Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a tasteless carbon heat source from a preformed article of a ligno-cellulosic material according to which the article is pyrolyzed in a continuously exchanged inert atmosphere at a temperature within the range of from about 800.degree. to about 1100.degree. C., for from about 0.5 to about 3 hours, then cooled in the inert atmosphere at a rate of from about 500.degree. to about 10.degree. C. per hour to a temperature within the range of from about 275.degree. C. to about 25.degree. C., and then subjected to at least one additional process step selected from an oxygen absorption step, a salt impregnation followed by heat treatment step, and a water desorption step. The present invention also relates to a smoking article including the carbon heat source, and a flavor generator comprising a substrate material containing at least one thermally releasable flavorant.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for processing hot, moist extruded tobacco-containing materials as they are continuously extruded by drying the extruded material rapidly with microwave energy, and then cooling the extruded material rapidly so that the surface temperature of the extruded material is decreased below the bulk temperature to provide the extruded material with an adequately rigid and stable dimensionally structure that can be formed into a smoking article. Microwave drying provides substantially uniform drying without case hardening the material. Cooling may occur by passing air at high velocity, refrigerated air or presenting a partial vacuum across the advancing extruded material, or contacting the material with cold contacting members or a cryogenic bath. Conventional maker devices can be used for forming smoking articles from the dried and cooled extruded material.

Abstract: An extruded, coherent, multistrand, tobacco-containing, generally cylindrical smoking article and a process for making it are disclosed. The smoking article contains a plurality of strands that are adhered to one another so as to form passageways between the strands, the passageways extending generally along the longitude of the smoking article. The configuration of the strands and passageways provides sufficient heat transfer area and/or residence time for the smoke drawn by a smoker to cool to an acceptable level.

Abstract: A substantially cylindrical foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing smoking article and a method of making the article. The article has properties substantially equivalent to a conventional cigarette. It contains from about 5 to about 98 wt. % of particulate tobacco, from 0 to about 60 wt. % of particulate filler, from about 2 to about 40 wt. % of a cellulosic binder selected from among hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, and mixtures thereof, and from about 5 to about 20 wt. % of water. The article has a density within the range of from about 0.05 to about 1.5 g/cc. The method of making such articles comprises the step of (a) dry blending the tobacco particles having an OV value of from about 3 to about 20% with from 0 to about 60 wt.

Abstract: Smoking articles comprising a high density, relatively low porosity coherent mass of combustible tobacco-containing material having at least one passage extending therethrough are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the smoking article is a cylinder having at least one passage axially therethrough. The smoking article may further comprise a plug of ignitable material in passage blocking position at one end of the passage, said plug being such as to permit puff induced air flow therethrough. At least one additional plug may be similarly disposed at the opposite end of the passage or at an intermediate point in the passage. By adjusting the density, the surface area and/or the porosity of the mass available for combustion, the per puff delivery of tar by the smoking article upon combustion may be controlled.

Abstract: A method of making smoking articles wherein a combustible tobacco material is mixed with one or more other ingredients including a liquid, the mixture being subjected to further processing to produce a shaped coherent mass having a through passage. Shaping is effected by application of pressure to the mixture to form the coherent mass, and is followed by drying of same, the mixture composition being selected and the shaping pressure and drying being controlled to impart to the shaped mass a porosity and density such as to substantially occlude gas flow therethrough and a porosity sufficient to support combustion of the shaped mass when ignited.