An Improved Method and Apparatus for Cleaning or Clearing out Tobacco Pipes, Cigar and Cigarette Holders.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 26th Oct., 1888
An Improved Method and Apparatus for Cleaning or Clearing out
Tobacco Pipes, Cigar and Cigarette Holders.
I JOSEPH CLARK Engineer 4 Water Lane Great Tower Street London do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
The object of this invention is to clean or clear out tobacco pipes cigar and
cigarette holders when they have become stopped or too stiff to draw well.
The method I employ is to send a sudden puff of air through the tube of the
pipe and thereby expel any substance which may be obstructing the passage.
For this purpose various apparatus may be employed. The one I prefer is a
cylinder fitted with a piston which is actuated by a spiral or other convenient spring
in such a manner that when the spring is compressed by drawing back the piston and
released by a triggar arrangement the piston is suddenly propelled forward compresses
the air in the cylinder and drives it through an aperture in the end of the cylinder
into the passage in the stalk of the tobacco pipe or holder.
An indiarubber tube or washer or other suitable device is fitted on the aperture
in the end of the cylinder to make a tight joint between the pipe and the aperture.
Dated this 8th day of August 1888.
JOSEPH CLARK.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method and Apparatus for Cleaning or Clearing out
Tobacco Pipes, Cigar and Cigarette Holders.
I JOSEPH CLARK Engineer 4 Water Lane Great Tower Street London E.C. do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of this invention is to clean or clear out tobacco pipes cigar or
cigarette holders when they have become stoped or too stiff to draw well.
The method I employ is to send a sudden puff of air or jet of liquid through the
tube of the pipe and therby expell any substance which may be obstructing the
passage.
For this purpose various apparatus may be employed. The one I prefer is a
cylinder fitted with a piston which is fitted with a spiral spring or other convenient
spring in such a manner that when the spring is compressed by drawing back the
piston and released by a trigger arrangement the piston is suddenley propelled forward
compresses the air and drives it through an aperture in the end of the cylinder into
the passage in the stalk of the tobacco pipe or holder. An india rubber tube or washer
or other suitable device is fitted on the aperture in the end of the cylinder to make a
tight joint between the pipe or holder and the aperture.
The drawings show the form of construction which I prefer. Fig. I shows a section
of apparatus through the axis of the cylinder.
Fig. II is an end view of the apparatus.
A piston B is fitted so as to work air tight in the cylinder A. Between the
piston and the end of the cylinder D a spiral spring C is inserted so that when the
piston is pulled back by means of the piston rod F and the knob K on the end of it,
the spiral spring is compressed. When this spring is sufficiently compressed it is held
by a detent or trigger arrangement till it is necessary to liberate it for the purpose
of compressing the air in front of the piston B. The detent H is a small slide with a
keyhole shaped aperture (see Fig. 2) through the larger end of which the piston rod F can
freely pass. The small end of the keyhole aperture however will not allow the full
sized piston rod to pass but slips into a grove G on the piston rod when it is pulled
back the slide H being pulled up into the grove G by a curved spring L outside the
cylinder. By pressing down the spring L by the finger or thumb the larger end of
the slide H is brought oposite the piston rod and the piston is thereby released.
The cylinder tube extends a short distance beyond the slide H and is surrounded by
a strengthening ring I.
An india rubber nozzle piece M is fitted in the other end of the cylinder and
projects a short distance. An aperture is formed in the centre of this piece the
outer end P of which is conical so that the end of any pipe or holder whatever its
shape or size may form an air tight joint when inserted in the opening.

page_text: A strengthening ring N similar to I is fitted round this end of the cylinder two or
more screws are screwed through the ring and cylinder and penetrate a short distance
into the india rubber M to keep it in its place.
In the end D air holes R. R. are formed.
Having now particularly described and asertained the nature of my invention I
declare that what I claim is-
The method and apparatus for cleaning and clearing out tobacco pipes cigar and
cigarette holders by a puff of air or jet of liquid substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the drawings.