Ignition devices

A pistol-like hand-operated portable electric ignition device for the ignition of gas which comprises an insulating housing, supporting means for supporting a battery within said housing, manually-operable switch means interconnecting said supporting means with a circuit means for providing relatively high voltage alternating current pulses in response to the operation of said manually-operable switch means, said circuit means including a transistor oscillator circuit for providing alternating current pulses, rectifying means for rectifying said alternating current pulses for charging a capacitor, conducting means arranged to conduct to provide for the discharge of said capacitor through the primary of a transformer when said capacitor is charged to a predetermined value, a spark gap across the secondary of said transformer wherein sparking occurs when the charge voltage on the capacitor reaches a predetermined value, said manually-operable switch means comprising a trigger-like actuating button of insulating material which is slidably mounted in said housing and which engages with a free end of a coiled springy relatively stiff wire constituting a moving contact of said switch means in response to the depression of said actuating button, a fixed contact plate having a contact edge disposed obliquely to the direction of movement of said actuating button, and means for positioning said fixed contact plate adjacent said moving contact so that said wire contact slides along said contact edge when said actuating button is manually triggered.