US2871335A - Cigar lighter having retractable sleeve - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 27, 1959 R. P. BARNARD CIGAR LIGHTER HAVING RETRACTABLE SLEEVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31, 1957 IN VEN T OR.

ATTORNE).

Jan. 27, 1959 R. P. BARNARD 1,

CIGAR LIGHTER HAVING RETRACTABLE SLEEVE Filed July 31, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y.

CIGAR LIGHTER HAVHNG RETRACTABLE SLEEVE Richard P. Barnard, Franklin, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation Delaware Application .luly 31, 1957, Serial No. 675,463

16 Claims. (Cl 219--32) The present invention relates to cigar lighter assemblies of the type comprising a holding case into which an igniting unit is removably insertable and, more particularly, in which the heating element carried by the igniting unit is normally recessed within a protective shield but may be placed in an exposed position with respect to the shield for lighting cigars and pipes.

Cigar lighter assemblies of the type to which reference is herein made normally include a substantially cylindrical holding case or shell having a deep well or cavity into which an igniting unit is removably insertable. The holding case is adapted to be supported from a panel, such as the dashboard or instrument panel of a vehicle, in a well known manner. The holding case and igniting unit normally include, respectively, fixed and movable contact and latch members for establishing an igniting circuit from a suitable source of electrical energy, such as a vehicle battery, through the heating element carried by the igniting unit to ground. Cooperating means are provided on the igniting unit and holding case for retaining the former in a normal or holding position within the case when not in use. When it is desired to establish an igniting circuit to bring the heating element to a proper temperature for use, the igniting unit is pushed into the holding case until such time as the respective latch and contact members are engaged to establish the igniting circuit. Moreover, one of the latch members includes temperature responsive means which will automatically disengage upon the heating element reaching the desired temperature to release the igniting unit which is then returned to the normal or holding position by some spring means.

Until relatively recent times, the heating element was carried in an exposed position on the igniting unit. As a result, the user of such a lighter often sulfered burns to his person or clothing or to the upholstery of the car by reason of passing the lighter among vehicle occupants or dropping the lighter upon their clothing or the upholstery of the car. Accordingly, it was considered desirable to provide a sleeve or shield which would surround and project beyond the heating element of the igniting unit for the primary purpose of catching any loose ashes or embers falling from the cigarette being ignited, and to completely shield the heating element so that the aforementioned burns could not occur. Such a construction including an ash-catching and protective shield may be seen in the copending application of Clarence H. Jorgensen and Donald G. Dening, Serial No. 375,318, filed August 20, 1953, and assigned to the assignee of this invention.

Although lighters manufactured according to the teachings of the Jorgensen et a1. application have met with great commercial success, they are not completely versatile inasmuch as the protective shield or sleeve precludes the lighting of pipes and normal size cigars since the heating element is recessed within the protective hield to a considerable extent. Therefore, in order taste this lack of versatility in such lighters, it is atent considered desirable to so construct the igniting unit of a cigar lighter so that a normally recessed and shielded heating element may be exposed beyond the protective shield at the will of the user thereof for the purpose of lighting cigars and pipes, while the shield may act as an ash-catching and protective device as in previous constructions.

in implementing the foregoing concepts into a practical and efficient lighter construction, it is not believed to be completely feasible merely to provide the aforedescribed igniting unit with a sleeve or shield which may be manually retracted to expose the heating element. In using such units, the handling knob thereof is usually grasped between one or more fingers and the thumb of one hand, the other hand being occupied with steering the vehicle where the driver thereof, as is usually the case, is using the lighter. Thus, a manually retractable shield necessitates a groping action by the remaining fingers of the one hand available for handling the igniting unit; that is, the remaining fingers of this available hand must rather clumsily reach forward to grasp such a shield which ordinarily results in actually shifting the igniting unit from a normal grasp employed in lighting a cigarette. Moreover, the mechanics of handling an igniting unit in this manner may often result in dropping the unit, and most certainly will distract the vehicle operators attention from the road even if he possesses the required manual dexterity to handle such a lighter construction.

it is, therefore, a general object and feature of this invention to provide a cigar lighter assembly of the type aforementioned which includes an igniting unit having a heating element normally shielded and recessed within a substantially cylindrical sleeve, but which heating element may be adroitly placed in position relative to said shield as to expose the former for the purpose of lighting a cigar or pipe.

Moreover, it is another object and feature of this invention to provide a cigar lighter igniting unit comprising relatively axially shiftable heating element and protective shield members, and mechanical operating means for shifting said members relative to each other whereby the normally shielded element may be exposed as desired by the user thereof.

It is still another object and feature of this invention to provide the igniting unit aforementioned with operating means readily accessibly mounted in the handling knob of the igniting unit, whereby the vehicle operator may conveniently expose the heating element by manipulation of the fingers normally employed to handle the unit.

According to another object and feature of this invention, the aforementioned operating means comprises a resilient drive to expose the heating element upon manipulation of the fingers normally employed in handling the unit, and which resilient drive will always urge the heating element to a shielded position if the fingers are not so manipulated whereby the element will be shielded if accidentally dropped or is being passed among numerous users.

it is still a more specific object and feature of this invention to provide an igniting unit with operating means for exposing a normally recessed or shielded heating element as aforedescribed, which operating means includes resilient drive means which serves the additional purpose of acting as an ejection means for projecting the igniting unit to the normal or holding position for removal for use upon breaking of the igniting circuit.

Yet more specifically, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide an operating means for exposing a normally shielded heating element as aforedescribed which includes opposed actuators located in the lighter handling knob for movement radially or norarness .pos'ition in which the igniting circuit is open;

Figure 2 is .a longitudinal view,.partly broken away and in section, of the igniting unit of Figure 1 showing the'position of the parts after removal of the unit for use and retraction'of .the shielding sleeve to expose theheating element;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line of Figure '1 'Figure 4 is a longitudinal view, partly broken away and .in section, showing another form of this invention;

Figure 5 is another longitudinal cross sectional view showing still another form of this invention in which the heating element is reciprocated for exposure;

Figure -6 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the igniting unit of Figure 5 showing the disposition of the parts with the heating element exposed; and

Figure'7 is across sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly Figs. 1 through '3, there is shown a cigar lighter assembly comprising a substantially tubular holding case or shell 2 having the usual deep well or cavity 4 adapted to removably receive the igniting unit 6. The open end of the holding case is provided with the usual annular radially outwardly projecting flange 3 for seating against a support panel 1%). An outer locking sleeve 12 is threadably secured at 14 to the holding case 2 to mount the latter on the panel 10, as is the usual practice.

The specific details of construction of the holding case 2 in and of themselves are of no particular consequence to an understanding and practice of this invention. "Sufiice it to say that the holding case may include'a temperature responsive fixed contact and latch member having, for example, bimetallic temperature responsive fingers 1'6 which are secured to a current conducting stud 18 surrounded by suitable insulating washers such as shown at '29 and mounted within the rearmost end of the holding case. The terminal me, ber22 is attached to the stud 18 and is adapted to be connected to any suitable source of electrical energy such as a vehicle-battery.

The ignitingunito includes a handling knob 24, which may be formed or molded from a plastic, which has a hollow cavity 26 formed therein. centrally of the knob within the cavity 26 and projects forwardly a short distance and terminates in an annular flange "30 A heating element assembly includes the usual coiled heating element 32 electrically connected and secured to a rod 34 which has its rearmost end threadably secured in the boss 28, the coiled element also being electrically connected to the member 36. The substantially cup-shaped m ember.36 forms a movable contact and latch member for the igniting circuit and is secured between a pair of insulating Washers 38 firmly-seated between the shoulder 4-0 formed on the rod 34 and a spacing and insulating washer or plug 42 seated againstanother insulating washer 44 abutting a second shoulder 46 on the rod. It will be noted that the outer periphery of the insulating washerl is spaced slightly inwardly of the inner wall of the knob 24 definingthe cavity'26. Although the washer 44 is shown to be preferably-positioned substantially at the forward end of the knob 24, it'will be apparent from the de- A boss 23 is formed I 4 scription which follows that this washer may be located in other positions axially of the cavity 26.

A cylindrical shield or sleeve 52 surrounds and normally projects beyond the cup 36 and heating element 32. Any desired number of resilient straps 54, herein shown to be two in number and opposed to each other. are secured as by brazing to a radial flange 56 on the rear of the sleeve 52 and extend past theperiphcry of the washer 44 along .the inner wall of the knob 24. Locking fingers 58 are struck from the rearmost end of the straps 54 and are seated behind the flange 30 formed on the boss 28, thereby firmly securing the straps and the shield 52 relative to the handling knob.

Two opposed apertures 60 are formed opposite each other and through the side wall of the knob 24. The radially depressable buttons 62 are mounted within these apertures and each includes a pair of radially inwardly depending spaced guide legse al embracing an arcuate bearing surface 66 for engaging an intermediate portion of the respective straps 54. Suitable means such as the snap rings 63 retain the actuating buttons 62 within the apertures 60. It will be noted that with'the igniting unit in the normal or holding position within the holding case 2 as shown in Fig. 1, the respective straps 54 are slightly inwardly bowed for a purpose which will appear more fully hereinafter.

Cooperating annular grooves 76 or other suitable means are provided on the .walls ofthe holding case 2 and sleeve'52 to retain the igniting unit 6 in the normal holding position shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows the disposition of the holding case and the igniting unit with the latter in the normal holding position in which it-is retained when not in use, or after the element has been heated and it is ready for removal for use. In this position, the sleeve 52 projects beyond the forward end of the cup 36 and heating element 32 and is locked to the holding case 2 by means of the cooperable detent means 64. In this position, the straps 54 engage the arcuate bearing surface 66 0f the actuating buttons 62 and are slightly inwardly bowed as aforedescribed. If it is then desired to use the lighter, the handling knob '24 is pushed to cause engage ment of the fixed contact and latch members'lfi within the contact cup 36. During this operation, the cooperable locking or detent means 64 retains the protective sleeve 52 in the position shown in Fig. 1 thereby'resulting in relative axial reciprocation between theilatter and the contact cup 36 until the latter is latched in the'fixed latch 16. In pushing the contact cup 36 into this position, the slightly inwardly bowed straps 54 flex further inwardly to accommodate this movement. The outer periphery of the washer 44 acts as a fulcrum in order to provide a maximum amount of throw'for' the sleeve 52 relative tothe element 32.

With the respective latch members. engaged, an igniting circuit is established through the terminal "22, stud 18, the contact members 16 and 36 and the heating element 32 to ground in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. After the heating element has been brought to the desired operating temperature, the fingers 16 of the temperature responsive latch member spread apart thereby releasing the movable contact'cup 36. At this time, due to the inherent resiliency of the straps 5'4, the igniting unit handling knob is projected outwardly'from the holding case to the position shown in Fig. 1. The unit may then be removed for use at which time the heating element will be shielded by the sleeve 52 for protective purposes asaforementioned.

However, if it is desired to use the unit to light a pipe or cigar, the user of the lighter radially inwardly depresses the actuating buttons 62 which cause inward flexing of the straps 54 about the outer periphery of the washer 44 to cause the sleeve 52 to be retracted to the position shown in Fig."2. It is particularly significant to'note that depression "of the actuating buttons 62 may arness be accomplished by using the fingers or finger and thumb normally employed in handling such a lighter.

A modification of this form of the invention is shown in Fig. 4. In this form of the invention, the central boss 28 projects somewhat further toward the forward end of the handling knob 24' so as to provide an annular cavity 25 radially oppositely disposed from the apertures so containing the actuating buttons 62. Moreover, the periphery of the annular flange 3d formed at the forward end of the boss 28' is slightly radially inwardly spaced from the inner wall or" the knob 24-. The arcuate bearing surfaces as on the radially depressable actuator but tons 62 have a slightly steeper angle at their forward edges to accommodate the relatively sharp bend in the straps 3 as they are moved about the outer periphery of the flange as and somewhat collapsed within the annular cavity 25. Thus, depression of the buttons 62 will engage the straps to the rear of the annular flange 3d to fold or compress the strap within the annular cavity thereby retracting the sleeve 52 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 5 through 7, another form of the invention is shown in which the heating element may be reciprocated relative to a fixed protective shield to expose the former. Referring to these figures, there is shown the holding case '72 and igniting unit 73 removably insertable therein. The aforedescribed fixed bimetallic temperature responsive contact and latch member or fingers 74 are secured to a current conducting stud 75 mounted within the holding case 72 and carrying a terminal '76 as in the previous embodiment. However, in this form of the invention, it is convenient to include an ejection apparatus in holding case which includes the ejection cup 77 having an annular shoulder 72% thereon adapted to engage a cooperating stop surface formed on the periphery of an insulating Washer secured to the stud 75 as is clearly shown in Fig. 5. Moreover, an ejection spring 80 acts between the base of the holding case 72 and a shoulder 81 formed on the ejection cup 77.

The igniting unit 73 includes a handling knob 82 which may be molded or otherwise formed from plastic as desired, which unit includes a central bore 83 therethrough and a countersunk portion 34 at the open end thereof. An element shield 85 has a portion of reduced diameter firmly seated within the countersunk portion 84 of the handling knob. An insulating and hearing plug 86 is firmly secured within the small diameter portion of the shield 85 for a purpose to appear more fully hereinafter.

The heating element assembly includes a coiled heating element 87 electrically connected to the surrounding movable cup and contact member 38 and to an actuating or operating rod 39. The rod 89 extends through bearing plug and the central bore 553 in the handling knob. A cross bore 9%} is formed at the rearward end of the knob and intersects the longitudinal central bore 83.

A pair of opposed radially depressable actuator buttons M are mounted within the cross bore 9d for reciprocation therein. An annular shoulder 92 on each of the respective buttons is adapted to seat against suitable means such as the snap rings 93 to limit their movement outward of the cross bore under the influence of a coiled spring 94 which extends between and abuts the respective actuator buttons.

The plates 94 formed on each of the respective buttons are adapted for telescoping sliding engagement with each other. Each plate includes an elongate slot @5 and 36 having major axes at an angle to each other as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. it will be apparent from these figures that as the buttons 91 are depressed inwardly, the area of registry 97 of the slots will move axially relative to the knob 82. The operating rod 39 which carries the heat ing element at its forward end includes an inturned terminal po Q8 which extends through the registered portions 1 e slots 95 and 96. 'i

The igniting unit is shown in the normal or holding position in Fig. 5 in which the annular groove or detent means 99 formed on the holding case, or resilient fingers if desired, will seat behind an annular shoulder tilt) formed at the forward portion of the handling unit knob to retain the latter in the holding position. in this position, the fixed and movable latch members 74 and 88 are not engaged, and the forward edge of the protective shield 85 abuts the forward edge of the ejector cup 77. If it is desired to bring the heating element to an operattemperature, the knob 82 is depressed thereby resulting in depression of the ejector spring and axial shifting movement of the ejector cup 77 until the latch members are engaged to establish the igniting circuit.

After the heating element has been brought to the operating temperature, the temperature responsive fingers 74 will spread thereby releasing the igniting unit and resulting in the latter being ejected to a normal or holding position by the ejection apparatus, the annular groove or detent means 99 naturally limiting ejecting movement of the igniting unit by engagement with the annular shoulder 10th.

Thereafter, the igniting unit may be removed for use in the usual manner, the protective shield 35 projecting beyond the heating element 87 to protect the user thereof and the upholstery of the car from burns.

However, if it is desired to expose the heating element for the purposes aforementioned, the fingers normally employed in grasping the handling knob will depress the actuating buttons 91 which will result in the area of registry 97 of the elongate slots 5 and 96 moving forwardly relative to the handling knob. Inasmuch as the terminal end 98 of the operating rod 89 is mounted through these slots, the rod will be projected forwardly with respect to the sleeve until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 6.

Therefore, it will be seen that I have provided a cigar lighter assembly including operating mechanism for relatively axially shifting a heating element with respect to its protective shield whereby the former may be selectively exposed for lighting cigars and pipes. In one form of the invention, the heating element is axially fixedly secured with the handling knob while the protective shield or sleeve is adapted to be retracted for this purpose. In another form of the invention, the protective shield or sleeve is axially fixedly secured to the handling knob, while operating means is provided with respect to the heating element to shift it axially with respect to the sleeve for the purpose of exposing in either embodiment, it will be apparent that the vehicle operator or any other user may conveniently expose the heating element merely by depressing the respective actuator buttons with the thumb and finger or fingers normally employed in handling the lighter knob; that is, it is unnecessary to use the other hand to manually retract the shield or, in the case of a vehicle operator who must keep one hand on the wheel, without clumsily attempting to use still other fingers to reach forward on the unit to retract the shield. Moreover, and particularly with respect to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 through 3, the operating mechanism for exposing the heating element also performs the function of an ejection device for returning the igniting unit to the holding position after the heating element has reached the desired temperature thereby eliminating the need for additional ejection means such as shown in the other major embodiment.

The structures shown in the drawings have been selected merely for illustrative purposes, and it is understood that the invention is not limited thereby but only by the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, an exposable heating element assembly carried by said knob, said assembly comprising a heating element substantially axially aligned with said knob, a shield surrounding and normally projecting beyond said heating element, means connected to said assembly to expose said element beyond said shield, said means comprising actuating mechanism in said handling knob operable normal to the longitudinal axis of the latter whereby the exposing movement is in substantial axial alignment with the knob axis.

2. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a heating element carried by said knob substantially axially aligned with the latter, a sleeve carried by said knob and surrounding said element and normally projecting forwardly of the latter, operating means for reciprocating said sleeve and element relative to each other to expose the latter beyond said sleeve, said means comprising oppositely disposed radially depressable actuators mounted in said handling knob whereby the exposing movement is in substantial axial alignment with the knob axis.

3. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a heating. element fixed to and carried forwardly of said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said element, said sleeve normally projecting beyond said element, operating means for retracting said sleeve to expose said element, said means comprising a radially depressable actuator mounted within said knob and opcratively connected to said sleeve.

4. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a heating element fixed to and carried forwardly of said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said element, said .sleeve normally projecting beyond said element, operating means for retracting said sleeve to expose said element, said means comprising a flexible strap having one portion thereof operatively secured to said sleeve and another portion secured to said knob, and an actuator mounted Within said knob for engagement with said strap.

5. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a heating element fixed to and carried forwardly of said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said element, said sleeve normally projecting beyond said do ment, operating means for retracting said sleeve to expose said element, said means comprising a plurality of flexible straps having spaced portions thereof respectively operatively secured to said sleeve and said knob, and a plurality of externally accessible radially depressable actuators mounted within said knob for engagement with said flexible straps at a point spaced from said portions.

6. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a heating element fixed to and carried forwardly of said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said ele ment, said sleeve normally projecting beyond said element, operating means for retracting said sleeve to expose said element, said means comprising a plurality of flexible straps having the ends thereof operatively secured re spectively to said sleeve. and knob, and a plurality of externally accessible radially depressable actuators mounted within said knob for engagement with said flexible straps intermediate the ends thereof.

7. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob having a cavity therein, a heating element spaced forwardly from and fixed to said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said element and normally projecting forwardly of the latter, operating means for retracting said sleeve to expose said element, said means comprising an actuator radially depressable through the Wall of said knob into said cavity, and a flexible strap operatively connected to said sleeve and locked within said knob for engagement with said depressable actuator.

8. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob having a cavity therein, a heating element spaced forwardly from and fixed to said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said element and normally projecting forwardly of the latter, operating means for retracting said sleeve to exposesaid element, said means comprising a a plurality of actuators radially depressable through the wall of said knob into said cavity, and a plurality of flexible strap-s operatively connected to said sleeve and locked within said knob for engagement with said depressable actuators, said actuators being engageable with said straps forwardly of the locked portion of the latter.

9. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob having a cavity therein, a heating element spaced forwardly from and fixed to said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said element and normally projecting forwardly of the latter, operating means for reciprocating said sleeve rearwardly to expose said element, said mean comprising a plurality of flexible straps operatively secured to said sleeve, openings in said knob radially outwardly spaced from the axis of the latter through which said straps extend into said cavity, means for locking the rearmost ends of said straps within said knob, and a radially depressable actuator means mounted on said knob and engageable with said straps for flexing the lat- 10. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob having a cavity therein, means including a wall memher having portions of its periphery radially inwardly spaced from said knob within said cavity forming openings into said cavity, a heating element spaced forwardly of said openings and fixed to said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said element and normally projecting forwardly of the latter, operating means for reciprocating said sleeve rearwardly to expose said element, said means comprising a plurality of flexible straps operatively secured to said sleeve and extending through said openings into said cavity, means for locking the rearmost ends of said straps within said knob, and oppositely disposed radially depressable actuators mounted on said knob and engageable with each of said straps for flexing the latter about the peripheral portions of said wall member.

11. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob having a cavity therein, a forwardly extending projection formed substantially coaxial with said knob within the cavity of the latter, said projection terminating at its forward end in an annular flange slightly inwardly spaced from the interior wall of said knob surrounding said cavity, a heating element spaced forwardly of and operatively secured to said knob, a retractable sleeve mounted for axial shifting movement on said knob and normally surrounding said element and projecting forwardly thereof, operating means for reciprocating said sleeve rearwardly of said element to expose the latter, said means comprising a plurality of flexible straps operatively secured to said sleeve and extending through said cavity against the interior wall or" said knob, said straps terminating in an inwardly struck portion locked behind said flange, and a plurality of radially depressable actuators mounted on said knob for operative engagement with said straps to the rear of said flange.

12. A cigar lighter assembly comprising a holding case having an open end, an igniting unit comprising a handling knob having a cavity therein, a heating element spaced forwardly from and secured to said knob, a retractable sleeve surrounding said element and normally projecting forwardly of the latter, engageable contact and latch members carried respectively by said case and igniting unit to establish an igniting circuit through said element, said members being automatically releasable upon said heating element reaching a predetermined temperature, cooperating locking means on said case and sleeve for retaining said unit within said case with said circuit open, resilient means connecting said sleeve to said knob whereby said sleeve may move axially relative to said element as said latch members are engaged, said means comprising a plurality of flexible straps extending axially along the innerwall of said knob defining the cavity therein, said straps bang slightly in- 9 wardly bowed with said sleeve in the extended position, and a plurality of radially inwardly depressable actuators mounted in said knob for engagement with said straps to retract said sleeve.

13. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a sleeve fixedly secured to said knob and extending forwardly therefrom, a heating element mounted in a normal recessed position within said sleeve, operating means for exposing said element by shifting the latter axially relative to and beyond said sleeve and knob, said means comprising a radially depressable actuator positioned Within said knob and operatively connected to said element whereby the exposing movement is in substantial axial alignment with the knob axis.

14. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a sleeve fixedly secured to said knob and extending forwardly therefrom, a heating element mounted in a normal recessed position within said sleeve, means for projecting said element axially of and beyond said sleeve whereby said element is substantially exposed, said means comprising a pair of opposed actuators radially depressably mounted in the side wall of said knob, each of said actuators being operatively connected to said element whereby the exposing movement is in substantial axial alignment with the knob axis.

15. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a sleeve fixedly secured to said knob and extending forwardly therefrom, a heating element mounted in a normal recessed position within said sleeve, means for projecting said element axially of said sleeve whereby said element is substantially exposed, said means comprising an operating rod seemed to said element and 10 projecting rearwardly into said knob, a pair of opposed actuators radially depressably mounted in the side wall of said knob, each of said actuators having elongate slots therein the major axes of which are at an angle to each other, and said rod having a portion extending through said slots.

16. A cigar lighter igniting unit comprising a handling knob, a heating element, a sleeve fixed to said knob and surrounding said element and normally projecting forwardly of the latter, mounting and operating means for said element whereby the latter may be reciprocated relative to said sleeve to expose said element, said means comprising a rod having one end operatively secured to said element and the other end projecting axially rearwardly into the interior of said knob, actuating means for reciprocating said rod, said actuating means comprising a pair of opposed radially depressable buttons, said buttons including means defining elongate slots within the interior of said knob having their major axes at an angle to each other, said slots overlying each other whereby a portion thereof will be in registry, said rod projecting through said registered portions, and spring means normally urging said buttons apart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,940,463 Rintels Dec. 19, 1933 2,134,462 Powell Oct. 25, 1938 2,196,151 Johnson Apr. 12, 1940 2,704,318 Jorgensen et al. Mar. 15, 1955 2,727,976 Cone Dec. 20, 1955

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