US3360790A - Timer controlled alarm for ash tray - Google Patents

Description

S. A. ROSSITTO TIMER CONTROLLED ALARM FOR ASH TRAY Filed Jan. 25, 1965 lllllllllllllllll- IN VE N TV'OR: Samuel ARossUzo 4 wwmmmRM sv United States Patent 3,360,790 TIMER CONTROLLED ALARM FOR ASH TRAY Samuel A. Rossitto, 2112 Pyle St, Wilmington, Del. 19805 Filed Jan. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 427,743 3 Claims. (Cl. 340309.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety device for the cigarette smoker is provided which comprises a receptacle, such as an ash tray, which 7 the smoker uses, and in conjunction with the tray there is an alarm which the smoker sets to remind him to put the burning cigarette, the alarm being relayed to the user by an earphone. The safety device is designed to afford the smoker a means for awakening him should he fall asleep without having extinguished his cigarette.

This invention relates to a smoking device. More paris the source of the fire, there being no means for extinguishing the cigarette. 'As is well known, cigarette manufacturers place materials in the tobacco in order'to keep the combustion going even though the user is not smoking the cigarette. Other forms of tobacco used in smoking which do not contain such materials will still burn slowly for a while or will glow, and they, too, are also a hazard when used in the hands of a careless smoker. A number of devices have been devolepd in order to prevent the burning cigarette from coming into contact with combustible materials in the event the smoker falls asleep, but the devices have not been successful in preventing disasters for several reasons. Usually these devices involve placing something around the cigarette and holding the cigarette in the device, and most smokers do not wish to be so encumbered and some smokers feel that the use of such devices adversely affects the taste of the cigarette. Accordingly, there is a need for a device which will allow the concerned smoker to smoke cigarettes in the normal way under conditions where he may fall asleep and yet in relative safety, being assured that should he doze or fall asleep he will be awakened in time to prevent a disaster.

An object of this invention is to provide a safety cigarette device. Another aim is to provide an alarm in connection with an element normally used by the smoker. A still further purpose is the provision of an ash tray bearing an audible alarm which affords the setting of an alarm to go off within a certain period of time. These and other objects will appear hereinafter.

The objectives of this invention are accomplished by the provision of an element normally used by a given smoker which element contains an alarm and a means for setting the alarm to go oif within a period of time less than the time the given smoker usually takes to smoke a cigarette. One form of the device of this invention is an ash tray which contains electrical means to actuate the alarm, the alarm itself and a means to set the time within which the alarm is to sound. It is, of course, to be appreciated that the alarm sounding means may be incorporated into elements other than an ash tray which other elements are used by smokers. Such other elements include, for example, a reading lamp, a tobacco dispenser and a smoking stand. This invention will be further understood wit-h reference to the following drawings of which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portable ash tray alarm of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3-6 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of an earphone that may be connected to the smoking guard alarm.

In FIGURE 1 casing 1v is of any desired shape, such as the rectangular shape shown, and it is made of any desirable material as, for example, metals such as copper, brass, aluminum, and the like or of plastic materials such as nylon, phenolformaldehyde resins, polyformaldehyde and the like. In the top 2 of the receptacle 1 is an ash tray 3 of any desired shape and design. In the drawings the ash tray 3 is a circular, dish-like ash tray which fits into the recess 4 shown in FIGURE 2. The recess 4 may be conveniently formed in the pressing or the molding of receptacle 1. Attached to the underneath side of recess 4 are a plurality of small magnets 5 which hold the ash tray in place while the receptacle 1 is being moved or while the ash tray 3 is in use. It is to be appreciated that this form is a preferred form, but that the magnets may be replaced by other holding means. The ash tray 3 may contain cigarette bar holder 6, as is conventional with such items. e 7

Also, in the top 2 of the receptacle 1 is a timer switch 7. This timer switch com-prises a knob or dial 8 and a graduation which shows the off-position and the startposition along with a division into time segments of one minute each. As shown in FIGURE 1, the segmentation carries the time up to ten minutes. In use the smoker will turn the dial 8 to the time which he normally uses in smoking a cigarette and preferably to a time setting which is less than that normal time period. The timer 9 is shown in FIGURE 2. It has as its power source a battery 10 which can be one or a plurality of the conventional dry cells. Thus, when the dial 8 has advanced clockwise to the desired time setting or, as shown in FIGURE 1, has returned from the given time setting back to the start position an alarm will sound. This alarm is in the form of a buzzer 11 which buzzes or rings continually until someone turns the dial 8 back to the olfposition, and the device is ready for reuse. The various elements are shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Conventional wiring 12 is shown which hooks the various devices together. The electrical circuit is of the conventional type and is not shown in detail for convenience, the various elements, the alarm, the battery, the timer, and the switch, being conventional electrical parts that are hooked up in a conventional manner. The timing switch 7 in its various elements, for convenience, is shown in a recess position at 13. This position is preferred, because it prevents the inadvertent activating or turning off of the dial 8 by objects placed on top of the receptacle 1.

In FIGURE 2 thereis shown a jack 14 which is connected to the buzzer 11 so that when the jack is activated by plugging in plug 15 the horn of buzzer 11 does not sound. Rather, the audible alarm is shunted through the wire 16 to earphone 17. That is, the plug 15 breaks the contact of the loud buzzer 11 with the power source and at the same time makes contact between the speaker or buzzer in the earphone 17. Here again, the buzz or ringing continues until the switch is manually turned to the elf-position. The power source usually comprises dry-cells and it has a life of about one year. The earphone is equipped with a conventional holder 18 which may be placed on the ear of the user. Frequently it is desired that the alarm sound disturb onlytheuser. By means of the earphone extension the user gets the benefits of the alarm without disturbing other people.

It is to be understood that the compositions of the materials, the various spacings and the constructions of the various parts are not critical and may be modified substantially and yet be Within thepresent invention. It is also to be appreciated that one skilled in the art may make various modifications in the placement of the elements of this invention relative to the various other devices used by' smokers. Such devices include coffee tables, night stands, ash tray stands, end tables, cigarette boxes, table lamps, figurines and the like. Irrespective of the particular placement, the size or the shape of the elements of this invention, the smoker is afforded with a means for setting an alarm before he lights a cigarette under conditions in which he feels that there is a possibility he might fall asleep, as, for example, when he is watching late harm. Also, the devices of this invention are useful whether-the smoking is of a cigarette, pipe or cigar-that is, the devices are independent of the form of smoking or the. item smoked. It is, of course, recognized that human faults are not eliminated by the devices of this invention and that there. are smokers who might sleep throughthe alarm with disastrous results. However, the devices 'ofthis invention do afford a means for a smoker to protect himself and others against careless smoking.

\ Such protection .is desirable and very valuable even though it may result in only partial elimination of loss of proper-ty and loss of life.

'While the invention has been disclosed herein in connection withcertain embodiments and certain structural and procedural details, it is clear that changes, modifications or equivalents can be used by those skilled in the art; accordingly such changes within the principles of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the claims below.

I claim:

1. A smokers device comprising a receptacle; in connection with said receptacle a removable ash tray; within said receptacle an audible alarm, a timer and a power source for said alarm and said timer; a timer switch positioned on the outside of said receptacle for actuating said timer; circuit means, including said timer and said power supply and said alarm, for energizing said alarm; and a means for shunting said alarm to an earphone.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 which contains a magnet that holds the ash tray in place.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the said timer switch once having activated the said alarm must be manually turned to the off-position to deactivate the said alarm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,621 2/1907 Mclntire 340-3092 2,308,037 1/1943 Abadjiefi 340309.1 2,512,775 6/1950 Parissi 340-3091 2,618,956 11/1952 Hanna.

2,649,753 8/ 1953 Dove.

2,675,693 4/1954 Emery 272 2,681,560 6/ 1954 Shuttleworth et a1. 70273 2,681,656 6/ 1954 Starkenberg 131-236 2,812,851 11/1957 Kinnebrew 70273 X 3,018,877 1/1962 Posavic 131242 3,136,114 6/1964 Jauch 58-395 3,205,900 9/1965 Dahl 131238 THOMAS B. HABECKER, Acting Primary Examiner. NEIL C. READ, Examiner.

I. I. LEVIN, H. I. PITTS, Assistant Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. A SMOKER''S DEVICE COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE; IN CONNECTION WITH SAID RECEPTACLE A REMOVABLE ASH TRAY; WITHIN SAID RECEPTACLE AN AUDIBLE ALARM, A TIMER AND A POWER SOURCE FOR SAID ALARM AND SAID TIMER; A TIMER SWITCH POSITIONED ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID RECEPTACLE FOR ACTUATING SAID TIMER; CIRCUIT MEANS, INCLUDING SAID TIMER AND SAID

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