Improvements in or relating to Electrically-ignited Torches, Cigar-lighters, or the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electrically-ignited Torches,
Cigar-lighters, or the like.
We, JOHN HENCKEN, of 331 West 27th Street, New York City, New York,
U.S.A., and JOHN HENRY MEYER, of 748 Sixth Street, New York City New
York, U.S.A. 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 devices for igniting or lighting by means of an electric
current and in the embodiments shown in the drawings and hereinafter particularly.
described is designed for use more specifically as a cigar lighter. According to
our invention an inflammable torch is held within a suitable receptacle and is
ignited by the simple act of withdrawing it from the receptacle, but the electric
igniting devices are not actuated by restoring the torch to the receptacle, and the
torch is extinguished by thus replacing it within the receptacle. Our invention
also includes various improvements in the construction of the spark forming devices.
and other parts, as hereinafter particularly described.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a wall bracket lighter embodying our invention.
Figure 2 is a. perspective view of a desk or counter or table lighter also
embodying our invention.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the wall bracket lighter with the torch removed.
Figure 4 is front elevation of the same in section on the line 4 to 5 Figure 3.
Fig. 5 is a similar view but with the torch partly removed.
Figure 6 is an enlarged detail perspective of one of the yielding spark forming
fingers.
The box or casing is shown in Figures 1, 3, 4, and 5 as adapted for being
secured against a wall to form a wall bracket. In the construction shown in
Figure 2 the box or casing g' is adapted for resting upon a desk or counter or
table.
The wall bracket lighter is shown as provided with one torch c and the counter.
lighter with two torches c, c, and it is of course evident that any desired number :
of torches may be employed. Each torch has an enlarged upper part so shaped
that it can be readily grasped by band, and this enlarged upper part is hollow to:
form a reservoir for inflammable material or for an absorbent capable of retaining.
a considerable amount of an inflammable fluid such as naphtha, and a removable.
cap c 2 is provided to permit recharging. A wick preferably of asbestos extends::
downwards from this reservoir through the hollow tubular lower part of the torch.
emerging at the lower end thereof; and at this lower end of the tubular portion 'is
formed a flaring enlargement or contact device c 1. This contact device should be:
of conductive material and we prefer to form the entire shell of the torch of a
conductive metal. The torch normally rests with its enlarged upper portion
supported upon the top plate h of the casing and its tubular portion extending into
a receptacle i located within the casing. This receptacle is slotted at its upper end
for the admission of the spark forming fingers and is closed at its lower end and is'
sufficiently tight to ensure the extinguishment of the torch when the torch is
placed within it. In the construction shown this receptacle is not used as a.
reservoir for inflammable material, its functions being to extinguish the torch and
prevent or retard the evaporation of the inflammable material contained within
the torch. It is of course evident that the invention could be partly embodied in;
a construction in which the receptacles were reservoirs for inflammable material.

page_text: The complete electric connections are shown, partly in diagram in Figure 4, and
as shown include two batteries which may be of the dry-battery type, and a
spark coil y connected in series with the batteries and acting to intensify the
electric current. These devices are well known and need not be further described.
The electric connections run to the two terminals a a which are contact stops for
the lower members of the yielding spark forming fingers bb these yielding fingers
being each coiled about a pivot pin 61 and the upper member of each yielding
finger being arranged to protrude in the path of the contact device c 1 of the
torch c, so that when the torch is moved upward this contact device engages the
upper members of the yielding fingers bb and moves the fingers so as to bring their
lower members into contact with the stops a a thereby completing the electric
circuit. The continued movement of the torch lifts the ends of the yielding fingers bb
through slots formed in the top plate h and contiguous with the slots of the receptacle,
and causes the fingers to protrude above the mouth of the receptacle (see Figure 5)
and finally breaks the contact of the contact device and yielding fingers, thereby
forming a spark which will ignite the torch. With the construction as above
described this spark will be formed above the top plate and above the mouth of
the receptacle and there will be no fear of smothering or extinguishing the flame
ignited by the electric spark.
The torch being now ignited may be used for any desired purpose, and will
remain ignited for a considerable period of time, and may be carried about and
used for igniting a lamp or gas or lighting a cigar, as desired. The flame of the
torch will be smothered or extinguished by returning it to its receptacle. During
the operation of returning the torch to the receptacle the contact device c
depresses the yielding fingers b, b, sufficiently to pass below the fingers. Springs k, k,
are secured to the lower end of the yielding fingers and tend to hold the fingers out
of contact with the stops a, a, and to restore the fingers to this normal position
when they are removed therefrom in either direction.
The contact stops a, a, shown as screws, and the pivot pins 61, 64, also shown as
screws, are secured to a back plate m, of insulating material, which may be secured
to the top plate h. Insulating plates n, n, shown partly broken away are located
in front of the upper members of the yielding fingers b, b, and in conjunction with
the back plate m form insulating guides for these portions of the yielding fingers
as they are moved upward or downward in operation.
It will be noted that there is no waste of electric current in lighters embodying
our invention, as the yielding fingers are normally out of contact with the terminals
of the electric circuit. The circuit is closed only momentarily during the withdrawal
of the torch.
Where more than one torch is employed as iu the counter lighter shown in
Figure 2, the spark forming mechanism above described is repeated for each torch
and the electric connections are in multiple, so that each torch closes its own
branch of the circuit independently. The batteries and spark coil may be placed
within the case of the counter lighter, in the higher rear portion thereof. The
vertical plan g² will conspicuously exhibit an advertisement.
It is evident that various modifications may be made in the construction above
described within our invention, and that parts of the invention may be used in
combination with other parts of different constructions.
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 :-
1. The combination with a torch of a receptacle for the same and an electric
spark forming device said device being actuated by the withdrawal of the torch
and not actuated by restoring the torch, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a torch and suitable electric connections and a device
relatively to which said torch is movable, of a yielding spark forming finger on
said device, said finger being movable in one direction into contact with a terminal

page_text: of said electric connections and being movable in another direction out of contact
therewith, and a contact device on said torch arranged to be brought into contact
with said yielding finger to close the electric circuit on the movement of the torch
in one direction and to be brought into contact with said finger without closing
the circuit on the movement of the torch in the other direction, substantially as set.
forth.
3. The combination with a torch having a contact, of a receptacle for the same,
a moving spark forming device and a stop constituting the terminal of an electric
circuit, the spark forming device being normally out of contact with said stop, so
that upon withdrawing the torch the spark forming device is made to contact with
the stop but upon replacing the torch the spark forming device is moved away from.
said stop, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with a torch containing a contact device, of a receptacle
enclosing the same, a yielding spark forming device arranged at the mouth of said
receptacle in the path of the contact device of the torch, whereby on the with-
drawal of said torch from the receptacle the spark forming device is caused to
yield outwardly beyond said receptacle, and the spark will be formed outside of
said receptacle, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with a hollow torch containing a reservoir in its upper part.
and a wick extending downward through the torch and emerging at the lower end
of said torch, of a closed receptacle for the wick end of the torch, a contact
device at the mouth of said torch, and spark forming fingers arranged to make
and break contact with said contact device and thereby ignite said torch,
substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with a torch containing a contact device, of the receptacle i
for said torch, the spring fingers & extending into said receptacle, the springs k, k,
connected to said fingers, and the contact stops a, a, forming terminals of an
electric circuit, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a hollow torch containing a reservoir in its upper
part and a wick extending downward and emerging at the lower end of said
torch, said torch having a contact device at the lower end thereof, of the
receptacle i, the spring fingers b, the springs k, k, and the contact stops a, a,.
substantially as set forth.
Deted the 6th day of July 1806
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.