Advertisement for a petrol lighter from the beginning of the 20th century.
| Lighter |
Advertisement for a petrol lighter from the beginning of the 20th century.
Petrol lighters have come into existence in the beginning of the 20th century, sometimes around the year 1903. In 1909 a well-known Austrian chemist Karl Auer made a lighter with a striking wheel. Lighters had mainly spread in the World War I., when soldiers had made them from empty cartridges. Since the year 1928 Rondson company had started to produced lighters, first petrol and later gas lighters.
Petrol lighter Rondson made in Austria around 1935 (taken from www.dolani.com/lighters.htm).
Nowadays, liquid gas lighters are the most common lighter. The sparking mechanism is put on a small reservoir, which shape can vary. At the same time the reservoir also serves as a handle. Spark necessary to light the gas is usually caused by striking the sparking wheel against a flint. The spark wheel has got 3 discs: the two side ones are of greater diameter and are turned with a thumb, while the middle disc strikes against the flint and causes the spark. At the same time the thumb presses the button of an outlet, which is placed closely below the wheel. The gas exhalations start to escape through the open outlet. The spark lights them up and the flame begins to burn over the jet until the outlet remains open.
Classical gas lighter ( taken from www.konark-trd.com).
The liquid gas, which is used in lighters, evaporates at temperatures which are common in our climatic conditions. If it’s necessary to use the lighter outside in the cold, the gas must be first warmed up a little bit, for example in the palm. Only then the gas starts to evaporate. On the contrary it is not recommended to leave the lighter on places with high temperature (in a car in the summer) because of possible explosion.
(translated by Frantisek Cech)
