US2460285A - Tobacco products and method of making them - Google Patents

Description

Patented Feb. 1, 1949 TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND METHOD OF MAKING THEM William J. Hale, Midland, Mich., assignor to The National Agrol Company, Inc., Washington, D. C., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application August 1, 1944, Serial No. 547,628

8 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of treatin tobacco and improved tobacco compositions.

In my previous application, Serial No. 547,627, filed August 1, 1944, it was shown that when cured tobacco receives an additional treatment with solubilized chlorophyll or its related products, the finished tobacco in the process of smoking undergoes a fuller oxidation by reason of the effect of said chlorophyll in promoting oxidation.

As previously stated, other substances than tobaccos may be made to undergo a further combustion when catalyzed by the presence of small amounts of chlorophyll. It has now been found that advantageous results accruing from the use of chlorophyll may be secured by incorporating chlorophyll and related compounds in cigarette papers.

With this end in view it has proved most practical simply to spray cigarette paper especially with an alcoholic solution of chlorophyll or an aqueous solution of a water-soluble chlorophyll such as chlorophyllin and allow the green paper to dry. If desired, the cigarette paper may be sprayed partially with the chlorophyll solution and the partly green paper allowed to dry. Furthermore, a finely comminuted powder of chlorophyll and its congeners may be dusted upon the cigarette paper in its process of preparation. In any event, the inclusion within cigarette paper of chlorophyll, and particularly with a watersoluble chlorophyll with or without its congeners and derivatives, is highly contributory to a better and fuller burning of the cigarette paper in the process of smoking tobacco wrapped therein. As noted, it is preferred to employ a water-soluble or other highly dispersable form of chlorophyll. The term solubilized chlorophyll," therefore, as used herein, comprehends the truly water-soluble forms of chlorophyll such as chlorophyllin' or chlorophyll itself in a suitable solvent therefor so as to thus permit the chlorophyll to permeate the celluosic wrapper in a condition of molecular dispersion.

In the same manner a cigar wrapper may be made to carry an additional quantity of cholorophyll or its derivatives and congeners and thus be brought into a condition that favors fuller combustion.

When cigarettes manufactured from properly cured chlorophyllized tobacco encased within chlorophyllized cigarette paper, are subjected to smoking it is observed that in the products of combustion there is somewhat lower concentration of toxic carbon monoxide than is usually detected when ordinary cigarette paper is employed. Furthermore, there is to be noted a decidedly lessened biting effect in the use of such chlorophyllized tobacco and cigarette paper than when chlorophyll is absent due to the specific action of the chlorophyll on certain acrid products of combustion, both from the tobacco itself and from the paper wrapper. In other words, the treatment minimizes throat irritation While accentuating the desirable flavor and aroma of tobacco. The invention thus comprehends the use of a chlorophyllized cigarette paper in association either with chlorophyllized tobacco or with the usual form of shredded tobacco now employed.

In general, as much as It; to /2 of one percent of the weight of cigarette paper or cigar wrapper may constitute the proportion of chlorophyll best required to the purpose. Any proportion above approximately three percent constitutes an unnecessary excess.

As explained in the copending application, chlorophyll or solubilized chlorophyll such as chlorophyllin may be employed for the described purpose together with the naturally occurring carotenoids. The chlorophyll-carotenoid complex described, as in the previous application, under the term verdurin, may be employed in the relative percentages in which they occur in nature by extracting the chlorophyll and carotenoids from leafy green plants.

While preferred modifications of the invention have been described it is to be understood that these are given to illustrate the fundamental principles involved and not as limiting the useful scope of the invention to the particular illustrative embodiments.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture a cigarette having an amount of solubilized chlorophyll incorporated in both the shredded tobacco and the wrapper to enhance the smoking qualities thereof, the amount of chlorophyll not exceeding substantially 3% on the dry weight of the tobacco.

2. A method of enhancing the smoking quality of cigarettes which comprises impregnating the paper wrapper with an alcoholic solution containing chlorophyll the amount of chlorophyll not exceeding substantially 3% on the dry weight of the wrapper.

3. A method of enhancing the smoking quality of cigarettes which comprises homogeneously impregnating a paper wrapper with quantity of solubilized chlorophyll in an amount between 6 of 1% to about of 1% of the weight of the paper.

4. As an article or manuiacture a cigarette paper in which is homogeneously incorporated a quantity of solubilized chlorophyll in an amount not exceeding substantially 3% on the dry weight of the paper.

5. As an article of manufacture thin cellulosic sheets for cigarette paper, in which is intimately incorporated solubilized chlorophyll in an amount suflicient to induce the oxidation of aldehydic and other irritating vapors arising from the partial combustion of said paper during the course of the passage of said vapors over the chlorophyllized paper. the chlorophyll being utilized in an amount not more than substantially 3% on the dry weight of the paper.

6. As an article of manufacture a cigarette paper in which is intimately incorporated a sumcient amount of a solubilized chlorophyll, and not less than the proportion by weight of chorophyll ordinarily occurring in fresh green leaves. which amount is sumcient to destroy acridic vapors in the smoke stream issuing from the partially burn P 1 7. As an article of manufacture cigarette paper containing approximately of 1% of solubilized chlorophyll and approximately /so of 1% o! carotenoids by weight. 1

8. A method or enhancing the smoking quali- 4 ties oi. cigarettes which comprises impregnating the paper wrapper with a solution of solubilized chlorophyll, the amount of chlorophyll being approximately of 1% by weight 01' the paper.

WILLIAM J. HALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 604,338 Rickard May 17. 1898 1,871,151 Brown Aug. 9, 1932 2,029,494 Loewenthal Feb. 4, 1938 2,091,598 Laniry Aug. 31, 1937 2,098,110 Schertz et al Nov. 2, 1937 2,131,394 Test Sept. 27, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 215,370 Germany Oct. 25, 1909 224,324 Germany July 14, 1910 1,626 Great Britain 1901 6,662 Great Britain 1914 514,605 Great Britain 1939 518,958 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1940