US3416538A - Cigarette extinguisher - Google Patents

Description

Dec- 17, 1968 1 N. cRoswHl'rE CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER Filed Nov. 21, 1966 MINI..

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United States latent O 3,416,538 CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER Larry N. Croswhite, 3611 N. Chelsea, Kansas City, M0. 64117 Filed Nov. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 595,837 6 Claims. (Cl. 131-237) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The structure disclosed herein includes a pair of swinging arms mounted on a base, the arms being disposed above an ashtray and arranged to swing portions thereof toward each other for extinguishing a cigarette placed therebetween.

This invention relates to cigarette extinguishing apparatus, and more particularly, to improved means for snuffing out lighted cigarettes.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a cigarette extenguisher having pivotal arms which are swung toward each other to extenguish a cigarette therebetween, the improvement being the elimination of interconnecting structure between the arms as has been necessary with prior devices to effect the extinguishing process. Prior extinguishers have generally involved a pair of snuffing faces on the arms which move toward each other to extinguish the cigarette, the faces being interconnected by linkage to effect a joint operation of the faces. The extinguished material invariably collects on the linkage and shifting of the arms is impaired by consequent build-up of the material on the linkage.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the invention to provide an extinguisher as above described wherein counter-balance structure is used to dispose the arms in operative position to obviate the need for interconnecting linkage. The lack of connection between the arms precludes troubesome buildup of ashes on the extinguishing apparatus and this affords the additional advantage of facilitating the cleaning of the extinguisher whereby a neat appearance is easily maintained. Also the pivot structure for the arms is placed into open seats for ease in removing, to further facilitate cleaning and for simplicity of construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cigarette extinguisher wherein the extinguishing is automatically eiiected by downward pressure of the cigarette on the snulfi-ng faces, with no additional mechanism being required to cause shifting of the snufing faces to extinguish the cigarette.

The present invention achieves its objectes in various embodiments which are described in detail in the following speciiication and shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical, cross-sectional View of one embodiment of a cigarette extinguisher made pursuant to the teachings of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l but showing the extinguishing operation;

FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. l-3, an ashtray is provided and connected 3,415,538 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 in side-by-side relationship through sidewall 12 to a base 13. Base 13 has a recessed compartment 14 formed therein, the latter being surrounded by sidewall 12, outer sidewall 16, and opposed end walls 18. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner surfaces of end walls 18 are suitably notched to complimentally releasaibly receive a tray 20 at the 'bottom of compartment 14.

A pair of arms 22 are pivotally mounted for vertical swinging movement on base 13 by respective shafts 24 secured intermediate the ends of arms 22, each shaft 24 being received by a corresponding pair of opposed seats 26 for-med in sidewalls 12 and 16. Each arm 22 comprises an integral member which is hollow at one end 28 thereof, the other end 30 being solid to define a coutnerweight structure 32.

Each end 28 is substantially triangular and has an arcuate web 33 at the extremity thereof to present an outer snufling face 34. Shafts 24 are suitably spaced to dispose snufling faces 34 in opposed, closely spaced relationship to define an extinguishing zone 36 therebetween, faces 34 being normally yieldably disposed in the upper positions, shown in FIG. l by counterweights 32 which rest on tray 20.

In operation, recognizing that snuing faces 34 are normally disposed as shown in FIG. l, a lighted cigarette 38 is inserted into extinguishing zone 36 and into contact with snuiling faces 34 to force the latter downwardly in unison. Arms 22 are fulcrumed by their respective shafts 24 for swinging in opposite directions which thereby brings snufting faces 34 toward each other upon downward swinging thereof to the lower position shown in FIG. 2, which effects extinguishing of cigarette 38. The extinguished material from cigarette 38 falls in tray 20 whereupon cigarette 38 is lifted and snufling faces 34 permitted to automatically swing to their corresponding upper positions in response to the action of counterweights 32.

It will be appreciated that the extinguishing process and automatic resetting of arms 22 are achieved without any attendant need for linkage mechanism interconnecting arms 22. Thus, the operation of the arms will not be impaired by an accumulation of ashes on linkage of any type, with the ashes either being dropped into tray 20 or adhering to faces 34 from which they may be wiped clean to easily maintain a neat appearance. Buildup of ashes on the faces will not occur as subsequent cigarettes will tend to force previous ashes from snuiiiing faces 34.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4, there is provided a base 113 having a recessed compartment 114 defined therein and surrounded 'by sidewall 112, a second sidewall (not shown), and end walls 118. A bottom 115 is formed in base 113 and has an opening therein for receiving a tray 120. A iirst arm 122 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for vertical swinging movement by a shaft 124 connected between the sidewalls of case 113. One end 128 of arm 122 includes a plate 129 having an integral, downwardly extending web 133 presenting an outer snutling face 134, there being an integral lip 135 extending laterally from the lowermost edge of web 133. The other end 130 of arm 122 has a counterweight 132 thereon which normally rests on bottom 115 to yieldably dispose snuliing face 134 in the upper position shown in the full-line portions of FIG. 4.

A second arm 123 is pivotally mounted at one end thereof for vertical swinging by a shaft connected between the side-walls of base 113. Second arm 123 comprises a shank portion having a depending finger 142 at the free end thereof, the outer surface of the latter defining a snufiing face 144. The lower edge of finger 142 rests on the upper surface 0f lip 135 with the sufiing faces 134 and 144 thereby being disposed in opposed, closely spaced relationship to define an extinguishing zone 136 therebetween, faces 134 and 144 being normally disposed in the upper positions shown in the full-line portion of FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that if it is desired to reduce the pressure of finger 142 on lip 135, a suitable counterweight may be provided on arm 123 at the side of shaft 125 opposite the said one end of arm 123. The depth of insertion of the cigarette into extinguishing Zone 136 is controlled by the depth of the faces 134 and 144 and the fact that lip 135 extends therebetween, as illustrated, to first engage the ignited end of the cigarette when it is inserted in zone 136.

In the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a cigarette is inserted into extinguishing zone 136 into contact with the upper surface of lip 135, such contact serving to permit the faces 134 and 144 to swing downwardly in unison to the lower positions shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, thereby extinguishing the cigarette. Arms 122 and 123 thus swing in opposite directions to bring snufiing faces 134 and 144 into substantially parallel relationship for extinguishing the cigarette therebetween. When the extinguished cigarette is lifted, snufing face 134 will automatically swing to its upper position in response to the action of counterweight 132, with snufiing face 144 also being shifted to its upper position as it is carried by lip 135. As noted with respect to the first embodiment, there are no interconnecting elements between arms 122 and 123 whereby operation thereof is not impaired and cleaning of the extinguisher is facilitated.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, there is provided a base 213 having a compartment 214 therein, the latter being surrounded by sidewall 212, end wall 218, and walls opposed thereto (not shown). A bottom 215 is provided in base 213 and receives a tray 220.

A first arm 222 is pivotally mounted intermediate its endsl for vertical swinging by a shaft 224 connected between the sidewalls of base 213. One end 228 of arm 222 includes a plate 229 having an integral, downwardly extending web 233 presenting an outer snutiing face 234, there being an integral lip 235 extending laterally from the lowermost edge of web 233. The other end 230 of arm 222 has a counterweifht 232 thereon which normally rests on bottom 215 to yieldably dispose snufiing face 234 in the upper position shown in the full-line portions of FIG. 5.

A second arm 223 overlies first arm 222 and is pivoted at one end thereof. for vertical swinging by a shaft 225 connected between the sidewalls of base 213. A second arm 223 is U-shaped in configuration to present a pair of opposed legs 240 positioned outwardly of first arm 222 and secured at one end thereof to shaft 225, there being a bight 242 at the other end of legs 240. The lower edge of bight 242 rests on lateral lip 235 whereby the inner surface thereof presents a snufiing face 244 disposed in opposed, closely-spaced relationship to snufiing face 234 whereby an extinguishing zone 236 is dened between the faces.

In the operation of this embodiment, a cigarette is inserted into extinguishing zone 236 and into contact with lip 235 to force the faces 234 and 244 downwardly in unison to the lower position indicated by the broken-line portion of FIG. 5. Arms 222 and 223 are fulcrumed whereby snufiing faces 234 and 244 are shifted toward each other into substantially parallel relationship for extinguishing the cigarette. The extinguished cigarette is then lifted to permit automatic upward swinging of snuffing face 234 through the action of counterweight 232, with arm 223 also being swung upwardly as it is carried by lip 23s.

As discussed with respect to the first two embodiments of this invention, the form shown in FIG. 5 utilizes no interconnecting linkage between arms 222 and 223 and thus provides the corresponding advantages of smooth operation and ease of cleaning. This embodiment is particularly suitable for compact installations since the arms are arranged in overlying relationship and thus require only a minimum of operating space.

In each of the three embodiments discussed above, it will be noted that the arms pivot about substantially parallel, horizontal axes whereby the corresponding snuffing faces are swung into substantially parallel relationship during the extinguishing process. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 4, the pivotal mountings of the respective arms are on opposed sides of the corresponding extinguishing zone whereby the extinguishing process is effected by pivoting the arms in opposite swinging directions. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the arms are on a common side of the extinguishing zone and are thus pivotal in the same swinging direction to extinguish the cigarette. In each of the embodiments, downward pivotal movement of the free end of at least one counterweight is limited by structure such as that seen in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, thereby defining the elevated position of the arms.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A cigarette extinguisher comprising:

a base;

a first and second arm, each arm having a snutiing face thereon;

means pivotally mounting said rst arm intermediate the ends thereof on said base for vertical swinging movement from an elevated position to a lowered position, one end of the first arm having said snuffng face thereon;

a counterweight on the other end of said first arm for normally yieldably disposing the snufling face thereof in an elevated position;

means pivotally mounting the second arm on said base for vertical swinging movement from an elevated position to a lowered position; l

structure for normally yieldably disposing the snufiing face of the second arm in an elevated position in closely-spaced relationship to the snufng face of the first arm to define an extinguishing zone between said faces, said arms being free of any physical connection therebetween, each arm being fulcrumed at its respective pivotal mounting to bring said snufiing faces toward each other upon swinging thereof to a lowered position whereby a lighted cigarette may be inserted into said zone into contact with the snuffing faces in their elevated position to force the latter to a-lowered position and toward each other to extinguish the cigarette therebetween; and means underlying the free end of the counter weight and said yieldable structure for limiting the movement thereof and for defining the elevated position of said first and second arms.

2. The invention of claim 1, said base including a tray underlying said snutiing faces for receiving extinguished material.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said arms pivot about substantially parallel horizontal axes.

4. The invention of claim 1, said pivotal mountings being on opposed sides of said extinguishing zone and said arms being pivotal in opposite swinging directions for extinguishng the cigarette.

5. The invention of claim 4, said second arm being pivoted intermediate its ends by its respective mounting means, the end adjacent said first arm having said snutiing face thereon, and said structure comprising a counterweight on the other end of the second arm.

6. The invention of claim 5, said arms each comprising an integral member, said member being hollow at said one end and having an arcuate surface at the extremity References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Darney 131-237 Poling 131-237 Glomb 131-237 Boller 131-237 6 1,977,437 10/ 1934 Gaynor 131-237 2,206,236 7/1940 Pudlch 131-237 2,671,454 3/ 1954 Williams 131-237 FOREIGN PATENTS 244,220 12/ 1925 Great Britain. 25 5 ,640 7/ 1926 Great Britain.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Prmaly Examiner.

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