Abstract: A concentric smoking filter in which one of the filter media is a fibrous tow, such as fibrous cellulose acetate tow, and one of the filter media is a web material, such as paper, is provided. The filter improves the taste, particularly, of "ultra-light" cigarettes.

Abstract: A concentric smoking filter in which the peripheral filter medium is a fibrous tow, such as fibrous cellulose acetate tow, and the core filter medium is a web material, such as paper, loaded with carbon particles, is provided. The filter improves the taste, particularly, of "ultra-light" cigarettes.

Abstract: A cigarette is provided including a reusable, air-permeable shell having a cavity and smokable material for being positioned in the cavity and smoked in the shell. The shell conceals and retains the smokable material before, during, and after smoking. A method of making a cigarette is also described.

Abstract: A concentric smoking filter in which the peripheral filter medium is a fibrous tow, such as fibrous cellulose acetate tow, and the core filter medium is a web material, such as paper, loaded with carbon particles, is provided. The filter improves the taste, particularly, of "ultra-light" cigarettes.

Abstract: A container for containing an additive material for modifying the characteristics of a smoking article. The container contains at least two components that are movable between a first position and a second position with respect to each other. In the first position the additive material is hermetically sealed inside the container during storage of the smoking article prior to use. The container is activated by moving the components of the container to the second position to provide air flow pathways through the container so that the additive material can modify the smoking article accordingly. The components may have perforations that are covered by cooperating overlapping portions of the components of the container in the first position and uncovered in the second position. Alternately, the container may include a sealed capsule containing the additive that is punctured by moving the components during activation.

Abstract: I disclose a flavor-enhancing smoking filter having at least two zones, including at least one filtering zone and at least one flavor-enhancing zone. The flavor-enhancing zone(s) have a flavorant, have a surface providing for the substantially laminar flow of smoke and permit the passage of none or a minority of the smoke drawn through the filter.

Abstract: An container for containing an additive material for modifying the characteristics of a smoking article. The container contains at least two components that are movable between a first position and a second position with respect to each other. In the first position the additive material is hermetically sealed inside the container during storage of the smoking article prior to use. The container is activated by moving the components of the container to the second position to provide air flow pathways through the container so that the additive material can modify the smoking article accordingly. The components may have perforations that are covered by cooperating overlapping portions of the components of the container in the first position and uncovered in the second position. Alternately, the container may include a sealed capsule containing the additive that is punctured by moving the components during activation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for applying foamed material to tobacco, and for drying and setting the foamed material, particularly in connection with the making of cigarettes. The foamed material may be added to the tobacco, for example, in the paper guide section of a cigarette maker, at the garniture mouth or through the short tongue or through both, or at the chimney. Drying and setting can occur in the chimney, on the vacuum belt, or in the garniture, after the material has been applied to the tobacco filler. Drying can be accomplished, for example, by using heated air or microwave radiation. Addition of material to tobacco filler, during the cigarette making process in the form of a foam, results in a cigarette in which the material added is more uniformly distributed.

Abstract: A container for containing an additive material for modifying the characteristics of a smoking article. The container contains at least two components that are movable between a first position and a second position with respect to each other. In the first position the additive material is hermetically sealed inside the container during storage of the smoking article prior to use. The container is activated by moving the components of the container to the second position to provide air flow pathways through the container so that the additive material can modify the smoking article accordingly. The components may have perforations that are covered by cooperating overlapping portions of the components of the container in the first position and uncovered in the second position. Alternately, the container may include a sealed capsule containing the additive that is punctured by moving the components during activation.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for processing extruded tobacco-containing materials as they are continuously extruded by applying a powdery material to the surface of the extrudate, optionally wiping the coated extruded material in order to smear or embed the powdery materials along and into the surface of the extruded material. The powdery material may be a flavorant or other additive materials modifying the characteristics of the extruded material. The invention is useful particularly for use in processing foamed, extruded materials into smoking articles which can be used with conventional cigarette maker equipment to produce large quantities of foamed, extruded tobacco-containing smoking articles having properties substantially equivalent to those of a conventional cigarette.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for applying foamed material to tobacco, and for drying and setting the foamed material, particularly in connection with the making of cigarettes. The foamed material may be added to the tobacco, for example, in the paper guide section of a cigarette maker, at the garniture mouth or through the short tongue or through both, or at the chimney. Drying and setting can occur in the chimney, on the vacuum belt, or in the garniture, after the material has been applied to the tobacco filler, Drying can be accomplished, for example, by using heated air or microwave radiation. Addition of material to tobacco filler, during the cigarette making process in the form of foam, results in a cigarette in which the material added is more uniformly distributed.

Abstract: A tobacco product characterized by improved void volume and firmness characteristics and a method of making a tobacco product by applying binder material to tobacco filler, treating the filler to the extent necessary to cause the filler to become substantially non-tacky, forming a rod, activating the binder and treating the rod to the extent necessary to cause the filler shreds to become bonded to one another.

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: A method for applying additives to a cigarette filter rod during its formation is disclosed. The additives are applied in the form of a liquid foam, allowing low application rates with uniform distribution. According to the method, it is not necessary to use large amounts of solvents to apply the additives, thereby avoiding overwetting of the filter material.

Abstract: A process for making a cohesive tobacco composition in which tobacco pectins within the tobacco itself serve as the binder by contacting dry tobacco particles with a solution, which contains an agent to destroy the alkaline earth metal cross-links of the tobacco pectins, under a high shear condition. A reconstituted tobacco sheet is made by forming the resulting mixture into a sheet and drying. In one embodiment ammonia and tobacco volatiles contained in vapors from the sheet drying step are recovered and recycled into the solution.

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: A method and apparatus are disclosed for applying foamed material to tobacco, particularly in connection with the making of cigarettes. The foamed material may be added to the tobacco, for example, in the paper guide section of a cigarette maker at the garniture mouth (21) or through the short tongue (30) or through both, or at the chimney (10). Addition of a foamed material to the tobacco, during the cigarette making process, results in a cigarette in which the material added is more uniformly distributed.

Abstract: A process for maximizing reduction of gas phase components during combustion of tobacco products is disclosed. The process comprises contacting tobacco material with an aqueous solution to form a tobacco extract. After separating the extract from the fibrous tobacco portion, the extract is treated to remove potassium nitrate by ion exchange, electrodialysis, crystallization techniques or the like. Thereafter, potassium ions in the form of a potassium salt other than potassium nitrate are restored to the potassium depleted tobacco and/or extract to a level approximating that originally present in the tobacco prior to extractions.

Abstract: A process for increasing and maintaining the filling power of tobacco, in which an effective amount of at least one cross-linking agent is applied to the tobacco and reacted with various components therein. The cross-linking agent may be applied directly or in the form of a solution, and is preferably employed in conjunction with an expansion treatment of the tobacco.