Gas fueled safety lighter

Claim 2

A gas fueled safety lighter intended for use in the lighting of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and the like, the lighter comprising: a casing having a top surface, a bottom surface, and depending side walls including a front end and a back end; a fuel tank chamber disposed interiorly of said casing; a gas valve mounted to said top surface of said casing and in communication with said fuel tank chamber for selectively sealing and unsealing gas flow from said chamber; a head assembly mounted on said casing top surface and reciprocally moveable thereon in a direction toward and away from said front end thereof between an opeRative and an inoperative position relative to said gas valve, said head assembly operative to actuate said gas valve to an open position when in the operative position and said head assembly being spaced from and out of contact with said gas valve when in the inoperative position; actuating means mounted on said head assembly adapted for contacting and coacting with said valve assembly when said head assembly is in the operative position; and resilient spring means interposed between said casing and said head assembly to resiliently bias said head assembly into said inoperative normal position spaced from said gas valve, said spring being compressed upon movement of said head assembly relative to said casing into said operative position for engagement with said valve with said spring returning said head assembly to said inoperative normal position upon release of those forces effecting said movement of said head assembly into said operative position.

Claim 3

The gas fueled safety lighter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said head assembly comprises a body member mounted for reciprocal movement along said top surface of said casing along the longitudinal axis thereof, said body member having a front end and a back end, a pivot pin associated with said front end and having projecting rearwardly therefrom and pivotally connected thereto a fingerpiece adapted for engagement by an individual''s finger, a closure cap connected to said pivot pin forwardly thereof and actuated by said fingerpiece between an open and a closed position relative to said casing top surface in a manner to selectively expose and cover said valve, a friction sparking wheel and a flint mounted on said body member adjacent the front end thereof and operable in a conventional manner upon actuation of said fingerpiece to provide igniting sparks in the area of said valve; and wherein said valve actuating means associated with said body member comprises a flange member projecting outwardly from said front end of said body member and terminating in a free front edge, and a generally V-shaped notch defined in said front edge and adapted to contact and coact with said valve when said head assembly is in the operative position, said flange being spaced from said valve when said assembly is in the inoperative position.

Claim 4

The gas fueled safety lighter as set forth in claim 2 wherein said gas valve comprises a nozzle and a base, said base being affixed to said top surface of said casing with said nozzle being reciprocally mounted for vertical movement on said base, said base comprising: a first hollow cylindrical member affixed to said casing top surface and projecting upright therefrom; a second hollow cylindrical member affixed to said top surface and disposed concentric with said first cylindrical member inwardly thereof and having an exterior diameter less than the interior diameter thereof; an upright cylindrical shaped guide slot defined between said first cylindrical member interior surface and said second cylindrical member exterior surface; a passageway extending centrally axially through said second cylindrical member in communication with said fuel tank chamber and terminating adjacent the top end of said second cylindrical member; and wherein said nozzle comprises: a head member consisting of a flat top surface, depending cylindrical side walls, and an inverted dome shaped under surface; a cylindrical hollow guide member formed integrally with said head member extending downwardly from said dome shaped undersurface and being of a hollow configuration, said guide member including side walls of a size and configuration adapted to be reciprocally received in said base guide slot for guiding the vertical movement of said nozzle relative to said base; a cylindrical passageway defined interiorly of said guide member opening out of the bottom end thereof and of a diameter to telescopically receive said second cylindrical member therein; a plate extending Across said guide member passageway intermediate said guide legs and in a position to rest on said top end of said second cylindrical member when said nozzle is in a closed position relative to said base; a sealing boss member disposed centrally of said plate member and extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to seal said second cylindrical member fuel flow passageway when said plate rests on said second cylindrical member top end; a plurality of circumferally spaced apart radially disposed apertures formed in said plate and extending therethrough, said apertures defining a circle of a diameter greater than the diameter of said second cylindrical member passageway and less than the exterior diameter of said second cylindrical member with the top end of said second cylindrical member sealing said apertures when said plate is resting thereon; a passageway extending through said head portion in communication with said top surface and said apertures of said plate; and a plurality of spring members disposed in said guide slots and having one end affixed to the bottom ends of said guide members with the opposite ends affixed to the bottom portions of said guide slots, said springs resiliently biasing said nozzle into sealed engagement with said base with said plate apertures and said sealing member sealing off said fuel flow passageway, upward movement of said nozzle relative to said base effecting separation of said plate member from said second cylindrical member to permit fuel to flow through said second cylindrical member passageway, through said plate apertures, and through said head portion passageway for ignition.

Claim 5

The gas fuel safety lighter as set forth in claim 3 wherein said notch portion of said flange of said body member is adapted to contact and coact with said dome shaped bottom surface of said valve head portion when said head assembly is moved into said operative position, said notch effecting the vertical elevation of said nozzle relative to said base member to effect gas flow therethrough; and wherein return of said head assembly to said inoperative position effects separation of said flange member from said nozzle with said springs in said guide slots returning said nozzle to a sealed inoperative position on said base.