Abstract:
An incendiary device, a method of remotely initiating a fire, and a method of making an incendiary device for remotely igniting fires are provided. The method of making an incendiary device includes forming a solid incendiary composition from potassium nitrate, sulfur, and a polymer. The solid incendiary composition is extruded into a continuous extrusion and then cut into sections to form individual incendiary devices. The method of making the incendiary device further includes extruding the incendiary composition with a wire or bore formed there through. The incendiary device produces a predetermined flame pattern when an ignition wire extending there through is ignited. The incendiary device can be dispensed from a remote location into an area for starting a fire.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/729,583, filed Dec. 4, 2000, now pending, and also claims priority to U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 60/169,360, filed Dec. 6, 1999. The entire disclosures of these applications are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to incendiary devices used to initiate fires. More particularly, the present invention relates to an incendiary device that permits fires to be started from remote locations including aircrafts and a method of making and using same. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Prior art systems used to remotely ignite fires employ toxic and/or highly flammable materials that are expensive to produce and apply. The techniques necessary to prime, ignite and/or dispense these materials are complex, expensive and can be dangerous when a malfunction occurs. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,997,667; 5,783,768; and 6,128,845 to Jacobson each disclose a fire starting flare. The fire starting flare has a fuse and an igniter assembly within a flare core material such that as the flare is launched, the fire ignites and, as the flare lands, the fuse reaches the igniter assembly to set off the fire starting flare. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,493 to Andersson, et al., a low energy fuse is disclosed that includes a plastic tube and a channel therein. The channel contains a reactive material operable, upon ignition, to sustain a shock wave within the channel. The plastic tube comprises at least two layers of plastic materials including a polymer. The plastic tube can be manufactured by extrusion techniques. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,498 to MacIsaac, an artificial fire log is disclosed formed of an elongated flammable body using extrusion. 
         [0007]    Thus, there is a need for an incendiary device that can ignite a fire. There is a need for the incendiary device to be dispensable from a remote location into an area for starting a fire or the like. There is a need for the incendiary device to be safer and less expensive than existing devices. There is a need for a method of making the incendiary device. There is also a need for the method of making the incendiary device to be less expensive and complex than present methods. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    According to embodiments of the present invention, an incendiary device, method of remotely initiating a fire, and method of making an incendiary device for remotely igniting fires are provided. The method of making the incendiary device includes forming the incendiary device with an incendiary composition of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and a polymer, extruding the incendiary composition into a continuous extrusion, and cutting the continuous extrusion into sections to form individual incendiary devices. The method of making the incendiary device also includes extruding the incendiary composition with an ignition wire or bore formed through the incendiary composition between a first end and a second end of the incendiary composition. The incendiary device produces a predetermined flame pattern at the first end and the second end of the incendiary device when the wire is ignited. The incendiary device can be dispensed from a remote location into an area to start a fire. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the wire extends from the first end to the second end of the incendiary composition. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment of the present invention, conductive material is provided on a first end and a second end of the wire. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the wire extends between the first end and the second end in a bore. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated with reference to the detailed description and appended figures in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation of an incendiary device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an end elevation of the incendiary device in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The present invention is now described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The present invention, however, can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Appropriately, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete, and fully convey the scope of the present invention. 
         [0016]    According to embodiments of the present invention, an incendiary device and a method of making an incendiary device are provided. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a side view and an end view of an incendiary device  10  are shown. The incendiary device  10  includes a geometric object  11  and a metal or metal alloy wire  12  extending longitudinally between a first end of the geometric object  11  to a second end of the geometric object  11  at its center. In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the geometric object  11  is a cylinder, but can be any geometric size, shape or design configurable by polymer molding equipment without deviating from the scope or essential attributes of the present invention. The wire  12 , when sufficiently heated, ignites the incendiary device  10  and creates a bore immediately adjacent to and along the length of said wire  12  that causes the incendiary device  10  to burn in a manner so as to project a flame or flames from the incendiary device  10  in a plane parallel to the wire  12  at the first end and the to second end of the geometric object  11 . 
         [0017]    In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the metal or metal alloy wire  12  extends longitudinally from a first end of the geometric object  11  to a second end of the geometric object  11  at the center of the geometric object  11 , but any electrically conductive material could be used in place of the wire  12 . In an embodiment of the present invention, conductive disc foil (not shown) is coupled to a first end of the wire  12  and a second end of the wire  12 . The conductive foil enlarges the contact area for applying electrical energy to the wire  12  and baffles combustion by products from contaminating a device used to apply the electrical energy to the wire  12 . 
         [0018]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the metal or metal alloy wire  12  is placed in a bore or void that extends longitudinally between a first end of the geometric object  11  to a second end of the geometric object  11  at the center of the geometric object  11 . The bore provides a vent to the outside of the incendiary device  10 . The metal or metal alloy wire  12  placed in the bore can be of a length sufficient to ignite the wire  12  at the center of the incendiary device  10 , and eliminate dissipation of thermal energy to the rest of the wire  12 . The metal or metal alloy wire  12  can be a short coil of wire that lodges a variety of small energy absorbing materials at the center of the bore or void. 
         [0019]    The wire  12  can be heated using techniques including, but not limited to, radio frequency induction and application of electrical energy to the wire  12 . In an embodiment of the present invention, a signal, such as a 3.65 GHz signal, can be transmitted to the wire  12 , where the wire  12  acts as an antenna in the bore or void, to ignite the wire  12  in response to the signal overloading the wire  12 . 
         [0020]    In an embodiment of the present invention, a bore or other lengthwise void extends longitudinally from a first end of the geometric object  11  to a second end of the geometric object at the center of the incendiary device  10  in place of the wire  12 . The surface of the bore or void of the geometric object  11  can be ignited by techniques including, but not limited to, fire, plasma, gas, a fuse, a priming device or other material acting as a first igniter that will cause the incendiary device  10  to ignite and bum in a manner so as to project a flame or flames in a plane parallel to the bore or void. 
         [0021]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the chemical ingredients of the geometric object  11  by weight include, but are not limited to, 40-70% potassium nitrate, 5-30% sulfur and 12-30% polymer. In an embodiment of the present invention, the polymer can be, but is not limited to, a polyethylene, a polypropylene and a copolymer. In an embodiment of the present invention, silicon particles can be added, 3-20% by weight, to increase heat output and assist in ignition. In an embodiment of the present invention, metal or metal alloy particles can be included, 3-30% by weight, in place of, or in addition to, the silicon to produce a very hot and fast burning device. A “blowing” agent can also be added to allow the polymer to foam during manufacture. 
         [0022]    In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the composition of the geometric object  11  by weight is 60% potassium nitrate, 22% polyethylene copolymer, 15% sulfur and 3% silicon. Other percentages of these ingredients as well as other oxidizers, other fuels and other suitable polymers, stabilizers, catalysts and chemicals used to facilitate performance can also be included without deviating from the scope or essential attributes of the present invention. However, insensitivity and high auto-ignition temperature similar to that of the preferred embodiment composition are essential to the preferred method of manufacture as well as the increased safety of the end user. 
         [0023]    The incendiary device  10  can be manufactured completely by conventional polymer molding equipment. In an embodiment of the present invention, the method of making the incendiary device  10  includes performing a continuous extrusion process, and cutting an extruded profile into sections. Extrusion is a well-known and cost effective method for processing material into a profile and eliminating tedious and costly hand construction and/or lengthy processing times. In an embodiment of the present invention, a ¾ inch round profile is extruded. As extrudate leaves extruder die, the extrudate is quenched, becomes a solid, and is cut into sections. In an embodiment of the present invention, the profile can be extruded with one of a bore, a void, a wire, and a conductive material extending through the length of the profile at the center. Polymer molding equipment can also be used to configure the profile in any geometric size, shape or design without deviating from the scope or essential attributes of the present invention. 
         [0024]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the extruded profile is cut at predetermined intervals to create individual geometric objects  11  of a specific length. In an embodiment of the present invention, the geometric object  11  is a cylinder ¾ inches in diameter, 1½ inches in length and includes a metal or metal alloy wire extending longitudinally from end to end of the geometric object  11  at its center. Each of the geometric objects  11  cut from the profile is a finished product ready for immediate use. 
         [0025]    The flame pattern of known incendiary. devices is perpendicular to the horizon, and thus, radiates most of the heat vertically above the incendiary device in an area where there is a low concentration of ignitable fuels. The preferred mode of deploying the preferred embodiment of the present invention is with its longitudinal aspect parallel to, and lying on, the surface of the ground or water. When ignited, the flames emitted from the present invention are projected parallel to, and along the surface of, the ground or water thereby advantageously applying most of the generated heat horizontally to areas near the surface of the ground or water where ignitable fuels are typically more concentrated. 
         [0026]    While specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art that changes can be made to those embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.