RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ESTABLISHIME-I's-T
To
DR. S. J. GREEN,
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT,
MILLBAINK.
REF DGF/VC/46C
FRO1.1
D. G. FELTON
DATE 15th November, 1967
THE BELL/LAING PATENT
I refer to your letter of 8th November enclosing
a copy of the above patent and a copy letter from
Mr. Jones.
The patent has been considered here by Miss
Ivin-s:n,
Dr. Hughes and myself and we have concluded that,
although
the Boothroyd patent, US.3,118,453, covers the
means of
making a cigarette with a central core of less
densely packe--
tobacco surrounded by an annulus of more densely
packed
tobacco, the Bell/Laing patent defines a product,
conforming
to precise limits with respect to dimensions and
packing
densities, as defined by airflow impedance. Should
we wish
to make such a product - and both the annular
cigarette and
a cigarette with a hollow core could fall into
this category
the Bell/Laing patent would have more than a
nuisance value.
I sense from Mr. Jones' letter, and from yours,
that he is seeking a royalty income and is not
interested
in a simple sale of patent rights. If this is,
indeed, the
case we believe we should undertake a more
detailed
examination of the claims of this patent. This
would be
done, preferably using modified cigarettes
provided by Bell
and Laing or, alternatively, made according to
their teachin.,
for which more information would be needed. The
detailed
examination would involve testing both modified
and control
cigarettes for:
Pressure drop-airflow studies
Burning characteristics - puff and smoulder
temperature measurements
TPM and nicotine measurements
Benzpyrene - and perhaps other aromatic
polycyclic hydrocarbons
Vapour phase components
Gas phase components
CD
BATCo document for Province of British Columbia 5
November 1999


2.
DR. S. J. GREEN
ISth November, 1967
If, and only if, we could substantiate the Bell
and Laing claims, would it be worthwhile
attempting to make
a product conforming to their limitations on a
machine of
the Boothroyd type? It may well be that the
Boothroyd
patent approach does not enable us to cover the
whole of
the Bell and Laing product area, in which event we
could be
committed to a large scale engineering development
lasting
several months, with the consequent delay to other
projects.
In summary, we would suggest restricting testing
to laboratory examination and not undertaking any
development
effort until the claims are substantiated.
I imagine the question regarding an appropriate
sum for exclusivity was addressed to our overseas
colleagues.
CD
BATCo document for Province of British Columbia 5
November 1999