US2582028A - Lighter - Google Patents

Description

` Jan. 8,1952 s. B. GOLDMAN ETAL 2,582,028

LIGHTER 2 SHEETSQSHEET 1 Filed March 16, 1950 s. B. GOLDMAN ETAL 2,582,028

LIGHTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Jan. 8, 1952 Filed Maren 1e, 195o INVENTORS ATTORNEY Mard/Z/{mgyaf Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT A oFElcE Sydney B. Goldman, Washington, D. C., and v Richard H. Krueger, Maplewood, N.'J., `assig'nors, by mesne assignments, to BLC Inc., Wilmington, Del., afcorporation of Delaware.

Application March 16, 1950, SerialhNo. 150,622

This application is a continuation-in-part ofV our earlier copending. application I Serial No. 143,506, filed February 10, 1950,v now abandoned.

Our invention relates to 1ighters,xand more particularly has reference to gas burning cigarette and cigar lighters, thatis, portable lighters of the kind that voperate on a normally gaseous hydrocarbon` fuel, .such as butane, in contradistinctionto 'the'y customary liquid fuel burning lighters. 1 Y, It has heretofore been yproposed to fuel portable cigarettev lighters with .a liquefied" gas carried in a closed container adapted to'be'inserted into and removedfrom the lighter case or housing. However, such devices arev of rather complicated construction,v quite expensive to manufacture and somewhat 4cumbersome in operation or use. 1

It is the principal object ofthe present invention to provide a gas fired lighter of thev character indicated which is simpler in construction, cheaper in manufactureand easier to operate than the gaseous fuel burning ylighters of :the prior art. f

A further object of our inventionis to provide a gas red lighter having a replaceable lsealed cartridge for liqueed fuel gas which is automatically released from the cartridge `by the opening of the cover of the lighter case.

A more specific object of the inventionis to provide the sealed cartridge of the. gas lighter with a burner and Avalve assembly normally preventing the escape of fuel from the cartridge but which is actuated by the opening'fmovement of the cover of the lighter caseto permit the release of fuel in gaseous form, the discharge of fuel from the cartridge being cut off immediately and automatically upon closing of the cover of the case. In this Way, there isvno escapeV or leakage of fuel from the cartridge when thecoverv is closed, While fuel is available for ignitlonyand burning immediately upon opening of vthe cover. Also, the fuel release valve being actuated by-the cover, no independent or other operation-zierequired to supply fuel to the burner nozzle andvto cut oif the fuelfsupply thereto. n K v Still another object of the invention resides in theprovision of a lighter having novel means permitting easy and rapid replacement of the customary pyrophoric flint for generating ythe ignition spark. I j I Other objects and advantages cf the invention will appear from the more detailed description thereof inI connection withy the accompanying drawings, wherein; f v. Y

Figures 1 and 2 are frontand side elevational views, respectively, of the lighter in closed position;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

' Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line 4--4 of Figure 3; y

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section similar to Figure 5 but with the cover of the lighter case in open position;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to Figure 3 but with the cover in open position;

f Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 8-8 of Figure 2 and showing the ignition and nint release mechanism;

Figure 9 is a vertical section on the line 9-9 of Figure 4 but with the lighter cover in opened or raised position; y

Figure l0 is a bottom plan view of the lighter case with the fuel cartridge removed;

Figure 11 is a detail section on the line II-H of Figure 3; I v

Figure 12 is a detail section of the valve and burner assembly for the fuel cartridge showing the gas release valve in open position; and Figure 13 is a detail section on the line I 3-43 of Figure 12.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved lighter of our invention comprises an vouter case or housing! having a removable bottom closure r2 and a cover or 1id,3 which is hinged to easel by the hinge pin` 4. Within case I Iis a cartridgeor magazine 5 for a liquefied normally gaseous hydrocarbon fuel such as butane. Fuel cartridge v5 is- Aprovided at its upperportion wit-,h a valve and burner assembly indicated generally `at 6. The fuel cartridge with its associated valve and burner assembly is insertable to and removable from case l upon removal of bottom closure member 2.,.

. Bottom closure 2 is rmlyheld to the lower portion of case I by means of 'a at hook spring l, secured to a side of bottom 2 by rivets 8, and by a tongue and groove connection 9 on the opposite sidey of the lighter- (Figure 3).` Solid section l0 of the side wall of closure 2 holds the lower end I' l of cartridge 5 ln place when the bottom closure has been secured to the' lower end of case I, while shoulderlf integral with the interior top portion V"ofthef case ,(Fi'gure, 8)f acts las a stop for the upper end of the cartridge.. The easy removability ,of bottom closure y2v renders it a simple matter to insert and replace the fuel cartridge in the lighter case.

Integral with the interior of the hinged side wall I I of cover 3'are a pair of arms or extensions I2 and I3. The arm I3 is slightly longer than the arm I2 and has a reduced end portion or extension i4 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Integral with or attached to the top of the case on an inner side thereof is a int housing I5 having an integral bridge piece I6 extending there; from to and supported on the opposite side of the case. Bridge I6 has a V-shaped projection I1 (Figures 3 and '7) and extending upwardly from the bridge is an integral bearing support I8 having an integral and laterally extending stop member I9 having a reduced end portion corresponding to extension I4 of arm I3, the top of member I9 being slightly inclined toward its reduced end portion.

The interior of cover 3v carries a pin 20 which is pressed into-and extends between the arms I2 and I3. A slotted spring pin 2l engages pin 23 and carries a compression spring 22 housed in a sleeve 23. 'The sleeve or housing 23 has a V-shaped notch 24 in its end portion resting firmly against the V-shaped projection H of bridge member I6 (Figures 3 and 7). The parts just described constitute a snap-action spring operating in customary fashion during the opening and closing movements of hinged cover 3.

From the structure thus far described, it will be seen that when cover 3 is opened or closed, eccentric pin 2B travels circularlyaround hinge pin 4, compressing spring 22 until pin 20 is in line with hinge pin 4- and the stationary V-rest Il on bridge member IS. When pin passes this center line, spring 22 expands and forces cover 3 to its fullyopened or fully closed position, lwhereby the cover is held in the opened or closed position by the pressure of spring 22. In the closedv position, the rim of cover 3 acts as a stop and seats itself tightly against the upper edges of case I.V Also, as the cover is opened, extension I4 of arm I3 engages the correspondingly shaped member I9,'the elements I4 and l9acting asa stop for the cover in fully opened position, as best shown in Figures 7 and 9. B3' reason of this stopaction, no undue pressure is exerted upon the hinged joint of case I land cover 3.. n

lA valve actuating lever 25 is pivotally mounted on member I3 b y means of pivot pin or bearing stud 25 extending through member IB and around which the lever pivots. The pivotal motion of lever 25 is limited in one direction by the inclined top edge of stop member i9 and in the opposite directionby the Avertical edge 21 of bridge piece I6,which is contacted by the downwardly extending arm 28 of lever 25. Prongs 29, 29 project outwardly and downwardly from arm 28 ofv the valve lever into proximity with shoulder or flange 30 of the valve and burner assembly 6.

As hereinafter' described, the yconstruction of assembly 6 is such that the gas release valve is normally maintained closed by spring action but is opened by adownward pressure on nange 3u to discharge fuel from cartridge 5 at the burner nozzle. YThe gas release valve is opened during the operation of the lighterV by the'action of plvered lever 2e which isin turn actuated by the openingmovement of cover 3. Thus, when th hinged cover is opened, arm I 3 integral therewith contacts and lifts the end of lever 25 oli-V posire the downward extensief:v 2s' whereby the 4 prongs 29, 29 exert the required downward pressure on shoulder 30 to open the gas release valve.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the fuel cartridge 5 is constructed of an upper section 3l and a lower section 32 which are soldered together at their contacting edges as shown at 33. The cartridge is tightly filled with cotton or other suitable material 34 to aid the retention of liquefied gas in the cartridge. The upper section 3l of the cartridge has an inclined top portion in which is mounted the valve and burner assembly 6, illustrated in detail in Figure 12 showing the'gas release valve in open position.

Soldered into top section 3| of the cartridge is an internally threaded valve body 35 having a small orice 33 and a larger opening 3l at its lower end. The purpose of the larger opening is to prevent clogging of orice 36 by the cotton packing or absorbent material in the cartridge. Orifice 33 is adapted tojbe closed by a ller plug 38 threaded into valve -body 135 and which, when screwed downwardly, forces filler seat. 33 against filler washer 40, thereby vclosing the opening in the center of washer 40. Filler plug 38 is provided'with an orice or passageway 4I ex-Y tending therethrough and communicating with vapor chamber 42 within the. valve body. Filler seat 39 is held in plug 38 by its shank 43 which is peened over on its end to prevent it from falling out of the filler plug. Filler seat 33 turns freely in ller plug 33; The plug 33, seat 39 and washer 40 constitute the ller' valve of the asf sembly. f "i The `cartridge is lled with fuel at this stage of the assembly, that is, when the valve body 35 and its associated parts constituting the filler valve have been mounted in the cartridge and before the remaining gas release Y valve and burner parts are assembled. 1 This lling operavz-:v tion is performed ata sufliciently low temperature to maintain the normally gaseous fuel in the liquid state. InV the case of butane, the temperature should be below 0 C. or 32 F. The filling is accomplished by first backing outl ller plug v38 approximately one-half turn, thereby opening the ller valve. The liquefied gas is now introduced to the'cartridge through the opened filler valve which is then Yclosed. The filled cartridge is now ready forl the assembly line for insertion of the gasrelease valve and burner parts.

The parts now to be inserted into valve body 35 include threaded valve stem guide 44, valve stem 45 having a bottom flange 45', neoprene washer 46, valve springf 41 and valve head or burner nozzle 43 threaded'onto the outer end of stem 45. Washer 46 seatsagainst seat 46' of the assembly 'and is tightly held against the seat by the action of spring 41 in the normal or closedy position of the valve. Before inserting the gas release valve assembly, a valve body gasket v49 is slipped Yover the threads of guide fand filler plug 38 slightly cracked open to permit .the escape of gas through orice 4! of plug 38. The gas release valveand burner as'- se'mbly, constructed of parts 44, 45,745', 46, 4l and 48, is then'fpromptly screwed tightly into valve 'body 35. Thercartridge by this time having attained atmospheric temperature, vaporized fuel now enters gas chamber 42 to be released therefrom when valve stem 45 is moved downwardly to unseat washer 46 from'seat 46 as shown in Figure 12.v- A'gas passageway or orifice 50.! extends longitudinally within valve stemji and through valve head or burner-'nozzle 43. An orifice 5I extends laterally from the lower p01.-

assa'oz 55 tion of passageway 50 ltothe periphery ofthe valve stem. The burner'no'zzle'and valvestern are normally forced upwardly by spring' 41 so that passageways 50 and 5I are closed off from vapor chamber 42 by the engagement of washer 46 with its seat 46'. f

As hereinbefore described, the gas release valve is actuated by the pivoted lever 25 and its'fasso'- ciated prongs 29, 29, the valve leverbeing ltilted by the opening movement of hinged cove'rV 3 through the medium of arm I3 carried thereby When the lever is thus tilted, prongs 29, 29I contact flange 3D of valve head 48 and force the latter downwardly against the action `of spring 41, thereby sliding valve stem 45 in its'v guide 44 and unseating washer 46 from seat 46' tti-establish communication between chamber 42 and orifice I, as shown in Figure 12. AGas is'now free' to escape from chamber-'4 2 through passages 5I and 50 for ignition at burner port 52 of valve head 48. Upon closing of the cover 3 of the case and the resultant disengagement of arm I3 with the end of lever 25, spring 41, acting on flange 30 of the valve head, again forces ,the valve upwardly to seat washer 46 against seat 46' and close the communication between gas chamber 42 and orifice 5|.

The gaseous fuel is ignited at burner nozzl 48 by a spark generated adjacent thereto in a conventional manner. Ar stud 53 is mounted in case I on the side thereof adjacent the gasv release valve assembly (Figure 8). Rotating! on this stud is a finger wheel 55 having ashank 56 on its upper end. Abrasive wheel-54 has a sliding fit over shank 56 of nger wheel l55. A pin 51 is pressed into wheel 55 andfprevents the Vlatter from turning on shank 56. Rotation ofv nger wheel 55 turns abrasive wheel54 in contact-with pyrophoric fiint 58 to generate a spark adjacent burner nozzle 48, thereby igniting the gas escaping through burner port 52. In this igniter assembly, the flint wheel is easily replaced by removing stud 53 on which the finger wheel assembly is mounted. The fiint wheel is then pulled oil shank 56 of finger wheel 55, a new abrasive wheel substituted and the assembly replaced in the case. In making this replacement, the flint should first be removed so that no pressure is exerted upon the flint wheel by the flint and its associated spring.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that we have provided an easily operable and convenient mechanism for opening a normally closed.. gas discharge valve of the fuel cartridge by the opening movement of a hinged cover of the lighter case. Our invention further includes novel flintreleasing mechanism now to be described and best illustrated in Figure 8.

The flint housing I5 integral with the side of the case at the top thereof has a bore or passageway 59 extending longitudinally therethrough and communicating with a port 60 in the side wall of the case opposite fiint wheel 54. 1 This bore 59 houses flint 58 which is slidable therein. The flint is inserted Ainto and removed from bore 59 through opening 60 in the case. A coil spring 6I is also slidably mounted in bore 59 and is adapted to force flint 58 against flint wheel 54. The opposite end of spring 6I is carried in and its first turn has a tight fit with a bore 62 in spring stud or pin 63 having an annular groove '6 hook Bl'normall'y passing througha'slotin the top of housing I5 and fitting into annular `groove 64 of spring stud 63. The opposite end of lever 65 is forced upwardly 'by eoilspring 68 mounted in housing I5 whereby to hold hook '6l in annular groove 64. In this normal position ofz lever 65, pin 63 and its associated spring 6I are securely locked in passageway 59 'of housing I5, with the spring forcing flint 58 against int Wheel 54. However, by exerting a slight pressure on the end of lever 65 over spring 68, hook 61. is `displaced from' groove 64 wherebystud 63 and the spring 6I secured thereto arevejected'from bore 59 through opening 60 in the sidewall of the case. The flint is now free to drop out of bore 59 and a newl flint is inserted. Stud 63 with its associated spring 6I is then pushed into bore 59 whereupon it will be automatically locked in place by hook-61 of int release lever 65. The latter is provided, at its hooked end, with a stop lip 691which engages the top of flint housing I5 fto limit the downward movement of hook 61 when stud .63 has been removed.

In order to prevent accidental release of spring stud 63, protecting bars 'I0 and'II (Figures 4 and 5) are provided on opposite sides of flint release lever 65 between the pivot 66 and theend of the lever adjacent spring 68. These bars extend upwardly from flint housing I5 to approximately the heightv of the spring actuated end of the lever. Theyare slotted'as shown at 12 (Figures 5 and 8) and the construction is such that lever 65 `and its hooked end 61.can be releasedonly by pressing a fingernail or knifeedge' into lslots 'I2 tofforce the protected end of lever 65 downwardly againsttheA action of spring 68.v 1

It will thus be seen that our invention provides, in addition to and'in combination with the improved valve actuatingmeans, a novel mechanism and arrangement for permitting ready replacement of the pyrophoric iiintiin cigarette and cigar lighters. While we have shown only one form of mechanism for accomplishing the stated purposes, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that many modifications and variations can be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a lighter, the combination of a case adapted to receive a fuel cartridge having a discharge valve, said case comprising an open-ended body portion, a removable bottom closure for the lower end of said body portion and a cover having a side wall thereof hinged to said body portion and constructed and arranged to close the upper end of the body portion, a flint housing within and at one side of said body portion near the upper end thereof, a bridge piece extending from said housing to the opposite side of the body portion, a stop member extending upwardly from said bridge piece, a lever pivotally mounted on said stop member and constructed and arranged to open said valve when tilted, a snap-action spring for said cover having one end thereof supported by said bridge piece, and an arm carried by the hinged side wall of said cover constructed and arranged to tilt said lever and to engage said stop member.

- 2. In a lighter, the combination of a case adapted to receive a fuel cartridge having a discharge valve, said case comprising an openended body portion, a removable bottom closure 7 for thel lower endo! said body portion and a eoverrhaving a side wall thereof hingedto said body portion and constructed and arranged to close the upper end of the body portion-a :dint

constructed and arranged to tilt said lever and to engage said stop member, a int in said hous-l ing and an abrasive wheel coacting therewith to create sparks, a spring-actuated dint retain-v ing element slidably mounted in said housing, a flint release lever pivotally mounted on said housing and/having locking means at one end thereof engaging said int retaining element, and a spring between the opposite end of said release lever and said housing. Y Y

3. In a lighter, the combination of a case comprising an open'ended body portion, a removable bottom closure for the lower end of said body portion and a cover hinged to a side wall of said body portion and constructed and arranged to close the upper end of the body portion, a fuel cartridge slidable in said body portion and retained in the latter by said bottom closure, a discharge valve at the upper end of saidr cartridge and spring means normally holding the-valve in closed position, a lever supporting member'between op posite side walls of said body portion at the upper end thereof, a lever pivotally mounted on said supporting member and constructed and arranged to open said valve when tilted, and means actuated by the opening movement of'said hinged cover for tilting said lever.

4. In a lighter, the combination of-a case ecm'- prising an open-ended body' portion, a removable bottom closure for the lower end of said body portion anda cover hinged to a side wall of said body portion and constructed and arranged to close the upper end of the body portion, a Afuel cartridge slidableA in said body portion and retained in the latter by said bottom closure, a dis charge valve at they upper end of said cartridge, a spring associated with said valve and normally holding the valve in closed position, a lever supporting member between opposite side walls of said body portion at the upper end thereof, a lever pivotally mounted on said supporting member and constructed and` arranged to compress said spring when tilted whereby to open said valve, and means carriedby said hinged cover for tilting said lever when the cover is opened.

- SYDNEY B. GOLDMAN.

RICHARD H. KRUEGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this'patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,834,007 Segal .Y Dec. 1, 1931 2,258,086 Bolle Oct. 7, 1941 2,424,781 Vanetzian' July 29, 1947 2,489,620 Cartwright 1 l Nov. 29, 1949 2,495,345 Quercia et al. Y Jan. 24, 195) FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 615.426 Great Britain Jan. 6, 1949 787,706 France a July 9, 1935 815,729 France Apr. 12, 1937 923,563

France i Feb. 24, 194'?

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