US2389104A - Multiple cigarette or the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1945. H. R. BAUER ETAL 2,339,104

MULTIPLE CIGARETTE OR THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1941 l INVENTORS /4 J/ WIyZE-BQMWWI'IZMMABOgg 9.12 BY ,7

ATTOR-N EY Patented Nov. 13, 1945 MULTIPLE CIGARETTE OR THE LIKE Henry R. Bauer and William A. Bogg, Fairfleld, Conn., said Bog: asslgnor to said Bauer Application July 25, 1941, Serial No. 403,956

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to rolls of tobacco or the like material used forsmoking purposes, and, more particularly, to multiple cigarettes, cigars, or the like.

With cigarettes now in use, much of the cigarette is wasted on many occasions due to the fact that the user desires or has only sumcient time to take a "short" smoke. This is especially true of the worker who has or may take a short recess period during which he may smoke. At this time, he lights up a cigarette and after smoking a short part of it he either throws-it away or extinguishes it, known as butting or snipping," and stores it until a later time when he may have an opportunity to again smoke it.

If the cigarette is thrown away, a substantial part of it is wasted. This is especially true if the user is smoking a long cigarette.

If the cigarette is extinguished or butted and stored, the smoke remains in the unused portion of the cigarette so as to impair its taste and makes it less enjoyable when relighted.

It has been heretofore proposed to make a cigarette in which the wrapper was weakened intermediate the ends so that it could be broken in two to provide short smokes if desired. This, however, was entirely unsatisfactory and impractical, for the broken end of the cigarette produced straggly ends having loose tobacco which are undesirable as they become more or less dry and the tobacco strips and falls therefrom into the pocket or into the pocketbook of a lady smoker.

Further, if the straggly end is lighted, a dangerous condition is present due to the loose lighted tobacco falling therefrom which may damage the clothing and burn the user. If the other end is lighted, then the user is bothered with loose tobacco in his mouth.

The present invention overcomes these and other difliculties'by providing thenovel cigarette which may be severed completely and cleanly intermediate its ends to produce short cigarettes if desired. Each of the cigarettes thus produced will be a complete unit only shorter in length than the original or a standard length cigarette.

This is accomplished according to the present invention by providing dividing means at suit able intervals in a rod of tobacco or the like filler, and enclosing the entire rod of tobacco with the dividing means therein in a suitable wrapper which may be severed at a point or points adiacent the dividing means so that the cigarette can be separated into a plurality of shorter cigarettes. Y

The dividing means extends across the rod of tobacco and separates it into complete units. According to the present invention, this means may be a disk or a cap-like or boot-like element disposed therein, or it may comprise a pair of filter tips disposed between the ends of the cigarette. The first two types of filter means may be made of combustible material and provided with draft apertures through which air and fire may pass from one unit of tobacco to the other, in which case the cigarette may be smoked in its entirety should the user desire a long smoke or separated to provide a plurality of short cigarettes.

The wrapper may be provided with means to facilitate the tearing of the same or with suitable indicia to indicate the point adjacent the dividing means at which it is to be severed.

The organization of. the dividing means and the wrapper may be such that the dividing means cooperates with the wrapper in the severing thereof, thus facilitating or otherwise insuring the division of the cigarette at the point or points of separation of the tobacco inthe rod.

When the disk is used, it may serve as an advertising medium and have suitable indicia thereon, the disk becoming available upon the cigarette being severed into its multiple units.

In its broader aspects, the invention can be applied to cigars or other rolls of material adapted to be smoked in the manner or tobacco. Fur-' ther, the cigar, cigarette or the like may be arranged so that it can be divided into as many sections as desired by duplicating the dividing means within the length thereof.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one form of the invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the dividing disks. Fig. 3 is a plan view of another dividing disk. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a pair of caps, or boots, showing the perforations.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view showing the indicating line.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view showing the tear string severing means.

Fig.8 is a view showing the separation of the two sections of the cigarette.

Fig. is a side view, partly in section, of a cigar embodying the present invention.

Fig. 11 shows a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a plurality of disks of Fig. 3 therein.

The present invention is illustrated as applied to a cigarette. While the cigarette may be of any desired length. it is preferable that it be of a size which is longer than the normal standard cigarette.

This cigarette may be divided into two or more parts as required. As shown in the drawing, the present invention includes a rod in of tobacco or the like separated by a dividing means ii so that a plurality of separate nnits its and iOb of tobacco having cleanly cut or packed ends are formed. An overall wrapper i2 of paper or other suitable material surrounds the rod and dividing means. With the rod of tobacco thus separated into complete units, it is only necessary to sever the wrapper intermediate these units and not the entire cigarette to produce a. plurality of short cigarettes having a length less than the standard length of the cigarette.

The dividing means shown in Figs. 1 through 3 comprises a still? disk iia, iib having an area substantially the same as the cross-section of the rod of tobacco so as to completely separate the two units of tobacco. The disk is freely supported between the ends of the tobacco andwhen the wrapper i2 surrounding the rod and disk is severed adjacent the disk, the disk will drop out and two complete short cigarettes will be formed.

The disks may be provided with suitable indicia which may be printed thereon, as shown at i! in Fig. 2, or formed by perforations in the disk as indicated at iSa in Fig. 3. This indicia may be in the nature of advertising matter and include the brand name and similar material. Inasmuch as the disks will drop out 'upon the wrapper of the cigarette being severed into a plurality of sections, they may also be used as premium pieces.

It may be that the purchaser of a pack of cigarettes capable of separation would desire to smoke an entire cigarette as a unit or have a "long smoke. In order that this may beaccomplished, the present invention forms the disk iia. of a destructible material, preferably a paper-like combustible substance which will readily burn. Throughout the disk is a plurality of apertures i3 through which air may be easily drawn from end to end of the cigarette. Instead of relying upon the burning of the disk to ignite the next unit of tobacco, the apertures may be made of sufilcient size that the fire of the burning tobacco in one unit will be transmitted therethrough to ignite the tobacco in the next adjacent section. It will be seen therefore that the cigarette thus formed can be smoked as a long" smoke or severed into a plurality of shorter cigarettes to provide short" smokes.

The dividing means shown in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises a cap or boot 20 made up of a transverse wall 2i and a collar 22 integral therewith or rigidly secured thereto. While one cap would be sufficient to divide the rod iii of tobacco, in the preferred form of the invention, a pair of caps is employed and disposed with the transverse walls 2i adjacent one another as shown in Fig. 4 or slightly spaced from one another as required. The line of severance of the wrapper is disposed over the adjacent edges of the caps so that as the wrapper is severed, the two complete short cigarettes are formed. It will be noted that in each of these cigarettes the cap will remain and will form a tip for the cigarette if the smoker desires to use it as such.

In applying the wrapper I! to enclose the units Ila, ilb of the rod of tobacco of Fig. 4 and the caps 20, the inner surface or the first layer of the paper or the like wrapper may be secured to the collar 22 of each cap. This greatly facilitates the tearing of the wrapper and the separation of the cigarette into shorter units, for, as will be noted in Fig. 9, the two portions of thecigarette can be grasped by the fingers adjacent the caps and twisted. As the caps move relatively to one another with the wrapper secured thereto, they will cause a rupture of the paper intermediate their adjoining ends as at I! to form the two sections iZa, i2b.

In this form of the invention, if it is desired .to provide a cigarette which may be smoked in its entirety as well as in the form of a plurality of units, the caps may be made of destructible material, and, preferably, of a material which will readily burn. The transverse walls 2i of both of the caps are provided with apertures 23 which are aligned and form passages through which air may be drawn, and of sufilclent size to pass a fire from the tobacco of one cigarette unit to the other, as in the previously described form of the invention.

Many smokers not only prefer a short smoke, but also desire cigarettes which are provided with filter tips or similar devices. According to the present invention, there is provided a multiple cigarette in which the dividing means comprises a pair of filter tips 30 disposed in end to end relation as shown in Fig. 6, and dividing the rod ii'i into units of tobacco His and iilb.

These filter tips may be of any desired construction. Herein, they are illustrated as cartridges 3i having transverse walls 32 of foraminous material enclosing a supply of smoke-filtering material 33. If desired, an air space or cooling chamber 34 may be provided between the filter 33 and the rod of tobacco. In this form of the invention, the wrapper is secured to each of the filter tips. Since the cigarette is not to be smoked in its entirety, the wrapper may be perforated adjacent the adjoining portions of the filter tips,

- so that it can be readily severed at this point.

With this construction, when it is desired to separate the cigarettes into shorter cigarettes, it is merely necessary to grip the cigarette adjacent the filters and twist the two parts of the cigarette as shown in Fig. 9. This will rupture the paper adjacent the adjoining ends of the filters and provide two short cigarettes each having a filter tip.

Other means may be provided for severing the cigarettes into their multiple units. One of these is shown in Fig. 3, wherein the disk ilb is pro- ,vided with a serrated or toothed periphery it. When this is disposed beneath the wrapper, and the pressure applied to the outer surface of the wrapper as by rolling it with the finger over a hard surface, the serrations will pierce the wrapper and weaken it so that it will be readily separated along this line.

In the cigarette shown in Fig. '7, a line iii is formed on the outer surface of the wrapper, by printing or other suitable means, and is disposed over the dividing means and indicates the point of severance. The user of the cigarette may pass his fingernail, or a sharp instrument, along this line and use the dividing means, that is, the side of the disk, the space between the ends 2i of the caps or the space between the ends of the filter tips, as guiding means to cause complete separation of the several units of the cigarette.

A still further means of severing the wrapper, which is applicable to all forms of dividing means, is shown in Fig. 8, wherein a tear string I1 is included in th wrapper over the point of severance. By pulling the tear string, the wrapper is severed and the-cigarette divided into the several short cigarettes.

While the invention has been herein'illustrated as being applied to a cigarette, in thebroader aspects it may be applied to cigars or other similar devices employing tobacco or other matter intended to be smoked.

Fig. shows the invention applied to a cigar in which the two ends of the cigar are rounded or curved to form tips, and the tiller is provided with a. dividing means Ilc intermediate the ends so as to be separated into units and distinct from one another.

Further, the rod or filter of tobacco may be completely severed units, and, if desired, the adjoining ends of the units at which the c18- arette or the like is to be severed may be provided with collars similar to collars 22, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to aid in the severing of the units into short cigarettes when the wrapper enclosing the same is torn.

The number of short cigarettes which may be embodied in a single unit may be varied as required, the variation being accomplished by properly positioning the desired number of dividing means therein as shown in Fig. 11 wherein spaced caps are disposed therein and in Fig. 12 wherein spaced disks are use.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

We claim:

1. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a plurality of physically separate .units of tobacco of a relatively short length and having cleanly severed packed ends disposed in end-to-end relation, a separator member of combustible material between the ends, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and member and separable about the adjacent ends of the units of tobacco whereby the cigarette may be divided into a plurality of short cigarettes, said member having an edge adapted to cooperate in severing the wrapper during separation of the units.

2. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod of tobacco having caps comprising a disk and supporting rim disposed therein to completely separate, the rod into a plurality of short units,

said caps being of combustible material and provided with apertures in the disk through which air may pass from end to end of the cigarette, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and caps and separable adjacent the disks of the caps whereby the cigarette may be smoked in its entirety and the caps consumed or the cigarette may be severed adjacent the caps into a plurality of short cigarettes.

3. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod of tobacco including a plurality of short units having packed and clean cut ends in end-to-end relation, severing means of combustible material therein having an area substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the rod disposed in said rod and extending transversely thereof between said ends to divide the rod into separable units of less length than that of the cigarette, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and severing walls of the caps whereby the cigarette may be means. said wrapper being transversely divisible at the severing means whereby the cigarette may be divided into a plurality of short cigarettes or smoked as a whole.

4. A multiple cigarette orthe like comprising a rod of tobacco including one or more disks of stlfl combustible material therein, said disks having an area substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the rod and extending transversely thereof to divide the rod into units of less length than the cigarette, and having the edges thereof serrated to provide a plurality of sharp projections, and a wrapper surrounding the'tobacco and disk and adapted, when pressure is applied to the cigarette adjacent the serrated edge of the disk, to be severed and the cigarette divided into a plurality of complete short cigarettes.

5. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod of tobacco including a plurality of short sections having cleanly cut packed ends in end-toend relation including one or more disks of stiff material freely supported therein between the adjacent packed ends to divide the rod into units of length less than that of the cigarette, a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and disks and separable adjacent the disks, each of said disks having an edge cooperable to sever the wrapper thereabout and separate the cigarette into a plurality of short cigarettes, the freely supported disks readily separating from the cigarette when the latter is severed into smaller cigarettes and having advertising indicia thereon.

6. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod of tobacco having a plurality of substantially rigid caps disposed therein with the transverse walls thereof adjacent one another, said caps dividing the rod into units of length less than the cigarette, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and caps and separable at the adjacent transverse severed into a plurality of short cigarettes.

'7. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod of tobacco having at intervals therein substantially rigid caps dividing the rod into units'of length less than the cigarette, said caps enclosing the one end of each unit, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and caps and separable at the adjacent transverse walls of the caps whereby the cigarette may be severed into a. plurality of short cigarettes each having a tipped end.

8. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod of tobacco having a plurality of substantially rigid caps disposed therein with the transverse .walls thereof adjacent one another, said caps dividing the rod into units of length less than the cigarette, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and caps and rigidly secured to each of said caps whereby twisting of said caps relative to one another causes the wrapper to tear between said caps and divide the. cigarette into a plurality of short cigarettes.

9. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod of tobacco having a plurality of substantially rigid filters disposed therein with the transverse walls thereof adjacent one another, said filters dividing the rod into units of length less than the cigarette, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and filters and rigidly secured to each of said filters whereby twisting of said filters relative to one another causes the wrapper to tear between said filters and divide the cigarette into a plurality of short cigarettes.

10. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod of tobacco including a plurality of short sections each having packed ends and dividing means therein disposed between adjacent packed if able to sever the wrapper adjacent the disk ends to completely separate the rod into units of length less than the cigarette, said dividing means having means thereon to assist in severing the wrapper therearound, said dividing means being of combustible material and provided with apertures for the passage of air through the cigarette from end to end, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and dividing means and separable adjacent the dividing means whereby the cigarette may be smoked in its entirety and the dividing means consumed or the cigarette may be severed adJacent the dividing means into a plurality of short cigarettes.

11. A multiple cigarette or the like comprising a rod 01 tobacco including a plurality of short sections each having the ends thereof cleanly cut and packed and a disk of combustible material having severing-assisting edges disposed therein between the adjacent packed ends to completely separate the rod into units 01' a length less than the cigarette, said disk being provided with apertures through which air can pass from end-to-end of said cigarette, and a wrapp r Surrounding the tobacco and disk, the edge oi. the disk being oper-' whereby the cigarette may be smoked in its entiret and the disk 01' combustible material consumed or the cigarette may be severed adjacent the disk into a plurality of short cigarettes.

12. A cigarette Or the like comprising a rod of tobacco having a still. paper-like dividing means therein at predetermined intervals to completely separate the rod into units of a length less than the cigarette, each unit having cleanly cut and packed ends, said paper-like dividing means being of burnable material and provided with apertures capable otpassing air and fire from one unit of tobacco to the other, and a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and dividing means, said dividing means cooperating to sever the wrapper therearound whereby the cigarette may be smoked in its entirety and the dividing means consumed or the cigarette may be severed adjacent the dividing means into a plurality 01' short complete cigarettes.

HENRY R. BAUER. WILLIAM A. BOGG.

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