An Improved Fire Lighter.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th May. 1897-Accepted, 19'h June, 1897
An Improved Fire Lighter.
I, JOSEPH FREEMAN CRADDOCK, of The Birmingham Sealing Wax Works, Vincent
Parade, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, Sealing Wax Manufacturer, do hereby declare-
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of the hereindescribed improved fire lighter which is formed
of a mixture of wood turnings, saw dust, coal dust, resin, oils or of other suitable-
inflammable substances mixed together and moulded into blocks which are of a hollow-
rectangular oblong form or they may be of a hollow square shape.
When my said improved fire lighter above described is placed in a fire grate with.
the central aperture of the fire lighter vertical, that is so that it communicates from.
the bottom to the top thereof, and lighted, there is a draught up the central aperture,.
and the four sides of the fire lighter burn equally inside and outside and properly
support the coal until it is well alight.
Dated this 17th day of July 1896
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
I, JOSEPH FREEMAN CRADDOCK, of The Birmingham Sealing Wax Works, Vincent:
Parade, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, Sealing Wax Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists of the herein described improved fire lighter which is.
formed of a mixture of saw dust coal dust resin and petroleum or other inflammable
oil mixed together and moulded into blocks which are by preference of a hollow
rectangular or oblong form as shewn on the accompanying drawing on which Fig. 1.
is an elevation and Fig. 2 is a plan of the fire lighter; or the fire lighters may be
of a hollow square shape or of other suitable shape. I find the best proportions of the
said ingredients to be about equal parts by weight of the saw dust coal dust and resin
and the last two named are ground up small and all mixed together and heated so.
as to melt the resin; and petroleum is added to the mixture in the proportion of say
about one gallon of petroleum to one hundred weight of the mixture which is then.
moulded into blocks as aforesaid. It is to be understood however that I do not limit.
myself to the particular proportions of the ingredients stated above, as it will be
evident that they may be varied to some extent without materially affecting the result.
At the bottom of each of the said fire lighters there are by preference a few wood
turnings or wood shavings so as the better to light the fire lighter.
I am well aware that fire lighters are commonly made of wood turnings or sw
dust and resin mixed together but the important feature of my invention is the-

page_text: employment of the coal dust in combination with the other said ingrédients as the
coal dust enables the fire lighter when lighted to keep alight much longer than do
those fire lighters in which the coal dust is not used.
When my said improved fire lighter above described is placed in a fire grate with
the central aperture of the fire lighter vertical, that is so that it communicates from
the bottom to the top thereof, and lighted, there is a draught up the central aperture,
and the four sides of the fire lighter burn equally inside and outside and properly
support the coal until it is well alight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described improved fire lighter formed of a mixture of saw dust coal
dust resin and petroleum or other inflammable oil moulded into a block substantially
as described.
2. A fire lighter formed of a mixture of saw dust coal dust resin and petroleum or
other inflammable oil moulded into a hollow block súbstantially as described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
1005
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.