Filter plugs for cigarettes

Claim 1

A FILTER PLUG FOR CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE, CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF SUPERPOSED LAYERS OF COMPARATIVELY LOOSE FIBROUS MATERIAL ARRANGED SO THAT ABUTTING FACES OF SAID SUPERPOSED LAYERS EXTEND IN AXIAL DIRECTION OF SAID FILTER PLUG, EACH OF SAID LAYERS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL COMPRISING HAPHAZARDLY ARRANGED FIBERS, WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO ABSORB MOISTURE UNDER SIMULTANEOUS SWELLING AND WHICH ARE ALSO ADAPTED TO BE MECHANICALLY DEFORMED BY COMPRESSION OF SELECTED PORTIONS OF THE LAYER AND THEREBY ADHERE AND BE JOINED TOGETHER DUE TO SUCH MECHANICAL DEFORMATION SO THAT THE COMPRESSED PORTIONS OF SAID LAYER COMPOSED OF SAID MECHANICALLY DEFORMED FIBER PORTIONS HAVE GREATER MECHANICAL STRENGTH AND LESSER CAPABILITY OF ABSORBING MOISTURE AND OF SWELLING THAN UNCOMPRESSED PORTIONS OF SAID LAYER, EACH OF SAID FIBROUS LAYERS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SAID COMPRESSED PORTIONS COMPOSED OF MECHANICALLY DEFORMED AND THEREBY JOINED FIBER PORTIONS EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE THICKNESS OF THE RESPECTIVE LAYER, THEREBY FORMING REINFORCING STRUCTURES WHICH WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY UNAFFECTED BY MOISTURE PASSING THROUGH SAID FILTER PLUG DURING USE OF THE SAME.