Abstract: Plain cigarettes of unit length are fed into successive axially parallel peripheral flutes of a rotary drum-shaped first conveyor in such a way that each cigarette enters a first end portion of the respective flute. The second end portions of the flutes have suction ports which attract the cigarettes in alternate flutes so that such cigarettes move axially and provide room for introduction of additional cigarettes whereby each second flute contains a pair of coaxial cigarettes which define a gap for a filter rod section of double unit length. Pairs of coaxial cigarettes in alternate flutes are released for transfer into the axially parallel peripheral flutes of a second drum-shaped conveyor by a system of valving elements composed of a stationary valving element in the interior of the first conveyor and a rotary valving element which connects at intervals two axially parallel bores of the stationary valving element with a suction generating device.

Abstract: A method of making a substitute for oral smokeless tobacco comprises the steps of applying a coating of binding agent on fragments of tea to form a cohesive material and moistening the fragments of the tea sufficiently to form a compact mass which is dissociable into portions of selectable size by hand-pinching the mass. The resulting composition resembles genuine smokeless tobacco in appearance, texture, tactile response, and mode of use. One uses the composition by taking a pinch of the composition and placing it in his mouth between the cheek and gum. The composition produces brown juices which provide an expectorate resembling that of genuine smokeless tobacco. The composition is packageable in a low profile cylindrical container of the type used to package snuff.

Abstract: A cigarette filter as well as a method and apparatus for making it is disclosed. The cigarette filter is rolled in first and second plug paper and then in tip paper. The first plug paper is comparatively thin and has a smooth surface. While the second plug paper is comparatively thick and has a plurality of holes or grooves preliminarily punched on its surface. By adequately rolling the filter in the first and second plug paper, a plurality of air channels are defined on the periphery of the filter so that smoke is inhaled by a smoker as if it is enclosed by air. The smoker can enjoy its light taste without jeopardizing a sense of smoking. The filter is made by a method comprising forming a continuous filter rod by rolling filter material in the first plug paper, rolling the filter rod in the second plug paper having a plurality of holes preliminarily punched and cutting the rod in a predetermined length so that a plurality of channels reaching the suction end are formed on the second plug paper.

Abstract: There is disclosed a wrapper for smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like comprising a cellulosic sheet containing a filler of fine grain magnesium hydroxide having an average particle size less than 10 micrometers and unreactive magnesium oxide.This is also disclosed a method for reducing the visible sidestream smoke emanating from a smoking article and solidifying the ash by wrapping the tobacco charge in the smoking article in a combustible cellulosic sheet containing a filler of fine grain magnesium hydroxide having an average particle size less than 10 micrometers and unreactive magnesium oxide.

Abstract: Tobacco impregnated with solid carbon dioxide is heated in a chamber to expand the same by sublimation of solid CO.sub.2 and expulsion of CO.sub.2 gas from the tobacco. The expanded tobacco is separated from the internal atmosphere of the expansion device and the tobacco is discharged through an outlet through which gas flows are substantially precluded. The evolved CO.sub.2 gas and other volatile components are removed from the chamber and a portion of the removed gas is heated and returned to the chamber as the expansion medium. The necessity for external steam is avoided as an atmosphere of high thermal diffusivity is maintained in the expansion chamber by precluding the entry of ambient air.

Abstract: A manufacturing machine for simultaneously producing two continuous cigarette rods, in which a continuous flow of shredded tobacco particles is fed to the lower end of a rising duct, an upper portion of which is constituted by two rising channels terminating below a suction conveyor belt and disposed side-by-side in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of this latter.

Abstract: A method for spreading out tobacco leaves and for enabling them to be retrieved, flat, after having been spread out, comprising:placing each leaf on a support generally in the form of a deformable dihedron, the central vein of the leaf extending on the edge of said dihedron;causing a flux of fluid to flow on either side of the edge, so that gravity conducts this fluid along the lines of greatest slope of said faces;then deforming said support so as to return the spread out leaf to a flat position.

Abstract: Reconstituted tobacco sheet coated with a hydrophobic coating containing a spectrophotometrically-determinable metal cation, including the process of making such products and the process of monitoring the coating process to assure even distribution of coating on tobacco sheet.

Abstract: A domestic cigarette making machine is disclosed. The machine has a lever of bell-crank shape pivotally secured to a tobacco compacting member by a single link in a manner not before considered possible and which results in an economically produced machine.

Abstract: Tobacco leaves are converted into wrappers for cigar bunches by removing the midribs from successive leaves, monitoring each of the thus obtained left-hand and right-hand leaf halves by a pair of photoelectric cells to determine whether the halves can yield one or more wrappers, and transferring the left-hand and right-hand halves to discrete first and second stamping stations where the halves are cut to yield wrappers which are automatically fed to the bunch wrapping unit or units of a cigar making machine.

Abstract: The present invention provides a smokeable product such as cigars, cigarettes, pipe tobacco and the like, having meerschaum particles of 100 .mu. diameter as the absorbent and of which at least a part of the tobacco is regenerated tobacco formed of pulp and/or tobacco substitute formed of a pulp. The inventive smokable products exhibit selective absorption of certain injurious smoke components.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a smokable product such as cigars, cigarettes and the like with a paper cover, having meerschaum particles as an absorbant, characterized by the fact that the paper is admixed with the meerschaum particles which particles have a diameter of 100 mm or less. The inventive smokable products exhibit selective absorption of certain injurious smoke components.