US2520498A

US2520498A - Pyrophoric lighter

Info

Publication number: US2520498A
Application number: US1216A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward W Giddy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-01-08
Filing date: 1948-01-08
Publication date: 1950-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1967-08-29

Description

Aug- 29, 1950 E, w. GxDDY 2,520,498

PYROPHORIC LIGHTER Filed Jan. 8, 1948 Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STA-TES PATENT or l PYRQPHGRIC LIGHTER Edward. W.. Giddy, Toronto,Ontarimanada ApplicatonJanuary 8, 1348, SbrialiNoi 1,216 s; c1aims. (c1.` frz- 141 )I This invention relates to pvrophorieY lighters and the principalA object of the invention is` to provide an extremely reliable pyrophoric lighter which will have a very positive action and can be easily manipulated by the. operator with one hand without undue force and without causing rubbing or irritation of the operators` thumb or ngers.

A further importantobject is to provide a positive acting compact lighter which can be` readily carried about the person and which will light under a squeezing action of the thumb, and ngers and will be immediately` extinguished when released.

A still further object isto` providea` lighter of inexpensive and attractive form.

The principal feature of theinvention consists in slidablyV mounting a manually actuated plunger on a fuel chamber from which projects a iiint and a fuel wetted wick, arranging an abrasive Wheel in axial alignment with the plunger and in, position to engage the hint to direct sparks towards the wielen providing a spiral drive between the plunger and wheel to effect rotationthereof upon inward movement of the plunger to ignite` the wiclr andlproviding a spring to return the plunger to an` outward position upon release of pressure.

A further important feature consists in providing a snuiier-actuated by the plunger to,` expose the wick so long as the plunger is pressed in and I actuated to snuff the wick whexr Jthe plunger is released.

With reference to the accompanying-drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the actuating plunger in retarded position and the snuiier coveringthe wick.

Figure 2 is a similar view to that of Figure l but with the plunger pressed in and the snuffer raised.

Figure 3 is a top plan view showingthedeviee in theposition as shown by Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top plan view similar to that of Figure 3 but showing the plungerY at theend of its stroke and the snuffer in raised position to expose the flaming wick.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a side elevation showing the snuifer and its operating rod.

Figure 8 is a vertical mid-sectional View of an alternative form of lighter embodying my invention. i

Withreference to the drawings, the lighter includes a boX-likecasing I in which is;contained the fuel, and a wick 2 which is housed in a laterally extending chamber 3Aformedf. attlie side of thecasing; I and emerges; from thetanl through a. collar L The flint 5l is contained in a, tube 6i.` which, is placed centrally in the casing or fuel; tankand emerges through" the top and the. base. of; the casing making leak-proof` contact therewith. At the lower end ofthe tube-Ii the base ofthecasi-ng I is provided with a recess 1 to receive a. screw threaded plug 8. The iiint in` the tube is urged urumardlyiY by a helical spring 8." which" is interposed betweenithe int` andthe plug 81 at thev base ofthe tube 6.

Secured to the toplof the casing i and entending longitudinallythereof is a, housing 9-in.whioh iS inserted an end` closurev member I0. Thelmember lil is provided with a cylindrical bore IIf and with a semi-spherical recess IZ in the end wall to receive anl end thrust ball bearing I:3.

Journalled in the bore II of the` member I0 isasleeve I4 to theend of which, is, integrally attached an annular abrasive wheel I5 arranged above theupper end` of the tube 6 to contact the :llinti` The sleeve IA. is provided with a pair di dianfietrically.` opposite orifices t5! extending `through the-wall thereof adjacent` the abrasive wheellto receive each a ball bearing I6. A collar IJ, is arranged, in. the, sleeve and engagesover the orices I5' toiorce theballs Ia. to project within the inner sleeve wall.

Slidably` arranged in the openend oithehous.- ing 9.- is-a plunger Il' formed with, an. internal shoulder I8, and arranged in `the plunger is, a plug I9 having a flange 2l! abutting the inner `Jaceoi theshoulder I8-and.for1ned witha central boreZI.

Rotatably mounted in thebore oil the plug I9 andscoaxialwith `the abrasive wheel and sleeve I 4 `isthe operating shaft `22 to which, on itsouter end, is secured a circular head `23. The outerface of the head is reduced in thickness toward .the centre thereof` and has a roughened or. serrated surface, and hasareducedidiameter. en its inner face which iscontaned. within the plunger IfI.

For-med ontheinner face `ofi` the head `232 is, a ratchet surface 23p. adapted-to engage when the headlislpressed, inwardly with a ratchet surface 23" formed on the outer face of the shoulder I8 of, theplungertoprevent relativerotationof. the plunger and head as the plunger `is moved `inwardly. The plunger tting withinthereotanglllarfhousing 9 is of course estopped fromv turning.

'The `operating shaft 22 is providedon theinner end withtwohelical or spiral. grooves 1li` arranged on diametrically opposite sides `whicherlgilgtn With t 3 the balls I6 projecting within the sleeve I4 as the shaft operates through the abrasive wheel and in the bore of the sleeve I4 upon actuation of the plunger.

A helical spring 25 is interposed between the flange 20 of the plug I9 and the side face of the abrasive wheel I5.

A snuffer 26 has shown, which covers and uncovers the wick, is mounted for limited rotation on the side of the housing 9 by a screw 21. This screw 2'I has a rounded end 28 which slidably engages in a peripheral groove 29 formed in the outer surface of the sleeve I4 and prevents withdrawal of the sleeve.

The snuifer is operated by a rod 3i) secured to the plunger I'I and this rod has an oiset portion 3| to project through a slot 32 in the housing i9. The laterally turned end 33 of the projecting part of the rod engages in a diagonal slot 34k :formed on the inner surface of the snuifer 2t. .As will be seen, the rod 3i) will travel to and fro Ain the slot 32 formed in the housing 9 and that 'the' length of this slot will determine the travel A.of the shaft.

vOperation-The device is assembled and light- 'eruid placed in the tank through a screwthreaded opening 35 opened and closed by the plug 36. The wick is immersed in the fluid and projects through the collar 4 in the path of sparks from the flint 5 generated by rotation of the abrasive wheel. With the lighter as shown in Figure 1, pressure on the head 23 forces the plunger Il to move, and the shaft 22 arranged therein to advance through the abrasive Wheel I5. With the inward movement of the head the

ratchet surfaces

23 and 23 will engage, preventing relative movement of the head and plunger, and as the shaft 22 is integrally attached to the head, rotation of the shaft will also be prevented. Consequently as the shaft 22 threads through the abrasive wheel the balls it, which are placed in the sleeve i4 carrying the abrasive wheel, will be forced to travel in the helical grooves 24 formed on the shaft 22 and the sleeve and abrasive wheel will be rotated. Contact of the abrasive wheel with the flint 5 will send a shower 0f sparks through the opening 36 in the housing 9 and onto the wick which will ignite the fuel contained therein and a ila-me will result.

Upon movement of the head and plunger the :rod 39 will be advanced and, by virtue of its engagement in the diagonal slot 34 in the wall of thev snuier, will cause the snuner to be rotated on its pivot 2l and the wick will be uncovered.

Upon release of the head the ratchet surfaces 23' v and 23 Will disengage and the spring 25 will :return the head and shaft 2t to its inoperative position, the friction between the wheel and the lint will be sufficient to hold the wheel stationary while the shaft and head will be rotated on the Areturn stroke.

Illustrated in Figure 8 is a modined form of my invention but utilizing the principles evolved above. In this case a plunger 31 carries the balls .38 arranged in diametrically opposite recesses 39 formed in a sleeve 4G inserted in the bore 4I of the plunger. The abrasive wheel I5 is mounted yon a shaft 42 which is provided with the spiral grooves 43 corresponding to the grooves 24 and adapted to receive thev bail; i6. Again inward movement of the plunger forces the balls to travel the spiral grooves i3 of the shaft and as the plunger is held from rotation by frictional engagement with the thumb the shaft and abrasive wheel are rotated.

As before a spring 44 is utilized to return the plunger, and a ball bearing 45 similar to the ball bearing I3 is utilized to receive the end thrust caused by movement of the plunger.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that my lighter construction will provide a very positive action to produce a iiame. Further, it will be seen that the plunger may be readily operated through a simple squeezing action of the thumb and fingers, enabling the operator to manipulate the lighter with one hand. This squeezing action is important as it provides ample purchase to operate the abrasive whe-el without requiring undue force and without rubbing or irritating the hand.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A pyrophoric lighter, comprising a fuel receptacle, a wick extending from said fuel receptacle, a flint projecting from said fuel receptacle, a housing arranged on said fuel receptacle, a plunger member slidably mounted in said housing and non-rotatable, an abrasive member rotatably mounted in said housing in axial alignment with said plunger and in position to engage said ilint to direct sparks towards said wick, an axial eXtension formed with spiral grooves carried by one of said members, a pair of diametrically opposed balls carried by but held from rotation about the axis of the other of said members and engaging in free rolling contact in said spiral grooves of said extension upon movement of said plunger member axially of said abrasive member, said balls providing a diametrically balanced smoothrolling action between said members while effecting rotation of said abrasive member upon inward movement of said plunger, an additional ball seated in axial alignment with and receiving the end thrust of said abrasive member to permit free rotation` thereof on inward movement of said plunger, spring means urging said plunger outwardly, a snuffer pivotally arranged on said receptacle to 'cover and uncover said wick, and means operatively connecting said snuffer and said plunge-r to effect the operation of said snuffer through movement of said plunger.

2. In a pyrophoric lighter, a fuel receptacle, a wick extending from said fuel receptacle, a flint projecting from said' fuel receptacle, a housing arranged onl said fuel receptacle, a plunger member slidably mounted in said housing, an abrasive -member rotatably mounted in said housing and arranged in axial alignment with said plunger and in position to engage said int te direct sparks toward said wick, an axial extension formed with spiral grooves carried by one of said members, a

pair of diametrically opposed balls carried by but held from rotation about the asis of the other of said members and engaging in free rolling contact in said spiral grooves of said extension upon axial movement of said plunger member, said balls providing a smooth rolling action upon said extension relatively moving therebetween while effecting rotation of said abrasive member upon inward movement of said plunger, an additional ball seated in axial alignment with and receiving the end thrust of said abrasive member to permit free rotation thereof on inward movement of said plunger, spring means urging said plunger outwardly, saidl abrasive member having a peripheral portion former with a peripheral groove, and a pinV anchored to said housing and projecting into lsaid groove and maintaining said abrasive member in bearing contact with said end thrust receiving ball. Y

3. A device as claimed, in claim 2 in which said 5 6 pin is an adjustable screw forming an anchoring UNITED STATES PATENTS means positioning said abrasive member in said Number Name Date housmg- 2,434,515 Perkins Jan. 13, 194s EDWARD W- GIDDY- 5 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date REFERENCES CITED 249,690 Germany July 26, 1912 6 The following references are of record in the gg Feb i me of this patent: m 676,425 France Nov, 2s, 1929