Abstract:
A cigar cutting and snuffing tool comprising a cutter sub-assembly having a tubular cutter and a pusher element slidingly mounted therewithin, together with a snuffer barrel tightly mounted on the outside of the cutter member. A cigar can be placed into the barrel and brought into contact with the tubular cutter, which can then have a plug of tobacco cut from its cap end. The plug of tobacco is held within the tubular cutter until expelled from the cutter by moving the pusher element within the cutter. The snuffer barrel is sized to receive cigars of a series of ring sizes. When a lit cigar is desired to be extinguished, the cigar is inserted and seated within the barrel, with the lit end brought up against and impaled upon the cutter assembly. The tight mounting of the snuffer barrel on the tubular cutter creates an air tight compartment when the cigar is seated within the snuffer barrel. The tool will then prevent air from reaching the burning tobacco so that it quickly becomes extinguished and the entire device mounted on the cigar can then be placed in the smoker&#39;s pocket for subsequent smoking.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a tool for use with cigars and is more particularly concerned with cutting a plug from a fresh cigar in preparation for smoking it and for snuffing a lit cigar while preserving its integrity and allowing it to be preserved for later smoking.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    As is well known, cigars have an outer wrapper leaf which is fastened down at one end to form a closed cap. The cap prevents the cigar from unraveling and allowing the shorter tobacco leaves of the filler tobacco to fall out. Before the cigar can be smoked, the cap has to be cut, clipped, pierced, punctured or plugged in order to provide the smoker with the ability to draw smoke through the cigar. Various devices have been proposed to perform this operation.  
           [0003]    One such type of device is a punch or piercing tool. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. Des. 283,451 issued to Kolpin on Apr. 15, 1986 shows a simple cigar piercing tool. A variant of such a simple tool is a hollow punch as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,254 issued to Fleisher, et al. on Dec. 8, 1987 wherein a cigar holder is provided with an inwardly and centrally extending hollow punch to pierce the butt end of a cigar.  
           [0004]    Another type of device is known as a “guillotine” type of cigar cutter. Such a device includes an aperture for inserting a cigar tip to be cut, and a pivotable, rotatable or slidable blade for cutting a portion of the cigar cap at or adjacent to the aperture. An example of such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,051 issued to Schmidt on Aug. 11, 1998. In this patent a housing is provided having a cigar tip receiving aperture sized to receive cigars and a slide and blade mounted thereto is drawn across the aperture to cut off an end of the cigar. These devices may have additional features incorporated in an assembly. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,022 issued to Pierce, Jr. on Jul. 15, 1986 discloses a lighter having an adapter mounted on it which provides a slide plate and a cover. Two aligned bores are formed, one in the slide plate and one in the cover. A slidable blade moves between the slide plate and cover to clip off the cigar end. Another such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,682 issued to Halmaghi on Jun. 7, 1977. This patent provides a base element mounted in the center of an ashtray, and a stamper mounted above the base having a blade fastened to it. The base has a hole to receive a cigar tip and the stamper is aligned to slide the blade midway, but transversely, through the hole in the base to sever an end of the cigar.  
           [0005]    Another type of device cuts a cylindrical shaped plug from the cap end of a cigar. One such device is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,569 issued to Kemanjian on Jun. 16, 1998. The cigar cutter shown in this patent uses a cylindrical shaped blade slidably mounted on a mandrel. A helical motion is imparted to the blade by a ball bearing on the blade which slides in a helical groove on the outer surface of the mandrel. The blade will then cut a plug. A reverse motion of the blade will allow the plug to be ejected from the tool. A further example of such a plug cutting device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,581 issued to Smith on Jun. 30, 1998 wherein a barrel shaped cap cutting tool is provided with a very sharp circular cutting edge which is pressed into the cap end of a cigar. A resiliently biased plunger, mounted so as to normally be withdrawn into the barrel away from the cutting edge, is movable axially from the end opposite the circular cutting edge for ejecting the cut plug and then automatically returned to the normally withdrawn position.  
           [0006]    Cigar smokers many times come into a situation, such as when entering a no-smoking environment, when they have to extinguish their cigar, despite the fact that they may not have finished smoking it. Those who become aficionados and smoke expensive cigars are particularly loathed to throw away a cigar that has not been substantially fully smoked down. If they should wish to again smoke the cigar they desire to carefully, but quickly, extinguish the cigar while preserving its integrity so that it can be smoked again.  
           [0007]    The above described cigar cutting tools contain no means for extinguishing a lit cigar and permitting its preservation for later smoking. Generally, when a cigar smoker enters an environment where smoking is not permitted he extinguishes his cigar in an ash tray by crushing it, thereby destroying the tight packing of the outer wrapper leaf over the filler tobacco. In such an event the cigar may come apart and cannot be smoked again. Devices have been proposed which permit extinguishing a cigarette or cigar by inserting it into a cylindrical barrel member open at both ends, which rests upon an ash tray or other flat surface. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,533 issued to Boling on Sep. 15, 1998, wherein the lower end of a tube has attached thereto a large round base member extending perpendicular to the tube.  
           [0008]    All of these devices do not provide a single tool for cigar smokers which combines the functions of cutting the cap end of the cigar and for snuffing the lit cigar should it become necessary to extinguish the cigar before it is completely smoked.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a single tool for cigar smokers which provides for the functions of cutting and snuffing and which is portable and easily fits into a smoker&#39;s pocket.  
           [0010]    In accordance with the present invention the cigar tool comprises a barrel shaped cap cutter provided with a circular cutting edge which is pressed into the cap end of a cigar and a barrel shaped snuffer which is mounted on the outside of the barrel of the cap cutter. The internal diameter of the snuffer is sized for a range of ring sizes and when the snuffer is mounted on the cutter it seats on a section of the outer surface of the cutter barrel so as to maintain an air tight compartment to receive a lit cigar. The forward portion of the cap cutter serves to crush the burning end of the cigar when inserted into the snuffer barrel, and the sealed compartment serves to quickly extinguish the lit end in a matter of seconds while preserving the balance of the cigar to be smoked at a later time.  
           [0011]    Other objects and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from a consideration of the detailed description following hereafter which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Such drawing and the specific embodiments shown and described herein are intended for purposes of illustration of the invention and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The various objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will be more fully apparent from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the cutting and snuffing apparatus of the invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken longitudinally of the snuffer barrel;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the barrel-shaped cutter, partially in cross-section;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the pusher and spring, partially in cross-section;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the cutter and pusher in assembled position with a partial cross-sectioned portion showing the spring and set screw in the normal retracted position of the pusher prior to cutting a plug from the cap end of a cigar;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing the cutter and pusher in assembled position with a partial cross-sectioned portion showing the parts in the position in which they are after a plug portion is cut from the cigar by the cutter and ejected from the tool by the pusher; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view through the cigar tool of the invention showing a lit cigar being snuffed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    As shown in FIG. 1 the cigar tool of the invention comprises three main components, a snuffer barrel  10  into which a cigar is inserted to be cut for smoking and to be extinguished when lit, a cutter barrel  50  containing a means for cutting a plug from the cap end of a cigar and a pusher or plunger  90  which axially translates within the cutter barrel to eject a cut plug from the tool.  
         [0021]    The snuffer barrel  10  is shown more clearly in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2. An enlarged flange  14  is formed at the rear of the long main portion of the barrel  10 . A short reduced diameter extension section  18  is provided to the rear of the flange  14  on the barrel to permit mounting on the cutter assembly. The longer main section of the barrel  10  is provided with a central hole  22  extending almost the full length of the barrel. The hole  22  is formed into two sections  26  and  30 . Section  26  is tapered to accommodate a series of ring sizes of cigars. For example, the taper angle of section  26  may be such as to accommodate three different cigar ring sizes which are commonly smoked, i.e. ring sizes 48, 50 and 52. Because of this sizing, a cigar, when inserted into section  26  of barrel  10  may be conveniently retained therein in a tight fit. Section  30  is also a tapered section but at a flatter angle. This section  30  serves to slightly compress the lit end of a cigar when it is inserted lit end first into the barrel  10  in order to slightly crush the lit end and the ash formed thereon. The remainder of the barrel  10  has a hole  34  of further reduced diameter as compared to the diameter  30  in order to accommodate the cutter barrel  50  in a close sliding fit. A ledge  38  is formed at the juncture of taper section  30  and the inner end of hole  34 .  
         [0022]    As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the preferred cutter  50  is tubular in shape, having a knurled enlarged head end  54  with a convex or recessed outer surface  52 . The cutter body has a main section  58  and a reduced diameter front section  70 . The portion  62  of the main section  58  adjacent the knurled head  54  is “ramped up” to a slightly larger diameter than the diameter of hole  34  in extension section  18  of the barrel  10  in order to provide a tight fit with the interior of the barrel  10  when they are assembled together (see FIG. 7). In this manner the cutter and barrel can be assembled and retained in the assembled position while the tool is carried around or when it is mounted on a cigar, yet can be easily disassembled by grasping the knurled head end  54  on the cutter and the flange  14  on the snuffer barrel  10  and pulling the cutter  50  out of the barrel  10 . The front reduced diameter section  70  is tapered and its end forms a thin cutter  74 . The taper permits the ready removal of the cutter from a cigar after it is inserted into a cigar cap end to cut a plug from the cigar which will be later removed by ejection from the cutter. The taper also permits removal of the tool from a cigar that has been snuffed when it is desired to smoke it again.  
         [0023]    The cutter has a through bore provided by a smaller diameter hole  78  extending through section  70  and into section  58 , which then leads to a larger diameter hole  82  which exits the head end  54 . A ledge surface  86  is provided at the junction of the larger diameter hole  82  with the smaller diameter hole  78 . A threaded hole  88  is provided in the main section  58  adjacent the tapered cutter end  70  to receive a set screw  144  (see FIGS. 3 and 5).  
         [0024]    As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the pusher  90  is of cylindrical form, having an enlarged head end  94  which is knurled on its external surface and is provided with a convex rear surface  96  and a front planar surface  92 . The pusher, next to the head end  94 , is formed with a smaller reduced diameter section  98 . The main central section  102  of the pusher is of even smaller diameter than the section  98 . A ledge  106  is formed at the joinder area of the two sections  102  and  98 . This ledge portion  106  serves as a stop for one end of a spring  126 . The forwardmost end of the pusher  90  is formed into a plug  110  of the same diameter as section  102  by machining a reduced diameter section or groove  118  into the main central section  102 . This plug end  110  is provided with a planar face  114  which serves to push against a plug of tobacco cut out of the cigar cap end when the pusher is moved to eject that cut plug from the tool. The formation of the groove  118  creates a front surface  130  and a rear surface  134 .  
         [0025]    Upon assembly of the pusher and cutter the hole  88  in the cutter  50  will be oriented so that when the set screw  144  (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is threaded into the hole it will be positioned within the groove  118 .  
         [0026]    The spring  126  is mounted on section  102  to be freely movable thereon. The left end of the spring as viewed in FIG. 4 bears against the surface  106  and, when the pusher is mounted within the cutter, the right end of the spring  126  bears against the ledge surface  86  on the cutter as seen more clearly in FIGS. 5 and 6. Thus a pocket or space  148  (see FIG. 5) is created within the cutter  50  when the pusher and cutter are assembled together. This space is delineated by the end surfaces  106  and  86  and the surfaces of the bore  82  and the outer surface of the cylinder section  102 .  
         [0027]    The cigar cap end cutting mode of the tool is shown in FIG. 5. Upon assembly of the pusher  90  into the cutter  50  the spring  126  is held within the space  148  between the two ledges  86  and  106 . In order to properly align the groove  118  with the threaded hole  88  pressure is applied to the knurled head  94  of the pushed while holding the head end  54  of the cutter. The spring  126  will become slightly compressed between the ledge surface  106  on the pusher and the surface  86  on the cutter. When the pusher and cutter are so positioned the set screw  144  can be threaded into the hole  88  and into the groove  118  to reach the position shown in FIG. 5. The set screw  144  is not threaded all of the way into the hole  88  because it will then engage the bottom of the groove  118  of the pusher  90  and immobilize the pusher within the cutter. The positioning of the screw  144  partially into the groove  118  will prevent the pusher  90  from separating from the cutter  50  since the set screw  88  will bear against the front surface  130  of the groove  118 . Since the spring  126  is slightly compressed, it will serve to retain the pusher in a normal retracted position within the cutter, with the plug end face  114  located the distance “x” from the cutter end of the tool. In one model of the cigar tool this positioning requires that the pusher and cutter are aligned with the end surface  114  being located about {fraction (3/16)}″ inwards of the cutter end  74  (indicated as distance “x” in FIG. 5). The spacing between the planar surface  92  on the pusher head end  94  is the same distance “x” from the closest portion of the recessed outer surface  52 .  
         [0028]    The barrel  10  is assembled to the cutter-pusher sub-assembly and a cigar is placed into the barrel. By then rotating the assembled tool on the closed cap end of a cigar a plug will be cut out of that end of the cigar and will be retained in the front end of the cutter-pusher sub-assembly between the face  114  and cutting end  74 .  
         [0029]    Once the plug is cut from the cigar it can be ejected from the tool by pushing on the head end  94  of the pusher and holding the outside of the snuffer barrel  10  or the knurled head  54  on the cutter. The axial movement of the pusher  90  within the cutter  50  will compress the spring  126  and bring the parts into the position shown in FIG. 6. This view shows the position of the parts just after the plug from the cigar is ejected from the tool. When pressure is applied to the head end  94  of the pusher  90  sufficiently so as to place the face  92  against the convex surface  52  of the cutter  50 , the pusher will be moved relative to the cutter the distance “x”. At the time that the face  114  of the end part  110  of the pusher  90  is located at the cutting end  74  and the cut plug is ejected from the cutter.  
         [0030]    The compression of the spring  126  creates a restoring force in the spring. When pressure on the head end  94  of the pusher is released the spring will restore the parts to the normal position shown in FIG. 5. Although the use of a spring  126  is preferred, the cigar tool of the invention can be used without a spring (see FIG. 7). In such event the pusher  90  will be freely movable within the cutter  50  between a position where the set screw bears against the end surface  130  as shown in FIG. 5 and a position where the set screw bears against the surface  134 . If no spring is employed there is no resistance applied to the cut plug so that merely grabbing the knurled head  54  of the cutter and manipulating it to cut a plug from the cap end of a cigar will still deposit a cut plug in the end space of the cutter for a distance “x” as shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0031]    The tool of the invention is small and easily fits into a smoker&#39;s pocket taking up as much space as a small collection of change. As described above the tool serves to first cut a hole in the end of the cigar and eject the cut portion from the tool. When the cigar needs to be extinguished while shopping or otherwise entering a no-smoking area, the barrel is mounted on the cutter-pusher sub-assembly. The cigar can be quickly snuffed out by inserting the lit end  204  of the cigar  200  into the snuffer barrel  10  of the tool as shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 shows a cigar of the smallest ring size accommodated by the tapered surface  26  of the snuffer barrel. In this position the inner end  64  of the reduced diameter extension section  18  will become seated on the ramped up portion  62  of the main section  58  of the pusher  50  adjacent the knurled head  54 . The dimensions are such that a very tight fit of the snuffer barrel on the cutter outer surface is obtained, which then requires the exertion of some force to separate the two parts. When the cigar is placed within the snuffer barrel the ash  204  is placed into a substantially air tight compartment between the body of the cigar  200  and the space between taper  30  on the barrel and the outer surface of the main section  58  of the cutter  50 .  
         [0033]    The burning ash  204  becomes impaled on the end of the cutter-pusher sub-assembly. The ash  204  may fill the space “x” at the front end of the cutter and may extend into the space between the second taper surface  30  of the snuffer barrel and the outer surface of the main section  58  of the cutter  50 . This somewhat reduced circumferential area will also serve to slightly crush the cigar ash  204 .  
         [0034]    The cigar is usually extinguished in a matter of seconds. The cigar with the tool mounted on it can then be placed into the smoker&#39;s pocket. In this manner when the smoker is again able to smoke the cigar it is made available for smoking by simply removing the cigar from the snuffer barrel of the tool and again lighting the cigar.  
         [0035]    The tool is normally carried assembled, with the snuffer barrel mounted on the cutter assembly. The barrel can be removed by simply grabbing the larger knurled portion (i.e. the back end of the cutter) and pulling it out of the barrel.  
         [0036]    It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description and accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, various changes and modifications may be employed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, by way of example and not of limitation, other cutters than the specific plug type cutter may be employed, such as guillotine type cutters, or tools which cut notches, pierce or otherwise puncture the cigar in order to provide the smoker with the ability to draw smoke through the cigar. The present invention is to be limited only by the scope which can be accorded the appended claims.