Abstract: A tobacco treating process for forming favorable flavor compounds in a moisturized tobacco including the steps of contacting the tobacco with citrus pectin, invert sugar, or diammonium phosphate, or a combination resulting in a tobacco having a pectin level and diammonium phosphate level of predetermined percentages, thereof, introducing the moistened tobacco into a containing zone; introducing an ammonia source into the containing zone; heating the contained zone when substantially closed to bring the tobacco to a preselected temperature to improve flavor compounds through reaction of the ammonia source, citrus pectin, and reducing sugars, and/or other tobacco components; and cooling and removing the tobacco from the closed zone.

Abstract: A cigarette having a tobacco rod circumscribed by a combustible wrapper. The wrapped tobacco rod includes a plurality of circumferential grooves embedded in the wrapper and underlying tobacco rod.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are package inserts for cigarette products which comprise mutually nestable package inserts having cut-out edges to facilitate the removal of tobacco products from a package and which interconnect with other packaging inserts having the same shape so as to permit the formation of multiple package inserts from a single piece of regularly shaped stock. The package inserts may be placed in cigarette packs or boxes or in cigarette cartons.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a cigarette package includes a block section formed with a plurality of spaced apart, parallel bores open to the top of the block section. Each of the bores receives an individual cigarette which cigarette protrudes from the top of the block section. A cover is removably positioned at the top of the block section to enclose the protruding ends of the cigarettes.In another embodiment, a cigarette package includes a box section having an open top end and a cover hinged to a wall of the box section for movement between a closed position covering the open box top and an open position away from the box top. A block section of material fits within the box section such that the top end of the block section is at the open top end of the box section.

Abstract: A cigarette carton and a cigarette carton spacer for spacing and protecting smaller than standard size cigarette packs in a standard size cigarette carton. A single or plurality of spacers can be used depending upon the size of the undersized packs to be installed in the standard size carton. At least one spacer is installed to extend longitudinally along the centerline of the carton between adjacent rows of the packs in the carton. The spacer is an elongated rectangular panel of single wall corrugated board having a length dimension corresponding to the length dimension of the interior of the carton and a width dimension corresponding to the height dimension of the interior of the carton. Each longitudinal edge of the spacer is formed with a plurality of spaced apart finger notches open to its peripheral edge. Each finger notch along one longitudinal spacer edge is in alignment with a different one of the finger notches along the other longitudinal spacer edge.

Abstract: A cigarette package includes a plurality of undersized cigarettes which do not entirely fill the cigarette package. The cigarettes are arranged in an orderly group such as, for example, two rows of ten cigarettes each. As is conventional practice, the group of cigarettes is bundled in a foil wrap to keep the cigarettes fresh, and this foil bundle of grouped cigarettes is located in an outer package.A planar spacer is located between the foil bundle and one side wall of the package to take up the space difference between the depth of the foil bundle and depth of the package. An apparatus for installing the spacer includes a first conveyor path for moving foil bundles of grouped cigarettes in single file and a second conveyor path for moving foil bundles of grouped cigarettes in single file each stacked on a spacer. The spacers are placed on the second conveyor one at a time so that they move therealong in single file.

Abstract: A non-combustible simulated cigarette inhaler device includes a hollow cylindrical tube having an open air inlet end and an opposed open air outlet end to be placed in the mouth of a user. A first element of air permeable material is located within the hollow tube across a segment of the transverse cross-sectional area of the tube and a second element of air permeable material is located within the hollow tube across the remaining segment of the transverse cross-section of the tube. The first element is impregnated with a nicotine free base material. The second element is impregnated with an acid which is reactive with the free base to form a salt having a pH in the range of approximately 5 to 7. Examples of such acids are 2-butenoic acid, 2-methyl-2-butenoic acid, isocaproic, caproic, and caprylic acids.

Abstract: An improved tobacco treating expansion process involving controlling the moisture content of tobacco and the pre-separator residence time thereof in a treatment of the moisture controlled tobacco under preselected pressures and temperatures so that the tobacco at exit from the drying step of the process has a moisture content in the range of approximately 9% to approximately 15% oven volatiles by weight and fill values at least equivalent to fill values of tobaccos dried to a lower moisture content not exceeding 6% oven volatiles.

Abstract: A tobacco treating process for forming favorable flavor compounds in a moisturized tobacco including the steps of introducing the moistened tobacco into a containing zone; introducing an ammonia source into the containing zone; heating the contained zone when substantially closed to bring the tobacco to a preselected temperature to improve flavor compounds through reaction of the ammonia source and reducing sugars, and/or other tobacco components; and cooling and removing the tobacco from the closed zone.

Abstract: A cigarette package includes an open topped container for holding a plurality of cigarettes and a cover hinged to the back wall of the container for selectively closing the open top of the container. The top edge of the front wall of the container is lower than the top edge of the back wall of the container and each of the container side walls are notched such that the top edge of the container side walls defining the notch extend from the top edge of the container back wall to the top edge of the container front wall. The cover has a top wall, a front wall, and two side walls. Each of the cover side walls are notched in a complementary shape to the notched portion of the container side walls. The cover is releasably held in a closed position closing the open top of the container by interlocking latches and strikers. The latch is formed in the cover and the striker is formed in the container. The package is fabricated of an impact resistant flexible material.

Abstract: A filter for a cigarette includes a porous filter rod circumscribed by a substantially non-porous or air impermeable wrapper with selected air permeable areas, and ventilating air grooves embedded in the wrapped filter rod which extend from on end of the filter rod a preselected distance generally longitudinally of the filter rod. Tipping material circumscribes the wrapped filter rod and is formed with perforations therethrough providing a path for ventilating air flow into the grooves and into the body of the filter rod at the selected air permeable areas outside of the grooves. The walls of each of the grooves are formed with preselected perforations therethrough to provide for the flow of air from the grooves into the body of the filter rod. Under certain smoking conditions most, if not all, of the ventilating air in the grooves will flow from the grooves into the smoker's mouth through the open end of the grooves at the mouth end of the filter rod.

Abstract: An improved tobacco treating process for smoking articles including the steps of shredding the tobacco in a disc shredder, controlling the specific energy imparted to the tobacco being shredded to an empirically predetermined value, and processing the shredded tobacco under high humidity drying conditions.

Abstract: A method of treating tobacco with a strong acid to inhibit alkaloid loss during drying. The tobacco is then treated with weak base to neutralize the acid. The preferred strong acid is phosphoric. The preferred weak base is ammonium hydroxide. An added benefit of this treatment is burn retardation by ammonium phosphates resulting in cigarette puff number increase.

Abstract: An improved tobacco treating process for smoking articles including the steps of introducing tobacco to be dryed into a restricted pressure and flow controllable system to be entrained by pressurized stream for preselected residence time before disentrainment therefrom, the steam being held at preselected minimum pressure and velocity to improve fill value and smoking quality of the tobacco.

Abstract: An apparatus for banding at least two stacked packages together in superimposed registered relationship by applying a band to two consecutive sides of the package stack concentric with the interface of the packages of the stack. The apparatus includes a turret having stacked package receiving pockets in its periphery, a band applicator located at the periphery of the turret to apply the band to the exposed sides of the stack of packages in each pocket as the turret rotates each pocket past the band applicator with a portion of the band trailing behind the trailing edge of the package stack, and a band folding channel located downstream, relative to the direction of rotation of the turret, from the band applicator for receiving stacked packages from the turret pockets and folding the trailing portion of the band over the adjacent side of the package stack.

Abstract: A tobacco smoke mouthpiece including a smoke impervious plug member having an upstream smoke inlet end and a downstream smoke outlet or mouth end with groove(s) in the periphery of the plug member extending from the inlet end to the mouth end, the plug member being blocked adjacent the inlet end so that the groove(s) forms the path for smoke flow from inlet end to mouth end of the plug member.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing reconstituted tobacco from tobacco stems and tobacco fines includes treating the tobacco stems to a fibrous form, and mixing the fibrous tobacco stems with tobacco lamina fines. The mixture is then deposited on a moving mesh screen whereon it is formed into a felt-like mat or sheet of generally uniform thickness. The reconstituted tobacco sheet is then removed from the mesh screen for further processing to produce a tobacco smoking article.

Abstract: A cigarette filter element comprising at least one duct extending from one end to the other of the element, which element is operated on by a heated former moving relatively to it in a rotary fashion. The heated former serves to provide a cavity or annular groove through filtration material of the element. The cavity or groove also extends through a section of the duct to provide a ventilation channel. The duct at least one may be of a smoke-impermeable nature and may be provided by one or more bores or thermoplastic tubes.

Abstract: An improved tobacco treating process for smoking articles including the steps of applying an ammonia source to tobacco to be dryed, passing the ammonia treated tobacco in a restricted pressure and flow controllable system to be entrained by pressurized steam for a preselected residence time before disentrainment therefrom, the steam being held at preselected minimum pressure and velocity to improve flavor quality and fill value of the tobacco.

Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod of tobacco filler wrapped in a paper wrapper, the circumference of the rod being within a range of 10 mm to 19 mm and the free burn rate of the rod being within a range of 25 to 45 mg min.sup.-1. The cigarette may comprise considerably less tobacco than a cigarette of orthodox circumference yet yield an equal or greater number of puffs.