Multiple-user smoking apparatus

Abstract

A smoking apparatus includes a stem having a base at a lower end thereof coupled to a bottle containing a fluid and a neck extending upwardly from the base. A central passage extends through the stem from a burner cup disposed atop the neck to the interior of the cup. Smoking hoses are connected to the stem to permit users to draw smoke from the burner cup, through the central passage, through the water, and out of the hose. The hoses are connected to the stem by one-way fittings which permit air to be drawn out of the bottle and into the hose, but prevent air from being drawn through the hose and into the bottle.

1 . A smoking apparatus comprising: 
 a bottle containing a fluid, said bottle having an opening at an upper end thereof;    a stem having a base and a neck extending upwardly from the base with a central passage extending through said base and said neck, a down tube extending from said base in communication with said central passage, said based being secured to said bottle with said down tube extending through the opening of said bottle with a terminal end of said down tube disposed beneath the surface of the fluid contained in said bottle;    a burner cup disposed above the stem in communication with said central passage;    two or more one-way flow fittings secured to said stem in communication with an interior of said bottle, each said one-way flow fitting being constructed and arranged to permit air flow out of the interior of said bottle through said fitting and to restrict air flow into the interior of said bottle through said fitting; and    a hose connected to each one-way flow fitting and constructed and arranged to permit a user to draw on one end of said hose to draw air through the burner cup, through the central passage and down tube, through the fluid contained in said bottle, and into the user's hose.    
   
   
       2 . The smoking apparatus of  claim 1 , said stem further including two or more peripheral passages formed in said base with a first end thereof in communication with the interior space within said bottle and a second end exiting from said stem, each said one-way flow fitting being attached to said stem at the second end of a corresponding one of said peripheral passages.  
   
   
       3 . The smoking apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said one-way flow fitting comprises a fitting body defining an interior space with a stopper movable within said interior space between a first position permitting air flow out of the interior of said bottle through said fitting and a second position restricting air flow into the interior of said bottle through said fitting.  
   
   
       4 . The smoking apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the interior space within said fitting includes a frustoconical surface having a first end proximate said stem and a second end further removed from said stem than said first end, the width of the first end being smaller than the width of said second end, and said stopper comprises a ball having a diameter larger than the width of the first end of said frustoconical surface and smaller than the width of the second end of said frustoconical surface.  
   
   
       5 . The smoking apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising further a pressure relief valve connected to said stem and in communication with the interior of said bottle.  
   
   
       6 . The smoking apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each said one-way flow fitting comprises means for preventing a draft from entering said bottle from said hose and permitting a draft to enter said hose from said bottle.