Patent GB-675121-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to pyrophoric lighters
IPC: F23Q2/46
Filed: 1949-12-23
Abstract: 675,121. Pyrophoric lighters. DUNHILL, Ltd., A., and SMYTH, H. C. H. Nov. 14, 1950 [Dec. 23, 1949], No. 32981/49. Class 75(iii) Operating mechanism for a pyrophoric lighter, e.g. table type, comprises a rotatably mounted driving member 20, Fig. 3, adapted to be rotated in one direction by a spring 21, gearing, e.g. 11 and 12 connecting the member 20 with a rotatable flint wheel 13 whereby rotation of the member 20 produces a rotation of the flint wheel 13 at a relatively higher speed, a latch device 22a, Fig. 1, for holding the-member 20 in present position with its spring 21 loaded and a manually operable control member, e.g. a rotatable member 23 so arranged that on movement in one direction it rotates the member 20 against the action of the spring 21 until it is automatically engaged by the latch 22a and on movement in the opposite direction the member 23 releases the latch 22a to free the member 20 be rotated by the spring 21 to effect rotation of the gearing 11, 12 to rotate the flint wheel 13 and produce a spark. As shown in Fig. 3 the members 23, 20 and gear 11 are all freely mounted for co-axial rotation on a spindle 10 journalled in side members 8, 9 of a plate 7. One face of gear 11 is provided with ratchet teeth 15 which are engageable with a resilient tongue 17 of a one-way clutch device 16 also freely mounted on the spindle 10. The device 16 also has a bent lug 18, Fig. 2, which engages in a recess 19 of the member 20. The spring 21 surrounds the spindle 10, one end abutting a shoulder 22, Fig. 3, and the other end engaging a lug 20b, Fig. 2, on the member 20. The member 20 also has another lug 20a which is engageable with the latch 22a which is spring-loaded. The control member 23, operable by a link 26 from a thumb piece 4, Fig. 1, in the lighter lid 3, has two lugs 24, 25, the lug 24 being engageable with the lug 20b while the lug 25 can engage the latch 22a When the lid 3 is opened the lug 25 moves to engage the latch and release it so that the spring 21 then drives the member 20, clutch 16, ratchet teeth 15 and gear 11, and the gear 12 secured to the flint wheel and both freely rotatable on a spindle 14 journalled between the members 8 and 9 above the spindle 10. A spark is thus produced to light a wick 29, Fig. 1. When the lid is closed the lug 24 drives the member 20 by its lug 20b in the opposite direction against the action of the spring 21 until the lug 20a is held by the latch. The member 20 is then preset with the spring loaded in readiness for the next operation of the lighter. During this movement of the member 20 the resilient tongue 17 slips over the ratchet teeth 15 and no rotation is imparted to the flint wheel. In a modification the clutch 16 is dispensed with and the member 20 is also provided with ratchet teeth to engage with the ratchet teeth 15. In this case the spring 15 is not tightly coiled and permits the member 20 to slide towards the gear 11 and allow driving engagement of the sets of ratchet teeth and allows also the member 20 to move away from the gear 11 to permit relative sliding between the sets of ratchet teeth during the presetting operation of the member 20. The control member 23 may be operated by a separate lever, plunger, slide or like means operable by hand from outside of the lighter body, instead of by the lid 3. The lid may also be held closed by spring catch. The Provisional Specification states that the latch may be released independently of the member 23, e.g. by inserting a torch device through a guideway in the lighter.