The method of making a reconstituted tobacco foamed sheet

Claim 2

METHOD OF MAKING A FOAMED RECONSTITUTED TOBACCO SHEET SUITABLE FOR USE AS A SMOKING MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES PREPARING A TOBACCO SLURRY COMPRISNG A MAJOR PROPORTION OF TOBACCO RESULTING IN SHEET CONTANING AT LEAST 655 BY WEIGHT THEREOF AND A CELLULOSE ETHER, SUBJECTING SAID SLURRY TO A DISPERSING GAS AND A HIGH SHEAR FORCE AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 80*F TO ATTAIN AN EMERGENT FOAM DENSITY OF BETWEEN 0.85 AND 1.0 G/CC AND A FOAM BUBBLE WITHIN THE SLURRY SUCH THAT AT LEAST 80 PERCENT OF THE BUBBLES ARE LESS THAN 50 MICRONS IN DIAMETER, AND GREATER THAN 30 PERCENT ARE LESS THAN 50 MICRONS IN DIAMETER, AND CASTING AND DRYING THE SLURRY INTO SHEET FORM, SAID SHEET BEING ESSENTIALLY NON-POROUS, HAVING A DENSITY OF FROM ABOUT 0.2 UP TO ABOUT 0.45 G/CC, AND RESEMBLING SPONGE OR CORAL UNDER MAGNIFICATION.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said tobAcco slurry also comprises a combustible filler.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein said combustible filler is wood pulp.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said cellulose ether is a cellulose ether having substituents selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl and hydroxy lower alkyl.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein said sheet has a thickness up to about 0.007 inches and a weight of between about 3 g/ft2 and about 5 g/ft2.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein said tobacco is cigar tobacco comminuted to a dimension preponderantly less than 140 mesh.

Claim 8

Method of making a foamed reconstituted tobacco sheet suitable for use as a smoking material which comprises preparing a tobacco slurry comprising a major proportion of tobacco resulting in sheet containing at least 65 percent by weight thereof said tobacco being cigar tobacco comminuted to a dimension preponderantly less than 140 mesh, a combustible filler, and a cellulose ether having substituents selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl and hydroxy lower alkyl, subjecting said slurry to a dispersing gas and a high shear force at temperatures below 80*F to attain an emergent foam density of between 0.85 and 1.0 g/cc and a foam bubble size within the slurry such that at least 80 percent of the bubbles are less than 100 microns in diameter, and greater than 30% are less than 50 microns in diameter, and casting and drying the slurry into sheet form in thickness up to about 0.007 inches, said sheet having a weight of between about 3 g/ft2 and about 5g/ft2, and resembling natural sponge or coral under magnification.

Claim 9

Method of making a foamed reconstituted tobacco sheet suitable for use as a smoking material which comprises preparing a tobacco slurry comprising a major proportion of tobacco resulting in sheet containing at least 65 percent by weight thereof said tobacco being cigar tobacco comminuted to a dimension preponderantly less than 140 mesh, a combustible filler, and a cellulose ether having substituents selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl and hydroxy lower alkyl, subjecting said slurry to a dispersing gas and a high shear force at temperatures below 80*F to attain an emergent foam density of between 0.85 and 1.0 g/cc and a foam bubble size within the slurry such that at least 80 percent of the bubbles are less than 100 microns in diameter, and greater than 30% are less than 50 microns in diameter, and casting and drying the slurry into sheet form in thickness up to about 0.007 inches, said sheet having a weight of between about 3 g/ft2 and about 5g/ft2, and resembling natural sponge or coral under magnification.