IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS, AND IN MEANS FOR IMPARTING TO THE SAME AND OTHER ARTICLES OR PIECES OF WOOD DISINFECTING OR ANTISEPTIC PROPERTIES."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Bayless, of Thomas Street, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
FIRE LIGHTERS, AND IN MEANS FOR IMPARTING TO THE SAME AND OTHER
ARTICLES OR PIECES OF WOOD DISINFECTING OR ANTISEPTIC PROPERTIES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Bayless at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th December 1879.
FRANK BAYLESS, of Thomas Street, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS, AND IN MEANS FOR IMPARTING TO THE
SAME AND OTHER ARTICLES OR PIECES OF WOOD DISINFECTING OR ANTISEPTIC
PROPERTIES."
My Invention relates to improvements in fire lighters formed of a number of
pieces or bars of wood. It also relates to means for rendering the same very
inflammable, and imparting to them disinfecting properties by applying to the
wood a composition, as hereinafter specified, which composition is also applicable
for rendering other articles or pieces of wood disinfecting or antiseptic when
burned.
The said Invention consists chiefly in so constructing the fire lighters that they
will occupy but very little space when in store for sale or otherwise, but may be
expanded or opened when used so that they present an extended surface to be
consumed, and effect the lighting of the coal or other fuel.
My improved lighters are constructed of four or any other desired number of
pieces or bars of wood, which are placed one upon the other, and united at the
centre by passing through them a small rod or peg, preferably a piece of wire, in
such a manner that when the lighters are stored away or kept for sale the said
pieces of wood may lie one upon the other, and will only occupy a space equal in
width to the width of one piece or bar, and in depth to the thickness of the whole
number of such bars; but when one of these lighters is to be used it can be imme-
diately expanded by turning the bars or pieces of wood upon the central wire or
Ping G71

page_text: peg, and will then present its ends in a position most favourable for the ready and
convenient lighting of the fire.
I prefer to apply to my improved lighters an inflammable composition. For
this purpose I dip the wood in a solution of hot crude paraffine, petroleum,
crystal oil, or other like material. The wood is then allowed to dry, and then I
apply to it a solution or composition of carbolic acid and resin oil. This last named
composition is a disinfectant, and rendors my improved lighters very advantageous
for purifying or disinfecting the rooms wherein they are used, and in some instances
the said lighters may be burned solely for this purpose in sick rooms and other
places where it is desirable to purify the atmosphere; and I prepare pieces of wood
of any desired form or size with this inflammable and disinfecting composition to
be burned in hospitals, sick rooms, or other places for purifying the air in the
same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Bayless in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th June
1880.
Ef
FRANK BAYLESS, of Thomas Street, in the County of Middlesex IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUfacture of FIRE LIGHTERS, AND IN MEANS FOR IMPARTING TO
THE SAME AND OTHER ARTICLES OR PIECES OF WOOD DISINFECTING OR ANTISEPTIC
PROPERTIES."
My Invention relates to fire-lighters formed of a number of pieces or bars of
wood united in a peculiar manner. It also relates to means for rendering the same
very inflammable; also to means for imparting antiseptic properties to such fire-
lighters by applying to the wood a composition, as hereinafter specified, which
composition is also applicable for rendering other articles or pieces of wood disin-
fecting or antiseptic when burned.
The said Invention consists chiefly in constructing the fire-lightors of a series of
bars or pieces of wood so united that they may be arranged to occupy but very
little space when in store for sale or otherwise, but may be expanded or opened
when used so that they present their various portions in an extonded form, and in
the most favourable position to be consumed and effect the lighting of the coal or
other fuel in the grate or fire place. The said fire-lighters may be formed of any
suitable kind of wood.
In the accompanying Drawing,-
Figure 1 is a plan; and
Figure 2 is a side view of one of my improved fire-lighters, showing the same
closed for storage; and
Figure 3 is a plan ahewing the said fire-lighter opened ready for use.
Like letters indicate the samo parts in all of these Figures.
My improved lighters are constructed of four or any other desired number of
pieces or bars of wood a, which are placed one upon the other, as shewn, and united
at the centre by passing through then a small rod or peg or a piece of wire, or by
forcing through the same a nail b, whose point is clinched by any suitable means,
so that the bars a are held firmly together. By this construction when the bars or
pieces a of the lighters are closed and stored away to be kept for sale or use the
said pieces of wood will lie one upon the other, and will only occupy a space equal
in width to the width of one piece or bar a, and in depth to the thickness of the
whole number of such bars, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2; but when one of these
lighters is to be used it can be immediately expanded by turning the bars or pieces
of wood a upon the central wire or pivot b, and will then present its ends in a
position most favorable for the ready and convenient lighting of the fire, as shewn
in Figure 3.
I prefer to apply to my improved lighters an inflammable material to accelerate
their ignition and combustion. For this purpose I dip the wood in a solution of
bot crude paraffine, petroleum, crystal oil, or other like material. The wood is
then allowed to dry, and may be used as thus prepared. I prefer however to
apply to it a solution or composition of carbolic acid and resin oil. This compo-
sition is a disinfectant, and renders my improved lighters very advantageous for
purifying or disinfecting the rooms wherein they are burned; and the said lighters
may very advantageously be burned solely for this purpose in sick rooms and other
places where it is desirable to purify the atmosphere. Moreover in some cases I
prepare pieces of wood of any desired form or size with this inflammable and disin-
fecting composition to be burned in hospitals, sick rooms, or other places for purifying
the air in the same.

page_text: Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A fire-lighter constructed of a series of pieces or bars of wood united in
the manner and for the purpose above described, and which may be used without
any further preparation, or may be coated with an inflammable substance, either
with or without the addition of the disinfecting composition, as above set forth and
for the purposo specified.
Second. The use of the inflammable and disinfecting composition as a covering
or coating for fire-lighters or other pieces of wood, as above set forth and for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Bayless, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.