Abstract: A process for the reduction of the nitrate and nicotine contents of tobacco by microbial treatment is disclosed wherein tobacco materials are subjected, under controlled conditions, to the action of a microorganism effective to degrade nitrates and alkaloids (nicotine) through a biochemical reaction. The microorganism is combined or grown in the presence of a nitrate containing compound in relatively small quantities. Tobacco treated in accordance with this process has a reduced nitrate and nicotine content, and when incorporated into a tobacco smoking product thereby produces a mild smoke, having reduced nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide and nicotine content. However, there is no loss of desirable flavor, taste and smoking properties.

Abstract: A smoking article, such as a cigarette, includes an air impermeable generally cylindrically shaped plug located in coaxial abutment to one end of the tobacco column of the cigarette and a generally cylindrically shaped filter rod located in coaxial abutment with the plug. The plug is formed with a plurality of grooves in its peripheral surface extending generally longitudinally of the plug from one end to the other end thereof. Air permeable tipping material circumferentially surrounds the impermeable plug and the filter rod, and overlaps a portion of the tobacco column adjacent to plug to fasten the plug and filter rod to the tobacco column.

Abstract: A process for the reduction of the nitrate content of tobacco materials by microbial treatment is disclosed wherein tobacco materials are subjected, under controlled conditions, to the action of a microorganism effective to degrade nitrates through a biochemical reaction. Tobacco materials treated in accordance with this process, when incorporated into a tobacco smoking product, produce a mild smoke having reduced nitrogen oxides and hydrogen cyanide deliveries without loss of desirable flavor, taste or other smoking properties.

Abstract: A mouthpiece adapted to be attached to a smoking article, such as a cigarette, includes, in one advantageous embodiment, an air impermeable core member of smaller diameter than the tobacco column to which it is to be coaxially located and a generally cylindrically shaped hollow sleeve having generally the same diameter as the tobacco column concentrically located over the impermeable core member and cooperating therewith to define a generally annular channel open at both of its ends. The mouthpiece is connected to the tobacco column by circumscribing air permeable tipping material therearound. In one embodiment, the mouthpiece includes a filter plug coaxially located at one end of the tobacco column with the filter plug being of generally the same diameter as the tobacco column. The filter plug has generally longitudinally extending grooves formed in the peripheral surface extending from one end to the other end of the filter plug.

Abstract: A device for concurrently forming a plurality of generally longitudinally extending grooves in a filter rod includes at least one pair of groove forming rollers located in a common plane, with their axes of rotation generally parallel and with their peripheries spaced apart. A plurality of elongated, generally arcuately shaped groove forming projections are spaced apart from each other around the circumference of each of the rollers. Each groove forming projections of one roller is in opposed facing, coextensive, aligned relationship with a different one of the groove forming projections of the other roller across the space separating the peripheries of the rollers. As a filter rod to be grooved passes through the space between the peripheries of the rollers, the rollers are rotated and the groove forming projections embed into the peripheral surface of the filter rod thusly forming grooves into the peripheral filter rod surface.

Abstract: A filter for a cigarette includes a smoke impermeable core of generally cylindrical shape and a smoke permeable material overlaying at least a portion of the periphery of the core. The core with the overlaying permeable material is circumscribed by an air pervious tipping material to form a cigarette filter.

Abstract: A smoking article, such as a cigarette, includes generally cylindrically shaped, hollow tubular section located in coaxial abutment to one end of the tobacco column of the cigarette and a generally cylindrically shaped filter rod located in coaxial abutment with the tubular section. The wall of the tubular section is fabricated of an impermeable material. A plurality of grooves are formed in the periphery of the tubular section extending generally longitudinally thereof and being open to at least one end of the tubular section. Air permeable tipping material circumferentially surrounds the tubular section and the filter rod, and overlaps a portion of the tobacco column adjacent to the tubular section to fasten the tubular section and filter rod to the tobacco column.

Abstract: A smoking article, such as a cigarette, has a mouth section which includes a generally cylindrical, impermeable, plug member located in coaxial abutment to one end of the tobacco column of the cigarette. A plurality of smoke flow capillaries are formed through the plug member. A generally hollow cylindrical tubular mouthpiece having a plurality of grooves are formed in the periphery of the mouth section extending generally longitudinally thereof is located in coaxial abutment to the end of the plug member. Air permeable tipping material circumferentially surrounds the mouth section and overlaps a portion of the tobacco column adjacent the mouth section to fasten the mouth section to the tobacco column.

Abstract: A ventilated filter element comprising a fibrous filter element wherein a plurality of equiangularly spaced apart grooves extend in a parallel fashion along the longitudinal axis of the filter element from the mouth end of the element for a distance less than the total length of the element.

Abstract: An apparatus for, in one advantageous embodiment, concurrently forming a plurality of generally longitudinally extending grooves in a filter rod, and in another advantageous embodiment, for making small apertures in the grooves as the grooves are being formed in the filter rod. The apparatus includes a reciprocating die having an upper and lower die block. Each die block includes protruding, elongated projections which are adapted to be embedded into the filter rod upon closing of the die to impress grooves in the filter rod located in the die. In the embodiment wherein apertures are to be formed in the grooves, aperture forming punches are associated with each of the groove forming projections for punching apertures in the grooves as they are being formed. The apparatus further includes a filter rod conveying device located between the upper and lower die blocks for guiding the filter rods through the die and for positioning the filter rods to be grooved in the reciprocating die.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming grooves in the peripheral surface of a filter rod includes an endless conveyor device having a generally horizontal top conveyor flight which intermittently moves the filter rods through the apparatus. The endless conveyor device has a plurality of filter rod receiving pockets at spaced apart intervals along its length. The pockets in the horizontal top conveyor flight hold cigarette filters to be grooved at predetermined spaced apart intervals as the endless conveyor device moves the filter rods through the apparatus. A plurality of pairs of articulated grooving fingers are located generally below the horizontal top conveyor flight at predetermined spaced intervals along the top flight, and a plurality of pairs of articulated grooving fingers are located generally above the horizontal top flight at predetermined spaced intervals along the top flight. A groove forming blade is attached to the tip of each finger of each pair of fingers.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating a tobacco as it is conveyed through the apparatus includes a heater for heating the treating and conveying gas, a tobacco-gas separator device for separating the treated tobacco from the treating and conveying gas, a duct fluidity interconnecting the heater with the tobacco-gas separator device, a venturi located in the duct, and a tobacco feed device for introducing tobacco to be treated into the throat of the venturi to be entrained by the treating gas stream between the heater device and tobacco-gas separator device. The separated treating gas is returned to the heater device for reuse in treating more tobacco. The apparatus further includes a venturi which maintains a substantially zero internal atmospheric pressure at the tobacco feed device to prevent the escape of treating gas from the apparatus or entry of ambient air into the apparatus.

Abstract: An improved tobacco treating process wherein fill value improvement can be obtained with less energy and less carbon dioxide requirements comprising mixing tobacco with finely divided solid CO.sub.2 at controlled preselected parts by weight, 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 250.degree. F. with wet bulb temperatures in the range of at least about 150.degree. F. to a maximum of 212.degree. F.

Abstract: A device for attaching two axially aligned cigarette tobacco columns to an intermediately disposed double length rigid mouthpiece, hereinafter referred to as a cigarette group, by wrapping a sheet of tipping material around the double length rigid mouthpiece and a portion of each tobacco column adjacent to each end of the double length mouthpiece. The device comprises a stationary rolling block located in spaced relationship to the periphery of a cigarette group feed drum. The feed drum carries a plurality of cigarette groups at spaced apart intervals on its' periphery with a sheet of tipping material adhesively attached at the leading edge thereof to each of the cigarette groups.

Abstract: A filter for a smoking article such as a cigarette, comprising several grooves of varying depth between a shallow inlet end and a deep outlet end thereof, the outlet end face being air permeable to an extent greater than are the floor or the sides of each groove. A tipping enwrapping the filter plug has ventilation perforations in the region of the inlet end of each groove.Alternatively, the grooves may have their median axes in a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of the filter plug, whereby the grooves extend circumferentially of the filter plug between the shallow inlet ends and the deep outlet ends.

Abstract: A filter device for a cigarette includes a porous filter rod and a smoke impermeable mouthpiece located at the smoke outlet end of the filter rod. The mouthpiece is formed with a converging nozzle open to the smoke outlet end of the filter rod, and a diverging nozzle, in flow communication with the converging nozzle, open to the outlet or mouth end of the mouthpiece. In addition, a number of smoke flow capillaries are formed generally longitudinally through the mouthpiece. Each smoke flow capillary has an open inlet end open to the smoke outlet end of the filter rod and an open outlet end open to the mouth end of the mouthpiece. A tipping material circumscribes the filter rod and mouthpiece for holding them together and for attaching the filter device to the tobacco column of the cigarette. The tipping material is air permeable over at least a portion of the filter rod.

Abstract: A tobacco treating apparatus including an outer, rotatable, hollow drum having a tobacco inlet at one end and a tobacco outlet at the opposite end with an inner, hollow drum extending through the tobacco inlet end, generally coaxial with the outer drum and extending a distance longitudinally into the outer drum a distance less than the entire length of the outer drum. The outer and inner drums cooperate to define an annular gas flow-through passageway which is open to an exhaust chamber. Tobacco to be treated is introduced into the inner drum and flows therefrom into the outer drum while a stream of tobacco treating gas is introduced into the tobacco outlet end to flow in counter-current direction to the flow of tobacco through the outer drum so that virtually all of the tobacco is contacted and treated by the gas. The treating gas leaves the outer drum through the annular flow-through passageway and into the exhaust air chamber from which it is exhausted from the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for sequentially forming a plurality of generally longitudinally extending grooves in the peripheral surface of a filter rod includes a rotatable drum having a plurality of filter rod receiving channels formed in its outer peripheral surface for receiving filter rods to be grooved. The device includes filter rod indexing devices which engage the filter rods in the receiving channels. As the drum rotates about its central axis, the filter rod indexing devices are individually and selectively activated to incrementally rotate selected filter rods about their longitudinal axes through an angle corresponding to the angular spacing between adjacent grooves to be formed in the peripheral surface of the filter rod. A plurality of groove forming rollers are located at selected positions at the periphery of the drum. The rollers each have a plurality of groove forming blades projecting radially outwardly therefrom.

Abstract: An improved transport assembly including a carriage and container arrangement which provides for moving a plurality of containers into several recesses of a moveable carriage frame and lifting the carriage frame for mass movement of the containers by the carriage frame.

Abstract: A ventilated mouthpiece adapted to be attached to a smoking article, such as a cigarette, includes a generally cylindrical core member of smoke and air impermeable material having a smoke inlet end and a mouth end. The smoke inlet end is to be placed in juxtaposition to one end of the tobacco column of the cigarette. The core member is formed with a plurality of smoke flow capillaries therethrough for delivering unfiltered smoke from the tobacco column to the mouth end of the core member, and a plurality of ventilation air flow channels which receive ambient ventilation air and delivers the ventilation air to the mouth end of the core member. The smoke outlets from each of the smoke flow capillaries at the mouth end of the core member are located in close proximity to and are radially situated inwardly of the mouth end of the core member from the air outlets from the air flow channels.