GB1241659A - Improvements relating to cigarette lighters - Google Patents

Abstract

1,241,659. Friction lighters. TETRA MOLECTRIC Ltd. 14 Oct., 1968 [10 Nov., 1967], No. 50353/67. Heading F4F. In a cigarette lighter action, an outer actuating member part 33, e.g. of embellished metal, is provided with depressions 34 which engage complementary shoulders 35 on an inner plastics actuating member part 4 so that it may be snapped thereover to conceal the action and, in use, to transmit thumb-pressure thereto. The inner part 4 is pivoted at 6, 7 to a plastics intermediate member 5, e.g. a snuffer cap, having downwardly depending legs 10 pivoted together with an associated pawl disc and a flint wheel 12 and its associated ratchet, on an axle 9 passing through upstanding legs 11 on a plastics action carrier 3, the other end of part 4 having a cam follower surface 18 guided downwards and away from the flint wheel by a cam surface 19 on the carrier 3 when in operation to rotate the wheel 12 against an upwardly urged flint in a tube 24. The arrangement of the pivotal axes of the pivots 6 and 9 gives an over dead centre snap action and the cam surfaces 18, 19 also give a snap action. A return spring 20 has its ends secured on integral anchorages 21, 22 on the inner actuating part 4 and the carrier 3 respectively and the inactive position is reached when the legs 10 abut stops 23 on the carrier and shoulders 15 on a pair of legs 13 on the inner part 4 abut complementary shoulders 17 on the carrier. The shoulders 15 are formed with a chamfer 14 to facilitate assembly. A fuel reservoir 26 is fitted so that the flint tube extends through a passage 28 therein and a burner, e.g. for gas, extends through an aperture 25 in the carrier. The burner has a valve actuated by rocking of a lever 30 by depression of the inner actuating part 4. An outer embellished metal shell 31 is slid over the action and holds the pin 9 in place. In a modification, Fig. 3 (not shown), the pivot between the part 4 and the intermediate member 5 comprises a cylindrical rod integral with part 4 snapped into a cylindrical slot in member 5. The part 4 is guided at its other end by being pivoted to the legs of a yoke pivoted on the carrier 3.