Cigar Or Cigarette Having Substitute Filler

Abstract

This invention pertains to the production of cigars or cigarettes which have a tobacco substitute filler and a wrapper and which on burning produce vapors and condensates free from nicotine, and which have only a minute amount of tars. The tobacco substitute is made from carbon or graphite fibers, mat or cloth associated with an oxidizing agent. Other agents are added as needed or desired to improve texture or form, to give an improved burn, or to make the product more salable or economical to manufacture. The wrapper includes an impregnation of an ashing ingredient.

Description

This invention relates to a tobacco substitute. More particularly, this invention pertains to the production of a substitute for tobacco in cigars, cigarettes, or as smoking tobacco which on burning produces vapors and condensates free from nicotine, and which have only a minute amount of tars. The tobacco substitute of this invention is believed to be relatively safe and non-toxic.

According to my invention, a tobacco substitute is made from carbon or graphite fibers, mat or cloth associated with an oxidizing agent. Other ingredients may be added, as desired, to improve the texture, give an improved burn, or to make the product more economical to manufacture. A filter tip may be added to absorb tars and gases, or to improve the flavor or taste of the product.

In order to make a cigarette substitute the product of this invention is made as a filler of the fiber which is wrapped in a sheet of the same material.

The filler is made by adding a solution of an oxidizing agent to carbon or graphite fibers, mat or cloth. The carbonaceous material is a commercial material which comes in several grades and several forms, such as fibers, a mat which is composed of many intertwined or tangled strands, or fibers woven into cloth.

The oxidizing agent is preferably an inorganic salt of an oxidizing acid, or a metal peroxide. Examples of suitable oxidizing agents are the alkali metal nitrates, especially potassium and sodium nitrates; the alkali metal chlorates such as sodium or potassium chlorate, or the alkaline earth metal peroxides, especially calcium or barium peroxide. Potassium nitrate is especially preferred.

The carbonaceous material is mixed with the oxidizing agent which is added preferably in the form of an aqueous solution in a concentration of about 10 percent. A plasticizer such as a polyglycol may be added to provide the desired consistency. For this purpose polyethylene glycol of molecular weight in the range of about 1,450 is especially suitable. Other water dispersible, viscous or unctuous polyethylene glycols may be used.

To lower the cost, or to obtain more controlled burning of the cigarette, non-combustible materials may be used to replace part of the carbon. Suitable non-combustible materials are rock wool, steel wool, polyester flock, kaowool, ceramic fibers or asbestos fibers or mat. These may be obtained commercially in either short or long fibers and in various grades.

The carbonaceous material is mixed with the oxidizing agent, and with a plasticizer, as needed, to give a uniform dispersion, which may be extruded into flat filaments that are dried and cut to size. Another method is to form the material into sheets on a paper making machine, and then dry and cut to size.

The product from the paper making machine may be used both for the filler and the wrapper. The wrapper can be made white by coating it with a material such as the following:

sodium silicate 1 part by weight

titanium dioxide 1 part by weight

water 10 parts by weight

A colored wrapper is made by adding a suitable coloring agent or dye to the above mixture.

The wrapper is treated with a 10 percent solution of sodium or potassium silicate containing 10 percent of that amount of propylene glycol. The purpose of the plastic is to form an ash on burning.

A filter can be attached to one end of the cigarette, as is well known in the art. The portion of the filter which is adjacent to the cigarette can be filled with activated carbon to absorb tars and gases. Hemoglobin or other carbon monoxide absorbing material can also be added. A quantity of about 1 to 5 percent by weight is usually sufficient.

The filter may also contain a means for oxidizing carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. For this purpose copper oxide, manganese dioxide or a mixture of the two can be used. These are added in an amount of about 1 percent to 5 percent of the weight of the adsorbent.

The mouth-end of the filter can have a coating containing a flavor or fragrance material such as coffee essence, licorice, menthol or saccharine. Suitably this coating is covered with an outer layer of starch, talc or microcrystalline cellulose, perforated waxpaper or cork paper. Alternatively, all materials may comprise one coating.

The product will burn at a slow and even rate which can be controlled by the amount of the oxidizing agent added and/or any of the above-mentioned inorganic non-combustibles. Smoking of the substitute cigar or cigarette of this invention will give psychological satisfaction without nicotine and thus help the user to stop the habit. If a stimulant effect is desired, 0.1 percent of caffeine citrate, labeline, or the like is added to the mouth end of the filter tip.

The cigar is made of the same compositions as the cigarette. The size can be varied from that of a cigarillo to that of a full size cigar.

Smoking "tobacco" is made of the same compositions but is cut to give a flake, thread or mixture similar to regular smoking tobacco.

The following examples will serve to illustrate some of the mixtures or methods to which my invention is applicable. The detailed description has been given only for clearness and understanding as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art. A reasonable variation can be made in the relative proportions of the components. Also it is common practice to add various adjuvant materials.

The specific examples are illustrative of the nature of the present invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto.

EXAMPLE 1

Carbon fibers, mat or cloth 2 parts by weight Potassium nitrate, added as a 10% aqueous solution 2 parts by weight Incombustible materials 96 parts by weight

The incombustible material may be asbestos, rock wool, steel wool or ceramic fiber. Graphite fibers, mat or cloth may be substituted for carbon fibers, mat or cloth.

EXAMPLE 2

Asbestos-long fiber 1 part by weight Powdered charcoal 2 parts by weight Potassium nitrate, added as a 10% 2 parts by weight aqueous solution Polyethylene glycol, m.w. .+-. 1450 (50% aqueous solution) 3 parts by weight

The above ingredients are mixed to give a uniform dispersion which is extruded into flat filaments, dried, and cut to size. The sheet material is used both for the filler and wrapper. Long fiber asbestos may be replaced by a short fiber asbestos, a polyester flock or by kaowool.

EXAMPLE 3

Carbon or graphite fiber, 20-30 parts by weight mat or cloth Steel wool, very fine 5-20 parts by weight Sodium chlorate 2 parts by weight Barium peroxide 1 parts by weight

The filler is prepared by coating the carbon and steel wool with a dilute solution of sodium silicate; and then previously mixed sodium chlorate and barium peroxide are sprinkled over the carbon and steel wool. The product is dried and used as a filler. The rate of burning can be increased by using larger amounts of the oxidizing materials. The rate of burning can be decreased by using smaller amounts of the oxidizing material, or by replacing part of the carbonaceous material by incombustible fibers.

The foregoing examples illustrate embodiments of my invention, but the invention is not limited thereto. It will be understood that many modifications, changes and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A slow and even burning tobacco substitute smoking article characterized by a low tar condensate on burning, said substitute consisting essentially of extruded carbon fibers having an impregnation of a small quantity of an oxidizing agent selected from the group consisting of inorganic peroxides, nitrates or chlorates, a plasticizer, and a wrapper having an impregnated ashing agent.