IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES." A communication from abroad by the
Firm of Schaeffer and Fritz, of Wasselonne, Alsace, Tobacco Manufacturers.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1876.
A com-
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES."
munication from abroad by the Firm of Schaeffer and Fritz, of Wasselonne, Alsace,
Tobacco Manufacturers.
This Invention relates to the manufacture of cigarettes without the employment
of ordinary paper, whereby the whole of the inconveniences resulting from the use
of paper for covering and supporting the tobacco which the cigarettes contain are
obviated. It is well known that the result of the use of paper for this purpose is
not only to impart a disagreeable taste to the tobacco in consequence of the
generally imperfect combustion of the paper, but also, to injuriously affect the health
of the smoker by compelling him to inhale the acrid and irritating products of such
combustion.
According to this Invention the cigarettes are formed by rolling up the tobacco
in any suitable manner in a leaf of tobacco or in a piece of paper manufactured
from the ribs, leaf, stalks, or fibres of the tobacco. When. the latter method is
employed the piece may be arranged of such a form as to impart to the finished
cigarette the appearance of a small cigar. A similar result may likewise be obtained
by covering the cigarette with a strip cut out of a leaf of tobacco and wound round
in a spiral form.
Any suitable apparatus or means may be adopted in carrying out this Invention,
but it is preferred to employ simply a strong flexible piece of thin white card bent.
over at one extremity, upon which the tobacco which is to form the cigarette is
placed. The tobacco may thus be rolled up with facility into a cylindrical form by
working this mould with the fingers, then bringing the cylinder of tobacco to one
Price ANI

page_text: side of the mould the piece of tobacco leaf, for example, is to be laid in it, and with
a single roll of the fingers may be wrapped evenly round the tobacco. By taking
the precaution to coat the inner side of the envelope with a species of gum obtained
from thickened tobacco juice it will adhere at once, and it suffices to fold over the
ends in order to complete the cigarette.
In order to impart the appearance of a small cigar to the cigarette the leaf of
tobacco is cut out in the form of a trapezium with two right angles, care being taken
that the side of the trapezium contained between the two right angles is first rolled
over the tobacco; the obliquely cut side is then wound round outside in a spiral
form so as to impart to the cigarette thus formed the appearance of a cigar.
The cigarettes may be made of any required shape and dimensions; for example,
they may be round, square, or fluted in cross section, and of any length or thick-
ness; and they may moreover be fitted with a plug of straw, card, or other
substance if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th May
1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES."
A com-
munication from abroad by the Firm of Schaeffer and Fritz, of Wasselonne, Alsace,
Tobacco Manufacturers.
The said Invention relates to the manufacture of cigarettes without the employ-
ment of ordinary paper, whereby the whole of the inconveniences resulting from
the use of paper for covering and supporting the tobacco which the cigarettes
contain are obviated. It is well known that the result of the use of paper for this
purpose is not only to impart a disagreeable taste to the tobacco in consequence of
the generally imperfect combustion of the paper but also to injuriously affect the
health of the smoker by compelling him to inhale the acrid and irritating products
of such combustion.
According to the said Invention the cigarettes are formed by rolling up the
tobacco in any suitable manner in a leaf of tobacco or in a piece of paper manu-
factured from the ribs, leaf, stalks, or fibres of the tobacco. When the latter method
is employed the picce may be arranged of such a form as to impart to the finished
cigarette the appearance of a small cigar. A similar result may likewise be obtained
by covering the cigarette with a strip cut out of a leaf of tobacco and wound round
in a spiral form.
Any suitable apparatus or means may be adopted in carrying out the said Inven-
tion, but it is preferred to employ simply a strong flexible piece of thin white card
bent over at one extremity, upon which the tobacco which is to form the cigarette
is placed. The tobacco may thus be rolled up with facility into a cylindrical form
by working this mould with the fingers, then bringing the cylinder of tobacco to
one side of the mould the piece of tobacco leaf, for example, is laid in it, and with a
single roll of the fingers may be wrapped evenly round the tobacco. By taking the
precaution to coat the inner side of the envelope with a species of gum obtained
from thickened tobacco juice it will adhere at once, and it suffices to fold over the
ends in order to complete the cigarette.
In order to impart the appearance of a small cigar to the cigarette the leaf of
tobacco is cut out in the form of a trapezium with two right angles, care being
taken that the side of the trapezium contained between the two right angles is first
rolled over the tobacco; the obliquely cut side is then wound round outside in a
spiral form so as to impart to the cigarette thus formed the appearance of a cigar.
The cigarettes may be made of any required shape and dimensions; for example,

page_text: they may be round, square, or fluted in cross section, and of any length or thick-
ness; and they may moreover be fitted with a plug of straw, card, or other substance
if desired.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, forming cigarettes by rolling or wrapping tobacco in a leaf or
leaves of tobacco, or in paper manufactured from the ribs, leaf, stalks, or fibres of
tobacco without the employment of ordinary paper, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)