obtain a count. For counting rod-shaped articles, such as cigarettes, the method may be embodied in a drum having a helical groove to move the rods, the drum being located above a reflective scanning sensor head.

Abstract: Dry, compacted masses of tobacco are conditioned by inserting an array of parallel perforated probes into the mass and passing high pressure steam through the probes and probe perforations into the tobacco mass as the probes are inserted and withdrawn. The conditioning apparatus includes a frame supporting a probe array and a ram for moving the array toward and away from a tobacco mass supported by a conveyor. The probes are flexibly mounted to prevent bending, and extend through a stripper plate which is supported from the array by way of a latching mechanism. The stripper plate holds the tobacco mass in place to prevent lifting of the mass upon withdrawal of the probes.

Abstract: An optical laser beam chopper for converting a continuous beam into a series of scanning impulses for use in perforating a moving web is disclosed. The system utilizes a coherent light source which produces a beam for use in performing a thin paper web of the type used in producing cigarette filters. The beam passes through a rotary chopper, or shutter, system which incorporates a plurality of rotary discs each of which carries one or more annular rings divided into segments. Selected segments on each ring are formed of a reflective material to act as mirrors for the laser beam, while the remaining segments are in the form of apertures which allow the beam to pass through the disc.