IMPROVEMENTS IN CIGAR LIGHTERS AND MATCHES THEREFOR, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER LIGHTING PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CIGAR LIGHTERS AND MATCHES THEREFOR, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER
LIGHTING PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by William Washington
Batchelder, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th June 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIGAR LIGHTERS AND MATCHES
THEREFOR, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER LIGHTING PURPOSES." A communication
from abroad by William Washington Batchelder, of the City, County, and State of
New York, United States of America.
These improvements relate, first, to an improved cigar lighter designed to be
carried in the pocket and adapted to light a cigar in the open air, and, second, in a
friction match or igniting-pencil for use with the lighter and for any purposes to
which matches are applicable.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cigar lighter, the cord or match being broken
open to show its construction; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the lighter;
Figure 3 is a cross section on line x, x, of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a detail view of
the feed tube for the cord or match, and Figure 5 is a cross section of the cord or
match considerably enlarged to show the longitudinal sections of materials. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is a tube in which is screwed by a short thread t another tube B carrying the
fibrous cord C. This tube B has rigidly attached to its inner periphery a spiral
wire a soldered to the tube, and through the centre of which spiral the fibrous cord
is fed by being turned on its centre, the spiral serving the purpose of a feeding
screw to feed the cord up as it is burned away and withdraw it when it is to be
extinguished. The end of tube A has a swivel connection with another tube D,
ΓΟ... 07

page_text: which latter forms a chamber that contains the continuous lighting match E. The
end of tube A next to the match E is also cut away on both sides, as shown in
Figure 1, so that the end of the slow match in tube B may have a sufficient access
of air to burn, the tube B having by reason of its screw thread however a range of
movement past the cut away parts so as to be closed against the part c to
completely smother the fire on the slow match when it is to be put out after being
used. Within the part c of tube A is the drill point d, arranged diametrically across
the tube and formed with its edges tapered to a point toward the igniting match E
and its point in line with the longitudinal centre of said match and formed with
reverse bevels on opposite sides of said centre, so that when the match E is turned
about its axis in one direction the drill point & cuts up and mixes the materials of
.the continuous match and when turned in the opposite direction rubs and ignites the
mixed pulverulent charge. For carrying the match E and feeding it up against the
cutting edge the tube D is slotted lengthwise, and a ring f' placed around the tube
and connected through this slot with a friction cup e that contains one end of the
match, which ring f₁ is prevented from slipping off at the end by a cap piece g.
For operating the cigar lighter as thus described the tube D is turned through
its swivel connection over the tube A and the match E forced against the cutting
point by the pressure of the fingers on ring f¹. By a movement of the match in
one direction over the drill point the materials of the match are scraped up and
mixed while the reverse movement rubs and ignites the charge.
I prefer to use a match or igniting pencil composed of two kinds of compositions
which will not explode nor burn when separated in bulk but when scraped together
and mixed will explode by friction. The second part of the Invention relates to a
match of that character in which the entire length or body of the match is made
of explosive compositions so arranged as to flash at will without continuously
burning. The compositions are moulded, compressed, or otherwise formed into a
pencil, shown at E, which preserves its form and integrity from cohesive attraction
without requiring a chamber to hold it, the different compositions being separated
from each other by a thin partition or septum and provided with a thin skin or
casing which wears away as the match is used. In the selection of the materials
for forming the continuous match the main requirements are one composition of a
kind that has a great affinity for oxygen, and a composition of another kind that
is rich in oxygen; in connection with which two principal compositions I prefer to
use a third, having the nature of an inert or refractory substance, for reducing the
energy of the explosion to make a sufficient but less violent flash.
I do not confine myself to any particular shape of the match in cross section, nor
to any particular material, so long as the two compositions are kept separate. In
practice I prefer to make the entire match or pencil in a cylindrical shape with the
compositions distributed throughout its cross sectional area, as shown in the
enlarged view, Figure 5. f represents the composition rich in oxygen, which I
prefer to make of three parts of chlorate of potash and one part of binoxide of
lead; g is the composition which has a special affinity for oxygen, which is
amorphous phosphorus by preference. This occupies a relatively small area, as
shown;
is the refractory or inert substance which I make by preference of one
part of plaster of Paris and two parts of ground asphaltum.
In constructing the pencil the inert substance his pressed with a groove in it
which receives the phosphorus g and forms a half cylinder, while the other half
cylinder is made of the other composition. This arrangement completely incloses
the phosphorus and protects it from the influence of the weather. Before fastening
the two half cylinders together a thin septum or partition i is placed between so as
to separate the phosphorus from the oxygen supplying composition, and afterwards
said half cylinders are fastened together to make a rigid whole, and a jacket skin
or casing placed around the cylinder. For this septum and casing I prefer tissue
paper soaked in soluble glass. This sufficiently separates the materials and wears
down as the match is used.
This article is designed to be used for all purposes of lighting, but it finds its

page_text: special application for cigar lighters and in lighting attachments for gas burners in
connection with any device by which the scraping together and rubbing of the
materials can be effected.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
the same,
Patent is,
1st. A cigar lighter composed of a tube for holding the fibrous cord, another
tube arranged in line with the same and containing the continuous match and
means for cutting and exploding the charge from the continuous match, substantially
as described.
2nd. In a cigar lighter the combination of a fibrous cord and a feeding tube
having a spiral wire rigidly fixed in said tube for feeding the cord through by
turning the latter as described.
3rd. The tubes A and D swiveled together and provided with a cutting edge
between them for the continuous match, combined with a tube carrying the fibrous
cord and entered into tube A, and a holder for the continuous match contained in
tube D, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4th. The tube A having its end cut away, as shown, combined with the lighting
device, as described, and a tube carrying the fibrous cord, which latter tube has a
range of adjustment past the cut away portions of tube A, as described.
5th. The combination of slotted tube D, the cup e, and ring f' carrying the
match E, and the tube A having a swivel connection with D and carrying the
cutting devices, as described.
6th. A solid continuous match or igniting pencil composed of longitudinal sections
of two or more compositions which do not ignite when separate but ignite from
friction when mixed, as described.
7th. A solid continuous match or igniting pencil composed of longitudinal sections
of two or more compositions which do not ignite when separate but ignite from
friction when mixed, the said compositions being separated by a septum which wears
away as the match is used, as described.
8th. A solid continuous match or igniting pencil composed of longitudinal sections
of two or more compositions which do not ignite when separate but ignite from
friction when mixed, the said compositions being separated by a septum and the
pencil surrounded by a casing of a material which wears.away as the match is used,
as described.
9th. A solid continuous match or igniting pencil composed of longitudinal sections
of an igniting composition f, an ignitible composition g, and a longitudinal section
composed of an inert substance, as and for the purpose described.
10th. The combination with the igniting section and the ignitible section of a
septum composed of tissue paper soaked in soluble glass, as and for the purpose
described.
11th. The continuous match or igniting pencil composed of the igniting section f,
the ignitible section g, and inert section h with the section g inclosed, substantially
as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)