An Improved Tobacco Pipe Stopper or Rammer.
Year: 1899

page_text: An Improved Tobacco Pipe Stopper or Rammer.
I, WILLIAM JAMES HENNING, of 47, Cromwell Avenue, Highgate, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The accompanying drawings illustrate an improved tobacco pipe stopper or
rammer, which is available for immediate use, is self closing, and which may be
conveniently carried in the pocket without danger of soiling the clothes.
As shown in said drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved tobacco pipe
stopper. Fig. 2 is a section thereof and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate modifications
of construction.
A, represents a tubular casing, which is divided into two chambers by an
apertured guide plate A¹, secured therein by any suitable means.
B is a rod passing through said guide plate, and provided at its lower end
with a stopper or rammer B, and to its upper end is securely fastened a tubular
finger piece B2.
This finger piece is closed at its outer end, and against the under side thereof,
a spring Cabuts, the lower end of the spring bearing on the guide plate A¹
The finger piece and the rammer being thus rigidly connected together by
the rod B, it is obvious that the spring will normally hold the stopper or rammer
within the lower chamber of the casing and up against the guide plate. When
it is desired to press down the tobacco in the pipe (as frequently happens whilst
smoking), pressure is applied to the finger piece B, thereby causing the stopper
to emerge from the casing, and to be available for use, as shown by the dotted
lines in Fig. 2. The pressure being released, the spring will cause the stopper
to return to its normal position, & hold it there.
In Fig. 3, I show an alternative way of securing the guide plate. Herein is
shown a thimble, which is secured to the casing, by having its outer edge turned
back on the casing. In Figs. & 5, the guide plate is formed by fingers a
stamped from the casing & bent to a horizontal position.
Dated this Sixth day of April 1899.
An improveu Tobacco
I, WILLIAM JAMES HENNING, of 47, Cromwell Avenue, Highgate, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
Price 8d1

page_text: 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 an improved tobacco pipe stopper or rammer which is
designed to be simple of manufacture, available for immediate use, which is
automatically closing, and which may be conveniently carried in the pocket
without danger of soiling the clothes.
Heretofore tobacco pipe stoppers have not been provided with any shield or
casing to protect the pocket from being soiled by ash and nicotine after being used,
and consequently have been found inconvenient to carry on the person, owing
to the necessity arising each time after use, of removing the adhering ash and
nicotine. My improved tobacco pipe stopper overcomes this objection, as after
use, the stopper disc is automatically returned to its normal position within the
casing and there retained until required for further use.
My invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings left with the Provisional
Specification, and to which reference is now made.
As shown in said drawings
Figure 1, is an elevation of my improved tobacco pipe stopper.
Figure 2, is a section thereof, the working position of the stopper disc being
indicated by the dotted lines.
Figure 3, illustrates a modified form of construction, wherein the guide plate
for the stem of the stopper disc, is shown as forming part of a thimble, which is
inserted within the lower end of the casing.
Figure 4, is a perspective detail of a modified form of casing, wherein pro-
jections or fingers are formed integral with said casing and bent to a horizontal
position to form the guide for the stem of the stopper disc and
Figure 5, is a detail cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.
A represents a casing of any suitable material, which is divided into two
chambers by an apertured guide plate A', secured therein by any suitable means.
B represents a stem passing through and guided by said guide plate A¹ and
provided at its lower end with a stopper disc B', said disc being normally held
within the lower chamber of the casing by a spring hereinafter referred to.
132 is an actuating thimble or finger piece loosely fitted within the upper
chamber of the casing, and securely fastened to the upper end of the stem B.
C is a coiled spring located within the upper chamber of the casing, its lower
end resting upon the guide plate A' and the upper end of said spring extending
within the actuating thimble B2 and bearing against the under side thereof as
clearly shown in Figure 2.
The three members B, B1 and B2, being rigidly connected together, it is obvious
that the spring C, being under compression, will normally hold the stopper dise
within the lower chamber of the casing and in contact with the guide plate.
When it is desired to press down the tobacco in the pipe, as frequently happens
whilst smoking, the casing A, is conveniently held between the thumb and second
finger of the hand, and pressure applied with the forefinger to the actuating
thimble B thereby causing the stopper disc B¹, to emerge from the casing and
into a position available for use, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2. The
pressure upon the thimble B2 being released, the spring C, will cause the said
thimble and its connected stem and stopper disc to return to their normal
positions as clearly shown in full lines in Figures 1, and 2.
In Figure 3, is shown an alternative way of securing the guide plate. Herein
is illustrated a thimble which is tightly fitted into the lower end of the casing and
secured thereto by having its lower edge turned back upon the casing, thereby
forming a bead.
In Figures 4, and 5, I have shown projections or fingers a stamped from the
casing and bent on their lower sides to a horizontal position, thus forming a
guide for the stem B, and also serving as an abutment for the spring. If pre-
ferred an apertured disc may be inserted within the casing above the fingers a to

page_text: form a guide for the stem B and to receive the thrust of the spring, in which case
however, the projections may be made somewhat shorter.
Various slight changes may be made in the shape and construction of my
improved tobacco pipe stopper or rammer, without departing from the spirit of
my invention and will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art
to which this invention apertains.
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. An automatically closing tobacco pipe stopper comprising a casing divided
into two chambers by an apertured guide plate in combination with a spring
retracted stopper disc, guide stem, and thimble substantially as described.
2. An automatically closing tobacco pipe stopper comprising a casing divided
into two chambers by an apertured guide plate, a stopper disc connected to an
actuating thimble by a stem, in combination with a coiled spring adapted to
normally hold said stopper disc within the lower chamber of the casing sub-
stantially as shown and described.
3. An automatically closing tobacco pipe stopper comprising a casing divided
into two chambers by an apertured guide plate, a stem passing through said guide
plate, a stopper disc attached to the lower end of said stem and normally held
within the lower chamber of the casing, an actuating thimble secured to the
upper end of said stem, and adapted to slide within the upper chamber of the
casing, in combination with a coiled spring located within the upper chamber of
the casing between the guide plate and the closed end of the actuating thimble,
the said spring normally holding the actuating thimble in its outward position
substantially as shown and described.
4. An automatically closing tobacco pipe stopper comprising a casing divided
into two chambers by a plurality of projections formed integral with said casing
and bent to a horizontal position to form a guide, in combination with a spring
retracted stopper disc, guide stem, and actuating thimble substantially as
described.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of June 1899.
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