Improvements in Electric Batteries and Lighters for Cigars and other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Batteries and Lighters for Cigars and
other purposes.
I, DAVID ROBERTSON, of Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire Ironmonger,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing reference being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction or
arrangement and combination of the parts and special fittings of an electric battery
and lighter for lighting cigars, cigarettes, tapers, and other purposes, which will be
more convenient and efficient than such electric batteries or lighters have been as
heretofore constructed.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figures 1 and 2 are an
external clevation partly in section and plan respectively of my improved electric
lighter or battery; and Figure 3 is a sectional elevation corresponding to Figure 1
showing the internal battery, electrodes and fittings. While Figure 4 is a plan view
corresponding to Figure 3 with the top cover removed.
Referring to these drawings:-According to this arrangement the whole is self
contained or portably mounted on a shallow circular basement or soleplate A of
less than an inch in thickness with an ornamental turned edge A', preferably of
hardwood, and with an equivalent circular shallow top plate A four inches or so above
the base A, connected to it by two, three, or more vertical retaining oscillating spiral
springs or spring rods a or other equivalent with collar knobs a on top of lid A2,
entering slots a from its outer rim, so as to press the lid A2 down on a cylindrical
outer sheet metal case B sunk into a recess at A" in the top of the basement sole A,
and into a circular groove A³ on the underside of the top A². An improved form of
hollow cylindrical glass or porcelain chemical battery vessel or bottle B' is fitted
within this outer metal case B set in the said recess A in the soleplate A, and of a
height to be slightly lower than the supported wooden top A, which has a turned
hole or recess a² through it to allow of the shallow neck B2 of this battery vessel Bi
passing up into or nearly through it, leaving a new horizontal or curved
down broad top B" on this vessel B all round between its cylindrical side B' and
neck B2 for enabling the vessel to be nearly three-fourths filled with the dilute
sulphuric acid or liquid chemicals S and also prevent the possibility of them shaking
out through the open neck B2 from any little motion of the vessel or the sudden
insertion of the electrical current generating plates, or electrodes, as has been the case
with the open top battery vessels heretofore in use. By one arrangement these plates
or electrodes would consist of a central zinc or equivalent movable plate Z, with an
angled or circular top part and reaching down to within a short distance of the
chemicals S in its normal inactive position, as shown in Figure 3 where it would
be broad to give considerable acting surface, and have placed on opposite sides of it,
wo stationary carbon plates or blocks C reaching down to a short distance from the
bottom of the vessel B' so that the zinc plate Z may be pushed about an inch down
between them into the chemicals S to complete the circuit. The carbon plates C
re screwed to the outer vertical surfaces of knee brass plates C₁ having their
orizontal top part C formed with a slot in the centre and screwed to the under
urface of the wooden top A² of the apparatus. The top of the zinc plate Z is secured
o the lower end of a short vertical stem D working out and up through a guide

page_text: socket D¹ in the centre of a domed sheet metal cover D³ secured by a flange all round
to the top of the wooden frame A2, and has an insulated pushing button d, on top
and spiral spring below between it and a recess in the guide socket D' which
would always retain the zine plate Z in its highest position except when pushed down
through the slot a³ to immers it in the battery liquid S. A small copper wire is
led from the plate (2, carrying the carbon electrodes C through the wooden top A²
to the front of the apparatus, and a wire c¹ is similarly led from the dome cover D².
electrically connected to the zinc plate Z. and the ends of both wires e c¹ are connected
up to a transverse spiral loop of platinum wire c² in front as dottel in in Figures 1
and 2, under the plate and which would be made incandescent to a white heat when
the zinc electrode Z was immersed in the battery solution S. The metal vessel B
carries preferably two plain or fluted tubes b at its front sides for holding a little
spirits of wine or other inflammable mixture and a torch wire or rol, with asbestos
or cotton waste at its lower end, as shown in Figure 1, to dip into the inflammable
mixture and apply to the incandescent electric wire c² when the cigar is to be lighted.
A sheet metal knee plate 3 is screwed to the top of the cover A2 and projects ont
and down with a slit or hole in it in front of the platinum wire c², for inserting the
torch on the rod & to get a light and having slits in it in front to show the incandescent
wire 2. When the battery was required to be renewed, the spring rods a would only
require to be slipped out of their grooves a" in the top plate A³, so that the whole
top could he lifted off with the plates (, Z, wires, and connections, and the chemical
battery vessel B' removed and replaced with great convenience.
Instead of the carbon and zinc electrodes (, Z, other metallic electrodes may be
used which are electro positive and negative to each other. A chemical bath suitable
for this battery with carbon and zinc plates C, Z, is a weak solution of sulphuric acid
saturated with potassium bichromate, but other chemicals may be used, suitable for
these or other metallic electrodes when such are used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of an electric
battery or lighter for cigars and other purposes, with sheet metal dome cover D², and
glass or porcelain battery vessel B₁ with broad horizontal or curved down top B,
substantially as herein described in referenc to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Second. In an electric battery or lighter the construction and use of a glass or
porcelain battery vessel 13 with broad horizontal or curved down top part B₁ between
the neck B and sides B¹, substantially as and for the purposes herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In an electric battery or lighter the combination and use of a domed sheet
metal top cover D2 in which an electrode works, substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 14th, Naurition 1800
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.