US3601132A

US3601132A - Cigarette extinguisher

Info

Publication number: US3601132A
Application number: US823867A
Authority: US
Inventors: G H Etheridge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-05-12
Filing date: 1969-05-12
Publication date: 1971-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-24

Abstract

An extinguisher for cigarettes including an upper boxlike member having top, rear and sidewalls and a downwardly facing jawlike forward end portion, and a lower boxlike member having bottom, rear walls and sidewalls and an upwardly facing jawlike forward end portion. The extinguisher includes a hinge pin assembly connecting the upper and lower boxlike members together in operative pivotal relationship with the members being freely pivotable about the pin assembly and is further provided with a spring device positioned between the members for biasing the jawlike forward end portions together for extinguishing the lighted end of a cigarette placed therebetween.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor G.H.Etheridge 6059 Hyde Park Circle, Jacksonville, Fla. 32210 [21] AppLNo. 823,867 [22] Filed May 12,1969 [45] Patented Aug.24, 1971 [54] CIGARE'I'I'FZEXTINGUISHER 6C1aims,8DrawingFigs.

[52] U.S.Cl 131/256, 85/4 [51] 1nt.Cl ..A24f13/l8 [50] FieldotSear-ch 131/235, 236,237,256,231

[56] Relerenca Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,570,565 1/1926 Hanner 85/4UX 1,806,782 5/1931 Brachmm... 131/235ST 1,810,492 6/1931 Mearsetal..... 131/256 1,846,252 2/1932 Ford 131/237 1,911,262 5/1933 Athon 131/237 Primary Examiner.loseph S. Reich Attorneys-George H. Baldwin and Arthur G. Yeager ABSTRACT: An extinguisher for cigarettes including an upper boxlike member having top, rear and sidewalls and a downwardly facing jawlike forward end portion, and a lower boxlike member having bottom, rear walls and sidewalls and an upwardly facing jawlike forward end portion. The extinguisher includes a hinge pin assembly connecting the upper and lower boxlike members together in operative pivotal relationship with the members being freely pivotable about the pin assembly and is further provided with a spring device positioned between the members for biasing the jawlike forward end portions together for extinguishing the lighted end of a cigarette placed therebetween.

CIGARETTE EXTINGUISI-IER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention disclosed herein relates to an improved device for extinguishing cigarettes, and more particularly pertains to an improved cigarette extinguisher or snuffer of the squeezing or crushing type. Additionally the present invention relates to a portable type or pocket type of cigarette extinguisher, saver and economizer apparatus for satisfactorily and safely snuffing out an ignited cigarette or the like, and then holding and carrying the so extinguished cigarette butt for extended later use if and when desired.

The use of the cigarette extinguisher of this invention, particularly the pocket form thereof which may be used by campers, hunters and the like, and also a form thereof which may be used in connection with smokers riding in automobiles, is particularly useful in dry weather as it eliminates much of the danger from forest fires and grass fires caused by lighted cigarettes and the like carelessly thrown away by campers, hunters and the like or smokers riding in automobiles disposing of their cigarettes out of the windows of the moving vehicle.

Many smokers or users of cigarettes and the like have the habit of saving so-called butts for extended later or future use. They follow the practice of lighting a cigarette, taking afew puffs and then knocking off the ignited end, placing the butt in the pocket or a special container and saving it for further use. In fact, it is sometimes necessary when one is waiting for a streetcar, bus or the like, and suddenly decides to board the same, to extinguish the cigarette and preserve it for future use. Also there are occasions when one desires to extinguish or snuff out a cigarette when he finds himself in a situation, where for example there are no ash trays handy or where there is no place to stamp out the ignited cigarette or otherwise handily dispose of the same. Under such circumstances there has long existed a need for a simple, economical extinguisher and safety carrying device.

2; Description of the Prior Art Devices for extinguishing lighted or ignited cigarettes or the like and cigarette economizer and saver apparatuses have been previously devised, such prior art apparatuses and devices being generally disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 1,778,998, 1,810,492, 1,948,880, 2,487,529, 2,619,093, 2,639,718, 2,740,41 l and 2,781,762. Applicant's invention of an improved cigarette extinguisher or snuffer and economizer, disclosed herein, is an improvement over such prior art devices, as shown for example in the abovementioned patents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A general object of this invention is to provide an improved manually operated device for conveniently extinguishing lighted cigarettes and the like, which may be conveniently adapted for detachable securement to a suitable support, such as an ash tray, a stand for use on a smoking table, a dashboard of an automobile, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cigarette snuffer or extinguisher which is simple and cleanly in its use and is of a convenient size to be carried in the pocket of the user if so desired.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide an extinguisher or snuffer which will facilitate the reception of the lighted end of cigarettes and the like directly between the clamping or extinguishing elements of the device and which also serve as a receiver and which will retain the cigarette in position and extinguish the same, and from which the same may be ultimately released into an ash tray or other suitable waste receptacle.

Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide a cigarette extinguisher which is compact, neat in appearance, simple in construction, and which may be cheaply and economically produced.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a semiautomatic cigarette extinguisher which will enable an ignited cigarette applied thereto to be extinguished, free from danger of loose sparks, which will retain the'ashes therefrom within itself, with the extinguished cigarette and ashes being readily ejected therefrom when so desired by the user thereof when a convenient place of suitable disposition is available.

In general these objects are attained by providing an extinguisher for cigarettes and the like including an upper member having a rearward end portion and downwardly facing forward end portion, and a lower member having a rearward end portion and an upwardly facing forward end portion. The upper and lower members are connected together in operative pivotal relationship by pivot means spaced between the for ward and rearward end portions thereof with the upper and lower members being freely pivotable about the pivot means. The extinguisher further includes spring means positioned between the upper and lower members for biasing the forward end portions thereof together for extinguishing the lighted end of the cigarette placed therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the improved cigarette extinguisher of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial transverse-sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a reduced bottom plan view of a blank or the like usable in the fabrication of the upper section of the improved cigarette extinguisher as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a reduced top plan view of a blank or the like usable in the fabrication of the lower section of the improved cigarette extinguisher as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged transverse-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing another embodiment of the cigarette extinguisher of this invention; and

FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged transverse-sectional view similar to FIG. 7 showing a further embodiment of the improved cigarette extinguisher. 6

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in detail, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, the improved cigarette extinguisher 10 of this invention is seen to include an upper member or section 12 and a lower member or section 14, which

sections

12, 14 engagingly fit one within the other, as seen in FIG. 1, and which are held and maintained in the engaged or mating position by means of a connecting hinge pin arrangement or pivot means 16 extending therebetween. I-Iinge pin arrangement 16 includes a threaded male screw element 18 which screws into and is received by a female threaded screw element 20, with the

respective element

18, 20 extending through openings within the sides of both the upper and lower sections of the cigarette extinguisher. By disconnecting

screw elements

18 and 20 of hinge pin 16

sections

12 and 14 of the cigarette extinguisher may be disassembled. Cigarette extinguisher 10 further includes a flat leaf spring 22 positioned within its rearward end portion between hinge pin or pivot means 16 and the rear end of upper and

lower members

12 and 14, see FIG. 2, for spring biasing the jawlike forward end portion 24 of the cigarette extinguisher into the closed position as depicted in FIG. 1. When properly positioned within the cigarette extinguisher flat leaf spring 22 has a U-shaped portion 26 positioned closely adjacent hinge pin 16 and a pair of

side portions

28 and 30 which extend outward from U-shaped portion 26 and respectively contact or engage the insides of upper and

lower sections

12 and 14 of the cigarette extinguisher.

The upper 12 and lower 14 sections of cigarette extinguisher are pivotable about hinge pin 16 from the completely closed position as depicted in FIG. 1, with the jawlike forward end portion 24 thereof closed and

sections

12 and 14 being spring biased into touching contact by means of spring 22, to an open position as depicted in dashed-line configuration at reference numeral 32 in FIG. 2, wherein the rearward end portions of

sections

12 and 14 are in contact with each other to prevent further opening of the cigarette extinguisher. In moving from the completely closed position as depicted in FIG. 1 to the open position as depicted in FIG. 1 to the open position as depicted in dashed-line configuration in FIG. 2, the

cigarette extinguisher sections

12 and 14 pass through an intermediate open position, as depicted in solid line configuration in FIG. 2 at reference numeral 34. The opening of the cigarette extinguisher into the positions as depicted in FIG. 2 is attained by compressing the upper and

lower sections

12 and 14 between a thumb and finger respectively positioned on the rearward end portions thereof.

With particular reference to FIG. 5, a blank or the like usable in the fabrication of the upper section 12 of the cigarette extinguisher is depicted therein and includes a central body portion 36. Attached to body portion 36 are a pair of

side portions

38 and 40 connected thereto along respective crease or bending

lines

42 and 44. Attached to the rear end of body portion 36 is a rectangular end portion 46 being connected thereto along bending or crease line 48. A small rectangular front portion or lip 50 is attached to the forward end of body portion 36 along crease or bending line 52. Attached to the other or opposite end of lip or front portion 50 is a jaw or tonguelike reentrant portion 54, being attached to front portion 50 along bending or crease line 56. .law portion 54 includes an elongated U-shaped cutout portion at 58, the purpose and function of which will be explained more fully hereinbelow.

Side portions

38 and 40 include respective circular openings or

passageways

39 and 41 positioned therein to accommodate the positioning of pivotal connecting pin means 16 within and through this upper section or portion 12 of cigarette extinguisher. Openings or passageways 39 and'41 are in proper alignment one with the other when

respective side portions

38 and 40 are bent upward along respective crease or bending

lines

42 and 44 out of the plane of the main body portion 36 of this upper section or portion 12 of the cigarette extinguisher.

With particular reference to FIG. 6, a blank or the like usable in the fabrication of the lower section 14 of cigarette extinguisher 10 is seen therein and includes a central body portion 60. A pair of

side portions

62 and 64 are attached to the sides of central portion 60 along respective bending or crease lines 66 and 68. A rectangular end portion 70 is connected to the rearward end of body portion 60 along bend or crease line 72. Connected to the forward end of body portions 60 is a small rectangular front portion or lip 74, attached thereto along bending or crease line 76. A rectangular-shaped reentrant jaw or tonguelike portion 78 is attached to the other or opposite end of lip or front portion 74 along bending or crease line 80. Reentrant jaw or tonguelike portion 78 includes an elongated U-shaped cutout portion at 82, the purpose and function of which will be explained more fully hereinbelow.

Side portions

62 and 64 include respective circular openings or

passageways

84 and 86 positioned therein to accommodate the positioning of pivotal connecting pin means 16 within and through this lower section 14 of the cigarette extinguisher. Openings or

passageways

84 and 86 are in proper alignment one with the other when

respective side portions

62 and 64 are bent upward along respective crease or bending lines 66 and 68 out of the plane of the central body portion 60 of this lower section 14 of the cigarette extinguisher.

To properly form and assemble the upper and

lower sections

12 and 14 of the device into the cigarette extinguisher apparatus as depicted in FIGS. 1 through 4, the lower section 14 of FIG. 6 is first formed by bending

side portions

62 and 64 thereof upward along respective bending or crease line 66 and 68 out of the plane of the central portion 60. Then the rear 70 and front 74 portions are bent upward along respective bending or crease lines 72 and 76 out of the plane of central portion 60, with the reentrant jaw or tonguelike portion 78 being finally bent downward along bending or crease line 80 to overlie portion 60. Next the upper section 12 is properly formed to become an operative portion of the cigarette extinguishing ap paratus 10 by bending

side portions

38 and 40 upward out of the plane of central portion 36 along

respective bending lines

42 and 44. Now rear portion 46 is bent upward out of the plane of body portion 36 along its crease or bending line 48 and forward portion or lip 50 is bent upward out of the plane of central body portion 36 along its respective bending or crease line 52. Finally the tonguelike portion orreentrant jaw portion 54 is bent downward on its respective crease or bending line 56 to overlie central portion 36. Now upper section 12 of cigarette extinguishing apparatus 10 is inverted to overlie lower section 14, and

respective cutout portions

58 and 82 are engaged, as depicted in FIG. 4, to insure and maintain the engagement and closing of the inner ends of reentrant jaw or

tonguelike portions

54 and 78 of respective upper and

lower sections

12 and 14 of the apparatus. Once the

U-shaped cutout portions

58 and 82 have been intertwined and engaged with each other, spring 26 is placed and positioned within the rear end portion of extinguisher 10 with

respective side portions

28 and 30 thereof respectively bearing against

main body portions

36 and 60 of respective upper and lower sections of the extinguisher. To complete the assembly and hold the portions thereof properly in position, connecting hinge pin arrangement 16 is positioned therein. This is accomplished by placing female member 20 thereof through openings or

passageways

41 and 84 within

respective side portions

40 and 62 of respective upper and

lower sections

12 and 14, and placing male member 18 thereof through respective passageways or

openings

39 and 86 of

respective side portions

38 and 64 of respective upper and

lower sections

12 and 14 of the extinguisher, and then finally joining

elements

18 and 20 of the pivotal connecting means 16, see in particular FIG. 3. Now the cigarette extinguisher 10 is ready for operation and subsequent use.

In using and employing cigarette extinguisher 10 of this invention, the jawlike forward end portion 24 thereof is opened to separate the engaged

tonguelike portions

54 and 78, which have been in touching contact during the normally closed, at rest position of the cigarette extinguisher, by pressing upper and

lower sections

12, 14 together by a thumb and finger respectively placed on the rearward end portions of

central body portions

36 and 60 thereof. When the jawlike forward end portion 24 has been opened a burning or ignited cigarette may then be placed therein for extinguishing, for upon release of the thumb and finger spring 22 will bias upper and

lower sections

12 and 14 to close the jawlike forward end portion 24, and

tonguelike portions

54 and 78 will come into touching contact to thereby extinguish the lighted cigarette placed therebetween. The

elongated cutout portions

58 and 82 remain engaged with one another to prevent the opening of the rearward end portions of

tonguelike portions

54 and 78 during the extinguishing operatiomto prevent the cigarette from being inserted into the extinguisher 10 to a point beyond the touching contact of

tongielike portions

58 and 74, and to generally aid in the extinguishing of the cigarette by preventing substantial amounts of air from reaching the ignited end thereof. Additionally large depending

side portions

38 and 40 of upper portion 12 of the extinguisher, and in particular the forward end portions thereof, help and aid in extinguishing the cigarette by preventing substantial amounts of air from reaching the ignited end thereof, and also prevent the misplacement or sideways slipping from the extinguisher of the ignited or forward end portion of the lighted cigarette. After extinguishing of the lighted cigarette, the same may be permitted to remain within the extinguisher until a later or other appropriate time at which the cigarette butt can be disposed of in an ash tray or other proper receptacle upon release of the same from the extinguisher; or the cigarette if long enough may by later reignited and subsequently smoked.

Cigarette extinguisher or snuffer can be readily adapted, by application of a suitable clip thereto, to be carried and attached to ones pocket for extended use in the field, such as during hunting or fishing trips. In similar fashion the apparatus could be readily adapted to be releasably mounted to the dashboard of an automobile, to the interior of an automobile ash tray, or on and in connection with other ash trays or other suitable ash and cigarette butt receptacles.

With particular reference to FIG. 7, another embodiment of the cigarette extinguisher 10 of this invention is shown therein and is seen to include another spring arrangement. The embodiment of FIG. 7 shows the apparatus to be usable and functional with a coiled spring 90 positioned within the rear end portion thereof between

end portions

46 and 70 of respective upper and

lower sections

12 and 14 connecting hinge pin arrangement 16 thereof. Coil spring 90 includes an upper end portion 92, and a lower end portion 94 which end portions respectively abut and are respectively in engagement with central body portion 36 of upper portion 12 and central body portion 60 of lower portion 14 of the extinguisher. Coiled spring 90 urges the rear end portions of upper and

lower sections

12 and 14 away from each other into a spread apart condition, such as to close and urge jawlike forward end portion 24 of the cigarette extinguisher into a closed position with

tonguelike portions

54 and 78 in touching engagement or contact, as depicted in FIG. 1.

With detailed reference to FIG. 8, a further embodiment of the cigarette extinguisher 10 is shown therein and includes a further spring arrangement including a pigtail-type coil spring 100. In this further embodiment shown in FIG. 8, pigtail-type coil spring 100 includes a coiled section 102 which fits over and around female member 20 of connecting hinge pin arrangement l6 and the upper and

lower pigtail portions

104 and 106. Upper pigtail portion 104 is in contact and engagement with central body portion 36 of upper section 12 at the point of its connection with end portion 46 thereof, and lower pigtail portion 106 is in contact with and engages central body portion 60 of lower section 14 where it joins end portion 70 thereof. Coiled pigtail spring 100, and in particular its

pigtail portions

104 and 106, urges the rearward end portions of upper and

lower sections

12, 14 apart or away from each other about connecting hinge pin arrangement 16, such as to urge the jawlike forward end portion 24 of cigarette extinguisher 10 into its closed position as depicted in FIG. 1, with

tonguelike portions

54 and 78 in contact and engagement with each other to extinguish a lighted cigarette placed therebetween.

While certain preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown and described by way of illustration, many modifications within the true spirit and scope of this invention and within the following claims will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An extinguisher for cigarettes and the like comprising an upper boxlike member including a top generally horizontal wall, a rear generally upright end wall attached to the rear edge of said top wall and depending therefrom, a pair of generally upright sidewalls respectively attached to opposite side edges of said top wall and depending therefrom, and a downwardly facing jawlike forward end portion having a reentrant tongue positioned between said pair of sidewalls; a lower boxlike member including a bottom generally horizontal wall, a rear generally upright end wall attached to the rear edge of said bottom wall and extending upward therefrom, a pair of generally upright sidewalls respectively attached to opposite side edges of said bottom wall and extending upward therefrormand an upwardly facing jawlike forward end portron having a reentrant tongue positioned between said pair of sidewalls; pivot means connecting said upper and lower members together in operative pivotal relationship with said upper and lower members being freely pivotable about said pivot means; and spring means positioned between said upper and lower members for biasing said reentrant tongues together for extinguishing the lighted end of a cigarette placed therebetween.

2. In the extinguisher as defined in claim 1 wherein said pivot means is spaced between said forward end portions and said rear end walls, said spring means being positioned between said pivot means and said rear end walls, the rearward end portions of said top and bottom walls forming handle means whereby the selective movement of said top and bottom wall rearward end portions between thumb and finger toward each other against said spring means permits selective opening and closing of said jawlike forward end portions.

3. In the extinguisher as defined in claim 1 wherein said reentrant tongues are connected together adjacent their rearward ends to limit the extent of entry of the cigarette end therebetween.

4. In the extinguisher as defined in claim 1 wherein said pivot means includes a hinge pin extending between and connected to said sidewalls of each said upper and lower member, said spring means being positioned between said hinge pin and said rear end walls of said upper and lower members.

5. An extinguisher for cigarettes and the like comprising an upper boxlike member including a top outer wall extending generally horizontally, a rear end wall attached to the rear edge of said top outer wall and depending generally vertically therefrom, a pair of sidewalls respectively attached to opposite side edges of said top outer wall and depending generally vertically therefrom, and a downwardly facing jawlike forward end portion; a lower boxlike member including a bottom outer wall extending generally horizontally, a rear end wall attached to the rear edge of said bottom outer wall and extending generally upwardly therefrom, a pair of sidewalls respectively attached to opposite side edges of said bottom outer wall and extending upward therefrom, and an upwardly facing jawlike forward end portion; pivot means connecting said upper and lower members together in operative pivotal relationship with said upper and lower members being freely pivotable about said pivot means; spring means positioned between said upper and lower members for biasing said jawlike forward end portions together for extinguishing the lighted end of a cigarette placed therebetween; and each said jawlike forward end portion having a reentrant tongue positioned between respective said pairs of sidewalls, and extending generally in the same directions as said top and bottom outer walls, each said reentrant tongues having a rear ward end portion contacting each other to limit the extent of entry of the cigarette end therebetween.

6. The extinguisher as defined in claim 5 wherein each said reentrant rearward end portion includes means for connecting said reentrant rearward end portions together.

Claims

1. An extinguisher for cigarettes and the like comprising an upper boxlike member including a top generally horizontal wall, a rear generally upright end wall attached to the rear edge of said top wall and depending therefrom, a pair of generally upright sidewalls respectively attached to opposite side edges of said top wall and depending therefrom, and a downwardly facing jawlike forward end portion having a reentrant tongue positioned between said pair of sidewalls; a lower boxlike member including a bottom generally horizontal wall, a rear generally upright end wall attached to the rear edge of said bottom wall and extending upward therefrom, a pair of generally upright sidewalls respectively attached to opposite side edges of said bottom wall and extending upward therefrom, and an upwardly facing jawlike forward end portion having a reentrant tongue positioned between said pair of sidewalls; pivot means connecting said upper and lower members together in operative pivotal relationship with said upper and lower members being freely pivotable about said pivot means; and spring means positioned between said upper and lower members for biasing said reentrant tongues together for extinguishing the lighted end of a cigarette placed therebetween.

5. An extinguisher for cigarettes and the like comprising an upper boxlike member including a top outer wall extending generally horizontally, a rear end wall attached to the rear edge of said top outer wall and depending generally vertically therefrom, a pair of sidewalls respectively attached to opposite side edges of said top outer wall and depending generally vertically therefrom, and a downwardly facing jawlike forward end portion; a lower boxlike member including a bottom outer wall extending generally horizontally, a rear end wall attached to the rear edge of said bottom outer wall and extending generally upwardly therefrom, a pair of sidewalls respectively attached to opposite side edges of said bottom outer wall and extending upward therefrom, and an upwardly facing jawlike forward end portion; pivot means connecting said upper and lower members together in operative pivotal relationship with said upper and lower members being freely pivotable about said pivot means; spring means positioned between said upper and lower members for biasing said jawlike forward end portions together for extinguishing the lighted end of a cigarette placed therebetween; and each said jawlike forward end portion having a reentrant tongue positioned between respective said pairs of sidewalls, and extending generally in the same directions as said top and bottom outer walls, each said reentrant tongues having a rearward end portion contacting each other to limit the extent of entry of the cigarette end therebetween.