US3379856A - Lighter device for cigarettes,etc. - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1968 R. F. HIRSCH LIGHTER DEVICE FOR CIGARETTES, ETC

Filed Oct. 8, 1965 RICHARD F2 H/RSCH INVENTOR.

7 BY M w ATTY.

United States Patent 3,379,856 LIGHTER DEVICE FOR CIGARETTES, ETC. Richard F. Hirsch, 1012 E. Acacia St., Apt. 8,

Glendale, Calif. 91205 Filed Oct. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 494,102 Claims. (Cl. 219-268) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cigarette lighter provided with a cylindrical chamber having a shiftable electric burner that is lighted when pressed by the light end of a cigarette. The lighter is provided with rechargeable batteries.

This invention relates to a portable and/ or non-portable cigarette lighter and the like which may be employed for various purposes such as for lighting fuses, punks, etc. which have stiff enough wicks to operate the switching means. The lighter is contructed and designed to operate electrically and is rechargeable when the battery becomes weak. The thing to be lit or fired operates the lighter by pressure means, hence hand and finger switches of any kind are not needed to operate the lighter.

When recharging of the battery cells, wet or dry ones, becomes necessary, the lighter need only be plugged into an electric current supply means or adapter and left for a period of time for complete recharging and this time need only be for a few hours. Obviously, the lighter will work just as well when ordinary dry cells are substituted for the rechargeable ones.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to present a light weight rechargeable pocket type of lighter device wherein the operation of the lighter device is accomplished by merely pressing the thing to be lit, such as a cigarette, against the firing element to make it glow when the pressure of the thing is sufiicient to close a contact means within the lighter.

Another object is to provide a lighter device having longer electrical life than present types and which lighter device is provided with a tunnel type guide means that protects the firing locus from wind and other weather hazards.

Still another object is to provide an automatic type of lighter device which is safe from accidental operation, and which has no flame hazards of any kind and furthermore, a lighter device that is entirely free from odor in that no lighter fluid is employed at all.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon a careful perusal of the specifications and drawings attached hereto.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with a portion of the casing broken away to show internal parts as to position and arrangement thereof;

FIG. 2 is an edge elevational view of that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another edge elevational view of FIG. 1 but which edge is opposite that shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan View;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged elevational view of an important feature of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a modified form of the invention with part of the casing broken away to show internal parts;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of that shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a charger type of adapter.

In the drawings there is illustrated two forms or types of the invention in order to make it clear just what the Invention is and how it can be practiced by those skilled in the art. For the sake of simplicity, like numerals refer to like parts.

The reference character 1 indicates the bottom of the carrying case and which case has the integral upstanding walls 2, 3, 4 and 5 and a top wall 6 that is curved somewhat, as shown. These walls form a chamber 7 which houses the various parts of the lighter device. The bottorn wall 1 may be detachable if so desired by making it an insert between the upstanding walls or as a cap as shown in FIG. 8.

Within the case or casing there is a plurality of chargeable dry type cells and in this particular expos three dry cells are employed and indicated at 8, 9 and 10. Note that the dry cells are placed in alternate inverted arrangement so that they can be readily connected in series. The bottom wall 1 is thicker than the other walls to accommodate various elements therein, such as for instance, the metal or conductor lined bores 11 and 12 which are adapted to receive the conductor prongs or projections 13 and 14, respectively, of a charger means or device 15. Since chargers are well known in the art, no reason is seen in burdening the specifications by giving details thereof except that it is of proper construction and design to charge the series arranged rechargeable cells 8, 9 and 10 for the purposes of this invention.

Obviously, all parts of the casing may be made of a suitable plastic material or any other kind of material that serves as an insulator for electricity, but in the event a conductive metal is employed for the casing, then the wires are insulated wherever necessary to avoid short circuiting.

Obviously, the charger is provided with the two wire flexible cord 16 which has the plug 17 adapted to be inserted into any suitable electrical outlet such as a wall receptable in a dwelling that is wired for volt alternating current, or any other current for which the device is designed. In the event the current is direct current, then the bores 1112 and the prongs 13-14 would be of different size so that the correct polarity is made for the charging of the cells 8, 9 and 10.

For charging purposes, the conductor lined bore 11 is connected to a wire 18 which passes through the base of bottom 1 and then connects with the positive pole of the cell 8. Obviously, all conductors of electricity having opposite polarity are well insulated from one another. The other conductor lined bore 12 is connected electrically to a conductor plate 19 which is in good electrical contact with the negative portion of the cell 10. The negative side of the inverted cell 9 is connected electrically by means of a conductor 20 to the positive side of the cell 10. A conductor 21 connects the positive side of cell 9 with the negative side of the cell 8 so as to make a complete circuit when a certain movable contact switch-like means is closed, and/ or when the charger is connected.

The cells are fixed in spaced positions, as shown, and sufficient space is provided to accommodate the movement of an upstanding spring type ribbon or spring band means 22 and which has its lower end fixed to the base 1 and its upper distal end free to shift horizontally. The upper end of 22 has the fireproof insulated plate means 23 dovetailed and securely fixed thereto and this plate has the protruding contact means 24, note FIG. 7. Secured to the plate there is an electrical heating or firing element 25 which has one end thereof connected to the contact 24 and the other end thereof connected to the top end of the metal conductor spring means 22.

Fixed to the top portion of the positive pole of the cell 8 there is one end of a metal spring or conductor means 26 which has a turned down portion or contact means 27. A tunnel-like guide and shield or guard means 28 is cylindrically formed and fixed to the casing of the lighter device and has both ends open so that a cigarette, stogie or cigar, for instance, can be inserted therein to make contact with the firing element 25 and with slight pressure shift the firing element to make circuit contact and thus become a glowing element.

The dry cells are connected in series and provide sufficient current to make the firing element glow when the normally open circuit is closed by forcing the end of a cigarette against the firing element or heating filament. This element or filament is mounted upon a ceramic coated insulated board means which in turn is mounted on the metal spring means or arm 22 as already explained. This spring arm is biased or treated to maintain an open circuit when not under an external force. In the event the dry cells 8 to 10 (or fluid cells) are not of the rechargeable type, then the base or bottom portion 1 of the case is made removable so that weak cells can be replaced with strong fresh ones.

The modified form shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is similar to the first described form; the main difference being that the tunnel-like guide and shield means is at the top of the case. This casing has the bottom 30 which is substantially the same as the bottom 1, but is in the form of a cap so as to be removable should non-rechargeable battery means be employed. From this bottom there are the upstanding sides or walls 31, 32, 33 and 34. The top curved wall is indicated at 35. An open ended tunnel guide and shield means 36 is shown as attached to the top wall. It should also be evident that the tunnel guide may be placed in the bottom wall 1 in the event that it is so desired for some purpose.

Rechargeable dry cells 8, 9 and 10 are also shown positioned in this modified form. In this case, the cell 8 is provided with an arm or spring member 37 which has one end fixed to the positive pole thereof and the other end provided with a horizontal portion or plate 38 upon which is mounted the firing element or coil 39. The bottom side of 38 is provided with the contact projection 40. The arm 37 is like arm 22 in that it is of a good conductor material and has secured to the distal end thereof a ceramic plate which is shown at 38 and to which is attached the heating or firing element in the manner shown in FIG. 7.

The bottom end of the cell 10, that is, the negative end is attached to a conductor 41 which has the horizontal portion 42 which is adapted to be contacted by the contact 40 so as to close the circuit and thus make the filament 39 glow hot enough to light a cigarette or any other thing to be lighted or set afire.

Certain novel features and details of this invention are disclosed herein, and in some cases in considerable detail, in order to make the invention clear in most all aspects thereof and especially in two possible forms thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention, as herein disclosed, is not necessarily limited to the exact forms and details disclosed since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described and illustrated my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A lighter device for cigarettes and the like comprising walls forming a casing with battery means therein, a tunnel-like guide and positioning means in a wall of the casing with an ingress-egress opening at one end of the tunnel-like guide means to receive an insert which is to be lighted, the other end of the tunnel-like guide means having an electric heating element mounted upon an elongated upstanding spring arm means biased against the said other end of the tunnel-like guide means, said spring arm means having connection with one electrical side of the battery means, a fixed spring-like contact means spaced from but near the said spring arm means and which fixed contact means is connected electrically to the other side of said battery means so that when an insert is pressed against the heating element to make the spring arm means contact the said fixed contact means, the circuit is closed and the heating element glows for the purposes intended.

2. That recited in claim 1 wherein wiring means is provided so that the battery means can be recharged from an adapter to be connected thereto.

3. That recited in claim 1 wherein the tunnel-like guide means opens to a side of the casing.

4. That recited in claim 1 wherein the tunnel-like guide means opens through a side wall of the casing, the spring arm means standing upright from the bottom wall so that the top end of the spring arm means swings toward the opposite wall of the casing.

5. That recited in claim 1 wherein the spring arm means is a composite element having a good electrical conductor means to near the top portion of the spring arm means, and a fire-resistant insulated plate secured to the top end of the electrical conductor means and which plate supports the heating element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,983,738 12/1934 Davis 219-261 2,535,665 12/1950 Boyarsky et a1. 2l9268 2,723,337 11/1955 Kempler 219-261 2,982,839 5/1961 Grebel 2l9268 X 2,993,977 7/1961 Ballaguer 2l9268 X 3,007,027 10/1961 Hall 2l9268 3,277,271 10/1966 Hunt 2l9268 FOREIGN PATENTS 350,823 1/ 1961 Switzerland.

602,774 3/ 1960 Italy.

642,127 6/ 1962 Canada.

RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

VOLODYMYR Y. MAYEWSKY, Examiner.

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