Improvements in Framework Firelighters, and the Machinery Employed in the Manufacture thereof, also in Combining with Firelighters of this class an Auxiliary Lighter.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Framework Firelighters, and the Machinery
Employed in the Manufacture thereof, also in Combining
with Firelighters of this class an Auxiliary Lighter.
I ROBERT JOHN JONES of 67 Queen's Road Bootle in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel form of raised framework firelighter and the
method of making it, and to the machinery employed in preparing the material, and
putting together parts of the firelighter; also to the combining with this firelighter
and the framework class of firelighters in general, an auxiliary or master lighter
or lighters.
The raised framework firelighter is composed of strips of wood, which when the
lighter is complete will be in a horizontal position, and form what may be described
as a cage or grid of a circular, pyramidal or other desirable shape within which is
placed strips or blocks of wood or of any suitable composition, as well as the
auxiliary lighter. There are also spaces left in the inside that admit of a thorough
circulation of air, thereby assisting combustion, whilst the raised form of the out-
side causes the coal to cake around it and form a hollow arch, which prevents the
firelighter being smothered and ensures its complete combustion.
In forming the framework firelighter I take the requisite number of wood strips
that make the outer case of the lighter, and lay them flat at the proper distances
apart, the ends being kept even with each other; when they are secured in the
proper position, I press into each end, an iron or other metallic tongue or wire
which is of a length equal to the width of the lighter, the tongues or wires are
pressed some distance into the ends of the strips, thereby securing them firmly in
the form of a flat grid.
As alternative methods when desirable, the tongues or wires instead of being
forced into the solid wood, can be pressed into slits made in the ends of the strips
by a saw or other tool, or the strips may have holes bored in them and the tongues
or wires be threaded through, or the tongues or wires may be secured in grooves
in the faces of the strips.
The flat grid thus produced is then bent on a block or other contrivance to a
raised form, when viewed end ways, and the form may be circular, pyramidal or
any desired section; the bending being in the direction of the length of the tongue
or wire, the grid will retain the shape it is bent to.
I have thus far secured an outside grid casing of a raised form and hollow inside;
inside this hollow grid I place stretcher or other strips or blocks, which may be of
wood or any suitable composition, and in this cavity I also place the auxiliary
lighter.
When the forming and filling of the firelighter has been completed, it will be
held firmly together by being dipped in a resinous compound, but to ensure its
stability, I bind a wire or string around the outside, or stretch it across the two
strips that form the base, and tie or twist them up tight.
For the purpose of slitting the wood to the required size after it has been cut to
thickness, I use circular slitting knives, which knives have holes in the centres and
are shipped on to a shaft, they are kept at proper distances apart by washers
slightly thinner than the thickness of the strips to be cut; there is an upper and a
lower set of knives, and the wood to be cut is fed between them by feed rollers or

page_text: plungers; the shafts carrying the knives are housed in suitable bearings, and can
be raised or lowered as desired.
For the purpose of fastening together the strips of wood which form the outer
casing of the firelighter, I use a press which carries a blunt edged blade; the strips
of wood having been secured in position, and the iron or other metallic tongue or
wire being placed against the ends of the strips, on a metal face of the proper
beight, the blunt edged blade is made to travel across the face where the wire or
tongue is laid, and pushing the latter before it, presses it into the wood as far as
may be required.
The second part of this invention, relates to a novel method of securing the
proper and complete combustion of framework firelighters, by combining therewith
auxiliary or master lighters.
The auxiliary or master lighter is composed of peat or other vegetable fibre, of
a porous, spongy and self binding character, and to adapt it to various forms of
framework firelighters, it may be used in the rough state, or may be cut or moulded
to a suitable form, and enclosed or attached in any convenient manner; it is
saturated with oil or other inflammable material in such a manner and to such an
extent, that when alight the latter will gradually distil off and feed the flame; the
effect of the auxiliary lighter being combined with the framework firelighter is,
the ensuring of a large continuing flame, which is practically an inextinguishable
master light that keeps the whole inside in a glow for a period sufficient to effect
a thorough and complete combustion of the whole.
The auxiliary lighter is not intended as a firelighter per se, its purpose being to
act in combination only-but-it may be so shaped as to form a part or parts, of the
complete design of a framework firelighter.
Dated this 29th day of July 1895.
Improvements in Framework Firelighters, and the Machinery
Employed in the Manufacture thereof, also in Combining
with Firelighters of this class an Auxiliary Lighter.
I ROBERT JOHN JONES of 67 Queen's Road Bootle in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, 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 a novel form of raised framework firelighter, and the
method of making it; and to the machinery employed in preparing the material
for, and putting together parts of the firelighter: also to the combining with this
firelighter, and the framework class of firelighters in general, an auxiliary or master
lighter or lighters. The machinery employed being also applicable to the making
of firelighters generally.
To distinguish the new form of firelighter, from others that are classified under
the head of framework, I call it a cage firelighter, for-whatever shape the outside
framework is made to assume, it is practically a wooden cage, held together by
wires or other metallic tongues, within which, any other materials that are
considered desirable, may be embraced or held as required.
By adopting the horizontal form of raised firelighter, the smallest amount of
vertical space in the fire grate, consistent with a proper air circulation, is required,
and the hollow cage or raised form, of whatever section it may be made, secures air
spaces such as cannot be secured by flat firelighters, whatever their section is; it
also gives an opportunity, for the fuel to cake around it during its combustion, into
a retort like form, thus preventing it from being smothered.

page_text: The auxiliary lighter on its part, acts as a continuing or master light, which is
practically inextinguishable, and in addition to ensuring the lighting of the wood,
it gives off a large volume of flame, therefore the combination of the cage and the
auxiliary, results in the space occupied by the complete firelighter, becoming when
its combustion is completed, a cavity in the nature of a red hot retort, its whole
surrounding being a glowing mass of fire.
The invention will be best understood, by referring to the accompanying drawings,
and the matter describing the same.
Similiar letters indicate similiar parts
throughout.
In the descriptive matter, the single term wire is used for brevity sake, and
where used, is to be taken as meaning wire or metallic tongues of any section, that
can be used for holding together the strips of wood, that go to make the outer case,
of a raised or cage firelighter, in manner as herein described.
Figure 1-is the plan of a grid held together by wires, 14-is a side view of the
grid, and 1B is a section of it, the wood strips are marked A, and the wires B.
Figures 2, 24, 2B, and 2° shew the different ways, in which the wires may be
inserted in the wood strips.
Figure 3-shews a grid bent to an elliptical form, and 34 shews it in plan, taken
across at dotted line b, b, C, C, C, are the stretcher or spacing strips of wood or
other material, and D is the auxiliary lighter.
Figures 4 and 5-are illustrations of the adaptability of a grid to various forms,
and are intended to shew, that the cage may be of any shape that is deemed
desirable or requisite.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the cutters for slitting wood into strips, the cutters
are marked E, the shafts carrying the cutters F, the machine table G, the wood
being cut into strips H. 6-is a section shewing two top and two bottom cutters,
the spacing washers are marked I; the machine table G is not shewn in this
section.
Figure 7-is a section shewing the operative part of the press, for pressing the
wires B into the wood strips A, A is the wood strip, B the wire pressed in, B' is the
reserve wire, J is the forming block, K is the blunt edged blade, for forcing
the wire into the wood strips, Lis the sliding block that carries the blade, M is
the metallic block that receives the wire when it slides down from B', N is the top.
plate which is hung to rise and fall, and forms with M, a slit to keep the wire in
position before it is pressed forward by blade K, O is the plate down which the
wires are fed, P is the machine table, dotted line a to b shews the traverse of sliding
block L, R in dotted line shews a portion of lifting frame that carries N, N' on
dotted lines shews point where N lifts to, when it releases a wire from its
resting place at B¹; the lifting of N is effected by a template being affixed
at any convenient point on sliding block L, which template acts upon the lifting
frame R.
The first operation in making a cage firelighter, is to secure together the number
of strips of wood intended to make one cage, into the form of a grid, as shewn at
Fig. 1, and to do this I proceed as follows. A forming block of metal or other
material is made, with recesses into which the number of strips for making one
grid are laid, and held at the proper distances apart, the ends of the strips being
kept in line into the grooves already prepared in the strips, wires B are forced,-
or they may be pressed in without previous preparation of grooves by machine
shewn at Fig. 7-when a wire is pressed in each of the two ends of the strips that
make a grid, the strips are tongued together, and thereby a grid is formed as shewn
in plan at Fig. 1, and in section at the line of wire in 1. Figs. 2-2A 2B and 2º,
shew various ways in which I can insert the wires.
When a flat grid is formed, it can be bent in the direction of the length of the
wires to any desired form, and it will retain the shape given to it; the form may be
circular, semi-circular, square, ridge-shaped, elliptical, or any other desired outline.
For the purpose of illustrating the process, I will describe a cage of elliptical-
form, as shewn in Fig. 3;. in this figure and in Fig. 34 is also shewn, one of the

page_text: numerous ways in which the stretcher or spacing strips C, and the auxiliary
lighter D, may be enclosed.
The flat grid Fig. 1, is bent upon a block that fits the inside of the cage, or
pressed into a hollow block that corresponds with the outside, and is thus brought
to form, see Fig. 3, which shews a section at the line of wire when bent to shape.
I make the parts of bending block which come next to two bottom strips, slightly
narrower than the finished width of cage, thereby giving a slight inward spring to
the two bottom strips of wood; the two stretcher strips C, and the auxiliary
lighter D, are then forced in as shewn across dotted line b, b in Fig. 3, and in
plan at 34
'
The firelighter is now ready for dipping the bottom part of it into a resinous
compound of a nature to promote quick lighting, and when so dipped it will be
quite firm but-if desired, wires or strings may be bound around it, or across the
two bottom strips and tied or twisted up tight. The stretcher strips may be of any
suitable material, and they as well as the auxiliary lighter, may be varied in form
and position, it being understood that the description given of an elliptical fire-
lighter, is simply an illustration of one form carried out in one way: and it will be
seen that the form of cage, and the manner of fixing auxiliary lighter, and filling
the interior, is capable of many variations that will readily occur to a practical
man without enlarging upon them in this Specification-and of which I give two
illustrations only, these being Figures 4 and 5.
The auxiliary lighter is not intended as a firelighter per se, its purpose being to
act in combination only, and it may be combined with a framework firelighter,
either of the cage or any other form. The novelty consists in combining with a
framework firelighter of any description, a lighter or lighters, or parts of such,
composed of peat, or other vegetable fibre of a suitable character, and inasmuch
as I find that dung of a fibrous vegetable nature is-next to peat,-the most
suitable, I confine my claim to peat, or dung of a fibrous vegetable nature, or any
mixture of the two. The single term peat is used hereafter for brevity, and where
used is to be taken as meaning peat or dung, or any mixture of the two.
The peat may be cut to the required form, by saws or other cutting contrivances,
or it may be moulded whilst in a wet pulpy condition, to the desired form, it can
also be used in the rough or broken up state. Whatever form or condition the
peat may be used in, it is, when dry, impregnated with oil, resin, tar, or other
inflammable materials of such a nature, that when alight, these will gradually distil
off and feed the flame, thereby giving such a large and continuing flame, as will
ensure the wood of the framework firelighter being kept alight, and at the same
time, materially assist in the lighting of the fuel. The peat can be cut or moulded
to any required form, such for instance as D in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, or it may be
arranged so as to form part of the design of a framework firelighter, naming as
illustrations of its adaptability, the crosses in a square firelighter, and the spacing
strips in a flat or other form of firelighter; and in other ways and parts that will
be readily understood. Where the construction of the firelighter admits of it, the
rough or broken peat may be rammed or packed in the space available. When
desirable I mix small or broken up peat which is in a dry state with the inflammable
materials or mixtures, thereby making a doughy mass, that can be moulded to any
desired shape.
I am aware that a proportion of other materials may be mixed with the peat or
dung, with the object of closely imitating the auxiliary lighter I have described;
also that it may be necessary for me to use dung from sources, where the bedding
is sawdust or other materials, and the dung thus obtained may be mixed with these
materials, so to safeguard my invention, I provide for these two possibilities-and
I. distinctly disclaim any other intention or wider interpretation-by using in my
claim relating to the auxiliary lighters, the word "substantially," thereby making the
claim to read, "wholly or substantially of peat or of dung of a fibrous vegetable
nature," and so forth."
4
Figure 6, shews a pair of the. cutters E, by means of which I slit the wood H,

page_text: into strips of any desired thickness, the thickness being regulated by the spacing
washers I, shewn in Fig. 64, the cutters E E are so placed, that one-either the
upper or lower may be the one-is slightly in advance of the other, this enables
the piece of wood H to be cut entirely through, without the cutters coming in
contact with each other, the cutters are fixed on shafts FF, and these shafts are
housed in bearings that can be raised or lowered, the shafts and cutters may revolve
by the motion of the wood passing through, or they may be fixed tight, and only
revolved a part of their circumference, when it is desired to present a fresh segment
of them to act as the cutting part. I can dispense with the shafts F F, and their
bearings, by wedging or otherwise securing the cutters, or parts of them, in a top
and bottom box with spacing pieces between them. When the cutters are in
position, the wood H is fed along the table G, either by feed rollers or by recipro-
cating plungers or pushers, and is thereby slit into the number and size of strips
required, and which is in accordance with the number of cutters used, and the
thickness of the spacing washers.
The operative part of the machine for pressing wires into the ends of wood strips
is shewn at Fig. 7; the forming block J is of metal or other material, and is
recessed to receive the number of strips that make one grid, the spaces between
strips being regulated as desired, the ends of strips A are kept in line, and are even
with side of forming block next to M. In the section of machine shewn, the
blade K has just pushed a wire B into strip A, and the sliding block L is at, a.
I will now describe how this is accomplished. Wire is fed down plate O, and rests
in reserve as shewn at B', when the sliding block L moves from a to b, a template
fixed upon it at any convenient point, is made to lift the frame shewn in dotted
line at R, this frame carries the top plate N, which as a result of R being lifted,
rises to position shewn in dotted line at N¹³, the rising of N frees the wire from
position at B', consequently it falls upon M which is ready to receive it--as by the
traversing of sliding block L from a to b the blade K has moved from position
covering M-the wire falls on block M, at or about the position over S, the edge
of the blade K being at this time over the letter T.
The forming block J, being supplied with wood strips for making one grid, the
blade K is moved from its position over T, and pushes the wire from its temporary
resting place over S, until arriving at the end of the strips, it exerts pressure upon
the wire, and presses it into the wood strips, as far as may be desired, as shewn at B,
thereby tongueing and securing the whole. By having a corresponding press at
the left hand side, at a distance from M of one to M of the other, equal to the
length of the wood strips A, a wire can be pressed in each end of the strips, and a
grid tongued together complete at one operation. The block L is moved to and
fro from a to b, by any of the well known means for securing a traversing or
reciprocatory movement.
The forming block J, the metallic block M, the sliding block L, and the blade K,
may be shaped to suit the section of grid required, without any bending being
necessary after it is tongued, the adoption of this plan, necessitates the bending of
wire to shape before pressing it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. The use of wires or other metallic tongues, for the purpose of holding together
the strips of wood, which make the outer cases of frainework firelighters, of the
type where the wood strips lay horizontally, and the section viewed endways is
raised from the flat.
2. The making of the outer case of a raised framework firelighter of the
horizontal type, from strips of wood that are held together at the proper distances
apart, by means of wires or other metallic tongues, being pressed or otherwise
inserted in the strips, thereby forming an open grid, capable of being bent to any
desired form.

page_text: 3. The shaping of the outer case of a raised framework firelighter of the
horizontal type, by bending a grid such as described, on, or in a block, or by other
equivalent contrivance, into a raised form, which form may be of semi-circular,
elliptical, ridge-shaped, round, square, or any other desired outline, so that it is
raised from the flat, thereby forming a raised or a cage firelighter; the hollow
within which, will contain an auxiliary lighter or lighters-which may be of my
own or any other description-and, such wood or other materials, as are deemed
desirable for increasing the lighting power; the raised form also securing suitable
spaces for the circulation of the air, necessary for the proper combustion of the
firelighter.
4. Combining with the raised or cage or any other form of framework firelighter,
an auxiliary or master lighter or lighters-or parts of such,-composed wholly or
substantially of peat, or of dung of a fibrous vegetable nature, or a mixture of the
peat and dung, which materials may be used in the rough state, or may be cut or
moulded to suitable forms, and enclosed in or attached to the framework firelighter,
or, form part of its constructive design. The auxiliary lighters are impregnated
with oil, resin, tar, or other inflammable materials, so that when alight these will
gradually distil off, thereby feeding the flame, and giving a continuing or master
light, that will ensure the wood used in the framework firelighter being kept alight,
and at the same time contribute to the lighting of the fuel.
5. Making raised or cage firelighters of a form, and in a manner, suitable for
having combined with them, auxiliary lighters of any make or description-or parts
of such, such auxiliary lighters being of a make, and of a description, other than
my own.
6. Cutting the wood used for making firelighters, into strips of the proper size,
by the use of circular cutters or parts of them, which are set in position and
arranged, so that the top and bottom series of cutters, do not come in contact with
each other, but each cut part through the wood, in manner substantially as
.described.
7. In putting together framework firelighters of wired type, the use of a sliding
blade, working across a face on which the wires or other metallic tongues are laid-
or fed by the means herein described,-
,- or between two faces, thereby forming a
.slit for the passage of the blade, so that when the wood strips are placed in position,
the blade being moved toward the ends of them, it pushes the wire or other metallic
tongue before it, and eventually, presses the wire or tongue into the ends of the
strips to the proper distance, thereby securing the strips in manner required; and
on each return movement of the blade, releasing from the hopper like space,-by
means of the rising contrivance described another wire, ready for the next
pressing operation of the blade; in manner substantially as described.
8. Combining in whole, or in part, in any suitable manner, any of the means and
methods herein described, or as shewn in the accompanying drawings, for the
purpose of making framework firelighters of the raised horizontal type, and, for
securing the proper combustion of framework firelighters generally, by the aid of
my auxiliary or master lighters; in manner substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of April 1896.
ROBERT JOHN JONES.