US3733167A

US3733167A - Gas-fueled lighters

Info

Publication number: US3733167A
Application number: US00136091A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Hocq
Original assignee: Societe Franco Hispano Americaine FRANCISPAM
Current assignee: Societe Franco Hispano Americaine FRANCISPAM
Priority date: 1970-04-24
Filing date: 1971-02-21
Publication date: 1973-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-15
Also published as: NL7105387A; ES168477Y; BE766112A; NL152654B; GB1336888A; SE380890B; JPS5322130Y2; CH528051A; JPS50141464A; CA926640A; HK55577A; DE2119245B2; DE2166075A1; GB1336887A; JPS50156450U; DE2119245C3; JPS50156369U; DE2119245A1; DE2166075B2; ES168477U

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas-fueled lighter in which the outer covering or sheath is segregated from any mechanical functions, so that after the lighter has been assembled, no mechanical part of the gas release, ignition mechanism, and filling mechanism can be seen by the user.

Description

United States Patent [191 Hocq 1 May 15, 1973 [54] GAS-FUELED LIGHTERS [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: Robert Raymond Hocq, Boulogne- UNITED STATES PATENTS Billancourt, France 3,371,507 3/1968 Newman ..43l/143 [73] Assignee: 'Societe Franco-Hispano-Americaine 3,134,251 5/1964 Gellman ..431/l30 (Francispam), Saint Gratin (Vald- Oise), France Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, Jr. Attorney Curtis, Morris & Safford [22] Filed: Feb. 21, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 136,091 [57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to a gas-fueled lighter in which [30] Forelgn Apphcatlon Pflomy Data the outer covering or sheath is segregated from any April 24, 1970 France ..70/149s2 mechanical functkms that after the lighter has been assembled, no mechanical part of the gas release, [52] U.S.Cl. ..43l/143, 431/254, 431/274 ignition mechanism, and filling mechanism can be [51] Int. Cl ..F23q 2/00 n y the u r. [58] Field of Search ..431/130, 131, 142,

16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 3133,16?

SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG. 6

1 GAS-FUELED LIGHTERS The present invention has for its object to provide a lighter comprising a body and an igniting mechanism of the so-called automatic type i.e. in which the parts of the igniting mechanism resume their operative position as soon as the pressure having performed the ignition ceases.

Lighters of this type comprise among other elements a part which the user operates to perform the ignition. Owing to the fact that said part is included in the igniting mechanism, this part necessarily undergoes wear and may have to be replaced. This may involve a disadvantage for example when the lighter possesses a fairly luxurious housing or sheath. In such a case, a change of the part which is operated by the user is expensive.

Likewise on lighters of this kind, the aperture or the fuel-feeding valve is generally arranged inside the lighter, for example underneath the body, which makes it necessary to provide a protecting device for said aperture or valve. 7

An object of the present invention is to segregate the sheath from any mechanical functions and to provide a lighter avoiding the aforesaid disadvantages and comprising an outer covering or sheath having no conspicuous mechanical part and no part directly associated with the fuel feed or the mounting of the lighter, thereby permitting a fairly luxurious or smart sheath to be easily provided and to construct each part of the mechanism exclusively in view of the function that it must fulfil in the mechanism and, moreover, eventually to change any part of the mechanism without modifying the sheath.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighter essentially characterized by the fact that a covering part is removably arranged on the control part which is employed by the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lighter of the aforesaid type wherein an intermediate part is interposed between the covering part and the control part which is employed by the user for causing ignition of the lighter.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a lighter wherein during the assembly of the mechanism upon the body, said mechanism is abutted against a portion of the body which is no longer visible when the mechanism is in position thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lighter wherein the fuel feed aperture in the body is provided on its upper face at a position which is invisible when the mechanism is in position on the body.

With these and such other objects as will incidentally appear hereinafter, the invention comprises the novel construction and combination of parts that will be now described with reference to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the same and forming a part of the present disclosure.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the mechanism of a lighter according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the body of the lighter having the mechanism as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the main parts of the lighter represented in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a general view of the lighter shown in FIGS. I and 2.

FIG. 5 is a plan view along the line VV in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view along the line VIVI of FIG. 4.

The lighter essentially comprises a body 1 adapted to receive the fuel and a head 2 for receiving the mechanism.

The mechanism is secured to a platform 3 which serves as a support therefor and comprises a platen 4 and a pair of symmetrical side plates 5 (see FIG. 3). The platen 4 is perforated as shown at 6 and 7 and terminates at one end in the form of a lug 8 while having adjacent the other end a transverse recess 9.

Each side plate 5 ends in a slightly bent lug 16 and has four holes 10, ll, 12, 13 the functions of which are indicated hereafter, also a pair of

bosses

14,15 the functions of which will also appear hereafter.

The holes 13 in the side plates 5 receive an axis 18 (FIG. 1) which carries a lever 17 revoluble about this axis. The lever 17 is in the shape of an inverted U in cross section and comprises two

cheek plates

19,20. The plate 19 has a notch 21 at its end remote from the axis 18. Each of the

plates

19,20 also has a peg 22 which permits a pusher 23 to be hooked up on the lever 17 through the medium of a part 24 that is welded to the pusher. The part 24 is provided with four holes 25 for the engagement of the pegs 22, four bent off portions 26 and two flanges 27 (FIG. 3).

The bent off portions 26 are provided for the engagement of a tool for spreading apart the sides of the intermediate part and for disengaging the pegs 22 so as to release the lever 17 from said intermediate part. The flanges 27 are adapted to be abutted against the sides of the pusher 23.

The holes 10 which are of substantially rectangular shape receive a pair of lugs 57 provided on a lever 28 which is used for the control of a gas outlet valve 29 forming no part of the invention. The front end of the lever 28 is forked-shaped and abutted against the two bent portions 16 of the side plates 5.

The holes 11 receive an axis 30 which carries, above a flint tube 34 (FIG. 1) engageable through the hole 7 in the platen 4, a friction wheel 31 and a ratchet wheel 32 associated with a pawl 33 revolubly fitted upon an axis rigid with the lever 17 and urged against the friction wheel 32 bya spring (not shown).

The holes 12 receive an axis 35 which carries a lever 36 pushing a spark-producing flint against the friction wheel 31 owing to the action of a spring 37. A trigger 38 is pivotally supported by the lever 36 (FIG. 1).

Holes 55 formed in a yoke member 40 welded in a cap member 41 which constitutes together with the pusher 23 the outer head of the lighter receive the bosses 14 on the platform 3. The yoke member 40 also has a pair of notches 43 (FIG. 3) engageable over the bosses 15 on the side plates 5 of the platform 3. The cap member 41 located above the valve 29 is perforated as shown at 42.

The lighter body 1 is made up of a casing 44 and a lid 45 provided with four

holes

50,51,52,53 and a small transverse bar 54. A tank 46 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) having a filling valve 47 fitted thereto is housed in the body 1.

The arrangement of the filling valve 47 on the upper end of the body 1 in a position which is inconspicuous when the mechanism is in position on the body is a particularly valuable feature because it permits to spare a valve-protecting device, thereby providing a lighter body having no visible mechanical part and achieving a sheath which is practically independent of mechanical needs. Moreover it renders the valve immediately accessible for the user after the mechanism has been dismounted and is in valve-filling position.

The lid 45 is secured to the tank 46 by a hollow screw 48 (FIG. 2) which is abutted to the filling valve 47 and tightly clamps a spring 49, also by a further device (not shown) fulcrumed to the gas outlet valve 29 and clamping a spring 56 (FIG. 3).

The filling valve 47 is engaged through a hole 50 in the lid 45 and the gas outlet valve 29 is engaged likewise through a hole 51.

The tank 46 and the casing 44 are so shaped that the latter fits over the former, thereby holding it safely in position.

In view of this construction, the mounting steps are performed as follows:

As the tank 46 is fixed to the lid 45, it becomes tucked into the casing 44, thereby providing a complete body 1.

As regards the head 2, the head is glued, soldered or welded to the intermediate part 24 which comes into engagement with the lever 17 whose pegs 22 pass through the holes 25 in the intermediate part.

The lever 17 is pivotally mounted upon the axis 18 carried by the platform 3 and is held in raised position by the spring 37 which is abutted against the top end of the lever 17 and against the lever 36 whereby one and the same spring 37 exerts a pushing stress which applies the flint against the friction wheel 31 (FIG. 1).

The notch 21 receives the rear edge of the valve lever 28 which is fulcrumed against the lower edge of said notch 21, thereby rocking the lever 28 about the lugs 57 engaging the holes in the platform 3 and preventing the front edge of the lever from lifting the gas outlet spout of the valve 29.

Besides the axis 18 for the lever 17, the platform 3 carries the axis 30 carrying the frictional wheel 31 and the ratchet wheel 32 (FIG. 1) the flint tube 34 and the axis 35 of the lever 36.

Proper positioning of the cap member 41 is effected by slidably engaging it from the front end towards the rear end so as to engage both arms of the yoke member 42 on both sides of the side plates 5 on the platform 3, to bring the holes 55 over the bosses 14 of said plates and to engage the notches 43 over these bosses. The bosses 39 are used to clamp the yoke member 42 between the side plates on the platform 3 and the sides of the pusher 23.

For positioning the mechanism 2 on the body 1, the lower end of the platen 4 is applied flatly on the lid 45 so that the platen lug 8, the flint tube 34 and the end of the trigger 38 are engaged through the hole 52 in the lid 45 and the spring 49 thereon is engaged through the hole 6 in the platform 3.

Owing to this arrangement, the plated 4 is abutted at its front end against the lid 45 and at its rear end on the lid bar 54 whereby when moving the mechanism to its position on the body, frictions of those parts of the lid which remain visible after such positioning movement are avoided.

Owing to its outline, its retention in the notch 21 in the lever 17 and its abutment against the bent lugs 16 of the platform 3, the valve lever 28 assumes such a position that its forked-shaped front edge is immediately positioned at such a height as will enable it to occupy its predetermined position under the gas-escaping spout.

The assembly is then slid forwardly until the spring 56 is engaged over the front edge of the lug 8 and the recess 9 in the platform is engaged upon the lid bar 54. Consequently the mechanism is locked upon the body 1 by the spring 56 and by the engagement of the bar 54 into the recess 9 owing to the action of the spring 49.

It will be seen that the lid bar 54 has a double function since, during the movement to operative position, it also protects the lid 45 from undue frictions against the platen 4.

When it is desired to withdraw the head, it is only sufficient to retract it to a slight extent so as to unlock it by disengaging the same from the action of the

springs

49 and 56.

The operation is similar to that of automatic lighters:

When the user depresses the pusher 23, the lever 17 first liberates the valve lever 28 and then imparts rotation to the friction wheel 31 through the medium of the pawl 33 and ratchet wheel 32, thereby producing a spark whereafter the user depresses the rear end of the valve lever 28 which rocks about its lugs 57 and raises the spout of the valve 29, thus releasing the fuel gas which becomes ignited under the action of the spark and remains ignited as long as the user keeps a pressure on the pusher 23.

As the user releases the pusher 23, the spring 37 urges back the lever 17 whereby the lower end of its notch 21 brings the valve lever 28 back to its valveclosing position.

The provision of the notch 21 permits the gas outflow to be released only after the friction wheel 31 has been rotated while closing of the valve is performed by the conventional spring which is incorporated with the valve as soon as the pusher 23 is moved up again, thereby saving fuel gas.

Obviously minor constructional details may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus for example the possibility is afforded to substitute for the bar 54 of the lid 45 one or several studs by providing corresponding perforations in the platen 4 on the platform 3.

As a further alternative, the fuel tank 46 might be glued to the casing 44 or the assembly made up of the casing 44 and lid 45 might be so built as to constitute a container that would directly receive the fuel.

What is claimed is:

1. A lighter comprising a casing containing a supply of fuel, a support platform removably mounted on said casing and an ignition mechanism mounted on said platform including an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said platform, a housing sheath defining a pusher, and an intermediate operating member operatively connecting said pusher and said lever, said intermediate operating member being rigidly secured to said pusher and removably connected to said actuating lever whereby said pusher and intermediate operating member may be removed from said lever to permit replacement of said lever without replacement of said pusher.

2. A lighter comprising a casing containing a supply of fuel and including an upper mounting portion having a bar extending transversely of said casing and protruding from the surface of said mounting portion, and an ignition mechanism including a carrying platform adapted to be removably mounted on said upper mounting portion, one of said upper mounting portion and said carrying platform having a retention surface formed thereon and the other of said mounting portion and said carrying platform including resilient retaining means for engaging said retention surface and holding said mounting portion and ignition mechanism in a predetermined relative position after movement of said ignition mechanism longitudinally withrespect to said casing in a first predetermined direction, and said carrying platform having a recess formed therein for receiving said transverse bar when said casing and ignition mechanism are in said predetermined relative position.

3. A lighter as defined in claim 2 wherein said casing includes a fuel containing body having an aperture therein for filling said body, said aperture being located to be concealed from view when said igniter mechanism is in said predetermined position.

4. A lighter as defined in claim 2 including a valve for fuel in said casing, and wherein said ignition mechanism includes a valve control lever movable between opened and closed positions, a pivotally mounted actuatin g lever movable between first and second positions, and flint means for producing an igniting spark, said actuating lever having a notch formed thereon for engaging one end of said valve control lever, said notch having a configuration including spaced upper and lower edges and being located in the first position of said actuating lever normally-to engage said valve lever with its lower edge, thereby to hold said valve lever in its closed position, said upper edge of said notch being located to engage said valve lever in the second position of said actuating lever thereby to hold said valve lever in its opened position, and said notch edges being spaced at predetermined distance apart whereby said valve lever is free of said notch edges during movement of said actuating lever between said first and second positions.

5. A lighter as defined in claim 2 wherein said ignition mechanism includes an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said carrying platform, a housing sheath defining apusher, and anintermediate operating member operatively connectingsaid pusher to said lever, said intermediate operating member being rigidly secured to said pusher and removably connected to said actuating lever whereby said pusher and intermediate operating member may be removed from said actuating lever to permit replacement of said actuating lever without replacement of said pusher.

6. A lightercomprising a casing containing a supply of fuel, a support platform removably mounted on said casing and an ignition mechanism mounted on said platform including means for producing a spark and an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said platform for actuating said spark producing means, a housing sheath defining a pusher and having a substantially U-shaped cross-section for substantially surrounding said actuating lever, an intermediate operating member rigidly secured to said sheath in the interior of its U-shaped cross-section, said intermediate operating member being removably connected to said actuating lever whereby said pusher and said intermediate operating member may be removed from said actuating lever to expose said actuating lever and said ignition mechanism on said platform.

7. The lighter as defined in claim 6 wherein said actuatin g lever has a pair of longitudinally extending spaced lateral sides and said intermediate operating member includes at least two laterally spaced extensions which receive said actuating lever therebetween in operative connecting engagement, said intermediate operating member being formed of a resilient material, whereby said extensions are adapted to be spread laterally apart to release said actuating lever.

8. The lighter as defined in claim 7 wherein said extensions include cam surfaces adapted to be engaged by a tool for spreading said extensions.

9. A lighter as defined in claim 6 including a yoke member removably and pivotally connected to said platform, and a cap member having a generally U- shaped cross-sectional configuration secured to and enclosing said yoke member, said cap member having an aperture therein through which a flame extends from said ignition mechanism when said lighter is in operation.

10. The lighter as defined in claim 9 wherein said spark producing means includes a friction wheel, and pawl and ratchet means for rotating said wheel, said actuating lever being operatively connected to said pawl and ratchet means for rotating said friction wheel upon actuation of said lever.

11. The lighter as defined in claim 6 including a valve for fuel in said casing and wherein said ignition mechanism includes a valve control lever movable between opened and closed positions; said actuating lever being pivotable from a first position wherein said valve is closed and a second position wherein said valve is opened, and having a notch formed therein for engaging one end of said valve control lever, said notch having a configuration including spaced upper and lower edges and being located in the first position of said actuating lever normally to engage said valve lever with its lower edge, thereby to hold said valve lever in its closed position, said upper edge of said notch being located to engage said valve lever in the second position of said actuating lever thereby to hold said valve lever in its opened position, and said notch edges being spaced a predetermined distance apart whereby said valve lever is free of said notch edges during movement of said actuating lever between said first and second positions.

12. A lighter comprising a casing containing a supply of fuel and including an upper mounting portion having a protrusion extending from the surface of said mounting portion, and an ignition mechanism including a carrying platform adapted to be removably mounted on said upper mounting portion, one of said upper mounting portion and said carrying platform having a retention surface formed thereon and the other of said mounting portion and said carrying platform including resilient retaining means for engaging said retention surface and holding said mounting portion and ignition mechanism in predetermined relative positions after sliding movement of said ignition mechanism longitudinally with respect to said casing in a first predetermined direction, and said carrying platform having a recess formed therein for receiving said protrusion when said casing and ignition mechanism are in said predetermined relative positions.

13. The lighter as defined in claim 12 wherein said casing includes a fuel containing body having an aperture therein for filling said body, said aperture being located to be concealed from view when said igniter mechanism is in said predetermined position.

14. A lighter as defined in claim 12 including a valve for fuel in said casing, and wherein said ignition mechanism includes a valve control lever movable between opened and closed positions, a pivotally mounted actuating lever movable between first and second positions, and flint means for producing an igniting spark, said actuating lever having a notch formed thereon for engaging one end of said valve control lever, said notch having a configuration including spaced upper and lower edges and being located in the first position of said actuating lever normally to engage said valve lever with its lower edge, thereby to hold said valve lever in its closed position, said upper edge of said notch being located to engage said valve lever in the second position of said actuating lever thereby to hold said valve lever in its opened position, and said notch edges being spaced a predetermined distance apart whereby said valve lever is free of said notch edges during movement of said actuating lever between said first and second positions.

15. The lighter as defined in claim 12 wherein said ignition mechanism includes an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said carrying platform, a housing sheath defining a pusher, and an intermediate operating member operatively connecting said pusher to said lever, said intermediate operating member being rigidly secured to said pusher and removably connected to said actuating lever whereby said pusher and intermediate operating member may be removed from said actuating lever to permit replacement of said actuating lever without replacement of said pusher.

16. The lighter as defined in claim 15 wherein said actuating lever has a pair of longitudinally extending spaced lateral sides and said intermediate operating member includes at least two laterally spaced extensions which receive said actuating lever therebetween in operative connecting engagement, said extension being formed of a resilient material whereby said extensions are adapted to be spread laterally apart to release said actuating lever.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION patent No. 3,733,167 Dated May 15, 1973 Robert Raymond Hocq Inventor-(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the address of the Assignee, the name of the town should be --Saint Gratien-.

Ih the heading; of the patent, thecorrect filing date of the application'should be-April 21, 1971-- Signed and sealed this 27th dayof November 1973 (SEAL) Attest:

. EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. RENE D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 6037 B-PGQ UTS. GOVERNIIENT PRINT NG OFFICE I969 O36 6-3344

Claims

2. A lighter comprising a casing containing a supply of fuel and including an upper mounting portion having a bar extending transversely of said casing and protruding from the surface of said mounting portion, and an ignition mechanism including a carrying platform adapted to be removably mounted on said upper mounting portion, one of said upper mounting portion and said carrying platform having a retention surface formed thereon and the other of said mounting portion and said carrying platform including resilient retaining means for engaging said retention surface and holding said mounting portion and ignition mechanism in a predetermined relative position after movement of said ignition mechanism longitudinally with respect to said casing in a first predetermined direction, and said carrying platform having a recess formed therein for receiving said transverse bar when said casing and ignition mechanism are in said predetermined relative position.

4. A lighter as defined in claim 2 including a valve for fuel in said casing, and wherein said ignition mechanism includes a valve control lever movable between opened and closed positions, a pivotally mounted actuating lever movable between first and second positions, and flint means for producing an igniting spark, said actuating lever having a notch formed thereon for engaging one end of said valve control lever, said notch having a configuration including spaced upper and lower edges and being located in the first position of said actuating lever normally to engage said valve lever with its lower edge, thereby to hold said valve lever in its closed position, said upper edge of said notch being located to engage said valve lever in the second position of said actuating lever thereby to hold said valve lever in its opened position, and said notch edges being spaced a predetermined distance apart whereby said valve lever is free of said notch edges during movement of said actuating lever between said first and second positions.

5. A lighter as defined in claim 2 wherein said ignition mechanism includes an actuating lever pivOtally mounted on said carrying platform, a housing sheath defining a pusher, and an intermediate operating member operatively connecting said pusher to said lever, said intermediate operating member being rigidly secured to said pusher and removably connected to said actuating lever whereby said pusher and intermediate operating member may be removed from said actuating lever to permit replacement of said actuating lever without replacement of said pusher.

6. A lighter comprising a casing containing a supply of fuel, a support platform removably mounted on said casing and an ignition mechanism mounted on said platform including means for producing a spark and an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said platform for actuating said spark producing means, a housing sheath defining a pusher and having a substantially U-shaped cross-section for substantially surrounding said actuating lever, an intermediate operating member rigidly secured to said sheath in the interior of its U-shaped cross-section, said intermediate operating member being removably connected to said actuating lever whereby said pusher and said intermediate operating member may be removed from said actuating lever to expose said actuating lever and said ignition mechanism on said platform.

7. The lighter as defined in claim 6 wherein said actuating lever has a pair of longitudinally extending spaced lateral sides and said intermediate operating member includes at least two laterally spaced extensions which receive said actuating lever therebetween in operative connecting engagement, said intermediate operating member being formed of a resilient material, whereby said extensions are adapted to be spread laterally apart to release said actuating lever.

9. A lighter as defined in claim 6 including a yoke member removably and pivotally connected to said platform, and a cap member having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration secured to and enclosing said yoke member, said cap member having an aperture therein through which a flame extends from said ignition mechanism when said lighter is in operation.