Improvements in Fire-lighters.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire-lighters.
ROBERT BEST HELLIWELL Mechanical Engineer 21 Kenmare Road Smithdown
Road Liverpool do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention has for it's object (being the further improvement of my patent fire-
lighter, fully described in Patent No. 6123 dated April 25th 1888) to construct a
firelighter which shall be composed of. Four strips of wood of about an equal and
convenient length, four strips, similar to, but about one half the length of the first
four (these shorter strips having been previously saturated with an inflamable com-
position) and a length, about ten inches, of any suitable fibre having also been
previously saturated with an inflamable composition. The whole being combined in
the form to be described. Two of the shorter strips are taken one being laid across
the centre of the other, at right-angles so forming a cross, the two remaining short
strips forming another cross. The four long strips are now laid, each, with one end
resting in one of the four angles of one of the crosses and the other end resting
similarly in the other cross. The prepared fibre which I now term the fuse, is formed
into a loop which encircles one of the strips of each cross and is for the purpose of
readily igniting the lighter. The whole being bound about the centre of its length
with a wire which serves to hold all in the form described.
Dated this Third day of August 1889
ROBERT BEST HELLIWELL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire-lighters.
I, ROBERT BEST HELLIWELL of 21, Kenmare Road, Smithdown Road, Liverpool
in the County of Lancaster 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 relates to certain improvements in open work fire-lighters of the
kind described in Letters Patent granted to me No. 6123, A.D. 1888.
The object of the invention is to construct a fire-lighter which shall be inexpensive,
very compact, and readily ignited.
It is best described by aid of the accompanying drawing, which thews a perspective
view of the fire-lighter.
Referring to this drawing, the fire-lighter is composed of four strips of wood, A, of about
equal and convenient length, and four similar strips, B, of about one half the length
of the strips A, aforesaid. These shorter strips B are first coated with an inflammable
sticky composition, such as Archangel tar, tempered to a suitable consistency with
resin, and are then arranged in the manner to be described between the strips A, the
sticky inflammable material causing all the strips to adhere together.
The way the strips may be arranged is as follows:-
Two of the shorter strips B are taken, one being laid across the centre of the other
at right angles, so as to form a cross, and the two remaining short strips are arranged
to form another cross. When the inflammable mixture is still warm or plastic
on the strips B, the four longer strips A are respectively laid in the four angles
of the crosses, the said material thus holding all the strips together in the form
described. For greater security, the whole is bound round at or about the centre of
its length with a length of wire, C, or its equivalent.
The fuse D, which is looped round two of the strips B, is of suitably prepared fibre,
such as jute, and is adapted to readily ignite when a lighted match is applied.

page_text: If preferred the strips A can be coated with inflammable matter instead of the
strips B, and the fuse arranged accordingly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
-
1. A fire-lighter constructed of the strips of wood B, coated with inflammable
matter of a nature sticky when applied, and placed so as to form crosses, and the
longer strips A, which-while the inflammable coating on the strips is still warm or
plastic are laid in the angles of the crosses and bound round at or about their centre.
with a wire (or its equivalent, whereby all the strips are held together in the required
form, substantially as described.
2. An open work fire-lighter such as herein described, having the combination of
the strips A and the strips B either of which are coated with inflammable matter
sticky when applied, and joined together by adhesion, and of the fuse D of suitably
prepared fibre, substantially as set forth.
Dated thin 21 dan of Lune 1900
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.