US2423481A - Lighter construction - Google Patents

Description

July 8,1947.l I A, CAMPOS 2,423,481

LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 1'7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l gmc/M301 July 8, 1947. A. cAMlos LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed NOV. 17, 1944 Patented July 8, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6V Claims'.

This-invention appertains to a lighter construction for pocket and personal use, and has for its primary object to provide a wick and liquid fuel type thereof, which embodies certain mechanical reiinements that makes for greater simplicity and eiiiciency in maintenance and operation; the ignition and extinguishing functions being automatically accomplished by` manipulation of a combined sparkv producing and iiame snuer mechanism.

Another object of the invention has to do with the provision of a lighter construction of this kind, wherein the spark producing and flame snuier mechanisms are interconnected for simultaneous-operaton, motion being imparted to the flame snuier mechanism by a manually actuated member andtransmitted by an element of the latter mechanism to the spark producing mechanism, the flame snuffer mechanism being automatically returned to its normal flame extinguishing condition upon the release of the manually actuated member.

With these and' other objects and advantages of equal importance in view, the invention resides in the certain newand useful combination, construction, and arrangementv of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appendedclaimaand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevationof the improved lighter construction, in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a Vertical section through the main casing and showing the fuel tank, the cover, and

the manually actuated member, in side elevation,

with a portion of the latter broken away to show its cooperative relation with the cover for operating the latter from and to its normal position of rest;

Figure 3 isa view similar to that of Figure 2, but showing the relative positions of the cover and Athemanually actuated member at the end ofthe working stroke of the latter, during which stroke, motion of the cover istransmitted to the spark producing; mechanism to ignite the wick;

Figureflis a side view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the ignition and'flame snulng mechanisms, together with the actuating means therefor, in detail;

Figure 5v is a vertical sectional view similar to that of Figure 4, but showing the interior ofV the fuell tank and the manner of mounting the wick holder `and the flint feed tube therein;

Figure Gis an enlarged horizontal section, takenr through the line Ii--S- of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure '7 is a View similar to that of Figure 6, but taken through the line l-'l on Figurev 5, lookingl in the directionl of the arrows;

Figure 8V is avertical transverse section, taken 2V through. the line 8-8 on Figure l, the direction of the arrows; and

lookingv in Figure 9 is atop plan View of the fuel tankv perse.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in they several Views, the lighter construction, as it is exemplined'therein, is comprised in a vertically elongated, casing, open at its upper andv lower ends, having a rear wall I0, side walls I2, and a rounded front wall Ill, the rear` wall I!! and-adjacent portions of the side walls I2 being extended' above the top edges of the other portions ofthe latter and the like edge of the fron-t wall I4, which edges lie in a common plane; the

extended portions of the side walls I2 being` increa-sed in height, above theV top edge of the rear' wall III, bysemi-circular portions I2'.

Mounted-within the casing is a fuel tank I6 which hasv a at top wall i8 disposed iiush in the plane of the top edges of the lower top edges ofi the side wallsA I2 and the like edge of the front wallHIdand its bottom wall 20 spaced inwardly from the lower end of the casing. Formed in theltop wall I8, of the tank I6, adjacent the front end thereof, is an inwardly flanged lling opening 22 in'whichy a holder 2d for a wick 26 is removably'seated; Depending intoY the tank I6, from the seated end of the holder 24, is a guide tube 28 tor direct thev feed of the wick to and through theA holder in a manner to prevent binding or kinking. The guide tube 28 extendsl downwardly through thev wick aperture of the holder 24 and is removablyk supported lfrom the top end by an annular iiange; 28', restingl on the holder. The lower Vend ofthe guide tube 28 is split, as at 23, asf an added means to facilitate greater freedom4 of movement of the wick 26, in its feed.

The' upwardly extended portions I2', of theV side walls I2 of the casing, are centrally apertured, inthe plane of the top edge of the rear wally i, to. receive a cross pin `or bolt S0 on which a cylindrical 'member 32 is supported between the sidewall portions l2', the member 32 constitutinga bearing for a nie-wheel 35i and afpair of oppositely disposed pinions 36, the latter being of a gri-rater'r diameter than the ille-wheel and madey integrali therewith. Extending angularly downward4 through the top and bottom walls I8 and 20, of: tiretank I6, is av flint feed tube 38, in which theliint it is urged upwardly against the under side of the file-wheel 34 by a coiled spring 42, the lower end of the spring resting on a screw plug de, closing the lower end of the tube. The bottom wall of the tank I' is formed with an upwardly angled portion 20 at its forwardly directed'end to receive the lower end of the tube Slfand to support it inposition to permit of ready access` tothe screwplug is for its removal and replacement by a suitable tool, e. g., a screw driver (not shown), inserted into the main casing through an opening 4B formed in the front Wall I4.

Also supported on the bearing member 32, is a flame snuffer device in the form of a co-ver 48, having a top Wall 58, side walls 52, and a front end wall 54; the top wall 5i) having its rear end portion curved downwardly yabout the rear ends of the side walls 52 in a manner to form a rear end wall 50 and the front end wall 54 rounded to conform to the front wall I4 of the main casing. Each yof the sidewalls 52 is provided with an arcuate-shaped recess as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the po-rtion of the sidewall 52 intermediate the front edge of the recess and the front-end-wall 54 being depressed laterally from its point of mergence with the iront wall 54-as shown in Figure 7. Rear end portions of the side walls 52 are made substantially semi-circular, as at 52', and these portions are centrally apertured for engagement on the bearing member 30, one at each side of the file and pinion assembly and between pairs of spacer collars 56 and 58. The side walls 52 are provided with outwardly pressed beads S8 extending rearwardly in closely spaced and parallel relation to the top Wall 58 from points spaced inwardly from the front end wall 54, to permit of the insertion of a cross pin 62 inwardly of their rear open ends to the forward closed ends thereof. Engaged on this cross pin 62, is the barrel 66 of a pinion actuator 64, which is constituted in a spring metal stamping having Ithe barrel 66 formed on its forwardly directed end and a rearwardly directed spring tongue 68 struck upwardly from its center to bear against the under side of the top wall 50, of the cover 48, to position the actuator 64 for the effective engagement of its rearwardly directed end edge with the teeth of the pinions 36, at all times. Mounted in the forward end of the cover 48, is an inverted snuiTer cup 18, which engages over the end of the wick 25 and rests on the holder 24, when the cover is normally disposed, in which position, the igniter mechanism is completely enclosed for its protection against injury, during non-use of the lighter.

The igniter and snuifer mechanism just de- ,scribed is to be operated by means of a substantially U-shaped actuator member that is engaged about the fuel tank I6, with its connected end 14 extending transversely of and below the lower end of the tank and its side portions 16 eX- tending upwardly between the opposed side walls of the main casing and the tank and in channels l2, formed in the latter. The channels 12, toward the upper end of the fuel tank I6, are deepened, as at 1,2', to house the upper end portions 16 of the actuator member, which portions are preferably made U-shape in cross section to provide channels engaged about the edges of semicircular portions 52', of the side walls 52 of the cover 48. nels are provided with a series of vertically aligned apertures i8 to be engaged with lugs or teeth 85, formed in the edges of the semi-circular portions 52', of the side walls 52 of the cover 48. By this arrangement, the portions 16', when moved vertically in reversed directions relatively to the toothed portions 52', function in the manner of racks to cause the cover 48 to turn on the bearing member 32 from and to normal position. To impart upward movement to the actuator member, a push button 82, `preferably of inverted dished form, is positioned in the lower open end of the main casing and engaged over the low- T-he connecting walls of these chan-A er connected end of the actuator member, with a friction t thereon. The actuator member and the push button 82 are sustained in their normal positions of rest by a compression spring 84, which is interposed between the borttom wall 28, of the tank i5, and the connected portion 'I4 of the actuator member. By the frictional t of the push button 82 on the lower end of -the actuator member, it may be readily removed and replaced to give access to its interior, in which at least two eXtra lints 40 may be housed, a sulcient space, constituting a storage chamber 86, Ibeing provided between the connecting portion 24 and the bottom wall of the push button. To facilitate the manipulation of the push button 82, semi-circular cutouts 88 are removed from the lower edges of the side walls l2 of the main casing.

In operation, the fuel tank I6 having been provided with a supply of liquid fuel introduced to it through the filling opening 22, from which the wick holder 24, together with the guide tube 28 and the wick 26, are removed for the purpose and afterwards replaced, pressure of a finger or thumb on the push button 82 forces the actuator member upwardly through the main casing and causes the apertures 18, in its upper end portions T6', to engage the lugs or teeth 88 on the side portions 52 of the cover 48, when the latter is swung upwardly and rearwardly on the bearing member 32 to a substantially vertical position at the rear side of the main casing. This movement of the cover 48 lifts the snuifer cup 'Ill from the wick end and, at the same time, its motion is transmitted through the pusher element or tongue E4 to the pinions 35 and the le wheel 34, in the resulting rotation of which, in an anticlockwise direction, the file wheel 34 abrades the flint 48, causing sparks which, by the angular position of the int in relation to the periphery of the iile wheel, pass to the Wick end for its igniting, Upon releasing the pressure of the finger or thumb from the push button 82, the coiled spring 84, previously placed under compression by the operative movement of the push button, expands and urges the latter and the actuator member back to their normal position. In the return movement of the actuator member, the cover 48 is swung back to its normal position, when the snuier cup 18 will cover the wick end and extinguish the flame.

The subject-matter of this application is related to the subject-matter of my co-pending application entitled Lighter construction, led November 17, 1944, and serially numbered 563,882.

Without further description, it is believed that the novel features incorporated in this lighter construction will be readily comprehended by those skilled in the manufacture of devices of like character, and that its ease of operation and the renements in its design will be readily apparent to such persons. Also, it is to be understood that changes in design and minor details of construction may be resorted to, provided such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lighter construction comprising an openended casing, a fuel tank mounted Within said casing and inwardly from the ends thereof, an igniter mechanism including a file wheel mounted at the upper end of an extended part of said casing and partially within the same, a int-feed tube disposed at an angle with respect to the vertical and extending through said tank from a point below said igniter mechanism and opening through the bottom wall of the tank, a springfed iiint mounted in the upper end of said tube, a screw plug closing the lower end of said tube, said casing having an opening in a sidewall thereof below the tank for access to said screw plug, said tank having a filling opening in its top wall at one side of said igniter mechanism, a removable holder seated in said iilling opening, a guide tube depending from said holder, a wick threaded through said holder and said guide tube, said extended part of said casing substantially enclosing the lower half of said lile wheel to prevent wind dispersal of the sparks emitted from said flint, a cover mounted for rocking movements on the eX- t-ended part of said casing, a snuffer cup carried by said cover, said cover being adapted to substantially enclose said igniter mechanism when normally positioned to engage the snuffer cup with the wick end, an actuator extending through said casing and in operative connection with said cover, a push-button mounted in the lower end of said casing and connected to said actuator, said cover being swingable upwardly to lift said snufer clear of the wick end for its igniting by sparks from said igniter mechanism, upon manipulation of said actuator from said push-button, and spring means cooperative with said actuator and said push-button to effect the automatic return of the parts to normal positions.

2. The lighter construction as in claim 1, with oppositely disposed pinions in operative assembly with said iile wheel, and a pusher element mounted in grooves formed in the sidewalls of said cover for imparting motion to said pinions and the lle Wheel when the cover is actuated to lift said snuffer cup from the wick end.

3. The lighter construction as in claim 1, with said tank having channels formed vertically in opposite sidewalls thereof, and said actuator being substantially U-shaped and having its connected end disposed beneath said tank and engaged by said push-button, the opposite side p0rtions of the actuator extending upwardly through said channels for operative connection with said cover.

4. The lighter construction as in claim 1, with said actuator having its lower end detachably engaged by said push button, and said push button having an inwardly opening chamber for the storage of eXtra flints therein below the point of engagement with said actuator.

5. The lighter construction as in claim 1, with oppositely disposed pinions in unitary assembly with said iile Wheel, and a resilient pusher elenient removably mounted in parallel grooves formed horizontally in the opposite sidewalls of said cover for imparting motion to said pinions and the le wheel when the cover is actuated to lift said snufier cup from the wick end.

5. The lighter construction as in claim i, with said tank having channels formed vertically of opposite side walls thereof, said actuator being substantially U-shape and having its opposite side portions extending upwardly through said channels and its lower connected end frictionally engaged within a chamber formed in the inner side of said push button, upper portions oi the opposite side portions of the actuator being made U-shape in cross section to provide Vertical channels therein, the connecting walls of said channels having sets of vertically spaced apertures, said cover having oppositely disposed semi-circular portions engaged in the last named channels, and teeth formed in the edges of said semi-circular portions and adapted t0 be engaged by said apertures during the operative movements of said actuator.

ADOLPH CAMPOS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,847,790 Steinfield Mar. 1, 1932 1,944,177 Holtzman Jan. 23, 1934 2,289,113 Florinan July 7, 1942 1,801,473 Williams Apr, 21, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 58,411 Austria Mar. 26, 1913

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