US3544252A

US3544252A - Combination pocket and table lighter

Info

Publication number: US3544252A
Application number: US788464A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erwin C Quednow
Original assignee: Ronson Corp
Current assignee: Ronson Corp
Priority date: 1968-07-31
Filing date: 1969-01-02
Publication date: 1970-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 1987-12-01

Description

1970 E. c. QUEDNOW COMBINATION POCKET AND TABLE LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.

I INVENTOR [BM 0v CZVVEDAWW BY%M ATTORNEY 1970 E. c. QUEDNOW ,252

COMBINATION POCKET AND TABLE LIGHTER Filed Jan. 2, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 431-253 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cigarette lighter which is adapted to be used as a table lighter or a small lighter which can be carried on ones person. The flame actuating means of the table lighter is separate from the pocket lighter and provides a snap action for more reliable flame ignition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improvement in cigarette lighters.

The use of cigarette lighters is generally divided into two areas, namely pocket lighters and table lighters. Pocket lighters are relatively small and are lightweight so as to enable them to be conveniently carried in a womans handbag or in ones pocket. A table lighter, on the other hand, is relatively large and heavy and is primarily designed to be used in a home or an ofiice. A table lighter does not have the attribute of portability outside the home.

The art has been seeking a cigarette lighter which combines the beauty and bulkiness of a table lighter and the small, compactness of a pocket lighter. These ends, however inconsistent have led others away from the development of such a product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a cigarette lighter which can be used as a pocket lighter or a table lighter.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cigarette lighter having an improved means to actuate the ignition mechanism.

The objects of the invention are fulfilled by utilizing an enclosure which receives a pocket lighter therein. The enclosure has structure incorporated therein whereby a pocket lighter will be properly oriented when it is placed in the enclosure. The enclosure also has pivotally mounted thereon, a fingerpiece which will actuate the fingerpiece of a pocket lighter and thereby effectuate ignition of the pocket lighter. The fingerpiece on the enclosure uses a leaf spring in such a manner that the spring is straight in one position of the fingerpiece and bent in the other position. In this way, the movement of the fingerpiece is only initiated after overcoming a certain resistance, however, the fingerpiece can then be pushed into its second position with hardly any force at all. The latter construction permits the sparkwheel of the pocket lighter to accelerate at a rapid rate thereby producing a more reliable ignition.

A sheath can be conveniently placed over the enclosure to enhance the beauty of the table lighter and also to lock the pocket lighter within the enclosure.

"ice

Thus, when it is desired to use a pocket lighter as a table lighter, the user merely places the pocket lighter within the enclosure which is so formed that it is properly oriented therein. The sheath is placed over the pocket lighter and enclosure and the table lighter is ready for use. To convert the table lighter into a pocket lighter, the reverse steps are taken, i.e. the sheath is slid from the enclosure and the pocket lighter is retracted therefrom.

The enclosure can be left open to the public view in the home or at the office since it is aesthetically pleasing and large enough that it cannot be lost or easily misplaced. Since no tools are required to make the conversion from table to pocket lighter and vice versa, the lighter is extremely simple and convenient to handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a table lighter;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing parts of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view with a fragment removed showing details of the invention in cross section;

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the enclosure having a pocket lighter therein;

FIG. 5 is a cross section of the enclosure having a pocket lighter therein in the actuated position;

FIG. 6 is an end view taken along the line 66 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken along the line 77 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 9 is a cross section taken along the line 9--9 of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a housing 10 having

sidewalls

11 and 12, a bottom wall 13 and an end wall 14. Surrounding the periphery of the

sidewalls

11 and 12 and the bottom wall 13 is a flange 15. The housing 10 can be formed of plastic, metal or any other material. A cutout 16 is formed in each of the

sidewalls

11 and 12 and will be explained more fully hereinafter. The housing 10 is open at the top 17 and at the end 18.

A fingerpiece 19 extends longitudinally along the open end 18 of the housing. The fingerpiece 19 is pivotally mounted in the open end by means of trunnions 20 which are mounted in openings 21 on either side of the

sidewalls

11 and 12. Since the sidewalls are preferably made of resilient material, the sidewalls can be urged outwardly to receive the trunnions 20 in the openings 21 and securely lock the fingerpiece 19 on the housing 10. The end 22 of the fingerpiece 19 can move inwardly toward the interior of the housing 10.

A leaf spring 23 comprised of a pair of springs which are held together by a rounded bearing 24 at one end bears against an arched inner surface of the fingerpiece 19. The opposite end of the spring 23 rests on a bearing surface 25 within the housing 10. The bearing surface 25 is located on the inclined wall 26. An inclined land 27 is attached to the wall 26 and serves as a fulcrum for the spring 23. As pressure is applied to the fingerpiece 19 in the direction of the arrow X, it pivots around the trunnions 20 and the rear wall 22 of the fingerpiece moves into the upper recessed portion of the housing 10 toward the wall 26. The spring 23 abuts against the land 27. Increased pressure must be applied to the fingerpiece 19 at this point in order to maintain a continuous inward movement. The spring 23, in response to the increased pressure, will suddenly bend around the apex of the V-shaped land 27 after a predetermined amount of pressure has been applied and the fingerpiece 19 will accelerate toward the wall 26 rapidly until the abutment 28 on the fingerpiece strikes an upstanding member 29 in the housing 10.

A known cigarette lighter 30 such as depicted in US. Pat. D. 202,121, filed March 18, 1 964, and issued Aug. 31, 1965 can be inserted in the opening 17 whereupon the lighter will abut the wall 31. An opening (not shown) in the baseplate of the lighter receives a protuberance 31a which serves to properly orient the lighter within the housing 10. The cutouts 16 which are formed in each

wall

11 and 12 of the housing permit the lighter 30 to be gripped by the fingers of a user to permit the simple extraction of the lighter from the housing 10.

A protuberance 32 is formed on the fingerpiece 19 which bears on the fingerpiece 33 of the cigarette lighter. The actuating mechanism of the lighter 31 can be constructed as depicted in US. Pat. No. 3,240,034 filed July 23, 1963 and issued Mar. 15, 1966. Generally, lighters of this type operate by depressing the fingerpiece 33, and a flintwheel rubs against a flint. A gas burner valve is simultaneously opened and a flame is emitted through an opening 30a in the cover of the lighter. Thus, when the lighter .30 is used as" a pocket lighter the fingerpiece is directly actuated by the thumb of the operator. When the lighter 30 is inserted into the housing 10 whereby it is to be used as a table lighter, the fingerpiece 33 is actuated by the fingerpiece 19 on the housing by means of the protuberance 32.

A sheath 34 which is preferably U-shaped, however, any desired shape can be employed, is formed of metal or plastic. The sheath has openings 35 therein to permit the admission of air in the vicinity of the burner valve to permit the combustion of the gas. Similar openings 35a can be placed on the fingerpiece 19 if desired. An opening 36 on the top of the sheath permits the flame to issue out of the lighter. The legsof the U-shaped sheath 34 are resiliently biased toward each other, therefore, the legs must be spread outwardly prior to placing the sheath on the housing. Each leg of the sheath 34 is placed against a

respective wall

11 and 12 of the housing. The sheath 34 is preferably dimensioned such that the legs of the sheath fit between the confines of the peripheral flange 15. The bight 37 of the sheath fits over the opening 18 of the housing 10 and the opening 36 on the sheath aligns with the opening 30a on the pocket lighter 30.

In actual operation, the user removes the sheath 34 by merely sliding it off the housinglfl. There is a light frictional fit between the legs of the sheath and the housing suflicient to maintain the sheath removably attached to the housing. When the sheath has been'rernoved, the lighter 30 is exposed and the user merely grasps the lighter by placing two fingers between the cutouts16. By pulling upward toward the opening 18, the lighter is easily removed from the housing 10. The lighter can then be carried on the person in a pocket or a purse and used in pocket lighter form.

When the user desires to convert the pocket lighter 30 into a table lighter for oflice or home use as a decorative device, he places the lighter within the opening 18 in the housing 10. The pocket lighter can have aligning means thereon, such as an opening which fits over a protuberance 31 or other alignment means. The housing 10 can also have positioning means thereon which can be in the form of protrusions 38. The purpose of the latter is to permit the lighter 30 to be inserted so that the fingerpiece 33, of

the lighter is adjacent to the fingerpiece 19 of the housing. The protrusions 38 prevent the lighter 30 from being reversed, because the side of the lighter opposite the fingerpiece 33 has a wider portion thereon and the protrusions are dimensioned so as to preclude entry of the wider portion of the lighter on the fingerpiece 19 side of the housing 10. After the lighter has been properly inserted in the housing 10, the sheath 34 is placed over the'housing such that the legs of the sheath fit between the peripheral flange and lightly grip the

sides

11 and 12 of the housing.

The user depresses the fingerpiece 19 which is pivotally attached to. the housing by means of trunnions journalled in openings 21. A protuberance ,32 on the fingerpiece 19, bears on the fingerpiece 33 of the lighter 30.

As finger pressure is placed on the fingerpiece 19, the leaf spring 23 abuts the land 27 and resistance is oflfered to the applied finger pressure. As the finger pressure increases and overcomes the resistance, the spring is bent over the land 27 and the protrusions 32 rapidly pushes the fingerpiece 33 on the lighter which actuates a sparkwheel against a flint as customarily found ina cigarette lighter and opens a gas supply which is ignited. The flame emanates through the

openings

30a and 36 and air is supplied to the flame through openings in the sheath. 34 and springs 35a in the fingerpiece 19. The spring 23 returns 7 the fingerpiece 19 to its rest position and the lighter is placed on a table or a desk.

While there has been shown and describeda particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilledin the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, and therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: v j

"1. In a combined pocket and table lighter:

(a) ahousing having an opening therein for the reception of a pocket lighter,

Y (b) the pocket lighter having a flame opening therein through which a flame issues, I (c) means on said housing to orient and properly 10- date the pocket lighter within the housing whereby the flameopening on the lighter is in alignment with the opening in the housing.

(d) and in which the housing has cutout portions therein adjacent the pocket lighter .wherebythe pocket lighter can be conveniently grasped and removed from the housing.

2. In a combined pocket and table lighter:

(a) a housing having an opening therein for the reception of a pocket lighter,

. (b) the picket lighter having a flame opening therein through which a flameissues,

(0) means on said housing to orient and properly locate the pocket lighter within the housing whereby the flame opening on the lighter is in alignment with the opening in the housing,

(d) a fingerpiece movably mounted on the housing" adjacent .a movable fingerpiece on the pocket lighter and -means on the housing fingerpiece for actuating the fingerpiece of the pocket lighter,

(e) and in which spring means is operatively mounted I on the housing between the housing and the housing fingerpiece whereby the fingerpiece can be, moved between actuated and rest positions and the spring means permits ,thefingerpiece to accelerate during. a portion of its travel.

In a combined. pocket and table lighter as defined in claim 2 in 'which the spring means comprises a leaf spring extending between a bearing surface on the housing to a bearing surface located beneath the housing fingerp ece.

4. In a combined pocket and table lighter as defined in claim 2 in, which a land is mounted on a ,wall of the housing adjacent the spring means, said land serving as a fulcrum about which the spring means is pivoted so as to provide a snap action to the fingerpiece.

5. In a combined pocket'and table lighter as defined in claim 4 in which the land is V-shaped wherein the spring means is bent around the apex of the V-shaped land to cause a rapid acceleration of the fingerpiece. 6. In a combined pocket and table lighter: (a) a housing having an opening therein for the reception of a pocket lighter, (b) the pocket lighter having a flame opening therein through which a flame issues, (c) means on said housing to orient and properly locate the picket lighter within the housing whereby the flame opening on the lighter is in alignment with 10 7. In a combined pocket and table lighter as defined in claim 6 in which the sheath is a U-shaped member having depending resilient legs which frictionally grip the housing to releasably secure the sheath to the housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,793,063 2/1931 Copeland 41253 X 2,007,629 7/1935 Aronson 431-253 2,025,845 12/1935 Bernhardt 431253 X 2,728,211 12/1955 Mihan 431138 EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner