Philip Morris Inc.

Francis M Watson, Iii

A Clifton Lilly, Jr

Warren E Claflin

Peter Martin

Walter F Mutter

John S Price

Metal layers of extreme thinness, of the order of fifty Angstroms and greater are detected by use of microwave energy so propagated as to permit determination of the presence or absence of the metal in a detection zone of limited extent outwardly of the issuance location of such propagated energy. Apparatus is provided for propagating microwave energy having a characteristic which changes with propagation distance from a maximum value at the energy issuance location to a minimum value first exhibited at the outward end of the detection zone.

Method and system for detection of thin metal layers in packaged articles

Diverse values of a characteristic of rod-shaped articles, such as circumference dimensions, are stored in a signal-addressable memory connected in read-out manner to display units. An article to be examined is disposed in a pressurized conduit and back pressure from the conduit is sensed and a corresponding output signal is generated. The output signal is converted in a further signal having address indication in predetermined relation to the sensed back pressure indication and identifying the memory location storing corresponding article characteristic value information, whereupon the memory energizes the display unit. This practice is preferably implemented by use of an analog-to-digital converter to affect such predetermined relation between the output signal and such address-indicating further signal.

Method and apparatus for examining rod-shaped articles

A variable parameter smoking machine for smoking one or more cigarettes that allows adjustment of the puff flow, duration, and interval for the cigarettes being smoked. Cigarette holders are placed in fluid circuit parallel with dummy air-flow resistance valves, and either the holder or dummy load is placed in operative communication with a continuous vacuum source by a solenoid-operated valve associated with each holder and dummy load. A flow-adjustable valve is also associated with each holder and dummy load. Each holder-dummy-valve system is connected to a pressure manifold, which in turn is connected through a circuit having a flowmeter and flowmeter bypass line arranged in parallel to the continuous vacuum source.

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Richmond, VA, United States of America

Francis M Watson, Iii