Abstract: A new substrate for cigarettes includes an overwrapped rod of gathered cellulose-based paper having an outer diameter of from about 4 mm to about 8 mm; wherein the paper has a basis weight in the range of about 10 g/m.sup.2 to about 90 g/m.sup.2 ; and the paper can include up to about 50 weight percent of one or more burn retardant hydrated salts. The substrate typically comprises an overwrapped rod of a gathered web of a nonwoven cellulosic material, having a length of about 10 mm; wherein the dry unit weight of the substrate rod is from about 20 mg to about 120 mg; and wherein the web of cellulosic material is embossed or scored prior to gathering, thereby providing a substrate rod with a pressure drop of from about 2 to about 40 mm of H.sub.2 O, under FTC conditions.

Abstract: A continuous rod-like filler of tobacco or filter material for tobacco smoke and a continuous web of cigarette paper or other wrapping material are advanced at a plurality of different speeds toward and into a wrapping mechanism wherein the web is draped around the filler to form therewith a continuous tobacco rod or filter rod wherein the marginal portions of the draped web overlie each other to form an elongated seam. One marginal portion of the advancing web is coated by an adjustable paster with a variable quantity of adhesive which bonds the overlying marginal portions of the draped web to each other. The quantity of applied adhesive is varied in dependency upon the speed of advancement of the web in such a way that the quantity of applied adhesive is increased when the speed of the web is reduced and that the quantity of applied adhesive is decreased in response to increasing speed of the web. Such quantity can remain constant when the speed of the web reaches a nominal value.

Abstract: An apparatus for making smokable rods having smokable material contained in first and second wrapping materials, the first wrapping circumscribing the smokable material and the second wrapping material circumscribing and overwrapping the first wrapping material is provided. The apparatus includes a garniture means including a movable belt which travels along a predetermined path; a first bobbin for supplying a first wrapping material onto the movable belt of the garniture so as to travel along the path of the movable belt; and a second bobbin for supplying a second wrapping material onto the first wrapping material on the movable belt so as to travel along the path of the movable belt.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making or filter rod making machine wherein the wrapping mechanism employs an endless garniture belt having an upper reach which advances first along an upwardly sloping and thereupon along a horizontal portion of an endless path. A web of wrapping material is delivered onto the upwardly sloping portion of the upper reach, and such web is thereupon converted into a tube which is draped around a rod-like filler of fibrous material. The filler is delivered by the horizontal and/or upwardly sloping lower reach of a foraminous endless belt conveyor in such a way that is reaches the web substantially at the locus between the upwardly sloping and horizontal portions of the upper reach of the garniture belt.

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: A cigarette filter has a substantially cylindrical inner member of filter material surrounded by an outer member of filter material and a plugwrap. The density of the inner and outer members are typically different, and a flavorant is added to at least one of the members. Methods and apparatus for making the filter are also disclosed.

Abstract: The lower-quality leader of a filter rod or cigarette rod is deflected from the path leading from the rod making station to the subdividing station before the rod is severed behind the leader so that the next-following high-quality portion of the rod is free to advance to the subdividing station. The apparatus for separating the leader has a rotary knife which rotates within a guard. The guard carries a U-shaped deflecting unit for the leader and is pivotable with the motor for the knife to and from an operative position in which the leader is deflected and the knife can sever the rod behind the deflected leader. The apparatus further employs a back support which is pivoted against the rod opposite the guard to prop the rod during separation of the leader.

Abstract: Tobacco containing cigarette filter plugs comprise strands of tobacco material which are bound with an activated binding agent. The filter plugs exhibit good firmnless and integrity, and provide cigarettes exhibiting a unique tobacco taste. Filter plugs are prepared by forming an intimate admixture of tobacco material and binding agent, forming rods and activating the binding agent.

Abstract: Cigarette filter rods having individual pellets positioned at predetermined intervals therein are prepared by cutting a strand of plasticized material into pellets which are then inserted into a web of filter tow. A wheel having a series of grooves is rotated within a rim-like housing, and introduction of a plasticized flavor-containing strand into each groove results in a cutting of the strand into pellets of the desired size. Each pellet is positioned within the moving web of tow. The web filter material and the pellets positioned within the web are introduced into a rod-making unit wherein the rod is formed. The rate of feed of the strand, the rate of feed of the filter tow, the rate of rotation of the grooved wheel and the rate of pellet formation are controlled relative to one another such that pellets of well controlled size are positioned at predetermined intervals along the rod. Cigarette filter elements having well controlled amounts of flavorant contained therein can be made from the rods.

Abstract: A system for monitoring each of multiplicity of variables in the operation of a filter rod making machine includes sensors located at various points on the machine. These sensors measure the value of such variable parameters as the width of the tow, the alignment of the wrapping paper, the speed of the rollers and the level of plasticizer. Each measured value is compared against preset limit values in a microprocessor. If a variable is detected to be outside a range of acceptable values, an indication of this fact is displayed on a monitor. In response to this indication, an operator can decide whether to override the limit value or take corrective action. If corrective action is to be taken, the microprocessor causes a diagnostic chart to be displayed. This chart provides the operator with a sequence of troubleshooting steps that can be taken to isolate the source of a possible problem and perhaps correct it before there is a need to arrest the operation of the machine.

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 filter for a cigarette includes a porous filter rod circumscribed by an air impermeable wrapper and ventilation grooves embedded in the wrapped filter rod which extend from one end of the filter rod a preselected distance generally longitudinally thereof. A plurality of ventilation air flow apertures are formed through the wrapper. Some of the air flow apertures are located in the grooves and others of the air flow apertures are formed in the area of the wrapper outside of the grooves. An air impermeable tipping material circumscribes the wrapped filter rod. The tipping material is formed with a plurality of ventilation air flow apertures therethrough such that each ventilation air flow aperture through the tipping material is in substantial registration with a different one of the ventilation air flow apertures formed through the wrapper.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing a pre-filter for the filteration of harmful substances in cigarettes by using pine needles which have been steamed to eliminate the odor of the pine resin. The steamed pine needles then are dried in a shaded lot and formed into powder. A dough is made by mixing up fine powder crushed from the dried pine needles with water. The dough is then crushed into granular form and the pre-filter is obtained by forming the granules into a rod shape.

Abstract: A rod-like smoking article with a rod-like mouthpiece core at the mouth end of a tobacco rod, the entire periphery of said mouthpiece core being enveloped by an adhered wrapping paper which is suitable for contact with the lips and which overlappingly follows a covering paper surrounding the tobacco rod and with secondary air channels covered by the wrapping paper on the periphery of the mouthpiece core and an apparatus for producing such an article.

Abstract: A cigarette has a cylindrical impermeable mouthpiece located in coaxial abutment to one end of a tobacco column of the cigarette. The mouthpiece includes an annular groove in its peripheral surface and a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves formed in its peripheral surface extending from the annular groove to the mouth end of the mouthpiece. A plurality of smoke flow capillaries are formed through the mouthpiece from one end to the other. Each capillary is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece except for the portion beneath the annular groove which is curved to the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece.

Abstract: A tobacco smoke filter includes a corrugated tape-like wrapping which, together with an outer perforated or otherwise air-permeable paper, defines a set of longitudinal grooves. Each of the grooves includes a blocking member, so as to inhibit direct smoke flow through the grooves and promote a ventilation effect. The blocking members in each groove are longitudinally staggered from one groove to the next to simplify the production of the device.

Abstract: This invention provides a cigarette filter comprising a filter core (2), a plugwrap (4) around the core, a profiled spacer wrap (6) around the plugwrap, and tipping material (8) around the spacer wrap, the profiled spacer wrap providing between the plugwrap and tipping material passages (14,16) which are in lateral air flow communication and extend longitudinally of the filter to open at an end thereof, the tipping material providing in use of the filter for the drawing of external air therethrough directly into at least some of the said passages, and the plugwrap beneath the passages being smoke-impermeable. The spacer wrap may be longitudinally corrugated to provide adjacent longitudinal passages (14,16) which are in air flow communication via apertures (15) through the side walls of the corrugations.

Abstract: A filter to be mounted to a cigarette and provided with one or more axial channels made by means of a laser beam, as well as a cigarette provided with such a filter.

Abstract: A continuous filter rod which can be severed to yield recessed composite filter mouthpieces is obtained by feeding groups of assorted dissimilar coaxial filter plugs onto the adhesive-coated side of a running web of wrapping material and inserting a phantom plug of selected length between each previously transferred group and the next-following group to insure that the width of gaps between neighboring groups matches the length of the phantom plug. The phantom plug is withdrawn as soon as the next-following group adheres to the web, and the web is draped around the resulting filler to form therewith a continuous filter rod wherein groups of dissimilar filter plugs alternate with gaps. When the filter rod is severed centrally across a gap, the adjacent portions of the filter rod constitute two recessed filter mouthpieces. Each gap is flanked by plugs consisting of identical filter material.