Improvements in Switches for Electric Cigar Lighters and like purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1831-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches for Electric Cigar Lighters and like
purposes.
We, GUSTAV BINSWANGER of 71 Queen Victoria Street, London, Electrical
Engineer, and CHARLES HENRY SMEETON of 71 Queen Victoria Street, London,
Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved switch or contact maker to be used in con-
nection with electric cigar lighters. It consists of an iron, steel, or other metal
tube closed in at each end, divided into two or more parts, by means of sleeves
or nipples made of ebonite or other electrical insulating materials, thereby insulating
the metal parts from each other. Each part to be fitted with a terminal or binding
post for making the necessary contacts or attachments: the tube to be partly filled
with quicksilver for the purpose of making the necessary automatic electrical
contact when in use. The above switch to be fitted in a wooden or china handle
in such a manner that when hung upon a hook or suspended in a certain position,
the quicksilver falls to one end of the tube switch: when taken from that position
the quicksilver falls to the other end of the tube switch.
The action of the switch is as follows:-
When hung upon a hook or suspended, the quicksilver falling to one end breaks
the electrical contact between the metal parts, and when moved from that position
the quicksilver spreading or falling to the other end makes electrical contact
between the metal parts across the ebonite, or sleeves, or nipples made from other
electrical insulating materials, so forming an automatic switch enclosed in a
perfectly air-tight case.
CY
1001
G. BINSWANGER.
C. H. SMEETON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Switches for Electric Cigar Lighters and like
purposes.
We, GUSTAV BINSWANGER Electrical Engineer, and CHARLES HENRY
SMEETON, Electrician, both of No. 71 Queen Victoria Street, in the City and
County of London 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 :-
Our invention relates to an improved switch, or contact maker and breaker to
be used in connection with electric cigar lighters, and has for its object the con-
struction of an automatic appliance for producing the desired effect.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Figure is a sectional elevation shewing the conditions of action when the
apparatus is operative, and
Figure 2 is an elevational view shewing the device as suspended, and inoperative.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ an outer casing A of any suitable
material, made in two parts as a a' or otherwise to render the interior accessible.
Said casing A may take the form of a handle, as shewn, although we do not
confine ourselves to any particular construction or configuration thereof. Within
the hollow portion of A, we place a compound tube D, preferably made of iron,

page_text: and in two parts, E E', insulated one from the other by a sleeve or thimble d of
ebonite or other insulating material or substance.
The terminals, or binding screws eel serve to connect the conductors to the
various parts as may be desired, and it is evident that if a certain quantity of
mercury or quicksilver be placed in D, and the device be put in the position shewn
by Figure 1, the fluid metal establishes an electrical contact between E and E',
and consequently between the terminals eel. If, however, the device be inverted
as shown by Figure 2, the mercury is held by E without making contact with E',
since is purposely made longer than E in order to retain said mercury without
contact. Therefore, when the device is suspended by the hook the electric
current is switched off, but any slight deviation from this vertical position is
sufficient to displace the fluid metal and complete the circuit.
A facing of fireclay, asbestos, or any refractory and insulating substance is
provided with a conductor of high resistance, and of high melting point such for
instance as platinum, or any alloy thereof. Said conductor of high resistance
may either be placed above or within a recess, or may be imbedded within the
facing, and connected to two conductors so that an electrical current of
sufficient strength passing there between may produce a high degree of tempera-
ture upon or within the facing h. Said conductors are connected respectively
to one wire of the double flexible lead c and e or e¹ through the metallic casing in
the one, and the plug contact in the other.
When this device is used for automatically operating a cigar lighter we pre-
ferably place it in series with one or more incandescence electric lamps, this or these
serving as a constant resistance and preserving the conductor or conductors upon
or within the facing from fusion.
The device illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 of the appended drawings and herein
described comprises a compact and convenient adaptation of our invention to a
cigar or pipe lighter, but the tube or chamber D formed by connecting two
parts EE of metal by an insulating sleeve d may be used as a switch or contact
maker and breaker in any case in which it is desirable to make and break an
electric circuit without external sparking, the chamber D being to all intents and
purposes hermetically sealed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is;-
First. In a switch for electric cigar lighters and like purposes, the combination
of a compound tube D holding mercury, and a facing connected therewith, with
a suspending device & substantially as and for the purposes herein described with
reference to the drawings.
Second. The combination of a compound metallic tube or chamber D, of two
metal parts E E joined by an insulating sleeve d and holding mercury, with a
suspensory appliance and necessary electrical connections for use as a sealed
switch, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 13th day of November 1891.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.