Abstract: The invention relates to a suction belt for transporting tobacco and/or filter material in the production of cigarettes. The suction belt has a flat belt material that is formed into a ring and has a plurality of openings that are disposed so as to be distributed across the surface of the belt material. The suction belt is characterized in that at least 75% of all openings have an available extent of 0.3 mm or less.

Abstract: A smoking article includes a tobacco column, a binder surrounding the tobacco column, a first wrapper surrounding the binder, and at least one additional removable wrapper which surrounds the first wrapper and is removably secured to a wrapper beneath the additional removable wrapper. Packaging for a smoking article involves a supportive tube surrounding the smoking article and sealed in a package, where the package is made from a front and a rear sheet sealed together to form a sealed envelope.

Abstract: Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an off-line manner to a continuous paper sheet web that is later used for cigarette manufacture. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an on-line manner to continuous paper web moving through an operating cigarette making machine. The coating formulation is applied to the paper web using roll applicator techniques, ink jet printing techniques or electrostatic precipitation techniques. Liquid coating formulation are curable, and are virtually absent of solvent or liquid carrier. Radiation, such as ultraviolet or electron beam radiation, is used to solidify and fix polymerizable liquid components of the coating formulation that have been applied to the paper web.

Abstract: Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive materials, which can have the forms of liquid or paste formulations, can be applied to the paper web using application apparatus possessing rollers. One of those rollers can have a series of pockets in its roll face to receive additive formulation from a reservoir and to define the pattern of the formulation on the paper. A radiant dryer can be used to dry the additive material that has been applied to the paper web. The radiant dryer can be located on one component of a two component assembly that is used to manufacture cigarettes. Spectrometric techniques can be used to ensure proper registration of the additive material on the cigarette rods so manufactured, and to ensure proper quality of those cigarettes.

Abstract: Cigarettes can be manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes can possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive materials can have the forms of liquid or paste formulations. The formulation can be applied to the paper web using application apparatus possessing rollers. A radiant dryer can be used to dry the additive material applied to the paper web. Such a system provides a source of paper web, applies additive material to that web in a pattern, dries the paper web, and winds the treated paper web on to a bobbin. That bobbin can be later used to provide a source of paper web on a cigarette making machine, which unrolls that bobbin, receives the treated paper web from that bobbin, supplies tobacco filler and manufactures a cigarette rod from the paper web and tobacco filler.

Abstract: Cigarettes manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus can possess smokable rods having additive materials applied to paper wrapping materials as patterns. The additive materials can be applied to a continuous paper web using rollers.) One of those rollers can have a series of pockets in its roll face to receive additive formulation from a reservoir and to define the pattern of the formulation on the paper. The additive material in the recessed pockets of a first roller can be transferred in a controlled manner to a second roller and from the second roller to desired locations on the paper web. The additive material can also be applied to a transfer roller, transferred from the transfer roller to pick-up roller, transferred from the pick-up roller to an application roller, and transferred to the paper web that passes between the application roller and a back-up roller.

Abstract: Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive materials, are applied to a continuous paper web on the cigarette making apparatus. The formulation can be applied to the paper web using application apparatus possessing rollers, and one of those rollers has a series of pockets in its roll face to receive additive formulation from a reservoir and to define the pattern of the formulation on the paper. The automated cigarette making apparatus can comprise multiple components. A first component of the assembly provides a source of paper web, applies additive material to that web in a pattern and dries the paper web; while a second component receives the paper web, supplies tobacco filler and manufactures a cigarette rod from the paper web and tobacco filler.

Abstract: Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive materials, which can have the forms of liquid or paste formulations, can be applied to the paper web using application apparatus possessing rollers. One of those rollers can have a series of pockets in its roll face to receive additive formulation from a reservoir and to define the pattern of the formulation on the paper. A radiant dryer can be used to dry the additive material that has been applied to the paper web. The radiant dryer can be located on one component of a two component assembly that is used to manufacture cigarettes. Spectrometric techniques can be used to ensure proper registration of the additive material on the cigarette rods so manufactured, and to ensure proper quality of those cigarettes.

Abstract: Cigarettes manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus can possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied as patterns. The additive materials, which can have the forms of liquid or paste formulations, are applied to a continuous paper web. The formulation can be applied to the paper web using application apparatus possessing rollers. One of those rollers can have a series of pockets in its roll face to receive additive formulation from a reservoir and to define the pattern of the formulation on the paper. A radiant dryer can be used to dry the additive material applied to the paper web. The radiant dryer can be located on one component of a two component assembly used to manufacture cigarettes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a smoking article having a reduced ignition propensity by reason of one or more cross-directional bands of an adhesive applied to the paper wrapper of the smoking article. The adhesive may be one of a cigarette seam adhesive, a filter plug wrap adhesive or a tipping paper adhesive conventionally used in the manufacture of cigarettes. A cigarette maker is modified to include the adhesive applicator apparatus of the invention which applies the adhesive bands to the paper wrapper in an in line process.

Abstract: A cigarette making machine for manufacturing of a cigarette with burn rate modification is described. The cigarette maker allows for mounting of a special bobbin of material which is different in size and width of a normal wrapper bobbin and feeds both the outer wrap web of material and narrower inner wrap web of material to the garniture. A slitting device may be utilized to cut the inner wrap web of material into a plurality of individual strips which are placed adjacent the outer wrap web of material in the garniture area of the maker. The inner wrap web of material may derive from a transverse wound bobbin in order to store large linear amounts of inner wrap web material.

Abstract: A tip paper predrying apparatus attached to a filter attachment includes an infrared lamp unit (16) located in the middle of a transfer path for a tip paper (P). After paste is applied to one surface of the tip paper in a paste applicator section (2), the pasted surface of the tip paper is irradiated with infrared rays from the infrared lamp unit before the tip paper is cut into individual tip paper pieces in a cutter section (4), whereby the tip paper is predried without any special contact with a heat source.

Abstract: In a method of feeding wrapper material, typically as utilized by machines for the manufacture of tobacco products, a first and a second strip presenting two longitudinal side edges and of dissimilar transverse dimensions are advanced along respective predetermined first feed lines, positioned one relative to another in a direction transverse to the respective first feed lines in such a way as to bring about their alignment along one longitudinal edge and finally joined face to face before advancing together along a predetermined common feed line toward a machine unit.

Abstract: A method and machine whereby at least two strips of paper, after being supplied with respective continuous layers of shredded tobacco, are fed along a forming beam by respective conveyor belts which are deformed transversely to gradually wind the respective strips about the respective layers and so form respective tubular wrappings, each presenting a respective longitudinal lateral appendix, an inner lateral portion of which is gummed by a respective gumming device and then brought into contact with an outer surface of the respective tubular wrapping to form a respective continuous cigarette rod; the inner lateral portions of the appendixes all facing the same way, and being gummed at an intermediate point of the forming beam.

Abstract: A method and machine whereby at least two strips of paper, after being supplied with respective continuous layers of shredded tobacco, are fed along a forming beam by respective conveyor belts which are deformed transversely to gradually wind the respective strips about the respective layers and so form respective tubular wrappings, each presenting a respective longitudinal lateral appendix, an inner lateral portion of which is gummed by a respective gumming disk and then brought into contact with an outer surface of the respective tubular wrapping to form a respective continuous cigarette rod; the inner lateral portions being gummed at an intermediate point of the forming beam. The gumming apparatus is located to one side of the forming beam, thereby leaving the other side accessible.

Abstract: A method and apparatus, which are utilized in cigarette making machinery, for applying starch paste for sealing the edges of cigarette paper includes a pencil paster nozzle, means for supplying starch paste under pressure, and a high precision metering pump for regulating the flow of paste to the nozzle. The metering pump operates as a function of line speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for laminating at least two strips of strip material and forming the laminate into lightweight, thin-walled tubular members that may be used in the construction of non-combustion smoking articles.

Abstract: In a device ensuring safety and protection around the unit by which a cigarette rod is dried and sealed in cigarette manufacturing machinery, a hinged guard is positioned alongside the area of the machine where the heat plate of the drying and sealing unit moves and operates; the guard is capable of movement between a shut position denying access to the operating area and a position whereby access is afforded to the area. A microswitch senses when the guard is in the shut position, denying access to the operating area, and relays an enabling signal to the control valve piloting the cylinder by which the heat plate is lowered, only when the guard is in this same safe position.

Abstract: The plug wrap paper used to form cigarette filters is bonded using a specific class of low viscosity reactive urethane hot melt adhesive compositions which provide a fast setting, temperature resistant bond that is not attacked by aromatic oils solvents or petrochemical vapors.

Abstract: The trailing end (5) of a strip of paper (8) which was wound on a first reel (3) is immobilized by means of suction devices (16, 17, 18) relative to a counterplate (19). The trailing end is severed by means of a cutter (29), the rear portion being discarded by blowing. The leading end of the new strip of paper (11) is then positioned between a punch (20) and the counterplate, immobilized by means of a suction device (18), and joined to the trailing end by interpenetration, brought about by the punch, of the material of two superposed joining areas.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein a garniture tape transports a web of cigarette paper and a stream of tobacco particles through a wrapping mechanism has a device which monitors the position of the tape in the wrapping mechanism and adjusts a pulley for the tape when the position of the tape relative to the adhesive applicator is unsatisfactory. The applicator delivers a film of adhesive against one marginal portion of the web on the tape before the web is converted into a tube which confines the particles of tobacco. The adjustments of the pulley are carried out with a view to move the tape sideways so as to maintain a predetermined part of the one marginal portion of the web in a position to receive the adhesive.

Abstract: A dynamic circumference gage (70) has a spring which maintains contact with moving cigarette rod (74). Strain gages mounted on opposite faces of the spring indicate changes in the circumference of moving cigarette rod (74). Changes in cigarette rod (74) circumference, as indicated by dynamic circumference gage (70), may be used to make adjustments in folder (42) or short tongue (30) to return cigarette rod (74) circumference to within acceptable limits. A second dynamic circumference gage (80) may be located ninety degrees from dynamic circumference gage (70) to provide accurate circumference measurements for out of round cigarettes.

Abstract: A machine for simultaneously producing two continuous cigarette rods, in which two different units cooperate with each other to form the above two cigarette rods, the first of said units forming two equal strips of paper starting from a single continuous web, and the second of said units forming two substantially uniform and equal fillers of shredded tobacco starting from a single inlet hopper.

Abstract: Improvements relating to composite filter rods, for producing composite filters for attachment to cigarettes, are obtained by partially enclosing a stream of spaced filter portions in a continuous wrapper so that pockets between the filter portions for receiving granular filter material are particularly well-defined. The material is introduced into the pockets through a relatively narrow opening defined on one side by the free edge of one side of the wrapper and on the other side by a longitudinal fold line in the wrapper. After filling, the part of the wrapper beyond the fold line is sealed over to complete the rod.

Abstract: The object of the invention is a wrapping process for cigars with natural tobacco through stamping of a wrapping surface with a pre-manufactured tobacco core and total wrapping of said tobacco core by said surface, a process in which before the stamping operation, the wrapping surface is maintained on its two areas in the vicinity of its longitudinal edges so that they are stretched during the stamping operation.

Abstract: Russian cigarettes are produced by an in-line system whereby tobacco sections are inserted between spaced tube portions. The tube portions may be fed as preformed tubes or as blanks in the form of flat strips or reverse folded strips for forming into tubes in a garniture. Russian cigarettes produced by this system are believed to have more uniform draw characteristics than conventional Russian cigarettes. Also disclosed is a method of producing Russian cigarettes having separate inner and outer tubes in which tobacco sections and pairs of inner tubes are intercalated on composite web sections, each of which comprise a central tobacco wrapper joined at each end to card sections for forming outer tubes. By precutting the composite web a continuous rod cut-off is avoided.