Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a filter element of porous filtration material having an air permeable surface and equiangularly spaced lengthwise extending peripheral ventilation grooves. The element and the rod are interattached by a first air-impermeable wrapper which can extend into and line the grooves. A second wrapper is wrapped about the element and extends from the downstream end thereof for a distance short of the upstream ends of the grooves. The second wrapper does not line the grooves where it extends thereover. Ventilation air is then able to enter the upstream ends of the grooves not covered by the second wrapper and flow therealong. Ventilation is thereby achieved without the necessity for tipping wrapper perforations. A method of making such cigarettes is also disclosed.

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: There is disclosed a method of operating on a cigarette, which comprises a tobacco rod and a filter element interattached by a thermoplastic tipping wrapper, to allow for the ingress of ventilation air. The filter element also comprises ventilation duct(s) extending therewithin. A heated former is brought into contact with the tipping wrapper in such a way as to form indentations which intersect with a ventilation duct(s) of the filter element and to seal upstream end portions thereof.

Abstract: A cigarette comprises a filter element having an air-permeable surface and a tobacco rod, the filter element and the tobacco rod being interattached by an air-impermeable tipping wrapper. The tipping wrapper is attached to, but spaced from, the underlying peripheral surfaces of the tobacco rod and the filter element at first zones extending from the upstream edge of the wrapper across the rod/element juncture and is unattached and spaced from the peripheral surfaces at second zones circumferentially intermediate the first zones. There are thus provided ventilation air inlet ducts through which air is able to enter the filter element without the necessity for tipping wrapper perforations.

Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a filter element interattached by an air-impermeable tipping wrapper, the rod and the element abutting each other along a flat, continuous plane inclined at 45.degree. to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette. The tipping wrapper does not reach to the maximum upstream extent of the element, therefore air is able to enter the exposed air-permeable periphery of the element without the need for perforations in the air-impermeable tipping wrapper.

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: 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 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: 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 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 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 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 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.