Lighter for stove, open hearth and similar

Abstract

 There is described a lighter for ovens, open hearths and similar, which comprises a holder the one end of which on the one hand is extended with a support (2) from fire-proof non-conducting material whereon an incandescent resistor (3) is supported, which resistor (3) may be engaged directly with the solid fuel to be lighted, such as wood or coal, and the other end of which, on the other hand, is provided with a handle (4) which is connectable to an electric power source.

Description

[0001] This invention pertains to a lighter for stove, open hearth and similar, more particularly for any kind of solid fuel, such as wood, coal or solid waste products to be burned.

[0002] The invention has for object to provide a very simple and useful apparatus which allows to light any kind of solid fuel, in a minimum time period and without requiring some very inflammable material such as oil, fine wood or paraffin.

[0003] For this purpose the lighter according to the invention comprises a holder the one end of which on the one hand is extended with a support from fire-proof non-conducting material whereon an incandescent resistor is supported, which resistor may be engaged directly with the solid fuel to be lighted, such as wood or coal, and the other end of which, on the other hand, is provided with a handle which is connectable to an electric power source.

[0004] The support is usefully formed by a rod around which is wound an incandescent resistor, in the form of a resistance wire.

[0005] In a particular embodiment of the invention, the free end of said support is provided with a rounded protecting part which projects relative to the incandescent resistor and which can be slipped between the solid fuel.

[0006] In a specific embodiment of the invention, the holder comprises two insulating tubes from fire-proof material which extend substantially from said handle to the support and which each enclose a conductor having a resistance which is substantially smaller than the incandescent resistor resistance, whereby the one free end from said resistor is connected to the one said conductors, and the other end thereof is connected to the other conductor.

[0007] Other details and features of the invention will stand out from the following description, given by way of non limitative example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a lengthwise section through a lighter according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section along line II-II from figure 1.

[0008] In both figures, the same reference numerals pertain to similar components.

[0009] The invention relates to a lighter for stoves, open hearths and similar, which is completely loose and independent from the structure of the stove or open hearth for example. It is thus a matter of a lighter which is simply removed from the stove or open hearth, after lighting the fuel.

[0010] Said lighter has the general shape of a poker and comprises notably a holder the one end of which is extended with a support 2 from a fire-proof non-conducting material, whereon an incandescent resistor 3 is fastened, and the other end of which is provided with a handle 4 which is connected or connectable through a cable 5 to an electric power source, not shown, which source is preferably a low-voltage source.

[0011] According to the invention, the incandescent resistor 3 is possibly protected with a thin corrosion-proof layer, but it is not arranged inside a fire-proof casing or similar, in such a way that said resistor can contact directly the solid fuel to be lighted.

[0012] The support 2 is formed by a tube-like rod from porcelain, around which the incandescent resistor 3 in the shape of a resistance wire, is wound.

[0013] The free end of said rod 2 is provided with a rounded protecting part 6 which projects relative to the incandescent resistor 3 and which can be slipped between the solid fuel when lighting same.

[0014] Said protecting part is comprised of a porcelain cap which is provided with a projecting cylinder-like flange 7. Said flange extends in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of said rod 2 and has an outer diameter which is larger than the rod diameter.

[0015] The outer wall 8 of said flange 7 is substantially convex-bevelled to form a somewhat sharp edge 9 on that end removed from said rod 2, of the cap 6, in such a way that said cap 6 may thus be slipped without too much of a resistance through a wood or coal pile when lighting same.

[0016] About that end of rod 2 removed from the end the cap 6 is fastened on, is provided an insulating closure part 10 which bears against the holder 1 and which also projects in the same way as cap 6, relative to said incandescent resistor 3 which lies between said part 10 and cap 6.

[0017] Said holder 1 comprises two insulating tubes from fire-proof material, which extend from said handle 4 up to said rod 2, and which each enclose a conductor 13 and 14 respectively. Said conductors 13, 14 have a resistance which is substantially smaller than the resistance of the incandescent resistor 3, in such a way that substantially no heating of said conductors 13, 14 does occur during the lighter operation.

[0018] The one free end 15 of said incandescent resistor 3 is connected to conductor 13, while the other end 16 thereof is connected to conductor 14.

[0019] Said rod 2 which is thus formed by a hollow tube, connects to a sleeve 12; while the conductor 14 thereof extends inside the rod 2 up to adjacent the free end thereof. In said free end is provided a passageway 17 through which the end 16 of said incandescent resistor is connected to conductor 14.

[0020] That end of conductrs 13, 14 lying on the side of handle 4, connects to said electric cable 5.

[0021] The invention is in no way limited to the above embodiments and many changes may be brought thereto within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, notably as regards the shape and fastening of said incandescent resistor 3 on support 2, as well as the shape of said protecting part 6.

[0022] There may further be provided according to the invention, a timer which is built in or not in the lighter and with which the lighting time can be fixed, possibly in an adjustable way. This makes it possible to avoid burning out the resistor should the lighter remain for a relatively long time inside the oven or similar.

Claims

1. Lighter for ovens, open hearths and similar, which comprises a holder the one end of which on the one hand is extended with a support from fire-proof non-conducting material whereon an incandescent resistor is supported, which resistor may be engaged directly with the solid fuel to be lighted, such as wood or coal, and the other end of which, on the other hand, is provided with a handle which is connectable to an electric power source.

2. Lighter as defined in claim 1, in which the support is formed by a rod around which is wound an incandescent resistor, in the form of a resistance wire.

3. Lighter as defined in either one of claims 1 and 2, in which the free end of said support is provided with a rounded protecting part which projects relative to the incandescent resistor and which can be slipped between the solid fuel.

4. Lighter as defined in claim 3, in which said protecting part is formed by a porcelain cap which is secured to the free end of a rod which forms the support for said incandescent resistor.

5. Lighter as defined in claim 4, in which said porcelain cap is provided with a front- projecting flange of cylinder shape, which extends in substantially parallel relationship with said rod axis and the outer diameter of which is larger than the rod diameter.

6. Lighter as defined in claim 5, in which the outer wall of said flange is substantially convex-bevelled to form a substantially sharp edge on that cap end removed from said rod.

₇. Lighter as defined in any one of claims 2 to 6, in which around that rod end removed from the rod end said protecting part is secured to, is provided an insulating closure part which lies against said holder and which also projects relative to said incandescent resistor which is wound around the rod between said closure part and protecting part.

8. Lighter as defined in any one of claims 1 to 7, in which said holder comprises two insulating tubes from fire-proof material which extend substantially from said handle to the support and which each enclose a conductor having a resistance which is substantially smaller than the incandescent resistor resistance, whereby the one free end from said resistor is connected to the one said conductors, and the other end thereof is connected to the other conductor.

9. Lighter as' defined in claim 8, in which said rod is formed by a hollow tube which connects to the one said holder tubes, along the axis thereof, and the conductor lying inside said holder tube is extended into said rod tube up to adjacent the free end thereof, whereby in said free end is provided a passageway through which the one end of said incandescent resistor connects to said conductor, which resistor is wound spiral-like about the outer surface of said tube and the other end thereof connects to the other conductor.

10. Lighter as defined in either one of claims 8 and 9, in which that end of said conductors lying on the handle side connects to an electric cable which extends through said handle.

11. Lighter as defined in any one of claims 1 to 10, in which there is provided a timer, built-in or not, which allows limiting the time said resistor is incandescent.

12. Lighter as defined in any one of claims 1 to 10, in which said support is made from porcelain.

Drawing