US2511997A - Mechanical lighter - Google Patents

Description

June 20, 1950 1'. RUETZ MECHANICAL LIGHTER Filed April 27, 1948 m a M mm W f w a Patented June 20, 1950 RICE MECHANICAL LIGHTER 'il'ieorllor-Ruetz Zurich, 1 Switzerland Application April 27, 1948'," Serial No.- 23,516

In Switzerland May'bi, 1947 1 GClaims.

.The'invention relates toa mechanical lighter, particularly a" pocket mechanical. lighter, which is-essentially distinguished in that, in addition to the direct pipe (main pipe) toxthe burning spot, a further pipe (secondary pipe) workstogether with a liquid container, the secondary piperhaving awidened=-cross-section over a part of: its length.v The secondar pipe may alsopreferably leadinto aispace at-theend'of the:main pipe--which can be connected. as desired to and shut off from the outside air--Whereby. further, of the twopipes connecteddmparalleh the main pipe has a greater resistance 'to the flow of fuel than the secondary pipe, and also the two pipes have at least one: part impeding the flow of liquid.

Further features of the invention. can be seen from the claims, the specification and the drawingQwhere some forms: of execution of the me chanicallighter arelillustrated diagrammatically by way of example in the-form of a pocket lighter.

Fig. 1 shows one form of lighter-in longitudinal section,

Fig. 2 showsanother form oilighterinlon gitudinal section,- and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of another form of lighter.

According to the 'form of the invention illustrated. in Fig. 1, a short tube 3- is inserted in the cover 2 ofthe liquid container 1, this tube-projecting at one 'end1-'into. the interior id. of the liquid. container and projecting outat' the other and above the cover 2. This tube-*3. formsa direct pipe from the interior space iatotheburning spot'3a. and'is in the following-termed a main pipe. Inthe main pipe 3 an absorbent body 4 is arranged, iorinstancein the form of a wick.

In thecover 2 a fixedring 5 is arranged concentric to the tube 3; the space 5a surrounding this ring. can be connectedas. desired-with the-outer airsor closed offirom it,. preferably by the sealing means: 6 in the closing cover. I of the lighter. Into theclosable-space 5a at the end of the. main pipe3,:a secondary pipe 9 is provided from theliquid space In openingat 8. This secondary pipe in the example illustrated consists of tube- Q-WhiCh opens into ahollow. space I l formed by a container I0. From the hoiiow space H a further part or tube N2 of the secondarypipe opens at the top at I3intothe liquid space la. The part 12 of the secondary pipe then extends in the form of a thin tube until nearly the bottom lim of the container Ii). This container in is arranged in the interior. of the :2 liquid. container I and forms a widening of the cross se'ction'of the secondary pipes B, 9, 1D, I! and. I 2. Thereby this secondary piping runs from .theinterior la of thecontain'er along'the tube l2 in a'direction contrary to the direction from the interior space Ia to the burning point 3a. The flow through the 'secondary'pipesrc-onsequently takes place from the point 13 downwards and through the hollow space H and the tube s' into the closable space'Ea of the --main pipe 3. Of theutwo pipesi connected in 'parallel (main and'secondary pipes) the main pipe'has a greater resistance torthefiow of fuel than the secondary pipe, because of the provision of the absorption member 4. However, in' addition to the main" pipe; also the secondary pipehas at least'one part impeding the flow, which-in". the present example consistsof: the smalltube" l2, which acts-:toimpede the flow, but allows gases to pass therethrough freely.

In Fig. 3 a further'variant' of the secondary pipingie shown Where the pipe 12a, passing downwards from the point l3, opensat thebottom into the hollowspace Ha of the container IBa, whilstthe outlet 9a above the-hollow space lsla" of the container I- ia leads into 13119613220850.

' Intheafore-mentioned example the-'mechani cal lighter is one in which the liquid container Ia, has-no absorbing material.

In the. example according to Fig. 2, a liquid container I is.-provided, which is filled with a capillary substance M, as for instance-wedding staple fibre, or the-like. The mainv pipe consistsof asmal-l tube 15 which is fittedinthe cover Zandnoes not project into the space la. The wick 4 is-accordingly only guided atthetop at the outlet-from the container L The secondarypipeopens outv of thespace 5a,. in theform. of a small tube lfi intoasuitable space H, which is formed by a branch. tube 18 provided with holes IS-inthe walls thereof. These holesin the walls, aswell asthetoprand bottom openingsof thebranchtube IiB-intothe space la form the mouth of the secondarypipeopening-into the liquid. container la.

According to a further important featuraof the invention, which is. common to the examples of execution already desoribed, theend 4a-of the wick. 4 in the pipe leadingfrom the interior of the liquid container to. the burning.- spot, is sur rounded by the actual burner- 3b and. arranged depressed therein. The actual-burner thy-in the following termed burner tube, surroundsapart ofthemain=pi-pe- 3 in spaced: relation, projects from. the liquid container I and is: displaceably 3 arranged. Between the burner tube 3?: and the cover 2 of the liquid container a spring 23 is provided, which tends to force the burner tube 31) upwards into the so-called igniting position, where it is held by means of a stop not shown in the drawing. The end 4a, of the absorbent body or wick 4 makes contact with the inner wall of the burner tube and is depressed within the tube in the ignition position thereof. The burner tube 3b is, as can be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, movable up and down between the fixed ring 5 and the main pipe 3 within the space 5a.

The burner tube 3b is, according to the example of execution illustrated, controlled by the closing cover I of closed. When the cover opens, the burner tube 31) moves under the influence of the spring 23 into the ignition position, soaked with fuel. It is also to be mentioned that the upper edge of the mouth of the fixed ring 5 projects a little beyond the edge of the mouth of the main pipe, in order to ensure connection of the space 50'. with themain pipe even when the lighter cover I is closed.

Idea, purpose and working of the fore-described construction of the various examples of execution are as follows:

Speaking generally, the purpose of the arrangement according to the invention is that, in consequence of pressure fluctuations liquid in the liquid container flows into the hollow space H or I! of the secondary pipe and can escape (over pressure) and from there be again led back (depression) whilst the gases can freely escape when the closing cover I is opened. In this way the introduction of fuel in the main pipe remains uninfluenced by pressure fluctuations, and is consequently always uniform, thus ensuring a constantly uniform flame. The following separate points are here also referred to: If a pocket mechanical lighter filled with petrol and hermetically closed by the closing cover is subjected for a given time to warmth, for instance to the warmth radiating from the human body when the lighter is carried in the waistcoat pocket, when the lighter is opened a jet of petrol will be expelled even through very small outlet openings in consequence of'the overpressure. reason for this is that, when the cover is opened, the petrol is carried over with the escaping gas when pressure is released. This carrying-over is favoured by the fuel rising or foaming up in the moment when the pressure is released. usual lighters the pipe leading the fuel consists mostly of a small tube with an enclosed wick. In such a case the resistance to flow in this pipe need be only great enough to prevent the supply to the burning spot being adversely affected. Consequently the wick should be of a quality having only a loose structure in order that the density of the wick and the external and internal friction of the liquid may not become too great. But on the other hand, and here the present invention applies, for pressure equalisation a continually 'free opening must be present in order that the movementof liquid in the wick pipe may neither be accelerated nor retarded by pressure fluctuations. Since pressure equalisation, however, must take place in a fraction of a second, for solving the problem set, the hitherto mechanical means for pressure equalisation fall out of consideration. The means of the pipes connected in parallel, chosen in the example according to Figs. land 3 The -With the '4 with liquid containers free from absorptive material, with their above-mentioned features, in particular the widenings of cross-section in the form of a hollow space H not only ensure a constantly uniform supply of fuel through the main pipe 3 to the ignition spot 3a, but also prevent particularly the annoying issuing or squirtingout of the liquid fuel when the mechanical lighter is opened.

Now regarding the form of execution according to Fig. 2 with the liquid container filled with an absorptive body, the following is to be remarked here: Also with this execution pressure 15 fluctuations with respect to atmospheric pressure present in the fuel container la is supersaturated and is subjected to an external overpressure, fuel cause unpleasant phenomena. If the wadding will be forced out through the wick with a stron squirting action in accordance with the internal pressure when the cover I is opened. In the opposite case of depression, the air flowing in to equalise the pressure will disturb the distribution of the liquid in the absorbent substance; in particular in the inflow region the liquid will be drawn away from the burning position, so thatif the wadding in any case already contains little fuela long time may pass until order is again restored and the burning position has once more sufiicient fuel supplied to it. In order that these unpleasant phenomena may not -occurparticularly the squirting action in consequence of the hermetic closing of the cover-a secondary or relieving pipe is here arranged parallel to the wick pipe 3, as already described above. Here also the secondary pipe leads to a widening in the form of the hollow space H, which in the above-described manner stands in connection with the capillary substance surrounding it. This friction prevents free liquid being drawn over when pressure is released, when the capillary substance (wadding or the like) is supersaturated; In the contrary case of depression, i. e. when air flows in, a rapid pressure equalisation is then ensured in the hollow space H. In both cases the guiding of the wick remains here uninfiuenced.

As regards the purpose and the method of working of the burner tube 31) movable up and down in the space 511, mention of an important feature should be made that the wick end ie, when the cover is opened, for instance when lighting, is not in the region of the flame, since it is arranged sunk with respect to the upper edge of the burner tube 312 where the flame is formed. The burner tube 31) pressed down by the cover 7, takes up fuel internally and externally, particularly if it consists of a substance which can store liquid. When the cover is opened and the burner tube 31) moves a corresponding distance upwards, the wick end 40. moves over this inner wall. The burner tube 31) is consequently Well supplied with fuel in the ignition position, so that when operating the friction wheel ignition and immediate formation of flame takes place. Because of the surrounding and sinking of the wick end 4a, this takes no part in the forming of the flame; the wick therefore does not become smoked and is also not consumed. Consequently all the drawbacks connected with smoking and burning are avoided.

I claim:

l. A mechanical lighter comprising a container to receive a fluid, a main tube projectlngfrom the container and adapted to receive a wick, a ring member secured to the outer surface of the container and surrounding the maintube in spaced relation, an auxiliary container in the first-mentioned container, and a tube in communication with the auxiliary container and the space between the ring member and the main tube.

2. A mechanical lighter comprising a container to receive a fluid, a main tube projecting from the container and adapted to receive a Wick, a ring member secured to the outer surface of the container and surrounding the main tube in spaced relation, an auxiliary container in the first-mentioned container, a tube in communication with the auxiliary container and the space between the ring member and the main tube, and a burner tube surrounding the main tube in spaced relation and mounted in the space between the main tube and the ring member.

3. A mechanical lighter comprising a container to receive a fluid, a main tube projecting from the container and adapted to receive a wick, a ring member secured to the outer surface of the container and surrounding the main tube in spaced relation, an auxiliary container in the first-mentioned container, a tube in communication with the auxiliary container and the space between the ring member and the main tube, a burner tube surrounding the main tube in spaced relation and mounted in the space between the main tube and the ring member, and a spring between one end of the burner tube and the first-mentioned container to urge the burner tube upwardly when a cover of the lighter is opened.

4. A mechanical lighter according to claim 1, in which the main tube extends into the firstmentioned container.

5. A mechanical lighter according to claim 1, in which the main tube extends into the firstmentioned container and entirely through the auxiliary container.

6. A mechanical lighter according to claim 1, in which a pipe section extends into the auxiliary container and the first-mentioned container.

THEODOR RUETZ.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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