U.S. patent number 3,834,399 [Application Number 05/309,157] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-10 for tobacco smoking equipment.
Invention is credited to Jon W. Beam.
United States Patent |
3,834,399 |
Beam |
September 10, 1974 |
TOBACCO SMOKING EQUIPMENT
Abstract
A detachable charge housing is provided wherein the side wall is
perforated with a plurality of air vent openings that are covered
internally by an overlapping paper section which is both porous and
absorbent which is wrapped around a metal screen wire sleeve
inserted into the charge housing in such a manner that the
disposable assembly is retained by frictional contact and with the
thusly described charge housing assembly being loaded with smoking
tobacco and seated vertically in the upstream open end of a smoking
holder, comprising additionally an affixed stem section having a
longitudinal smoke channel therein. The smoking holder is provided
in a preferred modification and an optional modification. The
construction and operation of the two modifications are identical
with the exception that the optional modification has a perforated
side wall which is formed above the charge housing seat which
substantially encompasses the charge housing in a spaced
relationship. The principal features of the invention are that the
porous and absorbent paper section which surrounds the burning
tobacco charge does not burn and that it allows air filtration
which improves the combustion of the tobacco charge and absorbs
moisture therefrom which subsequently evaporates thus resulting in
a drier and cooler smoke than that which is produced by
conventional tobacco smoking pipes.
Inventors: |
Beam; Jon W. (Cushing, OK) |
Family
ID: |
23196937 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/309,157 |
Filed: |
November 24, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/348; 131/226;
131/195 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24D
1/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A24D
1/00 (20060101); A24D 1/14 (20060101); A24d
001/14 (); A24d 001/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;131/3,194,195,15B,226 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,765 |
|
1913 |
|
GB |
|
1,431,791 |
|
Feb 1966 |
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FR |
|
20,574 |
|
1895 |
|
GB |
|
9,521 |
|
1885 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Reich; Joseph S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Head & Johnson
Claims
Having thus fully and completely described the invention what is
now claimed as new is as follows:
1. Tobacco smoking equipment including a smoking holder and
comprising a vertically disposed hollow cylindrical charge housing
having a plurality of spaced air vent openings therein, a
cylindrical moisture absorbent porous sleeve disposed within the
charging housing in communication with the air vent openings, a
cylindrical shaped resilient wire screen disposed within the porous
sleeve and constantly providing a radially outward force against
said porous sleeve holding said porous sleeve tightly against the
inside surface of the charge housing; said smoking holder
comprising an open base, an elongated stem section connected
thereto, said stem section being provided with a longitudinal smoke
channel therethrough, means providing an annular seating cavity
provided in the open base for frictionally receiving one end of the
charge housing therein and in sealing engagement therewith, said
seating cavity means being in open communication with the smoke
channel and the interior of the charge housing.
2. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein the
charge housing seat of the smoking holder has upwardly a short
extending tobacco retaining plug formed centrally in the seating
cavity means thereof.
3. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein a
perforated side wall is located vertically above the open base
which encompasses the seat charge housing and is radially outwardly
spaced therefrom.
4. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein the
charge housing is formed of thin wall heat dissipating metal having
a wall thickness of not more than 0.25 thousandths of 1 inch.
5. The tobacco smoking equipment of claim 1 wherein the combined
area of the air vent openings in the charge housing side wall is
equal to fifty to eighty percent of the total side wall area.
6. The tobacco smoking equipment of claim 1 wherein the charge
housing is provided with a narrow radially inwardly extending
annular retainment rim which is formed on the outer end
thereof.
7. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein the
resilient wire screen section is formed of 1/16 inch mesh household
screen wire.
8. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein the
absorbent porous sleeve has porosity and absorption characteristics
equivalent to that paper presently used as a paper towel.
9. Tobacco smoking equipment comprising a perforated metal charge
housing, a porous moisture absorbing paper section disposed within
said charge housing for receiving a tobacco charge therein, and a
wire screen shield disposed between the paper section and the
tobacco charge.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Thus far the smoking of tobacco has been confined primarily to
three basic adaptations. Namely pipe, cigar, and cigarette. It is
well known that all of these methods of tobacco usage have
objectionable features. In the case of tobacco smoking pipes, the
combustion of the tobacco charge may be poor. This characteristic
results in wasted tobacco and the need for frequent relighting.
Additionally, the smoke and pipe bowl becomes unpleasantly hot and
a foul tasting fluid accumulates in the stem section. Efforts have
been made to improve the combustion of tobacco smoking pipes
through the use of small air vent openings in the pipe bowl
section, however such procedure has met with little success due to
the fact that the openings must obviously be very small if the pipe
is to function properly and so they are consequently soon plugged
with tobacco tar and rendered ineffective. Another approach to the
problem has been to encase the tobacco charge in a paper wrapper
such as cigarette paper and to seat such a charge in a spaced
relationship in a pipe having a perforated bowl side wall. This
procedure is covered in my pending U.S. Pat. application No.
243,144, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,428, issued Oct. 16, 1973, and now
abandoned application 254,358. Although this latter arrangement
assures improved combustion of the tobacco charge, it has the
disadvantage that the paper wrapper is consumed with each pipe load
and must be replaced.
High production cost and excessive taxation are objectionable
factors of cigar and cigarette usage. Furthermore, in the case of
cigarettes, they are plagued by advertizing restrictions, health
hazard propaganda and the requirement of having to smoke burning
paper.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a
new and novel means for smoking tobacco or other such like
materials, wherein the equipment is similar in appearance to a
tobacco smoking pipe, but wherein the principals of combustion and
operation are quite different.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a pipe-like
means for smoking tobacco wherein tobacco waste is reduced due to
more complete combustion.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a
pipe-like means of smoking tobacco wherein air supply to the
burning tobacco charge is not primarily dependent on the smoker's
drawing on the stem section, thus eliminating the need for frequent
relighting.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a
pipe-like means of smoking tobacco wherein the accumulation of foul
tasting fluids in the stem section is substantially reduced.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a
pipe-like means of smoking tobacco wherein evaporative cooling of
the charge housing and smoke stream automatically results.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a means
for smoking tobacco wherein the tobacco charge is encompassed in
close proximity by a combustible paper section which is permeable
and absorbent in such a manner that it does not burn and is
reusable.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a
pipe-like means of smoking tobacco wherein cigar and cigarette
smokers will find it to be an acceptable substitute.
Although the aerodynamics of the smoke stream through the charge
housing section of the subject invention are not completely clear
it is believed that the smoke stream finds the path of least
resistance to be through the wire screen sleeve irregularities,
that partial condensation of the vaporized liquid products of
combustion occurs in the charge housing side wall area and that
such products are absorbed by the permeable and absorbent paper
section which is frictionally sandwiched between the aforesaid wire
screen sleeve and the perforated side wall of the charge housing,
and that evaporative cooling occurs due to air filtration there
through.
It should be pointed out that the heat dissipating characteristics
of the wire screen sleeve and the thin wall metal charge housing
which can be constructed of aluminum or other rapid heat
dissipating metal play an important part in the heretofore recited
condensation action and that such heat dissipation along with the
resulting absorbed moisture are the factors which prevent the
permeable and absorbent paper section from burning.
It will be found that for the best results however that the wire
screen sleeve and permeable and absorbent paper section should be
periodically replaced since tobacco tar buildup on these parts will
gradually reduce the effectiveness of the assembly.
Further and additional objects and advantages will subsequently
become apparent from the description, accompanying drawings and
appended claims.
DESCRIPTION
For a more complete understanding of the invention reference is now
made to the drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals
refer to like parts throughout and in which:
FIG. 1 is a vertical perspective illustration of the charge housing
partially in section.
FIG. 2 is a vertical perspective illustration of the screen wire
sleeve with the porous and absorbent paper section being partially
wrapped thereabout.
FIG. 3 is an angle perspective view of the charge housing of FIG.
1, with the wire screen sleeve and porous and absorbent paper
section assembly of FIG. 2, frictionally inserted therein.
FIG. 4 is a horizontal perspective view of the preferred smoking
holder modification, with the charge housing assembly of FIG. 3
being loaded with a tobacco charge and frictionally seated in the
charge housing seat of the said smoking holder.
FIG. 5 is a horizontal perspective view of the optional smoking
holder without the charge housing and which illustrates in partial
section the charge housing seat construction of the smoking holders
of FIGS. 4 and 5.
Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a
thin wall perforated charge housing is provided which can be easily
constructed at low cost by modifying a standard fluorescent light
starter housing. Such housings which are usually identified by the
numerals F-2 or F-4 are cup-like receptacles formed from thin wall
aluminum metal having a thickness of approximately 15 thousandths
of 1 inch. Additionally they are cylindrically shaped having a
closed end and an open end, with the open end being characterized
by four small equispaced retainment lips (not shown) which are
formed on the open end edge thereof. The overall length of the
housings being approximately one and one quarter inches, whereas
the internal diameter is approximately three fourths of 1 inch. In
accomplishing the aforesaid modification of such housings I first
remove and discard the four small retainment lips (not shown) from
the edge of the open end and centrally punch a hole 10 in the
closed end which is five eights of one inch in diameter, thus
leaving a 1/16 inch retainment rim 11. The modification is then
completed by punching a plurality of equispaced holes 12 and 12A in
the side wall of the housing. The size and number of these holes is
not critical, however for best results the combined area of the
holes should be not less than 50 percent or more than 80 percent of
the total side wall area.
Referring now again to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 2,
a paper wrapped screen wire liner assembly is formed in the
following manner. I first cut out a rectangular section of one
sixteenth inch mesh aluminum houshold screen wire 13, one and one
quarter inches in width and two and one half inches in length. It
should be noted here however that it is not my intention to confine
the screen wire section to this exact mesh size material or size,
since other combinations can be used with good results. The thusly
described screen wire section 13 is next formed into a cylindrical
overlapping sleeve as illustrated in FIG. 2 and a porous and
absorbent paper section 14 being of approximately the same
dimensions is also wrapped laterally in overlapping relationship
thereabout to complete the assembly. It should be noted in this
connection that paper section 14 must be both porous and absorbent.
Such paper is readily available at low cost in the form of paper
towels and napkins. The porousity and absorption characteristics of
such paper varies somewhat however and therefore some are more
suitable than others. I have found that a paper towel product which
is sold under the trade name of Bounty or any other paper having
approximately similar porousity and absorption characteristics will
give good results. Bounty paper towels are manufactured by the
Charmin paper company, a subsidiary of the Proctor and Gamble Co.
under a combination of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,301,746, 3,414,459 and
D-212,049.
Referring again to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 2 and
FIG. 3. In forming the liner assembly as illustrated in FIG. 2, it
is desirable that initially this assembly be of slightly less
diameter than the internal diameter of the charge housing in order
to facilitate the insertion therein. The forming of the assembly
can be easily accomplished by wrapping the component parts around
the stem section 15 of the smoking holder. The operation can also
be simplified by joining screen wire section 13 and porous and
absorbent paper section 14 in adhesive attachment with a small
amount of non toxic glue along the edges prior to the formation of
the cylindrical liner assembly of FIG. 2. The liner assembly is
then fully inserted into the charge housing so that one end of said
liner assembly rests directly against the inside surface of the
retainment rim 11 of the charge housing. It should also be noted
that since the vertical screen wire edge 16 of the liner assembly
are in overlapping and unattached relationship the natural tendency
of the wire screen section to unwind necessitates that the liner
assembly must be held in a compressed manner with the fingers until
it is at least partially inserted into the charge housing and when
released to expand and be in frictional contact and retainment with
the internal side wall of the charge housing. It should also be
obvious that the narrow rim 11 which is located on the upstream end
of the charge housing serves simply as a retainment means to
prevent the liner assembly from falling out of the hole 10 after
being fully inserted into the open down stream end 17.
Referring again to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 4 and
FIG. 5. A preferred smoking holder is provided as illustrated in
FIG. 4 and an optional smoking holder is provided as illustrated in
FIG. 5. It should be explained at this point that both
modifications are identically constructed with the exception of the
fact that in the case of the optional modification of FIG. 5 a
perforated side wall 18 is extended vertically above the charge
seat 19 in such a manner that it will encompass the charge housing
in a spaced relationship when it is centrally seated therein. It
should also be noted that whereas the preferred smoking holder
modification as illustrated in FIG. 4 shows the charge housing
assembly loaded with tobacco and seated in the charge housing seat
19 thereof the optional smoking holder modification as illustrated
in FIG. 5 does not include the charge housing. Since the charge
housing seats are identical in both modifications it is believed
that such differences in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 will better facilitate
an understanding of the invention. It is not believed that a
detailed discussion of the construction of these two smoking
holders is either necessary or desirable other than to explain how
they differ from conventional smoking pipes since obviously they
are quite similar and may even be constructed by modifying tobacco
smoking pipes.
In the case of the preferred modification as illustrated in FIG. 4
all of the bowl section is eliminated with the exception of the
base portion which is subsequently modified so as to become the
charge housing seat. The aforesaid modification is achieved by
boring a circular groove 21 about 5/32 of one inch in width and
about one quarter of 1 inch in depth as illustrated in FIG. 5. It
should be further noted that the external diameter of charge
housing seat groove 21 should be such that the charge housing can
be frictionally seated and retained therein in an essentially leak
proof manner and that the charge seat groove 21 has a beveled
upstream edge 22, said groove 21 extending downwardly into open
communication with the smoke channel 23 which is longitudinally
disposed within the stem section 15. Attention should also be
directed to the fact that a shallow inboard secondary groove 24 is
provided in the bottom of the primary seating groove 21 and that a
tobacco retainment plug 25 is thusly formed that is faced with a
thin metal disc 26 which is held in place by screw 27. Secondary
groove 24 insures a reduced pressure drop of the smoke stream when
the charge housing is fully seated and tobacco retainment plug 25
is designed to retain the tobacco charge within the charge housing
above the charge housing seat, thus assuring the advantages of side
wall ventilation to that portion of the tobacco charge which would
otherwise be encompassed by the impermeable side wall of the charge
housing seat. It should also be obvious that metal disc 26 is
provided in order to protect the upstream face of tobacco
retainment plug 25 from burning.
Referring again to the accompanying drawing and specifically to
FIG. 5, it can be seen that this optional smoking holder
modification is identical in every detail with the preferred
modification of FIG. 4 with the exception of the perforated side
wall which extends above the charge housing seat. This aforesaid
side wall should be sized internally so as to allow free
circulation of air around the charge housing. A clearance of about
one eighth of 1 inch will give good results. The size and number of
holes 28 and 28A is not critical however the combined area of such
holes should be the maximum amount that can be used without
excessively reducing the structural strength of the side wall 18. I
have found that 24 equispaced holes fifteen sixty fourths of 1 inch
in diameter is one such satisfactory perforating procedure. It
should also be pointed out that the height of the perforated side
wall 18 should be such that the seated charge housing will project
slightly above it. This arrangement is desirable inasmuch as it
facilitates the insertion and removal of the charge housing by the
smoker.
Although precise measurements and dimensions have been suggested in
order to insure successful reproduction of the invention, they are
considered as illustrative only of the principals of the
inventions. Furthermore since numerous changes and modifications
will readily occur to those skilled in art, it is not desired to
limit the invention to the exact construction and operation as
shown and described and accordingly all suitable modifications and
equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the
invention as set forth and claimed.
* * * * *