Abstract: The safety lighter includes contact wheels requiring rotation to rotate a spark wheel for generating a spark and, hence, a flame in the lighter. An extension, preferably part of the windscreen, includes a top wall overlying the majority of the circumferences of the contact wheels. Only a small portion of the contact wheel surfaces are therefore exposed for engagement by a user's thumb, thus increasing the strength and dexterity required to actuate the lighter and inhibiting actuation of the lighter by children.

Abstract: The child safety lighter includes a pair of pivoted elements one of which engages a valve stem for moving a valve between closed and opened positions upon pivoting the element by application of thumb pressure to a first finger-engageable surface. The second element includes a second finger-engageable surface extending about the outer periphery of the first surface whereby the two surfaces combined correspond in shape essentially to a typical thumb press pad of a conventional lighter. The second element is independently pivotal against the bias of a spring. Because the first surface area is reduced and located between the second surface and the spark wheel of the lighter, increased force and dexterity is necessary to pivot the first lever to actuate the lighter.

Abstract: The lighter includes a lever pivotal between lighter-unactuated and lighter-actuated positions. In the unactuated position, a locking member interferes with depression of the lever preventing actuation. The locking member is movable crosswise into a position unlocking the lighter for actuation and in which position the locking member is retained in the lighter-unlocked position by a catch. Upon depression of the thumb press of the lever to actuate the lighter, the locking member is released from its lighter-unlocked condition for return to a lighter-locked condition.