US2239628A - Tobacco humidifier element - Google Patents

Description

April 22, 1941. H. SEKI 2,239,628

TOBACCO HUMIDIFIER ELEMENT Filed April 12, 1940 SLR/k4 lNV NTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO HUMIDIFIER ELEMENT Henry Seki, New York, N. Y.

Application April 12, 1940, Serial No. 329,221

4 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, compact, inexpensive and practical humidifier unit adapted for use in cigarette and cigar cases and containers, tobacco pouches, and the like.

The device comprises a receptacle to hold water and a closure for the receptacle that permits evaporation but prevents leaking or spilling in any position of the unit.

The preferred embodiment of the humidifier unit contemplated herein will be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the tobacco humidifier unit;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of two elements of the preferred form of closure.

A short tube 2, similar to a test tube,is utilized as a water receptacle or chamber. This element may be of glass, either ordinary or unbreakable, Celluloid, plastic, or any suitable non-rusting and non-corroding material. A transparent or translucent material that will show whether there is water in the receptacle is to be desired.

The closure illustrated in the drawing comprises a porous evaporation membrane 3, of fine cloth such as silk, and two interfitting elements 4 and 5. The element 4 is a sleeve that slips tightly over the mouth end of the tube 2. The element 5 is a shorter sleeve, ferrule or ring that fits frictionally into the sleeve 4. Between these elements the margin of the evaporation membrane is clasped. In the assembling of this closure, the piece of silk is placed over one end of the ring 5, then the sleeve 4 is fitted over the ring 5 and the margin or edges of the membrane 3. In use, these elements constitute one part, which-is removable from the water receptacle when the latter needs re-filling.

As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the elements 4, 5 of the closure, when applied to the tube, extend beyond the membrane 3, which lies across the mouth of the tube, and provide a rim to guard the membrane and to keep it from direct contact with the inside of a cigarette, cigar or tobacco container or the contents thereof. If the. humidifier element is put in a tobacco pouch, loose tobacco will come in contact with the porous membrane, causing the water in the tube to become stained, but there will be no undesirable eflect.

The sizefof the pores of the closure is such that there is efijective evaporation through the closure, but the water can not leak, drip or spill through the pores in whatever position the humidifier unit finds itself, or even if the unit is vigorously shaken.

The elements 4, 5 may be of any non-rusting, non-corroding material, metallic or non-metallic.

The unit may bemade in different sizes, a small size being suitable for cigarette cases, and a larger size being appropriate for a cigar chest, for example. The purpose of the invention is to provide an improved means for keeping tobacco in various forms fresh and satisfactory to the smoker.

I claim:

1. A tobacco humidifier unit, including a water receptacle, and a closure comprising a unitary assemblage removably fitted to the mouth of said receptacle, said unitary assemblage including two interfitting elements, one of which fits over the mouth of the receptacle, and a porous membrane, the margin of which is caught between the interfitting portions of said elements.

2. A tobacco humidifier unit, comprising a tube to hold water, and an evaporation closure comprising a sleeve closely fitting the outside'of the tube, a ring inside said sleeve, and a porous membrane clasped at the margin between said sleeve and ring, which project beyond the membrane to form a guard rim.

3. A tobacco humidifier unit, comprising a water receptacle, a membrane of fine cloth across the mouth of said receptacle, and two interfitting elements one of which rigidly holds the other with the margin of said membrane clamped between them, and one of which fits over the mouth of said receptacle.

4. A tobacco humidifier unit consisting of a water receptacle, and a unitary closure assemblage, said closure assemblage consisting of a porous evaporation membrane, the pores of which are of such fineness as to prevent leaking in any position of the unit, and two interfitting elements at least one of which fits the mouth of the water receptacle, the margin of said membrane being caught between the interfitting portions of said elements.

HENRY SEKI.

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