US3702117A

US3702117A - Cigarette

Info

Publication number: US3702117A
Application number: US91940A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore H Borthwick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-11-23
Filing date: 1970-11-23
Publication date: 1972-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1989-11-07

Abstract

A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF A LENGTH OF A CIGARETTE IS PRESERVED, SHOULD THE CIGARETTE BE LEFT UNATTENED BY A SMOKER WHO IS PREOCCUPIED WITH OTHER MATTERS, BY THE PROVISION OF FLAMMABLITY BARRIERS WITHIN THE LENGTH OF THE CIGARETTE WHICH DIVIDE THE LENGTH OF THE CIGARETTE INTO SECTIONS. DUE TO A PARTICULAR RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE COMBUSTION TEMPERATURES OF THE TOBACCO FILLING FOR THE CIGARETTE AND THE FLAMMABILITY BARRIERS, USE OF THE CIGARETTE IN A NORMAL MANNER PROCEEDS UNIHIBITED WHILE AN UNATTENDED CIGARETTE IS EXTINQUISHED.

D R A W I N G
D R A W I N G

Description

Nov. 7, 1972 T. H. BORTHWICK 3,702,117

CIGARETTE Filed Nov. 23, 197B INVENTOR. TH Eo DO 125: H. BORTHWEK A'ITL )RNEYE United States Patent Oflice 3,70Z,l 17 Patented Nov. 7, 1972 3,702,117 CIGARETTE Theodore H. Borthwick, 2501-D Queen St., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27103 Filed Nov. 23, 1970, Ser. No. 91,940 Int. Cl. A24d 1/10 US. Cl. 131-4 A 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cigarette smoker who is preoccupied with other matters will frequently light a cigarette, place the cigarette in an ashtray, and subsequently discover the cigarette has burned down while in the ashtray, even though the smoker has not been actively smoking the cigarette. Such an occurrence raises several difficulties and deficiencies, one of which is the preclusion of the smoker from gaining full use of the cigarette. Another difiiculty which may arise from similar circumstances relates to the fire hazard created by a cigarette allowed to smolder unattended.

The latter hazard in particular has heretofore been recognized by proposals to make cigarettes self-extinguishing. In accordance with such proposals, fire hazards are avoided by extinguishing cigarettes burned down to a nonfiammable barrier or the like provided in the construction of the cigarette, such as by special treatment of the tubular wrapper which encloses the tobacco filler. Typically, such solutions to the fire hazard presented by an unattended cigarette interfere with normal use of the cigarette, by requiring relighting if the extinguished cigarette is to be smoked further or by precluding any relighting of the cigarette, and have failed to be accepted.

It is an object of the present invention to permit full use of a cigarette by extinguishing an unattended cigarette while permitting continuing consumption of a cigarette being actively smoked. In accomplishing this object of the present invention, flammability barriers are provided in a cigarette which have an ignition temperature related in a particular manner to the combustion temperatures of the cigarette when smoldering unattended and the cigarette when being actively smoked. In the latter instance, the flammability barriers are readily consumed, in order that normal consumption of the cigarette is not prevented.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, partly broken away to illustrate the internal construction of the cigarette of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 illustrates an extinguished cigarette of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, the present invention contemplates a cigarette generally indicated by the reference character 10 which comprises an elongated tubular wrapper 11 and tobacco filling 12 extending longitudinally within the wrapper. In conventional cigarette construction, the elongated tubular wrapper 11 is formed of specially produced paper while the tobacco filling 12 is a generally rod-like body of shredded tobacco which has been cured, prepared and blended in accordance with practices desired by the cigarette manufacturer. Such conventional cigarettes may or may not include a filter. The present invention contemplates that the use of such a wrapper 11 and tobacco filling 12 continue with respect to the cigarette 10 of the present invention, in order to adapt the present invention as closely as possible to the present practices and desires of the industry and consumers, and that the cigarette 10 may be filtered or not.

In order to control consumption of the cigarette 10, without interfering with continuing consumption of the cigarette when in active use by a smoker, the present invention provides barrier means generally indicated at 14 spaced within the wrapper 11 for dividing the tobacco filler 12 into sections. Desirably, the barrier means are spaced at a plurality of locations within the wrapper and divide the tobacco filling into relatively short sections, but as few as a single barrier may be provided. The barrier means 14 has a combustion temperature which is related in a predetermined manner to the combustion temperatures of the tobacco filling 12, with this relationship accomplishing the desired results for the present subject invention.

More particularly, it has been noted that the elongated tubular wrapper 11, when made of conventional cigarette paper, burns at a temperature lower than the combustion temperatures of the tobacco filling 12. Further, it has been noted that the tobacco filling 12 ignites and burns at a first predetermined temperature when in still air and burns at a higher second predetermined temperature when under draft. By way of example, when a cigarette is left to smolder unattended in an ashtray or the like, the tobacco filling 12 is combustible in still air at a lower temperature than is the case when the cigarette is under draft. That is, the second predetermined temperature, at which the tobacco filling 12 burns while the cigarette is actively being smoked, is above the first pre determined temperature.

In the present subject invention, advantage is taken of this temperature relationship by providing barrier means 14 which ignite and burn at a temperature between the first and second temperatures for extinguishing the cigarette in the event that draft therethrough is not maintained while permitting continuing consumption of the cigarette when under draft. As will be understood, this temperature relationship is such that combustion of the tobacco filling 12 in still air will proceed until such time as the tobacco filling has burnt up to the barrier means 14. Then, inasmuch as the combustion temperature is below the ignition temperature of the barrier means 14, the cigarette becomes extinguished. However, in the event that a smoker is actively consuming the cigarette 10, the combustion temperature of the tobacco filling 12 when under draft is above the ignition temperature of the barrier means 14, igniting the barrier means and thereby permitting continuing consumption of the cigarette.

In accordance with the present invention, it is preferred that the barrier means 14 be formed by specially prepared tobacco. Desirably, tobacco for the barrier means 14 is prepared by compression into relatively thin, fiat discs. At the same time, the tobacco is desirably treated with a material having an ignition temperature between the aforementioned first and second predetermined temperatures, so as to ensure operation of the barrier means 14 in a manner contemplated by the present invention. Such a treatment may, in accordance with the present invention, include impregnating the discs of compressed tobacco with an oil selected from the group consisting of cottonseed oil, degras, lard and tallow, with the lastnamed oil being preferred.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette comprising an elongated tubular wrapper, tobacco filling extending longitudinally within said wrapper and combustible in still air at a first predetermined temperature and under draft at a second predetermined temperature above said first temperature, at least one barrier disc means of compressed tobacco spaced within said wrapper for dividing said tobacco filling into sections, said barrier disc means having a density greater than that of the remainder of said tobacco filling, and an impregnant permeating said disc means for rendering said disc means combustible at a temperature between said first and second temperatures for extinguishing said cigarette in the event that draft therethrough is not maintained while permitting continuing consumption of said cigarette when under draft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,555,320 9/1925 Weil 131-4 A 2,329,927 9/1943 Morton 13l-4 A 2,666,437 1/1954 Lattof l3l4 A 3,318,314 5/1967 Stelzer 13l6l B X 3,528,432 9/1970 Stossel 131-4 A 2,746,890 5/1956 Legler 13l4 R SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner G. M. YAHWAK, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.