US2911983A - Moisture traps in tobacco pipes and cigarette holders - Google Patents

Description

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United States Patent O MOISTURE TRAPS IN TOBACCO PIPES AND CIGARETTE HOLDERS David Michael Clement, Seaford, England, assigner to Colin Byford Limited Application May 24, 1955, Serial No. 510,810

Claims priority, application Great Britain July 20, 1954 1 Claim. (Cl. 1351-201) The present invention concerns tobacco pipes and cigarette holders.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a tobacco-smokers appliance, such as a tobacco pipe or cigarette holder, with improved means for collecting and retaining liquid entering or condensed in the appliance and for releasing the liquid from time t`'" time:

In a tobacco pipe or cigarette holder, according to the present invention, the smoke passage between the bowl or cigarette socket and the mouthpiece outlet communicates with one or more spaces so arranged that liquid entering, or condensed in, the smoke passage will enter the space or spaces and displace air from them, the Walls of the space or spaces being so close together that the liquid is retained in the space or spaces by capillary attraction and will not return to the smoke passage under the action of gravity or of any slight shocks to which the pipe or holder may be subjected while being smoked.

The space or spaces thus form a trap for liquid products of combustion and for saliva. Preferably the walls of the space or spaces can be separated to release liquid when desired. Alternatively, liquid may be released from one or more spaces by shaking or tapping the pipe or holder sharply.

Preferably, the volume of the space or spaces is at least sufficient to accommodate the quantity of liquid which enters, or is condensed in the smoke passage in the course of smoking of a complete lling of the bowl or of a complete cigarette.

In constructions which are preferred by reason of their simplicity and consequent cheapness, the space or spaces are annular and concentric with the smoke passage. However, other constructions are possible.

The accompanying drawings show examples of various constructions according to the present invention. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one tobacco pipe;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on a larger scale of the central part of the stem of the pipe;

Fig. 3 is a similar section of an alternative construction, and;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the front part of a cigarette holder.

In the pipe shown in Figs. 1 and 2 there is a stem root 2 extending from and integral with the bowl 4. A connector 6 is interposed between the stem root and the mouthpiece 8. At its front end the connector has a threaded spigot 10 which screws into a threaded socket in the stem root 2. At its rear end the connector has a socket to receive a spigot 12 on the mouthpiece. In the front part of the mouthpiece there is a large bore 14, the wall of which forms the outer Wall of an annular space 16. The inner wall of the space 16 is formed by a tube 13 extending rearwardly from the connector 6. This tube 18 also forms the outer wall of an intermediate annular space 20. The inner wall ice of this intermediate space 20 is formed by an intermediate tube 22 extending forwardly from the rear end of the large bore 14. This tube in turn also forms the outer Wall of an inner annular space 24. The inner wall of this inner space 24 is formed by an inner tube 26 extending rearwardly from the connector 6. The interior 28 of the inner tube 26 forms a part of the smoke passage, the remainder of which is formed by a bore 30 in the stem root, a bore 32 in the connector and a bore 34 in the rear part of the mouthpiece.

There are holes 36 in the top and bottom of the outer tube 18, holes 38 in the top and bottom of the intermediate tube 22, and holes 40 in the top and bottom of the inner tube 26. Moreover, the outer tube 18 stops short of the rear end of the large bore 14 in the mouthpiece. Thus, both ends of each of the annular spaces are in communication at top and bottom with the smoke passage.

The sizes of the three annular spaces are calculated to enable them to retain liquid with a surface tension of about 4S dynes per centimetre under normal temperature conditions, this being a gure appropriate to water with other `substances such as may be present under smoking conditions. The radial distance between the walls of the outer space 16 is 0.015, the radial distance between the walls of the intermediate annular space 20 is 0.017", and the radial distance between the Walls of the inner annular space 24 is 0.020". The lengths of the outer and intermediate annular spaces need be no more than the greatest length of liquid column which can be retained in the spaces by capillary attraction. The inner space is somewhat longer to ensure that it never becomes filled, and hence that the escape of air from the spaces is not cut off. In the example the outer and intermediate spaces are 0.875 long and the inner space is 0.950 long.

The greatest length of liquid column which an. annular space will retain increases if the radial distance between the walls is decreased and vice Versa. Thus the length and radial distance may be varied `if desired but the radial distance should not exceed 0.025 inch.

When the pipe is used, the connector 6 and the inner tube 26, particularly if they are of metal and so are very good conductors, act as condensers for vapor in the smoke. Droplets of water, nicotine and other substances are formed and run along the smoke passage until they reach an entrance to the inner annular space. They are drawn into this space and pass from it through the intermediate annular space into the outer annular space which by reason of its lesser radial width exerts a stronger capillary attraction. Liquid accumulates in the outer space, gradually rising while the air -is displaced from its upper end. Thereafter, liquid also accumulates in turn in the intermediate space and in the inner space. The volume of the three spaces is sufficient to enable the pipe to be emptied of liquid only once a day, in the course of normal smoking.

When the liquid is to be released, the mouthpiece is pulled away from the connector. By this means, the outer and inner tubes 18 and 26 are drawn axially away from the bore 14 and the intermediate tube 22, and thus the capillary force attracting the liquid is broken down and the liquid runs out or can be dislodged by a gentle shake. At the same time, all those surfaces on which tar tends to accumulate are exposed for cleanlng.

Since the connector 6 is preferably metal, it is possible to make the wall of the socket which receives the mouthpiece much thinner than the wall of the socket in the stem root. This, in turn, means that the diameter of the large bore in the mouthpiece and of the tubes can be greater than would be possible if the mouthpiece were directly inserted into a socket into the stem root.

If a smaller capacity for liquid is sucient, for example, to enable the pipe to be emptied not more than after smoking of each filling of the bowl, then the construction shown in Fig. 3 may be adopted. In this construction the entire stem has a slightly smaller external diameter, and there are only two tubes, 18 and 22. The construction is otherwise the same as shown in Fig. 2. The distances between the walls of the inner and outer annular spaces to be employed are preferably 0.017" and 0.015", but other sizes could be employed, in which case the length may be varied in order to obtain a capillary collector in which the column of liquid to ll this collector is held firmly by capillary attraction.

In the cigarette-holder shown in Fig. 4, there is only a single annular space since only a smaller liquid capacity is required. I'his space 42 lies between a bore in a front part 44 of the holder and a tube 46 which extends forwardly of a mouthpiece 48, having a spigot 50 inserted in a socket in a rear end of the front part 44. There are holes 52 in the tube 46. The radial width of the annular space is 0.015" and its length s 0.6".

I claim:

A tobacco appliance comprising a stem having a smoke passageway formed therein, at least one tube concentric with a portion of said stem and spaced therefrom providing a chamber between the wall of the stem and said tube, said chamber being not more than 0.025 inch wide, said tube having apertures therein adjacent one end of the chamber, the other end of the chamber having open communication with the smoke passageway whereby liquid -in the smoke passageway passes into the chamber and is retained therein by capillary action.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 531,982 Swartz et al. Ian. 1, 1892 1,006,648 Gilbert Oct. 24, 1911 1,102,865 Browne July 7, 1914 1,443,531 Friedman Jan. 30, 1923 1,477,029 Blomster Dec. 1l, 1923 1,669,045 Friedman May 8, 1928 2,297,937 Berardo Oct. 6, 1942 2,592,957 Sansom Apr. 15, 1952 2,606,561 Doerr Aug. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,184 Great Britain 1891

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