US3627461A

US3627461A - Fuel container for a gas lighter

Info

Publication number: US3627461A
Application number: US887497A
Authority: US
Inventors: Therese Christiane Hocq
Original assignee: INTERFLAMME
Current assignee: Cartier SA; INTERFLAMME
Priority date: 1968-12-30
Filing date: 1969-12-23
Publication date: 1971-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-14
Also published as: BE743780A; ES155060U; NL6919499A; ES155060Y; DE1964071A1; CH505345A; FR1602235A; AT289437B

Abstract

A fuel container, for a gas lighter, which has extending through it a supporting tube carrying a flint. The supporting tube is arranged, when the fuel container is inserted in the lighter, to receive a flint tube on the lighter and in which the flint is automatically positioned. The flint is retained in the supporting tube by means of a thin ribbon surrounding the fuel container and closing the ends of the supporting tube. The ribbon is broken when the fuel container is inserted into the lighter.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Therese Christiane Hocq Boulogne-Billancourt, France Appl. No. 887,497 Filed Dec. 23, 1969 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 Assignee lnterflamme Paris, France Priority Dec. 30, 1968 France 182051 FUEL CONTAINER. FOR A GAS LIGHTER 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

0.8. CI 431/273, 43 1/344 Int. Cl F23q 2/16, F23d 13/04 Field of Search 4 /2 lighter.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,844,481 2/1932 Rogers 431/344 UX 2,54l,lll 2/l951 Simon et al... 43l/276X 2,608,080 8/1952 Simon et al. 43 l /276 X Primary Examiner- Edward J. Michael At!0rney-Curtis, Morris & Safford ABSTRACT: A fuel container, for a gas lighter, which has extending through it a supporting tube carrying a flint. The supporting tube is arranged, when the fuel container is inserted in the lighter, to receive a flint tube on the lighter and in which the flint is automatically positioned. The flint is retained in the supporting tube by means ofa thin ribbon surrounding the fuel container and closing the ends of the supporting tube. The ribbon is broken when the fuel container is inserted into the PATENIEUGR 4 m 3.621 4 s 1 sum 1 OF 2 Thenzss Chmsfuwe HoCQ INVENTOR PATENTED nn: 1 4 l9" SHEET 2 BF 2 ThcREsr Chmsi'mue' HOG-Q INVENTOR 6min), 7 7mg, 1

FUEL CONTAINER FOR A GAS LIGHTER This invention relates to a fuel container for a gas lighter and is more particularly concerned with a fuel container which has extending therethrough a supporting tube containing a flint which is arranged to be automatically engaged with the flint wheel of the lighter when the fuel container is placed in position in the lighter.

A fuel container of this type is disclosed in French Pat. No. 1,436,959, British Pat. No. 1.054,694, and US. Pat. No.

3,353,375. In these patents, the flint is supported in the fuel" container by a piston sliding in a sleeve which can be inserted into the supporting tube and subjected to the pressure of compressed gas contained in this sleeve between the piston and a plug screwed into the lower end of the supporting tube, and in which the sleeve is Iocated.'In the case where the fuel container is for a gas lighter the piston is subjected to the pressure of the gas contained in the fuel container, and the sleeve constitutes the flint tube. In this known fuel containerthe flint is surrounded by a thin skin or sheath which the friction of the flint wheel removes and which is intended to keep together the fragments of the flint if the latter is accidentally broken. The upper end of the sleeve is sealed by a thin cap which is also removed by the flint wheel when the unit comprising the sleeve and the flint is inserted into the supporting tube.

This device is relatively complicated, and thus costly, and it necessitates the extraction of the fuel container from the casing each time a user wishes to change the flint.

Also known, from French Pat. No. l.568,322, is a gas lighter, the casing of which comprises a partition to which is attached a flint-carrying tube which is housed, in the assembly, in a supporting tube, supported by the fuel container. At the end of the flint tube a screw is screwed in, which serves not only to apply the flint to the wheel but also to secure the removable bottom to the casing of the lighter.

Although this device is satisfactory, it has been found desirable to provide a fuel container containing a flint capable of lasting as long as the liquid gas filling, at the same time permitting, if necessary, the eventual replacement of this flint without it being necessary to disassemble the fuel container, as is the case with the lighters in accordance with the patents mentioned above.

A fuel container for a gas lighter according to the present invention has extending therethrough a supporting tube containing a flint and adapted, when the fuel container is placed in position in the lighter, to receive a flint tube on the lighter and in which the flint is automatically positioned, the flint being retained in position in the supporting tube by retaining means closing the ends of the supporting tube and which are opened by the flint tube when the fuel container is placed in position in the lighter.

Preferably the retaining means comprises a thin ribbon which completely surrounds the fuel container. The ribbon may be formed of any appropriate material, for example, paper or cellophane, and it preferably has a necked portion covering the opening which in use will be innermost in order to provide a weakened zone at this spot.

Both ends of the ribbon may be advantageously attached one upon the other along a certain length and hang freely below the lower surface of the fuel container, thus forming a tonguelike strip which facilitates the manipulation of the fuel container.

The invention may be performed in many ways and one specific embodiment of a fuel container according to the present invention and a method of assembling it will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a side elevation of the fuel container;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the fuel container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan of the fuel container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan of the fuel container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view taken from above of the fuel container, showing the stage in the assembly of the fuel container which preceeds the insertion of a flint into the supporting tube;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the completed fuel container;

FIG. 7 is a plan of the ribbon; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical section through the casing of a lighter fitted with a fuel container in accordance with the invention.

The fuel container shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 is of conventional form and comprises vertical walls 2, a top 3 and a base 4. In the embodiment shown it also has two level side faces and two rounded end faces, but it could also have any other appropriate form. Into the top 3 and the base 4 is soldered or otherwise mounted a supporting tube 5 which extends from the top to the bottom of the fuel container and is open at its ends. The upper face 3 of the fuel container supports a unit 6, constituted by the upper part of the body of the expansion valve and the burner jet.

In accordance with the invention, the tube 5 has mounted therein a replacement flint 7 which is maintained in position by a thin ribbon 8, of cellophane, paper or other similar material and which may also be self-adhesive, so as to adhere to the fuel container. As shown in FIG. 7 the ribbon 8 preferably has a necked portion 9 to provide a weakened portion.

In order to assemble a fuel container in accordance with the invention the ribbon 8 is placed over the top of the fuel container and the upper parts of the sidewalls, as shown in FIG. 5, with the necked portion 9 overlying and closing the opening in the upper end of the tube 5. The flint 7 is inserted through the lower opening in the tube, as shown by the arrow F of FIG. 5, and then the lower ends of the ribbon 8 are bent, as shown for one ribbon end only by the arrow F of FIG. 5, in such a way as to cover a part of the base 4 (FIGS. 3 and 6) and to close the lower opening in the tube 5. Finally, the free ends of the ribbon are fastened together as seen at 10in the FIGS. 1,2 and 6, preferably leaving two tabs 11 free in order to facilitate eventual separation of the two ends of the ribbon, for example, to give access to the lower opening in the tube 5. The ends of the ribbon 8 thus fonn a tonguelike strip I0 which can facilitate the manipulation of the fuel container. Alternatively however, the ends of the ribbon may merely cover the base 4 of the fuel container without passing beyond, i.e., without the

parts

10 and 11.

FIG. 8 shows a lighter in which a fuel container in accordance with the present invention is inserted. The lighter includes a casing which comprises a body 12 open at both ends, a cover 13 pivoted to the body 12, and a base 14 which is maintained engaged with a peripheral seating of the lower end of the body I2. The casing is divided into two parts by a partition 15 supporting a platform I6 on which the mechanism of the lighter is erected. The lower part of the casing contains the removable fuel container 1.

A long flint-carrying tube 17 occupies almost the entire length of the body 12 of the lighter.'lt is attached adjacent its center by a collar 18, resting on the partition 15 and positioned in a corresponding bore in the platform 16 and is received in the supporting tube 5 in the fuel container 1. The lower end of the tube 17 is tapped to receive a flint screw 19, the upper face of which serves as a stop for a flint spring 20 which applies the flint 7 to a flint wheel 21, and the head of which is positioned in a bore in the base 14 of the body of the lighter, thus retaining the base in position.

In order that the fuel container may be changed, the screw 19 is unscrewed, the base plate 14 withdrawn and the fuel container 1 extracted. The spring 20 is temporarily removed and a new fuel container 1 is inserted into the body 12 of the lighter, the flint tube 17 being aligned with the supporting tube 5. The pressure applied by the hand of a user on the base 4 forces the flint-carrying tube 17 to tear the ribbon 8 opposite the upper opening of the tube 5, and the flint 7 is thus automatically inserted into the flint tube. Then the tonguelike strip 10 is pulled from the ribbon, and the spring 20 is reinserted in the tube 17, before replacing the removable base I4 of the lighter, and rescrewing the screw 19 into position.

The length of the flint 7 is preferably calculated in relation to the capacity of the fuel container I so that the flint is used up when the fuel container is empty. However, if the flint is worn out before the fuel container is empty, it is nevertheless easy to replace it without dismantling the lighter. in this case it is only necessary to screw in the screw 19 and insert a new flint, after temporarily removing the spring 20, without it being necessary to detach the base 14 of the lighter. As mentioned above the flint-carrying tube 17 is secured by the collar 18 between the partition and the platform 16, which provides it with sufficient rigidity to ensure the attachment of the removable base 14 and to pierce the ribbon 8.

It must be well understood that the fuel container and its method of assembly in a lighter described and shown is only an example and may be modified in numerous ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A fuel container for use in a gas lighter having a flint tube extending therethrough, said container including a supporting tube extending through the container, having an opening at respective ends thereof and having a diameter larger than said flint tube, a flint in said tube; and frangible retaining means closing said openings to retain said flint in said supporting tube, said supporting tube being located in said container in position to receive said flint tube when the container is inserted in said lighter whereby said flint tube ruptures said retaining means covering said opening and said flint is introduced into said flint tube.

2. A fuel container as claimed in claim 1 in which the retaining means comprise a thin ribbon which completely surrounds the fuel container.

3. A fuel container as claimed in claim 2 in which the ribbon is formed of paper.

4. A fuel container as claimed in claim 2 in which the ribbon is formed of cellophane.

5. A fuel container as claimed in claim 2 in which the ribbon has a necked portion covering the opening of the supporting tube which in use will be innermost in order to provide a weakened zone.

6. A fuel container as claimed inclaim 2 in which both ends of the ribbon are fastened together along a certain length, and hang freely below the outer face of the fuel container, thus forming a tonguelike strip which facilitates the manipulation of the fuel container.

# I l I l

Claims

1. A fuel container for use in a gas lighter having a flint tube extending therethrough, said container including a supporting tube extending through the container, having an opening at respective ends thereof and having a diameter larger than said flint tube, a flint in said tube, and frangible retaining means closing said openings to retain said flint in said supporting tube, said supporting tube being located in said container in position to receive said flint tube when the container is inserted in said lighter whereby said flint tube ruptures said retaining means covering said opening and said flint is introduced into said flint tube.

6. A fuel container as claimed in claim 2 in which both ends of the ribbon are fastened together along a certain length, and hang freely below the outer face of the fuel container, thus forming a tonguelike strip which facilitates the manipulation of the fuel container.