US2240678A

US2240678A - Cigar and cigarette lighter

Info

Publication number: US2240678A
Application number: US331884A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lyle E Stanard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-04-26
Filing date: 1940-04-26
Publication date: 1941-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 1958-05-06

Description

y 1941- L. E. STANARD 2,240,678

CIGAR AND CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed April 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n yieliffifanard M Attorney In uentor May 6, 1941- L. E. STANARD CIGAR AND CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed April 26. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1n ventor Z Za 'fiian arc? M o By W ma.

Aiiorney Patented May 6, 1 941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGAR. AND CIGARETTE LIGHTER Lyle, E. Stanard, Three Rivers, Mich. Application April '26, 1940, Serial No. 331,884

4 Claims.

. This invention relates to portable cigar and cigarette lighters, and among the objects of the invention are (1) to provide a lighter of this character which is safe and efiicient in operation, (2) to provide a lighter of this character through the medium of which a cigar or cigarette may be lit out of doors without inconvenience due to excessive wind, (3) to provide a cigarette lighter that is characterized by economy of structure and alsoof maintenance, and (4) to provide a cigarette lighter of this character which can be easily and efficiently operated to the advantage of the user thereof.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection 7 with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lighter with the cover thereof in closed position.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a switch contact strip.

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that in the preferred embodiment thereof the cigar and cigarette lighter comprises a relatively flat substantially rectangular casing 5 having at the top thereof an integral wall 6, and for the bottom thereof a removable flanged bottom plate I that telescopes the casing 5 as shown.

Further, for the casing 5 there is provided a substantially channel-shaped cover, or lid 8, that at one end thereof is hinged to an end wall of the casing 5 through the medium of a spring hinge 9, the same serving to yieldably and normally urge the lid or cover 8 to an open position.

For releasably retaining the cover or lid 8 in a closed position there is provided a spring latch ID that at one end is anchored to a wall of the casing 5 as at II. The latch member ID extends through a slot [2 provided therefor in the Wall 6 and is cooperable with a keeper lug I3 provided on an end wall of the cover or lid 8 as clearly shown in Figure 3.

Further, in accordance with the present invention there are provided a plurality of batteries,

preferably three, N that are accommodated within the casing 5 and seat on the humps I5 of a substantially sinuous conductor ribbon IS the latter being Welded or otherwise secured to a strip ll of dielectric material.

When properly positioned within the casing 5 the batteries l4 are in peripheral contact and the poles 18 thereof are in electrical contact with a battery connector plate IS, the same being anchored or secured in the upper portion of the casing 5 through the medium of strips 20 of insulation material secured in any suitable manner to opposing walls of the casing 5 and connected with depending flanges 2| of the connector plate I!) through the medium of braces 22 which at one end are integral with or otherwise positively united with the strips 20; and at an opposite end integral with or otherwise positively united with the flanges 2| of the connector plate 19.

Also in electrical contact with the periphery of one of the endmost batteries I4 is a sinuous conductor ribbon 23 that is also welded to or otherwise positively secured to a strip 24 of similar material that is preferably secured in any suitable manner to an end wall of the casing 5.

At one end thereof the conductor strip 23 has a terminal part 23a that overlaps and is in electrical contact with the terminal part Ilia of the conductor strip l6,

At the opposite or upper end thereof the strip 23 is formed as at 25 to present what may be termed the stationary contact of an electric switch indicated generally by the reference numeral 26.

In addition to the stationary contact 25 the aforementioned switch 26 embodies a movable contact 2'! in the form of a resilient strip riveted or otherwise secured as at 28 to the wall 5 of the casing; a piece 29 of insulating material being interposed between the wall 6 and an intermediate portion of the strip 21 as clearly shown.

One end of the contact 21 is arranged to be flexed into and out of engagement with the contact 25 and that said one end is suitably engaged by the shank of a switch button 30; the shank of said button being movable thru a suitable opening provided therefor in the wall 6 of the casing. The said switch contact end of the strip 21 is normally flexed upwardly and out of engagement with the switch contact 25 and the button is normally held in raised position through the medium of a coil spring 3| interposed between the wall 6 of the casing and the head of the button 30 as shown in Figure 3.

An ignition element indicated generally by the reference numeral 32 is provided, and in this form of the invention said element embodies a body 33 of dielectric material in the form of porcelain, glass or similar material; the same being preferably 01 the shape shown and seating within a suitable opening 34 provided therefor in the wall 6. As noted the body 33 of the heating element is provided with an outstanding peripheral flange 35 that seats against the top surface of the wall 6.

Embedded in the body 33 of the heating element is a thermal ribbon 36 arranged in the form of a coil and having a terminal 36a projecting laterally from the body 33 and in direct and immediate contact with one end of the switch contact strip 21. v

The other end, 36b, of the ignition coil 36 is engaged by a coil spring 31 that seats on the battery connector bar l9 and serves as an electrical connection between the ignition coil 36 and the connector bar I9; the spring being expansible and contractible as may be required because of the space between the end 362) of the ignition coil 36 and the connector bar l9.

Further completing the assembly there is provided what may be termed a filler strip 33 secured to or otherwise held in contact with the inner surface of a wall of the casing 5 directly opposite to the conductor strip 23 and having humps 38a in bearing contact with an adjacent battery I.

Also arranged onto opposite walls of the casing 5 are strips 39 of insulating material and which, together with the

strips

36 and 23 serve to retain the batteries H in fixed position within the casing, in intermediate contact with one another and against casual displacement.

With the device assembled as shown and described, the same may be used as follows: The latch member ID is flexed out of engagement with the keeper lug l3 by pressure of the thumb or finger on the stud or knob 40 provided as shown in Figure 3 for the latch I0, whereupon, in response to the action of spring hinge 3 the cover or lid 8 will spring upwardly to open position, or substantially to the position suggested in Figure 2. The operator then with the thumb to flnger of the other or same hand presses downwardly on the switch button 3| so that switch contact 21 will engage switch contact 25 thus establishing the battery circuit through the coil 36 caus' ing the coil 36 to glow. In this connection it will be appreciated that the circuit will be closed as long as the finger is held on the switch button 30, but as soon as it is released the spring 3| will be efiective and force the button upwardly so as to permit the contact to be broken.

It will also be apparent that the batteries ll may be removed from the casing 6 orrepositloned therein through the bottom of the casing, the bottom plate I of the casing being easily removed and just as easily repositioned on the bottom of the casing 5.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, assembly, operation, and manner of using a lighter of this character will be had by those skilled in the art without a more detailed description thereof.

It is also to be understood that while I have herein shown and described the referred embodiment of the invention it is in nowise intended to limit the invention beyond the requirements the prior art and the scope of the claims hereunto attached.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a portable electric lighter of the character described, a casing, a plurality of batteries and an igniter in said casing, a battery connector plate engaged with the poles of the batteries, a conductor strip engaging the batteries at the ends thereof remote from said poles, said conductor strip having a free end constituting a switch contact, a resilient switch contact strip mounted in the casing and having one end electrically connected with the igniter and a free end arranged to be flexed into and out of engagement with said switch contact, and a spring biased switch button mounted in the casing in engagement with said end of the switch contact strip for flexing said end of the strip into engagement with the first-named switch contact for controlling the circuit to the igniter, and an electrical connection between the battery connector plate and said igniter.

2. In a portable electric lighter of the character described, a casing, a plurality of batteries and an igniter in said casing, a battery connector plate engaged with the poles of the batteries, a conductor strip engaging the batteries at the ends thereof remote from said poles, said conductor strip having a free end constituting a switch contact, a resilient switch contact strip mounted in the casing and having one end electrically connected with the igniterand a free end arranged to be flexed into and out of engagement with said switch contact, a spring biased switch button mounted in the casing in engagement with said end of the switch contact strip for flexing said end of the strip into engagement with the first-named switch contact for controlling the circuit to the igniter, and a coil spring electrically connecting the igniter and battery connector plate.

' 3. In a portable electric lighter of the character described, a casing, a plurality of batteries and an igniter in said casing, a battery connector plate engaged with the poles of the batteries, a conductor strip engaging the batteries at the ends thereof remote from said poles, said conductor strip having a free end constituting a switch contact, a resilient switch contact strip mounted in the casing and having one end electrically connected with the igniter and a free end arranged to be flexed into and out of engagement with said switch contact, a spring biased switch button mounted in the casing in engagement with said end of the switch contact strip for flexing said end of the strip into engagement with the flrst-named switch contact for controlling the circuit to the igniter; a coil spring electrically connecting the igniter and battery connector plate; a hinge cover for said casing substantially housing said switch button and igniter when the cover is in closed position, and a resilient latch mechanism for releasably securing said cover in closed position.

4. In a portable electric lighter, a casing, batteries therein, a stationary plate extending across the top of the casing and having an opening therein, an electrical igniter unit including i a body of non-conducting material and a coil emof the igniter unit and said connector plate and engaging one of the terminals of the coil, a conductor member engaging the lower ends of the batteries and having a part extending up through a side part of the casing, a spring strip connected with the underside of the stationary plate and having one end connected with the second terminal of the coil and its other end normally spaced from the upper end of the conductor strip and a manually operated member carried by the stationary plate for pressing the last-mentioned end of the spring strip against the upper end of the conductor strip to close the circuit to the coil.

LYLE E. STANARD.