US2621502A

US2621502A - Pocket cigarette lighter

Info

Publication number: US2621502A
Application number: US201195A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mcgill William
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-12-16
Filing date: 1950-12-16
Publication date: 1952-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 1969-12-16

Description

Dec. 16, 1952 w, cm

POCKET CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Dec. 16, 1950 2 w/ M w a m a F A /W 4 Z.\, 1 w A i 4 I VINVENTOR. WILLIAM M GILL Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES Application December 16, 1950, Serial No. 201,195

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pocket cigarette and cigar lighters, particularly the type utilizing a wick satu-- rated with an inflammable fluid ald spark proin means for igniting the wic l n l mown lighters a small rod of flint is held against a sparking wheel by a spring. This arrangement has many disadvantages, for example, only extremely short rods of flint can be utilized due to the limit of compressibility of the spring, thus occasioning frequent replacements for the flint, during which replacement operations the said spring may easily become lost.

One object of the invention is the rov slon of a lighter in which the flint is fed posltively against the sparking wheels, the means for such feed being so arranged as to allow extremely long bars or rods of flint being utilized.

Another object of the invention is to construct the lighter in such manner that actuation of the sparking wheel feeds the flint into contact therewith.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a cover for the wick which is automatically thrown open on actuation of said sparking wheel.

A further object of the invention is generally to improve lighters of the type involved.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the lighter of the invention with a portion broken away to reveal the interior construction.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the lighter with the wick cover in open position.

Fig. 3 is a view from beneath of the removable sparking wheel unit of the lighter, as removed from the main structure of the latter.

F 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the flint feeding means.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of the wick cover latching and releasing means.

Referring now to the drawings wherein a pre- "ferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated,

the reference numeral It) indicates a generally rectangular, rounded corner wall of metal or any other suitable material. A base plate I I has a perimetral flange [2 which encompasses and is secured to the lower end of wall IE]. A short distance above base plate II a partition I3 is secured about its margin to the wall l0 which also supports near its upper end a second partition it. A vertical partition l5 extends between the partitions i3 and It and divides the space inten'or of wall iii into two compartments of which that indicated by the numeral It is partially filled with an absorbent material ll such as cotton. Coiled about in the cotton I! which is saturated with any suitable inflammable fluid is a wick it that extends through an opening 2|] in the partition Id. Preferably a perforated block if is secured to the underside of partition Iii about the opening 29 further to guide the wick it. as usual, an opening for the admission of fluid is provided in the base of compartment 6%, said opening being provided with a suitable screw plug 22.

AS indicated above, the wall H3 extends above the partition 14, a walled space 23 thus being provided above the said partition. The space 23 is covered and substantially sealed by a pair of

cap member shells

24 and 25, the former forming a wick cover and the latter the framing of a removable sparking wheel unit. Each cap member comprises a shell having one wall-less end, the said wall-less ends of the two members being located in abutting relationship with one another. At the end of space 23 above the compartment is the wall it is provided with a cutout and with ears 26 which cooperate with like ears on the end wall of cap member 24 in supporting between them a spring hinge 2'! which tends to open the cap member from the closed position of Fig. 1. Spring hinges of this type are extremely familiar and it is deemed unnecessary to describe the same further. The cap member 25 is provided in either side wall with a pair of dimples which cooperate in familiar fashion with extrusions projected outward from wall It to maintain the cap member in place.

Projecting through and journalled in the top wall of cap member 25 is the reduced end of a stub shaft 3% which, above the said wall, is threaded to receive a knurled knob 3!. The thick portion of sha as by a force fit a sparking disc 32 having suit able serrations 33 in TENT OFFICE ft 30 has secured thereon the underface thereof,. and

3 a disc 34 having an upturned peripheral flange 35 provided with star teeth 36. Shaft 3a is provided with a square bore 39 open at the under edge of the shaft for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

Engaging the star teeth 36 is one arm of a bell crank 31 pivoted on a spindle 38 fixed at its ends in the side walls of cap member 25. Suitable collars 49 hold the bell crank against lateral movements. The open end of cap member 24 is provided with a centrally located depending tongue M which is inclined toward the hinge 21 and is provided at its lower end with a right angled shelf 42. The shelf 42 is engaged by the free arm of the bell crank 31 to latch member 24 in closed position against the tension of hinge 21, when the other arm of the bell crank is engaged in an interdental space on the flange 35 of disc 34. The bell crank". is maintained in latching position by a leaf spring 43 secured to the top Wall of cap member 25 and engaging the edge of the bell crank. In obvious manner turning the knob 3i rotates the disc 34 and through the appropriate tooth 36 rocks the bell crank 3'! free of shelf 32. This, of course, allows spring hinge 2'! to swing the cap member 24 to open position. The cap member 24 is moved back to closed position manually, the shelf 42 camming the bell crank 3? out of its path. Spring 43 of course reengages the bell crank with the upper face of the shelf to latch the cap member closed.

Vertically aligned with the shaft 36 is a bolt 44 having unthreaded portions journalled in the partitions l3 and M and having a flat head 45 located between partition l3 and base plate II to prevent endwise movements thereof. Above partition l4 bolt 44 is provided with a square end 48 which engages in the square bore 39 of shaft 39. Rotation of knob 3! will therefore rotate bolt 44. The unthreaded portion of bolt 44 which extends through partition is is reduced somewhat and extends below the partition a short distance, as indicated at 1, for a reason to appear hereinafter.

' The threads of bolt 64 are extremely fine and are provided with a very small lead. Threaded onto the bolt 44 is a sleeve 48 from which an arm 59 projects horizontally toward the juncture of partition l and Wall 1% nearer the observer in Fig. 1. At its end, arm 59 is formed into a circular block 5! adapted to a vertical tube 52 fixed in the partitions l3 and 14. As shown, the tube has a vertical slit 53 in the wall thereof to accommodate the arm 5t. According to the invention a long bar or rod 54 of flint is mounted in the tube 52 atop block 5! with the upper edge thereof engaging the serrations 33 on the under side of spark disc 32.

The construction is such that as the knob 31 is rotated a fractional turn, and with it the sparking disc 34, the bolt 44 also rotates, raising the block M a slight amount to maintain the flint 54 in contact with the serrations 33 as the latter scrapes off the top particles of the former. Before the flint 54 becomes exhausted, sleeve 58 rides onto the reduced portion 41 or bolt 44 which prevents further upward movement thereof. A fresh flint then is inserted by removing cap 1! and member 25 as described above. It is to be noted that the decentralized positioning of the flint 54 aids in directing sparks therefrom to the wick [8, that is, the wick and flint are arranged on a line tangential to the circle of serrations 33 at the point at which said flint abuts said serrations.

The invention also contemplates the use of a replaceable compressed gas cartridge in place of wick [8, said cartridge being housed in the compartment l6 and projecting through a suitable opening in partition M. In this construction the wick cover 24 is replaced by the cap valve of the cartridge and the operating arm of bell crank 37 is forked to control the operation of said valve. Such compressed gas cartridges and the manner of operating the valves thereof are well known and it is deemed desirable not to illustrate nor further describe the same.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a pocket lighter the combination of a tube having a vertical slit in the wall thereof, the tube being adapted to receive a long rod of flint, a vertical bolt situated adjacent the tube and so journalled as to be fixed longitudinally, a sparking wheel coaxial and rotatable with said bolt through the slit of the tube, a block on the end of the arm in said tube beneath the flint rod and acting to raise said flint rod when the bolt is rotated, a disc coaxial and rotatable with said sparking wheel and having upturned star teeth ,2 on the peripheral edge thereof, a wick, a wick cover, a spring hinge tending to swing said cover tube having a vertical slit in the wall thereof,

the tube being adapted to receive a long rod of flint, a vertical bolt situated adjacent the tube and so journalled as to be fixed longitudinally, a sparking wheel coaxial and rotatable With said bolt and having serrations on the under face thereof to engage the upper end of the flint rod, a knob to turn the sparking wheel a sleeve threaded on said bolt, an arm projecting from said sleeve through the slit of the tube, a block on the end of the arm in said tube beneath the flint rod and acting to raise said flint rod when the bolt is rotated, a disc coaxial and rotatable with said sparking wheel and having upturned star teeth on the peripheral edge thereof, a wick, a Wick cover comprising a three-walled shell, 2. spring hinge tending to swing said cover to open position, a centrally located depending tongue at the wall-less end of the cover shell inclined toward the hinge, a shelf projecting at right angles to the tongue, a bell crank having one arm engaging said shelf to latch the cover shell in closed position, the other arm engaging said star teeth and the shell being unlatched by rotation of said disc.

3. In a pocket lighter the combination of a tube having a vertical slit in the wall thereof, the tube being adapted to receive a long rod of flint, a vertical bolt situated adjacent the tube and so journalled as to be fixed longitudinally, a sparking wheel coaxial and rotatable with said bolt and having serrations on the under face thereof to engage the upper end of the flint rod, a knob to turn the sparking wheel, a sleeve threaded on said bolt, an arm projecting from said sleeve through the slit of the tube, a block on the end of the arm in said tube beneath the flint rod and acting to raise said flint rod when the bolt is rotated, a disc coaxial and rotatable with said sparking wheel and having upturned star teeth on the peripheral edge thereof, a wick, a wick cover comprising a three-walled shell, a sprin hinge tending to swing said cover to open position, a centrally located depending tongue at the wall-less end of the cover shell inclined toward the hinge, a shelf projecting at right angles to the tongue, a bell crank having one arm engaging said shelf to latch the cover shell in closed position, the other arm engaging said star teeth and the shell being unlatched by rotation of said disc, and an unthreaded reduced portion at the upper end of said bolt onto which said sleeve rides to prevent further upward movement thereof when the flint rod is nearly exhausted.

4. In a pocket lighter the combination of a tube having a vertical slit in the wall thereof, the tube being adapted to receive a long rod of flint, a vertical bolt situated adjacent the tube and so journalled as to be fixed longitudinally, a sparking wheel coaxial and rotatable with said bolt and having serrations on the under face thereof to engage the upper end of the flint rod, a knob to turn the sparking wheel, a sleeve threaded on said bolt, an arm projecting from said sleeve through the slit of the tube, a block on the end of the arm in said tube beneath the flint rod and acting to raise said flint rod when the bolt is rotated, a disc coaxial and rotatable with said sparking wheel and having upturned star teeth on the peripheral edge thereof, a wick, a wick cover comprising a three-walled shell, a spring hinge tending to swing said cover to open position, a centrally located depending tongue at the wall-less end of the cover shell inclined toward the hinge, a shelf projecting at right angles to the tongue, 9. bell crank having one arm engaging said shelf to latch the cover shell in closed position, the other arm engaging said star teeth and the shell being unlatched by rotation of said disc, an unthreaded reduced portion at the upper end of said bolt onto which said sleeve rides to prevent further upward movement thereof when the flint rod is nearly exhausted, a square end on said bolt above said reduced portion, a stub shaft on which said knob, said sparking wheel and said disc are secured, a square socket in the lower end of said shaft engaged by the said square end, and a three-walled shell-like a knob to turn the sparking wheel, a sleeve threaded on said bolt, an arm projecting from said sleeve through the slit of the tube, a block on the end of the arm in said tube beneath the flint rod and acting to raise said flint rod when the bolt is rotated, a disc coaxial and rotatable with said sparking wheel and having upturned star teeth on the peripheral edge thereof, a wick, a wick cover comprising a three-walled shell, a spring hinge tending to swing said cover to open position, a centrally located depending tongue at the Wall-less end of the cover shell inclined toward the hinge, a shelf projecting at right angles to the tongue, a bell crank having one arm engaging said shelf to latch the cover shell in closed position, the other arm engaging said star teeth and the shell being unlatched by rotation of said disc, an unthreaded reduced portion at the upper end of said bolt onto which said sleeve rides to prevent further upward movement thereof when the flint rod is nearly exhausted, a square end on said bolt above said reduced portion, a stub shaft on which said knob, said sparking wheel and said disc are secured. a square socket in the lower end of said shaft engaged by the said square end, and a three-walled shell-like cover in which said shaft is journalled and said bell crank is pivoted, the last said cover being held in place frictionally.

WILLIAM MCGILL.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,419,889 Florman Apr. 29, 1947 2,469,442 Rein et a1. May 10, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 251,476 Switzerland Oct. 31, 1947 261,451 Switzerland May 15, 1949 431,057 France Aug. 31, 191i 609,672 Great Britain Oct. 5, 1948