Abstract: A practice for controlling cigarette rod firmness in a cigarette maker wherein a detected cigarette rod firmness signal is corrected for firmness variations resulting from changes in rod moisture relative to a preselected or target moisture via a suitably processed detected moisture signal and the corrected firmness signal is compared with a preselected or target firmness to derive an error signal for tobacco content control.

Abstract: The present invention relates to brown cigarette paper having reduced gas phase constituents during pyrolysis wherein the paper which has been stained with humic acid or salts thereof is further treated by washing with water in an amount effective to reduce the amount of water-soluble alkali metal salts present in the paper.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting materials to, from and through the cavity of a microwave unit is disclosed, said apparatus embodying microwave energy cut-off means which is effective to prevent any undue microwave leakage from escaping therethrough. The apparatus in one form comprises a transporter unit which includes an endless transporter belt means disposed in a housing connected to the microwave unit, the transporter belt means feeding the material being treated onto and receiving treated material from a further conveyor unit within the microwave unit, the belt means traversing tunnels in the housing which function as cut-off tubes to prevent microwave leakage from the cavity of the microwave unit, the tunnels having a cross-sectional configuration and length such as to provide for the desired degree of power attenuation. For example, for a microwave unit operating at 2450 MHz the tunnels can be square and have a maximum or longest side dimension of about 1.7 inches and a length of about 10 inches.

Abstract: There is disclosed a shield structure for utilization around the door seal of a microwave oven to deflect any microwave energy radiation leakage rearwardly of the unit so as to eliminate exposure hazard to a person using the oven.