US3592576A — Mechanism for regulating the flame height in a ga…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 347 words

In a gas lighter having an outer casing, a removable gas reservoir which is enclosed within said casing and which carries an expansion valve including fixed and movable parts enclosing a porous washer the compression of which is adjustable by a relative movement between said fixed and movable parts in order to regulate the rate of flow of said combustible gas through said porous washer, said valve being operable to permit the passage therethrough from said reservoir of a combustible gas which is ignitable by sparks produced by the rubbing of a serrated surface of a flint wheel against a flint, the improvement which consists in a flint tube extending through said reservoir in a gastight manner and secured to said outer casing; a spring housed within said flint tube; a flint supported by one end of said spring in such a manner as to protrude beyond one end of said flint tube into engagement with said flint wheel; a detachable gas lighter base and annular boss means defining an aperture in said base, which aperture is in register with said flint tube; a screw thread formed in said flint tube at the end thereof adjacent to said aperture; and a screw having an enlarged head, the diameter of which is larger than that of said aperture, said screw extending through said aperture in said base and engaging the screw thread of said flint tube not only to connect said base to the gas lighter with consequent enclosure of said reservoir but also to compress said spring with consequent pressure of said flint against said flint wheel, and said screw being in addition rotatable in said aperture in said base to cause movement of said reservoir with respect to said flint tube in one of two opposite directions at a time in order to move said movable part of the valve with respect to said fixed part for varying the compression of said porous washer and thus regulating the rate of flow of said combustible gas through the opened valve and consequently the height of the flame.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 347 words

In a gas lighter having an outer casing, a removable gas reservoir which is enclosed within said casing and which carries an expansion valve including fixed and movable parts enclosing a porous washer the compression of which is adjustable by a relative movement between said fixed and movable parts in order to regulate the rate of flow of said combustible gas through said porous washer, said valve being operable to permit the passage therethrough from said reservoir of a combustible gas which is ignitable by sparks produced by the rubbing of a serrated surface of a flint wheel against a flint, the improvement which consists in a flint tube extending through said reservoir in a gastight manner and secured to said outer casing; a spring housed within said flint tube; a flint supported by one end of said spring in such a manner as to protrude beyond one end of said flint tube into engagement with said flint wheel; a detachable gas lighter base and annular boss means defining an aperture in said base, which aperture is in register with said flint tube; a screw thread formed in said flint tube at the end thereof adjacent to said aperture; and a screw having an enlarged head, the diameter of which is larger than that of said aperture, said screw extending through said aperture in said base and engaging the screw thread of said flint tube not only to connect said base to the gas lighter with consequent enclosure of said reservoir but also to compress said spring with consequent pressure of said flint against said flint wheel, and said screw being in addition rotatable in said aperture in said base to cause movement of said reservoir with respect to said flint tube in one of two opposite directions at a time in order to move said movable part of the valve with respect to said fixed part for varying the compression of said porous washer and thus regulating the rate of flow of said combustible gas through the opened valve and consequently the height of the flame.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 86 words

In a gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, a partition provided within said outer casing; means defining an aperture in said partition, said flint tube extending through said aperture; a collar extending radially outwardly of said flint tube, one axially directed face of said collar being in contact with said partition around said aperture; and a plate so shaped and apertured as to overlie said partition and said collar and to encircle said flint tube; whereby said flint tube is fixed within said outer casing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 170 words

In a gas lighter as claimed in claim 2, means defining a second aperture in said plate, which second aperture is in register with said valve which is carried by said reservoir; said valve having a first part thereof connected to said reservoir and a second part thereof carried by said first part, said first and second parts of said valve being movable relative to one another; means defining a shoulder in said second aperture; a shoulder on said second part of said valve; a porous element located between said first and second parts of said valve; the shoulder on said second part of the valve being in engagement with the shoulder in said second aperture; whereby rotation of said screw to cause said movement of said reservoir in one of two opposite directions at a time alters the degree of compression of said porous element with resultant regulation of the rate of flow of said combustible gas through the opened valve and consequently of the height of the flame.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 310 words

In a gas lighter as claimed in claim 1, a dished portion of said base constituting said annular boss means defining said aperture in said base, said dished portion creating a concavity in that face of the base which in use is outwardly directed, said concavity being of a circular plan configuration and a diameter such as permits accommodation of the enlarged head of said screw said aperture in said base being of a diameter which matches that of the screw-threaded part of said screw; a second tube extending through and fixed in a gastight manner to said reservoir, said second tube being of greater inside diameter than the outside diameter of said flint tube and being concentric with said flint tube; an assembly consisting of a spring washer, a thrust washer and a sleeve being disposed around said screw-threaded part of said screw; said sleeve having at one end thereof a portion of greater outside diameter than that of the remainder of said sleeve; said spring washer and said thrust washer encircling a part of said remainder of said sleeve with the thrust washer located between said portion of greater outside diameter and said spring washer; said thrust washer being of greater outside diameter than that of said aperture in said base; the other end of said sleeve being in contact with said enlarged head of said screw and said portion of great diameter being in contact with one end of said second tube; whereby rotation of said screw to increase the degree of compression of said porous element by moving the reservoir away from said base results in compression deformation of said spring washer as a consequence of said enlarged head of said screw being drawn axially towards said thrust washer which is itself drawn axially inwardly of the gas lighter against saiD dished portion of said base.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 322 words

A gas lighter which includes a lighter body which is open at both ends, a cap hingedly mounted upon said body at one of said ends, a base connected to said body at the other of said ends; means defining an aperture in said base; said lighter body, said cap and said base defining a cavity; a cavity divider dividing said cavity into two parts; a gas reservoir removably located in one of said two parts of said cavity; an expansion valve having a first part thereof connected to said reservoir and having a second part thereof carried by said first part; said first and second parts of said valve being movable relative to one another; said second lever-operated element movable in one direction of movement thereof to permit the passage of gas through said valve from said reservoir; means in said cavity divider defining an aperture and an abutment; said second part of said valve extending into and through said aperture and also engaging said abutment; spark-producing means including a flint and a serrated surface on a flint wheel; a flint tube and spring means therein, said spring means acting when compressed to press said flint into engagement with said serrated surface in the vicinity of one end of said tube; said flint tube extending through said reservoir in a gastight manner; and a single screw-threaded device engaged with and extending into the other end of said tube and thereby connecting said base to said body and thereby also enclosing and maintaining said reservoir within said one of said two parts of the cavity and thereby also compressing said spring means to press said flint against said serrated surface, rotation of said device causing said first and second parts of said valve to move relative to one another to alter the amount of gas which will pass through the valve upon movement of said element in said one direction of movement.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 322 words

A gas lighter which includes a lighter body which is open at both ends, a cap hingedly mounted upon said body at one of said ends, a base connected to said body at the other of said ends; means defining an aperture in said base; said lighter body, said cap and said base defining a cavity; a cavity divider dividing said cavity into two parts; a gas reservoir removably located in one of said two parts of said cavity; an expansion valve having a first part thereof connected to said reservoir and having a second part thereof carried by said first part; said first and second parts of said valve being movable relative to one another; said second lever-operated element movable in one direction of movement thereof to permit the passage of gas through said valve from said reservoir; means in said cavity divider defining an aperture and an abutment; said second part of said valve extending into and through said aperture and also engaging said abutment; spark-producing means including a flint and a serrated surface on a flint wheel; a flint tube and spring means therein, said spring means acting when compressed to press said flint into engagement with said serrated surface in the vicinity of one end of said tube; said flint tube extending through said reservoir in a gastight manner; and a single screw-threaded device engaged with and extending into the other end of said tube and thereby connecting said base to said body and thereby also enclosing and maintaining said reservoir within said one of said two parts of the cavity and thereby also compressing said spring means to press said flint against said serrated surface, rotation of said device causing said first and second parts of said valve to move relative to one another to alter the amount of gas which will pass through the valve upon movement of said element in said one direction of movement.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 117 words

In a gas lighter having a lighter body adapted to receive a gas reservoir therein and an expansion valve having first and second parts movable with respect to each other, means for regulating the rate of flow of gas through said valve comprising, a flint tube adapted to receive a flint and biasing spring therefore extending through said reservoir and having an internally threaded end portion adjacent the base of said reservoir, and means threadably engaged with said end portion for compressing said spring between said screw and said flint and operably engaged with said reservoir for moving said first and second valve parts with respect to each other to regulate the rate of gas flowing therethrough.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 117 words

In a gas lighter having a lighter body adapted to receive a gas reservoir therein and an expansion valve having first and second parts movable with respect to each other, means for regulating the rate of flow of gas through said valve comprising, a flint tube adapted to receive a flint and biasing spring therefore extending through said reservoir and having an internally threaded end portion adjacent the base of said reservoir, and means threadably engaged with said end portion for compressing said spring between said screw and said flint and operably engaged with said reservoir for moving said first and second valve parts with respect to each other to regulate the rate of gas flowing therethrough.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 136 words

In a gas lighter having a flint wheel and a lighter body adapted to slidably receive a gas reservoir therein having an expansion valve including fixed and movable parts, means for regulating the rate of flow of gas through said valve comprising, a flint tube adapted to receive a flint and a biasing spring therefore, said flint tube extending through said reservoir and having an internally threaded end portion adjacent the base of said reservoir, a screw threadably engaged with said end portion for compressing said spring and urging said flint into engagement with said flint wheel, said screw being operably engaged with said reservoir for moving said reservoir and said movable valve part with respect to said fixed valve part upon rotation of the screw to regulate the rate of gas flowing through said valve.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 136 words

In a gas lighter having a flint wheel and a lighter body adapted to slidably receive a gas reservoir therein having an expansion valve including fixed and movable parts, means for regulating the rate of flow of gas through said valve comprising, a flint tube adapted to receive a flint and a biasing spring therefore, said flint tube extending through said reservoir and having an internally threaded end portion adjacent the base of said reservoir, a screw threadably engaged with said end portion for compressing said spring and urging said flint into engagement with said flint wheel, said screw being operably engaged with said reservoir for moving said reservoir and said movable valve part with respect to said fixed valve part upon rotation of the screw to regulate the rate of gas flowing through said valve.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said screw includes a head portion operably engaged with the base of said reservoir.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 53 words

A device as defined in claim 8 wherein said expansion valve includes a porous washer positioned between said movable and fixed valve parts, whereby movement of said movable valve part with respect to said fixed valve part varies the compression of said porous washer to regulate the flow of gas through said valve.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-07-12	1975-01-11	1975-07-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-07-12	1979-01-11	1979-07-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-07-12	1983-01-11	1983-07-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Mechanism for regulating the flame height in a gas lighter

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