CIGAR OR CIGARETTE LIGHTER
L. L. D. STRATTON
Patented March 23, 1940
To all whom it may concern:
This invention relates to a cigar or cigarette lighter, and has for the primary object the provision of a
device of this character which may be constructed in a pocket or a table size and in the shape of a
human figure artistically posed with the igniting means located in the mouth and ignited and
extinguished by the movement of the head to open and close the mouth thereof through the manual
movement of the arm toward and from the mouth, the hands of the arms when the latter are moved
toward the mouth for igniting the igniting means provide guards to prevent the user from positioning
the face too close to the flame when lighting a cigar or cigarette.
With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction,
combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.
For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and
accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a cigar or cigarette lighter constructed in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the lighter in operation.
Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating the igniter means located in the mouth of the
figure.
Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates the lighter in entirely which is shaped or
constructed to simulate a human figure, the torso being indicated by the character 6 including a neck 7 .
The torso 6 has associated therewith the legs 8 and feet 9 as well as the arms 10 and handle 12. The
head is indicated by the character 13 and includes the upper jaw 14 of the mouth 15 while the lower jaw
16 forms an integral part of the neck 7. A shaft 17 joins the head 13 to the neck 7 for pivotal
movement relative thereto for the purpose of opening and closing the mouth 15. The torso 6, neck 7
and a portion of the head 13 are of hollow formation and a chamber 17' is formed in the neck and
extends into the lower jaw 16. The chamber 17' is for the reception of a lighter fluid and may be
substantially filled with a packing such as cotton or the like, and also has located therein a wick 18
which extends through a fitting 19 threaded in the lower jaw 16 between the lips of the jaws and the
shaft 17.
The lower jaw 16 is provided with an opening 20 to receive a stick of carbon 21 or some other similar
material and which is spring influenced by a spring 22 of the coil type held in the opening by a plug 23
threaded in said opening from the lower side of the jaw 16. The stick of carbon 21 is urged against a
serrated wheel 24 secured on the shaft 17. The shaft 17 is fixed to the head 13 and is journaled on the
jaw 16. Tension springs 25 are mounted on the shaft and bear against the upper jaw 14 and the lower
jaw 16 tending to normally position the head 13 so that the mouth 15 is open. As the head swings into a
position for opening the mouth the shaft 17 is rotated bringing about rotation of the serrated wheel
against the carbon stick 21 to produce sparks for igniting the wick located within the mouth. When the
head 13 is moved into a position for closing the mouth a cupped portion 26 formed on the roof of the
upper jaw engages over the burning end of the wick and extinguishes the latter.
One of the legs 8 is formed integrally with the torso and provides a support for the device while the
other leg is provided with a shaft 33 journaled in the torso and provided with an arm 34 to which is
pivoted a link 35. The link 35 is eccentrically pivoted on the disc 31. The disc 31 is equipped with a
notch 36 to be engaged by a pivotally mounted catch 37 provided with a finger piece 38 located within
an opening 39 provided with a finger piece 38 located within an opening 39 provided in the torso 6. A
leaf spring 40 bears against the catch for retaining the free end thereof in engagement with the periphery
of the disc.
A manual downward movement of the arm 10 will bring about rotation of the disc 31 so that the catch
37 may engage in the notch 36. The rotation of the disc 31 swings the head 13 so as to close the mouth
15 and to swing the pivoted leg toward the fixed leg . The arms 10 are bent at the elbow with the hands
in an open position. A manual upward movement of the arms 10 brings the open hands to a position
adjacent the mouth. This upward movement of the arms is brought about manually by pressing on the
finger piece 38 to free the catch 37 from the notch 36 of the disc 31, the springs 25 acting to swing the
head into a position to open the mouth which elevates the arms into said raised position and at the same
time ignites the wick so that the user with a cigar or cigarette placed in the mouth passes the cigar or
cigarette between the hands to the flame of the wick, the hands preventing the user's face from coming
too close to the flame as to be dangerous. To extinguish the device, the arms 10 are manually moved
downwardly which causes the head to assume mouth closing position thereby extinguishing the flame
of the wick and at the same time reversely rotating the disc 31 so that the catch 37 may engage the
notch 36. When the device is operated by pressing the finger piece 38 for igniting the wick, the pivoted
leg swings forwardly with the upward movement of the arms giving a motion that somewhat simulates
a jumping movement of the figure.
From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen
that a lighter has been provided which besides being artistic and readily appealing will also be
efficient, durable and economical to manufacture. A suitable filling plug (not shown) may be provided
in the neck 7 so that lighter fluid may be readily placed in the chamber 17' for the saturation of the
material therein with the lighter fluid.
It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully set
forth the connection with the drawings will fully set forth the construction and advantages of this
invention to those skilled in the art to which such a device relates, so that further detailed description
will not be required.
What I claim is:
1. A lighter comprising a body in the form of a human figure including a neck having a part thereof to
form a jaw to coact with a portion of the neck in defining a reservoir to receive a lighting fluid , a wick
for said reservoir and extending through the jaw, a head pivoted on the neck with a portion thereof
shaped to form an upper jaw to coact with the jaw of the neck in forming a mouth, an igniting means
located in the head and operated by the movement of said head for igniting the which on the movement
of the head in one direction and for extinguishing the wick on the movement of the head in an opposite
direction, and means for imparting movement to the head.
2. A lighter comprising a body in the form of a human figure including a neck having a part thereof to
form a jaw to coact with a potion of the neck in defining a reservoir to receive a lighting fluid, a wick
for said reservoir and extending through the jaw, a head pivoted on the neck with a portion thereof
shaped to form an upper jaw to coact with the jaw of the neck in forming a mouth, an igniting means
located in the head and operated by the movement of the said head for igniting the wick on the
movement of the head in one direction and for extinguishing the wick on the movement of the head in
an opposite direction, said igniting means including a spring for effecting movement of the head in one
direction to bring about igniting of the wick, and means for effecting movement of the head in an
opposite direction to extinguish the wick.
3. A lighter comprising a body in the form of a human figure including a neck having a part thereof to
from a jaw to coact with a portion of the neck in defining a reservoir to receive a lighting fluid, a wick
for said reservoir and extending through the jaw, a head pivoted on the neck with a portion thereof
shaped to form an upper jaw to coact with the jaw of the neck in forming a mouth, an igniting means
located in the head and operated by the movement of said head for igniting the wick on the movement
of said head for igniting the wick on the movement of the head in one direction and for extinguishing
the wick on the movement of the head in an opposite direction, said igniting means including a spring
for effecting movement of the head in one direction to bring about igniting of the wick, a disc journaled
in the body and having a notch, a disc journaled in the body to engage with the notch, a link connecting
the disc to said head for the rotation of said disc by the movement of said head on the action of the
spring, and a spring influenced catch pivotally mounted in the body to engage with the notch for
securing the head against movement on the action of said spring and including a finger piece exposed
exteriorly of the body, and means for rotating the disc in an opposite direction to bring about movement
of the head against the action of said spring.
4. A lighter comprising a body in the form of a human figure including a neck having a part thereof to
form a jaw to coact with a portion of the neck in defining a reservoir to receive a lighting fluid, a wick
for said reservoir and extending through the jaw, a head pivoted on the neck with a portion thereof
shaped to form an upper jaw to coact with the jaw of the neck in forming a mouth, an igniting means
located in the head and operated by the movement of said head for igniting the wick on the movement
of the head in an opposite direction, said igniting means including a spring for effecting movement of
the head in one direction to bring about igniting of the wick a disc journaled in the body and having a
notch, a link connecting the disc to said head for the rotation of said disc by movement of said head on
the action of the spring, a spring influenced catch pivotally mounted in the body to engage with the
notch for securing the head against movement on the action of said spring and including a finger piece
exposed exteriorly of the body, arms pivoted on said body and including hands, and means connecting
said arms to said disc to bring about movement of said arms in an upwardly direction to position the
hands adjacent the mouth of the head on the head moving into a position to ignite the wick on the
release of the catch from the notch of the disc.
5. A lighter comprising a body in the form of a human figure including a neck having a part thereof to
form a jaw to coact with a portion of the neck in defining a reservoir to receive a lighting fluid, a wick
for said reservoir and extending through the jaw, a head pivoted on the neck with a portion thereof
shaped to form an upper jaw to coact with the jaw of the neck in forming a mouth, an igniting means
located in the head and operated by the movement of said head for igniting the wick on the movement
of the head in one direction and for extinguishing the wick on the movement of the head in an opposite
direction, said igniting means including a spring for effecting movement of the head in one direction to
bring about igniting of the wick, a disc journaled in the body and having a notch, a link connecting the
disc to said head for the rotation of said disc by the movement of said head on the action of the spring, a
spring influenced catch pivotally mounted in the body to engage with the notch for securing the head
against movement on the action of said spring and including a finger piece exposed exteriorly of the
body, arms pivoted on said body and including hands, means connecting said arms to said disc to bring
about movement of said arms in an upward direction to position the hands adjacent the mouth of the
head on the head moving into a position to ignite the wick on the release of the catch form the notch of
the disc, said arms adapted to be manually moved downwardly for moving the head into a position
against the action of the spring to extinguish the wick and to engage the catch with the notch.
6. A lighter comprising a body in the form of a human figure including a neck having a part thereof to
form a jaw to coact with a portion of the neck in defining a reservoir to receive a lighting fluid, a wick
for said reservoir and extending through the jaw, a head pivoted on the neck with a portion thereof
shaped to form an upper jaw to coact with the jaw of the neck in forming a mouth, an igniting means
located in the head and operated by the movement of said head for igniting the wick on the movement
of said head in one direction and for extinguishing the wick on the movement of the head in an opposite
direction, said igniting means including a spring for effecting movement of the head in one direction to
bring about igniting of the wick, a disc journaled in the body and having a notch, a link connecting the
disc to said head for the rotation of said disc by the movement of the said head on the action of the
spring, a spring influenced catch pivotally mounted in the body to engage with the notch for securing
the head against movement on the action of said spring and including a finger piece exposed exteriorly
of the body, arms pivoted on said body and including hands, means connecting said arms to said disc to
bring about movement of said arms in an upward direction to position the hands adjacent the mouth of
the head on the head moving into a position to ignite the wick on the release of the catch from the notch
of the disc, said arms adapted to be manually moved downwardly for moving the into a position
against the action of the spring to extinguish the wick and to engage the catch with the notch, legs for
said body and one of said legs being integral with the body and the other leg journaled on said body,
and means connection the last named leg to said disc to bring about movement thereof by rotation of
said disc.
Linda Lancaster Dodge Straton