US3834399A

US3834399A - Tobacco smoking equipment

Info

Publication number: US3834399A
Application number: US00309157A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Beam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-11-24
Filing date: 1972-11-24
Publication date: 1974-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-10

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.

Description

Beam

[ TOBACCO SMOKING EQUIPMENT [76] Inventor: Jon W. Beam, 510 Cherry St.,

Cushing, Okla. 74023 22 Filed: N0v.24, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 309,157

[52] U.S. C1 131/3, 131/195, 131/226 [51] Int. Cl. A24d 01/14, A24d 01/22 [58] Field of Search 131/3, 194, 195, 15 B, 131/226 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 270,562 1/1883 Burbank 131/195 X 588,259 8/1897 Betts 131/3 610,839 9/1898 Wright. 131/196 647,740 4/1900 Beatty 131/196 782,219 2/1905 Coleman 131/3 2,094,708 10/1937 Karlson l 131/195 2,991,788 7/1961 Brost 131/3 3,267,941 8/1966 Doppelt 131/204 3,283,763 11/1966 Cholet 131/3 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATION-S 19,765 1913 Great Britain 131/226 1,431,791 2/1966 France 20,574 1895 Great Britain 9,521 1885 Great Britain 131/3 Primary Examiner-Joseph S. Reich Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Head & Johnson [111 3,834,399 [451 Sept. 10, 1974 1 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.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 TOBACCO SMOKING EQUIPMENT 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, I973, 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 tobaccosmoking pipe, but wherein the principals of combustion and operation arequite 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 smokers 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 tobaccowherein cigar and cigarette smokers will find itto 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 rapidheat 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 fromburnmg.

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 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 wallaluminum 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 in the closed end which is five eights of one inch in diameter, thus leaving a l/l6 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 US. Pat. Nos. 3,301,746, 3,4l4,459 and D-2l2,049.

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 dency 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 1 1 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 plug25 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 wouldotherwise 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 burnmg.

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.

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 isequal 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 the tobacco charge.

Claims

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.

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.