CPC A24C 5/1892 (2013.01) [A24B 15/302 (2013.01); A24C 5/1807 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |
1. An apparatus arranged to form a continuous tobacco rod of a smoking article, comprising:
a conveyor arranged to convey a tobacco material stream in a conveyance direction;
a wrapping material supply arrangement arranged to advance a web of wrapping material in the conveyance direction adjacent to the tobacco material stream;
a constriction member arranged to receive the tobacco material stream at an inlet end and to reduce a cross-sectional area of the tobacco material stream, the reduced-area tobacco material stream exiting the constriction member at an exit end, and the wrapping material web being arranged to wrap about the reduced-area tobacco material stream exiting the exit end;
a first heating element arranged with respect to the constriction member to communicate heat to the exit end of the constriction member; and
an additive source arranged to supply an additive material to the reduced-area tobacco material stream through a dispensing port disposed about the exit end of the constriction member prior to the reduced-area tobacco material stream being wrapped by the wrapping material web to form the continuous tobacco rod.
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