Abstract: A smoking article comprising a smoking rod, a filter and ventilation means incorporated in the filter and communicating with the outside of the smoking article, viscous fluid in the ventilation means closing or partially closing the ventilation means, the viscous fluid being displaceable during use of the smoking article enabling ventilation to occur.

Abstract: A smoking material consists of an open-structured cellulosic substrate having a crystallizable or semi-crystallizable coating that includes a sugar such as lactose or glucose or a mixture of lactose and glucose. The coating may be in the range of 50-95% of the weight of the smoking material, and the sugar may be 20-90% by weight of the coating.

Abstract: A conveying device is provided in a chamber (16) for conveying articles from an inlet (15) to an outlet (20). The device comprises a base support (53) upon which articles rest and an inclined side support (54). Both supports (53, 54) are movable relative to end walls (42, 43) of the chamber (16) and relative to each other to move articles towards the outlet (20) and then to create a void adjacent the inlet (15).

Abstract: An elongate smoking article for releasing an aerosol into the mouth of a smoker comprises, a fuel rod having a light-up end adapted to be lit by a smoker; a tube extending from the fuel rod to a mouth end of the article thereby defining a condensation chamber between the fuel rod and the mouth end of the article; ventilation means to permit the passage of ventilating air from the light-up end of the fuel rod to the condensation chamber, and a porous ceramic cylindrical element impregnated with an aerosol precursor surrounding the fuel rod and in intimate contact with at least a portion thereof. A permeable fire-proof sheath surrounds the ceramic element, the sheath being adapted to provide physical integrity of the whole assembly, to allow the inward diffusion of air to maintain and propagate combustion of the fuel rod and to allow outward diffusion of combustion products.

Abstract: There is provided a cigarette 10 having a tobacco rod 12 and a filter plug 14. Between the rod 12 and the plug 14 is disposed a porous element 16 containing an aroma precursor which, when the cigarette smoulders down to the butt, is burnt by the coal to release an agreeable aroma into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A hand operated device for applying cigarette paper to a preformed tobacco rod comprises a forming roller arranged to rotate the rod about its longitudinal axis, a mechanical applicator for applying a pregummed sheet of cigarette paper to the rod as the rod is rotated about its axis, wherein the forming roller is provided along its length with a pair of circumferential helical grooves of opposite chirality, there being further provided a manually operable spigot device adapted to cooperate with the grooves and constrained to travel linearly parallel to the axis of the roller whereby manual movement of the spigot in either linear direction rotates the roller in a constant angular direction.

Abstract: A method of determining on a discrete analyzer the nicotine content of tobacco or a smoking-related product by preparing an aqueous extract of a sample of tobacco or smoking-related product, pre-reacting the extract with an acidic buffered solution of pH not more than 6 for at least two minutes, reacting the pre-reacted extract in the discrete analyzer with aniline and cyanogen bromide, measuring the intensity of yellow coloration generated, and comparing said intensity with that produced by a nicotine standard to determine the nicotine content of said sample.

Abstract: An apparatus for making cigarettes from preformed rods of tobacco and precut sheets of cigarette paper comprises a rotatable fluted drum, a hopper for feeding the preformed rods to flutes in the drum, means for presenting to each rod when each flute reaches a predetermined position a precut sheet of cigarette paper that is provided along an edge with a strip of adhesive, and means for rolling the rod in the flute so that the cigarette paper is thereby wrapped round the rod and adheres to itself by means of the adhesive to form a cigarette.

Abstract: A method of determining in a discrete analyzer the total sugars content of a tobacco sample containing sucrose, glucose and fructose, comprises the steps of, converting the sucrose to glucose and fructose, enzymatically converting the glucose and fructose to glucose-6-phosphate in the presence of hexokinase, reacting the glucose-6-phosphate with nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide in the presence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase to give reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide, the amount of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide produced being directly proportional to the total sugars content of the sample, measuring the concentration of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide in the sample, and generating a signal indicative of the concentration of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide and hence of the total sugars content of the sample. Deactivation of enzymes by any cyanogen bromide that may be present is prevented by the addition of dithioerythritol to the reaction mixture.