Patent ID: 6314645
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: A24F

Abstract:
Apparatus for perforating a cigarette, comprising:a body having a torus shaped portion, said torus shaped portion having an inside diameter forming an aperture and an outside diameter, and a handle portion contiguous with said torus shaped portion and extending along a radius of said torus shaped portion beyond said outside diameter, wherein said aperture is sized to allow passage of said cigarette therethrough;first and second bores disposed through opposite sides of said torus shaped portion along an acting diameter of said torus shaped portion and oriented approximately perpendicular to said radius; andfirst and second spring-loaded, reciprocating pins formed to a point at each inward-directed end and set in linearly opposing relationship along said acting diameter of said torus shaped portion respectively in said first and second bores, wherein each one of said first and second pins is biased to a retracted position under spring loading within a respective one of said first and second bores such that said pointed end of each said pin is disposed in said retracted position within said respective bore of said torus shaped portion and an outward end of each said pin extends outward from said first and second respective bores beyond said outside diameter of said torus shaped portion by a first predetermined distance.