US1969847A - Lighter - Google Patents

Description

Au 14', 1934. HOLT MAN 1,969,847

LIGHTER Filed March 3, 1926 wall. ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14; 1934 LIGHTER John 'Holtzman, New York, N. Y., assignor to Evans Case Company, North Attleboro, Mm, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 3, 1926, Serial No. 91,899

Claims.

This invention relates to lighters, and more particularly to devices for lighting cigars, pipes, cigarettes or the like. I

One of the objects of this invention is to I provide alighter that will be conveniently acces- V sible for quickly and dependably producing a light.

Another object is to provide a lighter capable of dependable sparkand light-producing acl0 tion under the control and at the will of the operator.

Another object is to provide a lighting device of the above-mentioned character having a spark-producing mechanism which can be reliably actuated by direct manual pressure.

A further feature is in the provision of practical means for producing sparks adapted to ignite a saturated wick, communicating with a supply of combustible liquid, whereby a flame is produced at will and means for dependably quenching the flame upon the accomplishment of its purpose and preventing evaporation of the liquid, the device being easily and simply operated by mere finger pressure.

Another object is to provide a lighter that will be of simple, compact and inexpensive construction, of positive and dependable action, and capable of simple, positive and convenient manipulation in practical use. I

Another object is to provide a lighter which may be, if desired, secured to a stand such as an ash tray, but which will be capable of efilcient action and use when apart from the stand.

Another object is to provide a simple and prac- 5 tical construction for readily and conveniently replenishing the sparking elements as required.

Another object is to provide a lighter that will be of neat and attractive appearance and well adapted to meet the requirements of hard practical use.

Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangementsof parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. In the accompanying drawing in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of my invention.

Figure l is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention as assembled ready for operation;

inafter, may be arranged to be supported in .upright position, as is illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing, and, for that purpose, I prefer to removably secure it to a circular tray or base having a raised horizontal flange 10 surrounding an annular channel 11 acting as an ash receiver, the flange being provided with a plurality of radial concave recesses 12 in which a cigar may be placed when temporarily at rest. g

Leading upward from the channel 11 is an inclinedwall blending into a fiat central plate 13, level with the flange 10 and centrally seated onthe plate is a cylindrical container 14 having a contracted upper portion leading to a neck '15.

soldered in the lower end of, and forming the bottom of the container 14 is an inverted cup 16, its lower flanged edge being level with the lower edge of the container and passing axially through the cup is a tube 1'], closed at its inner, upper end and screw threaded at its outer end, which extends downward through a central opening in the plate 13. p

A wing nut 18 engages thetube below the plate 13 clamping the container firmly but removably thereon, the nut being proportioned to clear the surface on which the tray may be placed, and it is to be understood that the tube 17, cup 16 and container 14 are fixedly united by liquid tight joints. Removably engaged in the neck 15 is a cylinder 19 to extend thereabove and passing through the cylinder is a tube 20 reaching down into the container 14 and acting as a guide and support for a wick 21,which extends into a combustible liquid such as alcohol, in the container, to be conveyed by capillary action to the point of ignition above the cylinder 19, the ensemble constituting a form of torch as will be seen.

Fixed on the upper extending portion of the cylinder 19 is a short tube 22, resting on the neck 15, rigidly supporting a frame consisting of a pair of opposed, outwardly curved embracing arms 23 formed from a single plate of metal.

The rear ends 24 of these plate arms are curved downwardly and secured between th is a spacer 25 terminating in a down turned, twardly extending finger grip 26, the inner e of the spacer makin contact with the tube 22 and is held rigidly by rivets 27 between the plate ends.

Immediately above the spacer 25 are registering openings 28 formed in the plate arms and operating conjunctively therewith is a shear blade 29, carried by a lever 30, the point of the blade moving through a slot 31 in the spacer 25.

The lever 30 is pivoted on a pin 32 set in ears 33 extending upward from the plate ends 24, the outer end of the lever terminating in a finger piece portion 34, opposed to the grip 26, for convenience of operation. The lever 30 is offset as at 35 and carries, preferably attached to the offset portion 35 thereof, a cap 56 which, when the lever is in the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, covers the upper exposed end of the wick 21 (see also Figure 3).

The opposite inner portion of the lever 30 is offset outwardly, as at 35, and formed into a segmental rack 36 having teeth on its outer edge to engage a pinion 37 fixed on a spindle 38, mounted in lugs 39 raised from the forward doubled portion of the plate arms 23 above their connecting member 40.

On the outer end of the spindle 38 is a fixed washer 41, acting as a guide for the rack 36, the opposite side of which is movable in contact with the outer surface of the adjacent plate arm.

A coiled tension spring 42, fixed at one end to one of the rivets 27, is attached to the lever 30 in such manner as to retain the finger piece portion 34 in a raised position and the rack lowered, as shown in Figure 2.

Fixed to rotate with the spindle 38, when the rack is actuated to revolve the pinion 3'7, is a disc 43 disposed between the lugs 39 and loosely mounted on the disc is a ring 44 having sharply formed ratchet teeth to constitute an abrader.

In order to rotate the abrader in one direction only the disc 43 is cutaway to present a cam outline 45 and a sphere 46 disposed in the space between the cam and inner peripheral surface of the abrader, the sphere being pressed into, engaging position by a fine compression spring 47 set in a recess in the disc.

Thus as the finger piece portion 34 is pressed downwardly, the rack 36, by reason of the pinion 37, will transmit rotary motion to the disc in a direction to cause the sphere to engage the abrader and cause it to turn in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3; however, upon release of the finger piece portion, and its return to its initial position by the pull of the spring 42, the disc will rotate in the opposite direction and fail to convey motion to the abrader, as the sphere 46 will move into the wider portion of the cam recess 45, away from the abrader which thus remains stationary due to its contact with a piece of sparking or pyrophoric material 48.

This material, in the form of a short cylinder, is carried in a tube 49, held between the plate arm elements 39 and extending downward therebelow.

These sparking material elements may be entered through an opening 50 in the tube, the same registering with openings 51 in the plate arms and the element being used is pressed against the abrader by a plug 52 acted upon by a compression spring 53 disposed in the tube 49, the outer end of which is partially closed.

Fixed in the plug 52 is a rod 54 extending outwardly through the end of the tube and having on its outer end a ball 55 used as a handle in retracting the plug when replacing a used sparking element with a fresh one.

A supply of such sparking elements may be carried in the reservoir tube 17, the same being accessible by releasing the nut 18 whenever desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that upon depressing the finger piece portion 34, the cap 56 is swung upwardly to expose the wick end (see dotted line position of member 56 in Figure 2), and the substantially simultaneous actuation of the rack 36 causes rotation of the abrader member 44 (in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3) against the sparking material 48, and a series of sparks are directed towards the extending end of the wick 21, causing ignition of the .combustible liquid, the same springing into a flame to be used for such purposes as may be wanted. 1

Simultaneously a cigar end may be entered in the opening 28 and may be clipped by the blade 29 and, upon release of the handle 34, the cap 56, carried by the offset lever arm 35 descends, effectually snufiing out the flame and thereafter preventing loss of the liquid fuel by evaporation, as the cap fits tightly against the tube 22. This movement of the lever 30 with its rack 36 from the dotted line position of Figure 2 to the full line position shown in Figure 2 is insured by the spring 42, as above noted; the rack 36 is thus positioned for subsequent actuation and the spring 42 dependably holds the cap 56 in wick-covering position, it being noted that the above-mentioned failure of the disk 43 to rotate the abrading member 44 in reverse direction as the rack 36 descends insures the dependable return of the parts into a state of readiness for subsequent operation.

Although I have described my improvements with considerable detail and with respect to a preferred form or embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to such details since many changes and modifications may well be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadest aspect. I therefore wish it to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A cigar lighter comprising a stand having an upright wick fed torch, a frame on said torch, a lever pivoted on the frame, said lever having an arcuate rack combined therewith, a spindle mounted in said frame, a pinion meshing with said rack, a disc having a cam recess, said pinion and disc being fixed on said spindle, an abrading ring circumjacent said disc, means in the cam recess to engage said ring to rotate it in one direction, and means to resiliently press a piece of pyrophoric material against said abrading ring.

2. A cigar lighter comprising astand having an upright wick fed torch, a frame on said torch, a lever pivoted on the frame, said lever having an arcuate rack combined therewith, a spindle mounted in said frame, a pinion driven by said rack, a disc, said disc and pinion being fixed to said spindle, an abrader ring journalled on said disc, clutch means in said disc operative ,to drive the ring in one direction, said means being inoperative in the reverse direction, and

on said lever, an abrader actuated by said rack,

a tube in said frame radial with the abrader, means for charging said tube with sparking material, means in said tube to press said material against the abrader, and means to control the direction of rotation of the abrader to deliver sparks to said wick.

4. A cigar lighter comprising an upright liquid fuel container having a wick, a frame fixed on the upper end of said container, a lever pivoted on said frame, an arcuate rack on said lever, an abrader actuated by said rack in one direction only, a sparking material tube carried by said frame, a spring in said tube to press the material against the abrader, a plug intervening the material and spring, a rod fixed in said plug by which said plugmay be retracted and astop on said rod to limit the movement of said plug.

5. In a pyrophoric lighter, in combination, a casing for the lighter having bottom and side walls; a member bridging said side walls and closing said casing, said member having a pair of horizontally spaced members, said bridging member being supported by the upper portions of the side walls of said casing; a wick tube extending downwardly through said bridging member and having therein a wick which extends downwardly into the casing and projects upwardly above said bridging member; a wick cap pivotally supported by said spaced members; an abrading wheel rotatably carried by said spaced members and having sparking material operatively related to it; a spring-opposed member manually movable in a downward direction relative to said bridging member for lifting said cap and geared to said wheel by one-way driving means including a rotary member supported by said spaced members, for directly rotating said wheel in spark-producing direction and a spring to oppose said member, said spring serving to biassaid wick cap into sealing position.

6. A pyrophoric lighter having a casing through the uppermost wall of which a wick p rojects, a wick cap above said uppermost wall and movable in a generally up and down direction to alternately uncover and cover said wick, an

abrading wheel operatively related to said wick, sparking material below said wheel and resiliently pressed into engagement therewith, said wheel being mounted above said uppermost wall, a member mounted above said uppermost wall and movable in a general up and down direction and having a spring for urging it in upward direction, said member being manually depressible against the action of said spring, and mechanism connecting said cap, said wheel and said member, said mechanism acting to givea stroke of movement to said cap for each up and down movement of said member and to rotate said wheel only upon each downward movement of fuel container; a pair of spaced members adjacent the top of said container; a wick exposed through the top of said container and in a 'vertical plane which extends intermediate of said spaced members; an abrading wheel and a pinion rotatably supported by said spaced members, said abrading wheel being mounted, between said spaced members and said pinion being adjacent one of said spaced members; a pyrophoric element operatively related to said wheel; a ratchet connection between said pinion and said wheel, a rack movable substantially upwardly and downwardly, meshing with said pinion, said pinion, said rack and said spaced members being related to each other to maintain the rack and pinion in operative relation; a finger piece portion connected to said rack and manually movable in a downward direction for actuating said rack, said ratchet connection driving said wheel upon movement of said finger piece portion in downward direction; spring means for opposing actuation of said finger piece portion in downward direction and for returning the latter in upward direction; and a wick cap mounted to be lifted off of thewick in response to actuation of said rack in wheel-driving direction and to be returned to wick-covering position in response to actuation by said spring means of said rack in reverse direction.

8. In a pyrophoric lighter, in combination, a tube open at its upper end, a coiled spring wholly disposed in said tube, a plug of pyrophoric material located in said tube at the top thereof and above said spring, means onthe other end of said tube facilitating the ready removal and replacement of said pyrophoric material, an abrasive wheel located over the top of said tube and in contact with said pyrophoric material an axis pin for supporting said abrasive wheel substantially over the top of said tube, a one- 115 way driving device for said abrasive wheel located on said axis pin, a gear wheel alsolocated on said axis pin, a connection between said gear wheel and said one-way driving device, a rack in mesh with said gear wheel, a finger piece rigidly connected to said rack and having a portion thereof mounted for downward movement to operate said rack, spring means to urge the operating portion of said finger piece upwardly, a wick. projecting upwardly adjacent said abrading wheel with the wick, wheel and operating portion of the finger piece in line,- a wick tube for said wick, a receptacle for fuel mounting all of said parts, a snuffer cap adapted to coact with the top of said wick tube and having a hollow portion to receive said wick and pivotally mounted for movement upward from said wick tube, means providing a seat about the upper end of said wick tube against which said snufier cap may seat, and a connection between 135 the operating portion of finger piece and said snuifer cap whereby when said operating portion spring means holds said snuffer cap against said seat-providing means to seal fuel in the receptacle when said snuffer cap is down.

9. In a pyrophoric lighter, in combination, a receptacle for fuel, an open top and free bottom tube immovably affixed to said receptacle with the axis of its top portion substantially vertical, a coiled spring wholly within said tube,

a plug of pyrophoric material in said tube and partly projecting from the open top thereof, an

abrasive wheel in contact with said pyrophoric material and over thetop of said tube, an axis pin. for said abrasive wheel perpendicular to the axis of the top of said tube for supporting said wheel substantially over the top of said tube, means on the bottom of said tube and available without disassembly of the lighter for shifting said spring to remove and replace the pyrophoric material, a pair of flat members in parallel vertical planes attached to said receptacle mounting wardly, a wick tube having a wick projecting into said snufier when said snuffer is closed, said wick tube extending into said receptacle, whereby upon downward movement of said finger piece portion said abrasive wheel is rotated to throw sparks upon said wick as said snuffer moves upwardly in line with said wick tube and then swings away therefrom, the plane of the pivotal movement of the snuffer being between the plane of the pair of fiat members and parallel to them and intersecting the abrasive wheel, the wick and the finger piece portion and the first-named tube.

10. In a pyrophoric lighter, incombination, a fuel container; a pair of spaced members adjacent the top of said container; a wick tube extending downwardly through the top of said container and having therein a wick which extends downwardly into the container and projects upwardly above the top of the container; a snufier cap adapted to coact with the upper end of said wick tube and having a hollow portion to receive said wick, said wick tube having means forming a seat thereabout against which said snufier cap may seat, thereby to seal said wick against exposure; a member pivotally supported by said spaced members and carrying said snuffer cap for angular movement upwardly away from said wick tube to expose said wick or downwardly into engagement with said seatforming means; anabrading wheel rotatably carried between said spaced members and having sparking material operatively related to it, said pivoted snuffer-carrying member being geared to said abrading wheel by one-way driving means including a rotary toothed member supported by said spaced members and a rack member depending from said snuffer-carrying member and engaging said rotary-toothed member; a movable finger piece operatively connected to said snufler-carrying member for actuating the latter in response to manual pressure applied to said finger piece, thereby to move said snuffercarrying member upwardly away from said wick tube to uncover the wick and therewith to move said rack member upwardly and effect sparkproducing rotation of said wheel, thereby to ignite the wick; and a spring opposing said finger piece and serving to bias said snuffer cap into sealing engagement with said seat.

JOHN HOLTZMAN.

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