Combustion – Incandescent mantle – Heated feed line section
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-17
2004-02-10
Price, Carl D. (Department: 3743)
Combustion
Incandescent mantle
Heated feed line section
C431S107000, C431S227000, C431S228000, C431S218000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688877
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lantern and fuel system and method and more particularly pertains to allowing a user to safely and conveniently use a liquid fuel to provide heat and light.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of lantern and fuel systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, lantern and fuel systems of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of providing heat and light are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,458 to Spotts discloses a portable convertible mantle-lantern, camp stove. U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,075 to Rummel discloses attachments for lanterns. U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,079 to Elder discloses a lantern stove device attachment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,198 discloses a lantern hot plate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,795 discloses a cooking adapter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,075 discloses a lantern head for backpacker's stove. U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,843 to Henry et al. discloses a combustion device for stoves and fireplaces. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,223 issued Aug. 27, 2002, to Draper et al. discloses a lantern system.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a lantern and fuel system and method that allows allowing a user to safely and conveniently use a liquid fuel to provide heat and light.
In this respect, the lantern and fuel system and method according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing a user to safely and conveniently use a liquid fuel to provide heat and light.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved lantern and fuel system and method to safely and conveniently use a liquid fuel to provide heat and light. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of lantern and fuel systems of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved lantern and fuel system and method. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved lantern and fuel system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a fuel tank fabricated of metal with a flat bottom and a hemispherically shaped side wall thereby forming a cavity. A pressure gauge opening and pressure gauge stub with a male threaded outward end are provided in the side wall. The side wall also has a pump opening and pump stub with a male threaded outward end. An associated check valve and a vaporizer opening into the cavity of the fuel tank are contained within the pump stub. There is also a tank filling opening and an associated threaded filling stub.
A pressure gauge subassembly has a readable indicator and a pressure bleed-off screw and a threaded collar to couple the pressure gauge subassembly to the pressure gauge stub of the fuel tank.
A pump subassembly has a shaft. The upper end of the shaft has a gripping handle. The lower end has a pump portion with a beveled seat and an O-ring associated thereto to provide a seal for pumping. The pump subassembly is positioned in the pump stub of the fuel tank between the cavity of the tank and the end of the pump stub. The shaft of the pump passes through a threaded stub cap which is coupled to the pump stub of the tank.
A hollow tubular lower skirt has an outer surface and an inner surface with a wall thickness there between. The lower skirt has a continuous bottom portion of a first diameter. The bottom portion has a valve slot. The lower skirt also has a multi-perforated upper portion of a second diameter with a flare. The upper portion has an ignition slot and a valve slot there through. The flared upper portion has a lip with a plurality of upwardly directed connecting rod holes there through.
A flat round disk-like planar lower skirt cap has a plurality of holes there through and is sized to fit within the first diameter of the lower skirt. The cap has a central screw hole for coupling with the tank.
A generally U-shaped ignition bowl has an up-pipe in a hollow tube configuration. The upper end of the pipe is beveled and an aperture is provided into the tube at the lower end of the pipe. The pipe is coupled to the ignition bowl at the lower end and the ignition bowl is coupled to the cap.
A round flat disc-like safety cover has a plurality of holes there through. The safety cover has a diameter sized to fit securely within the second diameter of the lower skirt. A Z-shaped upward projection is coupled to the cover. The projection has a notch at an uncoupled end.
A round tubular heat resistant glass chimney has a first length with an outside diameter sized to be received and securely contained within the inside of the flare of the lower skirt.
A hollow tubular upper skirt has an outer surface and an inner surface and a wall thickness there between. The upper skirt has a flared lower portion with a lip. The lip has a plurality of downwardly oriented connecting rod holes there through. The upper portion has a plurality of handle coupling threaded studs at opposite sides. The upper portion of the upper skirt has a third diameter larger than the first diameter and smaller than the second diameter. The upper portion has a plurality of upwardly oriented slots there through. The upper skirt has a central opening at the uppermost extent having a diameter of approximately the first diameter.
A lantern top cap has a hollow tubular lower portion with a plurality of openings there through and an outwardly flared upper portion with a flat top. The lower portion has a mixing chamber and couples with the upper skirt.
A plurality of connecting rods comprise a shaft. Each end has a male thread and an associated nut. The rods are sized to be received into the connecting rod holes of the lower skirt and the upper skirt. The rods couple to the upper and lower skirt with the nuts being tightened on the rods to firmly hold and contain the glass chimney there between.
A vaporizer has a lower subassembly and an upper subassembly. The lower subassembly has an upper end and a lower end. The lower end has a tubular configuration and projects downward into the tank cavity through the vaporizer opening in the tank to a point near the bottom of the tank cavity. A valve housing is coupled to the upper end. The upper end of the lower subassembly has a coupling means to couple the lower subassembly to the tank. The lower end has a check valve at its lowermost extent. The upper end has a T-shaped tubular body with an upper extension and a lower extension and a side end control stub located to protrude through the valve slot of the lower skirt. The upper extension has a flare coupling nut. The lower subassembly has a handle and a handle shaft. The handle shaft has a handle end and an actuating end. The shaft is coupled to the control stub with the handle shaft running the length of the control stub. The shaft has a protrusion at the actuating end. The upper vaporizer subassembly has a lower flared end with an associated coupling nut and a tubular riser and two warming coils. The warming coils have a curved tubular configuration and couple at each end of the coil with the tubular riser. The tubular riser has a first internal diameter and a second internal diameter. The uppermost extent of the upper subassembly has a female thread and an associated male threaded nipple. The n
Draper Diana Clifton
Draper George E.
Stokes Charles A.
Dutkiewicz Edward P.
Price Carl D.
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