A substrate treatment system for treating substrates in a continuous process includes a system chamber delimited by chamber walls, having an entry lock and an exit lock, and also at least one substrate treatment device and a transportation device inside the system chamber. The transportation device has an arrangement of transportation rollers arranged one behind the other in the transportation direction, for vertical or horizontal transportation of substrates. The rotor of the drive device is arranged under the pressure conditions prevailing in the system chamber and the stator of the drive device is arranged outside the pressure conditions prevailing in the system chamber.

An apparatus for distributing a slurry can include a trough configured to be removably attached to a discharge chute of a ready-mix truck and receive a slurry discharged therefrom where the trough has a front including a flange configured to extend under the discharge chute. The apparatus can include an enclosed basin connected to a lower end of the trough proximate to a midpoint of the enclosed basin and an aperture defined within the enclosed basin and configured to enable the slurry to flow from the trough into the enclosed basin. The enclosed basin can include at least one covered access port where the at least one covered access port is configured to be opened and configured to be closed. The apparatus can include a plurality of drainage nozzles disposed along a bottom of the enclosed basin and configured to distribute the slurry to a plurality of locations.

The present invention provides an alignment device of cutting machine, which includes: a stand and a ball transfer unit mounted on the stand. The ball transfer unit includes a main body, a first rotating body, and a plurality of second rotating bodies arranged between the main body and the first rotating body. The main body has an end forming a receiving chamber and thus forming a receiving chamber sidewall. The second rotating bodies are rotatably arranged on the receiving chamber sidewall. The main body forms an air entrance passage in communication with the receiving chamber. The receiving chamber sidewall extends out to form a bearing section corresponding to the air entrance passage. The bearing section has a side surface in which air outlet ports are formed. The main body has an opposite end forming a connection section that is mateable and coupleable to the stand. The present invention uses a ball transfer unit to replace the float pad made of porous carbon fiber material for aligning a glass substrate in order to achieve the purposes of lowering down cost.

A chain for rolling elements includes a carrier belt having first and second side strip on two sides thereof, and multiple holes are defined in the carrier belt and located between the first and second side strips. Each hole has a first opening end and a second opening end. Multiple retainers are connected to the carrier belt and located alternatively with respect to the holes. Multiple first ribs are connected between the first side strip and the retainer. Multiple second ribs are connected between the second side strip and the retainer. Each of the first and second side strips has a thickness T1, and each of the first and second ribs has a thickness T2 which is smaller than T1. The first and second ribs reinforce connections between the first and second side strips and the retainers so that the chain has even flexibility and can operate smoothly.

A conveyor roller (10) has a cover (20), an axle (40), and a magnetic brake (50) having a magnetic component (51) and a braking component (54). The cover (20) is supported rotatably about an axis of rotation relative to the axle (40). The magnetic brake (50) is provided kinematically between the axle (40) and the cover (20) and is connected to the axle (40) and the cover (20) so that rotation of the cover (20) about the axis of rotation can be retarded by the magnetic brake (50). The magnetic component (51) and the braking component (54) are arranged displaceably relative to each other between a rest position and a braking position. A centrifugal device (60) for a rotational speed-dependent displacement of at least one of the magnetic brake components (51, 54) is provided between the rest position and the braking position.

A roller rail system includes an adjustment bracket including a first roller rail assembly support portion and a second roller rail assembly support portion adjacent the first roller rail assembly support portion. The first and second roller rail assembly support portions are each configured to receive a roller rail assembly such that the roller rail assembly slides within the respective first and second roller rail assembly support portion relative to the adjustment bracket. A first roller rail assembly is received by the first roller rail assembly support portion. A second roller rail assembly is received by the second roller rail assembly support portion. The roller rail system has a retracted configuration where leading ends of the first and second roller rail assemblies are closer together and an extended configuration where the leading ends of the first and second roller rail assemblies are further apart.

A coin dispensing apparatus has a cabinet serving as an apparatus housing for the apparatus. The apparatus further has a module for receiving, optionally validating and optionally sorting coins of different types and at least one dispenser for coins to be dispensed. The apparatus is adapted to dispense a specific composition of coins from the at least one dispenser to a portable coin receptacle. Each dispenser comprises a spout and is shaped such that a plurality of dispensers can be placed in a pattern allowing the spouts to be placed in a row. An effect of this is that the sorted coins can be dispensed in a row above the row of spouts, thus there is no need for an additional complex channel system for leading the sorted coins into the correct dispenser.

A replacement roller support bracket allows a quick way of replacing damaged roller support brackets of a conveyor belt roller support system. The replacement roller support bracket includes an upper bracket assembly and a lower plate. The upper bracket assembly includes end walls, with recesses designed to receive a mounting flange of a roller, the end walls connected to side walls. The end walls also include remnant locators, extending downward, that locate a damaged roller support remnant, and guide the upper bracket down towards the system base during installation of the replacement bracket. The upper bracket and lower plate also include jaws with cut-outs corresponding to the shape of the system base, which can be of a variety of shapes, such as pipe-shaped or angle iron shaped. The cut-outs include teeth that engage the system base, that secure a tight fit around the system base and, along with the remnant locators, prevent bracket rotation.

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for a chute arrangement comprising an element for objects, such as, test tubes, caps, etc. released by a gripper unit such that the released objects may be collected in a container. The element may comprise a plurality of slots for a plurality of gripper fingers in the gripper unit to pass through. The element may be configured to restrain the object as the plurality of gripper fingers release the object.

Repositionable extendable stops for material handling applications include top loading/unloading stops which engage with actuator through quick disconnects. Actuators are easily repositioned to a new stop location, and the stop reconnected to the actuator by loading the stop through the top of the conveyor.

A method of manufacturing a valve for an internal combustion engine, comprises: (i) a primary step of forging a bulging portion at one end of a rod material to form a generally disk-shape valve head of the valve having a tapered periphery; (ii) an thickness adjustment step of machining an excessively thick portion of the valve head; and (iii) a secondary step of forging a peripheral region of the valve head to create radial slip deformations therein to form a valve face of the valve head. In the step of thickness adjustment, only the front end of the disk-shape valve head is machined without harming dense grain flow lines induced in the tapered face (16a) in the primary forging while advantageously saving the valve material and reducing thickness adjustment time. In the secondary forging, the hardness of the valve face is further enhanced.

A method of using a hydraulically driven pressing device for pressing a fitting on a tube is provided. The pressing device includes a piston and a cylinder for acting on pressing jaws. A piston shaft is connected to rollers. The pressing device can be used to carry out pressing operations requiring different levels of pressing power, by using an adjustable stop which is provided in the direction of displacement of the piston in order to achieve different end positions for the piston during the piston return stroke.

A method of manufacturing large diameter tapered roller bearing cages includes beginning with a metal strip, coil or plate of cage blank material and feeding it into a rolling mill. The rolling mill includes a pair of unparallel forming rolls disposed to define a wedge-shaped gap therebetween. As the cage blank material is fed through the wedge-shaped gap, one lateral side of the cage blank material is plastically deformed to reduce its thickness and to elongate its length, while slight or no deformation is introduced into the other lateral side, thus forming the cage blank into an arc shape. A third roll disposed at the exit side of the forming rolls bends the rolled cage blank into a circular conical ring. Adjacent butt ends of the formed conical ring cage blank are aligned and joined together during the assembly process to form the large diameter tapered roller bearing cage.

A method for forming a piece of a sheet metal is performed by positioning a consumable body, made of metal, proximate to the piece of the sheet metal. The consumable body is rapidly vaporized, and the gas pressure generated thereby is directed into the piece of the sheet metal. This results in acceleration of the piece of sheet metal, and it is collided into a stationary body at a velocity, generally in excess of 200 m/s. Depending upon the type of stationary body, the piece of sheet metal is deformed into a predetermined shape or is welded onto the stationary body. The vaporization is accomplished by passing a high current of electricity into the consumable body. The effect of the vaporized metal may be augmented by additional components in the consumable body.

A luminous character enclosing machine has an upper supporting plate (2) and a lower supporting plate (3) which are installed on a machine frame (1). A plate inlet and a plate outlet are formed respectively on two ends of the upper and lower supporting plates. A feeding unit, a grooving unit, an arc-curving unit, and a plate-clamping unit arranged between the two supporting plates are provided in succession from the plate inlet to the plate outlet. A grooving driving device is installed on the machine frame, and drives the grooving device to move up and down. This kind of grooving mode is a cold processing mode, heat generation during working which makes color of the stainless steel plates change is avoided, and a phenomenon of knife broken due to high speed rotation of a saw blade and the hardness of the stainless steel is prevented. The machine is simple in structure and convenient to operate.

An apparatus for shot peening blade mounting areas on a disc of a rotor includes a peening nozzle unit which streams shot peening media along a longitudinal axis. The unit includes a nozzle outlet which extends at least partially in a circumferential direction of the unit, and a deflection arrangement with a deflection area for the media. The deflection area is at least partially cone or half-hyperboloid shaped, such that the media passes the nozzle outlet over an angle range in circumferential direction after being deflected by the deflection arrangement. A method for shot peening the blade mounting areas positions the unit in a slot profile of a blade mounting area, and guides the unit along the contour of the slot profile with the nozzle outlet facing the contour of the slot profile to approximately uniformly peen the contour of the slot profile.

A digital manufacturing system comprises a build chamber, a build platform disposed within the build chamber, at least one extrusion line configured to heat a metal-based alloy up to a temperature between solidus and liquidus temperatures of the metal-based alloy, a deposition head disposed within the build chamber and configured to deposit the heated metal-based alloy onto the build platform in a predetermined pattern, an umbilical having a first end located outside of the build chamber and a second end connected to the deposition head, and at least one gantry assembly configured to cause relative motion between the build platform and the deposition head within the build chamber, where the at least one gantry assembly comprises a motor disposed outside of the build chamber.

A method and a device for the production of a stamping with an enlarged functional surface, for example, fine blanking a workpiece out of a flat strip, wherein the flat strip is clamped between an upper part including a shearing punch, a pressure pad for the shearing punch, a V-shaped projection arranged on the pressure pad and an ejector which is pressed into the flat strip, and a lower part including a cutting die and an ejector. Edge rollover is avoided by preforming, before cutting begins, a negative with regard to the cutting direction with a preforming element in the direction opposite to the cutting direction that corresponds to the expected edge rollover into the cutting die with regard to size and geometry at cutting, generating a material volume at the side of the rollover in a mirror-inverted form. During cutting, the preformed area is supported by the preforming element.

A green ball grinding method includes the step of supplying a green ball between a first surface of a first member and a second surface of a second member constituting a grinding apparatus, and the step of grinding the green ball between the first surface and the second surface while the green ball rotates around its own axis and in orbital motion. In the step of grinding the green ball, the step of causing the green ball grinding to proceed while applying load between the green ball and each of the first surface and the second surface, and the step of modifying the rotation axis of the green ball by reducing the load lower than in the step of causing the green ball grinding to proceed are executed alternately.

A blank rolled in transverse directions with respect to the longitudinal axis of the blank, and with the aid of a drive for rockingly moving rolls in opposite directions, ensures that the geometry and dimensions of finished parts do not coincide with the form and dimensions of a die. A four-link articulation mechanism lifts/lowers the upper roll and transmits a rolling force thereto. Rods of hydraulic torque cylinders pivotally connect to ends of a rocker thereby transmitting oppositely directed torques and a rolling force to a lower roll. A wedge mechanism coupled to the lower end face of the lower thrust bearing lifts/lowers the lower roll thereby transmitting a rolling force thereto. A rack bar disposed between retainers horizontally moves during rolling and secures the blank using a cradle.

A method for bending a workpiece includes positioning a first bending surface adjacent to the workpiece; positioning a second bending surface adjacent to the workpiece; and moving the first bending surface and the second bending surface linearly toward the workpiece while the second bending surface rotates with respect to the first bending surface such that the first bending surface bends a first portion of the workpiece, the second bending bends a second portion of the workpiece, and the first portion of the workpiece, and the second portion of the workpiece are disposed on a first side of a bend line formed on the workpiece by the first bending surface and the second bending surface.

The invention provides a method for producing grain-oriented silicon steel with single cold rolling, comprising: 1) smelting, refining and continuous casting to obtain a casting blank; 2) hot rolling; 3) normalization, i.e. normalizing annealing and cooling; 4) cold-rolling, i.e. single cold rolling at a cold rolling reduction rate of 75-92%; 5) decarburizing annealing at 780-880° C. for 80-350 s in a protective atmosphere having a due point of 40-80° C., wherein the total oxygen [O] in the surface of the decarburized sheet: 171/t≦[O]≦313/t (t represents the actual thickness of the steel sheet in mm), the amount of absorbed nitrogen: 2-10 ppm; 6) high temperature annealing, wherein the dew point of the protective atmosphere: 0-50° C., the temperature holding time at the first stage: 6-30 h, the amount of absorbed nitrogen during high-temperature annealing: 10-40 ppm; 7) hot-leveling annealing. The invention may control the primary recrystallization microstructure of steel sheet effectively by controlling the normalization process of hot rolled sheet to form sufficient favorable (Al, Si)N inclusions from nitrogen absorbed by slab during decarburizing annealing and low-temperature holding of high-temperature annealing, facilitating the generation of stable, perfect secondary recrystallization microstructure of the final products. In addition, the invention avoids the impact of nitridation using ammonia on the underlying layer in prior art, and thus the formation of a good glass film underlying layer is favored.

The invention relates to a cluster arm arrangement for the intermediate roll sets of 18 HS roll stands, wherein arranged between the chock at the operating side and the chock at the drive side are cluster arms which are pivotable laterally of the intermediate roll and in which the lateral backing rolls are integrated for support of the working rolls in the stand. In that case, arranged between the chock (1) and the cluster arm (2) is a pivot pin (3), which is fixedly connected with the cluster arm and about the axis of which the cluster arm (2) is pivotable, and a locking means for the cluster arm (2) as well as an abutment (6) with a restoring spring (6) are operatively arranged on the pivot pin (3) as a compact unit in the region between the cluster arm (2) and chock (1).

One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a plurality of spaced-apart trenches in a semiconducting substrate to thereby define a fin structure for the device, forming a local isolation region within each of the trenches, forming a sacrificial gate structure on the fin structure, wherein the sacrificial gate structure comprises at least a sacrificial gate electrode, and forming a layer of insulating material above the fin structure and within the trench above the local isolation region. In this example, the method further includes performing at least one etching process to remove the sacrificial gate structure to thereby define a gate cavity, after removing the sacrificial gate structure, performing at least one etching process to form a recess in the local isolation region, and forming a replacement gate structure that is positioned in the recess in the local isolation region and in the gate cavity.

A tire includes at least one structural element which includes at least one reinforcing element which includes at least one hybrid yarn, the at least one hybrid yarn including a plurality of filaments obtained from at least one first multifilament yarn having a first initial tangent modulus and at least one second multifilament yarn having a second initial tangent modulus, the first and the second initial tangent modulus being different from each other, each one of the first and the second multifilament yarn including a plurality of individual filaments, the individual filaments of each one of the first and the second multifilament yarns being at least partially intermixed with each other. The tire may be a high performance or ultra high performance tire, or a tire suitable for being employed in sporting contests such as track motor races, or a tire suitable for sports utility vehicles.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining high-tenacity aramid yarn, wherein the yarn is made of a copolymer obtained from a mixture of monomers comprising DAPBI, an aromatic para-diamine, and an aromatic para-diacid, wherein the yarn is heated in at least two process steps, characterized in that in a first step the yarn is heated at a temperature of 200 to 360° C. at a tension of at least 0.2 cN/dtex, followed by a second step wherein the yarn is heated at a temperature of 370 to 500° C. at a tension of less than 1 cN/dtex. The invention further pertains to a multifilament aramid yarn spun from a sulfuric acid spin dope and having a tenacity of at least 2500 mN/tex.

The present invention provides apparatus and methods for growing fullerene nanotube forests, and forming nanotube films, threads and composite structures therefrom. In some embodiments, an interior-flow substrate includes a porous surface and one or more interior passages that provide reactant gas to an interior portion of a densely packed nanotube forest as it is growing. In some embodiments, a continuous-growth furnace is provided that includes an access port for removing nanotube forests without cooling the furnace substantially. In other embodiments, a nanotube film can be pulled from the nanotube forest without removing the forest from the furnace. A nanotube film loom is described. An apparatus for building layers of nanotube films on a continuous web is described.

Intermittently colored yarns having an intermittent and random dye spacing pattern, and systems and methods of making the same, are disclosed. Such intermittently colored yarns exhibit higher quality and lower manufacturing costs over the known intermittently colored yarns. The intermittent coloring takes place while the yarn is in caterpillar form. Carpets made from such intermittently colored yarns exhibit enhanced aesthetics over carpets made from known intermittently colored yarns. Alternatively, a stain resist, colorless base dye, or bleaching agent can be applied in the same intermittent and random spacing pattern to the intermittently colored yarns prior to subsequent dyeing. This creates a mirror image like color effect to the resulting yarn.

A metal cord (C-1) having two layers (Ci, Ce) of 3+N construction, rubberized in situ, comprising an inner layer (Ci) formed from three core wires (10) of diameter d1 wound together in a helix with a pitch p1 and an outer layer (Ce) of N wires (11) N varying from 6 to 12, of diameter d2, which are wound together in a helix with a pitch p2 around the inner layer (Ci), said cord being characterized in that it has the following characteristics (d1, d2, p1 and p2 being in mm): 0.08

An open-end spinning rotor (1), comprising a rotor shaft (4), a rotor cup (2) and a coupling device (3) releasably connecting the rotor shaft (4) and rotor cup (2). The coupling device (3) has locking bodies (6), arranged in a holding element (5) and lock the rotor cup (2) and the rotor shaft (4) in the axial direction under centrifugal force during operation of the open-end spinning rotor (1). A resilient element (7) is associated with the locking bodies (6) and cooperates with the locking bodies (6) such that the locking bodies (6) also lock the rotor cup (2) to the rotor shaft (4) in the axial direction at a standstill. The holding element (5) is configured as a pin which is formed such that it produces a positive shaft-hub connection between the rotor shaft (4) and rotor cup (2) in conjunction with a correspondingly formed hub (8).

The invention relates to a high strength fibers comprising a coating of cross-linked silicone polymer, and ropes made thereof. The fibers are preferably high performance polyethylene (HPPE) fibers. The coating comprising a cross-linked silicone polymer is made from a coating composition comprising a cross-linkable silicone polymer. The rope shows markedly improved service life performance in bending applications such as cyclic bend-over-sheave applications. The invention also relates to the use of a cross-linked silicone polymer in a rope for an improvement of bend fatigue resistance.

A steel cord (10) adapted for the reinforcement of rubber products, comprises a core strand (12) and six peripheral strands (14) concentrically surrounding the core strand (12). Each of the core and peripheral strands (12, 14) comprises a center of two or more center filaments (16) and two layers of filaments surrounding the center. The core strand (12) has a diameter D1 which is greater than the diameter D2 of the peripheral strands (14). All the filaments (18, 20) of each layer have substantially the same diameter and a radially outer layer has a twist angle which is greater than a twist angle of a radially inner layer of the same strand. Each of the strands (12, 14) in the cord is composed of no more than twenty-six filaments (16, 18, 20) being twisted together.

The spinning station of a spinning machine includes a yarn end disposal means, arranged between the outlet of the spinning device and the winding device, and with the aid of which an end section of the produced yarn is separated from the rest of the yarn and eliminated. Furthermore, a process for removing an end section of a yarn at a spinning station of a spinning machine prior to the subsequent piecing process is proposed, wherein the end section is gripped, cut off, and subsequently eliminated from the area of the spinning station with the aid of a yarn end disposal means arranged between the outlet of the spinning device and the winding device.

A steel cord for reinforcement of rubber articles, whose cord strength is enhanced by preventing occurrence of preceding break of the outermost layer filaments in the steel cord having a multi-twisted structure, and a pneumatic tire using it as a reinforcing material are provided. In a steel cord for reinforcement of rubber articles having a multi-twisted structure in which a plurality of strands are twisted together, which strands have a layered twisted structure in which a plurality of steel filaments are twisted together, dc/ds, which represents the ratio between dc, the diameter of outermost layer sheath filaments constituting the outermost layer sheath of a core strand, and ds, the diameter of outermost layer sheath filaments constituting the outermost layer sheath of sheath strands, is 1.05 to 1.25.

Machines are often used to collect and transport materials in a work environment. One of the more common methods of collecting and transporting materials is with a fork having tines. Another common instrument attached to a machine for collecting and transporting materials is a bucket. The present disclosure describes a bucket that engages the tines of a fork, and therefore can be used with a machine that already has a fork attached. The present disclosure also engages with tines of multiple lengths, meaning that the same bucket will engage with forks from different machines. The bucket has first and second side members; a collecting member extending between the first and second side members; and an engagement portion having an engagement surface and a pocket.

A bucket tooth assembly is mounted to an adapter provided to a distal end part of a bucket of construction equipment. The bucket assembly includes a bucket tooth and a latching member. The bucket tooth has a cavity for inserting the adapter and a through-hole that is provided to the side face and communicates through to the adapter when the bucket tooth has been mounted to the adapter. The through-hole has a center axis. The latching member is fitted inside the through-hole and having a rotational axis disposed along a direction of the center axis and a bottom part provided to an end on an adapter side in an axial direction. The latching member is rotated to switch between a first state in which the bottom part is held inside the through-hole and a second state in which the bottom part protrudes toward a concave portion on the adapter side.

A mining shovel includes a boom and a transmission unit coupled to the boom. The transmission unit includes an outer housing, an internal motor housing disposed within the outer housing, and a venting system coupled to the outer housing to direct air through both the outer housing and the internal motor housing.

An automated variable speed control system for a cutter head of a dredging cutter has a cutter head and a pump. The pump pumps cuttings from the cutter head through a cuttings discharge line. A sensor monitors amperage draw of the pump. A controller controls speed of movement of the cutter head based upon data received from the sensor. The controller increases a speed of movement of the cutter head through the materials when the amperage draw of the pump falls below the determined amperage range and the controller decreases the speed of movement of the cutter head through the materials when the amperage draw of the pump exceeds the determined amperage range.

A wear component for use on, for instance, an excavator formed by a shell formed from a tough metal such as carbon steel and an inner body formed from an abrasion resistant metal such as a chromium white iron. The shell includes cross portions extending through the inner body, the cross portions being made of the tough metal. This has the effect of strengthening the overall toughness of the wear component, while retaining desirable abrasion resistance.

Disclosed are various exemplary embodiments of a retainer system for a ground engaging tool. The retainer system may include a lock having a lock rotation axis and including an outer surface extending about the lock rotation axis and a retainer bushing having a retainer axis and an inner surface extending about the retainer axis. The inner surface may be configured to rotatably receive the outer surface of the lock. At least a portion of the outer surface may have a varying radius with respect to the lock rotation axis.

A ditch forming implement includes a frame supported for movement across the ground in a forward working direction when connected to a towing vehicle. A rotating member, for example a tire having a resilient main body and integral resilient paddles formed thereon, is rotatably supported on the frame within an upright plane oriented transversely to the forward working direction. The frame may also support a shovel on an implement shank spaced forwardly of the rotating member, an adjustable guide wheel supported rearwardly of the rotating member for controlling depth of the rotating member, and a grader blade supported forwardly and laterally offset to one side of the rotating member for widening a ditch to be formed by the implement.

A removable plow attachment for a snow blower or thrower is provided. A plow attachment includes a plow member and hook-shaped brackets. The plow member is an arcuate shaped member configured for moving or plowing loose material such as snow, slush, etc. The plow member is removably coupled to the snow blower by the hook-shaped brackets and fasteners. L-shaped angling members are provided on the plow member. The brackets and the L-shaped angling members are configured so that the angle of the plow member relative to the snow blower and the surface being plowed can be adjusted.

There is here disclosed an excavation machine having an automatic controlled excavation implement that adjusts the excavation implement to maximize the earth moved in accordance with vehicle operating parameters, and finished terrain parameters.

A ground engaging tip of a tooth assembly for a base edge of a ground engaging implement, is provided, wherein the tooth assembly includes an adapter configured for attachment to a base edge of the ground engaging implement and having a forwardly extending adapter nose. The adapter nose and an adapter cavity of the tip may be configured with surfaces to increase retention when downward forces are applied to the tip.

A charger package apparatus for use with electronic cigarette components, which include truncated components and elongated components that have an electrical coupling connected to a rechargeable power source. The apparatus includes a compact box enclosure with an access opening, and with plural compartments formed indies, which receive electronic cigarette components, and where are least one of the compartment is an elongated compartment. The box also includes a battery compartment with a battery contact for engaging a replaceable battery, and a charge circuit coupled to receive power from the battery contact. A charge contact assembly is coupled to the charge circuit and aligned with the elongated compartment to engage the electrical coupling of an elongated component, which can then transfer power to its rechargeable power source. Also, a lid is selectively engaged with the access opening to close the box.

An apparatus for accurately dosing moist smokeless tobacco includes a dosing assembly and a dosing air source. The dosing assembly defines a loading chamber and a dosing chamber for containing a quantity of moist smokeless tobacco material. The dosing assembly also includes a discharge opening communicating with the dosing chamber. The dosing air source communicates with the dosing chamber and is operable to deliver compressed air to the dosing assembly so as to move moist smokeless tobacco material from the dosing chamber to the discharge opening. A method of pouching moist smokeless tobacco includes placing a predetermined quantity of moist smokeless tobacco in a dosing chamber having a predetermined volume, and ejecting the predetermined quantity of moist smokeless tobacco to pouching apparatus using compressed air.

A method of thermally processing a tobacco material is provided, the method including the steps of (i) mixing a tobacco material, water, and an additive selected from the group consisting of lysine, glycine, histidine, alanine, methionine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, proline, phenylalanine, valine, arginine, di- and trivalent cations, asparaginase, saccharides, phenolic compounds, reducing agents, compounds having a free thiol group, oxidizing agents, oxidation catalysts, plant extracts, and combinations thereof, to form a moist tobacco mixture; (ii) heating the moist tobacco mixture at a temperature of at least about 60° C. to form a heat-treated tobacco mixture; and (iii) incorporating the heat-treated tobacco mixture into a tobacco product. Heat-treated tobacco composition prepared according to the method are also provided, such as heat-treated smokeless tobacco composition comprising a tobacco material, water, flavorant, binder, and filler, the heat-treated smokeless tobacco composition having an acrylamide content of less than about 2000 ppb.

The invention provides a filter element of a smoking article having a longitudinal axis and adapted for filtration of mainstream smoke generated by the smoking article, the filter element including a first region extending along the longitudinal axis of the filter element and exhibiting a first pressure drop and a second region extending along the longitudinal axis of the filter element and exhibiting a second pressure drop lower than said first pressure drop, wherein the first and second regions are arranged in a side-by-side configuration such that both regions are visible in a cross-section of the filter element perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein mainstream smoke can move from the second region into the first region, and further comprising a smoke-altering material, such as an oxidation catalyst, positioned in the first region.

Delivery of additives in a smoking article is provided through thermally degradable, robust immobilized additive inserts. Additives can be immobilized in an elongated device or an insert, wherein the elongated device or the insert is sufficiently robust to allow the elongated device or the insert to be manually or machine inserted into a smoking article while maintaining the structure of the elongated device or the insert. By providing additives in the form of thermally degradable immobilized additive inserts, migration and/or loss of the additives in a smoking article prior to smoking can be reduced.

This invention discloses a method for adding tobacco dust in production process of the papermaking tobacco sheet and its equipment. The tobacco dust is added in 5-30% weight at four process points such as the pipeline from the slurry stabilization box to the slurry flow box, the long-net of the papermaking machine, the position from the vacuum couch to the first press, and the coating position on the papermaking machine. This invention adopts a method for adding the tobacco dust in production process of papermaking tobacco sheet, which has well improved its physical performances including the filling capacity of the papermaking tobacco sheet and solved smoking problems of the papermaking tobacco sheet, such as worse inherent quality, heavy stemy note, insipid tobacco aroma and etc. In addition, this method has also offered a good way to well utilize tobacco dust resource in sizes of 2 mm-100 mesh, which is abnegated in cigarette production, to save resource and to reduce the cigarette cost.