Improvements in Means for Cleaning Tobacco Pipes.
Year: 1896

page_text: CHARLES WILLIAM GODSON LITTLE Heckington, Lincolnshire, Engineer
ARTHUR JAMES IRELAND 20 Lawn Crescent, Kew Gardens Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists in applying to a tobacco pipe, for the purpose of cleaning
it when required a small piston which is made to work in the stem of the pipe in
such a way that it acts like an ordinary suction pump or syringe. By working this
piston backward and forward water may be drawn into and discharged from the
mouthpiece of the pipe or if preferred from the bowl thereby cleaning it. The
piston-rod by means of which the piston is actuated we find most conveniently
fitted up and attached to the piston in the following manner. The body of the
piston has a hole thro' its center of such a size as to admit of the piston rod
sliding freely thro' it. This hole is tapped to suitable depth. One end of the
piston-rod is enlarged and tapped so that it can screw into the tapped hole in
the piston. When not required for use the piston rests in the cylindrical part of the
stem beyond the smoke hole in the bowl, the rod being pushed forward and having
its enlarged end resting in the cylindrical part of the stem. When it is required to
operate the piston the rod is pulled out until its enlarged end can be screwed into
the piston, which being done the cleaning operation can be effected and on the
completion of which the piston is pulled into its original place the rod unscrewed
and again pushed forward into the stem. The end of the rod outside the stem has
a knob attached to it which can be screwed to the end of the stem.
This is one method of carrying out our invention and which we prefer but we do
not bind ourselves to this particular way alone.
Dated this 6th dow of November 1908
C. W. G. LITTLE.
A. J. IRELAND.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Cleaning Tobacco Pipes.
We, CHARLES WILLIAM GODSON LITTLE, of Heckington, in the County of
Lincoln, Engineer and ARTHUR JAMES IRELAND, of 20 Lawn Crescent, Kew
Gardens, in the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our
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 consists in applying to a tobacco pipe for the purpose of cleaning
it when required a small piston which is made to work in the stem of the pipe or in
a space in communication therewith in such a way that it acts like an ordinary
suction pump or syringe. By working this piston backward and forward water or
other cleansing liquid can be drawn into and discharged from the mouthpiece of the

page_text: pipe or into and from the bowl or into and from both, thereby cleaning the pipe
very efficiently.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a longitudinal section of a pipe
provided with a cleaning device according to our invention shewing the positions
of the parts when the said device is out of use.
Figure 2 is a similar section iliustrating the device in use.
The stem of the pipe at A is hollowed out to form a cylinder a in which the piston B
can be moved backwards and forwards. The piston rod C, by means of which the
piston B, is actuated, is most conveniently attached to the piston in the following
manner. The body of the piston B has a hole through its centre of such a size as
to admit of the piston rod C, sliding freely through it. The hole is shewn, as being
made in a metal bush 6 with end Hanges holding a piece of cork constituting the
body of the piston. The said hole is screw tapped to a suitable depth at one end 6².
One end c of the piston rod C, is enlarged and screwed so that it can screw into the
tapped hole. The other end of the rod C, is secured to a screw cap D, which
can be screwed on the end piece a² which closes the end of the stem A and has a
bole in it for the passage of the rod C. The end piece a³ may contain a rubber or
other flexible washer through which the piston rod can work tightly thereby
preventing leakage at this part. When the cleaning device is not in use the
piston B rests in the cylindrical part of the stem beyond the smoke hole a³ from the
bowl the rod C, being pushed forward as shewn in Figure 1 and the cap D being
screwed on the end piece a³.
When it is required to clean the pipe, the cap D, is unscrewed and the rod C, is
pulled out until its enlarged end c can be screwed into the hole 6' in the piston and
then the cleaning can be effected by placing the bowl or the stem or both in water
or other cleansing liquid and moving the piston B, to and fro in the cylindrical part
of the stem A. On the completion of the cleansing the piston B is again pulled
into its original place the rod C is unscrewed from the piston B and again pushed
forward into the stem and the cap D is screwed onto the piece a².
Although the method described is we consider the best way of carrying out our
invention we do not limit ourselves to this particular way of constructing the piston
and connecting it to the rod by which it is operated. If desired the stem can
be lined with metal or other hard substance for the piston to work against.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In combination with a tobacco pipe a piston contained in the hollow stem of
the pipe or in a space in communication therewith and provided with means by
which it can be moved to and fro in the said stem or space substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. In combination with a tobacco pipe a piston contained in the hollow stem of
the pipe or in a space in communication therewith and provided with a screwed
hole and a piston rod passing through the said piston and having a screw at its end
which can be screwed into and from the said hole in the piston substantially as
herein before described.
3
3. In combination with a tobacco pipe a piston contained in the bollow stem of
the pipe or in a space in communication therewith and a piston rod passing through
the said piston and provided at one end with means for connecting it with and
disconnecting it from the piston and at the other end connected, to a cap or the
like which can be secured to the pipe substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 18th day of January 1897
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX;
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.