Abstract: A feed assembly for a pack seal tester includes a vertically extending housing having a top opening for receipt of packages therein and a bottom opening for discharge of packages therefrom. The housing includes a feed hopper comprised of two parallel movable opposed spaced C-shaped sidewalls. A piston plate is aligned to remove packages from the bottom opening and into a package test chamber, the package test chamber being in alignment with the bottom opening. The package test chamber includes means to align said packages at a preselected position for testing by a pack seal tester.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and plant of treating tobacco stems for the production of cut tobacco for smokable articles, wherein uncut stem are sauced to a moisture content of approximately 45% at the maximum, the sauced stems are overdried to a moisture content of less than approximately 12%, and the overdried stems are remoistened to the processing moisture content for the subsequent stem process, e.g. a CRS process.

Abstract: A smoking article including a porous inner core of an aerosol-generating composition circumscribed by a porous ceramic insulator tube which in turn is circumscribed by a porous charcoal fuel tube. Upon ignition, the smoking article, which is preferably in a cigarette rod form, produces an aerosol that resembles tobacco smoke.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting cylindrically-shaped articles includes the transporting and aligning of cylindrical objects from a random stacked order, carrying them vertically through three visual inspection stations wherein each of the visual inspection stations visually inspects 120.degree. of the circumference of each of the cylindrical objects. Between adjacent visual inspection stations are a pair of belts which intercept the cylindrical objects flowing from one inspection station to another, wherein one of the belts moves at a slower speed than the other of the belts and is maintained at a speed so that the cylindrical objects are rotated 120.degree. during the time they are captured between the two belts.

Abstract: A smoking article includes a fuel rod coaxially aligned with and circumscribing two insulating tubes of different heat transfer coefficients wherein the inner most insulating tube is filled with an aerosol generating composition including flavor vaporizing materials therein.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus for selectively bulk filling or blend filling and concurrently discharging particulate material, such as reticulated tobacco and the like, into an open topped silo, bin, or hopper. The material handling apparatus includes a first shuttle car located over the open top of the silo for movement back and forth over the silo, a first belt conveyor on the first shuttle car in alignment with the direction of movement of the first shuttle car, a second shuttle car located over the top of the silo and above the first shuttle car for movement back and forth over the silo along a path parallel to the movement of the first shuttle car, and a second belt conveyor on the second shuttle in alignment with the direction of movement of the second shuttle car.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing dual cigarette packs having a spacer therebetween. The apparatus of one preferred embodiment includes: an assembly station to receive sequentially in stacked relationship a first pack of cigarettes, a spacer, and a second pack of cigarettes, the assembly station including means to transport said cigarette packs through the assembly station; means to feed cigarette packs at first and third positions along the assembly station; means to place a spacer on the cigarette packs at a second position of the assembly station, the second position being located between the first and third positions of the assembly station; and, means to place cigarette packs onto the spacer at the third position of the assembly station, thereby creating a dual cigarette pack having a spacer therebetween.

Abstract: A device for receiving and transferring cylindrical filter rods one at a time from a mass flow of filters. The receiving and transferring device is used to remove filter rods from the mass flow of filter rods to conduct, for example, quality control checks on the filter rods without interrupting production of the filter rods.

Abstract: An improved tobacco treating process comprising cooling tobacco in a liquid nitrogen bath, impregnating the mixture with carbon dioxide gas under preselected pressure conditions, releasing the pressure and subjecting the so treated tobacco to drying gases with temperatures at least above about 250.degree. F. with wet bulb temperatures in the range of at least about 150.degree. F. with a maximum of 212.degree. F.

Abstract: A system and process for removing the veins from bulk strip tobacco utilizing an attrition mill having a pair of spaced discs therein wherein one of the discs is rotatable and the other is stationary. The attrition mill is utilized to mill the bulk strip tobacco prior to the separation of the veins from the lamina.

Abstract: The disclosure is of a method and apparatus for stripping leaf lamina from tobacco leaf stems. The apparatus comprises two pairs of opposed rollers in tandem relationship. The first set of rollers is driven at a fixed speed and serves to engage and feed tobacco leaf to the second set of rollers which are driven at a relatively higher speed. When the second pair of rollers engages the stem of the tobacco leaf, the stem is yanked away from the leaf lamina, which is held back by its engagement with the first pair of feed rollers. In this way stripping of the leaf lamina occurs. The disclosure is also of a method of destemming tobacco leaf, employing the apparatus of the invention. The method simulates the desirable results of hand stripping without an expenditure of hand stripping labor. The method is also advantageous in that it permits one to destem tobacco leaves having relatively low moisture content and at ambient temperatures, thereby effecting a considerable savings in energy expenditure.

Abstract: Whole tobacco stems are converted to expanded tobacco particles by opening the cellular structure of the stems and moisturizing the stems by the simultaneous application of water and steam. The stems, at a first induced moisture content of from 20 to 40% are then subjected to an equilibration step where the moisture content of the stem is uniformly distributed within the stems. The equilibrated stems are thereafter moisturized to a second induced moisture content by first an application of water and thereafter the simultaneous application of water and steam. At the second induced moisture content of from 30 to 60% the stems are cut into a plurality of particles that are thereafter expanded and dried to a final moisture content of from 13 to 25%.

Abstract: The disclosure is of a process for hot smoking fish to high cooking temperature without significant degradation of the fish product. The process comprises converting the fish skin to a moisture impervious state under non-cooking conditions and then cooking the fish in the presence of smoke while maintaining the moisture impervious nature of the fish skin. Cooking is carried out by raising the ambient temperature incrementally at a specific rate. The fish is subjected to ambient cooking temperatures higher than generally used in prior art processes, enabling one to achieve internal fish temperatures of circa 140.degree. F.-160.degree. F. and higher.