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The MEB No.400 & No.500 fuse lighters are both marked as 'Patented April 2,1912', referencing the fuse lighter utility patent filed by Conrad Hubert of American Ever Ready in 1909. Both models were advertised using several different names during their production history:

• In 1918, at the end of World War 1, the Kraemer No.400 was advertised "For Army and Navy" and produced in Nickeled brass, Sterling Silver, and 14K Gold.
• In the mid-1920, this same model was advertised as the MEB No.400 "Lights in the strongest wind."
• In the same catalog, the No.400 is shown with the MEB No.500 "Body made of one piece metal polished. Lowest priced pocket cigar lighter in the world."
• No.500 appears to be a simplified copy of the Dubsky Perplex, patented in Austria on July 15, 1912.
• Despite this similarity, the U.S. manufactured No.500 is marked with the patent date for C.Hubert's less-similar design.
• This same MEB fuse lighter is named the "Bernhardt No. 500 Trench Lighter" on undated lighter kits likely produced around the end of World War 1.