US3247688A - Cigarette lighters - Google Patents

Description

April 26 1966 H. c. GODBE CIGARETTE LIGHTERS Filed Jan. 2'7, 1964 INVENTOR United States Patent Ofiice,

3,247,588 Patented Apr. 26, 1966 3,247,688 CIGARETTE LKGHTERS Hampton C. Godbe, Salt Lake (Iity, Utah, assignor to Sparkrnaster Manufacturing Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, a limited partnership Filed Jan. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 340,385; 5 Claims. (Cl. 677.1)

Flints and Flint Feeding Mechanism for Cigarette Lighters and the Like, covered by application for patent filed February 8, 1963, Serial No. 257,270, new Patent No. 3,233,433, granted February 8, 1966. e e

The primary object of the invention is to provide cigarette lighters which incorporate extremely simple means for expeditious replacement, or replenishment, of the fuel supply, and at the same time incorporate many other new and useful advantages, including means which will serve to warn the user of the lighter when the fuel supply is running low.

Conventionally designed cigarette lighters are a nuisance to refill with lighter fluid. Many of them have fuel reservoirs sealed by a gasketed screw-threaded plug which, when removed, leaves only a small opening into which fuel may be injected. Fuel injection from a conventional spouted fuel can is therefore vexatious and laborious, and

reservoir operatively disposed within the lighter body and containing a wick extending down into the fuel, and which, at the factory, has been charged with precisely the correct amount of fuel, or fuel-saturated absorbent material, and is ready for use by insertion within the lighter body after removal of a small exterior cap or cover which serves to prevent evaporative losses through the wick prior to such insertion.

This completely eliminates the inconvenience of conventional fuel refilling and provides a cigarette lighter with means for almost instantaneous replacement of an emptied, exhausted, fuel canister with a fresh one.

In the majority of cigarette lighters currently in use, the user has little, if any, forewarning of the final depletion of the fuel supply. Thus, when exhaustion of fuel occurs, the lighter becomes inoperative until refilled and,

as hereinbefore noted, a further object of the invention I is to provide a simple, practical and effective means for warning the user that the fuel supply is running low, such warning means being factory-built into the fuel canisters. Hence, upon receiving the warning, the user may continue to operate the lighter satisfactorily for a limited time until he has opportunity for canister replacement.

Having in mind the problem of fuel depletion, and the aforementioned canister form of fuel supply means, a still further object of the invention is to provide canisterform fuel containers having at least two fuel compartments, namely a main fuel compartment and an auxiliary fuel compartment, the former of which is of greater capacity than the latter, which are divided by a rupturable septum, so that when the user is apprised of near exhaustion of fuel in the main compartment, which contains the wick, he may replenish such supply by rupture of the septum to thus permit the fuel in the auxiliary compartment to flow into the main compartment, thereby maintaining the lighter in operative condition until a fresh canister can be installed.

Moreover, in all liquid-fueled cigarette lighters the wick tends to become scorched and charred during use, and hence must be trimmed from time to time'to afford proper lighting, and eventually the wick becomes so shortened from trimming that it must be replaced. As

anyone knows who has attempted the task, wick replacement is slow, fussy and frustrating. A further object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a wick fueling system whereby the need of wick trimming is eliminated, andwhereby wickreplacement by currently conventional means also is eliminated, since the user receives a clean,

white, factory-fresh wick of correct length with every change of fuel canister.

' Related to the ease of maintenance of the lighter in operating condition by the substitution of fresh fuel canisters for exhausted ones, the lighter case or body is so constructed that canister substitution may be accomplished with a minimum of effort, and to this end another object of the invention is to provide means in the lighter case or body which enable the user to so open the case or body as to permit an exhausted canister to drop out and to be replaced by a fresh canister.

Still another object of the invention is tov so form the canisters that they will be free of contact with parts of the lighter disposed interiorly of the lighter case or body to thereby further facilitate their installation and removal.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear from the following description, the invention comprises a cigarette lighter or the like having a case or body carrying the more or less conventional spark producing mechanisms and serving to receive and enclose a fuel canister, such canister being insertable into and removable from the case or body as a unitary element and preferably being divided by a rupturable septum to provide a main compartment and an auxiliary compartment, with the main compartment preferably supplied with a wick for juxtaposition to the spark producing mechanism, and means associated with the septum for effecting rupture thereof at the will of the user in order to establish communication between the two compartments for flow of fuel from the auxiliary compartment to the main compartment, the canister. preferably being constructed of a pliable material, such as a pliable plastic, and, if desired a transparent, pliable plastic, in order to enable the user to so distort its portions adjacent to the septum as to rupture the septum, or to see the quantity of fuel in the canister, particularly in the auxiliary compartment, before rupture of the septum; and the invention comprises, also, details of construction of the lighter case or body and its operative adjuncts and of the canister, whereby insertion and removal of canisters for replenishment, either partially or fully, of the fuel supply, may be accomplished with a minimum of effort, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a cigarette lighter with the lid or cover raised, embodying certain features of the invention and adapted to receive the fuel canisters which comprise the dominant feature thereof,

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of a lighter of the type shown in FIG. 1, and illustrating the cooperating elements of fuel canister, striker or spark producing mechanism and one preferred form of flint feeding mechanism, and a body closing panel,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an optional form of removable, replaceable, unitary combination of flint feeding mechanism, striker mechanism and wind guard, which makes possible substitution of a new one for a used one in order to maintain effective functioning of the lighter,

FIG. 4 is a' bottom plan view of the lighter body shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and illustrating the form and operation of the body closing panel,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail showing, in sectional elevation, a modified form of body closing plateor panel,

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing another modification of the body closing plate or panel,

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the fuel canister shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 8 is a schematic, reduced scale, sectional side elevation of one form of fuel canister embodying the features of the invention,

FIG; 9 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing another form of fuel canister,

FIG. 11 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of the canister shown in FIG. 10 with parts shown in section on the line 12-12 of FIG. 10,

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing still another form of canister,

FIG. 14 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 14-14 of FIG. 13,

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation showing the provision of one form of metal ferrule in the top wall of a canister for embracing engagement with the wick and serving to guard against heat-injury to the canister When the latter is made of non-heat-resisting plastic material,

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the parts shown in FIG. 15, and

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 15 but showing another form of metal ferrule.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the case or body 1 of the lighter is hollow, and has a bottom opening 2 closed by a slidably mounted panel 3 traveling in grooves 4 at the lower extremity of the walls of the case or body 1. Stops 5 and 6 at opposite ends of the grooves 4 cooperate with ears '7 and 8 on the panel 3 to limit its opening and closing rnovements (FIG. 4) and a notch 9 in the panel serves to provide a finger grip.

Alternatively, the case or body l'may be provided with a removable bottom plate 3' FIG. 5) secured in place by spring catch means 4 having dimples 5' which detachably engage bosses 6 provided in the walls of the case or body 1 adjacent to their lower ends, and the end of the bottom plate 3 is preferably notched, as at 7 for insertion of a finger nail, or appropriate implement, to aid in disengagement of the plate from the case or body; or the bottom plate 3" (FIG. 6) may have a compression fit within the perimeter of the body walls, but be removable therefrom at will by leverage exerted in a flint-adjusting access aperture therein later to be described.

The otherwise solid top wall 111 of the case or body 1 (FIG. 2) carries an inwardly projecting cylinder 11 which may be affixed to the top wall 10 by welding or may be integral therewith, and it is provided, also, with a wick receiving aperture 12 which may, if desired, be provided with an outwardly extending concentric collar or stabilizing ring 13.

The cover or lid 14 is hinged at 15 to the case or body 1 and contains within it a snuifer 16. The lid 14 is held in closed condition by a springy steel latch member 17 attached to the case or body wall and having a dimple 18 engaging a matching boss 19 on the inside of the lid, and the lid may be flipped open by simple upward pressure of the users thumb, as is customary.

In the optional form of striker mechanism, flint feeding mechanism and windguard shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the windguard 20 is formed integrally with a plate 21 and is provided with a rear channel 22 and front supporting arms 23 on which latter is mounted the rotatable striker wheel 24. The windguard 215 is pierced by distinctive starshaped vent apertures 25 and within the confines of the windguard the plate 21 is provided with a bore 26 of a diameter to mate with the aperture 12, and to fit snugly over the stabilizing collar or ring 13 when the same is employed. The front end of the plate 21 is provided with a notch 21' (FIG. 3) for seating engagement against the latch member 17, and its rear end abuts against the hinged edge of the lid 14 to thus hold the plate aligned with the top wall 10 of the case or body 1.

Permanently affixed to the plate 21, and accommodated in a receiving bore therein are the flint feeding means including a flint 27, a feed tube 28 having a helical slot 29, a traveling pressure-applying follower 30 within the tube 28 and having lugs 31 engaging the slot 29 thereof, a pressure spring (not shown) between the flint and follower, and a guide tube 32 having a longitudinal slot 33 with which the lugs 31 engage, all as more fully disclosed in application Serial No. 257,270, hereinbefore referred to, and in the companion application of the present applicant, filed January 27, 1964, Serial No. 340,448, entitled Flint Cartridge.

The operating head 34 of the follower 30 is, preferably, made square, or non-circular, or may be knurled, for reasons to be given later herein.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6, either the panel 3 or the plate 3, or 3, may be provided with an aperture 34 coaxial with the head 34 of the flint cartridge for insertion of a coin or other turning implement.

The guide tube 32 is provided in its Wall with diametrically opposite pairs of slits which form between them outwardly bowed resilient friction fingers 32' for engagement with the cylinder 11 (FIG. 2) so that the combined striker mechanism, flint feeding mechanism and windguard may be detachably held in assembly with the case or body 1.

The wick receiving bore 26 within the windguard 20 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is adapted to removably receive the wick-enclosing neck of the removable, replaceable fuel container or canister now to be described.

This container is preferably a pliable, flexible, hollowbodied plastic canister 35 (FIGS. 2 and 8 to 17) provided with a septum 36 to form a main compartment or reservoir 37 and an auxiliary compartment or subreservoir 38. The canister 35 is sealed liquid or gas tight (except for the wick-enclosing neck 39 from which the wick 40 extends into the main compartment 37) and is provided with a hollow channel 41, ultimately to accommodate the guide tube 32 (FIG. 2) and the flint feeding mechanism enclosed thereby.

The neck 39, which is preferably metallic in order to withstand the heat of the wick flame, may be aflfixed to the canister (FIGS. 15 and 16) by means of a serrated flange 42 embedded, liquid-tight, in thetop wall of the canister, or (FIG. 17) by an upset skirt 42 and, in either form, has at its top a beveled or frusto-conical flange 43 (FIGS. 15 and 16) or 43' (FIG. 17) for ultimate cooperative association with the snuffer 16 when the lid or cover 14 is closed.

The beveled, or frusto- conical flange 43, or 43, on the wick-enclosing neck 39 of the canister which serves to insure its snug fit within the snuffer 16 of the cover or lid 14 when the cover or lid is closed, aids in retarding fuel evaporation, and the presence of the snulfer serves to reduce the capacity of the closed cover or lid for entrapment of fuel vapor or fumes.

Obviously, if the canister is made of a pliable, preferably plastic, material which is heat and flame resistant, the neck 39 and beveled or frusto-conical flange 43 may be molded integrally with the body of the canister, as indicated, schematically, in FIG. 8.

The wick 40 which, as stated, extends downward in a conventional manner into the compartment 37, may be packed around with fuel-saturated absorbent material 44 (FIG. 2), such as cotton, fine-ground sawdust, or similar appropriate medium in order to supply fuel to the wick 40.

However, if desired, any such packing may be dispensed with, and the compartment 37 contain only the liquid fuel, it being noted that the canister, prior to insertion in a lighter body, may have its exposed wick end covered by a sealing cap 45 (FIG. 8) fitting tightly over the frusto-conical flange 43 of the neck 39 and serving to prevent evaporation. Also, the lower edge of the cap 45 may be cemented to the top wall of the canister as a further safeguard against evaporation.

If the neck 39 with its flange 43, or 43', is made of solidmetal (such as a casting or powdered-metal pressing), orofplastic integral with the canister as above suggested, the sealing cap may be dispensed with and in its place the neck may be provided with a solid extension closing the canister over the wick end and adapted to be cut or snapped oif to expose such wick end when readied for use, much in the manner as are the tips of spouts of dispensing cans or containers such as those presently used for lighter fueL.

v The bottom of the canister 35 is inwardly offset or recessed at 46 to permit ready access to the actuating head 34 of the flint cartridge when, if desired or necessary, the bottom of the body is opened by way of the panel 3 (FIGS. 2 and 4), plate 3' (FIG. 5), or plate 3 .(FIG. 6).

It will be understood that whether the compartment 37 contains a packing material or not, the septum 36 which divides it from the auxiliary compartment 38 constitutes a gas and liquid tight separator making possible the presence in the compartment 38 of an auxiliary supply of liquid fuel which may flow into the compartment 37 when the septum 36 is ruptured, to thus replenish the supply of fuel therein in contact with the wick 40.

Moreover, the canisters will be factory-filled with fuel in both compartments, and this is feasible for the reason that their bottom walls may be made as separate parts which are cemented, or'otherwise united, to the bottom edges of the side walls and to the septum 36, after the fuel filling has been completed.

Having reference particularly to FIGS. 8 to 14, it will be seen that there are shown a number of preferable, appropriate means, although conceivably not all such means, for effecting rupture of the septum 36 when the supply of fuel in the compartment 37 is depleted or near exhaustion, and all of these means are capable of proper functioning by virtue of the yieldable nature of the walls of the canister.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the septum is provided with longitudinal weakening score means or depressions 47, either one or a series thereof, which, when the walls of the canister are squeezed, will cause rupture of the septum particularly in that portion adjacent to the bottom of the canister, thus forming a slit, or opening, through which the auxiliary supply of fuel may flow from the auxiliary compartment 38 into the main compartment 37.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. to 12, the outer wall of the auxiliary compartment 38 is provided with a blade-like projection 48 having a puncturing edge adjacent to, or in contact with, the septum 36 from a point adjacent to its lower end to a point above its mid-portion. Hence, when the said outer wall of the canister is squeezed toward the septum the blade-like projection 48 will puncture the septum for flow of fuel from the compartment 38 into the compartment 37. i

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the septum is provided adjacent to its lower end with an aperture having cemented, or otherwise liquid-sealed, in it a plug 49 having a wedge-shaped end 50. The lower end of this plug 49 extends liquid-tight, through the bottom wall ,of the canister and is provided with finger-grip means 51 by which it may be pulled free of the septum to provide an opening for escape of the fuel from compartment 38 into compartment 37. When the plug 49 is thus pulled free its wedge shaped end 50 will tightly seat in the aperture in the bottom wall of the canister to thus seal this aperture against escape of fuel into the lighter body, but the lower end of the plug 49 may be broken off when the fuel in compartment 38 has passed into compartment 37, so that the plug 49 will not obstruct replacement of the bottom panel or plate 3, 3' or 3".

All of the forms of septum-rupturing means shown, and, as hereinbefore noted, they must be considered as representative only of preferred forms, are adapted to establish openings in the septums of such extent as to obviate the creation in the auxiliary compartment 38 of such a pressure differential as to inhibit, or measurably retard, the flow of fuel therefrom, especially in the presence of pressure applied, by the user exteriorly of the canister.

It is thought that an understanding of the manner'in which the lighter may be restored to eflicient operating condition, by replacement of the combined flint-feeding mechanism, striker mechanism and windguard, and of the fuel canister, should either or both of them become inoperative or depleted, will be apparent from the foregoing. However, in the interest of clearness, these replacement operations may be explained as follows.

Should replacement of the combined flintfeeding mechanism, striker mechanism and wind guard bedesirable, the user will firmly grasp the windguard of the then installed said combination between thumb and fingers and, by pulling outward, separate the combination from the lighter body. Then holding a replacement combination similarly he will guide the flint cartridge assembly housed within the guide tube 32 into and through the cylinder 11, pressing it home firmly so that the friction fingers 32' of the tube 32 will serve to grip the inner wall of the cylinder 11, the bore 26 of the plate 21 meantime being so positioned that it will mate with the neck 39 of the fuel canister, or will fit snugly over and around the collar 13 of the wick-enclosing neck aperture 12 when such collar is used, and the plate 21 will seat, and be firmly retained, against the top wall 10 of the case or body 1, all as shown in FIG. 2, particularly, and hereinbefore described, it being noted that upon insertion of the .guide tube 32 into and through the cylinder 11 it will pass into and be confined within the hollow channel 41 of the canister, except for the head 34 which extends into the oifset or recess 46.

This extension of the head 34 will facilitate adjustment of the flint-feeding mechanism if such adjustment is made when the panel 3, or bottom plate 3 or 3", is moved out of the way. Also such adjustment may be made through the aperture 34 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) or 34" (FIG. 6) with the panel 3 or bottom plate 3 or 3", whichever is used, in closed position, by insertion of a coin edge, fingernail, or other appropriate implement. It is intended, moreover, that the periphery of the head 34 maybe square, or polygonal, rather than circular, as hereinbefore indicated, or its periphery may be knurled, in addition, or alternatively, to the kerf shown, in order that its manipulation for adjustment may be facilitated, these modifications or additions of structure not being shown in detail in the drawing as being substantial-1y obvious in form.

Removal of a spent fuel canister and its replacement with a fresh, full, one will be equally easy and expeditious. By sliding open the panel 3, or removing the bottom plate 3 or 3", whichever is used, the spent canister may be dropped out and discarded, and, with the lighter body or case inverted, a fresh canister dropped into place,

it being understood that, prior to such insertion of the fresh canister, the outer end of the wick. will have been exposed by removal of the sealing cap 45, :or snapping off of the end of the neck 39, as hereinbefore indicated.

It will be noted, also, that to facilitate insertion of the wick end through the openings 12 and 26, or through the collar 13 when used, the end portion of the wick may be provided with a stiffener, such as the wire 40' shown in FIGS. 15 and 17. Thereafter, the panel 3 or plate 3' or 3" is restored to closed condition and the canister is thus retained in proper position within the case or body of the lighter.

Should the fuel in the main compartment 37 of the canister become so depleted during use of the lighter that a .good flame is not produced at the wick, the user may remove the canister from the lighter body and, by applying appropriate squeezing pressure to its walls (FIGS. 8 to 12), or displacement of the plug 49 (FIGS. 13 and 14), cause rupture of the diaphragm 36 to thus permit the reserve supply of fuel in the auxiliary compartment 38 to flow into the main compartment 37.

It is intended, moreover, that, in one form, or others, the canisters need not be opaque, but may be made of an appropriate plastic which, in addition to being pliable, is transparent. Thus, upon depletion of fuel, and rem-oval of the canister, the user may visually ascertain the condit-ion of the fuel supply, particularly when no absorbent material is used in the main compartment 37.

Since the fresh canister is charged at the factory with precisely the correct quantity of fuel, as hereinbefore mentioned, underfilling, or overfilling with resultant flooding, will be totally obviated. Still further, with each fresh canister of fuel the user receives a factory-new wick, as .hereinbefore referred to, thus to insure a clean flame on every striking, and thereby eliminating the problem of wick-trimming or conventional wick substitution.

By replacement of the combined striker mechanism, flint feeding mechanism and windguard, the user receives not merely a new flint, but a completely new feeding system, a sharp new striker wheel to insure instant sparking, and a shiny-bright new windg'uard as well. Provision of the new windguard is an attractive feature because, in use, soot and scratches tend to accumulate within and on the windguard, giving the cigarette lighter a used, or old, appearance, whereas the new assembly, at the instant of replacement, makes the lighter look like new and, even more importantly, function like new.

It should be noted that in a cigarette lighter as hereinbefore described, and in its working units, screw-threading has been totally eliminated. Also, there are no small parts for the user to fumble with, or loss or damage, and the flint cartridges and fuel canisters are replaceable with counterparts in a matter of seconds, the used ones being discarded in favor of factory-fresh ones.

It will be apparent that in any method of enclosing the bottom of the body of a cigarette lighter in which the fuel canister of the invention is used, an air-tight and liquid-tight fit is not essential, since fuel will not evaporate or leak out as is often the case in conventional lighters.

The objective is not to supply reserve fuel, as such, since the total fuel supply of any cigarette lighter is only that volumetrically containable within it. Instead, the intention is to alert the user, upon diminution of the lighter flame, to the fact that he must soon obtain a replacement fuel canister, yet in the meantime keeping his cigarette lighter workable by use of the auxiliary fuel in the compartment 38. The physical acts of removing the canister and squeezing it, or otherwise manipulating it (FIGS. 13 and 14), to transfer fuel from compartment 38 to compartment 37, are, moreover, psychological mediums to help impress more indelibly on the mind of the user the fact that the total fuel supply is soon about to be exhausted, so that he will not forget to obtain a new canister of fuel.

Further, as already stated, the concept of slicing or 8 rupturing the septum 36, plus squeezing, makes for the injection of fuel fully and rapidly from the auxiliary compartment 38 into the main compartment 37 and this would not be accomplished by the mere puncturing of a small hole in the lower portion of the septum 36, inasmuch as fuel escape from compartment 38 into compartment 37 would be extremely slow, if it occurred at all, due to possible creation of a vacuum in compartment 38.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be within the principle of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A removable, replaceable fuel canister for insertion in and removal from the casing of a cigarette lighter and the like, comprising a body made of a pliable material and having walls distortable upon the application of pressure thereto, the interior of said body being divided by a rupturable septum to form within the body a main compartment and an auxiliary compartment for containing fuel, and means associated with said septum and operable in response to distorting pressure applied exteriorly of the said body walls to effect rupture of said septum and establish intercommunication of said compartments.

2. A fuel canister as defined in claim 1, in which the means operable to rupture said septum comprise weakening score means in said septum which provide an opening in the septum upon the application of distorting pressure to the said body walls.

3. A fuel canister as defined in claim 1, in which the means operable to rupture said septum comprise a blade-like member carried by a wall of the body in juxtaposition to said septum, said blade-like member having an edge adjacent to said septum and adapted to puncture the septum upon application of distorting pressure to the body wall by which the said member is carried.

4. A fuel canister as defined in claim 1, in which the means operable to rupture said septum comprise a plug member associated with said septum and defining a removable portion therein, said plug member having an operating extension passing through an opening in a proximate wall of said body and serving as a means for disengaging said plug from said septum to provide an aperture therein.

5. A fuel canister as defined in claim 4, in which said plug is provided with a wedge-shaped inner end adapted to seat in the opening in said proximate wall upon disengagement of the plug member from the septum, to thereby seal said opening against escape of fuel through such opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,775,023 9/1930 Douglas 67-7.1 1,844,481 2/1932 Rogers 67-7.1 1,911,936 5/1933 Armstrong 677.1 2,424,781 7/ 1947 Vanetzian 67-7.1 2,449,314 9/1948 Nissen 67-7.1 2,451,515 10/1948 Simon 677.1 2,470,710 5/ 1949 Mason 677.1 2,470,734 5/ 1949 Wolanske 67-7 .1 2,617,286 11/1952 Prusack 67-7.1 2,692,492 10/ 1954 Hepburn 677.1 2,741,109 4/1956 Dupins 677.1 2,881,608 4/ 1959 Lockwood 67-7.1

OTHER REFERENCES German printed application No. 1,056,407, printed April 30, 1959.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A REMOVABLE, REPLACEABLE FUEL CANISTER FOR INSERTION IN AND REMOVAL FROM THE CASING OF A CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A BODY MADE OF A PLIABLE MATERIAL AND HAVING WALLS DISTORTABLE UPON THE APPLICATION OF PRESSURE THERETO, THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY BEING DIVIDED BY A RUPTURABLE SEPTUM TO FORM WITHIN THE BODY A MAIN COMPARTMENT AND AN AUXILIARY COMPARTMENT FOR CONTAINING FUEL, AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SEPTUM AND OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO DISTORTING PRESSURE APPLIED EXTERIORLY OF THE SAID BODY WALLS TO EFFECT RUPTURE OF SAID SEPTUM AND ESTABLISH INTERCOMMUNICATION OF SAID COMPARTMENTS.

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