Improvements in Lighting Devices.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lighting Devices.
1, THOMAS FAULL WILLIAMS, of 86 Market Street, Chicago, in the County
of Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention relates to a device to be used for igniting: friction: matches and>
conveniently applying the flame to the ignition of lamp wicks or to an issuing,
volume of gas or other illuminant. My invention is particularly useful in the
lighting of coach, carriage and bicycle lamps; lanterns, street lamps and in other
situations where the lighting is likely to be interfered with by the wind and it is,
also a convenient and useful appliance for lighting gas stoves generally where it is
inconvenient to reach the burner with the hand:.
I have shown my invention as applied to the lighting of a lamp of a modern
type, such as is employed upon. bicycles. In the accompanying drawings,
Fig: 1 is a perspective view showing the manner of using tho lighting device!
Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a blank from which one of the body portions of the
lighting device is made:
.
Fig. 3 shows a blank from which another of the body portions is formed.
Fig. 4 shows a blank from which a finger piece used in holding. the implement ist
made.
Fig. 5 is a view of a striking-pin or plunger and
Fig. 6 shows a spring:used for controlling said pin or plunger.
Fig. 7. is a perspective. view of the complete instrument. showing the match:
therein, and
:
Fig. 8 is an elevation partly in longitudinal section..
It will be understood that the size of the implement will be varied according to
the use to which it is to be put, and this is particularly true with reference to the:
length of the body and of the plunger. I have shown a size which may be
conveniently carried in the vest pocket and used for lighting: bicycle lamps, etc..
In carrying out my i
invention I take a piece of sheet metal, and preferably by
means of a suitable die produce the blank shown in Fig: 2/and the body portion of
which is marked 9. Said blank has one end thereof narrowed by the cutting away
of its margins and the sides of its extremity have concave, depressions, as shown
at 10, while its end.may be serrated' as shown at 11, and longitudinally slitted as
at 12. From said blank is made the body portion of' the instrument which is done
by bringing said blank into the form of a hollow slotted tube, the margins of' the
wider portion abutting, while the margins of the narrow portion do not meet and
thereby provide the longitudinal. slot 13 for the reception of a match: The
cutting away of the sides of the extremity results in the widening of the slot and,
the notched or serrated ends being brought into close proximity, nearly close the
end of such slot. The match is shown at 14 and it is conveniently inserted within
the body by placing the one end of the match within the hollow of the tube, and
then the head of the match is dropped into the ovalichamber back of the serrated
points.

page_text: Over the closed end of the body portion a sleeve 15 is placed, said sleeve being
conveniently produced from blanks such as are shown in Fig. 3. Said blank has
at one end the laterally projecting lip 16 and its body portion has two perfora-
tions 17. This blank being bent into the form of a tube or cylinder and sleeved
over the closed end of the body then has its outer end seamed or turned inwardly
and the lip 16 is bent down into the end of the slot 13, as shown in Fig. 7.
Before the sleeve is put in place, however, the plunger 18 is inserted, said
plunger being a cylindrical steel rod or wire with the upset end or head 19. The
body of the plunger may have the notch, cut or burr 20 for the attachment of the
hooked end 21 of a spring 22, Fig. 6. The opposite end coil 23 of said spring is
of greater diameter than the body coils and when the spring is slipped over the
plunger and its hook 21 engaged over the burr 20, the plunger and spring are
then inserted through the open end of the body until the coil. 23 comes into
contact with the lower end of said tubular body. The sleeve 15 is then applied
and its outer end is turned or flanged inwardly, as shown at 24, and this
inturned flange will prevent the spring and plunger from being withdrawn from the
tubular body.
From a blank, such as shown in Fig. 4, a finger piece is produced by punching
or striking up the centre of said blank to produce the body ring 25, the
extremities of the blank being curved to form the finger-pieces. or holes 26. The
central portion of the body of the blank is cut out, as indicated by the dotted
lines in Fig. 4, the aperture being of such size as to permit the finger-piece to be
slipped over the sleeve 15. In order to hold the finger-piece in place, the metal
in the ring or collar 25 is struck down, as shown at 27, into the apertures 17 and
this may be conveniently performed with a die after the parts are assembled. .
-
The use of the implement will be readily understood from the illustration and
the foregoing description. The match is placed in position and the front end of
the lighter may be inserted through the aperture of a lamp body, such as 28.
The device being held by the finger pieces and the thumb resting upon the plunger,
the end of the lighting device is brought over the wick tube or gas jet, as the case:
may be, the plunger. is forced in, thus driving the match forward and forcing the
head thereof through between the serrated ends, which will be sufficiently resilient
to separate and permit the head of the match to pass. As the match passes, the
claws or serrated ends will cause ignition by the friction and thus a simple,
economical and effective lighting device is provided, which can be conveniently
carried in the pocket. The details of the construction are important, because they
tend to economize in manufacturing, but some of the said details may be varied
within the scope of my invention, as for example, the body may be made longer
where it is desired to furnish a lighting device for gas fixtures not within convenient
reach. The device.is further useful because it provides a match striker, as well
as a convenient holder and thereby affords a convenient means of igniting the
match. The body parts being made of sheet. metal and the spring and plunger
being of commercial forms, all of the parts may be easily, and cheaply made and
rapidly assembled and the device when suitably, finished by plating, is of neat;
appearance.
"
ماء.
f
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1
1. A lighting device.comprising in combination a hollow. metal body having a
longitudinal slot or opening at one end thereof to receive a friction match, the
extremity of said body being slotted opposite the opening and the side portions
between the slots being. serrated to form a striker, a plunger mounted within the.
hollow of the body, a spring, resisting the forward thrust of said. plunger and a.
finger-piece attached to said body, substantially as described...
1.
..2. A lighting device comprising in combination a body portion formed. of sheet.
metal, having a longitudinal slot at one end thereof, said slot being widened at its.

page_text: terminal portion, said body portion being slitted at its end opposite the widened
portion of the slot and the metal of the body inturned to form strikers, a plunger
mounted to reciprocate within the hollow body, a coiled spring surrounding the
enclosed end of said plunger and connected thereto, the terminal coil of said spring
being larger than the body coils to engage the end of the body, and a sleeve
secured upon
the end of the body enclosing the plunger, the outer end of said
sleeve being inwardly turned or flanged to enclose the terminal coil of the spring,
substantially as described.
3. In a lighting device, the combination with the slotted body having a striker,
a sleeve surrounding one end of the body portion, said sleeve having an integral
lip forced into said slot, a spring-actuated plunger mounted within the hollow of
the body and a finger piece having an apertured body portion adapted to pass over
said sleeve and the extremities curved to provide finger pieces or holds and the
body portion of said finger piece being indented, whereby to secure it to the
sleeve, substantially as described.
4. A lighting device comprising in combination a tubular metal body having
its wall slotted longitudinally to receive a match, a striker on its extremity at
the end of said slot, a plunger rod mounted to reciprocate within said body
opposite the striker, said plunger rod having a burr formed therein by incising
the metal body, a spiral spring having one of its end coils secured to said rod by
passing into said notch and the closing of the burr thereon, and the opposite end
coil of said spring being of greater diameter than the body coils and adapted to
engage upon the outer end of the tubular body, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of November 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.