IMPROVEMENTS IN CIGAR OR SUCH LIKE LIGHTS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PRODUCING THEM
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Charles Grimes, of Wandsworth, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIGAR OR SUCH
LIKE LIGHTS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PRODUCING THEM.”
Sealed the 20th December 1859, and dated the 23rd June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Charles Grimes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd June 1859.
I, GEORGE CHARLES GRIMES, of Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIGAR
OB SUCH LIKE LIGHTS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PRODUCING THEM," to be as
follows:-
The improvements relate, first, to that description of lights which have the
ignitable composition applied to wood splints, and consist in introducing into
the composition end of such splints lengths of wire or other metallic or non-
combustible material, adapted to give stiffness thereto, and prevent the ash
falling off while in use. Also, to dipping the ends of such splints as have the
wire introduced therein into gum water or other thin composition, to fill up
any splits or openings therein, and to prevent the wire coming out therefrom.
In some cases I turn up the end of the wire, so as to form a hook or bent
end, to give a better hold to the composition.
Also, the improvements relate to applying wood or other non-conducting
matter at the holding end of wire or other metallic means for holding the

page_text: ignitable composition, to give stability to such wire, and prevent the conducting
of the heat to the fingers whilst the ignitable composition is being pressed
against the cigar after ignition.
Also, the improvements consist in applying to wooden splints, or other
material used in the manufacture of cigar lights, an under or first composition
of slow combustion, so as to give more time for the lighting of a cigar. This
may be accomplished in various ways. One method I have found to answer
well, consists in omitting from ordinary pastile composition the nitrate of
potash, or chlorate of potash, or other active agent employed therein to keep
up combustion; also by using for the purpose an under or first composition
of a similar character to that described in the Specification of a former Patent
granted to me, dated the Fourteenth of September 1858, and numbered
2085.
Also, the improvements relate to applying to the holding ends of wood or
other splints composition of slow combustion, applied so far that the pastile
composition applied at the opposite end may come thereon.
In introducing wire to wood splints or wood handles, each piece of wood is
placed in position to receive the wire forced therein, by the movement of a
sliding carrier, when a cutter cuts the wire to the desired extent of projection;
but I do not confine myself to these means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Charles Grimes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
CHARLES GRIMES, of Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me,
the said George Charles Grimes, Her special licence that I, the said George
Charles Grimes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Charles Grimes, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIGAR OR SUCH LIKE LIGHTS, AND IN THE MEANS OF. PRODUCING
THEM," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Charles
Grimes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Charles Grimes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The improvements relate, first, to that description of lights which have the
ignitable composition applied to wood splints, and consist in introducing into
the composition end of such splints lengths of wire or other metallic or non-
combustible material, adapted to give stiffness thereto, and prevent the ash
falling off while in use; also to dipping the ends of such splints as have
the wire introduced therein into gum water or other thin composition, to
fill up any splits or openings therein, and to prevent the wire coming out
therefrom.
Also, the improvements relate to applying wood or other non-conducting
matter at the holding end of wire, or other metallic means for holding the
ignitable composition, to give stability to such wire, and prevent the con-
ducting of the heat to the fingers whilst the ignitable composition is being
pressed against the cigar after ignition.
Also, the improvements consist in applying to wooden splints, or other
material used in the manufacture of cigar lights, an under or first composition
of slow combustion, so as to give more time for the lighting of a cigar. This
may be accomplished in various ways. One method I have found to answer
well, consists in omitting from ordinary pastile composition the nitrate of
potash, or chlorate of potash, or other active agent employed therein to keep
up combustion; also by using for the purpose an under or first composition
of a similar character to that described in the Specification of a former
Patent granted to me, dated the Fourteenth day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight, No. 2085.
Also, the improvements relate to applying to the holding ends of wood or
other splints composition of slow combustion, applied so far that the pastile
composition applied at the opposite end may come thereon.
In introducing wire to wood splints or wood handles, each piece of wood i

page_text: placed in position to receive the wire forced therein by the movement of a
sliding carrier, when a cutter cuts the wire to the desired extent of projection;
but I do not confine myself to these means.
But that my improvements may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me, aided
by the accompanying Drawing, in the various Figures of which the same
letters are employed to indicate like parts wherever they occur.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a splint with a wire a (indicated by the blue line) intro-
duced therein to give stiffness to that end of it to which the ignitable compo-
sition is to be applied, and also to prevent the ignitable composition from
falling off while in use; and it will be seen that the wire projects somewhat
beyond the end of the splint, in order that it may enter somewhat into the
pastile composition. Sometimes I turn up the end of the wire so as to form a
hook or bent end thereto, to give a better hold to the composition, as indicated
by Figures 2 and 3. Figure 4 shows one of such splints with the ignitable
composition applied to it. The turning up of the projecting ends of the wires
may be accomplished in various ways. A method which I have found to
answer consists in taking several at once, and drawing them in a slanting
direction across any rough surface; or when the matches or splints are placed
in the clamps, by drawing the clamp in one direction several times across a
rough surface, having the wire ends downwards, and allowing the wires to
slightly touch each time, when the wires will become bent, as shown by
Figure 2; if they are then gently struck on a level surface a few times, all
the projecting ends of wires will be fully turned up, as shown by Figure 3.
Figure 5 shows another form of cigar, or such like light, according to my
improvements. In this case it will be seen that the ignitable composition is
applied to one end of a wire a, or other suitable means, to which the compo-
sition is applied, whilst the other end of such metallic holder is inserted into a
piece of wood or other non-conducting material 6 to give stability to such
wire, and prevent the conducting of the heat to the fingers whilst the ignitable
composition is being pressed against the cigar after ignition. After the wires
have been introduced to the splints, I dip the wire ends into gum water or
other thin composition to fill up any splits or openings therein, and to prevent
the wire coming out therefrom. For this purpose I prepare the gum water
as follows:-I take two pounds of gum arabic, or other suitable gum, and
dissolve in two quarts of water; when dissolved, I dip the wire ends of the
matches or splints (placed in the ordinary clamps) into the gum water to

page_text: about half an inch depth. I then shake off the surplus gum, and place
them to dry in the ordinary racks, the matches or splints being turned with
the wire ends upwards. The object of shaking the matches or splints is to
prevent waste of gum, as the surplus gum would otherwise run down the
splints lower than is necessary. Or I dip the wire ends of the matches or
splints into the following composition:-I dissolve about fourteen pounds of
gum arabic or other suitable gum in about four gallons of water, and to every
three quarts of liquor thus obtained I add about fourteen pounds of whiting
or other suitable non-combustible or slow burning substance, and when well
mixed and ground it will be ready for use. The wire ends of the matches or
splints in the "clamps" are then dipped in
this composition to about half an
inch depth, and when shaken are turned up to dry as before.
When composition is applied to the wire, in place of such wooden handles,
as represented by Figure 12, I dip the ends intended to be held in the fingers
into the white composition mentioned above, or any other composition or body
that may be found to answer the purpose. Such white composition may be
thickened at pleasure by adding more whiting, or using less gum liquor; such
ends may be dipped and dried successively once, twice, or thrice according to
the thickness and length required. The other ends of the wires will then be
dipped and dried successively into pastile composition until there is sufficient
on the ends for the purpose required; for these latter I prefer to use very small
clamps, both as regards width of boards and height of clamp of the ordinary
construction, and the grooves in the boards of the clamps I prefer to be cut
not deeper than half the thickness of the wire to be used. The application to
wooden splints or other material used in the manufacture of cigar lights of an
under or first composition of slow combustion, so as to give more time for the
lighting of a cigar, may be accomplished in various ways. One method I have
found to answer well consists in omitting from ordinary pastile composition
the nitrate of potash, or chlorate of potash, or other active agent employed
therein to keep up combustion, also by using for the purpose an under or first
composition of a similar character to that described in the Specification of my
former Patent referred to.
Figure 6 represents a section of one of such cigar lights, the object being to
delay the ash falling off while lighting the cigar. The white composition
mentioned above will do, and if dipped once, as previously directed, will only
delay the ash falling for a short time, but if dipped twice, will of course hold
much longer, and so on.
Figure 7 shows a cigar or other such light, with the holding end of the
spliut coated with a composition of slow combustion, whilst the pastile com-

page_text: position is applied at the other end. In carrying out this part of the improve-
ments, I by preference use "small clamps," and dip and dry one end of the
matches or splints twice in the white composition mentioned above, only made
rather thicker. They are dipped in the manner mentioned above, regulating
the depth of composition according to the length of white desired; when dry
they are taken out of these clamps, and the uncoated ends thereof are cut so
as to leave only about three-sixteenths of an inch of uncovered wood for the
application of the pastile composition. The plain ends are then dipped in
pastile composition successively until there is sufficient thereon for use, and
also to lay partly hold of the white composition, which will be found thicker
near the plain end of the splints than at any other part, and the plain end
having the principal body of the pastile composition will allow that composition
to burn with a good red heat, whilst the laying hold of the white composition
will greatly decrease the liability of the ash falling off, inasmuch as the rim of
the white composition will sustain the principal part of the pressure against
the cigar.
Figure 8 shows a plan view, Figure 9 a side view, Figure 10 a longitudinal,
and Figure 11 a transverse section of apparatus which I employ for introducing
lengths or short ends of wire to wood splints. c is the framing; d, e, are
treddles turning on hinge joints d*, e*, by which the operator brings the parts
of the apparatus into action.
The blue line a represents the wire, and 6 the splints to which the wire is
to be introduced. The wire a is conducted from a creel and suitable
straightening means through a hole in the board or plate f, thence under the
guides g, h, i, and through the plate i'. The apparatus is shown adapted to
introduce wire to only one splint at a time, but this may be varied. j is a
traversing plate, capable of moving to and fro in the guides c, c¹; upon this
plate are affixed the spring plates 7, the outer ends of which are affixed to the
plate, to which is affixed a steel plate 3, which turns downwards, and is
formed so as to hold on to the wire when borne thereon, and it is by these
means the wire is brought forward and forced into the splints b, whilst those
splints are held against the guides k, l, which are capable of adjustment. And
in order to bring forward the wire the operator places his foot on the treddle d,
to which are attached one end of each of the cords d', and these cords thence
pass over pulleys &, are guided by pulleys d³, and are at their other ends
connected to the plate j, by which the outer end j' of the plate j³ will first be
borne upon the wire a, and then will be caused to slide, drawing the wire with
it, and forcing it into the splint. The amount of motion thus given is capable
of being regulated by the screw stops 7. When the plate, with the wire, is

page_text: brought forwards and the wire inserted into the splint the cutter m is brought
into operation. The cutter m is formed on one end of the lever m', which
turns upon the fixed axis m³, whilst it is brought into operation to cut the wire
by a cord m³, attached by one end to the outer end of the lever m², and at the
other end to the treddle e; after the treddle e has been released the spring m³
brings the cutter m into its original position ready for a fresh operation.
When the wires have thus been inserted into the splints the splints are
removed. In order to a fresh length of wire being brought forward into a
fresh splint the treddle d is allowed to rise, when the plate will by its
elasticity rise from the wire, and then the springs (which should be some-
what stronger than the springs j¹), will draw back the plate j. n, o, are
springs to raise the treddles d, e, after they have been released from the foot of
the operator; p is a spring stop, which takes into the wire and prevents it
returning.
Having thus described the nature of my said improvements, and the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details referred
to, so long as the peculiar character of any part of the improvements be
retained substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Charles Grimes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
GEORGE CHARLES GRIMES. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agent.