Celanese Acetate Limited

Donald T Stilwell

William S Sanderson

Gary B Ellison

David O Kutscher

Philip I L Caenen

Mark E Scarborough

Cheryl F Corallo

Robina M C Hogan

Philip IL Caenen

Robina MC Hogan

A process for making a cigarette tow comprising: spinning a dope; taking-up the as-spun cellulose acetate filaments; lubricating the filaments; forming a tow from the filaments; crimping the tow with a stuffer box crimper; drying the crimped tow; and baling the dried crimped tow. The process further comprises at least two of the following:

Process for making cellulose acetate tow

In the manufacture of a fiber tow, particularly cellulose acetate tow, a stuffer box crimper has a pair of tow edge lubricators adapted to lubricate the lateral edges of the tow immediately prior to contact with the nip rollers of the crimper.

Process of making cellulose acetate tow

The instant invention is a stuffer box crimper and a method for crimping. The stuffer box crimper according to instant invention includes a pair of nip rollers, a pair of doctor blades, and a stuffer box. The pair of doctor blades is adjacent to an exit end of the pair of nip rollers. The stuffer box includes a stuffer box channel adjacent to the pair of doctor blades, and the stuffer box channel includes a surface consisting of a hard material having a hardness of at least 60 Rc. The method of crimping according to instant invention includes the steps of (1) providing a stuffer box crimper including a stuffer box having a stuffer box channel including a surface consisting of a hard material having a hardness of at least 60 Rc; and (2) crimping via the stuffer box crimper.

Stuffer box crimper and a method for crimping

A cigarette filter tow is a cellulose acetate tow having a high uncrimping energy (UCE) and a low fly. In one embodiment, the average UCE is greater than 280 and the average fly is less than or equal to 0.030 grams per 30 minutes. In another embodiment, the average UCE is greater than 265 and the average fly is less than or equal to 0.023 grams per 30 minutes. In another embodiment, the average UCE is greater than 250 and the average fly is less than or equal to 0.017 grams per 30 minutes.

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Princeton, WV, United States of America

Donald T Stilwell