Abstract:
A combination gas cylinder striker and wrench device for use with a gas cylinder having a cylinder valve with a valve stem. The combination is made of a striker having a pair of wire frame members that are manipulatable to strike a spark for igniting a flammable gas form a gas cylinder. A gas cylinder wrench is affixed to one of the wire frame members. The gas cylinder wrench has a central portion having an opening therethrough that is sized to interfit with the valve stem of the gas cylinder. The central portion is located at a U-shaped area of the wire frame member to stabilize the affixation of the gas cylinder wrench to the wire frame member.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part application based upon U.S. Ser. No. 10/117,770, filed Apr. 5, 2002 and entitled “COMBINATION GAS CYLINDER STRIKER AND WRENCH DEVICE”. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to gas cylinders and, more particularly, to an improved combination device that combines a striker for igniting the gas from the cylinder with a cylinder wrench for operating the cylinder valve.  
           [0003]    There are, of course, a considerable number of uses for gas cylinders containing a combustible gas, and, in general, the gas is acetylene and the gas is connected to a torch unit that is used for a wide variety of purposes, such as welding, soldering and the like and in a wide range of fields. As is conventional, the gas cylinder is fitted with a valve having a rotatable valve stem that is used to turn the gas on and off and the stem has a external end that is formed in a particular configuration so as to be operable by a corresponding specially shaped wrench. A common configuration is that the valve stem has a generally square shaped outer end and, therefore, the cylinder wrench has a square shaped opening that operates that valve by the interfitting of the opening in the external end of the valve stem. Without the valve wrench, obviously, the user is unable to rotate the valve stem to operate the valve of the gas cylinder and, therefore, is basically unable to carry out whatever operation or use is desired for the torch.  
           [0004]    As such, one of the drawbacks of the present gas cylinder and torch systems is in that the cylinder wrench must remain accessible at all times for the user to be able to use that cylinder wrench as needed. With the conventional cylinder wrench, the geometry of the cylinder wrench is a flat, relatively planar metallic unit and, if the cylinder wrench were dropped it can be difficult to locate or to even realize that the cylinder wrench is missing. With the geometry and shape of the conventional cylinder wrench, that issue of misplacing the wrench is exacerbated if the cylinder wrench is dropped in a cluttered area such as a dirty area or where the illumination is relatively dim.  
           [0005]    Another conventional component used with flammable gas systems is a striker and which basically is a device that strikes a spark that enables the user to ignite the flammable gas at the torch. While there are a number of differing designs of strikers, one common striker design is comprised of a single wire formed into a coil with two wire frame members extending outwardly from the coil such that the wire frame members have free ends that can be moved relative to each other with a springing action provided by the coil arrangement.  
           [0006]    At the free end of one of the wire frame members, there is an enclosed striker cup lined with a specific material and at the free end of the other wire frame member, there is provided with another specific material. When the user flexes the striker frame members so as to move the two free ends relative to each other, the two materials at those free ends are caused to rub against each other to produce a spark that is, in turn, used to ignite the flammable gas that is emanating from the torch so as to light that torch. As a feature of the aforedescribed striker, however, the shape and configuration of the striker is unusual, more of a three dimensional shape than the normal flat cylinder wrench and therefore is easier to locate if inadvertently dropped or misplaced than the conventional cylinder wrench. Thus, as described, the striker is also an important and necessary component of the torch system and its accessibility is also necessary for the use of that torch.  
           [0007]    Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a cylinder wrench that would be part of some component that is more easily identifiable, three dimensional and therefore, easier to locate if inadvertently dropped or mislaid.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a specially constructed combination of a cylinder wrench and a striker so as to take advantage of certain of the features of both devices.  
           [0009]    With the present invention, therefore, the cylinder wrench, normal a flat, planar device is combined with a striker that has an unusual profile and configuration and therefore the combination device is less likely to become lost or, if dropped, it is more likely to be readily located in most environments than if only a conventional cylinder wrench is present.  
           [0010]    In the present invention, a specially designed cylinder wrench is constructed and used and which is affixed to a striker that is basically a conventional striker having a pair of wire frame members. The overall device is a unique combination of a striker, with the normal functions of a striker, as well as a cylinder wrench along with the normal functions of a cylinder wrench.  
           [0011]    In one embodiment of the invention, the cylinder wrench is basically a body comprising a raised boss having an opening that is configured so as to interfit with the external end of the valve stem of a gas cylinder. A flange extends from the raised boss and has a pair of outwardly extending arms that extend from the raised boss in opposite directions from the raised boss. At or near the extended free ends of the arms are affixing surfaces, that is, there are bendable wings and raised edges that are comprised of a relatively bendable material that allows the wings and the raised edges to be bent around one of the wire frame members of the conventional striker.  
           [0012]    To make the affixation of the cylinder wrench of the present invention to a striker, it is preferred that the wings and the raised edges meet at an angle with respect to each other so that the wire frame member can be initially nested in the angled surface and the wings and raised edges bent around that wire frame member. As a further preferred feature, the conventional striker also has a U-shaped indentation in the wire frame members and the present cylinder wrench has the raised boss specially dimensioned and configured so as to fit with the U-shaped indentation of the wire frame member in a force fit to hold the cylinder wrench securely in position affixed to the wire frame member of the striker.  
           [0013]    As an alternate embodiment, the cylinder wrench may be constructed of a generally U-shaped metal stamping that has two free arms of a bendable material that are also U-shaped and wherein those arms can be bent around one of the wire frame members to secure the wrench to the striker. Again in this embodiment, use is preferable made of the U-shaped indentation that is normally present in the striker such that a pair of flanges that are also formed as a part of the U-shaped stamping are positioned so as to straddle one of the U-shaped indentions in the striker frame member, that is, the flanges sandwich the U-shaped indention therebetween. At least one of the flanges has an opening that is configured so as to interfit with the external end of the valve stem of a gas cylinder.  
           [0014]    Other features of the combination device will become apparent in light of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional, currently used, cylinder wrench;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cylinder wrench component of the present combination device;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a combination device of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of the completed combination device constructed in accordance with the present invention  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cylinder wrench component of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a side views s of the component of FIG. 4, and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the combination device of the present invention using the cylinder wrench component of FIG. 5. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a top plan view of a conventional cylinder wrench  10  of the type that is commonly used with gas cylinders containing a flammable gas for use with a torch. As can be seen, the cylinder wrench  10  has an opening  12  formed in each end thereof and which are specially sized so as to fit to a external end of a valve stem for a conventional flammable gas cylinder in order to open and close that valve in using the gas cylinders supplying that gas to a torch.  
         [0023]    As its typical of such conventional cylinder wrenches  10 , the body of the wrench is basically a flat, planar construction and therefore can be easily be lost if dropped in many environments that are cluttered, dirty and/or in a dim illumination.  
         [0024]    Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown, a perspective view of a cylinder wrench  14  constructed in accordance with the present invention. In this Figure, there is a main body  16  that is preferable constructed of a stamped metal and which has a raised boss  18  that provides a strengthened area and which has an opening  20  formed therein. As explained, the opening  20  is configured so as to interfit with the external end of a valve stem of a cylinder valve for the flammable gas. Thus, the opening  20 , in the preferred embodiment, is shown and which interfits with a square valve stem for operating that cylinder valve.  
         [0025]    As also can be seen in FIG. 2, the main body  16  is thinner surrounding the opening  20  and the raised boss  18  and includes arms  22  that extend outwardly in opposite directions from the raised boss  18  to form free ends  24 . At or near each of the free ends  24  there is formed a wing  26  and a raised edge  28 . In the preferred embodiment, each wing  26  and raised edge  28  meet at an angle, shown as about a right angle, in FIG. 2, however, the angle may be grater or smaller as long as there is formed some angled junction between a wing  26  and raised edge  28  so that a wire frame member (not shown in FIG. 2) can rest in that junction in the affixing the cylinder wrench  14  to a striker (also not shown in FIG. 2).  
         [0026]    Turning now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of a combination device  30  that combines the cylinder wrench  14  constructed in accordance with the present invention and affixed to a striker  32 . The striker  32  itself is a conventional device used to generate a spark in order to ignite the flammable gas to light a torch supplied by a cylinder of such gas. The striker  32  is basically constructed of a frame  34  comprising a wire, generally of steel, that has a coil  36  that provides a springing action to the wire frame members  38 ,  40 . Thus the frame  34  can be comprised of a single wire or there may be a plurality of individual wires, it only being of importance that there be some spring means that creates a springing action with respect to the relative motion between the wire frame members  38 ,  40 .  
         [0027]    At the free end  42  of one of the wire frame members  38 , there is affixed a striker cup  44  that has a material formed on the inner surface and a free end  46  of the other wire frame member  40  extends into the striker cup  44  and contacts that inner surface of striker cup  44 . By means of the particular materials formed on the inner surface of the striker cup  44  and the material formed on the free end  46 , as the free end  46  is moved against the springing action imposed by the coil  36 , the free end  46  of the wire frame member  40  moves frictionally along the inner surface of the striker cup  44 , and that frictional movement between the striker frame members  38 ,  40  cause a rubbing of those materials and produces a spark.  
         [0028]    As also can be seen in FIG. 3, there is formed in each of the wire frame members  38 ,  40  U-shaped indentations  48 , 50  and which are normally formed in conventional strikers  32 . In general, the U-shaped indentations  48 ,  50  are located about mid way between the coil  36  and the free ends  42 ,  46  of the wire frame members  38  and  40 . There can also be seen a cylinder wrench  14  constructed as described with respect to FIG. 2 and affixed to the wire frame member  38 .  
         [0029]    That affixation can be seen with reference to FIG. 2 and can be seen that each wing  26  and raised edge  28  meet at the aforedescribed angle so that the wire frame member  38  can be placed at the apex of that angle and the raised edge  28  initially deformed so as to curl around the wire frame member  38  and thereafter, the wing  26  can be deformed so as to encircle the deformed raised edge  28  so as to finish off the affixing of the cylinder wrench  14  to the wire frame member  38 . Thus, the deformation of the raised edge  28  and the wing  26  create an encircling of the frame  34  around the wire frame member  38  to secure the cylinder wrench  14  to that wire frame member  38 .  
         [0030]    Turning now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, there is shown perspective views of the present combination device  30  taken from opposed sides. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, the cylinder wrench  14  of the present invention is shown in its final position affixed to the wire frame member  38  and where the curved profile of the raised boss  18  fits in an interference or forced fit within the U-shaped indentation  48  so that the cylinder wrench  14  is firmly mounted in position affixed to the striker  32  and does not move from that fixed position.  
         [0031]    Thus, as particularly seen in FIG. 4B, the raised boss  18  is nestled within and tightly secured to the U-shaped indentation  48  formed in the wire frame member  38 , that is, preferably the wire frame member  38  that does nor freely move as the wire frame members  38 ,  40  are squeezed together since the wire frame member  38  has the striker cup  44  affixed thereto and the other wire frame member  40  is more readily movable since its free end  46  is movable within the striker cup  44  in creating the spark.  
         [0032]    Turning now to FIG. 5, there is shown a perspective view of a further embodiment of a cylinder wrench  52  constructed in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the cylinder wrench  52  is a metal stamping that has been bent to form a U-shaped body  54  with radius of the bend being approximately the same, but slightly larger, than the radius of the wire frame members  38 ,  40  as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 5, it can be seen that the U-shaped body  54  comprises a pair of centrally located flanges  56 ,  58  and a pair of wings  60 ,  62 , with each of the wings  60 ,  62  having, due to the U-shape of the body  54 , two bendable free ends  64 .  
         [0033]    It can also be seen that at least one of the centrally located flanges  56 ,  58  has an opening  66  formed therein and which, as in the prior embodiment, is shaped so as to receive therein the stem of a cylinder valve.  
         [0034]    Turning now to FIG. 6, there is shown an end view of the cylinder wrench  52  of FIG. 5 and showing the radius “r” of the arcuate bend that is formed by bending the metal stamping into the U-shaped body  54 .  
         [0035]    Finally, turning to FIG. 7, there is a perspective view of the combination device  68  with the cylinder wrench  52  of this embodiment affixed to a striker  32 . In affixing the cylinder wrench  52  to the striker  32 , the U-shape body  54  is slipped over the wire frame member  38  and the free ends  64  of the wings  60 ,  62  are bent around the wire frame member  38  so as to tightly enclose that wire frame member  38  and hold the cylinder wrench  52  firmly to the wire frame member  38 .  
         [0036]    It is also an aid in the firm affixation of the cylinder wrench  52  to the wire frame member  38  of the striker  32  that the radius “r” of FIG. 6 is approximately the same or slightly larger than the radius of the wire frame member  38  so that the wire frame member  38  fits tightly into that arcuate area or “U” of the U-shaped body  54 .  
         [0037]    In order to prevent the cylinder wrench from slipping or rotating with respect to the wire frame member  38 , once affixed thereto, the centrally located flanges  56 ,  58  are located so as to be on either side of the U-shaped indentation  48 , that is, the U-shaped indentation in the wire frame member  38  is sandwiched between the centrally located flanges  56 ,  58  to prevent the rotation of the cylinder wrench  52  with respect to that wire frame member  38 .  
         [0038]    It will be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed herein, by way of example, but only by the scope of the appended claims.