Improvements in Pocket-lamps and Cigar-lighters.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pocket-lamps and Cigar-lighters.
I, HENRY ALBERT SHERMAN, of Peachton, in the County of Ottawa and
State of Ohio United States of America Fruit-grower, 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 :—
This invention relates to that class of pocket lamps wherein the fulminating caps
are attached to a removable rotating paper disc, the revolution of which causes the
caps to impinge against an adjacent spring-finger and be thereby exploded and
serve to ignite the wick; and it consists of certain novel features of construction
herein after described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of the lamp complete ;
Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view thereof;
Fig. 3, a side view of the lamp with the side or cover removed; and
Fig. 4, a view of the inner side of the removable cover, showing the cap-disc.
Referring to the drawings by letters, a designates a circular casing similar in
shape to a watch-case, so as to be conveniently carried in the pocket. One side
of this casing or shell is closed and the other is open, this open side being closed
by a removable flanged cover a', which is similar in shape but slightly larger than
the casing, so as to fit closely over its open side. This cover is removably secured
in place by means of the bayonet-slots a", formed in its flange at diametrically
opposite points, and the pins a², secured on the exterior of the casing, so as to
engage the slots, or by any suitable means desired.
Journaled centrally in the circular flanged cover is a short shaft having secured
to its inner end a rotating disc b, which is provided with pins to engage and rotate
the disc, carrying the fulminating-caps, and which approximately fits within the
flange of the cover. The outer end of the short shaft is headed to prevent end-
wise movement and provided with a pivoted thumb-piece or ring 6, whereby it
may be readily rotated, said thumb-piece being adapted to fold compactly against
the outer side of the cover when not in use.
Removably secured within the casing is a flat circular or nearly circular oil-
reservoir c, having its upper edge flattened and provided with a filling-opening. A
flanged removable-cape is fitted snugly in the opening to prevent leakage, this
cap being provided with a short wick-tube " The casing above the wick-tube
is provided with an opening, through which the flame projects when the lamp is
lighted, this opening being closed by an arc-shaped cover d, having its inner end
pivoted to the centre of the closed end of the casing on its inner side and flanged
at its outer edge to closely fit the interior of the periphery of the casing. This
cover or extinguisher is provided on its flange with a radial operating pin d', by
which it is turned on its pivot to close and open it, this pin alternately resting in
notches at each end of the opening in the casing to limit the motion of the
cover in both directions.
The oil-reservoir is removably held in the casing by a pair of oppositely
inclined flanges f, secured on its lower edge and fitting between flanges f', secured
on the interior of the bottom edge of the casing, these interlocking flanges serving
to prevent the reservoir rattling or moving about within the casing and yet per-
mitting its ready removal therefrom when necessary for filling and cleaning. The
striker or ignitor g is a bent spring-arm having its lower end bent laterally and
removably held to the side of the reservoir next to the cap-disc by a metallic
boss g', the lateral extension of the arm extending through an opening in the
boss. This igniting arm may be readily removed by simply moving it laterally

page_text: out of the boss on the reservoir, thereby enabling it to be removed when worn or
broken. It will be observed that when the cover carrying the cap-disc is placed
over the open end of the casing the caps on the disc are brought in line with
the outwardly bent upper end of the igniting arm, so that by gently turning the
disc by means of the hinged thumb-piece the caps may be successively exploded to
light the adjacent wick.
This invention makes a very simple and compact device that may be readily
taken apart for cleaning and renewal. Among its essential features are its circular
compact shape, whereby it may be readily carried in the pocket with convenience
its comparatively large reservoir made removable to enable it to be readily filled
with oil, its simply constructed igniting arm adapted to be readily renewed when
worn, and its removable cover carrying the cap-disc and means for operating it,
the whole producing a simple and practical device that may be put on the market
at a minimum cost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination, in a pocket-lamp, of a casing open at one side and having an
opening in its upper edge, a segmental extinguisher pivoted on the interior of the
casing and adapted to close the opening therein, an oil-reservoir substantially the
same shape as the casing and removably secured therein by means of lugs ff¹ on
the exterior of the reservoir and the interior of the casing, a wick-tube secured
in an opening in the upper edge of oil reservoir, a removable spring igniting arm g,
secured on the outer face of the reservoir, a removable cover a', fitted over the
open side of the casing, a shaft journaled in the centre of the cover and carrying a
disc for carrying the cap-disc b on its interior, and means for rotating this disc,
substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of December.
HENRY A. SHERMAN,
By L. W., per F. B.