US1194697A

US1194697A - Tobacco-biter

Info

Publication number: US1194697A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1916-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1933-08-15

Description

L. E. ASHENFELTER.

TOBACCO BITER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17, 1914.

71 1 9%,697 Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

wiiizawew a a? $6 X .Mvuw/ LOYD E. ASHENFELTER, 0F STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA.

TOIBACCO-BITER.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, LOYD E. AsHnNrEL'rER, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Stillwater, in the county of Payne and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Tobacco-Biter, of which the following is a specification.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel convenience for tobacco users the same being of that class of devices whereby one may sever a bite of tobacco from a plug.

Other objects are simplicity, cheapness, compactness, ease of application to, adjustment on and removal from the plug of tobacco; freedom from wearing the pocket of the user, and the provision of-a novel ad vertising medium for tobacco manufacturers or dealers or others.

I regard the invention as broadly new and pioneer in that I provide a device which can be simply slipped onto an edge of, and be thus attached to a plug of tobacco and can be used at pleasure to sever therefrom a bite for the tobacco user.

The invention may be variously constructed, and I do not limit myself to any specific form of its embodiment.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in the form I at present deem most advisable.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device applied to a plug of tobacco from which it has cut a bite, the cutter being raised ready to adjust the biter to position for. cutting another bite. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the biter detached with the cutter raised. Fig 3 is a front elevation of the biter detached with the cutter raised. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the biter closed.

Fig. 5 is a plan section on line .70 Fig. 3. i

Fig. 6 is a plan section on irregular line m, Fig. 3, cutting above one and below the other of the detents of the telescopic sections. Fig. 7 is .a view of the stamping from which the body or frame is bent. Fig. 8 is a View of the cutter and its handle or thumb-piece detached from each other. Fig. 9 is a view of the stamping from which a telescopic section is bent up.

The body or frame is open in the form of a U and comprises a guide forming the intermediate leg of the U and comprises means forming the terminal legs of the U to attach said guide to-a plug of tobacco. In the form shown in the drawings, the guide is made :of sheet metal bent to form two Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Application filed August 17, 1914. Serial No. 857,262.

channel members

1, 2 spaced apart, the open mouths of said channels facing each other. One wall a of each of said channels is connected at its ends with

retaining means

3, 4, which are preferably arms formed as plates integral with, and in angular relation to the channel members; and formed of the same sheet of metal from which said channel members are bent up. The retaining

arms

3, 4 are preferably flat plates capable of being impressed with, or adapted to otherwise bear an advertisement 5. and channel members are preferably of a single piece of spring sheet metal and the retaining arms converge slightly toward each-other from the channel members and have)a permanent spring construction so that when a plug of tobacco of appropriate thickness is inserted into the space between said arms close to one of the guides it will enter-between the arms readily and will wedge apart the free ends of said arms as the plug is twisted around to bring it into position such as that shown in the drawing.

The cutter may be of any desired form capable of cutting ofl' from the plug a piece of less width than the plug and is shown as a bent blade 6 having one edge 7 sharpened and having side flanges 8 to run in the guide members, and also being provided with a handle in the form of a thumb piece or finger-plate 9 which may be attached to the upper end of the blade-by lugs 10 integral with and projecting from the top of the cutter flanges and riveted in holes 11 punched through the plate forming said handle.

The flanges are carried by channeled telescopic slides 12 formed as channel sections bent from sheet metal to receive the flanges and provided with detents 13 working-in the open slots .14 of free edges of the

channel members

1, 2 and engaging the ends of said slots to preventthe slides from being withdrawn from the guideway.

The flanges of the blade are provided with parallel slots 15 and run in the channels of the slide members, there being a re tainer 16 in the slides extending into the as rivets inserted through the limbs of the slides respectively and through the slots in Said arms the flanges. By this telescopic construction the cutter has an extended movement relative to the guides and can be withdrawn until its cutting edge is flush with the upper retaining

member

3, 4, and will be firmly supported at all times; .and when fully pressed down the cutting edge will come to the level of the lower retainer thus to fully sever the bite of tobacco. The cutter is shown curved in the arc of a circle but it is understood that it may be otherwise curved or may be made angular at the pleasure of the constructor.

In practical use the biter may be applied to a plug of tobacco by simply slipping a portion of the plug pinto the space between the retaining arms which are adapted to engage the opposite sides of the plug. This may be done when the cutter is inserted or retracted. When the cutter is retracted the frame formed by the guides and retainers may be adjustedto bring the cutting edge over a portion of the plug exposed at the notch and which is to be bitten. When the opposite guide members are both in contact with the edge of the plug'then, by reason of the bent form of the cutter its I edge extends over a line at which a cut may be made tosever a piece from the plug. The operator may adjust the biter to any position desired to cut a piece of a size required and thereupon will press with his thumb upon the thumb-piece or handle 9, thus forcing the sharp edge of the cutter through the plug of tobacco and severing the desired piece therefrom. When the cutter has thus beenforced home the plug with the biter attached thereto may be stored in the pocket ready for further use. When it is desired to bite another piece from the plug the user will retract the cutter by pressureof the thumb or finger upon the under face of the handle and then will adjust the plates to any appropriate position for cutting another piece and will press on the outer face of the thumb-piece as before described, and so on.

By employing telescopic means for mounting the cutter it is possible to construct the device he light and compact form poducing only a slight pro3ect1on from the surface of I the plug. r

The retainers are preferably notched to practically correspond with the bend of the cutter and the lower notch 17 may be slightly smaller than the upper notch 18 so that it will support the part to be cut by a blade fitting in the upper notch.

I claim 1. A tobacco biter comprising a guide made of sheet metal bent to form two channeled members spaced apart, the open mouth of the channels facing each other; one wall of said channels being connected at its ends with plug retaining arms formed integral with and in angular relation to the channeled members and converging slightly toward each other from the channeled members and having a permanent spring construction, and a cutter in the form of a bent blade having one edge sharpened and being provided with a handle and having side flanges to run in the guide members.

2.\A frame adapted for attachment to a plug of tobacco and provided with guideways, telescopic members in said guideways; and ablade movable in said telescopic members and thereby mounted in movable relation to the frame.

3. A. tobacco biter comprising guides,

means for attaching the guides to a plug of tobacco; there being slots in said guides,

channeled telescopic means in the slots; said telescopic means having detents in the 7 slots of said guides; a cutter having slotted flanges at its sides; said flanges being in the channels of said telescopic means; and retainers connected to the telescopic means and extending through the slots of the cutter flanges.

4. The combination of a frame having plates to engage the sides of a plug of tobacco and also having channeled guides connecting said plates and spaced apart; of channeled telescopic sections movably fastened in said guides; and a cutter movably fastened in the telescopic sections.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this Sthday of August, 1914:.

LOYD EFASHENFELTER. Inpresence of- JAMES-R. TOWNSEND, R. C. EMERSON.