James A. Sweeting (1800s) – Mechanical cigarette roller
James A. Sweeting’s invention, described in the U.S. patent file 549501, issued in 1897, was a device for easily rolling cigarettes. The device comprised a cylindrical rod holding the tobacco and a mechanism to hold the cigarette paper. When used correctly, the device would create a perfectly formed cigarette. The paper might require dampening along the roller line to prevent the cigarette from unraveling. Sweeting’s goal was to make it easy for regular cigarette smokers to roll their cigarettes rather than only being accessible to cigarette manufacturers.