US2248409A - Cigar lighter - Google Patents

Description

July 8, 1941. H, LEHMANN 2,248,409

CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Dec. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 sea INVENTOR ATTORN July 8, 1941. H. G. LEHMANN CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Dec. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 8, 1941 CIGAR LIGHTER Herbert G. Lehmann, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to Automatic Devices Corporation, Bridgeport, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application December 28, 1937, Serial No. 182,083

6 Claims.

This invention relates to cigar lighters and more particularly to lighters adapted to be mounted in the dashboards of automobiles.

In current lighters, means have been provided for opening the circuit to the heating element Wl'lQl'l the heating element has attained its predetermined heat. In some instances, however, where the thermostatic or heat responsive switch is mounted in heat-receiving relation with the heating element on the igniting unit, the operation of the switch is impaired due to the fact that, after repeated usage, burnt tobacco and other oxidized scale is deposited on the outer surface of the heating element and prevents proper heat transfer to the heat-responsive switch.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a control unit for opening the circuit to the heatelement in which an auxiliary heating elenu is mounted on the base and operates the responsive means for the circuit for the 0 element. With such a construction, the her. ing element, which serves to control the circuit, is not removed. from the holder "and subsequently is not likely to become dirty or have its heat--transferring properties impaired so that the lighter will always function faithfully.

It has been found that the auxiliary heating element can be of an desired shape, but, preferably, it is made similar to that mounted on the igniting unit. When these two heating elements are so similarly constructed, their properties are substantially identical and the auxiliary heating element will open the circuit when the heating element on the igniting unit has reached a corresponding temperature. Also, since the same manufacturing operations can be used to form many of the elements, a lower cost of manturing is achieved. unit is mounted on the holder for easy removal therefrom, since it has no permanent connections with the holder and igniting unit, and, therefore, does not require dismantling of the latter elements when it is to be replaced or removed. The heat rcsponsive means, on the control unit also can be readily removed for replacement if necessary. Because the unit can be readily removed from the holding device, the user of the cigar lighter can obtain a large variety of operating relations which will produce the characteristics suited to his needs.

For example, the two heating elements can be connected in series or parallel circuits and the circuit closed upon movement of the igniting unit into energizing position. The heat-responsive switch, in this case, will open the circuit upon being heated and, if the heating element is not removed from energizing position, will again automatically close the circuit upon cooling off. Or. the user of the device can have the two heating elements connected in either series or parallel relation and have the control unit provided With a manually operable switch which will close the circuit when the igniting unit is in energizing position and which will be opened by the heatresponsive means when the heating element attains its predetermined temperature. In this case, however, the circuit will not be automatically made if the user of the device should fail to remove it, but would remain open until the manually operable switch is actuated again.

The igniting unit. which is the same for all possible arrangements of the circuit, is provided with a lens at its outer end and with openings at its inner end in light-receiving relation with the heating element so that, when the latter becomes incandescent, the lens will glow and indicate that the lighter is ready for use.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification, when taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the device with the igniting unit in inoperative position, the holder being in section.

Fig, 2 is a longitudinal sectional View or" the holder and control means and part of the igniting unit.

Fig. 3 is a section of the device taken along line of Fig. 2.

i is a diagrammatical showing of the two heating elements connected in series through the thermostatic switch.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2, with the auxiliary heating element connected in parallel with the heating element on the igniting unit.

6 is a longitudinal section of a holder and control device and part of the igniting unit forming another form of the invention in which the two heating elements are in parallel relation and showing the manually controlled switch on the control unit.

Big. 7 is a plan View of the control unit shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows another form of the invention, partl in section, showing the auxiliary control means with the manually operable switch and the heating element arranged for series connection with the heating element on the igniting unit.

Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically the circuit for the two heating elements when arranged in parallel.

According to the present invention, a tubular sheet metal holder is threaded as at 2| at its open end and is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending tangs 22 lanced therefrom adjacent the threaded end. The holder is adapted to be placed in an aperture in a dashboard 23 or other support with the tangs 22 engaging the back thereof and a collar or escutcheon plate 24 is threaded on the open end of the holder and into engagement with the front of the dashboard to lock the holder in place thereon.

The holder is provided at its inner end with a transverse wall 25. ing a head 26a and a threaded end 2527, is mounted in a central aperture in the end wall and is insulated therefrom by an insulating washer 2"! having a projecting neck 27a passing through the end wall and another insulating washer 25, 1

as shown in Fig. 2.

A contact 29, having the ends thereof formed to provide hook-shaped latches 29a as shown in Fig. 2, is positioned in the holder so as to extend under the head of the stud and be clamped between the head and the insulating washer Zl by means of a nut 30, threaded on the projecting end of the stud and which also clamps the stud in place in the end wall of the holder.

The contact and stud are connected to a suitable source of energy by means of a lug 3i secured to a conductor 32 connected to the battery or the like. The lug is positioned on the stud and locked in place by a nut 33. The holder has an opening 34 formed therein adjacent the :7

cured thereto, at one end and having the other 4 end formed with a reduced diameter, as indicated at 38. A conducting cap 39 of metal or other conducting material is secured to the reduced end of the igniting unit by having a projecting threaded sleeve 40 which is threaded into the bore of the sleeve 36 as shown in Fig. 2. The conducting cap is of the same diameter as the reduced end of the sleeve so as to be spaced from the walls of the holder.

A heating coil 43, preferably a helical coil of resistance wire, is adapted to be mounted on the end of the igniting unit. The heating coil is mounted with one end secured to a contact cup 44 and the other end secured to the slotted end of a central stud 45 which electrically connects the same to the conducting cap. As shown in Fig. 2, the central stud 45 clamps the contact cup and heating element to the conducting cap. The contact cup, however, is insulated from the stud and the conducting cap by means of insulation 46.

The conducting cap and contact may be provided with suitable apertures or openings 4'! through which light from the heating element, when the latter is brought to incandescence for use, is transmitted through the hollow body of the igniting unit to a lens 48 mounted in the end of the handle to indicate to the user f the device that the heating element or coil has acquired the desired heat and is ready for use.

The igniting unit is adapted to be removably mounted in the holder which is provided with a holding tang 50 lanced inwardly of the holder and formed with a latch or hook 5| which is adapted to engage a rounded shoulder 36a A conducting stud 26, havformed adjacent the reduced end of the igniting unit so as to hold the igniting unit in a normal or inoperative position. However, upon pressure being exerted on the handle on the igniting unit, it can be readily moved inwardly in the holder into a position in which the contact cup is engaged by the latched ends 29a of the contact 29 to close a circuit through the heating element.

According to the present invention, a control unit, indicated generally by 52, is adapted to be mounted on a plurality of lugs 53 lanced from the holder so as to project outwardly therefrom. The control unit comprises a support 54, provided adjacent its ends with downwardly projecting legs 55, adapted to engage the projecting lugs 53 on the holder and be movably secured hereto by screws 56. An auxuliary heating coil 52 is mounted on the support. The auxiliary heating element may be of any design. However, in the preferred form of the invention, the unit is made as a helical coil which is similar to the one connected to the igniting unit in size and shape so that the two coils will have substantially the same characteristics. The heating coil has one end secured to a contact cup 59 and the other end secured to the slotted end of a central stud 83. As shown in Fig. 2, the central stud 53 secures tl e heating element and contact cup to the support with the contact cup insulated therefrom by insulating washers 6|. The support adjacent one end is provided with an aperture in which is mounted a tubular bush 65 of insulating material through which a bolt 65 is passed and an insulating washer 61 is positioned on the bolt adjacent the undersurface of the support. A contact 58 is mounted on the lower end of the bolt and is held against the washer 5'! by a nut 59 which locks the bushing in place on the support. The Contact 63, when in this position, will extend through the opening 34 in the holder and extend into the path of the cond cting cap to engage the latter and make contact therewith when the igniting unit is moved to energizing position. clamped between the head 66a and the bushing 65 is a thermostatic element 10, preferably made of bimetallic material, extending transversely of the heating coil and normally in engagement with a contact i! carried by the contact cup, as shown in Fig. 2.

With this arrangement of elements, when the igniting unit is positioned into energized position, the contact engages the conducting cap 39 completes the circuit through both of the ing elements, the circuit will be from the conductor 32, through the lugs 3!, through the stud 26, contacts 29, contact cup 44, heating coil :3, central stud 45, to the conducting cap 39, through the contact 68, through the bimetallic str p IE, to the contact H, through the contact cup 59, auxiliary heating coil 53, central stud E6, and to ground on the holder.

After the circuit is thus closed, both of the heating elements will become energized and the heat from the auxiliary heating element 58 will cause the bimetallic switch means 10 to hex and .3en the circuit, at the same time the lens will gl w, due to the light rays emitting when the heat-i; g element has become incandescent to indicate to the user that the heating element is ready for use.

When the heating element has acquired its desired heat, the thermostatic switch will flex in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and or n the circuit, whereupon the igniting unit can he removed for use. Should the user of the so positioned with respect to the resilient arms of the U that they will be moved to a position wherein the arms extend to one side or the other of the line passing through the pivots H9. In other words, the arms form a toggle switch.

Means for actuating the switch comprises a plunger H4, slidably mounted in the upstanding wall 86. The plunger is provided with a spring H5 surrounding the same and having one end engaging the outside surface of the wall 5'5, and the other end abutting a finger piece I I6 secured to the outer end of the plunger to normally urge the plunger outwardly from the heating element. This outward movement is limited by a shoulder H! formed on the plunger.

' After the igniting unit has been moved to the energizing position, in which a circuit is closed through the two heating elements, the plunger is moved inwardly contacting the pivotally mounted contact arms I85 and moving them into a position as shown in Fig. '7, wherein contacts H2 en age the bimetallic element. and complete the circuit to ground. As the heating elements attain their desired heat, the lens 48 on the igniting unit will glow to indicate the incandescence of the heating element and the bimetallic strip will flex and move the contact arms past the neutral position between the pivots I I3, whereby the resilient arms will snap the pivoted arms into open-circuit position. With this form of the invention, once the heating element has attained its predetermined heat, the circuit cannot be remade until the switch is manually closed again.

While the two heating elements have been disclosed as being in parallel and ope ted by the switch, they can be placed in series if desired for coacting with a switch as is shown in Fig. 8. In this form of the invention, the switch operation is the same as described with respect to Figs. 6 and '7, however, the bimetallic thermostat W5 is secured by a strip 126 to the contact cup, whereby the circuit for the auxiliary heating element is through contact I64, central stud 99,

through the heating element 91, contact cup 98, i

strip l29, to the thermostat Hi5, and through the switch, when closed, to ground.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that applicant has provided a cigar lighter with an auxiliary control which will function faithfully and which will open the circuit when the heating element attains its predetermined temperature. The control iuiit is so constructed that it can be readily removed for repair or replacement and several units having different modes of operation can be interchanged with the igniting unit and holder so as to satisfy the needs of the user. For example, the unit can be used in which the auxiliary heating element will be in series with the heating element on the igniting unit and the circuit closed by inserting the igniting unit to energizing position on the holder. Gr, the auxiliary heating element can be placed in parallel with the heating element of the igniting unit and the circuit closed upon movement of the igniting unit into energizing position. With these two arrangements, the heating element or the igniting unit will be continually in the c rcuit until removed and the circuit will be closed, off

and on, as the thermostat heats and cools. However, if the user desires, he can have a control unit in which the heating element can be either in series or in parallel with the heating element on the igniting unit and which is provided with a manually operable switch for closing the circuit, which switch is opened in accordance with the temperature of the auxiliary heating element and will not again close the circuit until the switch is manually actuated so that, upon the heating element attaining its predetermined heat, the circuit is opened and will not be automatically remade.

This arrangement, of course, gives the user quite a selection of operating characteristics which can be had by merely electing the proper control unit and mounting it on the holder for cooperation with the heating element on the igniting unit.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements maybe used without others.

I claim:

1. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted on the holder for complete removal for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; means for closing a circuit through the heating element upon movement of the igniting unit to energizing position; and a control unit removably mounted on the holder and connected in the circuit for the first heating element, said unit comprising an auxiliary heating element, a contact carried thereby and extending into the path of the igniting unit to complete an electrical connection between the first heating element and the auxiliary heating element, and heat-responsive means removably mounted on the unit and extending into heat-conducting relation with the auxiliary heating element and adapted to open the circuit when the last-named heating element has attained its predetermined temperature.

2. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted on the holder for complete removal for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; means for closing a circuit through the heating element when moved to energized position on the holder; an auxiliary heating element mounted on the holder; means for electrically connecting the heating element and the auxiliary heating element upon movement of the igniting unit to energizing position; and heat-responsive switch means in the circuit and in heat-conducting relation with the auxiliary heating element for opening the circuit when the last-named heating element has attained a predetermined temperature, and manual means for completing the circuit comprising a toggle switch operable to close the circuit and operatively connected with the heat-responsive means to be opened thereby when the heating element has attained its predetermined temperature.

3. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted on the holder for complete removal for use, the igniting unit having a conducting cap at the inner end thereof and a heating element secured thereto; a contact in the base of the holder for engaging and closing a circuit through the heating element on the igniting unit when moved into energizing position; a heating element substantially like the first-named element mounted on the exterior of the holder and provided with a contact extending into the holder for engagement with the conducting cap on the igniting unit when the igniting unit has been moved into energizing position to thus complete a circuit through both of the heating elements; and heat-responsive switch means in the circuit and in heat-conducting relation with the heating element on the holder for opening the circuit when the last-named heating element has attained a predetermined temperature.

4. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit insulatedly mounted on the holder for complete removal for use; a heating element secured to the igniting unit; contact means on the holder for connecting the heating element to a source of current; a substantially identical heating element mounted on the exterior of the holder and provided with a contact ex ending into the holder for engagem nt with the igniting unit to complete a circuit from said source of current through both heating elements upon movement of the igniting unit to energizing position; and means for opening the circuit when the last-named heating ele ment has reached a predetermined temperature.

5. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit insulatedly mounted on the holder for complete removal for use; a heating element secured to the igniting unit; contact means on the holder for connecting the heating element to a source of cur rent; a substantially identical heating element mounted on the exterior of the holder and provided with a contact extending into the holder and engaging the igniting unit and electrically connecting the said two heating elements; manual means for completing the circuit from said source of current through both heating elements to a ground; and heat-responsive means in heat-- conducting relation with the heating element mounted on the holder and operatively connected With the manual means for opening the circuit when the last-narned heating element has attained a predetermined temperature.

6. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted on the holder for complete removal for use; a heating element carried by the igniting unit; means for closing a circuit through the heating element upon movement of the igniting unit to energizing position; and a control unit removably mounted exteriorly of the holder adapted to open the circuit through the heating element when it has attained a useful temperature, said unit comprising a heating element substantially identical with the first-named heating element, a contact carried thereby and extending into the path of the igniting unit to complete an electrical connection between the heating elements upon movement of the igniting unit to energizing position, and heat-responsive means in heat-conducting relation with the secondnamed heating element adapted to open the circuit when the latter has attained a predetermined temperature.

HERBERT G. LEHMANN.

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