IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR LIGHTING CIGARS AND PIPES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas McLean, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR LIGHTING
CIGARS AND PIPES." A communication from abroad by Henry Bull Stock well,
of Brooklyn. United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas McLean at the
"
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th November 1876.
THOMAS MCLEAN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick.
IN MEANS FOR LIGHTING CIGARS AND PIPES."
IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates to the adaptation of the mechanism for lighting gas
burners described in the patent granted to A. V. Newton (as a communication),
and bearing date November 2nd, 1874, No. 3782, to the lighting of cigars or pipes.
In the Specification of the said Patent the apparatus was described as igniting
by percussion buttons of fulminate placed at equal distances apart on a tape or
band of paper coiled in a box attached to the burner, such apparatus being set in
action by the turning on of the gas tap.
According to the present Invention the box containing the coil of igniting paper
has attached to it a inetal tube, which is intended to hold a length of the prepared
wick or cord known as "German tinder."
The box and the tube may be either cast together or stamped out of sheet brass
or tin, and in the back of the box is a groove in which slides a cranked spring, the
lower end of which passes through the bottom of the box and is fitted with a
handle by which it may be drawn down when required. The upper end of this
cranked spring is roughened and has a tendency to bear against an upright piece
forming a part of the casting and termed the anvil. Attached to the box or tape
case is a spring hammer which extends upwards to the anvil.
The end of the coil of the igniting paper is placed between the anvil and the
cranked spring, which latter acts as a feeder to feed forward the paper. This
spring or feeder and the spring of the hammer are so shaped relatively to each other
that the hammer will, as the feeder is pushed up, be thrust backwards until the
feeder has got clear of the hammer spring. The hammer will then fly forwards and
strike the fulminate presented to it and ignite it.

page_text: The upper end of the wick tube is closed by a loose cover to which is attached
by a short chain a hook, which hooks into the prepared wick or cord and acts both
as a means for drawing the cord up for use and for preventing it from being drawn
out at the lower end of the tube when in the pocket of the user.
When using this apparatus the cap is removed and the prepared cord or wick is
drawn up a little above the tube and in close proximity to the fulminate, the
hammer is then set in action as before described to ignite the fulminate, the flame
from which ignites the tinder.
When the cigar or pipe has been lighted from the coil of tinder the cord is
drawn into the tube and the cover is drawn into its place on the top of the tube.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas McLean in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th May
1877.
THOMAS MCLEAN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN MEANS FOR LIGHTING CIGARS AND PIPES." A communication from abroad by
Henry Bull Stockwell, of Brooklyn, United States of America.
This Invention relates to the adaptation of the mechanism for lighting gas
burners described in the Patent granted to Alfred Vincent Newton (as a com-
munication), and bearing date November second, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four, No. 3782, to the lighting of cigars or pipes.
In the Specification of the said Patent the apparatus was described as igniting
by percussion buttons of fulminate placed at equal distances apart on a tape or
band of paper coiled in a box attached to the burner, such apparatus being set in
action by the turning on of the gas tap.
According to the present Invention the box containing the coil of igniting paper
has attached to it a metal tube, which is intended to hold a length of the prepared
wick or cord known as "German tinder" and present it to the flame produced by
the ignition of the fulminate.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Fig. 1 shews in side elevation the improved cigar lighting apparatus, and Fig.
is an edge view thereof, the tube containing the cord of tinder being closed at its
upper end.
Fig. 3 is a partial section of the apparatus with the side plate removed to show
the internal construction thereof, and representing the cord of tinder as raised to
the required height for receiving the flame from the fulminate.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section, showing the feeding spring and hammer in place.
Figures 5 are face and edge views of the feeding spring; and Figures 6, similar
views of the hammer.
A is the box or case of the apparatus; B is a tube attached thereto. This box
or case may be either cast in one or stamped out of sheet metal, as thought most
desirable. In the back of the box is a groove in which slides the spring feeder C,
which consists (see Figures 5) of a cranked piece of thin steel, the lower end of
which passes through the bottom of the box and is fitted with a handle c by which
it may be drawn down to the dotted position (shewn in Fig. 3); when required the
upper end of the feeder C has a tendency to bear against the upright part A¹ of the
box or case forming the anvil.
Attached to the cylindrical part of the box and externally thereof is the spring
hammer D, which extends upwards to the anvil A¹ and is constructed of thin steel,
as shown at Figures 6; E is the coil of paper carrying the fulminate, and its end
is carried up between the hammer and the anvil by the action of the feeder C.
This feeder and the spring hammer are so shaped and fitted relatively to each other
that the hammer will, as the feeder is pushed up, be thrust backwards until the

page_text: feeder has got clear of the hammer spring. The hammer well then fly forwards
and strike the fulminate presented to it and ignite it. In order to produce this
result it is first necessary to draw down the feeder to the dotted position of Fig. 3,
in moving to which position it will thrust aside the hammer by bearing against its
inclined shoulder d (see Fig. 4). The incline c¹ of the feeder will thereby be
brought below the incline of the hammer. By pushing up the feeder a fresh
button of fulminate will be carried up to the anvil and the incline c¹ will press
on the incline d' and thrust back the hammer. So soon however as the tail of the
incline e¹ has passed from under the inclined shoulder d the hammer will fly
forwards and strike the fulminate, the flame from which will ignite the adjant
cord of tinder F; G is a metal ball forming a cover to the wick tube B. This ball
is provided with a chain and hook, the latter of which is hooked into the wick and
serves to connect the same with the cover G. This ball serves both as a means for
pulling up the wick or cord F to a level with the anvil and for extinguishing the
ignited wick when its service is no longer required. By pulling down the cord or
wick F the cover G will be drawn to its seat on the top of the case, and it will then
serve to prevent the cord from being drawn out at the lower end of the case.
The position of the hook, it will be understood, will require to be shifted down
the cord of tinder as the latter is consumed.
Having now set forth the nature of this Invention of "Improvements in Means
for Lighting Cigars and Pipes" as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to
be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the
combination of parts, described with reference to the accompanying Drawings, for
igniting a cord of tinder or its equivalent from buttons of fulminate carried by a
tape or band of paper and for facilitating the extinguishing of the same, as and for
the purpose above set forth.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas McLean, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named Thomas McLean,
in the presence of
WM. FALLOWS,
Solicitor,
Birmm.
THOMAS MOLEAN. (L.S.)