Abstract: A tobacco smoke filtration element having a first smoke-flow passage of filtration efficiency less than that of a second smoke-flow passage, the first smoke-flow passage being provided with a heat deformable material which, upon smoking of a smoking article incorporating such a filtration element, deforms and thereby obturates the first smoke-flow passage causing smoke to pass along the second smoke-flow passage and thereby to be subjected to a higher degree of smoke filtration after the first stages of the smoking cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the stiffness of creases of a packet blank comprises first and second spaced apart guides, on which a flat blank may be supported, and a plunger which is movable between the guides to deform the blank about a crease(s). The plunger brings part of the blank into contact with a bearing surface, and a panel(s) bent relatively of that part rests against force measuring means. The force measuring means provides a signal indicative of the resistance to bending of a crease about which the panel(s) has been bent.

Abstract: In the making of cigarette rod, which rod comprises an axial element of filler material and a wrapper surrounded by smoking material and an exterior wrapper, a web of the exterior wrapper material, a stream of the smoking material and a preformed rod, providing the axial element, are fed to the garniture of a cigarette rod making machine. The rod providing the axial element is made on a further rod making machine.

Abstract: A smoking article comprises a wrapped rod of smoking material, a filter element and a tipping wrapper by which the rod and filter element are interattached. The filter element comprises a body of fibrous filtration material and paper wrapper securing the filtration material. Opening means is provided in the paper wrapper extending longitudinally along the filter element and providing at least one ventillation-air distribution space bounded by the tipping wrapper. Ventilation air is permitted to ingress into the space at a first location, whereby air may flow through the space and then to enter the filtration material at a second location spaced longitudinally from the filter element. The smoking article of the invention has a number of advantages and represents an advance in the art in that it makes possible a more direct and better distributed flow of ventilation air into wrapped filter elements of smoking articles containing such elements.

Abstract: Smoking articles comprise a smoking material rod wrapped with a paper wrapper including aluminum hydroxide and an organic acid salt of a group I or II metal. The article exhibits at least 30% reductions in visible sidestream smoke when lit.

Abstract: Oval or other non-circular cross-section filter tipped cigarettes are assembled by feeding, in axial-orientation controlled manner, tobacco rods and filter rods along first and second feed paths to an intercalation station at which the filter rods are intercalated with the tobacco rods, closing the rods up to provide units each comprising two tobacco rods and an intermediately disposed filter rod, applying a wrapper to each unit to provide a double length cigarette assembly and severing the assembly to provide two cigarettes.

Abstract: A smoking article mouthpiece element comprises a first portion within which a smoke-passage and a ventilation-duct extends from end-to-end of the portion, a downstream end of the duct being spaced from the periphery of the first portion and the wall and the walls of the duct being gas impervious and a second portion disposed at the end of the first portion being in smoke-flow communication with the smoke passage of the first portion, and gas-impervious wall at the end of said second portion closer to the first portion extending inwardly from a first location at the periphery of the element to a second location at the side of the upstream end of the duct further from the first location, the wall bounding a cavity in communication with the duct and segregated from the interior of the second portion. The first and second portions may form respective parts of an integral unit or may be discrete components disposed in end-to-end abutment. The aforesaid wall is suitably part of the second portion.

Abstract: Tobacco expansion apparatus comprises a transport duct in which can be established a flow of hot gaseous medium and into an upstream end of which can be fed particulate tobacco. The downstream end of the duct opens into the casing of a tobacco/gaseous medium separator comprising a separation screen.

Abstract: The method for expanding tabacco lamina comprises contacting the tobacco with an organic expansion agent, heating the thus contacted tobacco in a closed first vessel so that the temperature of the agent is above the boiling point of the agent at a lower release pressure, and suddenly venting the first vessel into a second vessel which is at said release pressure prior to the venting. By this means the fill volume of the tobacco is increased by a least 50%.

Abstract: In the expansion of tobacco, the tobacco is entrained in hot gaseous medium, separated from the gaseous medium and re-introduced and re-entrained in the gaseous medium before being once again separated from the medium.

Abstract: Cigarette rod or cigarette filter rod comprising an outer, longitudinally seamed wrapper is monitored, to detect defects in the longitudinal seam, by directing, from a nozzle, a stream of air tangentially of the rod, whereby the air flows in Coanda effect contact with the rod, and audio detecting the presence or absence of air, at a location spaced from the nozzle, in accordance with the presence or absence of a seam defect.

Abstract: A smoking article, such as a cigarette, has a filter which incorporates a volatile smoke-modifying agent. The filter comprises zeolite granules impregnated with the volatile agent. A cavity-type of filter may contain between 10 and 200 mg of mentholated zeolite granules. The loading level of a menthol on the zeolite granules may be within a range of from 3 to 60 mg/g. Cellulose-acetate plugs may be provided at the ends of the filter cavity.

Abstract: A mouthpiece element for a cigarette comprises a duct which extends from the periphery of the element at a first location, spaced from the mouth end of the element, to the mouth end of the element at a second location, spaced from the periphery of the element. The element is attached to a cigarette rod by tipping which permits the ingress of air to the duct at the first location. Preferably, during smoking the ratio of the velocity of air issuing from the duct at the second location to the velocity of smoke issuing from the mouth end of the element is in excess of at least ten.

Abstract: Cigarette filters comprises a filter element, open for smoke flow at the mouth end, and smoke passage of flow impedance less than that of the filter element. The passage is closed at the downstream end so that smoke is constrained to pass into the element at the downstream end of the passage. The passage may be an annular cross-section duct or grooves at the periphery of the element or may be a bore within the element. The filters provide an increasing degree of filtration as smoking proceeds.

Abstract: A method of applying metal foil embellishment to cigarette paper or tipping paper comprises pressing foil against tipping using a heated former of a configuration corresponding to that of the desired embellishment. The method, which is preferably carried out on a filter tip assembly machine, may result in a depression in the tipping, in which case it is advantageous for the tipping to comprise a thermoplastic material.

Abstract: A cigarette comprises a mouthpiece attached to a cigarette rod by a wrapper which bounds a ventilation air chamber of the mouthpiece. One or more orifices intercommunicate the air chamber with a smoke passage of the mouthpiece. The orifice(s), rather than the air flow impedance of the wrapper controls the degree of ventilation of the mouthpiece.

Abstract: A smoking article mouthpiece comprises a smoke passage extending from end-to-end of the element and first and second ventilation ducts. The first ventilation ducts extend from the periphery of the element to the downstream end of the element at locations spaced inwardly from the periphery. The second ventilation ducts extend from the periphery to the upstream end of the element.

Abstract: A tobacco expansion agent capable of synergistic tobacco expansion comprises a first organic compound which is volatile, non-polar and substantially water insoluble and a second organic compound which is volatile, water soluble, oxygen containing and of a polarity in excess of that of the first compound.

Abstract: A smoking article such as a cigarette comprising a smoking-material rod enwrapped in a wrapper paper with an inherent air permeability of 3 to 45 Coresta units and comprising at least one hydroxide compound and at least one organic compound of the group comprising lithium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, potassium formate, sodium formate and sodium acetate, at a total loading level of the compounds of not less than two g/m.sup.2 whereby the total particulate matter (TPM) in the side-stream-smoke emanating from the lit end of said article during the smoking thereof is reduced by at least 30% in relation to the TPM which emanates from the lit end of an otherwise identical smoking article comprising conventional wrapper paper and smoked under the same smoking conditions.