US2418295A - Cigarette lighter or the like - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1947. FLORMAN 2,418,295

CIGARETTE LIGHTER OR THE LIKE Filed March 17, 1944 Patented Apr. 1, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE LIGHTER OR THE LIKE Irving :Florman, New York, N. Y.

Application March ,17, 1944, Serial No. 526,912

This invention relates to lighters and more particularly to pocket lighters of the pyrophoric igniter, liquid fuel type.

The general object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved lighter of this .class which is of simple inexpensive construction, requiring a minimum quantity of metal, but nevertheless capable of performing its required function regularly and efficiently.

In its preferred embodiment, theinvention contemplates the provision of a lighter comprising a substantially one-piece body frame 'of a cross section approximating the shape of a figure it, one tubular part defining the fuel tank or container and the other comprising the flint tube surmounted bybearings for the flint wheel. Novel clamping and closure devices are employed to retain the frame in proper shape and to seal off thefuel container while providing a support and passageway for the protruding end of the wick of the lighter.

Another feature of the invention is the ,provision of a pivoted cap or snufferfor extinguishing the flame, this snuffer being pivoted concentrically with the flint wheel and having novel frictional means for retaining it in open and closed positions and anovel and improved thumb contacting portion disposed adjacent the flint wheel whereby the wheel .and the snufier-closure may be easily and simultaneously actuated.

Other objects and features of novelty "will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view inside elevation of a lighter embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the lighter;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation taken substantially at right angles to Figure 1, and with a portion of the vflint tube shown in section;

Figure A is a top plan view of the lighter;

Figure 5 is a view in horizontal cross section taken substantially on lines l5-5 of Figure 2;;

Figure Bis a similar View taken on line 6-5 of Figure 2; 1

Figure "7 is a view in perspective of a clamping clip to be applied to the flint tube;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the pivoted closure cap snufier member; and

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the snu'fier cap shown in Figurelfi.

The lighter, designated generally by the refer- :5 Claims. (Cl. 167-71) ence numeral It), is character'izedby a one-piece frame or body structure which is denote-d by the numeral l l and comprises a double barrelled construction of the general cross sectional configuration of a figure eight. This is most clearly shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. The frame ll may conveniently be made from a single approximately rectangular sheet of metal bent to form the larger tubular portion [2 and the smaller tubular part l3, these portions being connected by the two-ply web construction [4. The tubular element 52 forms the side Walls of the fuel tank or container and the part I3 provides the tubular well for the flint and spring projector.

As most clearly shown in Figures 1,13, and 5 of the drawings, the flint tube 13 is provided with upwardly extending ears l'5 which are spaced apart in parallel relationship and connected to the main portion of the tubular part l3 by means of the bent neck portions it. The ears l5 form bearing supports for the flint Wheel and the snuflfer member whichwill presently be described.

The larger tubular portion I2 of the body frame it, is provided with an'upward extension 18 which is not completely cylindrical but is cut away to provide a rather wide gap as at l 9 (Figures 4 and 5) to accommodate the movement of the snuffer cap. In forming the frame H, .the metal is stamped as at 2E! between the portions 12 and I8 to provide an internal groove into which is fitted a circular disc or platform 22 forming the upper wall of the fuel chamber. The disc 22 is provided with a central opening 23 through which the upper end of the wick 24 projects. The disc may also be soldered in place, if desired. The chamber is filled with cotton batting or other absorbent material 25 as in the usual lighter of the liquid fuel type.

The tubular portion i2 is also creased near its lower end but in this case the pressure is .in-

wardly directed to form a bulge or rib 21 on the inner wall of the container. This crease is helical in shape althoughit comprises but a single turn,

and this feature serves to provide engaging means for the threads 23 on the cap or plug 29 which forms the bottom closure of the fuel tank.

The container portion I2 is also provided in ,ternally with .a liner sheetBD which is arcuate in cross section being of a peripheral extent .of somewhat more than half .of the circumference of the portion 22. The central portion of this liner plate covers the seam 3:? Where the webs M overlap.

bending the sheet metal blank from which the body frame l [is formed, the ends of the sheet are brought together in abutting relationship along the vertical element 33 of the cylindrical portion I3, and in lieu of soldering, in the illustrated embodiment of the'device the parts of the frame are held together at this point by means of the substantially circular or tubular clip 35. This clip is most clearly shown in Figure 7 of the drawings and is provided with a slot 36 which is adapted to receive the web portion I4 when the clip is slid on to the tubular member I3.

Within the upper end of the flint tube portion I3, there may be inserted a short cylindrical collar or bushing 38 of an internal diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the flint 40, This insert or bushing 38 is gripped firmly in lace when the frame is assembled and the clip 35 applied. The lower end of the flint tube I3 is internally threaded to receive the threaded and kerfed plug 42. Between the plug 42 and the flint 40 there is disposed a helical spring 44 which may contain a headed pin 45 adapted to press against the lower end of the flint and urge it upwardly toward the flint wheel.

The flint wheel is indicated at 4'! and is adapted to rotate upon an axle pin 48 which passes through the wheel and also through aligned openings in the parallel ears I5. The wheel 41 is peripherally serrated and made of suitable material to strike sparks from the flint 48 when the wheel is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 1 and 2. It will be readily understood that the sparks pass through the openlng I 9 in the windshield portion I8 and ignite the wick 24. Draft openings 49 also may be formed in the windshield I8 if desired.

A snuffer cap or closure indicated generally at 50 in the drawings is made of sheet metal and comprises a hollow boxlike body portion I. From the side walls of the portion 5! there are projected a pair of spaced parallel ears 52 which are perforated as at 53 to be pivotally mounted upon the axle pin 48 between the side faces of the flint wheel 41 and the inner walls of the supporting or bearing ears I5. In order to provide suflicient friction between the ears 52 of the snuffer-closure member and the flint wheel and bearing ears, the first named ears 52 are radially slit as at 54 and the metal at at least one of the edges of the slits 54 flared laterally as indicated at-55 in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings.

The upper portion of the front wall of the sheet metal snuffer member 50 is curved rearwardly in somewhat cylindrical fashion to conform to the curved upper portions of the side walls, all as clearly shown at 5'6 in Figure 8 of the drawings. Bottom flanges 51 and 58 are bent from the front and side walls respectively of the member 50. These flanges serve to grip the cylindrical snuffer element 60 and retain it securely within the closure member 58. The snuifer 65 is provided with a groove 6| within which the edges of the flanges .51 and 58 are received.

The upper edges of the ears 52 of the closure member 50 are provided with the serrations 63, these serrations taking the form of rearwardly curved or inclined projections of graduated height with which the thumb is adapted to contact and press when the lighter is actuated.

The operation of the device will be clearly understood from an inspection of the drawings, more particularly Figures 1 and 2 thereof. The entire device I0 is grasped within the hand, the thumb resting upon the serrations 53 and not only contacting these portions of the snuifer-closure 50 but also, bearing upon the serrations of the flint wheel 41. As the thumb is suddenly pressed rearwardly and downwardly, the closure carrying the snuffer cap 60 flies open, rotating in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in these figures of the drawings. Simultaneously with the opening of the snuifer-ciosure, the flint wheel is rotated and sparks are directed upon the wick 24 which ignites and burns until the purpose of the lighter has been accomplished, Then by pressure'upon the top wall of the snuffer-closure member 50, the closure may be rotated in a clockwise direction until the snuffer element again surrounds the protruding end of the wick 24 and comes into contact with the head or platform 22 of the fuel container, whereupon the flame is extinguished.

It will be understood that various changes and alterations may be made in the embodiment illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the subj oined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: I

1. A lighter for cigarettes or the like which comprises a unitary housing member formed from a substantially rectangular blank of sheet material bent to provide two spaced tubular portions, and flattened centrally to provide two adjacent parallel webs for connecting the tubular portions and rigidifying the construction, the end edges of the blank abutting, a clamping member applied to the last mentioned tubular portion to hold the housing together and maintain, said edges in abutting relationship, one of said tubular portions enclosing the flint and flint projecting v mechanism and the other containing the fuel'and wick, a threaded closure cap at one end of the latter portion, a partition disc clamped in position at a point spaced from the other end and having a wick opening therethrough, and a lining sheet within the fuel container portion and covering the joint therein formed where the walls thereof merge with said Webs.

2. A lighter for cigarettes or the like which comprises a unitary housing member formed from a substantially rectangular blank of sheet material bent to provide two spaced tubular portions, and flattened centrally to provide two adjacent parallel webs for connecting the tubular portions and rigidfying the construction, one of said tubular portions enclosing the flint and flint projecting mechanism and the other containing the fuel and wick, transverse partitions in the fuel containing portion providing upper and lower end closures for a fuel reservoir, the inner walls of the fuel containing portion being scored toproand rigidifying the construction, the endedges of the blank abutting, one of said tubular portions enclosing the flint and flint projecting mechanism and the other containing the fuel and wick, a threaded closure cap at one end of the latter portion, a removable partition disc clampedin position near the other end and having a wick opening therethrough, and removable clamping means applied to the housing member to maintain said edges in abutting relationship, to hold the housing together, and to clamp the partition disc.

in place.

4. A lighter for cigarettes and the like which comprises a body containing a fuel reservoir through one end of which projects a wick, a flint spaced from said wick, a pair of bearing ears projecting outwardly from said body adjacent said flint, a pin passing through said ears, a flint wheel on said pin and rotatably mounted with respect to said ears, a snuffer member adapted to cover and uncover the wick end, said snuffer member provided with a pair of spaced parallel arms, the ends of which are carried by said pin and rotatably mounted with respect to said ears,

the arm being received between the respective ears and adjacent side faces of the flint wheel, the ends of at least one of said arms being radially slit adjacent the pivotal center and. the material adjacent the slit being bent out of the plane of said arm, said ears, arms and flint wheel being so closely spaced that pressure applied to said bent out material causes the same to resiliently bear against the inner face of said ears, whereby the snuffer member will be retained in any position to which it is moved.

5. A lighter for cigarettes or the like which comprises a body containing a fuel reservoir through one end of which projects a wick, a flint spaced from said wick and a flint wheel rotatably mounted above said flint to throw spark upon said wick when rotated, a sheet metal hood-like closure member pivotally mounted adjacent the flint wheel and adapted to be swung to and from a position above the wick respectively to snufi the flame and free the wick for ignition, said closure member having inwardly bent flanges at the lower edges of its side walls, which when so bent define an approximately circular opening, a dome-like snufier element disposed in said opening and having an external peripheral. groove therein to receive said inwardly directed. flanges to retain said snufier element, said snuffer element adapted to enclose said wick end when the closure member is in snufling position.

IRVING FLOR-MAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,272,059 De Margitta Feb. 3, 1942 1,746,949 Kollstede Feb. 11, 1930 2,105,072 Dubsky Jan. 11, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 290,066 Ger. Feb. 4, 1916 301,449 Brit Mar; 7, 1929 124,757 Austrian Oct. 10, 1931 72,036 Austrian June v26, 1916 515,381 French Nov. 25, 1920

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