US2219548A - Cigar lighter - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1940. A. A. JOHNSON.

CIGAR LIGHTER Filed April 24, 1937 INVENTO Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,219,548 CIGAR LIGHTER Arthur A.- Johnson, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Automatic Devices Corporation, Bridgeport,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut,

Application April 24, 1937, Serial No. 138,801

13 Claims.

This invention relates to electric cigar lighters of the type including a holder, and an igniting unit storable on the holder and wholly removable therefrom for use, the igniting unit having a '5 heating element adapted to be brought to incandescence whenever it is desired to prepare the unit for removal and use.

In previously proposed lighters of this kind, in order to provide a practical and conveniently lo operable lighter wherein neither holder nor unit contained manually relatively movable parts, the arrangement has had to be such that the igniting unit could be shifted back and forth between two positions on the holder, one a storage or 15 open-circuit position and the other a heating or closed-circuit position. v

An object of the present invention is to pro vide a lighter the holder of which has merely a' single or storage position forthe igniting unit, 20 and,'in combination therewith, a means for closing the normally open circuit for energizing the igniting unit, while the igniting unit is in its single or storage position on the holder, and which means is operated by a manually rotat- 25 able member separate from the igniting unit.

In the 'way of carryingfout the invention at present preferred, this member is given only a fractional rotation, and preferably carries an exposed finger-piece in the shape of a wing which 30 need be given only a short sweepin order to close the circuit and this by mere brushing engage-, merit against the wing of a person's hand as the latter is moved laterally over the support on which the lighter is mounted. Desirably, also, 35 the wing is so associated with the holder that a hand reached out to move the wing to circuitclosing position naturally also engages the usual withdrawal knob at the outer end of the igniting unit, and thus is'guided to the location of the 40 Wing by feel insteadof sight; and, further, ac-

cording to the invention as preferably embodied, the fractionally rotatable operating member or shaft which carries the wing, while rotating about an axis exterior to the holder, is coupled 45 to the holder so as to provide with the latter one structure attachable as a single entity to a suitable support, such as the instrument board of an automobile.

Another preferred feature of the invention is on the provision of a circuit-closing contact moved with the rotatable shaft to engage a conducting part of the unit when the latter is in storage position on the holder, thereby to close the energizing circuit for the heating element, which con- 6, tact is so shaped and resiliently biased that in entering into engagement with the unit it retainingly clasps the latter and is held to such clasp until automatically deformed to move away from circuit-closing position as the result of heat-responsive means functioning when the heating element has attaineda predetermined temperature. Preferably, the contact thus behaves because it' is a bimetallic thermostat.

With such an arrangement, and with the operating shaft spring-urged toward open-circuit position as a feature also preferably incorporated according to the present invention, an easy sweeping touch of the-hand or a'finger is all that is required to adjust the lighter for energization of the heating element of'the igniting unit, and the only other manipulation required is the subsequent one of manually grasping the knob of the unit to withdraw the same when ready for use.

An advantage ofjan arrangement suchas that just described is the fact that, however deep the igniting unit may be carelessly placed in the holder in returning the unit thereto for storage, the then 'open energizing circuitmay not be unintentionally reclos ed by such reinsertion of the unit. At the same time, the manually operated closing means cannot be accidentally placed in c'ircuit closing ,DQsition while the igniting unit is out of the holder,'in a way to allow subsequent replacem'entof the' unit to inadvertently cause 80 closing of,the circuit.

A further feature of the invention as the same is preferably practiced is the provision of a means, conveniently moving with the operating shaft,.for locking the igniting unit againstpremature withdrawal after the circuit has been closed by manually rotating theshaft, until the heating element hasbeen brought to incandescence; with this lock such thatany manual pull on the knob of the unit is anattempt to withdraw the same while the circuit isclosed willnot be transmitted to the bimetallic contact in away to distort or otherwise im'ure the same.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating a now favored embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a view thereof showing the holder in axial section and the removable igniting unit partially in axial section and partially in elevation, the section plane being that indicated by the line Il of Fig.2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, with the thermostatic contact in circuit-closing position on the unit but with such contact as yet undeformed by heat.

Fig. ,3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the thermostatic contact in normal or opencircuit position.

Fig. 4 shows the lighter in rear elevation.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the same.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail, this view taken on the line 6-8 of Fig. 2.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the cigar lighter of the present invention comprises a holding device l including a main portion in the form of a cylindrical tube I0 having an externally threaded neck II at its front end, lanced out tongues one of which is shown at l2, and a nut or escutcheon ring |3 secured on said thread and engaging. the front side of an automobile instrument panel |4 or other suitable support through an aperture M in which the front or threaded end of the holder is inserted; the nut l3 when tightened up serving to draw the ends; of the tongues |2 against the rear side of the panel I4 and thereby clamp the holder on its support Also as shown the holder; I0 is one such that the igniting, unit, generally indicated at l5, has but a single position in the holder, either for storage of the unit or energization of the heating element It thereof. This element is here shown a s .a spirally wound coil of band-type resistor .wfreelectrically and mechanically connected at its inner end to a. stud secured on the unit and similarly connected at its outer end to a .cup or hood; l8 of conducting material mounted on the unit by way of said stud.

,In the exemplifying embodiment illustrated, the: .-igniting' unit I5, manually withdrawable by its-knob l9 when it is on the holder I0 as shown, has, as just stated, but a single position on the holder, and when inserted into the holder by full thrust on the knob I9 is always located as shown in Fig. 1, a'shoulder 20 near the base of the knob acting asfa stop to'prevent too deep insertion of th' unit.

Then a contact on the unit, the cylindrical part .|8'v of the cup I8 which encloses the heating element I6, is opposite a cooperant contact 2|, here shown as a bimetallicthermostat normally positioned as illustrated in Fig. 3'but manually movable, to a clasping engagement with the contact l8; as illustrated in Fig 1 for then closing the only "gap in an energizing circuit for the heating element and including the holder andfthe igniting,unit.

The igniting unit illustrated is of the now familiar and approvedtype, because in the form of a cylindrical plug for endwise insertion in the favored well-typeholder shown, and because. in addition to having the characteristics abovementioned, itincludes a main cylindrical body 22 of insulating material and hollowed out to provide a passage 22' all along its length, a lens 23 inthe knob I9 and covering the front end of the passage 22',,a metal cap 24 threadedly secured on the 'reare'nd of said body, at the center of which cap the stud I1 is secured, insulation asindicated at 25 forelectrically isolating' the, stud from the cup or hood I8 andsaid hood from the cap 24, and matching apertures throughthe. insulation, through the hood where it is engaged by the insulation, and through the cap, so that the glow of inca-ndescenceof the heating element will be transmitted through these apertures and cause the passage 22 to act as' a light tunnel for permitting such glow to illuminate. the lens 23, thus to give visual warning that the igniting unit is ready for removal from the holder.

The igniting unit l5 has an annular shoulder 25, in rear of which the body 22 is slightly reduced in diameter, and over this last-mentioned length of the body 22 and over a part of the metal cap 24, a metal sleeve 21 is, by forced fit or otherwise, suitably fixed in place on the unit as shown. The wall of the main cylindrical portion of the holder has a plurality of tongues 28 lanced therefrom, these bent and resiliently biased so as to pressingly engage the sleeve 21 of the unit when the unit is positioned as illustrated.

Then the grounded side of the energizing circuit is complete, from the inner end of the heating element Hi, to and through the stud II, the cap 24, the sleeve 27, the holder i8, and the panel l4 grounded to the frame of the car.

The present invention provides, in combination with a lighter the holder of which has merely a single or storage position as already emphasized, a means for closing the energizing circuit for the igniting unit while the same is on the holder and which includes amanually rotatable member separate from the igniting unit.

As here shown, such member is a shaft .28 manually fractionally rotatable by means of a finger-piece in .the form of a depending wing-29 located in such close adjacency to the mouth of the holder ID that a hand reached out to move the wing to circuit-closing position naturallyalso engages the knob 9 of the igniting unit, so that the wingmay be located by feel instead of sight, and so that at the same time the fact that the unit is in the holder is ascertained.

The shaft 28 is wholly exterior to the holder |5l,.but this shaft is part of a single. structural entity including the holder by being journalled near its front end and just back of the point where the wing 29 is made fast thereto, in a hanger 30 constituted by a struck-out portion of the wall of the main cylindricalportionof the holder, and being journalled at its rear end, where its diameter. is reduced, in a back plate 3| forming the rear closure of .an axially shallow radially enlarged chamber 32 carried by the holder inimediately to the rear of the main cylindrical pore,

tion l0 thereof which houses the main body of theigniting unit. e

The chamber 32 has an opening 33 in its bottom extending over the full length of the chamber and as Wide as the width of a leaf portion 3|a constituting a downward projection from the generally circular main portion of the back plate 3|. A front annular wall 34 for the chamber 32 and a cylindrical side wall 35 therefor are integral with the main cylindrical portion ID of the holder. As shown, the wall 35 and theback plate 3| are secured together, by interengagement between the leaf portion 3| a of said plate and edge portions of the wall 35 at the opposite sides of the bottom opening 33 in the chamber 32, and by tightly crimped tabs 36 integral with the wall 35 and interlocked with notches 31 out in the circular edge of back plate 3|.

Fixed on the shaft 28 is an insulating arbor 38, and fixed on this arbor, as by set screw 39, is a bracket-collar 49, carrying a plate 4| on which is mounted the bimetallic contact 2|. A pigtail lead 42, protected by insulation beads 43, is connected at one end to a. screw 44 on the bracket-collar, and at its other end to a stud 45 extended through an insulation structure 46 on back plate 3|. The stud 45, where projected to the rear of insulation structure, and there carrying an-external thread, acts as a binding post for a connection to the live side of the battery or. other currentsource; a current-supplying wire being shown at 41 as carrying a terminal clip 48. securedto thestud 45 by a' nut 49.

.In order to normally maintain the shaft 28 and the. parts carried thereby as in Fig. 3, and to assure return of these parts to the positions of Fig. 3 immediately on manual release of the wing 29 aftermoving the same from the position of Fig. 3 to'that of Fig. -2, a torsion spring 50 is coiled around. shaft 28, with one end thereof bent to lockingly engage a recess 5| in-the shaft, so that the other. endof the spring, bent to pass through a hole52 in the wall 34 of the holder, is held in such hole. In this normal setting of the parts, it will be observed, the bimetallic contact 2| is protected against accidental engagement with the holder because intercepted by an insulation block 53 suitably fixed in proper place inside the wall 35 of the chamber 32. a

"The bimetallic contact 2|, .which is shown as curvilinear, is resiliently biased to elastically yieldable maintenance of this shape, and is bent at 'its free end to present a ramp-lip 2|a. When, with the igniting unit fully inserted in the holder, the wing 29 is moved from its normal position as is Fig. 3 to its circuit-closing position shown in Fig. 3, the contact 2| is swung in the plane of the heating element'lfi, and as the result of engagement ofits ramp-lip 2|a with the cooperant cylindrical contact provided by the contact l8 carried by the hood l8, the contact 2| is temporarily slightly spread and then returned to the curvature illustrated as it finally, asshown in Fig. 2,"springs' embracingly about the contact l8, and impositively seizes the same with a tightness of grasp able to withstand the tension now in the'p osition shown in Fig. 3..

spring 50- and tending to return the shaft 28 to "This tension of springlj50 is preferably eemparativelylight, as an advantageous feature of;

the invention is the slight'force requiredto fractionally' rotate the shaft 28 to close the circuit.

With the parts arranged as in Fig. 2 the clolsedi circuitfor the heating element IS, on the live side' thereof, includes the wire 41, the stud 45,.the lead 42, t he metal parts 40 and 4| on the arbor 38,1tlie thermostatic C ntact 2|, and, on the'unit, the cooperant contact; |8' connected as above to the outer end'of the heating'element. k

A feature ofthe invention iS the provision of a laterally moyable contact, and preferably a thermostatic .one, for being manually moved "towarda cooperant contact toclose the energizing circuit for the heating element of the igniting unit. Such a thermostatic contact is conveniently fashioned, as by making the same curved andv substantially U-shaped as illustrated; foracting injthe manner above-described and to give the advantages already noted. A further ad-.

vantageis that a bimetallic contact operated according tojthe principle of operation of the contact 2| does not open the circuit immediately on first deformation of the contact in response to heat emitted by the heating element while being brought to incandescence. The circuit is not broken until the contact 2| snaps completely free of the cylindrical part of hood I8 which acts as the cooperant contact |8', andup to this point and all the while the contact 2| is undergoing greater and greater deformation toward a reshaping thereof to allow it to snap free, its ramplip 2la is in circuit-making engagement with the contact l8 because sliding-over the same. A

laterally moving contact, moreover, is very practicably operated by a shaft, such as the shaft 28, wholly exterior to the holder; and where a spring, such as the spring 50, is-employed for returning the shaft to normal position on predetermined heat deformation of the bimetallic contact, such spring-may be located, as in the present case, not only outside the holder but in a location such that heat from the heating element may not anneal or otherwise weaken the same. A's-will be understood from what has been said in connection with the slight force desirably used in fractionally rotating-the shaft 28 to circuit-closing position, it will be understood that the tension of the-spring 50 is comparatively delicate and should be maintained more or less exactly as prevised; which last might present difficul-ties if the spring were so placed as to be affected by heat from the heating element.

1 With the" igniting unit IS in the holder l0, merely a single operation is required to prepare the unit for withdrawal and use, and this is a light flick of a finger tip against the wing 29 applied in'the direction of the arrow 29' of Fig. 3. The resulting fractional rotation of shaft 28 causes the energizing circuit for the heating eleing to normal position, it strikes against a pin 54,-is a manual pull on the knob I9 of the unit to withdraw the same from the holder.

- Reinsertion of the igniting unit into the 'holder cannot ever result in accidentally reclosing the circuit, due to the retention of the contact 2| in th "pos'itioi'1 "showiiFig. 3by'the spring 50. Care need not be exercised 'to insert the unit to- .a shallow st orage position on the holder, as'the unit 'canno't -be energized until fully inserted in the'holderjand'suchfull insertionji's that whichthe'funit'is intended to havewhen' placed on the holder m'erely for storage. However, only when the'un'it isfirr'such position 611 the holder may the circuit be closed and held closed after manual release of the win'g"29;i as unless the contact 2| is brought into clasping engagement with the unit as shownin Fig. 2, thespring' 50 insures return of the contact 2| in the position shown in Fig. 3. Th us the manually operated circuit-closing means cannot be accidentally placed in' circuitclcsing positionwhile the igniting unit is out of the holder in a ,way tolpermit subsequent replacement of the unit to result in inadvertent closing of the circuit.' i

' Thereis alsojprovided by the present invention a means for locking the ignition unit I against premature withdrawal from the holder |0 after the" circuit has been closed by manual rotation of shaftZB-{until theheating element l6 has" been brought to incandescence, thereby'to insure that any manual' pull of the knob IQ of the unit in an attempt to withdraw the same while the circuit is- 2l..-r.eturns 'stQ'lthBaDOSitiOlISShOWII inrrFig. 3, is projected; as indicated byt;:dot:and-dash=.;:lines in Fig--1 and also as shown inji ig. 2, to li'elover the front annular face of the part of hood J58 directly enclosing" the heating element. and providing the contact I8. .c."

1: As shown, the lighter is a self-contained unitary structure, completely assembled as such, except, of cours.e,.fcr the wire 41, 'when delivered to the customer. Such unitary structure is easily and quickly securedinv place on the instrument panel of'jamautomobile; when the latter is out out to provide, instead-.015 the usual circular aperture, a keyhole-shaped aperture as shown in the drawing. Such-aperture, i ..-the panel l4, includes as its main. portion the opening l4 aforesaid, this main portion corresponding in diameter to the outside diameter of the cylindrical wall of the main portion if! of the holder shown in broken lines in'FigJ 4, -an cl;;as a lesser portion, a downwardly directed extension seen. in Fig. 1 and shaped as indicated by.the.,dot,- and-das h' outline Mb in Fig-4'.

7x11191138! to mount thelighter on the panel by tightening of the nut l3 as hereinabove described, it -.is unnecessary-todisturb the mounting of the wing- 29-on the shaft 28. With the igniting unit out-of the holder, and with the nut l3 removed, all-the parts except the last two mentioned can be brought to relation with the panel 14 as shown in-Fig-yjlr merely by first canting down the rear endgof ,theholder sufficiently to pass the wing 29,;throughthekeyholeshaped aperture in the panel and thensswinging up the rear end of the holder while moving the-same bodily, downward somewhat, as theupper part of the neck portion I l of the holderis passed through the upper part of theaperture in the panel.

Variations and modifications may be made within, the scope-of this invention,- and portions of'the improvementsmay'be used without others.

lclaim:

. 1. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holder; an igniting unit having a heating element and 45 storable on the holder but wholly. removable therefrom foruse; -a normally .open'circuit in-- cluding"theholder and the unit for. energizing the heating-element; nieanslfor closing said cir-. cuiticomprlsing ashaft exteriorto the holder, a

manually operable cactu'ator for the shaft adjacent the -unit-receiving end of theholder, a contact on the. unit, and a. contact operably coupledu to the shaft and moved by fractional rotation of theshaftto engage the contact on the unityand means rendered operative by the movement ofsaid contact for holding the igniting unit against removal while said circuit is closed.

2 An electric cigar lighter comprising. .a holder; an ignition unit having a heating element and storable on the holder but wholly removable therefrom for use; a normally open circuit including the; holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; means for closing said circuit comprising a manually rockable shaft exterior to the holder, acontact on the unit, a cooperant bimetallic contact adaptedtoclaspingly engage the contact on the unit when-moved into engagement therewith, and-an operative connection between the bimetallic contact and the shaft whereby manual rocking of the shaft closes said circuit by swingingthe bimetallic contact, laterally of the direction of movementof the unit for storage on the holder, into engagement with the contact on the unit; and means for-urging said shaft to movethe bimetallic contact to opencircuit position, said means beingirendered operative-by. the release of the clasping action due to the flexing of .the bimetallic contact uponbeing heated.

3. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holder; an ig'niting' .unit having a heating element .and storabl'ewon'i the holder but wholly removable therefrom'.'for use; a normally open circuit including. the holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; means for closingsaidcircuit-comprising a switch including a pair. ofJcontacts, one on the unit and one mounted" for movement relative to the other, means formoving the,-movably mounted contact toward the..other contact to engage the same and including.- a manual actuaton. one of said contacts. being: shapedto present a recess and the other being shaped-to-present a part enterable. in said recess, and one of said contacts being resiliently biased to maintenance of its said shape whereby when, the contacts engage one clasps the other as an impositive detent therefor a positive detent for ,engaging the unit to prevent withdrawal of the same from the holder during continuance of said clasp; and means responsive to heat from the heating element. and associated with -thej;resiliently biased contact for deforming the same to release such clasp when the heating element attains a predetermined temperature.

4. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holder; an ignition unit having a heating element and storable on the holder but wholly removable therefrom for use; a normally open' circuit including the holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; means for closing said circuit comprising a switch including a pair of con tacts, one on the unit and one mounted for movement relative ,to the other, means for moving the movably mounted contact toward .the other. .contact to engage the same and including a manual actuator, one of said contacts beingshaped to presence-recess and the other being shaped. to present a part enterable in said recess, and oneof said contacts being resiliently biased. to main-- tenance of its said shape whereby when-the contacts engage one clasps the other as an impositive detent therefor; and means-nor'mallyf-inef fective but rendered effective by-the means for moving the movably mounted contact to. establishsaid clasp for preventing relative movement bee, tween the unit and the holder during maintenance of said. clasp.

'5. 'An electric cigar lighter comprising a holder; an igniting unit having a heating element and storable on the holder but wholly removable therefrom for use; a normally open circuit in-- cludingthe holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; and means for closing said circuitcomprising a switch including a contact on the unit, a movable contact, manually operable meansfor moving said last-mentioned contact laterally of the holderto engage and'grip the contact first-mentioned, said movable contact beinga strip bent into the, form substantiallypf a, U and having a substantially circularly curved portion adapted to snap into engagement, with the contact on the unit, and the contact on the unit being extended laterally thereof and having a substantially circularly curved portion.

6. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holder; an igniting unit havinga heating element and storable on the .holder but wholly removable therefrom for use; a normally open circuit including the holder and the unit for energizing the e n sme ma w e-ri t Ener i -id st eet.

comprising a switch including a contact on-the unit, a movable contact, manually operable means for moving said contact laterally'of the holder to engage the contact first-mentioned, said movable contact including a resilient-j aw to yieldingly grip said first-named contact when moved to circuitclosing position, said movable contact beingqbimetallic andadapted to releasethecontact onsaid unit after a predetermined temperature has been attained by the heating element; and additional detent means for holding the igniting unit against removal from the holder while the contacts are in closed-circuit positional 7. An electric cigar lighter, comprising a holder; an igniting unit having a heating element and storable on the holder but wholly removable therefrom for use; a normally open circuit including the holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; and means for closing said circuit comprising a switch including a contact on the unit, a movable contact, manually operable means for moving said contact last-mentioned laterally of the holder to engage the contact first-mentioned, said movable contact being a strip bent into the form substantially of a U and having a substantially circularly curved portion forming a jaw, the contact on the unit being extended laterally thereof and having a substantially circularly curved portion, said jaw being resiliently biased to have a concave face of its curved portion of less radius than that of the substantially circular curvature of the contact on the unit whereby said jaw yieldingly grips said first-named contact when moved to circuit-closing position, and means being associated with said jaw contact responsive to heat from the heating element for enlarging the radius of its said curved portion when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature.

8. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holder; an igniting unit having a heating element and storable on the holder but wholly removable therefrom for use; a normally open circuit including the holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; a contact on the unit; a movable contact normally spaced from the contact on the unit which when engaged with the contact on the unit closes said circuit; means separate from said unit operable from the exterior of the holder for moving the movable contact into engagement with the first-mentioned contact, said movable contact being bimetallic and claspingly engaging the first-mentioned contact and being deformable in response to heat from the heating element to cause disengagement of the contacts when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature; separate means for holding the igniting unit in stored position on the holder while the circuit is closed; and means for automatically returning said movable contact to its normal position on said disengagement of said contacts, said means also releasing the holding means whereby the igniting unit can be removed for use.

9. A cigar lighter comprising a holder; an igniting unit having a heating element and adapted to be supported by the holder in a single position thereon either for storage or for energization of the heating element; a normally open circuit including the holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; means separate from said unit for closing said circuit, said closing means including a manual actuator on the holder and an impositive latch means for the unit rendered operative when the circuit is closed; means responsive to heat fromthe heating element for releasing, said latch means when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature; and separate means, rendered operative by operation of said manual actuator to close the circuit, for positively detaining the unit inv said holder until said latch means is released.

,lOVA cigar lighter comprising a holder; an igniting unit having aheating element and adapted to be supported by the holder in a single position thereon either for storage or for energization of the heating element; a normally open circuit including the holder and-the. unit for ener-e gizing the heating element; means for closing said circuit only when the unit is in its said single position on the holder, said closing means including an impositive latch means, a manual actuator therefor; means responsive to heat from the heating element for releasing said latch means when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature; normally inoperative stop means for holding the unit in its said single position but rendered operative by operation of said manual actuator to close the circuit; and means for restoring said stop means to its normal position when said latch means is released.

11. A cigar lighter comprising a holder; an igniting unit having a heating element and adapted to be supported by the holder in a single position thereon either for storage or for energization of the heating element; a normally open circuit including the holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; means for closing said circuit only when the unit is in its said single position on the holder, said closing means including a movable contact and a manual actuator therefor separate from said unit, an impositive latch means for the unit rendered operative when the circuit is closed; means responsive to heat from the heating element for releasing said latch means when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature; means for automatically moving said manual actuator to circuit-opening position upon release of said latch means, and positive detent means for holding the igniting unit against removal from the holder while said contacts are in closed-circuit position.

12. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holder presenting a well; a plug-like igniting unit having a heating element and inserted in said well but wholly removable from the holder for use; a normally open circuit including the holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; means for closing said circuit including a contact on the unit extended curvilinearly around the same in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the unit, a movable bimetallic contact having a strip portion substantially similarly curvilinearly extended in said plane, a manual actuator for closing said circuit by engagement of said contacts and including a shaft journalled on the holder alongside the same, an operative connection between the bimetallic contact and the shaft whereby when the shaft is in normal or circuit-opening position the bimetallic contact is positioned to have the unit clear the same in any position of the unit in the well and whereby on fractionally rotating the shaft in one direction from its said normal position to circuit-closing position the bimetallic contact is engaged with the contact on the unit if the unit is at a predetermined degree of insertion in the well, said bimetallic contact being resiliently biased to a curvature such that it will ,then impositively clasp the contact on the unit but being deformable by heat from the heating element to release such clasp when the heating element reaches a predetermined temperature; and a yielding means always tending to restore said shaft to its normal position. x

13. An electric cigar lighter comprising a holder; an igniting unit having a heating element and storable on the holder but wholly removable therefrom for use; a normally open circuit including the holder and the unit for energizing the heating element; a contact on the unit; a movable contact normally spaced from the contact on the unit which when engaged with the contact on the unit closes said circuit; means separate from said unit for-moving the last-mentioned contact to circuit-closing position, said last-mentioned contact comprising a bimetallic'element adapted to releasably engage the first-mentioned contact upon movement to said closed-circuit position; and means carried by the first-named means and controlled by said bimetallic element for positively retaining the unit in said holder only until said unit has attained a predetermined temperature whereupon the retaining action is withdrawn.-

ARTHUR A. JOHNSON.

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