Improvements in the Manufacture of Fire Lighters.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Fire Lighters.
We, WILLIAM DAVID ASHTON BOST and THOMAS FREDERICK HALDANE,
Managing Directors of The Cartoale Chemical Company Limited of 59 New
Sneddon Street, Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, 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, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object the manufacture of fire lighters of improved
and superior kinds by new combinations of processes and in an economical manner.
In carrying out our invention according to one modification we mix wood
charcoal in small pieces or roughly granulated with tar, in apparatus of any
suitable known kind, and thereby form a plastic mass which we mould into any
forms suitable for firelighters. The moulded blocks are passed through a heated
retort in which they are coked or carbonised to a greater or less degree, their
volatilized constituents being condensed and utilised, so far as possible. We
employ what is known as a continuous-action mechanical retort such as is used for
distilling wood, and through which the materials operated on are gradually moved
from an inlet end or part to an outlet. In connection with the outlet of the retort
we arrange a receptacle of any convenient form and preferably closed, to receive
the coked blocks, and in such receptacle we put a quantity of any suitable
oleaginous, resinous, or the like matter or a mixture of an inflammable character.
The coked blocks are porous and by absorbing the matter in the receptacle are
rendered very efficacious as fire lighters; whilst at the same time the blocks are at
once cooled to a considerable extent, and there is a large saving of the time
ordinarily required for cooling coked materials.
The composition of the original fire-lighter blocks may be varied by substituting
for the wood charcoal or more or less of it any suitable carbonaceous substance or
mixture, such as saw dust, common coke, lignite, peat, or other vegetable matter;
whilst for the tar or for a part thereof there may be substituted any suitable tarry
or bituminous matter capable of forming an adherent mouldable mass with the
other ingredients. Thus for example crude pyroligneous acid containing tar may
be combined with the other ingredients, the acid being volatilised in the coking
process and being condensed and utilised.
The proportions of the ingredients employed in making our improved fire
lighters may be considerably varied in practice and will depend on the nature and
condition of the ingredients used in each case. In forming the original blocks
satisfactory results are obtainable with equal parts by weight of wood-charcoal and
tar, whilst the proportion of tar may be diminished with most of the other
ingredients mentioned. For example, one part of tar to four parts of fresh saw-
dust is sufficient; and in no case need more tar or its equivalent be used than is in
practice found sufficient to form a mouldable compound. The retorted blocks are
simply saturated with the oleaginous, resinous or like matter, an excess of which is
contained in the receptacle to insure saturation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:—
1-In the manufacture of fire lighters the combination of processes hereinbefore
described.
2--Improved fire lighters consisting of moulded blooks of naxhonazzoua modautala

page_text: coked and subsequently treated with any suitable oleaginous, resinous or the like
inflammable matter, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3-In the manufacture of fire-lighters, coking blocks of carbonaceous materials
and condensing and utilising the volatilised constituents, substantially as herein-
before described.
4-In connection with the coking of fire-lighter blocks transferring the blocks
directly from the coking retort into suitable oleaginous, resinous, or like matter,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Dated this Eleventh day of May 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants Agent.