An example embodiment includes a tongue includes a forming surface of a forming channel, the forming channel configured to enable the shaping of shredded material into a desired form as a shredded material is drawn through the forming channel and an arrangement to introduce at least a portion of a web component adjacent a portion of the forming surface such that the introduced web component portion may be operative upon the drawn shredded material as a source of additional drawing action. The tongue may include an arrangement to draw a moving web into the tongue through a channel that converges with the working surface of the tongue, whereby the moving web is interposable between a moving column of shredded material and the first surface portion of the working surface to reduce friction. The tongue may further comprise an arrangement comprising a scalloped surface portion along the working surface of the tongue.

An inductively heatable aerosol-forming rod for an aerosol-generating article is provided, including one cylindrical core portion including a first aerosol-forming substrate; at least one elongate susceptor laterally abutting the cylindrical core portion in a non-bonded manner along a longitudinal axis of the aerosol-forming rod; and a sleeve portion arranged around the cylindrical core portion and the susceptor, the sleeve including at least one of a filler material and a second aerosol-forming substrate. A shaping device for manufacturing the inductively heatable aerosol-forming rods is also provided, the shaping device including a core-forming device, a sleeve-forming device, and a longitudinal guide.

The invention relates to a homogenized tobacco sheet production line comprising: A tank (501) adapted to contain a slurry formed by a tobacco powder blend, a binder (6) and an aerosol former (5) in an aqueous medium; A cast apparatus (200) adapted to receive slurry from the tank (501) and to cast the slurry so as to form a homogenized tobacco material; A movable transporting support (606) on which said slurry is casted and adapted to transport the homogenized tobacco material along a transport direction; A slitter (611) located downstream the cast apparatus (200) adapted to slit the homogenized tobacco material along the transport direction so as to form portioned homogenized tobacco sheets; and A crimper (613) located downstream the slitter (611) adapted to receive at least one of the partial homogenized tobacco sheets from the slitter (611) and to crimp the at least one of the portioned homogenized tobacco sheets. It also relates to a method for inline production of a homogenized tobacco sheet.

The invention relates to a homogenized tobacco sheet production line comprising: A tank (501) adapted to contain a slurry formed by a tobacco powder blend, a binder (6) and an aerosol former (5) in an aqueous medium; A cast apparatus (200) adapted to receive slurry from the tank (501) and to cast the slurry so as to form a homogenized tobacco material; A movable transporting support (606) on which said slurry is casted and adapted to transport the homogenized tobacco material along a transport direction; A slitter (611) located downstream the cast apparatus (200) adapted to slit the homogenized tobacco material along the transport direction so as to form portioned homogenized tobacco sheets; and A crimper (613) located downstream the slitter (611) adapted to receive at least one of the partial homogenized tobacco sheets from the slitter (611) and to crimp the at least one of the portioned homogenized tobacco sheets. It also relates to a method for inline production of a homogenized tobacco sheet.

A spacing drum comprising: a segment receiving drum section capable of receiving a predetermined number of segments per revolution of the drum from a procession of segments approaching the segment receiving drum section at a segment-feed spacing and a segment-feed speed; a segment releasing drum section capable of releasing the predetermined number of segments at a segment-release spacing and a segment-release speed; and a radial profile flight comprising a continuous arc segment extending across at least portions of the segment receiving drum section and the segment releasing drum section. Associated methods are also provided, including method of changing pitch along a spacing drum progressively with a radial profile flight.

An apparatus for the formation of machine-made tobacco rods for use in the production of smoking articles, such as cigars, from tobacco comprising a tacky material. The apparatus includes a pair of transfer and compression belts for receiving and compressing the stream of tobacco, the transfer and compression; a pair of squeeze bars for compressing the tobacco in a direction perpendicular to the pair of transfer and compression belts, the pair of squeeze bars produced from a material comprising a poly(aryl ether ketone); a tongue for receiving the compressed tobacco, the tongue produced from a material comprising a poly(aryl ether ketone); and a folder for folding a wrapper material around the compressed tobacco so as to form a continuous rod of tobacco, the wrapper material provided from a source of wrapper material, the folder produced from a material comprising a poly(aryl ether ketone).

An apparatus for manufacturing of multi-element rods of the tobacco industry comprising a feeding apparatus designed to feed rod-like elements, a transferring apparatus designed to transfer the rod-like elements or groups of the rod-like elements from the apparatus feeding the rod-like elements to the forming apparatus, comprising rotational elements provided with lugs and notches between the lugs, used to convey the rod-like elements, whereas the notches are adapted to receive and convey the individual rod-like elements or the groups of the rod-like elements, whereas the rotational elements are arranged and adapted to guide the rod-like elements successively through the rotational elements, the apparatus further comprises a forming apparatus, and a cutting apparatus.

A sheet of homogenised tobacco material is provided, the sheet of homogenized tobacco material including at least 40% tobacco content on a dry weight basis, the sheet of homogenized tobacco material having an aerosol former content of greater than 5% on a dry weight basis, a non-tobacco fibre additive and an extrinsic binder, and the sheet of homogenized tobacco material being formed by a casting process.

A sheet of homogenised tobacco material is provided, the sheet of homogenized tobacco material including at least 40% tobacco content on a dry weight basis, the sheet of homogenized tobacco material having an aerosol former content of greater than 5% on a dry weight basis, a non-tobacco fibre additive and an extrinsic binder, and the sheet of homogenized tobacco material being formed by a casting process.

Winding equipment continuously wrapping a flavor raw ingredient in rollable paper while molding the flavor raw ingredient into a filler through a process for transporting the flavor raw ingredient with the rollable paper along a transport path is provided. The winding equipment includes a garniture tape and a molding bed having a molding groove in which the garniture tape travels. The rollable paper is supported on the garniture tape and travels in the molding groove with the garniture tape. The filler is supported on the rollable paper and is continuously wrapped in the rollable paper via the garniture tape traveling in the molding groove and is molded into the filling rod. The molding bed has a suction chamber for suctioning a groove space in the molding groove. The garniture tape has a suction hole and applies suction force from the suction chamber to the rollable paper via the suction hole.