Disposable lighter

Claim 2

A gas lighter comprising in combination a body forming in part a fuel chamber, an outlet orifice, valve means between said fuel chamber and outlet orifice controlling the flow of fuel therebetween, valve actuating means, and ignition means adjacent said outlet orifice, said valve means including a valve member movable between a normal position in which said valve is closed and a second position in which said valve is open, and said valve actuating means including an operating member, structure defining a pivot axis at one end of said operating member, the other end of said operating member forming a manually engageable actuating surface, and a control member, said control member engaging an intermediate portion of said operating member, said control member adapted to open said valve in response to the movement of said operating member to an actuating position and said pivot axis defining structure having an adjustable position setting to vary the amount by which the control member opens the vlave when the operating member is moved to an actuating position by pivoting about said pivot axis defining structure, the rate of fuel flow varying with the amount by which said valve is opened.

Claim 3

A gas lighter comprising in combination a body forming in part a fuel chamber, an outlet orifice, valve means between said fuel chamber and outlet orifice controlling the flow of fuel therebetween, valve actuating means, and ignition means adjacent said outlet orifice, said valve means including a valve member movable between a normal position in which said valve is closed and a second position in which said valve is open, and said valve actuating means including an operating member, structure defining a pivot axis at one end of said operating member, the other end of said operating member forming a manually engageable actuating surface, and a control member, said control member engaging an intermediate portion of said operating member, said control member adapted to open said valve in response to the movement of said operating member to an actuating position and said pivot axis defining structure having an adjustable position setting to vary the amount by which the control member opens the vlave when the operating member is moved to an actuating position by pivoting about said pivot axis defining structure, the rate of fuel flow varying with the amount by which said valve is opened.

Claim 4

A gas lighter comprising in combination a body forming in part a fuel chamber, an outlet orifice, valve means between said fuel chamber and outlet orifice controlling the flow of fuel therebetween, valve actuating means, and ignition means adjacent said outlet orifice, said valve means including a valve member movable between a normal position in which said valve is closed and a second position in which said valve is open, and said valve actuating means including an operating member, structure defining a pivot axis at one end of said operating member, the other end of said operating member forming a manually engageable actuating surface, and a control member, said control member engaging an intermediate portion of said operating member, said control member adapted to open said valve in response to the movement of said operating member to an actuating position and said pivot axis defining structure having an adjustable position setting to vary the amount by which the control member opens the vlave when the operating member is moved to an actuating position by pivoting about said pivot axis defining structure, the rate of fuel flow varying with the amount by which said valve is opened.

Claim 5

A lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve means includes a flexible, resilient member of gas impermeable material forming a valve port, flexing movement of said flexible resilient member opens said valve port to the passage of fuel, and the rate of fuel flow varies with the amount by which said member is flexed.

Claim 6

A lighter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said valve port comprises an open passageway through said flexible resilient member, and further including blocking means carried by said body in registry with said passageway, said means contacting said flexible resilient member in said normal position to block the flow of fuel through said passageway, said blocking means being progressively spaced away from said member as said member is progressively flexed, the rate of fuel flow through said passageway being controlled by the spacing between the blocking means and the flexible resilient member.

Claim 7

A lighter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said valve port comprises a narrow slit through said flexible resilient member, said slit being closed when said resilient member is in said normal position and progressively opened as said resilient member is progressively flexed.

Claim 8

A lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control member comprises a valve stem movable by said operating member between a raised position at which said valve member is in said normal position, and a lowered position to open the valve, said stem having an elongated bore extending from the lower portion thereOf to said outlet orifice, the lower end of said bore forming an inlet for fuel from said fuel chamber.

Claim 9

A lighter as claimed in claim 1, and further including spring means urging said operating lever upward.

Claim 10

A lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivot axis defining structure abuts an exterior surface of said lighter body, said pivot axis defining structure and said exterior surface being provided with matched incremental adjustment means for adjustably locking said pivot axis defining structure into one of several vertically spaced positions.

Claim 11

A lighter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said valve means includes a liquid impermeable, gas porous membrane secured to said lighter body between said flexible resilient member and said fuel chamber, and a layer of foamed material between said flexible, resilient member and said membrane.

Claim 12

A gas lighter comprising in combination a body forming in part a fuel chamber, an operating lever pivotably mounted at one end to said body, the other end of said operating lever forming a thumb rest, flexible resilient valve means controlling the flow of fuel from said fuel chamber in proportion to the flexing of said valve means, a valve stem having a rounded upper surface and an elongated bore adapted to receive fuel from said valve means, an outlet for said bore at the top of said stem, a cap carried on an intermediate portion of said operating lever and abutting the upper valve stem surface, said cap including an orifice in fuel flow alignment with said stem bore outlet, and adapted to move said valve stem downwardly and flex said flexible resilient member when the thumb rest is depressed, spring means urging said operating lever upwardly, and ignition means adjacent said cap orifice.

Claim 13

A gas lighter comprising in combination a body forming in part a fuel chamber, an operating lever pivotably mounted at one end to said body, the other end of said operating lever forming a thumb rest, flexible resilient valve means controlling the flow of fuel from said fuel chamber in proportion to the flexing of said valve means, a valve stem having a rounded upper surface and an elongated bore adapted to receive fuel from said valve means, an outlet for said bore at the top of said stem, a cap carried on an intermediate portion of said operating lever and abutting the upper valve stem surface, said cap including an orifice in fuel flow alignment with said stem bore outlet, and adapted to move said valve stem downwardly and flex said flexible resilient member when the thumb rest is depressed, spring means urging said operating lever upwardly, and ignition means adjacent said cap orifice.

Claim 14

A gas lighter comprising in combination a body forming in part a fuel chamber, a fuel outlet, a fuel flow control assembly comprising a pierced, flexible sheet member of elastomeric material, a thin gas porous but liquid impermeable sheet membrane, and a layer of foam material between said sheet member and said sheet membrane in sandwich relation therewith, said fuel flow control assembly being disposed between said fuel chamber and said fuel outlet, said fuel flow control assembly when flexed adapted to release a supply of fuel from said fuel chamber to said outlet, the rate of fuel flow being determined by the amount said fuel flow control assembly is flexed, a flexing control member for said fuel flow control assembly movable between a raised position and a lowered position, means extending outwardly from said lighter body for moving said control member to a first position flexing said fuel flow control assembly and allowing flow of fuel from said fuel chamber to said fuel outlet, means for restoring said control member to a position at which said fuel flow control assembly is unflexed blocking flow of fuel from said fuel chambers to said fuel outlet, and ignition means adjacent said fuel outlet.

Claim 15

A gas lighter comprising in combination a body forming in part a fuel chamber, a fuel outlet, a fuel flow control assembly comprising a pierced, flexible sheet member of elastomeric material, a thin gas porous but liquid impermeable sheet membrane, and a layer of foam material between said sheet member and said sheet membrane in sandwich relation therewith, said fuel flow control assembly being disposed between said fuel chamber and said fuel outlet, said fuel flow control assembly when flexed adapted to release a supply of fuel from said fuel chamber to said outlet, the rate of fuel flow being determined by the amount said fuel flow control assembly is flexed, a flexing control member for said fuel flow control assembly movable between a raised position and a lowered position, means extending outwardly from said lighter body for moving said control member to a first position flexing said fuel flow control assembly and allowing flow of fuel from said fuel chamber to said fuel outlet, means for restoring said control member to a position at which said fuel flow control assembly is unflexed blocking flow of fuel from said fuel chambers to said fuel outlet, and ignition means adjacent said fuel outlet.

Claim 16

A lighter as claimed in claim 10, and further including means for adjusting the length of the control member movement and thereby adjusting the amount of flexing imparted to said fuel flow control assembly.