An Improved Pocket Lighter.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 21st Dec., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pocket Lighter.
I WILLIAM WILSON HORN of the firm of Horn and Son of 151 Strand in the
County of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from Andrew John Fredrikson of Grand Rapids in the
State of Michigan United States of America Inventor) to be as follows:-
This my invention relates to an improved pocket lighter and more particularly
to that class of pocket lighters which consist essentially of a continuous strip of
combustible material having at intervals a small quantity of igniting compound
adapted to take fire by friction and a box or case having devices adapted to fire
said compound and separate a portion of said strip from the remainder.
My improved lighter consists of a short cylindrical box or casing having one
side thereof removable and a central spindle therein around which is coiled a con-
tinuous strip of combustible material the outer end of said strip passing through
an aperture in the casing.
Upon the outer edge of the said casing and adjustably secured thereto is a
flexible spring the outer or free end of which is roughened or otherwise adapted
to ignite the compound upon the said strip which is passed under the said end.
The before mentioned strip consists of a continuous band or ribbon of paper or
other material having at regular intervals U-shaped slits cut longitudinally therein
and upon the free ends of the tongues thus formed is placed the igniting
compound.
When a light is required the end of the strip is smartly pulled and as the
compound passes under the end of the spring it takes fire and the strip at this
point being considerably weakened the outer portion becomes detached from the
remainder.
Dated this 21st day of March 1891.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pocket Lighter.
I WILLIAM WILSON HORN of the firm of Horn & Son 151, Strand in the
County of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from Andrew John Fredrikson of Grand Rapids in the
County of Kent and State of Michigan United States of America Inventor) and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in the class of pocket-lighting devices
which consist, essentially, of a continuous strip of combustible material having at
intervals a small quantity of a compound adapted to take fire by friction and a box
or case having devices adapted to fire said compound and separate a portion of
said strip from the remainder.
The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and convenient device of the
class described and it consists of certain improvements more particularly described
and claimed in what follows reference being had to the accompanying drawings in
which

page_text: Fig. is a perspective of a device embodying my inventi
the case removed.
WIULI
Fig. 2 a vertical section on the line X X of Fig. 3 with the strip L removed.
Fig. 3 a plan or edge view of said device.
Fig. 4 a plan or side view of the combustible strip L and Fig. 5 an edge view of
the same.
Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.
A is the case having the form of a short cylinder provided with a central post B
to which one head of said case is removably secured.
C and Care openings in the side of the case.
D is a spring on the outside of the case having the igniting point E and the
pressure fingers F at one end and the point G and hooks H at the other end.
The said spring is secured in position by the engagement of said hooks with
suitable holes in the case and by one end K of the spring I which passes through
openings in said case A and spring D.
The spring I is attached to the inner surface of the case A. One end secures
the spring D and the other end passes through the opening C¹ and terminates in a
point or hook J.
The strip L is of uniform cross-section throughout, and consists of a continuous
strip of paper or other suitable combustible material, and may be waxed or otherwise
prepared.
The said strip L has at regular intervals U shaped slits cut longitudinally in the
same, forming tongues M upon the free ends of which are attached particles of
material N, adapted to take fire by friction. Importance is attached to this con-
struction of combustible strip as the removed portion of the same has a forwardly
projecting point narrower than its main part, and, as the igniting material is on
said point, it is obvious that the quantity of said material necessary to properly
ignite the strip is less than would be required if said point was not present, for in
the latter case sufficient igniting material must be provided to insure the flame
moving laterally at first as well as longitudinally of the strip, which necessity by
the use of a narrow projecting point or tongue having the igniting compound at
its free end is obviated, as the flame has then to move only longitudinally of said
tongue until it reaches the base thereof at which time it has gained headway or
force.
This construction thus results in a material decrease in the cost of the strip.
Moreover, the point or tongue and opening beneath it is formed at a single
operation, and thus requires no further time than is necessary to form the opening
alone, or a notch or notches to weaken the strip at its point of removal. ⚫
The operation of my device is as follows. The strip L is coiled and placed in
the case with its central opening surrounding the post B, around which it revolves
freely.
The outer end of said strip L is passed through the opening C and under the
end of spring D with its outer end against the hook J the point E and fingers F
pressing upon its outer surface and holding it in place.
For inserting the said strip L in position as described, the spring D can be
removed by lifting it by the point G thus withdrawing the hooks H when it will
slide toward the hook J and be released from the point K.
Said spring is replaced by pressing the middle down upon said point K and
sliding it away from hook until the hooks H re-engage the holes in the case A.
If now the end of the strip L be grasped by the fingers and suddenly pulled it
will be drawn out of the case and as the material N passes under the point E
said material will be ignited thereby. The hook J being depressed by the under
side of L will by the action of the spring I engage the opening under the
tongue M and stop the further progress of the strip L which being weakest at
the base of said tongue M will be torn apart at that point, leaving in the grasp a
portion of the strip L having the burning material N at the end which will
ignite said portion thus forming an ignited match for any desired purpose,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is―
1. A strip of combustible material having at intervals along its length and
lying within its body tongues having at their free ends particles of material
adapted to take fire by friction, and openings beneath said tongues, substantially
as described.
2. A cylindrical case having an opening in its periphery, a spring covering
said opening and having an igniting-point and pressure fingers, a stop or projection
on the periphery of said case, and a strip of combustible material projecting
through said opening, having at intervals particles of material ignited by frictional
contact with said igniting-point, and openings engaged by said stop or projection,
all substantially as shown and described.
3. A cylindrical case having an opening in its periphery, a spring covering
said opening, having a point and fingers at its free end, hooks H, engaging holes
in said case and secured by a hook near its middle, substantially as described.
4. A case having openings, as C and C igniting and pressure devices on said
case and a spring located within said case and having its free end projecting
through said opening C¹ therein combination with a strip of combustible material
having at intervals particles of material adapted to ignite by friction and
openings at corresponding intervals adapted to be engaged by said free end of
the spring.
5. A case having openings, as C and C' a spring covering opening C and having
igniting and pressure fingers at its free end and a spring I located within said
case and having its free end projecting through opening C therein in combina-
tion with a combustible strip located within said case and having one end projecting
through opening C, said strip having at intervals particles of material adapted to
ignite by friction and openings engaged by the projecting ends of spring I all
substantially as shewn and described.
6. A cylindrical case having openings C and C¹ a spring D covering opening C
and having a friction or igniting device at its free end and a strip of combustible
material having at intervals particles of material adapted to ignite by friction
and openings at corresponding intervals, in combination with a spring located
within said case having one end projecting through an opening therein and engaging
said spring D and its other end projecting through opening C and engaging the
openings in said combustible strip all substantially as shewn and described.
7. A case having an opening as C therein and a strip of combustible material
located within said case, having one end projecting through said openings therein,
formed at intervals with openings and provided at corresponding intervals with
particles of material adapted to ignite by friction, in combination with a spring
covering said opening in the case and having at its free end an igniting finger and
pressure fingers on opposite sides of said igniting finger and a stop projecting from
said case and adapted to engage said openings in the combustible strip, substantially
as shewn and described.
8. A cylindrical case having a slit in its periphery, a spring covering said slit
and provided with pressure fingers and friction point, a spring stop projecting from
the periphery of said case, a continuous strip of combustible material having at
intervals tongues with openings underneath the same, and particles of material
adapted to take fire by friction attached to said tongues substantially as described.
Dated this 21st dor of December 1901
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.