US3479125A - Cigarette lighter - Google Patents

Cigarette lighter Download PDF

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Publication number
US3479125A
US3479125A US597256A US3479125DA US3479125A US 3479125 A US3479125 A US 3479125A US 597256 A US597256 A US 597256A US 3479125D A US3479125D A US 3479125DA US 3479125 A US3479125 A US 3479125A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
valve
lighter
opening
fuel
sparkwheel
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US597256A
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English (en)
Inventor
Stanley H Newman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
LES MUST DE CARTIER-FRANCE A JOINT STOCK Co OF FRANCE
Original Assignee
Schwartz & Frolich
STANLEY H NEWMAN
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Schwartz & Frolich, STANLEY H NEWMAN filed Critical Schwartz & Frolich
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3479125A publication Critical patent/US3479125A/en
Assigned to LES MUST DE CARTIER-FRANCE, A JOINT STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE reassignment LES MUST DE CARTIER-FRANCE, A JOINT STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: SOCIETE FRANCO-HISPANO-AMERICAINE (FRANCISPAM)
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
    • F23Q2/00—Lighters containing fuel, e.g. for cigarettes
    • F23Q2/16—Lighters with gaseous fuel, e.g. the gas being stored in liquid phase
    • F23Q2/162—Lighters with gaseous fuel, e.g. the gas being stored in liquid phase with non-adjustable gas flame

Definitions

  • This invention relates to cigarette lighters of the type using an inflammable gas (such as butane) as a fuel and, more particularly, to a lighter which has a minimum number of major parts and is readily produced by mass production methods.
  • an inflammable gas such as butane
  • Such cigarette lighters are commonly known as gas lighters and may be so distinguished from the wick or liquid fuel lighters of the prior art.
  • the gas In gas lighters, the gas is usually contained in a sealed storage tank with a valve and burner system connected to the tank to permit the stored gas to be released in a controlled fashion when desired.
  • the released gas is usually ignited by a spark in the conventional way.
  • Most prior art lighters were made from a number of individual parts which were fitted together to provide a head mechanism which was used in cooperation with a valve and burner system to ignite the gas released from the storage chamber. Such a prior lighter is shown in US. Patent No. 2,943,471, issued July 5, 1960, to me.
  • the prior art lighters were usually assembled from a number of individual parts and this entailed a substantial amount of either hand labor or relatively costly machine tools. Also, most prior art lighters were manufactured primarily from metal stampings, castings or machinings. As a result, the individual components had to be assembled together in order to provide a reliable lighter mechanism.
  • an improved lighter construction which permits major subassemblies of the mechanism to be molded from plastic.
  • the other components may be easily inserted into the molded plastic components and readily assembled into a realiable yet inexpensive lighter.
  • FIGURE 1 is a side perspective view of a lighter in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIGURE 2 is an exploled view of the lighter of FIG- URE 1 showing the various components used in the assembly of the lighter;
  • FIGURE 3 is a top plan view taken generally along the lines 33 of FIGURE 1 showing the interior of the lighter;
  • FIGURE 4 is a partially fragmentary side view of the lighter taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3 showing the interior of the lighter;
  • FIGURE 5 is a sectional side view taken along lines '55 of FIGURE 4;
  • FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 4.
  • FIGURE 7 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 showing valve mechanism in an open position
  • FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an alternate detent design for holding the valve activator in an open position.
  • the lighter 10 is generally comprised of a fuel storage casing 12, a support body 14, a sparkwheel 16, a valve activator 18 and a cap 20.
  • the lighter 10 further includes a valve assembly 22.
  • the valve assembly 22 consists of a backing plug 24, a valve seal 26, a spring 28 positioned between the plug 24 and the valve seal 26, a spring 28 positioned between the plug 24 and the valve seal 26, a wick holder 30 which holds a wick 32 in position, and a pressure piece 34.
  • the valve assembly 22 is inserted into a bore 35 in the body 14.
  • valve assembly The function and operation of the valve assembly will be described in detail later.
  • the lighter 10 also comprises a flint holder tube 36 and a sparkwheel tube 40 in the body 14.
  • a spring 42 and a flint 44 are positioned in the flint tube 36 so that the flint bears against the underside or surface of the sparkwheel 16.
  • a shaft 38 is fitted into the sparkwheel tube 40 and the sparkwheel 16 is mounted thereon.
  • the valve activator 18 further includes a lever arm 46, an activator shaft 48, a burner tube 50 which extends through the shaft 48, and a valve cam 52 which extends from the lower portion of the shaft 48.
  • the body 14 also has therein a tube 54 into which the shaft 48 is inserted.
  • the body 14 is seated on the upper edge portion of the fuel casing 12. Any suitable materials may be used for the body and the casing. However, I have found that a moldable plastic is especially suitable since it is possible to mold such material easily, quickly and most economically.
  • a supply of fuel F (such as butane) is contained in liquid form in the casing 12.
  • the wick 32 which is advantageously made of a thin highly absorbent material such as felted paper extends into the supply of fuel F.
  • the upper portion of the wick 32 is passed through an opening 56 in the lower portion of the body 14.
  • the Wick opening 56 advantageously intersects the bore 35 which accommodates the valve assembly 22.
  • a shaft portion 58 on the wick holder 30 is inserted into the valve bore 35 and passed through the upper portion of the wick 32. After passing through the wick 32, the shaft 58 is continued through the bore 35 into a loose fit section of the bore 35 having an opening 60.
  • a shoulder portion 62 is also pro-- vided on the wick holder 30. The shoulder portion 62 is adjacent to and bears against the wick 32 and compresses it against the surface 64 of the wick opening 56.
  • the pressure piece 34 has a screw surface and is so mounted in the body 14 to bear against a flange portion 66 of the wick holder 30.
  • the amount of compression which may be placed on the Wick by the shoulder 62 is limited by the spacing of the flange 66 from the surface 68 in the bore 35.
  • Shaft 58 is preferable loosely fitted in the opening 60. Accordingly, gaseous fuel may flow from the wick and through the opening 60 when that opening is exposed to atmospheric ambient pressure whereby the liquified fuel is permitted to volatilize.
  • a boss 70 is provided surrounding the opening 60. Covering the opening 60 and positioned adjacent to the boss 70 is the valve seal 26. Fitted into the end portion of the valve seal 26 is a seal member 72 which is preferably made of a deformable elastomeric material such as synthetic rubber.
  • the cross-sectional area of the seal 72 is slightly gerater than the cross-sectional area of the boss 70.
  • This greater cross-sectional area of the seal 72 insures the seal when pressed against the boss will tightly fit and prevent any possible flow of gas to the atmosphere from the opening 60 when such is not so desired.
  • the spring 28 is positioned about a hub 76 on the valve seal 26.
  • the spring and hub are fitted into backing plug 24 which is force fitted or held by other means securely in place in the bore 35.
  • the valve seal 26 is also provided with a flange portion 78.
  • the flange 78 is positioned in the bore 35 at that point where the bore intersects the tube 54 which accommodates the shaft 48 of the valve activator 18.
  • the flange 78 is positioned adjacent to the valve cam 52 and when the valve lever arm 46 is rotated in the direction of the arrow V (as shown in FIGURE 3) the cam 52 is rotatably moved into contact with the flange 78. As the rotation of the cam 52 continues after contasting the flange 78 the valve seal 26 is forced out of contact with the boss 70.
  • a passageway 80 in the body 14 connects the bore to the opening 82 in the burner tube 50. Since the burner tube is exposed to atmospheric ambient pressure, the completion of the communication from the opening 82 through the passageway 80 to the opening permits fuel from the wick 32 to volatilize and flow through the burner tube as a gaseous fuel.
  • Sparkwheels are generally sections of circular cylinders.
  • the sparkwheel 16 embodied in the present invention is also of this construction.
  • the sparkwheel 16 is not mounted as in the prior art about a horizontal axis, but it is mounted about a vertical axis.
  • the flint 44 is not brought to bear against the curved surface of the wheel, but it is brought to bear against the flat under surface of the wheel.
  • the sparkwheel 16 is rotated in the direction of the arrow W of FIGURE 3 by rubbing the thumb of the user against the wheel. As the wheel turns, it generates a field of sparks due to the contact with the flint 44.
  • the users thumb as the sparkwheel is being rotated also contacts the valve activator 18 by pressing against the lever arm 46. This causes the activator shaft 48 to rotate bringing the cam 52 into engagement with the flange 78 on the valve seal 26.
  • the valve assembly 22 is therefore opened and flow of gaseous fuel is provided to the burner tube 50. As the gas leaves the opening 82 itis mixed with air which enters through ports 84 in the cap 20. The mixture of gas and air is then ignited by the field of sparks generated between the sparkwheel 16 and the fiint 44.
  • the spring 28 of the valve seal 26 urges that member back into position so that the seal 72 covers the opening 60 and abuts in closing relation with the boss 70. This, of course, cuts off the flow of gaseous fuel and causes the flame to be extinguished.
  • a detent 88 may be provided on the under surface 90 of the cap 20, whereby the lever arm 46 may be held in a locked position so'that the valve assembly will be open and the flame may continue to burn without the necessity of the user keeping his thumb on the lever arm 46.
  • This construction is shown in the fragmentary View of FIGURE 8.
  • the lever arm 46 In the normally closed valve position, the lever arm 46 is at station A. As the user rotates the lever 46 is moves against and then below the detent 88 to the position shown at station B. As pressure is continued to be applied to the lever 46, it rides under the detent 88 and then upwardly to the position shown at station C.
  • valve activator 18 with its various integral components may efiiciently be molded from a high strength impact plastic such as polyoxymethylene.
  • a high strength impact plastic such as polyoxymethylene.
  • Deliin a product of Du Pont Corporation of Wilmington, Del.
  • the backing plug 24 and the valv seal 26 may able be made of polyoxymethylene.
  • the seal member 72 is advantageously made of a synthetic rubber having desirable elastomeric properties.
  • the sparkwheel shaft 38 may also be made from polyoxymethylene and, therefore, the size of the anchorage of the shaft in the cap 20 may be kept to a minimum.
  • the cap 20 is provided with a small opening 92 into which is fitted a hub 94.
  • a flange 96 is also provided on the shaft 38 and this serves as a bearing surface between cap 20 and the sparkwheel 16.
  • a slight recess is provided in the sparkwheel 16 to accommodate the flange 96.
  • the sparkwheel because of its horizontal position, may be made of a supporting plastic body 104 and a metallic abrading surface 106.
  • a post 100 may be provided on the upper portion of the valve activator 18.
  • a spring 102 (as shown in FIG- URE 2 in particular) is affixed to the post 100 and also about the hub 94 of the sparkwheel shaft 38.
  • a lighter which may be manufactured from the minimum number of parts and quickly and easily assembled thus providing a-low-cost lighter but one which is sturdy in construction and reliable in operation.
  • a cigarette lighter of the type described herein using a stored liquified gas as fuel said lighter having a longitudinal axis which is vertically disposed when the lighter is being used, said lighter comprising a fuel storage chamber, a supporting body member for mounting a fuel valve, burner, valve activator, fuel transfer means and a sparkwheel and flint, said body having a first opening therein for the valve, said first opening being horizontally disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lighter and passing completely through said body, a second opening for the burner, said second opening being vertically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lighter and said first and second openings in communication with each other, a third opening for receiving a shaft for mounting the sparkwheel, said third opening being vertically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lighter and said sparkwheel being horizontally disposed with respect to said axis, and a tubular chamber for holding a flint in contact with one surface of the sparkwheel, said valve comprising a valve seat, a
  • th fuel transfer means includes an absorbent wick

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Lighters Containing Fuel (AREA)
US597256A 1966-11-28 1966-11-28 Cigarette lighter Expired - Lifetime US3479125A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US59725666A 1966-11-28 1966-11-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3479125A true US3479125A (en) 1969-11-18

Family

ID=24390751

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US597256A Expired - Lifetime US3479125A (en) 1966-11-28 1966-11-28 Cigarette lighter

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US3479125A (fr)
AT (1) AT275936B (fr)
BE (1) BE705577A (fr)
BR (1) BR6794268D0 (fr)
CH (1) CH457950A (fr)
DE (1) DE1632699C3 (fr)
ES (1) ES347493A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR1548488A (fr)
GB (1) GB1134647A (fr)
NL (1) NL6714993A (fr)
SE (1) SE317835B (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3592579A (en) * 1969-02-13 1971-07-13 Yasuhisa Ebine Lighter using liquefied gas as fuel
US3970420A (en) * 1973-10-18 1976-07-20 Mansei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Actuating arrangements for a cigarette lighter

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2499547A (en) * 1946-12-11 1950-03-07 Orval C Waggoner Igniting mechanism
US2750774A (en) * 1954-02-09 1956-06-19 Parker Pen Co Lighters
US3150507A (en) * 1962-09-10 1964-09-29 Ronson Corp Lighter mechanism
US3154935A (en) * 1961-08-17 1964-11-03 John E Ayres Disposable gas operated cigarette lighter
US3208243A (en) * 1962-07-27 1965-09-28 Nationale Sa Fingerpiece controlled gas lighters
US3222894A (en) * 1962-07-23 1965-12-14 Waltham Watch Co Lighter
US3263455A (en) * 1964-04-27 1966-08-02 Ronson Corp Lighter construction
US3328980A (en) * 1964-03-19 1967-07-04 Kollisch Ag Geb Gas lighter

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2499547A (en) * 1946-12-11 1950-03-07 Orval C Waggoner Igniting mechanism
US2750774A (en) * 1954-02-09 1956-06-19 Parker Pen Co Lighters
US3154935A (en) * 1961-08-17 1964-11-03 John E Ayres Disposable gas operated cigarette lighter
US3222894A (en) * 1962-07-23 1965-12-14 Waltham Watch Co Lighter
US3208243A (en) * 1962-07-27 1965-09-28 Nationale Sa Fingerpiece controlled gas lighters
US3150507A (en) * 1962-09-10 1964-09-29 Ronson Corp Lighter mechanism
US3328980A (en) * 1964-03-19 1967-07-04 Kollisch Ag Geb Gas lighter
US3263455A (en) * 1964-04-27 1966-08-02 Ronson Corp Lighter construction

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3592579A (en) * 1969-02-13 1971-07-13 Yasuhisa Ebine Lighter using liquefied gas as fuel
US3970420A (en) * 1973-10-18 1976-07-20 Mansei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Actuating arrangements for a cigarette lighter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6714993A (fr) 1968-05-29
BR6794268D0 (pt) 1973-02-08
SE317835B (fr) 1969-11-24
DE1632699C3 (de) 1973-10-11
DE1632699A1 (de) 1971-11-11
ES347493A1 (es) 1969-02-01
BE705577A (fr) 1968-03-01
CH457950A (fr) 1968-06-15
GB1134647A (en) 1968-11-27
DE1632699B2 (de) 1973-03-15
FR1548488A (fr) 1968-12-06
AT275936B (de) 1969-11-10

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