Abstract: An embossing apparatus for applying an embossing pattern to a wrapper for a smoking article, the embossing apparatus configured so as to act to at least partially minimise the reduction, in at least one direction, in the tensile strength of the wrapper resulting from the application of said embossing pattern.

Abstract: A low ignition propensity wrapper comprising a first region and a second region different to the first region, wherein the first region is an embossed region. A low ignition propensity smoking article incorporating the wrapper and an apparatus and a method for forming the wrapper are also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for making smoking articles, smoking articles, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing smoking articles having a reduced ignition propensity. A method of manufacturing a smoking article includes the steps of providing a filter element (40) and at least one rod (30) of smokeable material surrounded by a wrapper, wrapping a section of tipping paper (12A) around the filter element and a portion of the at least one wrapped rod and applying one or more patches (12B1, 12B2) of material to the outer surface of the wrapper. The patches can be arranged to reduce the ignition propensity of the smoking article and are applied to the outside of the wrapper, such that this can occur online during manufacture of the wrapped rod.

Abstract: An apparatus for making an object assembly for use in the manufacture of smoking articles comprises a conveyance path for conveying an elongate member and a delivery mechanism configured to deliver objects onto the elongate member conveyed along the path such that a plurality of rows of objects are formed along the length thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a plurality of smoking articles, comprising providing a wrapping paper having a permeability of less than 15 CU and applying a burn retardant additive material in a predetermined pattern to the wrapping paper. The wrapping paper is wrapped about a tobacco material to form a wrapped rod and the wrapped rod is cut to form the plurality of smoking articles. The invention also relates to a smoking article manufactured by the method, wherein the wrapping paper has a permeability of less than 15 CU in areas without the burn retardant additive and a lower permeability in areas where the additive is applied.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a smoking article, the smoking article having a rod of smoke able material (15) and a cylindrically wrapped layer of sheet material, comprises a holder (3) for holding sheet material, an embossing unit (8) configured to emboss sheet material drawn from the holder and an assembling station (14) for assembling the smoking article, configured to receive embossed sheet material from the embossing unit and to wrap the embossed sheet material at least partially around a part of the smoking article.

Abstract: A method of forming tobacco rods comprises providing an endless bead of tobacco, creating regularly spaced apart gaps (14) with no tobacco along the length of the bead, wrapping the bead in an endless length of paper wrapper (16), and cutting through the paper wrapper where it overlays the gaps in order to divide the wrapped bead into individual tobacco rods. The gaps may be created using an ecreteur with trimmer discs configured to trim away the full width of the tobacco rod (10), or by using a rotating screw thread extending into the tobacco.

Abstract: A method of making a smoking article comprises providing a folly or partially fabricated smoking article comprising at least a tobacco rod of tobacco wrapped in cigarette paper; adhering a foldable paper to the cigarette paper such that the foldable paper encircles the tobacco rod and overhangs the cigarette paper at an end of the tobacco rod that is intended to be lit; and folding the overhanging foldable paper to substantially cover the tobacco at the end of the tobacco rod. Various techniques can be employed to apply different lengths of foldable paper to the tobacco rod and to achieve different folding patterns. The folded paper may be inverted by pressing inwardly with a pin or rod after folding to produce a more permanent fold.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides apparatus for manufacturing a smoking article. The apparatus includes an ecreteur having at least one trimming disk configured to trim a tobacco rod for a smoking article to have at least one end region of increased tobacco density. The at least one trimming disk is further configured to trim a body region of the tobacco rod such that the body region has a variable tobacco mass per unit length, where the body region is distinct from said at least one end region of increased density.