An Improved Firelighter for use with Petroleum or other Oil.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Firelighter for use with Petroleum or other Oil.
I, JOHN HAMER of Matley near Hyde in the County of Chester Civil 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 has for its object to provide a firelighter which can be repeatedly
used without chips or firewood for an indefinite period by simply saturating the
packing with a small quantity of paraffin petroleum or other mineral oils each time
it is required.
In carrying out my invention I first cut or stamp out of sheet iron or other
similar metal or cause to be cast in iron a small box or receptacle with handle
thereto made of such a size that it will pass between the bars of an ordinary fire
grate, the said box to be turned up on three sides only and the front side nearest
the handle to be left open excepting a slight ledge which answers a twofold purpose
namely to hold a small quantity of oil in the box and also to enable the wire
covering to be firmly fastened in when complete.
The box being left open in front is the material point in my invention as it
causes or permits an uninterrupted draught to the flame when ignited.
I then pack the box completely full of carded asbestos fibre, slag wool silicate of
cotton or any other non-combustible substance and the whole is then covered in
by a wire covering of sufficient width of mesh to allow it to flame freely when
ignited.
This wire covering is kept in position by a flange turned down on the inside edge
of box or a groove on the inside edge which answers the same purpose and the wire
covering is then turned down in front of the box and fastened in by the small ledge
in front before referred to.
It is then only necessary whenever it is required to be used to saturate the
packing in the box with a small quantity of petroleum paraffin or any other
mineral oil and the lighter will burn with a fierce flame for a considerable period
sufficiently long to enable a fire to be lighted without the aid of firewood or
chips.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 shews a plan of the box or receptacle with the open front herein particularly
referred to.
Fig. 2 shews the firelighter with the wire covering fixed on and turned down in
front to allow a free draught to the flame when ignited.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. An improved petroleum firelighter consisting of a small iron box turned up on
three sides only the front portion being left completely open to allow a free passage
of air to the flame the said box to be packed with asbestos or any other fire resisting
material and the same to have a cover of wire to prevent waste.
2. The method of burning paraffin or other oil by means of saturated asbestos in
small boxes constructed of the materials and in the manner herein described.
Dated this 17th day of July 1893.
JOHN HAMER,
Matley, near Hyde, Civil Engineer.