Lighter
United States Patent llll 3,876,366  
 Corte 5] Apr. 8, 1975 LIGHTER [57] ABSTRACT [76] Inventor: Francisco Barcelloni Corte, Garin, A lighter for cigarettes, cigars and the like having a Buenos Aires Province, Argentina fuel reservoir, and means to produce a spark to ignite [22] Filed: Nov. 23, 973 fuel being emitted from the reservoir. An actuating [2|] Appl. No.: 418,619  
 Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmM0linare, Allegretti, Newitt &amp; Witcoff button simultaneously producing the spark and opening the fuel outlet valve which when depressed causes a shaft to rotate and spin as it moves axially, a rasp wheel against a flint to produce the spark. The lower portion of the shaft is externally threaded and fits into an internally threaded rotatable sleeve. Axial movement of the shaft causes the threads to propel the shaft. When the button is depressed the sleeve does not rotate because of an external ratchet. and the button causes the shaft to turn. When the button is released, a spring urges it back to its original position. and it lifts the shaft with it. On the return stroke the ratchet permits the sleeve to rotate, thus permitting the shaft to retract without rotating. Hence. the rasp does not produce a spark on the return stroke.  
 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures LIGHTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Among the lighters that have a spark producing mechanism are those that generate same by means of a piezoelectric mechanism operated by impact, an operation combined with the opening of the gas outlet valve. Said mechanisms based on a piezoelectric are totally different from those commonly used, in which the spark is produced by friction between a corrugated or superficially ribbed wheel, that constitutes a rotory rasp, against a stone or flint stretched by a spring against same.  
  The last two mechanisms are operated by a wheel or pair of knurled wheels fixed with that operating on the flint by direct action on the latter, or by a mechanism based on levers and/or cams, complete with accessory springs, that respond to the displacement of an outer hand operated lever, combined with a cap covering the wick.  
  Said spark producing means are not easily combined with the gas outlet valve of the wick, which in this case is operated by lifting the cap to uncover the wick or by means of a lever placed adjacent to the operation run of the spark wheel to permit the substantially simultaneous movement of both.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION On the other hand, the invention obtains a new combination of means that permits opening of the gas outlet valve and rotating the rasp which produces the ignition spark in an automatic and simultaneous manner in response to manual pressure on a key or button.  
  One of the most important advantages of the invention is constituted by a device automatically operated by a key or button that produces the simultaneous outlet of gas and the spark to ignite same, which maintains the flame while the key or button is depressed.  
  Another advantage is the simplicity of the operating device, in which the actuating member for rotating the ignition wheel eliminates the need of using a dentation on same in the manner of ajack or sprocket to displace same by means of a lever, as said actuating member is displaced by a combined movement of axial translation and rotation in the operative stage, said rotation causing friction of the stone or flint.  
  Another very important advantage is the fact that due to the design of the assembly, same is housed in the inner portion of a body of reduced volume, leaving an ample free space for fuel deposit, said deposit being separated from the mechanism. Likewise, the characteristics of the pieces that compose the device, whose largest portion can be made of plastic, make its cost very much cheaper and reduce the weight of the assembly. For this reason said device is especially applicable to the manufacture of disposable lighters.  
  It is also pointed out that the actuating key or button, which is supplied with retention means in its assembly position to prevent same from escaping in the return run, has a direct line displacement in response to manual pressure on same, said dispacement is guided in the housing on elastic supports distributed in such a manner that they insure the efficiency of its operation.  
  Furthermore, as the device reckons with simultaneous operation means of the ignition wheel and the opening of the gas outlet valve, same eliminates the need of a cap for the wick.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION The other advantages and characteristics of the in vention may be appreciated through the development of its specification which, for a better understanding, has been illustrated with several figures that represent same in one of the preferred forms of the embodiment, all of same as an example, in which:  
  FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the lighter of the invention with its case or housing partially cross-sectioned to show the characteristics of its operating device.  
  FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the piece that constitutes the operating member of the rotory rasp or ignition wheel.  
  FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the operating member il&#39; lustrated in the previous figure.  
  FIG. 4 is a plan view of the operating piece that works with the operating member in which its projecting elastic portions that operate as jacks are shown.  
  FIG. 5 is a similar enlarged view of FIG. 1, in which a section view of the operating mechanism and the valve is shown to appreciate the arrangement of same; and finally,  
  FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the lighter taken along the line VIVI of FIG. 5.  
  In the different figures the same reference numbers indicate equal or corresponding parts, indicating with letters the groups with several elements.  
  As may be observed in the drawings, the lighter of the invention includes a case a that conforms a deposit or reservoir 1 containing the fuel charge (liquefied gas) that is closed at the bottom 2 which, in the case ofa disposable lighter, can be welded or sealed. or have an adequate valve that permits recharging said deposit 1.  
  The side opposite to said bottom 2 constitutes the housing of the operating device b and valve 0 both arranged on the inner wall 3 that encloses said deposit I.  
  Said inner wall 3 forms a seat 4 of the device b and one 5 of valve c, the latter having an outlet 6 for the fuel passage.  
  On the side of the aforesaid wall 3, opposite to the location of valve c, a stud or boss 7 projects upward, providing an axle substantially parallel to the wall of housing a, that defines a cavity between the wall and stud in which the end wall 8 of the key or button 9 for operating the assembly can be received; said wall of housing a has an inner depression 10 in which extension 11 of said end wall 8 is displaceably disposed. Said extension 11 limits the return travel of button or key 9.  
  The spring 12, that constitutes the return means of button 9, is arranged between stud 7 and a well 13 projecting from the inner wall of said key or button 9.  
  The aforesaid button 9 covers one part of the end portion of housing a, and is similar to hollow piece 14 that covers the ignition chamber and defines opening 15 of the flame passage.  
  Under said piece 14 the stone or flint I6 is placed, urged by spring 17 against the edge of the ignition wheel or rotory rasp 18, both being arranged adjacent the gas outlet of valve 0.  
  From the middle portion of button 9, an extension 19 projects downwards within housing 0, whose terminal rests on the power arm of lever 20, said lever being of the first kind with its opposite forked arm 20&#39; constituting the opening means of valve 0.  
  The bottom inner wall of button 9, opposite projection 13 for housing the end of the return spring 12, has  
 formed therein a slot 21 that holds the head of shaft 22 which constitutes the operating member of wheel 18, said head being connected to the shaft by a neck 23.  
  Shaft member 22 is formed from a rod whose upper portion has a pair of longitudinal grooves 24 guiding its axial displacement, while the lower portion has threads 25 that determine its angular displacement about its center line.  
  Shaft 22 is coaxially and internally mounted on bearing 26 in whose upper part the shaft rotates. The ignition wheel 18 is solidly fixed on the outer face of the bearing 26 at its upper end. The inner surface of said bearing 26 has formed, diametrically opposed, rib-like projections 26 (FIG. 6) on which the longitudinal grooves 24 of shaft 22 are slidably mounted. The lower inner portion of said bearing 26 forms a cavity with play in which the lower threaded portion of said shaft 22 is freely housed, Shaft threads 25 may be observed in FIG. 5.  
  The lower end of said shaft member 22 is inserted in the hollow threaded sleeve 27, supported on seat 4 of the inner wall 3 below bearing 26. The threads of said sleeve work with threads 25 of shaft 22.  
  The upper part of sleeve 27 has a widened portion 28 that rests against an annular step in wall 3, said portion having curved fingers or extensions (FIG. 4) that operate as stops, that is to say, they permit the rotation of sleeve 27 in only one direction and, in the opposite direction, their ends drive in against projections of the housing wall, like a ratchet.  
  Above bearing 26, between same and the slot fastening means 21 of shaft member 22, coil spring 30 is disposed about said member and assists in the return movement of button 9 and member 22.  
  Valve c corresponds to known designs. Same is formed by an externally-threaded principal body 31 disposed on seat of the inner wall 3 (FIG. 5), with a gasket 32 and a flame regulator 33 on the upper part whose operating lever 33&#39; projects towards the outer part of housing a.  
  The principal body 31 of valve 0 carries axiallydisposed hollow rod 34 that forms the gas outlet spout. Fixed on the upper terminal of said rod 34 is a washer or shoulder 35 under which the forked arm of lever 20 operates.  
  The opposite end of said rod 34, by means of resilient seal plate 36, is supported on the outlet opening 6 of the fuel deposit 1. Spring 37 urges rod 34 downwardly which maintains said opening 6 closed by seal 36. The rod portion 34 housed within body 31 has at least one lateral bore 38.  
  The operation of the lighter is easy and efficient. When the botton or key 9 is depressed mechanism b and valve c are displaced operating simultaneously. In ts descent, shaft member 22 that has threads which lvork with the inner threads of sleeve 27, is compelled :o rotate by same, since the springy fingers 29 that form :he stops, or ratchet, maintain the sleeve at rest. The iirection of rotation is coincident with the developnent of the fingers 29 the ends of which bear against &#39;espective projections on the wall of the housing.  
  Since member 22 can slide only axially with respect 0 bearing 26, the latter having its inner projections 26&#39; n the longitudinal grooves 24 of the former, said bearng 26 turns with said member 22 and the ignition vheel l8, outwardly fixed on piece 26, rotates to scrape on flint l6, generating the spark above the gas outlet tube 34 of valve 0.  
  Simultaneously with the aforesaid action valve 0 opens, igniting the gas in said outlet spout of rod 34, the flame of same rising through opening 15 of cover 14.  
  Said simultaneous opening of valve 0 is produced by the thrust of extension 19 of the inner wall under force of the button 9 which, by displacing lever 20, lifts tube 34 with its forked end 20&#39; by means of shoulder 35. The raising of said tube 34 dislodges the seal 36 from its seat, the gas passes through opening 6 outside said tube 34, laterally enters same through bore 38 and goes out through the spout formed beneath the flint l6 and wheel 18 assembly that originate the spark.  
  When the manual pressure on button 9 is released, same is upwardly displaced through the force of springs 12 and 30. The internal extension 19 releases lever 20, and tube 34, moved down by spring 38 acting on its lower terminal is displaced towards the closed position. The opening 6 of the gas passage is closed and the flame is extinguished when the fuel outflow ceases.  
  Simultaneously button 9 raises shaft member 22 whose lower portion is threaded on sleeve 27 of which portion 28 forms the ratchet or stop means. The ascen sion of said member 22, axially slidable with respect to bearing 26 on which the ignition wheel 18 is fixed, is effected without said member rotating, as in this return displacement sleeve 27 rotates in its housing (in an opposite direction to that of ratchet fingers 29), which permits member 22 to be displaced in a rectilinear di rection on guides 26&#39; of bearing 26 while the latter and wheel 18 remain fixed, assisted by the braking effect through the support of flint 16.  
  The return of the button or key 9 has as security limit the support of extension 11 against the upper edge of cavity 10 in which it is housed.  
  It is apparent that on putting the present invention into operation modifications may be made with reference to certain details of same, without departing from the fundamental principles that are clearly specified in the following claims.  
 What is claimed is:  
  1. In a lighter comprising a case forming a fuel reservoir having an outlet adjacent a spark producing means the improvement comprising a shaft mounted for rotation and axial movement within said case and having external threads on its inner end, a spark producing rasp wheel coupled to said shaft but axially movable with respect thereto, means for rotating said shaft and rasp wheel when said shaft is moved in one axial direc tion and for preventing rotation as the shaft moves in the other axial direction, said means comprising an internally threaded sleeve freely rotatable in said case wall and surrounding said shaft, with said threads engaged with the threads on said shaft to rotate said shaft and wheel, ratchet means on the outside of said sleeve cooperating with the wall of said case to prevent rotation of the sleeve when force is applied to said shaft in said one axial direction and to permit rotation of the sleeve when force is applied to said shaft in said other axial direction.  
  2. The lighter of claim 1 which includes a reciprocatable operating button mounted on said case in contact with the outer end of said shaft for applying axial force thereto, a valve in said outlet, and means connecting said button and said valve to open the valve when the button is moved in said one axial direction and to close disposed above said sleeve, the inner surface of which is keyed to said shaft to cause the bearing to rotate with the shaft while permitting axial movement on the shaft, said rasp wheel being locked to the outer surface of said bearing.  
  6. The lighter of claim 5 in which said key comprises axial slots in the surface of the shaft and cooperating ribs on the surface of the bearing which ribs slide in said slots.