Abstract: A cigarette making machine has an arrangement for showering tobacco A (a high-taste tobacco) on to a first conveyor carrying outward projections defining the ends of portions of tobacco A which are then transferred at spaced intervals to a second conveyor arranged thereafter to receive a layer of tobacco B (a low-tar tobacco or substitute) filling the spaces between the portions of tobacco A and extending over those portions. The machine includes a trimming device for removing excess tobacco B to form a cigarette filler stream ready for enclosing in a paper wrapper to form a continuous rod. This allows the manufacture of "light" cigarettes of which the first few puffs have an enhanced taste as a result of the tobacco A at the lit end.

Abstract: Apparatus for making ventilated cigarettes, includes a first perforator which is not readily susceptible to control and is arranged to perforate the tipping paper by which cigarettes are joined to filter portions, or to perforate the completed filter cigarettes. A controllable perforator is arranged to form additional perforations in the tipping paper prior to assembly of the filter cigarettes; and a control circuit is arranged to control the controllable perforator in response to a porosity measuring device and/or in response to a cigarette dilution testing device.

Abstract: Cigarettes are made by forming a basic filler stream comprising particles of tobacco or artificial tobacco or a combination of both, folding around the basic filler stream a web of reconstituted tobacco, and enclosing the resulting combination in a continuous paper wrapper to form a continuous cigarette rod which is then cut into predetermined lengths.The web may be continuous or may be in an expanded form as described in British Patent Specification No. 1531463.