IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPE, CIGAR, AND CIGARETTE HOLDERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Stillman May, of Campbelltown, in the County
of Steuben, and State of New York, in the United States of America, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPE, CIGAR, AND CIGARETTE HOLDERS."
Sealed the 19th February 1878; and dated the 20th August 1877.
:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Edward Stillman May at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th August 1877.
EDWARD STILLMAN MAY, of Campbelltown, in the County of Steuben, and State
of New York, in the United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN. PIPE, Cigar,
AND CIGARETTE HOLDERS."
My Invention consists,―
First. In the construction of a "grip" or "holder to be used in combination*
with clay pipes for the purpose of obviating the several objections (herein-after more
fully referred to) to this class of pipes.
And, Secondly. The Invention consists in the construction of a cigar holder to
be used in combination with my improved "grip," substantially as lierein-after
more fully described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,―
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved grip with pipe stem inserted.
Figure 2 is a similar view with cigar holder and cigar inserted into the grip instead
of the pipe.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the coiled steel spring tube which forms part of
my improvement; and Figure 4 is. a perspective view of my cigar holder used in
combination with the Invention.
In the above-described Figures of the Drawings similar letters of reference are'
employed to indicate corresponding parts wherever they may occur. A is the
mouth-piece, which may be made of wood, bone, amber, hard rubber, or any
other suitable material, straight or curved, and of any suitable length; a denotes
an annular shoulder encircling the mouth-piece, about half an inch from its end, so
as to form a rest or abutment for the spiral tube B. The latter consists of a coiled
metallic tube, as shown in Fig. 3, and is sprung upon the mouth-piece A, on the
cylindrical part below the shoulder, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where it will be
retained by its own tension.
The end of the mouth-piece projecting into the spring tube B has a cone-shaped
recess b, and the pipe stem C which projects into the tube from the other end is

page_text: scraped or cut off so as to form a corresponding conical point e, which by fitting into
the recess b will insure an air-tight joint.
The cigar holder D is preferably made of hard rubber, but may be made of metal
or other material. It is formed preferably by rolling a blank into the funnel shape
represented in the Drawings, the cigar being inserted into the mouth or large end,
while the small end d of the holder is inserted into the spring tube B in the same
manner as the stem of the clay pipe.
The small tapering end of the holder may be corrugated for the purpose
of affording tube B a firmer grip, and preventing the cigar holder from slipping
out.
It is obvious that this cigar holder, which it will be observed is constructed on the
same principle as the spring tube B (it being of a tapering shape instead of a
cylindrical), may be made of any suitable size, so as to be used not only for cigars, but
also for cigarettes, its construction being such that a medium sized holder will
accommodate itself to different sized cigars.
It is universally conceded by the best medical authorities and others who have
investigated the subject, that the injurious effects of tobacco smoking are attributable
more to the fact that pipes as ordinarily constructed after a short time become charged
with foulness and nicotine, than from the direct effects of the tobacco smoke, and
hence the desirability in a sanitary point of view of frequently changing the pipe.
But clay pipes are the only kind in market sufficiently cheap. to warrant constant
changing, and these are objectionable on account of their brittleness, causing the
smoker often to bite the stem off, and also on account of the adherence of the
mouth-piece when wet to the lips, unless protected by sealing wax or a similar
coating. By my improvement, however, the smoker cannot bite the stem off, nor
will it adhere to the lips as it does not touch them, while at the same time the
old pipe may be readily withdrawn from the grip, and a new one inserted.
As my improved grip may be made of costly as well as cheap material, the use
of it will obviate or set off the cheap look of clay pipes, which is another
objection to their general introduction among the better classes, notwithstanding the
fact that no pipes are better absorbers of nicotine, and therefore less injurious.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,-
Firstly. The combination of the mouth-piece A, having annular shoulder a and
recess b, with the spring tube B, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described.
Secondly. The combination of the mouth-piece A, and spring tube B, constructed
substantially as described with the removable pipe stem C, in the manner as herein-
before described, and for the purposes shown and specified.
Thirdly. A cigar or cigarette holder consisting of a blank of hard rubber,
metal, or similar elastic material, bent so as to form a tapering tube or funnel
with its sides overlapping each other, substantially as described, and for the purposes
specified.
Fourthly. The combination of the mouth-piece A and spring tube B with the
removable cigar or cigarette holder D, in the manner and for the purpose herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
}
EDWARD STILLMAN MAY. (L.S.)