Abstract: A conveyor for conveying strands of aerosol-generating material is disclosed. The conveyor comprises a conveying surface, comprising a plurality of openings, on which the strands of aerosol-generating material are conveyed, and an air flow generator for generating a flow of air through the plurality of openings in the conveying surface to provide an air cushion between the conveying surface and the strands of aerosol-generating material. Apparatus for producing a rod of aerosol-generating material comprising a slitting unit arranged to slit a web of aerosol-generating material into a plurality of strands of aerosol-generating material that are received by the conveyor is also disclosed, as well as a method of conveying strands of aerosol-generating material.

Abstract: A machine for preparing a smokeable product, the machine comprising a housing, a capsule receiving compartment within the housing, the capsule receiving compartment configured to receive a capsule used to prepare the smokeable product, a rolling medium holder movably coupled to the housing, the rolling medium holder configured to receive at least one rolling medium and move between an open position for receiving the rolling medium, and a closed position for forming the smokeable product, and a tamper coupled to the housing and configured to puncture the capsule to permit and facilitate movement of smokeable material from the capsule into a rolling medium.

Abstract: Cigarette rolling and forming devices include parallel cylinders extending between a pair of support plates, and a looped belt trained therearound. One cylinder is moveable relative to the other for alternately receiving and compressing loose tobacco into a tobacco rod with the belt. In some devices, a pair of slots allows movement of the cylinder, and guard plates are disposed to prevent tobacco from the belt from entering the slots. Some devices include two pairs of slots and two moveable cylinders. Some devices include a support trough disposed to prevent sections of the belt from contacting each other. Some devices include a folding device configured to engage and fold the edge of a piece of paper received between the cylinders and rolled around the tobacco rod. Some devices include a nozzle to retain a pre-formed tube and a pushing device adapted to push a formed tobacco rod into the tube.

Abstract: A braking apparatus and a sensing apparatus for locating the position of and for positioning a filling tube holder. The apparatus comprises a movable filling tube holder capable of holding a plurality of filling tubes and a filling tube having a first end, a second end, an inside diameter, and an outside diameter disposed in said filling tube holder. A braking body having a contact portion communicates with the filling tube holder and provides a resistance to the movement of the filling tube holder. Also disclosed is a sensing apparatus that determines the position of a filling tube holder.

Abstract: In a cigarette manufacturing machine, a device for compressing and molding a filler stream includes a tongue, which defines a part of a compression-molding passage. The filler stream passes the compression-molding passage. The device further includes an ultrasonic vibration system for vibrating the tongue. The tongue functions as a horn of the ultrasonic vibration system.

Abstract: A low-density filler material for cigarettes from either a low-density tobacco composition or an extruded grain or starch composition. The low-density tobacco composition and a method of making the low-density tobacco composition by extruding a mixture of tobacco and flour or tobacco and starch under conditions whereby the solvent in the extruded mixture flashes into vapor upon release from the extrusion head. The low-density tobacco composition is formed without the aid of an added binder. The low-density flour or starch material and a method of making it by extruding flour or starch with a filler material such as calcium carbonate under conditions whereby the solvent in the extruded mixture flashes into vapor upon extrusion through the orifice die. The extruded composition can then be cut and used in place of cut tobacco filler.

Abstract: Cigarettes which heat but do not burn tobacco are described, preferably having a carbonaceous fuel element extruded around a physically separate aerosol generating means, comprising an aerosol forming material. These cigarettes are capable of producing substantial quantities of aerosol, both initially and over the useful life of the article, without significant thermal degradation of the aerosol former and without the presence of substantial pyrolysis or incomplete combustion products. Preferably, a barrier member is provided to substantially prevent fluid flow between the aerosol generating means and the fuel element. The barrier member is disposable as the cigarette burns back.Also described are embodiments wherein the aerosol generating means encircles at least a portion of the extruded fuel element.In addition, apparatus and method for making smoking articles are described.

Abstract: Apparatus is described for inserting a component comprising an elongate cartridge containing an aerosol forming material, at one end of which there is a fuel element, within a jacket component comprising a rod, a sleeve of insulating material, or a combination thereof, the apparatus preferably providing for forming a passage in the jacket component and inserting the elongate cartridge therein. Preferably, the apparatus comprises a plurality of movably mounted stations for high speed manufacture of smoking articles.

Abstract: Smoking article rod is made by extruding a tobacco/binder mixture, with the addition of water, to provide a rod form extrudate, under conditions such that the extrudate is of a cross-section greater than that of the die orifice. The extrudate is drawn down by, for example, passing the extrudate about two driven and peripherally grooved draw down drums.

Abstract: A method for producing a tobacco-containing rod from tobacco materials is disclosed. The method comprises shredding tobacco material, mixing a binder with the shredded tobacco material, activating the binder and forming a tobacco-containing rod. The binder may be hydroscopic and the tobacco material may include expanded tobacco.

Abstract: A method for making a smoking article is described wherein an aerosol generating cartridge is inserted into a sleeve, preferably having a tobacco insulating material.Also described are articles of manufacture having an elongate jacket module with a rod segment and an annular segment. The rod segment has a length of rod of fibrous material. Disposed logitudinally on either side of the rod segment is an annular segment of insulating material.Additionally, articles of manufacture useful for making smoking articles are described having an elongate structure with two or more repeating sections wherein each section preferably has a tobacco-containing spacer segment and mouthend segment.

Abstract: It has not been possible hitherto to equip outer wrappings (10) for (tobacco) bagpacks of the twistbag type (11) with a tear-open thread or strip (15). The present wrapping (10) is provided with a tear-open strip (15) extending transversely relative to the longitudinal extension of the twisting (11). A longitudinal edge strip (17) with a longitudinal welding seam (18) is folded round against a wrapping wall (19,20) and fixed at the ends by transverse welding seams (21,22). A process and apparatus for producing such a twistbag.

Abstract: A tobacco product characterized by improved void volume and firmness characteristics and a method of making a tobacco product by applying binder material to tobacco filler, treating the filler to the extent necessary to cause the filler to become substantially non-tacky, forming a rod, activating the binder and treating the rod to the extent necessary to cause the filler shreds to become bonded to one another.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for forming a composite member for use in making a smoking article. The apparatus comprises a forming device that comprises (a) an elongate structure having a curved inner surface that tapers from a larger proximal end to a smaller distal end, the proximal end of the structure being adapted to receive a support member and a layer of material which are fed simultaneously into the device, the tapering inward curved inner surface causing the edges of the fibrous layer to bend around the inner support member, and (b) a curved forming surface that causes a first edge of the material to fold over the support member while permitting the second edge to pass by the forming surface, the curved inner surface of the device further tapering to the distal end causing the second edge of the material to fold over the support member proximate to the first edge.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a smokeable cigarette from a preformed inherently unsmokeable rod of tobacco and a separate sheet of cigarette paper provided with a strip of contact adhesive comprises an open-ended smooth bore resilient tube provided with a longitudinal slit defined by a pair of lips one of which is radially further spaced from the axis of the tube than is the other lip and is tangential to the circumference of the tube. In operation, the rod is inserted axially into the tube, the paper is then inserted into the slit and the rod rotated so as to wind the paper onto the rod. The user squeezes the tube so as to control the friction between the rod and the sheet. The sheet finally adheres to itself by means of the strip of adhesive. The invention also includes a booklet of cigarette papers which are mounted on the backing card by strips of contact adhesive. On removing a sheet from the card the strip of adhesive remains attached to the sheet.

Abstract: An extruded, coherent, multistrand, tobacco-containing, generally cylindrical smoking article and a process for making it are disclosed. The smoking article contains a plurality of strands that are adhered to one another so as to form passageways between the strands, the passageways extending generally along the longitude of the smoking article. The configuration of the strands and passageways provides sufficient heat transfer area and/or residence time for the smoke drawn by a smoker to cool to an acceptable level.

Abstract: A tobacco stream which is formed at the upper side of one elongated reach of a foraminous endless belt conveyor opposite a suction chamber is inverted upside down by a twisted intermediate portion of the elongated reach so that it adheres to the underside of such reach by suction before it is transferred onto a web of cigarette paper. The elongated reach of the foraminous conveyor is guided in the groove of an elongated channel which has a flat surface upstream, a twisted surface adjacent to and a flat surface downstream of the intermediate portion of the elongated reach, and such surfaces are formed with suction ports to attract the tobacco stream to the elongated reach.

Abstract: A blend of dark-fired and one-sucker tobacco and a cased cigar type tobacco are cut to obtain a shredded product. After the addition of water and a binder, the resultant mixture is heated, dried and then pelletized into individual discrete pellets. Various additives can be added prior to or during pelletizing. The pellets are sized to give the user the desired taste and flavor of a conventional smokeless tobacco.

Abstract: A substantially cylindrical foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing smoking article is provided which has properties substantially equivalent to those of a conventional cigarette and which contains from about 5 to about 98 wt. % of tobacco particles having a particle size of up to about 5 mesh, from 0 to about 60 wt. % of a filler having a particle size of up to about 350 .mu.m mesh, from about 2 to about 40 wt. % of a cellulosic binder selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, and mixtures thereof, and from about 5 to about 20 wt. % water. The article has a density within the range of from about 0.05 to about 1.5 g/cc.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for modifying the peripheral conformation of a cigarette, which has an external, heat deformable, wrapper comprising a proportion of thermoplastic fibers or filaments. The method comprises the application of heat to the wrapper. Heat is applied by a heat forming means moved relatively and in contact with the cigarette, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette.

Abstract: Smoking articles comprising a high density, relatively low porosity coherent mass of combustible tobacco-containing material having at least one passage extending therethrough are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the smoking article is a cylinder having at least one passage axially therethrough. The smoking article may further comprise a plug of ignitable material in passage blocking position at one end of the passage, said plug being such as to permit puff induced air flow therethrough. At least one additional plug may be similarly disposed at the opposite end of the passage or at an intermediate point in the passage. By adjusting the density, the surface area and/or the porosity of the mass available for combustion, the per puff delivery of tar by the smoking article upon combustion may be controlled.

Abstract: A method of making smoking articles wherein a combustible tobacco material is mixed with one or more other ingredients including a liquid, the mixture being subjected to further processing to produce a shaped coherent mass having a through passage. Shaping is effected by application of pressure to the mixture to form the coherent mass, and is followed by drying of same, the mixture composition being selected and the shaping pressure and drying being controlled to impart to the shaped mass a porosity and density such as to substantially occlude gas flow therethrough and a porosity sufficient to support combustion of the shaped mass when ignited.

Abstract: In the production of cheroots and similar tobacco articles with a wrapper made from natural tobacco relieved of central rib portions but containing portions of side ribs, the said ribs are flattened solely in the end flap of the wrapper.

Abstract: A portable cigarette making machine which has a horizontal conveyor belt adapted to support a continuous strip of cigarette paper, paper forming means which engage the conveyor belt and cause it to fold the cigarette paper into a concave trough, a conveyor feed adapted to feed tobacco vertically into the cigarette paper trough, a rotary compactor adapted to roll the tobacco into a generally cylindrical rod in said cigarette paper trough, an adhesive applicator engaging one side edge of the cigarette paper, a final paper forming means which engages the conveyor belt and causes it to fold the cigarette paper around the tobacco rod to form a cigarette rod, and cut-off means for cutting the cigarette rod into cigarette lengths.