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AssigneeR. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
InventorsRobert Leonard Meiring, Vernon Brent Barnes
Estimating the term…
A method of and apparatus for adjusting and controlling the moisture content of carbonaceous fuel components used in making smoking articles comprises a mass flow accumulator and a dryer through which the fuel components are conveyed. Unheated air is flowed over the fuel components in the accumulator to adjust and maintain the moisture content of the fuel components to a level which permits cutting of the fuel components without chipping or cracking. After the fuel components are cut into individual fuel elements and combined with an aerosol generator or substrate they are conveyed through the dryer where heated air is flowed over them to further reduce the moisture content to a desired level for further processing and manufacture into smoking articles.
Apparatus for controlling the moisture content of a carbonaceous fuel component used in the manufacture of smoking articles, said fuel component including a carbonaceous fuel rod having a moisture content and a paper overwrap for said rod, comprising:
Apparatus for controlling the moisture content of a carbonaceous fuel component used in the manufacture of smoking articles, said fuel component comprising a carbonaceous fuel rod having a relatively high moisture content, a resilient layer wrapped about said fuel rod and a paper overwrap wrapped about said resilient layer, said apparatus comprising:
A method of adjusting and controlling the moisture content of carbonaceous fuel components used in the manufacture of smoking articles, said fuel components including a carbonaceous fuel rod having a moisture content and a paper overwrap for said fuel rod, wherein the fuel rods and paper overwraps each have a given initial moisture content, the moisture content of said fuel rods being greater than that of the paper overwrap, the method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.