Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes includes a housing, a mandrel extending from the housing, and a movable member operably coupled to the housing and adapted to carry a first cigarette tube. The movable member is movable, relative to each of the housing and the mandrel, in a first direction and a second direction that is opposite the first direction. In another aspect, a method of manufacturing cigarettes includes loading a first cigarette tube on a mandrel, holding the first cigarette tube on the mandrel, and inserting a push rod and a carrot of pre-cut tobacco leaves into the first cigarette tube, the carrot of pre-cut tobacco leaves having a generally cylindrical shape. An offset distance is defined between the first cigarette tube and the mandrel after the push rod and the carrot of pre-cut tobacco leaves are inserted into the first cigarette tube.

Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes includes a housing, a mandrel extending from the housing, and a movable member operably coupled to the housing and adapted to carry a first cigarette tube. The movable member is movable, relative to each of the housing and the mandrel, in a first direction and a second direction that is opposite the first direction. In another aspect, a method of manufacturing cigarettes includes loading a first cigarette tube on a mandrel, holding the first cigarette tube on the mandrel, and inserting a push rod and a carrot of pre-cut tobacco leaves into the first cigarette tube, the carrot of pre-cut tobacco leaves having a generally cylindrical shape. An offset distance is defined between the first cigarette tube and the mandrel after the push rod and the carrot of pre-cut tobacco leaves are inserted into the first cigarette tube.

Abstract: A traditional do-it-yourself cigarette making machine operates at a relatively slow throughput There is provided a method and apparatus for rolling your own cigarettes wherein pre-cut tobacco of a desired humidity is molded in a mold (74, 80) to form a tobacco plug (79), subsequently the plug is advanced into a cylindrical shell (98), the empty cigarette tube (94) is then placed about the shell (98) and the cigarette tube is expelled leaving a complete cigarette The apparatus is ideally placed in a retail outlet where a person may go in and purchase the tobacco and cigarette tubes and insert them in an apparatus to roll the cigarettes.

Abstract: A barbecue kit comprising a bowl having a base and side walls, the base having a central planar portion and a plurality of downwardly sloping portions between the planar central portion and the walls, a plurality of apertures in the base, a support assembly including a manifold connected to a plurality of hollow support arms and a fan associated with the manifold to blow air through the hollow support arms to the interior of the bowl.

Abstract: There are provided improvement in a system for handling components which have a stem and a head at one end thereof (such as rivets) and in particular an orienting device for rivets having a relatively short stem wherein the orienting device comprises a base having at least at a pair of co-axial grooves formed for handling different size components, a first one of the grooves having a generally U-shaped outline with a base and a first pair of arcuate walls extending upwardly therefrom, a second one of the grooves being at least partially defined by a second pair of arcuate walls extending upwardly and outwardly from a terminating point of the first pair of opposed walls, the grooves having at least one step formed therein.