Portable Lamp

Abstract

A portable lamp particularly suited for use in providing a flame of burning gas for illuminating gardens, terraces and the like. The lamp is characterized by a tubular pillar of portable character including an acuminated pedestal suited to be implanted in the ground, the uppermost portion of the pillar being configured to receive in telescoping relationship an ornamental head having affixed therewithin a gas burner, a gas delivery circuit including a pressure bottle suspended from the burner and received within the pillar, and a manipulatable flow control valve interposed between the burner and the bottle for controlling delivery of gas from the bottle to the burner.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a portable lighting device and more particularly to a portable gas lamp having particular utility as an ornamental accessory for patios, terraces, gardens and the like.

The prior art includes numerous types of so-called tiki torches, including wooden torches, oil burners, and fixed jets of natural gas.

It is well recognized that a use of wooden torches is impractical, for most purposes, while oil burners and the like particularly are susceptible to smudging and contaminating the atmosphere, due to a release of large quantities of unburned fuel, while gas jets connected with a source of natural gas often are impractical, due to an inherent lack of portability.

Consequently, there currently exists a need for a practical tiki torch of a portable nature which can be readily and efficiently employed as an ornamental accessory for illuminating patios, terraces, gardens and the like.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide an improved tiki torch.

It is another object to provide an improved tiki torch which, in operation, is efficient.

It is another object to provide an improved lighting device for use as an ornamental accessory in lighting patios, gardens, terraces and the like.

It is another object to provide a self-contained, portable gas lamp adapted to be implanted at selected locations for illuminating patios, gardens, terraces and the like.

It is another object to provide an improved, self-contained portable lamp for use in providing an illuminating flame of burning gas for illuminating selected areas.

These and other objects and advantages of the instant invention are achieved through a use of a portable lighting device including a pillar suited to be implanted at selected locations, in the soil of patios, gardens, terraces and the like, having an ornamental head surmounting the pillar and a gas burner suspended within the pillar for supplying an effervescent fuel to the burner, whereby the device readily is adaptable for use as an ornamental lighting accessory.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an elevational, fragmentary view of a lamp embodying the principles of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the head of the lamp shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view, taken generally along line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view taken generally along line 5--5 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a portable lamp, generally designated 10, which embodies the principles of the instant invention.

The lamp 10 includes a pillar 12 surmounted by an ornamental head 14 terminating in an acuminate pedestal 16 which facilitates implanting the pillar 12 of the lamp 10 in the soil of patios, terraces, gardens and the like for facilitating its use as an ornamental device of the type frequently referred to as a tiki torch.

The pillar 12 is fabricated from thin-wall tubular steel stock and is of a suitable length. The head 14 is of any ornamental design of any selected configuration, and terminates in a tubular skirt 18 which is telescoped onto the upper portion, designated 20, of the pillar 12. Hence, the ornamental head 14 is supported by the pillar 12 as the pillar is supported in the soil of the selected area in which the pedestal 16 is embedded.

Within the skirt 18 there is fixed a transverse support bar 22. This bar is welded or otherwise secured in place within the skirt 18 and includes an opening, not designated, coaxially aligned with the pillar 12. Within this opening there is seated an externally screw-threaded nipple 24 to which a burner 26 is threadedly coupled.

The burner 26, in practice, is a pipe cap having a plurality of ports 28 extending radially therethrough for defining an annular array of gas jets communicating with the nipple 24. As a practical matter, a pair of stop nuts, not shown, is screw-threaded onto the nipple 24 for securing the nipple to the support bar 22, however, the particular manner in which the nipple 24 is mounted on the support bar 22 is a matter of convenience and can be varied as desired.

Depending from the nipple 24 there is a screw-threaded reducer 30 which serves to couple the burner 26 with a gas supply circuit, generally designated 32. The circuit 32 includes a length of tubular conduit 34 from which is suspended a bottle 36 of compressed gas, normally maintained in a liquid phase. The particular type of gas employed is a matter of convenience and since such bottles are commercially available, a detailed description is omitted in the interest of brevity.

To the bottle 36 there is coupled a flow control, manipulatable valve 38, which, in turn, is united with the conduit 34 through a suitable, internally screw-threaded sleeve 40 received by a screw-threaded fitting 42 provided for the flow control valve 38.

For reasons which are readily apparent, there is provided an access opening 44, immediately adjacent the valve 38, which accommodates a manipulation of the valve. Of course, where so desired a cover plate, not shown, can be employed in closing the access opening 44.

In view of the foregoing, it is to be understood that the lamp 10 is assembled with the head 14 removed from the pillar 12. With the pillar 12 and head 14 disassociated, the gas supply circuit 32 is assembled and coupled with the burner 26, whereupon the head 14 is telescoped onto the uppermost end of the pillar 12 as the bottle 36 is caused to descend into the tubular interior of the pillar 12. When thus assembled, the lamp is readied for use.

OPERATION

It is believed that in view of the foregoing description, the operation of the device will be readily understood and it will be briefly reviewed at this point.

With the device assembled in the manner hereinbefore described, the lamp 10 manually is driven into the soil of an area to be illuminated, such as may be found in patios, terraces, gardens and the like. When so embedded, the pillar 12 remains upright. An operator gains access to the valve 38, by reaching through the access opening 44, and manipulates the valve while simultaneously applying a flame to the burner 26, whereupon ignition of gas delivered thereto from the bottle 36 through the valve 38 occurs. By manipulating the flow control valve 38, the height of the resulting flame is varied.

Of course, the particular configuration and design of the ornamental head 14 serves to enhance the esthetic quality of the radiation produced by the illuminating gas flame, and can be varied as desired.

The flame is extinguished simply by closing the valve 38. In instances where it is found desirable to provide a re-fill bottle 36, the bottle is disassociated from the conduit 34 at the nipple 24, and replaced with a commercially available "re-fill bottle" of a selected capacity. Similarly, changing of the head 14 is accommodated.

In view of the foregoing, it should readily be apparent that the lamp of the instant invention provides a practical device for use as an ornamental accessory in illuminating patios, terraces, gardens and the like.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative details disclosed.

Claims

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable lamp comprising:

A. a tubular pillar including means defining therefor an acuminate pedestal, whereby the pedestal is adapted to be removably implanted in the ground;

B. an ornamental head removably supported by said pillar at the end thereof remote from said pedestal;

C. a gas burner for establishing an illuminating flame mounted in said head; and

D. a gas supply circuit including a portable container of combustible gas connected with said burner and suspended from said head for supplying combustible gas to said burner.

2. The lamp of claim 1 wherein said supply circuit is substantially encased within said pillar.

3. The lamp of claim 2 further comprising means defining within said pillar an access opening adjacent said valve for accommodating a manipulation thereof.

4. The lamp of claim 3 wherein said burner includes means defining an annular array of ports communicating with said supply circuit.

5. A portable gas lamp adapted to be implanted at selected locations in the soil of gardens, terraces, and the like, for illuminating the same, comprising:

A. a pillar fabricated from tubular steel stock including means defining therefor an acuminate pedestal and means defining an opening traversing the uppermost portion thereof;

B. an ornamental head including an annular skirt telescopically related to said uppermost portion of said pillar;

C. a support fixed within said head, diametrically traversing said skirt and disposed adjacent said pillar, whereby the support is caused to traverse the longitudinal axis of the pillar;

D. a gas burner mounted on said support including a cap having means defining therein an annular array of gas ports extending radially therethrough;

E. a pressure bottle confining a combustible gas-generating fluid having an outside diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of said pillar;

F. a gas conduit concentrically related to said pillar and coaxially related to said head, fixed to said burner and to said bottle, for delivering a flow of gas from said bottle to said burner;

G. a manipulatable flow control valve interposed in said conduit for controlling delivery of the gas, through said conduit, from the bottle to the burner; and

H. means defining within said pillar an access opening adjacent said valve for accommodating a manipulation thereof.