Improvements in Appliances for Facilitating the Lighting of Tobacco Pipes and the like in Boisterous Weather.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1896-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1396
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Facilitating the Lighting of
Tobacco Pipes and the like in Boisterous Weather.
We WILLIAM CARTER of 71, Parchment Street, Wine and Spirit Merchant,
and JOSEPH HENRY PRALL, of 31, Tower Street, Watchmaker, both of
Winchester, in the County of Hampshire, 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 Firstly-to a collapsible appliance which when closed may
be carried in the vest or ticket pocket, and when expanded may be used as a means
for lighting and shielding or preventing the extinguishing of vestas or matches
when required for lighting tobacco pipes, cigars or cigarettes in boisterous weather.
Secondly-of a means of converting or attaching to ordinary pocket vesta or match
boxes, a portion of the said appliance that these, in addition to their uses as holders
or containers, may also serve as shields for a like purpose.
In order that our invention and its application may be fully understood, reference
is hereinafter made to the accompanying sheet of drawings of which :-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the appliance forming the first part of our invention, as
it would appear when collapsed for carrying in the pocket.
Fig. 2 is a top plan and Fig. 3 a bottom plan of same.
Fig. 4 shows the appliance as it would appear when expanded and in use for
facilitating the lighting of a pipe.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken upon the line A. B. of Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section of Fig. 2 further illustrating its use for facilitating
the lighting of a pipe.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of an ordinary pocket vesta box, shewing the
application of the principle of our invention to the lid of same.
Fig 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but illustrating the attachment of a hinged cap
to the bottom of same for a like purpose.
Fig. 9 is a detail hereinafter explained.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, we carry our invention into effect by constructing of
any suitable metal or material or combination of materials a preferably but not
imperatively circular case A, of any desired dimensious, but which for the
convenience of carrying in the vest pocket may be of the size shewn or thereabouts,
and within A is a case of similar material B, the latter being capable of tele-
scoping within the former as at Fig. 1. The upper end of A is enclosed by a
fixed or hinged cover C, in which is provided any number of holes or per-
forations a (Fig. 2) while the sides or wall of A may have a row or rows of
similar apertures b. The lower end of B is enclosed by a slightly concave
plate B, in the centre of which is a preferably circular aperture surrounded by
a rin c, capable of fitting within the bowl of any sized pipe, and surrounding
this we provide a suitable number of ventilating apertures or perforations d
(Fig. 3). In any part of the sides or wall of the case B is provided an
opening E, and within and to B, is rivetted, screwed, soldered or otherwise fixed
a spring plate F of the same curviture as B, aud which nearly covers the
opening E with the exception of so much (g) as will permit a match or vesta j
to be passed therethrough as at Fig. 6. A portion or the whole of the outer
surface of the plate seen through the opening E, is corrugated, fluted or

page_text: otherwise roughened at e or coated with roughened material such as glass paper
or emery or emery cloth, or that forming the striking surface of safety match boxes
if safety matches be used.
When not in use B may be telescoped within A as at Fig. 1, so that the apparatus
may be carried in the vest or ticket pocket, and when required for use B would be
first withdrawn from A, and placed covering the bowl of the pipe with the rim,
inserted therein as at Fig. 4, the said rim, and the concave formation of the
bottom D, serving to retain the apparatus is position when the pipe is held by the
left hand with the thumb and forefinger grasping the rim of D. With the right
hand the match or vesta would be passed over the roughened surface e of the
spring plate F in the direction of the arrow Fig. 4, and this becoming ignited by
friction therewith, would, at the end of the stroke be passed through the space
between the end of the plate F and the end of the aperture E, to within the case 1
as at Fig. 6, when the tobacco in the pipe may be easily lighted thereby, and by
reason of the apertures d in the bottom D, and the perforations and a in A
and C, a sufficient up draught is provided to keep the match or vesta alight as
long as needed, while the shield formed by A and B prevents the extinguishing of
same by the heaviest gale. As a means for steadying and centralizing the flame,
we may find it desirable to attach to the under surface of the cover C of A, a
short length of metal tubing shewn by dotted outline Fig. 6, of such diameter
as to take in the central hole or holes a in C, thus forming a chimney to which the
flame and heat would be directed. As a means for facilitating the lighting of cigars
or cigarettes under like circumstances, the cigar or cigarette would be passed
through the aperture surrounded by the rim e and be lighted in like manner, to
effect which it may be found more convenient to tilt the apparatus slightly from
the true vertical shewn in Fig. 6.
Referring to Figs. 7, 8 and 9 in which we illustrate how the principle of our
invention may be applied to ordinary pocket vesta or match boxes. According to
this arrangement we form in the roof of the lid G of the box H, like perforations <,
and in the side as at Fig. 7, or at the edge as at Fig. 9 a like aperture E partly
covered by a spring or other plate I, roughened at e, and rivetted or otherwise
secured to the inside of G leaving a space 7. Or we may hinge or otherwise
attach to the lower end of H a lid Gas at Fig. 8 which in every way may be
exactly like the lid G, either as at Fig. 7 or Fig. 9. To light the pipe the lid G
or G (whichever may he present) would be opened at right angles (or thereabouts)
to H, and its mouth be placed over the bowl of the pipe or surrounding the end of
the cigar or cigarette, when the lighting would be effected by first passing the
vesta or match along and when lighted through the space between E and F as
in the previous method.
From the foregoing it will be understood that in each of the methods of con-
struction described and shewn, the principle involved is the employment of a
perforated or ventilated screen or shelter for the match or vesta when lighted, an
orifice in the said shelter for the insertion of such match or vesta and a roughened
or otherwise prepared surface upon the outside of said screen or shelter, upon
which the said match or vesta may be ignited before being passed through the said
orifice, and it is obvious that the said screen or shelter may be constructed in a
variety of ways, in so far as regards shape, size and configuration, and the
material employed therefor, and that the said orifice for the passage of the vesta
or match preceeded by a roughened or other surface may be at any part of the
outer surface of said screen or shelter without departing from the principle of our
invention.
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 an improved pocket apparatus for facilitating the lighting of pipes,
cigars or cigarettes in boisterous weather, the combination of a perforated or

page_text: otherwise ventilated screen or shelter, with or without being collapsible, of any
shape, size, or configuration, made of any suitable material, having at any part of
its outer surface an orifice for the passage of a match or vesta, and a roughened or
otherwise prepared plate or surface for igniting said match or vesta substantially
as herein described and shewn.
Second. In an improved collapsible apparatus for facilitating the lighting of
pipes, cigars and cigarettes in boisterous weather, the combination of a casing A
with cover C, having perforations a and b and with or without tube or chimney h
arranged to telescopically receive a casing B, having a bottom such as D with
ventilations such as d, central opening surrounded by a rim c, and aperture E,
the latter partly covered by a spring plate F, corrugated, fluted or otherwise
roughened as at e, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn
by Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. As a means for facilitating the lighting of pipes, cigars or cigarettes in
boisterous weather, the combination with the lid G of a vesta or match box such
as H, of perforations a, aperture E, and spring or other plate F, the latter having
a roughened surface such as e, substantially as herein described and shewn by
Figs. 7 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. As a means for facilitating the lighting of pipes, cigars or cigarettes in
boisterous weather, the combination with a vesta or inatch box such as G, H, of a
hinged or otherwise connected bottom or lid G', having perforations a, aperture E,
and spring or other plate F, the latter having a roughened surface such as e,
substantially as herein described and shewn by Figs. 8 and 9 of the accompanying
drawings.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.