US1728292A

US1728292A - Cigar lighter

Info

Publication number: US1728292A
Application number: US220300A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel B Lavick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-09-19
Filing date: 1927-09-19
Publication date: 1929-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1946-09-17

Description

Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES SAMUEL B. LAVICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CIGAIR LIGHTER Application filed September 19, 1927. Serial No. 220,300.

My invention relates to portable cigar lighters.

It relates more particularly to an improved type of portable lighter wherein the lighting element is in the form of wound electrical resistance with a small battery carried in the casing of the lighter serving to supply current to the resistance.

The principal object of the inventionis the provision of an improved portable lighter. v

Another object is the provision of a portable lighter adapted to operate by means of battery current.

Another object is the provision of a portable electric lighter with mechanism for preventingV unnecessary use of the battery current. a

Another object is to provide a portable electric lighter with means for positively preventing loss of current when the lighter is not in use.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a consideration 'of the following detailed descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a plan view showing one form which the lighter may take;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in section showing a modified form which the invention may take.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the lighter comprises a casing 10 with a hinged bottom 11 and an integral top 12, a battery 13 being adapted to be held by the casing so that its terminals 14 and 16 project upwardly through the top 12.

The entire switching means and lighting element are carried by the top of the casing and are housed under a cover 17 pivoted by means of a pivot pin 18 to ears 19 extending upwardly from the casing top..

The battery terminal 14 makes Contact with the casing in the manner shown and this terminal is covered by an insulating block 21 on top of which a lighting element 22 is imbedded in the manner shown. One

50 terminal 28 of the lighting element extends downwardly under the insulating block 21 and makes contact with the casing top 12 with which the terminal 14 connects. The other terminal 24 of the lighting element is connected at 25 to a switch by a spring contact member 26 which is secured to the top by means of a rivet 27. This Contact strip is suitably insulated from the casing top in the manner shown, an extension of the insulating block 21 aiding in maintaining this member out of engagement with the casing top.

The terminal 16 extending upwardly through the casing top is prevented from forming contact therewith by means of an insulating ring 28. 1t is directly under the movable end of the contact member 26 however, sol that pressing the contact member downwardly has the effect of closing the circuit between the two battery terminals through the lighting element 22 so as to cause a glowing of the same.

The switch means provided in Figs. 1 and 2 is adapted to utilize a mechanical ar-y rangement whereby the cover 17 can be swung back to expose the lighting element by pressing a button provided for the purpose. The action of pressing the button to uncover the lighting element is made to have the concomitant effect of closing the circuit.

In this preferred form the casing is pro- `vided with an outfiared portion 29 of general tubular shape, while immediately above the resulting tubular opening the casing top is formed to result in an upstanding cylindrical projection 31. A button32 has its shank 33 extending into the cylindrical projection 31, and the shank is provided with a widened bottom 34 for preventing the complete extraction of the same. The bottom of the button 32 is equipped with an integral rwasher 35 of insulating material which is adapted to engage against a pair of ears 17 a forming a part of the cover, so that the button will press downwardly against the ears to swing the cover about its pivot 18, but the insulating washer 36 will prevent all possibility of a short circuit being established in any way through the casing. A compression spring 36 is provided around the shank between the bottom of the button and the casing top, so that the button will at all times be returned to its normal upright position as soon as the linger is removed therefrom.

In the operation of the lighter, the button 32 is pressed downwardly so that it engages the top of the ear 17a and opens the cover. As it ispressed farther downwardly, the insulating washer 35 strikes the upturned end 26a of the contacting member 26 and forces it downwardly into engagement with the battery terminal 16. This completes a circuit which is traced from the battery terminal 14 to they casing terminal 23, light element 22, terminal 24, switch member 26 and back to battery terminal 16.

The circuit will be closed as long as the finger is held on the button 32 but as soon as it is released the spring 36 will be effeetive and'force the button upwardly so as to permit the contact to be broken. If by any chance, the button should stick, and the spring fail to force it upwardly, the closing of the cover would result in the ears 17a engaging the bottom of the button and positively forcing it upwardly. This would prevent any possibility of a connection being formed while the\"lighter is on the person of the user or otherwise out of use.

`Any suitable means may be provided to retain the cover 17 in open position when it is no longer held by the button 32. To accomplish this result, it is simply necessary to form the ears 19 so as to make a close engagement with the cover and suicient friction will result so as to hold the cover in whatever position it is placed. This is a simple way of accomplishing this result but it is obvious that other means may be provided.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 3,'the cover is opened directly without the intervention of a button and means is provided whereby the opening of the cover y also serves to close the circuit. Positive means is also provided so that when the lighter is not in use, the circuit will not be closed so as to permit the heatlng of the lighting element and a resultant loss of battery power.

In this form of the invention, the casing 110 is adapted to hold the battery the same as in the preferred form, while the casing top 112 has the same arrangement with respect to the battery terminals and the lighting 'element 122 as in the main form. The cover 117 is also substantially the same with the exception that instead of the ears 17, a transverse section 41 of insulating material is secured to the cover in such a, way that when the cover is opened, this member will engage the contacting member 126 and force it into engagement with the terminal 11G. A guard 42 is provided about this end of the cover in the manner shown so that the top of the lighter is entirely closed and the possibility of foreign mattei' entering the cover and short-circuiting the terminals tain detailed forms of my invention, it is apparent that I do not restrict myself to any particular structure, the invention being limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A portable electric cigar lighter comprising a casing, a battery in the casing and having terminals projecting therethrough, an insulating heat resisting block on top of the casing, a heating element partially embedded in the top of said block and having one of its terminals connected to one of the battery terminals, a switch member of spring material secured to the top of the casing in electrical Contact with the other terminal of the heating element and with its free end eX- tending over t'he unconnected battery terminal, a cover pivoted to the casing and normally functioning to cover the heating element, terminals and switch member, and means operated by the opening of the cover for forcing said switch member into contact with the associated battery terminal.

2. A portable electric cigar lighter comprising a casing, a battery in the casing and having terminals projecting therethrough, an insulating heat resisting block on top of the casing, a heating element partially embedded in the top of said block and having one of its terminals connected to one of the battery terminals, a switch member of spring material secured to the top of the casing in electrical contact with the other terminal of the heating element and with its free end extending over the unconnected battery terminal, a cover pivoted to the casing and normally functioning to cover the heating element, terminals and switch member, a projection on the cover behind its pivot point and a cover opening member serving to press the cover` extension downwardly to open the same, and so disposed that continued downward movement causes an engagement of the switch member to force it into contact with the associated battery terminal.

3. A portable electric cigar llghter comprising a casing, a battery in the caslng and having terminals projecting therethrough, an insulating heat resisting block on top of the casing, a heating element partially em bedded in the top of said block and having one of its terminals connected to one of the battery terminals, a switch member of spring material secured to the top of the casing in electrical contact with the other terminal of the heating element and with its free end extending over the unconnected battery terminal, a cover pivoted to the casing and normally functioning to cover lthe heating element, terminals and switch member, a projection on the rear of the cover, a button having its shank in slidable engagement with the casing, the button extending over the projection on the cover and also over the end of the switch member, and a spring normally distending the button, pressure of the button against the spring serving to open the cover and press the switch member into contact with the associated battery terminal, releasing of the button serving to disconnect the switch member from the battery terminal and still leave the cover open, and the manual closing of the cover serving to engage the cover projection underneath the button so as to positively force the same out of possible engagement with said switch member. I

4. A portable electric cigar lighter comprising a casing, a battery in the casing and having terminals projecting therethrough, an insulating heat resisting block on top of the casing, a heating element partially embedded in the top of said block and havmg one of its terminals connected to one of the battery terminals, a switch member of spring material secured to the top of the casing in electrical contact with the other terminal of the heating element and with its free end extending over the unconnected battery terminal, a cover pivoted to the casing and normally functioning to cover the heating element, terminals and switch member, and a projection on the cover adapted to engage said switch member and force it against the associated battery terminal when the cover is opened.

5. In a portable electric cigar lighter acasing, a battery in the casing having a pair ofterminals, a heating element supported on the casing, a hinged cover for said heating element, resilient means tending to maintain said cover in closed position, and means for i electrically connecting the battery terminals to the heating element in response to the opening of said cover.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day of September, 1927.

SAMUEL B. LAVICK.