Smoking Pipe

Abstract

A smoking pipe including a liquid-accommodating chamber, a projecting mouthpiece extending from an upper portion thereof, a pipette or tube extending vertically downwardly into the chamber to a point above the bottom thereof, a smoking material-receiving bowl at the top of the pipette having a lower orifice directly communicating therewith and the chamber having at least one finger controlled orifice therein communicating with an upper portion of the chamber above the level of liquid therein.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the art of smoking devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a smoking pipe of the type in which, during inhalation, the smoke is drawn through water or other suitable liquid before entering the lungs of the user. Specifically, this invention relates to a smoking pipe of the aforedescribed type which includes finger controlled orifice means for controlling the ratio of and velocity of smoke and air that is inhaled.

In general, smoking pipes of this general character, i.e., having provision for drawing the smoke through water and termed "water pipes" have been in use for many years. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 77,096 of Apr. 21, 1868, to Robbins, U.S. Pat. No. 183,626 of Oct. 24, 1876, to Bingham, U.S. Pat. No. 586,149 of July 13, 1897, to Turner, U.S. Pat. No. 722,405 of Mar. 10, 1903, to Ganim, and U.S. Pat. No. 199,607 of Nov. 17, 1964, to Zia.

However, none of these devices contain provisions for controlling the amount of smoke that is inhaled. The general concept of a smoking pipe including a water chamber through which the smoke is drawn before entry into the mouth of the user and which also includes valve means associated with the smoke passage or passages is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,582,670 of Apr. 27, 1926, to Eckelmans. However, in this arrangement the water chamber has less volume than the bowl or smoking material receptacle. A finger controlled vent orifice associated with a smoking device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,929 of Aug. 22, 1967, to Williams. However, the device of this patent is directed to a cigarette holding and reverse smoking device. There is no provision of a water chamber and in use the orifice is always open during inhalation of a cigarette held therein and closed when the smoke is puffed out through the held cigarette. The only air intake during smoking is through the cigarette.

Specifically, this invention is an improvement in the "water pipe" of my prior filed application Ser. No. D 262,484 of June 14, 1972.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

While certain specific aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment, this invention has for a principal object to provide a smoking pipe including a liquid accommodating flask, a mouthpiece associated with the upper portion thereof, a pipette or tube extending into the flask to a point above the bottom thereof, a smoking material-receiving bowl at the top of the pipette, and a finger controlled orifice means associated with a portion of the flask above the level of liquid therein.

A more specific aspect of the invention is to provide a smoking pipe including a flat bottomed, round, liquid receiving flask, an opening at the top of the flask, a centrally disposed apertured pipette-accommodating stopper of natural rubber or high grade synthetic rubber to cooperate with such opening to provide an air-tight seal between the pipette and flask, a bowl at the upper portion of the pipette, a mouthpiece-forming, tubular extension projecting outwardly from the upper portion of the flask on one side of the stopper-accommodating opening and a finger-controlled orifice means at the upper portion of the flask on the other side of such stopper-accommodating opening.

From a more specific aspect, the last mentioned opening has an apertured rubber or high grade synthetic rubber removable stopper in sealing relation with such orifice. Preferably, the stopper has two air passages therethrough.

Additionally, the invention provides a restriction in the upper portion of the pipette and a conical smoking material receiving bowl communicating directly with such restriction.

Further and more specific objects and advantages will be more readily apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As illustrated in the drawings, the smoking pipe of the invention includes a main body or flask A, an integral mouthpiece forming extension B, a stopper C, a pipette and bowl combination member D carried thereby, and a finger controlled orifice means E for controlling inhalation.

The body or flask can be made of glass, a suitable plastic material, or a heat-resistant material such as PYREX glass. The pipette and bowl member must be made from a heat-resistant material such as PYREX glass or, if desired, a suitable material such as aluminum.

The flask includes a rounded main body 1 having a flat bottom 2. The top of the flask is provided with a centrally disposed opening 3 for receiving the stopper C. The stopper, made of, for example, a natural rubber or a high grade synthetic rubber, is provided with a central bore 4 through which is inserted the pipette portion 5 of the pipette-bowl member D. During assembly, the member D in wet condition is inserted by a twisting movement into the bore of stopper C while it is wet. Then, with the rim of the flask aperture or opening 3 in wet condition, the stopper, while wet, is removably inserted therein to provide an air-tight seal between the pipette and flask.

The mouthpiece extension B includes a tubular projecting portion 6 and an outwardly flared mouth-receiving end portion 7 of a size to snugly accommodate the user's lips as shown.

At the upper portion of the flask body 1 on the opposite side of the opening 3 from the tubular projecting portion 7 and in the same general vertical plane therewith, see FIG. 2, is an opening 8. A stopper 9 of the same material as stopper C is inserted in this opening. The stopper 9 is provided with two axial bores 10 and 11 of about 3 mm. internal diameter. This stopper is smaller than stopper C so that the opening or closing of the bores 10 and 11 can be controlled by the user's index finger.

The flask body 1 is approximately of 500 ml. internal volume or capacity and in use is half filled with liquid such as water. L denotes the liquid level. The liquid level is somewhat crucial since if too much water is put into the flask so as to raise the level above that for approximately 250 ml. of water, then the user would be inhaling water. It has been found that the above-mentioned size flask is ideally suited for ease of use.

The pipette-bowl member D includes the pipette portion 5 which is approximately 41/2 inches in length and when inserted has its lower end approximately 3/4 inch above the bottom of the flask. The upper end portion of the pipette portion 5 has a 1/4 inch long restricted portion 12, the top of which communicates directly with the interior of the conical bowl 13. This shape of the bowl guides the smoke into the pipette and thus into the body of the flask. The bowl of the pipette is approximately 8 mm. internal diameter, the restriction is from about 2.4 to 2.9 mm. in internal diameter.

The bowl 13 is of approximate 1 inch internal diameter at the top and about 3/4 inch in height tapering inwardly to communicate directly with the upper end of the restricted portion 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the axis of the tubular extension or projecting portion 6, and the axes of the openings 3 and 8 all lie in a common vertical plane through the flask body 1. This coupled with the rounded or spherical shape of the flask as well as its flat bottom facilitates use and handling of the device.

In one manner of use, the flask is half-filled with liquid such as water, wine, or a suitable tasty or pleasing mouth wash. A pinch of smoking material such as tobacco, or a smokable medicinal herb is placed in the bowl so as to cover the lower opening therein. The user then exhales and places his lips snugly inside the flared mouthpiece. He then places his finger over the bores in stopper 9. A lighted match is held over the bowl during fitting of the lips and closing bores 10 and 11. The user then inhales slowly and evenly until the contents of the bowl have been drawn into the water. Then the finger is removed and inhalation is continued until the flask is cleared of smoke.

In proceeding as above, the user has inhaled the smoke emanating from the small amount of smoking substance after it has been ignited, drawing it through the restriction in the pipette just beneath the bowl proper and into the water. Inasmuch as considerable pressure or inhalation effort has to be exerted to draw the smoke through the lower opening in the bowl, the smoke is caused to be drawn deeper into the user's lungs.

With the provision of the stopper 9 having the bores 10 and 11 therethrough, the user can remove his finger from these bores after the smoke has entered the body of the flask during initial inhalation, thus causing the smoke to enter the lungs at a more rapid rate than would be the case if the only external air source would be through the bowl, this being due to the establishment of at least a partial vacuum in the flask during inhalation with the bores 10 and 11 closed. Further, since there is this additional outside air intake source, instead of only partially filling the bowl, one can place considerably more smoking material or substance in the bowl, light it briefly, leave the finger or fingers off the bores after an inhalation and pass the smoking pipe along to another person to allow them to smoke it.

Thus, with the additional stopper and its air intake bores, the pipe can be smoked in the same manner as a regular pipe, i.e., puffed on. Further, if desired, once the substance being smoked enters the water in the flask, the removal of the index finger from the air intake bores can allow the smoke to be drawn into the lungs in one large inhalation.

The amount of air entering the bores 10 and 11 can be regulated by varying the pressure of the finger applied thereover, i.e., placing the under surface of the finger closer to or tight against the intake end of such bores or by slightly spacing the finger from such bores, as distinguished from completely removing the finger from stopper 9.

In the known devices of the water pipe concept in which the bowl is directly above the water chamber and communicates therewith via a pipette or tube, the smoke is drawn into the lungs more gradually based on how much air can enter through the orifice in relation to the quantity of smoking material or substance initially placed in the bowl.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A smoking pipe having a portion adapted to contain a liquid through which smoke can be drawn, said pipe including means defining a liquid-receiving chamber having a bottom, a projecting mouthpiece connected to and extending from an upper portion of said chamber and directly and uninterruptedly communicating therewith, a tube means connected to said chamber in spaced relation to said mouthpiece and including a first portion above said chamber and another portion extending vertically downwardly into said chamber in sealing relation therewith and terminating at a point above the bottom thereof, a vertically disposed smoking material-receiving bowl having a lower outlet orifice directly and uninterruptedly communicating with the first portion of said tube means and said chamber having at least one finger controllable atmospheric air-admitting orifice means spaced from said mouthpiece and tube means, located at and communicating with the interior of an upper portion of said chamber.

2. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 1, in which the means defining said liquid-receiving chamber comprises a rounded body having a flat bottom and said projecting mouthpiece being integral with said body and having an outwardly flared end of a size sufficient to encompass the user's lips during inhalation.

3. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 2 and said rounded body having an opening disposed centrally at the top thereof, a stopper or resilient material for sealing said opening, said stopper having a bore therethrough, said tube means extending through said bore in sealing relation therewith and said smoking material-receiving bowl being integral with said tube means.

4. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 3 and said finger controlled orifice means including a second resilient material stopper having at least one bore extending therethrough, said body having a second opening therein at an upper portion thereof and said second stopper being removably disposed within said second opening in sealing relation therewith.

5. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 4 and the first portion of said tube means having a restricted bore portion directly beneath and communicating with the lower outlet orifice of said bowl.

6. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 5, and said second opening being selected the side of the vertical axis of said first opening opposite the location of said projecting mouthpiece.

7. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 6, in which the axis of said projecting mouthpiece and the axes of said first and second openings lie in a common vertical plane.

8. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 1, in which said liquid-accommodating chamber has an opening therein at an upper portion thereof, said finger controlled orifice means including a stopper of resilient material having at least one bore therethrough and said stopper being removably disposed within said opening in sealing relation therewith.

9. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 8, in which said liquid-accommodating chamber is of heat resistant material and said projecting mouthpiece being integral with said chamber.

10. A smoking pipe as claimed in claim 8, and said smoking material receiving bowl being of conical configuration to facilitate entry of smoking material into said tube means.