US2005478A - Lighter - Google Patents

Description

YFume 18, 1935.. G. P. scHMn-T 2,005,478

LIGHTER vOriginal Filed March 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY G. P. SCHMITT June 1s, 1935.`

LIGHTER Original Filed March 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented' .lune l, EQES MGHTER i 4George Philip Schmitt, New York, N. il., assigner to Flatinum` Products Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 2, 1934, Serial No. 713,643 Renewed November 17, 1934 lll Claims.

'I'his invention relates to lighters which employ a catalyst for igniting cigarettes and the like, wherein the vapor of alcohol or other vaporizable liquid is employed for eecting such reaction 5 upon the catalyst, in the presence of atmospheric air, as will render such catalyst incandescent.'

My present improvement is directed in part to the construction of the element composed of absorbent material which is used in the casings of this class of lighter as the vehicle for holding the vaporizable liquid, my purpose being to so form this element that it will present an enlarged surface area to the action of air passing thereover and therethrough, whereby the liquid fuel held by the absorbent material may be more readily and. completely picked up by and mixed With-the air which is admitted to the casing and drawn toward the catalyst.

Also my invention includes the provision of metallic disk protective covering means for the catalyst, rear covering means therefor, and means for the establishment of respective iixed clearance spaces between the catalyst and its front and rear covering means.

Still further my invention comprehends the provision of a transparent or translucent annulus, supported in front of the catalyst, to reect the re thereof, said annulus also serving as a guide to direct the cigarette end toward the catalyst.

Other features and vadvantages of will hereinafter appear.

In the drawingsz- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a lighte containing my improved absorbent material element in one form thereof, `and also containing the metallic disk catalyst protector; also showing the clearances at .both sides of the catalyst.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view -of a lighter having the absorbent material element in another form, and showing a modification of the catalyst holder.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of another form of absorbent material element. l

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. A Y

Fig. 'l is a sectional view showing still another form of absorbent material element.

Fig. 8 shows a further modification.

Fig. 9 is a detail of the holder with the catalyst and its associated elements, including cigamy invention (ci. sry-i) slidable reciprocally therein, said sleeve carrying the catalyst assembly from which the air supply tube and absorbent material depend, the cover being in place in this view.

Fig. 11 is a section'on the line II-I l of Fig. 10, and

Fig. l2 is a side view of the same, partly in section, with the cover removed.

In Figs. 1 and 2 let I indicatev a casing that is provided in its bottom closed end with a pad or gasket 2, and let 3 indicate a cover for the open end that is adapted to be slidably and removably tted over said casing.

A tubular holder il is adapted to slidably and removably t within the casing l, said holder being of relatively short length, so that it may enter only part way within the casing, and having an annular bead 5 to engage the upper end of the casing and thus limit the extent of its entry. Also said holder is provided with a number of grooves or channels 6 (one only appearing in Fig. l) which extend slightly above the topl edge of the casing to thereby permit air to enter the casing when the cover 3 has been removed.

The grooves 6, at their juncture with the upper portion of holder l provide inward shoulders 'l which serve as supporting means for a partition 8, composed of rubber or other suitable expansible and contractible material, said partition separating the holder into upper and lower compartments.

Penetrating the partition isa tubular member 9 that carries the absorbent material below the partition, and above said partition is provided with a cupped, radial disk or head l that extends across the holder interior.

A washer Il upon tube 9, near its lower end, forms a bottom support for the absorbent material, and a helical spring I2, which localizes the tube within the casing, exerts its tension to lift the tube 9 away from contact with pad 2, when the cover has been removed, it being one of the functions of said cover, when fitted upon the casing, to press the tube downwardly, so that the lower end of said tube shall make close contact with the pad and thus prevent the passage of air through the tube.

The features thus far described correspond substantially with the disclosure in my co-pending application, Serial No. 706,368, led January 12, 1934. l"

The holder, as in my said earlier application, carries a catalyst, here indicated at l3,'and which may be composed of a suitable spongy platinum composition or the like.

disk, from rupturing while in use.

The catalyst is flanked, at its upper side, by a thin, perforated disk I4 of steel or other suitable metallic material, but is spaced therefrom by a ring I5 of thin sheet material, such as mica, to create a clearance, indicated at I6, between the catalyst and disk I4. The purpose of providing a clearance between the catalyst and its protective disk I4 will be referred to hereinafter.

The holder 4, at its outer end, is provided with an inturned flange I1, to constitute outward retaining means for disk I4, and thus also for the catalyst.

Also within the holder a thin, perforated disk I8, which may be of mica, is positioned, beneath the catalyst, and is spaced therefrom under a clearance I9 by means of a ring 2D of thin sheet material, such as mica; a split ring 2| which lies between disk I8 and the cupped disk I Il is tensioned against the holder wall to support and unify the catalyst and its associated elements within the holder.

A split ring 22, surrounding the catalyst, is placed between the flat rings I5, 20, to separate them, and this ring 22 is also tensioned against the holder wall.

As in my application Serial No. '106,368 a free or floating ring 23 is placed between the catalyst and ring 22 to withhold the attack of liquid fuel upon the catalyst.

The absorbent element, to be charged with liquid fuel, is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the form of a pile of felt disks 24; 25 of different diameters, strung along the tubular member 9 and supported at the base of the pile by the washer I I.

Upon removal of the cover 3 the spring I2 urges the tubular member upwardly, said member carrying with it the absorbent element and also the holder with its contained elements. In this manner air, which is drawn into the casing upon applying a cigarette to the disk I4, and exerting suction pull thereon, is caused to flow over the extended surface presented by the varisized felt disks, entraining fuel therefrom and conveying the mingled air and fuel up through the tubular member to the catalyst.

Upon re-applying the cover which presses the f holder downwardly and causes the tubular member to abut against pad 2, thereby air and fuel are excluded from the catalyst.

The thin, perforated metallic disk I4, used as a front covering for the catalyst is one of the salient features of this application, and has been found in practice to enable a cigarette applied thereto to be quickly ignited, and at the same time said metallic disk efficiently protects the catalyst, which is in the form of a perforated The greater degree of stiffness in a steel or other metallic disk, over that possessed by a mica disk, renders it a. more ecient guard.

By reason of binding the catalyst between the flat rings I5, 20, thereby said catalyst is held in a fixed position, and'the clearances I6, I9 provided respectively between the catalyst and the disks I4, I8, allow the free flow of fuel vapor and air over the entire surfaces of the catalyst, thereby greatly enhancing its reactive efficiency.

In Figs. 3 and 4 a modified form of lighter is shown, having a fuel holding casing 26 which is provided with an outer sleeve 21 that extends partway thereover from the bottom up, and a cover member 28 appears having a pad or gasket 29 in its top, said cover being slidably removable.

The absorbent material illustrated appears in the form of a pile composed of the alternate, perforated disks 30 and rings 3|, the latter serving to space the disks apart and expose large surface areas within the pile.

Said absorbent pile is encased within a sleeve 32 whose upper end is provided with an inturned retaining flange 33, and whose lower end abuts against the bottom of casing 26 and has inturned lugs 34 that serve as the bottom support for the absorbent pile, spacing said pile from the casing bottom and forming cut-outs 35 which admit air from the casing interior to the pile. Sleeve 32, which ts slidably within the casing, to be removable therefrom, has one or more grooves 36 therein for the passage of air down to the bottom of the pile.

A tubular holder 31 which slidably engages the sleeve 32 and is arrested thereon by a shoulder 38 formed in said sleeve, is provided with grooves 38 that lie within the grooves 36, for the passage of air between the casing and said grooves 39, into grooves 36, when the cover 28 has been removed.

The top 40 of holder 31 s perforated, as at 4I, as a modification of the structure in Fig. 1. where the disk I4 is held in place by flange I1, this form of holder in Fig. 3 thus having the thin perforated top disk as an integral part thereof.

The catalyst and its associated elements are the same in Fig. 3 as in Fig: 1, and bear the same reference numerals, excepting that no means appear in Fig. 3 for shutting off the fuel and air supplies to the catalyst.

The pad 29 in cover 28 is adapted to make close contact with the holder top 40 when the lighter is closed.

Other forms of absorbent elements are shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, that of Figs. 5 and 6 being an absorbent mass of cylindrical shape, provided With a plurality of lengthwise apertures 42 therethrough, and that of Fig. '1.having a pile of alternate disks 43 and. rings 44, the disks being perforated and composed of porous ceramic or other material and the rings being of felt or the like.

The felt rings will absorb the liquid fuel and .communicate it to the perforated porous disks,

whose succession of large exposed surfaces enablev a passing flow of air to readily take upa sufficient quantity of fuel for reaction with the catalyst, and will permit the absorbent element to give up practically all the fuel it holds, thus prolonging the period of usefulness of a fuel charge.

In the example of Fig. 8 I have shown an absorbent element 45 composed of felt or the like, in cylindrical form, and with a single passageway 46 therethrough.

iAs Will be noted'in Fig. 9 an annulus 41 is interposed between flange I1 and disk I4, said annulus being of transparent or translucent material, such for example as Pyrex glass, for light transmission or reflection, whose inner periphery is rounded or bevelled, leaving an aperture whose wall is adapted to guide a cigarette end into contact with the catalyst, thereby facilitating the igniting effect. Also the user will observe, in drawing upon the cigarette, a luminous effect in the form of a halo diffused by the annulus as the catalyst becomes incandescent, which effect gives visual indication that the lighter is functioning.

In the modification of Figs. 10, 1l and 12 a non-metallic shell or casing 41 is shown, which may be of bakelite or other suitable material, and a removable cover 48, of like material appears as adapted to have screw threaded engagement therewith.

A sleeve t9, provided with a projection such as an annular bead or one or more protuberances 5U, is slidable within the casing, the protuberance being engaged in a groove 5I in the casing wall whose longitudinal extent limits the movement 0I' the sleeve by virtue of the bead coming in contact with the opposite ends of the ygroove in reciprocal movement. The sleeve t9 is expanded in diameter towards its outer end, the expanded portion being indicated at 52 and having air admission means 53, said portion 52 providing a shoulder 5t at its juncture with the sleeve portion t9, which shoulder, in one position of the sleeve, is seated upon the outer end of the casing, so that the orifices 53 will be exposed to the atmosphere when the cover 3B is removed.

A tube 55, which carries absorbent material 56, to be charged with vaporizable fuel, said tube shown as abutting at its lower end against a gasket 5l placed in the lower end of the casing,

appears as expanded at its vupper end into a disk 5t, and a two-dimensional cylindrical wall is extended upwardly from said disk. Said cylindrical wall at 59 fits tightly and securely within sleeve portion 52, and at its juncture with the larger dimensional portion 60 forms a shoulder 6l that seats upon the upper edge of sleeve p0rtion 52.

It is to be understood that the sleeve t9 and tube are in this manner connected to thus have unified movement.

The absorbent material is spaced from the cas ing wall and from the sleeve t9, to permit air that enters the casing through orifices 53 (when the cover is oi) to flow around the absorbent material and up through tube 55, (see Fig. 12).

The spring 52 lifts tube 55 and its associated elements to permit this air circulation when the cover is removed.

The shoulder tl also forms an inward seat for a tubular member 52a which contains a catalyst assemblage such as that disclosed in Fig. 2, and bearing the same reference numerals, excepting that in this example the inturned flange at the outer end of member 62a is angled to impinge against the metallic disk lll, and form a cigarette guide.

The cover it contains a gasket 63 to abut against the outer end of member 62a and in closing to press sleeve shoulder 54 to its seat and tube 55 to gasket 5l, thereby shutting off the supply of i'uel to the catalyst.

A particular feature of this modification lies in the continuation of tube 55 into the receiving and supporting wall for the catalyst assembly; another feature being that of limiting the extent of the reciprocatory movement of the sleeve, which carries the tube, absorbent and 4catalyst assemblage, by means of the casing groove and the projection that rides therein.

Variations within the spirit and scope of my invention are equally comprehended by the foregoing disclosure.

l. A lighter comprising a casing, an absorbent element of substantially cylindrical form therein adapted to be charged with vaporizable fuel, said element having a passageway therethrough in communication with the casing interior and being composed of a plurality of members so formed and arranged as to present an increased surface area,' means for admitting atmospheric air into said casing, and a catalyst supported in the path of air and fuel flowing through saidpassageway.

2. A lighter comprising a casing, an absorbent I means for admitting atmospheric air into said casing, and a catalyst supported in the path of air and fuel flowing through said passageway.

3. A lighter comprising a casing, an absorbent element of substantially cylindrical form therein adapted to be charged with vaporizable fuel, said element having a passageway therethrough in communication with the casing interior and being provided with an uneven interior surface to present an enlarged area to the passing air, means for admitting atmospheric air into said casing, and a catalyst supported in the path of air and fuel flowing through said passageway.

4; A lighter comprising a casing, an absorbent element therein adapted to be charged with vaporizable fuel, said element having a passageway therethrough in communication with the casing interorand being composed of a pile of disks that are alternately of different circumferential areas, means for admitting atmospheric air into said casing, and a catalyst supported in the path of air and fuel flowing through said passageway.

5. A lighter comprisingl a casing, an absorbent element therein adapted to be charged with vaporizable fuel, said element having a passageway therethrough in communication with the casing interior and being composed of alternating `absorbent rings and disks of porous ceramic material, means for admitting atmospheric air into said casing, and a catalyst supported in the path of air and fuel flowing through said passageway.

6. The combination with a lighter employing vaporizable fuel and a catalyst for reaction therewith, wherein said catalyst is in theform of a perforated disk, of a holder, a pair of heat resisting perforated disks disposed respectively at opposite sides of said catalyst, one of said heat resisting disks being composed of thin sheet metallic material, and means for fixedly supporting said catalyst in spaced relation respectively with both said heat resisting disks.

'7. The combination with a lighter employing vaporizable fuel and a catalyst for reaction therewith, wherein said catalyst is in the form of a perforated disk, of a holder, a pair of heat resisting perforated disks disposed respectively at opposite sides of said catalyst, one of said heat resisting disks being composed of thin sheet metallic material, and a pair of thin, at rings interposed respectively between said heat resisting disks and said catalyst, to ixedly support said catalyst in spaced relation respectively with both said heat resisting disks.

8. The combination with a lighter employing vaporizable fuel and a catalyst for reaction therewith, wherein said catalyst is in the form of a perforated disk, of a holder for said catalyst and an annulus composed of light transmitting material disposed at the outer side of the catalyst.

9. The combination with a lighter employing vaporizable fuel and a catalyst for reaction therewith, wherein said catalyst is in the form of a perforated disk, of a holder for said catalyst and an annulus composed of light transmitting material disposed at the outer side of the catalyst, the inner periphery of said annulus being bevelled to guide a cigarette to the catalyst.

10. A lighter comprising a casing, a catalyst supported thereon, an elongated absorbent elemeuttherein adapted to be charged with vaporizable fuel, said element having a passageway therethrough communicating between the casing interior and said catalyst and exterior and interior surfaces one of which is uneven to present Y an enlarged area to passing air, and means for admitting atmospheric air into said casing located to allow the air drawn into said casing to pass over` said uneven surface.

11. A lighter comprising a casing, an absorbent element therein adapted to be charged with va- GEORGE PHILIP SCHMITT.

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