US2883992A - Combination ashtray and lighted cigarette support - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1959 I N. R. HASTINGS 2,383,992

COMBINATION ASHTRAY AND LIGHTED CIGARETTE SUPPORT Filed June 2., 1955 NORMAN R. HASTINGS ATTORNEY INVENTOR Y I COMBINATION ASHTRAY AND LIGHTED CIGARETTE SUPPORT 1.,

The present invention relates to smokers appliances .gUn ted 9? and more particularly-to an extinguisher and a'support for lighted cigarettes adapted for use in an ashtray.

Heretofore'various types, of aPPlianceshave been used for receiving ashes from cigarettes and cigars and for supporting lighted cigarettes and cigars when the smoker wished to temporarily interrupt smoking. With many ashtrays the burning cigarette could fall on the floor or the ashes could drop on the floor or upon the object supporting the ashtray. Also, ambient air currents frequently increased the rate of combustion while the cigarette layin an ashtray with the'production of objectionable smoke in the room without corresponding pleasure to anyone.

cigarette supports had objectionable projections extending beyond the base and general outline of the ashtray making it possible for such projections to mar furniture when the ashtray was moved or handled in a careless manner. Further; when a personwouldmove hisbody or arms, his body or clothing would frequently catch on projections causing upsetting of the ashtrays with the ashes falling on clothing, furniture or the floor with the resultant annoyance, as well as expense of cleaning.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a smokers appliance which overcomes the problems of the prior art structures.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for positively supporting a smoking element such as a cigarette or cigar and for extinguishing the lighted smoking element when desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the smokers appliance showing an open top receptacle base, a supporting column and upper framework for supporting and controlling the rate of combustion of smoking elements;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the smokers appliance;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the air controlling shutter ring in position for a high rate of combustion of lighted cigarettes supported on the appliance; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing the air controlling shutter ring in position to reduce the supply of air to burning cigarettes to a minimum.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the smoking appliance of the present invention is adapted to be used with an open top receptacle having a bottom 10 and an upstanding peripheral side wall 11 and an upwardly extending central hub portion 12 providing a recess 13 therebelow for receiving a head 14 of a bolt 15 or the like which projects upwardly and is surrounded by a support 2,883,992 Patented Apr. 28,

means in the form of a tubularcolumn 16 which abuts the central raised hub portion 12. Supported at the upper end of the tubular column 16 isa shallow cylindrically shaped frame-like structure including a bottom sheet ment her or plate 17, a substantially continuous side wall means 18, a top sheet member 19 forming a relatively flat cylindrical framework to receive the lighted ends of cigarettes. The top is provided with a plurality of apertures 20 near the peripheral wall countersunk at 21 to provide for easy entrance of the lighted end of a cigarette into the interior of the cylindrical framework. A plurality of similar countersunk centrally located apertures 22 are also pro. vided in the top 19 and tubes 23 are rigidly mounted within the interior of the container between the top plate 19 and the bottom plate 17 in alignment with the countersunk apertures 22, the passageway within tubes 23 being of a dimension to snugly and tightly engage a conventional 'clgarette. A plurality of centrally located apertures 25 are provided in the bottom plate 17 in alignment with the apertures 22 and the tubes 23, but such apertures 25 are of smaller dimension than the diameter of a cigarette so that a cigarette is prevented from passing through apertures 25 and a cigarette 26, shown in phantom in Fig. 3, will be maintained in upright position when its end is placed in an aperture 22 and tube 23.

Apertures 27 are provided in plate 17 near the peripheral wall in alignment with apertures 20 so that when a cigarette 28, shown in phantom lines, is placed with its end passing through aperture 20 the lower end thereof may engage plate 17 but aperture 27 is of a size to prevent the cigarette from passing therethrough, and the cigarette 28 will be maintained in its upright position. The receptacle, the supporting column and the cigarette receiving framework are maintained in assembled relation by the bolt 15 passing therethrough anda nut 29 threaded thereon to maintain the parts in fixed assembled relation. Tubes 23 keep top plate 19 spaced properly from bottom plate 17 so that nut 29, when threaded on bolt 15, will not deform the cylindrical shaped frame-like structure.

The side wall 18 of the framework is provided with a plurality of apertures 30 which are adapted to be aligned with similar apertures 31 in a ring having a cylindrical side wall 32 and an inwardly extending flange 33, such ring being rotatable about the peripheral portion including the cylindrical wall 18 of the framework so that the apertures 30 and 31 may be arranged in alignment as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, to admit air into the interior or to a position in which the apertures 30 and 31 are out of alignment as shown in Fig. 5 so that air cannot pass to the inside of the framework through the apertures 30 and 31.

A smoker wishing to temporarily set aside a cigarette may place the cigarette in the upper framework by passing the lighted end thereof through one of the apertures 20 which readily receive the lighted end of a cigarette and such end may rest against the bottom 17 being prevented from passing through aperture 27 because of the small size of aperture 27. Sutlicient air may pass into the burning portion of the cigarette through the aperture 27 or through apertures 30 and 31 to produce a controlled ex extinguishing of the cigarette or to limit any burning at a controlled rate depending upon the adjustment or alignment of apertures 30 and 31. When apertures 30 and 31 are completely disaligned as shown in Fig. 5, air cannot pass therethrough and intermediate adjustment may be used so that the desired rate of combustion will be maintained to allow consumption of the cigarette to be maintained to allow the cigarette to be supplied only suf' ficient air to remain lighted for a limited time so that the smoker will not have the annoyance of having to light the cigarette again if smoking is continued within a short time.

.1.1 the. event. that e smoker wishes to extinguish a ciga: rette, he may place the same with the burning end extending through an aperture 22 into the aligned tube 23 and the intimate contact of the cool tube 23 With the lighted portion of the cigarette 26 will cool the burning end sufficiently so that the cigarette will be extinguished. The apertures 25 and 27 permit ashes to pass therethrough and drop into the open top receptacle forming the base and such open top receptacle may be used in the usual manner for an ashtray and the ashes located therein will be hidden from view to a great extent by the cigarette retaining framework thereabove and, therefore, a much neater appearance is maintained.

It will be apparent that the particular size and shape may be varied and the materials of construction used may be selected from well-.lgnown materials such as plastic, metal, ceramics, glass, or various combinations thereof.

It will be apparent that when the apertures 3% are aligned with apertures 31 of the cylindrical side wall 21 of the ring, cigarettes may be inserted as shown at 33 so that a large number of cigarettes can be suported with the ashes within the hollow cylindrical structure, thereby accomodating a large number of smokers.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use above an ashtray, a supPQrt, for lighted and burning generally tubular smokable articles comprising rela i ely hin pa e memb s aving re s r ng p nings t h opening neare h r of a ize to sn y receive but allow easy insertion of the urning end of a srnckab a t le, means main a ning he mem rs in par llel e t n p e s n i lly less han he leng h of the smokable article so that a portion of the smokable article will lie between said members while another portion will be disposed exterior to the opening in which: the

satelsable is inserted and. a relati ely this alled member positioned between such registering openings in a manner to provide a cell for the reception of the lighted ends of smokable articles.

2. The invention according to claim 1 having means for enclosing the space between the openings, and adjustable vent means for said. space enclosing means.

'lh inven i n cc rd ng to claim 1 in ic the spaced members are maintained in spaced relation by cigarette extinguishing tubes.

In mbin tion an a h ray ha n a c nt p ing hub, a cigarette extinguishing structure mounted on said hub comprising bottom and top walls and a substantially continuous outer wall, a plurality of registering openings in the bottom and top walls, and tubes adapted to extinguish cigarettes connecting certain of said registering openings.

5.- Ih n enti n according to cl im. 4 ha ing me for ventilating said outer wall, such means being ad: justable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UN TED A ES P TE S D- 19.J.2Q Sand ia "Ha-"aura" F 1. 0 R 6 97 V n Bergen et l- 1 o 11, .952 293,374 Sw ft F 12. 1884 924 .06 Le is une 902 992. 56 Ma his Ap 7, i914 1.3 3.676 illins at A 5. 3, 1 20 1,5 1.35?! Hammett ne 9, 2. l,6.9l.56; Q 1dwe l o '13 .192 1.7801258 Weinberg q N 4, 19.30 2,256, 2 Sep .941.. 2,518,849 Aug. 15, 1950 2.65 ,422 S pt- 8, 953 23 3.72 May i956 68,5 1 G eat Bri ain "Ha-mp.- y 937 17,758 Great Brita n Ne 3. .1954

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