Striker for gas-burning tool

Abstract

This invention relates to a striker for gas-burning tools. More specifically, a tool that may be affixed to the gas discharge end of a gas-burning tool that offers a manual striker mechanism that may be used to ignite the gas-burning tool. The manual striker mechanism includes a friction based sparking device.

Claims

1. A striker for a gas burning tool comprising: a. an affixing member for affixing the striker to the gas discharge end of a gas-burning tool with a radially projecting mounting tab; b. a guide member comprising two parallel, coequally sized pieces wherein the guide member is hingedly attached to the radially projecting mounting tab and the two parallel, coequally sized pieces are attached at the other end by means of a mounting element; c. wherein a flint is mounted to the tip of a screw and this screw passes through the mounting element wherein the flint contacts an abrasive layer on a sparking wheel mounted between the two parallel, coequally sized pieces; d. wherein the sparking wheel is driven by a spring mounted between the two parallel, coequally sized pieces where the spring protrudes above the top of the two parallel, coequally sized pieces when the guide member is rotated so that the mounting element is away from the gas discharge end of a gas-burning tool; e. wherein the spring drives the sparking wheel when the guide member is rotated towards the gas discharge end of the gas-burning tool and the part of the spring that protrudes above the top of the two parallel, coequally sized pieces when the guide member is rotated so that the mounting element is away from the gas discharge end of a gas-burning tool is pressed against the gas discharge end of the gas-burning tool.

2. A striker for a gas burning tool of claim 1 wherein the affixing member is circular.

3. A striker for a gas burning tool of claim 1 further comprising at least two radially penetrating screw elements penetrating the circular element.

4. A striker for a gas burning tool of claim 1 wherein the flint is ferrocerium.

5. A striker for a gas burning tool of claim 1 wherein the abrasive layer is corundite.

6. A striker for a gas burning tool of claim 1 wherein the abrasive layer is emery.

7. A striker for a gas burning tool of claim 1 wherein the screw may be adjusted so that the flint is in close contact with the abrasive layer on the sparking wheel.

8. A method of using a striker for a gas burning tool of claim 1 comprising the steps of: a. affixing the striker near the gas discharge of a gas-burning tool; b. rotating the guide member so that the screw is located away from the gas discharge of the gas-burning tool; c. turning the gas on so that gas issues from the gas discharge of the gas-burning tool; d. rotating the guide member so that the screw is located away towards the gas discharge of the gas-burning tool; e. pressing the spring that protrudes above the top of the two parallel, coequally sized pieces when the guide member is rotated so that the mounting element is away from the gas discharge end of a gas-burning tool against the gas discharge end of the gas-burning tool; f. driving the free end of the spring against the sparking wheel causing the sparking wheel to rotate; g. causing the abrasive layer to rub against the flint; h. showering sparks into the gas; i. lighting the gas; j. rotating the guide member so that the screw is located away from the gas discharge of the gas-burning tool.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of a gas-burning device with the invention affixed and stowed in the undeployed state.

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of a gas-burning device with the invention affixed and moved forward in the deployed state. The guide member has been cut away.

(3) FIG. 3 is a top view of the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a front view of the invention with a detail showing the locking tab that engages with the radially cut locking slot in the affixing member.

(6) FIG. 6 is a front view of the invention affixed to a gas-burning tool with the guide member deployed away from the viewer.

(7) FIG. 7 is a side view the affixing member showing the radially projecting mounting tab with a locking slot cut into its rear tip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) Referring to FIG. 1-7, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a spark generating device 101 comprising an affixing member 200 hingedly attached to a guide member 300 comprising a flint 307 comprising ferrocerium activated by a sparking wheel 302. The sparking wheel 302 is driven by a formed planar spring 306. The spark generating device 101 is affixed to the gas-burning tool 100 using the affixing member 200 to affix the device to the gas discharge end 100a of the gas-burning tool 100.

(9) The affixing member 200 is a generally circular band 201 of a greater diameter that the gas discharge end 100a of the gas-burning tool 100 around which it is attached. Those having skill in the art will recognize that the affixing member 200 may be other geometries than circular and may be any shape necessary to affix the device to the gas discharge end 100a of the gas-burning tool 100.

(10) The generally circular band 201 of the affixing member 200 has at least two radially penetrating screws 202a and 202b which have knurled screw tops 203a and 203b designed to be screwed in and out by hand. When screwed in, the radially penetrating screws 202a and 202b attach the affixing member 200 to the outside of the gas discharge end 100a of the gas-burning tool 100. Centrally located on top of the generally circular band 201 of the affixing member 200 is a radially projecting mounting tab 210 with a locking slot 211 cut into its rear tip.

(11) Hingedly affixed to the affixing member 200 is the guide member 300. The guide member 300 is formed of two parallel, coequally sized pieces 303a and 303b hinged to the affixing member 200 and may be rotated in excess of 180 generally to the rear or generally to the front. Those having skill in the art will recognize that the guide member 300 may be formed in many ways, including being constructed of one piece of material bent or stamped to form two parallel, coequally sized pieces 303a and 303b and an attaching middle section 303c the entirety of which may be hinged to the affixing member 200 and may be rotated in excess of 180 generally to the rear or generally to the front. When rotated to the rear a locking strap 304 with a locking tab 305 engages with the radially cut locking slot 211 in the radially projecting mounting tab 210 to secure the guide member 300 to the rear. Ordinarily, this is the position of the guide member 300 when the gas-burning tool 100 is being used.

(12) Secured between the parallel, coequally sized pieces 303a and 303b is a formed planar spring 306. The formed planar spring 306 is secured in a fixed position between the parallel, coequally sized pieces 303a and 303b such that its free end is positioned next to a sparking wheel 302 with generally triangular tangs 302a formed in its outer, circular surface 302b. The formed planar spring 306 is constructed such that a bent section 306a extends outside the confines of the parallel, coequally sized pieces 303a and 303b.

(13) The sparking wheel 302 is comprised of three layers. Two outer layers have generally triangular tangs 302a contacting the formed planar spring 306. The side of each generally triangular tang 302a contacting the formed planar spring 306 projects radially from the circular surface 302b of the sparking wheel 302. The edge not contacted 302c by the formed planar spring 306 is non-radially arranged. The central layer has an abrasive layer of corundite or emery 302d. The abrasive layer of corundite or emery 302d may be adhesively applied or mechanically formed. The abrasive layer of corundite or emery 302d contacts the flint 307. Those having skill in the art will recognize that the flint 307 may be composed of ferrocerium. The flint 307 is mounted in the tip of an adjusting screw 308. The adjusting screw 308 has an externally exposed tanged head 308a designed to be screwed in and out to adjust the location of the flint 307 with respect to the abrasive layer of corundite or emery 302d.

(14) The adjusting screw 308 is mounted at the end of the parallel, coequally sized pieces 303a and 303b in a mounting element 309 adjoining the free ends of the parallel, coequally sized pieces 303a and 303b. The adjusting screw 308 is configured such that as the adjusting screw 308 is screwed in, the flint 307 is brought nearer the abrasive layer of corundite or emery 302d on the sparking wheel 302.

(15) The spark generating device 101 is used in the following manner: 1) The spark generating device 101 is affixed to the gas-burning tool 100 near the gas discharge end 100a of the gas-burning tool 100; 2) The radially penetrating screws 202a and 202b are adjusted using their knurled screw tops 203a and 203b, respectively, to clamp the spark generating device 101 onto the gas-burning tool 100; 3) The guide member 300 is rotated backwards so that the adjusting screw 308 faces away from the gas discharge end 100a of the gas-burning tool 100 and the locking tab 305 engages with the radially cut locking slot 211 in the affixing member 200; 4) The guide member 300 is rotated all the way forward until the bent section 306a in formed planar spring 306 contacts the barrel of the gas-burning tool 100 and is pressed down slightly; 5) This causes the sparking wheel 302 to rotate; 6) This causes the abrasive layer of corundite or emery 302d to rub against the flint 307; 7) This causes sparks to be showered near the gas discharge end 100a of the gas-burning tool 100; 8) This causes a flame to ignite; and, 9) After the flame has ignited, the guide member 300 is rotated backwards so that the adjusting screw 308 faces away from the gas discharge end 100a of the gas-burning tool 100 and the locking tab 305 engages with the radially cut locking slot 211 in the affixing member 200.