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.

Abstract: An asymmetrical trimmer disk/paddle wheel apparatus for trimming tobacco from a stream or braid of cut tobacco in a cigarette maker comprises a pair of counter rotating disks with a plurality of pockets arranged to coact with one another to trim off excess tobacco and create densified regions at the filter and lit ends of a cigarette rod product made in the maker. The pockets are constructed with different widths and depths to provide densified regions of different densities and lengths at the filter and lit ends of the cigarette rod product. The cigarette rod product formed by the asymmetrical trimmer disk/paddle wheel apparatus has an improved density profile that minimizes rejects at maker speeds up to about 8000 rods/minute.

Abstract: Cigarettes with composite fillers wherein the mouthpiece consists of first tobacco shreds having a low nicotine content and the major portion of the filler consists of second shreds having a higher nicotine content are manufactured by showering second shreds onto a narrow band conveyor to form a continuous stream, by depositing batches of first shreds on the band conveyor at regular intervals so that the batches overlie the adjacent portions of the first stream or vice versa, by trimming the thus obtained composite stream so as to remove second shreds in the region of the batches whereby the resulting filler contains batches of first shreds alternating with filler portions consisting of second shreds, wrapping the filler into a web of cigarette paper, and severing the resulting rod across or adjacent to the batches.