Abstract: A device for smoking combustible materials includes a tubular body member constructed entirely of heat-resistant glass material. The device has an internal bore with an integrally formed venturi that separates the bore into a smoke chamber and a loading chamber. A method of forming the device includes providing a tubular body member constructed entirely from a heat-resistant glass material; forming a constricted passage in a bore of the tubular body member by applying heat to a predetermined location on the tubular body member until the glass material expands into the bore at the predetermined location; and smoothing the outer surface of the tubular body member at the predetermined location.

Abstract: A process for preparing sized paper which incorporates in the paper a size composition containing polymer latex, wherein the polymer contained in the polymer latex is anionic polymer having properties selected from the group consisting of T.sub.G about -15.degree. C. to about 50.degree. C. and acid number about 30 to about 100, and wherein the polymer latex has a zeta potential of from about -25 to about -70 millivolts over the pH range of about 5 to about 9. A preferred process has the steps: a) providing an aqueous pulp suspension; b) sheeting and drying the aqueous pulp suspension to obtain paper; c) treating the paper by applying to at least one surface of it the size composition containing polymer latex and starch; and d) drying the paper to obtain sized paper. Preferred anionic polymers are copolymers of monomers comprising styrene or substituted styrene, alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid.

Abstract: Bicomponent fibers comprising a core of a thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene, and a sheath of a blend of the core-forming polymer and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer are used to produce tobacco smoke filter elements which may be incorporated into tobacco smoke filter products such as filtered cigarettes. The addition of significant quantities of the core-forming material to the ethylene-vinyl acetate used to form the sheath avoids problems experienced heretofore in build-up of polymer in the forming dies using conventional filter-forming equipment. Additionally, the blended sheath-forming polymer improves adhesion between the sheath and the core of the bicomponent fiber and, with the use of polypropylene, improves the hardness of the resultant tobacco smoke filter elements.

Abstract: A calender for a sheet material, e.g., paper, having at least two treatment stations through which the sheet material passes in succession. To regulate a desired parameter of the sheet material, each treatment station may include a plurality of adjacently arranged adjustment zones positioned in a row extending across a width of the sheet material. The adjustment zones of one of the treatment stations are positioned to be offset relative to the adjustment zones of the other treatment station by a fraction of a width of the adjustment zones, e.g., one-half the width. The particular arrangement enabling improved correction potential without increasing structural expenditure.

Abstract: An alternate cigarette is in a form of cigar or cigarette with a moisture content of 12-13%, which is prepared from a composition comprising a herb medicinal mixture of Artemisia vulgaris Linne, Morus bombycis Koidzumi, Ziziphus jujuba Miller, Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow, Asiasarum heterotropoides var. seoulense F. Maekawa, Eugenia caryophyllata Thunberg, Cnidium officinale Makino, Evodia officinalis Dode and Thuja orientalis Linne powders and Arisaema amurense Max var. Serratum Nakai, Angelica koreana Maximowicz and Brassica juncea Cosson extracts, in combination with 1-10 wt % of starch syrup and 0.1-1 wt % of glycerol on the basis of the weight of the herb medicinal mixture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an attachment extinguishing device to be used by being wrapped around a cigarette, being capable of natural, reliable and swift extinguishment and also manual and forcible extinguishment as by the smoker crushing his lighted cigarette safely with his fingertips. To this end, the device comprises a wrapper (B) which comprises a total of three layers, i.e., an extinguishing inner band (15) of metallized film, a diametrically shrinkable intermediate band (16) of heat shrinkable film bonded to the innerband (15), and a heat insulating outer band (18) of pliable paper or nonwoven fabric bonded to the intermediate band (16), the inner and intermediate bands (15, 16) being embossed with parallel ridges (22) in rows which extend along and lengthwise of the cigarette (C) when the wrapper (B) is wrapped around the cigarette (C), thereby holding the inner band (15) substantially in linear contact with the circumferential surface of the cigarette (C).

Abstract: Hydromagnesite-magnesium hydroxide compositions which, when used as fillers in smoking article wrappers, significantly reduce the amount of sidestream smoke produced by the burning smoking article while providing the smoking article with good subjective characteristics.

Abstract: A method for producing paper pulp containing fibers of annual plants or of secondary raw materials produced therefrom, whereby fiber materials are shortened to a length which permits production of a homogeneous, pumpable suspension of the shortened fiber materials. The fiber materials are subsequently bleached and processed into a homogeneous paper pulp.

Abstract: A tobacco treatment system comprising a rotatable cylinder and a plurality of axially directed flights, with each flight having a forward side and a back side relative to the rotational motion of the cylinder, with both the forward and back sides being concave-open in a direction toward the interior of the cylinder.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are presented for use in a papermaking process for determining permeability and/or compressibility characteristics of a pulp suspension within the process. The method/apparatus includes monitoring height of pulp suspension within one or more test columns as a function of time while allowing pulp suspension drainage from each test column. At least one parameter representative of permeability or compressibility of the pulp suspension is determined, via computer processing, using the monitored height as a function of time of the pulp suspension within the test column. The at least one parameter representative of permeability or compressibility can comprise specific surface area (S.sub.w), specific volume (v.sub.f) compressibility constant m or compressibility constant n for the pulp suspension.

Abstract: A smoking article and its method of construction and operation to provide products of combustion which are used to form flavorable aerosol gases delivered to the smoker's mouth while controlling the composition of such gases of combustion. Hot gases generated in a catalytic section in which fuel and air combust aided by a honeycomb catalytically coated surface including alumina and a cerium compound.

Abstract: A method in which a sheet of cellulosic fibres is shredded into fluff wherein, prior to shredding, the fibres are treated in the presence of water with a hydrophobic substance having a specific surface area of at least about 50 m.sup.2 /g, to yield improved sorptive capacity; fluff obtainable by the method; absorbent articles comprising such fluff; use of a substance of said kind for improving the sorptive capacity of absorbent material comprising the fibers; a process for production of absorbent material obtained by shredding a sheet of such fibers in which the fibers, prior to shredding, have been treated in the presence of water with a substance of said kind to yield improved sorptive capacity; and absorbent material obtainable from the process.

Abstract: A novel photonic-electronic smoking system comprising a cigarette and a photonic operated electronic lighter, together with methodologies of smoking a cigarette, the lighter comprising a receptacle for removably receiving a cigarette; a photonic source; an optical train establishing a plurality of optical pathways from said photonic source to a plurality of locations at the received cigarette; a source of electrical power; a puff sensor responsive to a drawing action upon a cigarette received by said receptacle; and a controller responsive to said puff sensor for controllably communicating said source of electrical power with said photonic source so that upon drawing action upon the received cigarette, the photonic source discharges along said optical pathway to heat a region of said cigarette adjacent at least one of said locations.

Abstract: Paper bearing a unique watermark having a grid pattern of translucent lines and repeating translucent diamond shapes at alternating intersections of the lines produced using a dandy roll in which the outer grid comprises a rectangular grid pattern where alternate intersections are provided with substantially diamond shapes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device for removing at least one of paper sheet remnants and a paper sheet from a belt. The device may include a blow device including at least one blow opening extending lateral to a travel direction of the belt and a compressor coupled to the blow device to supply compressed air to the at least one blow opening. The at least one blow opening may be directed toward the at least one of the paper sheet remnants and the paper sheet to be removed.

Abstract: A system and method that combine an array of fast under wire water weigh sensors with a scanning system provides an accurate measurement of the entire sheet down to 1 in. by 1 in. resolution. Because CD profiles are obtained instantaneously, MD and CD variations are completely decoupled, even if CD profiles are taken at longer intervals apart.

Abstract: A multiply paper web comprises a base ply of a post-manufactured sheet such as reused old newsprint or reused office waste. An upper and/or lower ply is bonded to the base ply to cover any printing or contamination of the base ply, thus allowing the resulting web to be reprinted or used for writing or packaging grades. The base ply is not repulped, reducing water and energy usage in the manufacturing process. The upper and lower plies may be wet formed or dry formed. Dry formed upper and/or lower plies result in a paper product utilizing little or no water in the manufacturing process, and no aqueous effluent. The post-manufactured base ply provides the strength ply.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the inhibition of photo-yellowing in paper rich in lignin by treatment of pulp or paper rich in lignin with a compound containing hydroxy functionalities that are capable of forming a ketal with a carbonyl group in an acidic environment. In a preferred embodiment the acidic environment is provided by the presence of an acidic clay or an acidic zeolite.

Abstract: A filter material comprises a cellulose acetate fiber tow containing 5-50% by weight of a water soluble material and/or a water dispersible material which are soluble in a solvent which dissolves cellulose acetate and which are not compatible with cellulose acetate. Due to the inclusion of the above-mentioned water soluble material and/or water dispersible material in the cellulose acetate fiber, in the presence of moisture, the fiber surface becomes porous by the elution of this water soluble material and/or water dispersible material from the fiber, and the surface area of the fiber is increased. Consequently, the shape of the cellulose acetate fiber tow is easily broken down, and the decomposability of the fiber by microorganisms and the like is increased. When a cigarette filter is made using this type of filter material, a cigarette filter is obtained which has easy decomposability in the natural environment and particularly in water, in atmospheres which contain large amounts of moisture, and the like.

Abstract: A porous element particularly for use as a tobacco smoke filter plug in association with a cigarette or the like wherein the matrix comprises a multiplicity of biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol fibers bonded together at their points of contact to define a tortuous interstitial path for the passage of smoke. Because of the hygroscopic nature of polyvinyl alcohol, commercial production of such products require careful control of the moisture content of the polyvinyl alcohol fiber starting material, usually pre-drying the same to a residual moisture content of 7% by weight or less, and treatment of the low moisture fibrous mass by superheated steam to add about 2.5 to 5% moisture to a final moisture content of about 2.5 to 10%. The steam renders the fiber surface adhesive and, thus, bondable, and also lubricates the gathered fibers to improve processability.