US2902849A - Wick inserting instrument - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8,1959 sus 2,902,849

WICK INSERTING INSTRUMENT Filed June 15, 1955 INVENTOR PETER GlPSLIS BY r I e4 ATTORN s vvvvvvvvv 2,902,849 I WICK INSERTING INSTRUMENT Peter Gipslis, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, as-

signor of one-half to Erwin Heuchert, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada This invention relates to anv instrument for inserting a wick into a cigarette lighter through the small wick tube thereof. ii

At the present time, lighters of the type commonly called cigarette lighters, are used universally by a very large number of people. These lighters have wicks which gradually burn away and have to be replaced from time to time. As these wicks are made of an absorbent material, they tend to fray or unravel at the ends so that it is difficult to insert them into the lighter tubes. People used pins and the like for inserting the wicks, and some companies supply small wire rods for this purpose. However, the ends of the pins or rods tend to go through the wick material so that it is always a bothersome operation. Many times when a wick is partially inserted, it comes back out of the tube when the pin or rod is Withdrawn therefrom.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of an instrument by means of which a wick may be quickly and easily inserted in a lighter tube. This instrument is designed so that the wick is completely and properly inserted by very few movements of the instrument through the tube. Furthermore, it may be manipulated so that there is no danger of drawing the wick back out of the tube when the instrument is withdrawn.

A wick inserting instrument according to this invention comprises a rod having a thickness considerably less than that of a normal lighter wick. The rod has a plurality of serrations on one side near an end thereof, the side of the rod opposite the serrations preferably being smooth. The rod may be provided with a handle loop at the end thereof remote from the serrations. In the preferred form of the invention, the end of the rod near which the serrations are located is formed with a bevel which extends outwardly from the side of the rod opposite the serrations to the serrated side at the outer end of the latter.

Examples of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 illustrates a cigarette lighter with the wick thereof uncovered,

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the wick inserting instrument in position to start moving a wick into a wick tube,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the wick part Way in the tube,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the wick completely through the tube and the instrument being withdrawn therefrom, and

Figure 5 is an elevation of an alternative form of instrument.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, is a cigarette lighter of conventional design having a wick tube 11 which communicates with the interior of the lighter at one end and opens outwardly from the lighter at its opposite end. A wick 12 is normally threaded through this tube and projects from the outer end thereof. As is well-known, the wick absorbs lighter fluid from within the lighter,

2,902,849 Patented Sept. 8, 1 959 and its' outer end is ignited by a spark when the lighter is operated.

Figures 2 to 4 illustrate a wick inserting instrument 15' in operation. This instrument consists of a thin rod 18 having a working end 19. If desired, the opposite end of the rod may be bent into substantially a circle to form a handle loop 20.

A plurality of serrations 24 are formed in the side 25 of the rod near the end 19 thereof. These serrations preferably start at said end and extend inwardly therefrom. It will be noted that the tips or outer ends of the serrations are within the rod, as clearly shown in Figures 2 to 4. The side 27 of the rod opposite the serrations is preferably smooth, as shown.

In the preferred form of the invention, a bevel 30 is formed on the end 19 of the rod and extends from the smooth side 27 outwardly to the opposite side 25 at the outer end of the latter.

Figures 2 to 4 diagrammatically illustrate the lighter tube 11 and Wick 1'2.

When it is desired to insert the wick into the tube, the end of the wick is held at the tube entrance 33. Then the end 19 of instrument 15 is also inserted in the tube entrance beside the wick, see Figure 2. The serrations 24 face the wick, and the bevel 30 is placed against the side of the tube entrance. When the instrument is moved downwardly into the tube, the bevel causes it to shift laterally towards the wick so that the serrations extend into and engage the latter. Further downward movement of the instrument causes the wick to move with it, as clearly shown in Figure 3. There is no difficulty trying to get the rod to grip the wick in order to prevent the former from moving therethrough. The serrations positively grip the wick and it must move with the instrument. It will be noted that the thickness of rod 18 is considerably less than that of wick 12 so that the instrument takes up very little room in tube 11. By the time the ends of the wick and the instrument clear the tube, the serrations are so firmly embedded into the wick that the latter continues to move with the instrument.

The instrument may be withdrawn by rotating the rod around its longitudinal axis to bring the smooth side 27 against the wick, as shown in Figure 4. This withdraws the serrations from the wick, and the instrument may be withdrawn from the tube without pulling the wick with it. This operation may be repeated until most of the wick has been moved into the lighter.

While the instrument has been described as moving down the side of the wick tube outside the wick, it may be inserted into the wick in the same manner as a pin. The bevel forms a point on the working end of the rod so that it readily penetrates the material of the wick. As the rod is moved downwardly in the wick, the bevel causes the pin to shift laterally, thereby ensuring the serrations catching in the material so that the latter moves with the rod. The rod may be withdrawn while the wick is held against movement in the tube by hand.

If desired, the serrations 24 may be barbed towards end 19 of the rod. This helps the serrations to free the wick during withdrawal of the rod when it is within the wick.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative form of the invention. This wick inserting instrument includes a rod 38 having a plurality of serrations 39 near its working end 40. These serrations are barbed so that they point towards this end. If desired, the opposite end of the rod may be bent into a handle loop 42. The end 40 is preferably formed with a bevel 44 extending transversely of the rod.

The instrument of Figure 5 is not considered as good as that of Figures 2 to 4. However, it is used in practically the same way. The bevel 44 shifts rod 38 lateralrotate th'e rod when it, is desired towithdr'aw theinstru- The fact that the serrations 39 are barbed inthe-- ment. direction of end 40, permits the rod to be withdrawn from the wicktube withlittlechance'cifmoving the wickjin the same direction. 7

This form of instrument may be inserted into the wick; in which case, the barbed serrations shift the wickwhenthe rod is moved in one'direction, and free'it-when the rod is movedin the oppositedirectionv What I claim as my invention is: An instrument for inserting-a wick into a cigarette lighter through the smallwick tube thereof, comprising-a rod having aconstant thickness considerably less than that of a normal lighter wick, a bevel at one'end'ofi the rod extending from one side-thereof outwardly to the opposite-side at the outer end-of the latter side to form" This causes serrations 39 to grip or-engage' a tip at said outer end, and a plurality of serrations formedin'thesideoftherod having the tip at its outer end, said serrations being near and in line with the tip and being barbed towards said tipped end and being within the cross sectional area of the rod, and the side of the rod opposite the serrations and inwardly of the bevel being smooth, wherebythe rod may be turned about the axis thereof to bring the serrations into engagement with a wick when the rod is used to move the latter through the wick tube of' a lighter and turned again to bring its smooth, side-. againstthe' wick thereby freeing the serrations from the latter when .the. rodis withdrawn from the tube.

References cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 601,380 Phillips Mar. 29, 1898 I FOREIGN f PATENTS 257,086 Germany Sept. 30, 1948

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