Abstract: Self-made cigarettes, i.e. tobacco products that are supplied in unsmokable condition in the form of a tobacco-bearing component (12) comprising a tobacco rod (14) attached to a porous filter (16) at least part of the surface of which is highly permeable, and an impervious tubular band (10) carried on the component and slidable along it to cover the permeable region. The tubular band can be applied by compressing the tobacco-bearing component to enable the preformed tubular band to be slid onto it. Tubular bands (10) are automatically assembled onto tobacco bearing components by an apparatus that includes a rotary drum (30) around the periphery of which are distributed sets of assembly tools (62) each of which sets comprises a pair of opposed rods (90, 106) which are employed to Introduce the tubular band and the tobacco bearing component into opposite ends of an assembly cylinder (44) wherein the band is slid onto the tobacco component, the assembled product subsequently being ejected.

Abstract: A non-smokable tobacco product comprises a rod-shaped element of cigarette tobacco with a filter element at one end and both enclosed by a tubular wrapper. The product is rendered unsmokable by a perforation extending through the wrapper of the tobacco or the filter element so that when air is drawn through the filter substantially all of the air enters through those perforations, there being insufficient air flow through the tip end to propagate normal cigarette combustion of the tobacco at that location or to permit any appreciable amount of smoke reaching the smoker's mouth. The product is rendered smokable by the user covering the perforated region of the wrapper by means of a strip, a sliding band, or a ring which blocks air flow through the perforations and thus converts the product into a self-made cigarette that can be smoked in the manner of a regular cigarette.