US2267825A - Lighter construction - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1941., AQHARRi-S- I "2,267,825

LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sepg. 11, 1940 INVENTOR Alamndzr Harms B/LYMQ 4 f (14% /I/tm/ ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 30, 1941 LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION Alexander Harris, East Orange, N. J., assignor to Art Metal Works, Inc., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 11, 1940, Serial No. 356,282

2 Claims.

In carrying out the invention,'a suitable decorative form of container may be provided, the.

lower portion of which may contain a compartment filled with fuel absorbent material such as cotton. The top wall of this compartment may be suitably apertured to removably receive the outlet spout of a removable and replaceable fuel can located in invertedposition within the upper portion of the container. The outlet opening of the fuel can may be filled with a length of wicking or the like material protruding downwardly somewhat from the can outlet to thereby contact with the fuel absorbent material in the compartment, thus keeping the latter material constantly saturated with fuel but without permitting the free running of the fuel out of the inverted fuel can. Suitable forms of lighting mechanism may be mounted upon or in association with the container such for exfeatures and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description given below, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and illustrating merely by way of example certain embodiments of the invention. The invention consists in such novel features, arrangements and combinations of parts as are shown and-described herein.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the preferred and simple forms of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in section, showing the outlet portion of one of the fuel cans adapted for use according to the invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view partly broken away showing the outlet portion of one of the fuel cans 1 after removal of the sealing cap;

ample as a so-called striker type of pyrophoric lighter, or lighter mechanisms such as shown in the patents to Aronson Nos. 1,986,754 and 2,002,845.

By utilizing the arrangement above briefly outlined, fuel for the lighters may, be marketed in cans of suitable size and having outlet openings or necks already filled with a suitable wicking member and so shaped as to be immediately insertable in the lighter ready for use upon removing a screw cap or seal for the can. The lighter thus being adapted to receive a full can of the fuel, it will be unnecessary for the user to refill the lighter for a long period and when refueling is necessary, it may be very quickly accomplished by merely removing the old empty fuel can from the assembly, whereupon a new fuel can may be at once inserted as a unitary assembly without the danger and inconvenience of pouring the fuel from one receptacle to another and with assurance that none of the fuel will be spilled or lost by evaporation either during the refilling operation or later.

Various further and more specific objects,

Figs, 5 and 6 are top and vertical sectional views respectively of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate certain details of alternative forms of the invention.

In the particular form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, the device of the invention may include a suitable container H], which may be decorated in any desired manner and having at its lower portion a compartment as at H filled with fuel absorbent material such as cotton for example. The upper portion of the container may be formed with a slidably removable and preferably firmly fitting cover portion as at I2, permitting replacement of fuel cans as at l3 which are positioned in the hollow upper portion of the container Ill. The compartment for the fuel absorbent material may be separated as by a horizontally extendingwall or partition [4, from the receptacle cavity for receiving the fuel can. This wall It may be formed with a central aperture preferably surrounded by a downwardly projecting flange as at l5. Such aperture is adapted to closely receive and embrace the outlet portion or neck tion for use,.agai nst tampering and the possibility of spilling fuel, as by indentations or portions as at It struck inwardly from the walls of the neck portion l6 into engagement with the wicking material. The fneck portion I6 may have a suitably threaded area as at I9 for receiving a sealing cap as at 20, the lower flanged or beaded edges 21 of which may engage a sealing gasket as at, 22. It will be noted that the upper portion of the cap." is so shaped as to be adapted to receive the protruding portion of the wicking 11. Thus fuel refills suitable for convenient retail sale are providedin a form ready to be immediately inserted into the lighter upon removal of the sealing cap it.

To insert such fuel refllls," it is merely necessary to remove the container cover 12 and to remove the older empty fuel tank ll, whereupon the refilP' with its cap removed, may be at once inserted in place of the used fuel can and the protruding wicking H will, because of its contact with the fuel absorbent material in the compartment ll, quickly cause the fuel absorbent material to become saturated so that the lighter will be immediately ready for further use. And all this may be accomplished without pouring or exposing any free fuel and thus fire hazards, inconvenience and spilling are: avoided, while still making available in the lighter a reservoir of fuel large enough to serve the lighter for a long period of time. It will be further noted that even if the lighter should be-tipped .over or accidentally dropped, there will be no opportunity for this large amount of fuel to be spilled and the fuel is in effect protected in a double walled container while in the lighter, eliminating any likelihood of accidental damage such as would permit the fuel to leak out or be spilled.

The action of the wicking I'I incontact with the fuel absorbent material in the compartment II is such that while .the absorbent material almost immediately becomes saturated upon insertion of a fuel container, yet once this material is saturated there is no further escape of fuel from the container except as required to gradually replace the fuel used for lighting purposes. That is, the arrangement is such that no free liquid accumulates within the compartment ll. Yet even if the wicking II should not properly contact with the fuel absorbent material because of tampering or otherwise, still no excessive amount of the fuel can escape from the can since any free body of fuel in the compartment ll would soon rise to a level enveloping the wicking II as surrounded by the'flange l and thus stop any further escape of fuel from the can by reason of the difference in atmospheric pressure inside and outside the can. The flow of fuel from the can is thus very accurately regulated in accordance with the needs of the lighter without danger that the fuel will run out on to and around the lighter mechanism and make possible a flame of dangerous size. 4

The particular form of pyrophoric lighting mechanism as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of the socalled striker type, including a torch member 23 adapted to normally rest in a receptacle or well portion 24 extending at a convenient angle upwardly and outwardly from the base of the lightercontainer. The torch assembly 23 may include a tapered neck portion 25, machined or ground to accurately fit in sealing relationship with a correspondingly tapered opening as at 20 in a member 21. The member 21 may be fixed in position as by threaded engagement at 28 with a tubular portion 28, the lower edges of which may be welded or soldered in place as shown approximately at the juncture of the lower portion of the container i0 and its base portion or the compartment ll.

"Hie torch assembly may also include a rod 30 of suitable length extending down through a central aperture in the member 21. This rod may be adapted to receive a tubular wick member 31 surrounding a suitable steel striker rod as .at 32 protruding as shown from the end of the wick ll.

The torch assembly 33 will normally rest in the well portion or assembly as shown with its wick 3| contacting with the fuel absorbent in. the compartment ll. Thus the wick II will be kept moistened with the fuel. In using the device the torch assembly may be slidably removed whereupon the striker portion 32 may be quickly drawn along a suitable bar of pyrophoric sparking metal as at 33 mounted upon the base of the'device as shown. This will result in igniting the fuel on the wick 3| whereupon the torch is ready to be used for lighting cigarettes or pipes, etc. After use, the flame on the torch may either be blown out, or extinguished by'reinsertion of the torch into the well assembly 24.

It will be understood that the pyrophoric elements may be associated with the assembly by mounting such elements at various other convenient locations on the compartment or can container, as may be desired, depending on the character of the decorations on the device or other factors.

Various modifications of torch assemblies and associated parts particularly adaptable for use with this invention are disclosed in the patents to Aronson Nos. 1,986,754, 2,104,964, 2,104,965, 2,120,226, 2,134,497 and 2,140,277.

If desired, two strips or bars of the pyrophoric sparking metal as shown at 33 and 33' may be mounted, one at either side of the base of the lighter. These strips are preferably embraced in protective casings of thin sheet 'metal as at 34 adapted to slidably and removably engage correspondingly slotted portions on the base of the lighter with a firm fit. The inner ends of the casing 34 may be provided with small extensions or lipportions as at 35 for facilitating removal of the sparking metal assemblies which may be sold at retail as assembled units for replacement'purposes. However, the use of the two relatively long bars of the pyrophoric material will provide sufficient sparking metal so that ordinarily the same will not be so worn out as to need replacement except after, for example, several years use. As shown, the areas upon which the bars of vpyrophoric material are mounted may be preferably inclined somewhat with a gradual slope toward the user of the lighter to permit convenient strildng action with the torch assembly.

While the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 will ordinarily effectively seal the fuel container against any measurable loss of fuel by evaporation, under some circumstances it may be desired to further insure against evaporation and escape of fuel. To further insure sealing of the receptacle" ll against evaporation around the torch receiving well,.the base of the handle of the torch as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be formed with incomplete threads as at 40 for engaging a correspondingly threaded portion 4| tions 25', 26' into very flrm sealing relationship. Then when the torch is to be removed for use, it may first be simply given a half turn in the opposite direction and then taken out and used as explained above in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to prevent any possible slight evapo- .with a gasket 22' supplied on. the fuel can as marketed. The bayonet joint connection may include protuberances as at 43 formedon the portion 16' for engaging thread-like indentations as at 44 on the flange portion l5. With this construction, in order to permit the can upon-insertion to be given a half turn for connecting the bayonet joint, the can and its housing may conveniently be made cylindrical as indicated in Fig. 5, whereas for forms such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the more conventional oval type of fuel can may be used, and with the housing of generally rectangular cross section for example. It win be understood that with the form of Fig. 6, upon inserting the can as shown and upon giving it a half turn to connect the bayonet joint, the flange 42 will be brought into firm sealing relationship with the gasket 22'; thus preventing any evaporation or leakage of fuel into the space within the housing l0.

If desired with forms of the invention such as shown in Figs. land 2, means may be provided for insuring that the fuel can will always remain firmly seated with its wicking II in firm contact with the fuel absorbent in the compartment II. For this purpose as shown in Fig. 8, the container cover I2 may have secured on its under side as by a rivet 45, a suitable leaf spring 46 for engaging the bottom of the can and thus normally urging the can downwardly when in its inverted position of use in the lighter.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to particular preferred examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention. that various changes and further modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a lighter liquid fuel can adapted for retail sale and including a normally upstanding neck portion adapted to serve as a filling opening as well as an outlet, a body of wick-like absorbent material secured within and filling said portion and protruding normally upwardly somewhat therefrom; said neck portion being constructed and arranged to receive a removable cap for covering said absorbent material and sealing the can during sale, a container and associated pyrophoric lighting means adapted to rest for use on a table or the like, a compartment forming the base portion of said container and substantially filled with'fuel absorbent material, said compartment having an inlet opening in its upper surface adapted to removably receive and embrace said neck portion with the can in inverted position, whereby the absorbent material in the neck portion of the can my contact with that in said compartment, the upper portions of said container including a cavity for replaceably housing such cans, and having a quick-detachable cove 2. A lighter construction comprising a container adapted to rest for use on a table or the like and having a base portion comprising a normally closed compartment substantially filled with fuel absorbent material, said compartment having an inlet in its top wall, a liquid fuel can adapted to rest in inverted position with its outlet in said fuel inlet and blocked by absorbent material. whereby,the absorbent material in the compartment is kept substantially saturated with fuel but freely flowing fuel in the compartment is substantially avoided, the upper portions of said container including a cavity for replaceably housing such cans, socket means extending from within said compartment at an angle upwardly and outwardly from the base of said cavity. a removable torch normally protruding through said socket means into absorbent material adjacent said inlet, and cooperating spark-striking means associated with said torch and the container for lighting the torch.

ALEXANDER HARRIS.

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