US2763268A - Cigarette extinguisher - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 18, 1956 J. H. SKINNER CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER Filed Feb. 15, 1954 IIIIW Fig.3

Fig. 2

Jahn H. Skinner IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent CIGARETTE EXTINGU ISHER John H. Skinner, Pleasantville, Ohio Application February 15, 1954, Serial No. 410,283 7 2 Claims. c1, 131 -2 56) The present invention relates to a device for extingishing cigarettes which may be mounted on ash trays and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a cigarette extinguishing device adapted for mounting in ash trays and particularly automobile ash trays whereby the driver of the automobile may deposit a cigarette butt in the extinguishing device which device will automatically smother the butt thereby giving the driver time in which to watch the road instead of watching the flying embers caused by grinding the lighted tip of the butt.

An important object of the invention is to provide a cigarette butt extinguisher which can be operated simply by depositing the cigarette in the extinguisher and rotating a portion of the extinguisher so that the cigarette butt is moved to a sealed compartment whereby it is extinguished and thence discharged therefrom by further rotation of the device.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the cigarette extinguisher;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the extinguisher in assembled form;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the extinguisher taken substantially along section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one end of the extinguisher disclosing the means for rotating the cylinder; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the extinguisher mounted in an ash tray with portions broken away.

In Figure 1, the cigarette extinguisher is designated in its entirety by the numeral and is seen to consist of three basic elements, a rectangular block 12, a cylinder 14 and an end plate 16.

The elongated, rectangular block 12 is provided with an axial bore 18 opening at one end through the end 20 of the block and terminating within the block adjacent the end 22 thereof. The diameters of the bore 18 and the cylinder 14 are such that the cylinder 14 seats tightly but rotatably within the bore. An elongated cigarette receiving slot 24 is provided in the top of the block and extends longitudinally of the block and opening into the end 20 and terminating adjacent the end 22 of the block. The side wall 26 of the block is provided adjacent its lower edge with a longitudinally extending cigarette butt discharging slot 28 also opening into the bore 18. The ends of the slot 28 are closed by the ends 20 and 22 of the block.

To facilitate the deposition of a cigarette butt into the cigarette receiving slot 24, the top wall of the blockrdiverges upwardly as at 30 from the cigarette receiving slot 2,763,268 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 so that a butt deposited longitudinally of the block will be automatically funneled into the slot 24.

The end 20 of the block is also provided with an enlarged counterbore 32. forming a recessed shoulder 34 in this end of the block, the purpose of which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The cylinder 14 is provided with three circumferentially spaced cigarette butt receiving grooves 36. The cylinder is telescoped into the bore 18 so that one end thereof abuts the end wall 22 of the block. The other end of the cylinder 14 is provided with an integral. enlarged disk 38 having a peripheral edge 40, knurled in the manner shown in Fig. 1. This disk 38 seats within the counterbore 32 so that one face thereof abuts the shoulder 34. p

The bottom of the cigarette receiving slot 24 is of a width approximating one-sixth of the circumference of the'bore18 and the grooves 36 of the cylinder 14 are likewise' approximately one-sixth of the circumference of the cylinder 14.

In operation, when one of the grooves 36 is in registry with the cigarette receiving slot 24 in the block 12, a cigarette butt is deposited in the slot 24 and falls into the groove 36 in registry therewith.

By virtue of the cigarette receiving slot opening into the end 20 of the block, a portion of the peripheral edge of the disk 38 is exposed. By operating the knurled edge 40 of the disk, the cylinder may be rotated one-sixth of a revolution whereby the groove 36 in which the cigarette has been deposited will be moved into sealing relation with the wall of the bore 18. The cylinder in Figure 3 then will have been rotated another one-sixth of its distance so that a second groove 36 will be disposed in registry with the cigarette receiving slot 24, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, as a safety precaution, each groove 36 will remain in sealing relation to the wall of the bore 18 for two rotational movements of the cylinder after being rotated counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 3, one-sixth of a revolution to seal and to assure smothering of the butt, the next rotational movement of another sixth of a revolution, of the cylinder moving the groove into registry with the dispensing slot 28 whereby the butt falls out of the extinguisher into the ash tray.

To retain the cylinder within the bore 18 of the block 12, an end plate 16 is placed in abutment with the end 20 of the block and is provided with side edge and bottom tabs 42 which are bent over and clamped against the sides and bottom of the block 12 as shown in Fig. 2. The upper edge of the plate 16 is provided with an arcuate notch 44 so that the knurled peripheral edge 40 of the disk 38 will be exposed for turning or rotating the cylinder 14 within the bore.

To prevent binding of the cylinder during its rotation within the bore 18, axial shaft extensions or pintles 46 project from the ends of the cylinder 14 and are received in apertures 48 in the end wall 22 and the plate 16 respectively.

In Figure 5, the device is shown as being disposed and mounted within an ash tray 50 with the top of the block 30 having the slot 24 opening upwardly for the deposition of cigarette butts into the extinguisher. The dispensing slot 28 is of course disposed within the ash receptacle of the tray for depositing butts therein after they have been extinguished.

Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and demaintenance in an automobile ash tray, said attachment being self-contained and ready-to-use andcomprising an elongated, rectangular block having a top, a bottom, sides and ends, said block having a longitudinal bore therethrough opening at one end through a corresponding end of said block, and a longitudinal lighted cigarette receiving slot along the top thereof opening into said bore and said one end, said block having a longitudinal extinguished cigarette discharge slot opening into one side adjacent the bottom of the block, said receiving and discharge slots opening into said bore at right angles to one another, a cylinder journaled in said bore for rotation therein, the periphery of said cylinder having equidistant circumferentially spaced, longitudinal grooves selectively registerable with said slots to receive, extinguish and discharge a cigarette therefrom, and a disk fixed on one end of said cylinder for rotating the same, said disk having an accessible knurled marginal edge adapted to assist the user in turning the disk and rotating the cylinder at will.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and the combination therewith of an end plate fastened to one end of said block and closing the adjacent end of said bore, said disk being'interposed between said end plate and the adjacent end of said cylinder and fastened to said end of said cylinder and closing the cooperating adjacent ends of the grooves in the cylinder, said disk being of a diameter greater than the cross-section of the cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 585,457 Aleith June 29, 1897 611,960 Ehmke Oct. 4, 1898 1,912,598 Snadden June 6, 1933 2,347,271 Linn Apr. 25, 1944 2,589,989 Brunsvold Mar. 18, 1952 2,644,466 Jennings July 7, 1953 2,661,747 Manion Dec. 8, 1953 2,663,504 Hooker Dec. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 416,972 Germany Aug. 4, 1925

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