Improvements in Firelighters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Complete Consi
Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1896
2011
2007
100
Improvements in Firelighters.
A communication by ALBERT FRAIPONT, of 107, Avenue des Nerviens, Brussels, in
the Kingdom of Belgium.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Hitherto firelighters for kindling household or other fires have usually been
made of wood, sawdust or the like treated with resin or other material to make
them highly inflammable. These species of firelighters are in most cases found
to be a good deal more expensive than ordinary firewood. Now the present
invention has for its object to produce a firelighter which can be made and sold
at a very cheap rate, and which will in all probability be capable of being sold
at the same price as or even at a lower rate than common firewood.
In carrying the invention into effect, the plan preferred is to take lumps or
cakes of coke or of coal deprived of its volatile matter. These lumps or cakes
which may be of any suitable size and form are then saturated with some suitable
inflammable material. Various materials may be employed for the purpose
such as oils, greases, fats, chemicals or the like, an important feature being that
the cake or lump when saturated will not deteriorate by evaporation on exposure
to the air. In the case therefore of a mineral oil being used or other substance,
the cake is preferably treated on the outside with a substance which will prevent
the evaporation of the oil, or if preferred the blocks may be coated with tar or
pitch or with coal dust, the materials being mixed together under the influence
of heat or not as required. The lumps or cakes may be treated with salt or other
chemical substances for making them inflammable or to prevent the evolution
of too much smoke. In some cases the lumps or cakes may even be impregnated
with a gas so as to increase.its inflammability and the cake then covered or treated
on the outside with a substance which will retain the gas and prevent it escaping.
The cakes or blocks may be treated in a special manner if so desired to prevent
them soiling the hands.
The great advantages of these improved firelighters may be said to consist (1) in
their cheapness; (2) they occupy but little space, one lump or cake being
sufficient to light a fire; (3) they create little or no dirt or dust; (4) the ignition
is complete and from the manner of their manufacture there is no liability of
spontaneous ignition or deterioration.
The above ways have been described for carrying the invention into effect,
but it must be clearly understood that once having given the idea, alterations
may be made without departing from the nature of the invention, the main idea

page_text: of which is to impregnate lumps or cakes. of coke or of coal deprived of its volatile
matter with suitable inflammable material.
Dated this 4th day of November 1806
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.
pro emen
B.
A communication by ALBERT FRAIPONT, of 107, Avenue des Nerviens, Brussels, in
the Kingdom of Belgium.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester both in
the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick
and 322, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Hitherto firelighters for kindling household or other fires have usually been
made of wood, sawdust or the like treated with resin or other material to make
them highly inflammable. These species of firelighters are in most cases found
to be a good deal more expensive than ordinary firewood. Now the present
invention has for its object to produce a firelighter which can be made and sold
at a very cheap rate, and which will in all probability be capable of being sold
at the same price as or even at a lower rate than common firewood.
In carrying the invention into effect, the plan preferred is to take lumps or
cakes of coke or of coal deprived of its volatile matter. These lumps or cakes
which may be of any suitable size and form are then saturated with some suitable
inflammable material such as rosin, methylated spirits, naphtha, benzine, petroleum
and petroleum products, any one or more of the foregoing being used separately
or together. Various materials may be employed for the purpose such as
oils, greases, fats, chemicals or the like, an important feature being that
the cake or lump when saturated will not deteriorate by evaporation on exposure
to the air. In the case therefore of a mineral oil being used or other substance,
the cake is preferably treated on the outside with a substance which will prevent
the evaporation of the oil, or if preferred the blocks may be coated with tar or
pitch or with coal dust, the materials being mixed together under the influence
of heat or not as required. The lumps or cakes may be treated with salt or other
chemical substances for making them inflammable or to prevent the evolution
of too much smoke. In some cases the lumps or cakes may be glazed if so desired
to prevent them soiling the hands.
The great advantages of these improved firelighters may be said to consist (1) in
their cheapness; (2) they occupy but little space, one lump or cake being
sufficient to light a fire; (3) they create little or no dirt or dust; (4) the ignition
is complete and from the manner of their manufacture there is no liability of
apontáneous ignition or deterioration.
The above ways have been described for carrying the invention into effect,
but it must be clearly understood that once having given the idea, alterations
may be made without departing from the nature of the invention, the main idea

page_text: of which is to impregnate lumps or cakes of coke or of coal deprived of its volatile
matter with suitable inflammable material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. Firelighters consisting of lumps or cakes of coke, or of coal deprived of its
volatile matter, impregnated with suitable inflammable material.
2. Firelighters consisting of lumps or cakes of coke, or of coal deprived of its
volatile matter, impregnated with suitable inflammable material, and treated on
the outside with a substance which will prevent evaporation of the inflammable
material, substantially as described.
3. Firelighters consisting of lumps or cakes of coke, or of coal deprived of its
volatile matter, impregnated with suitable inflammable material, and coated with
tar or pitch or with coal dust, the materials being mixed under the influence of
heat or not as required, substantially as described.
4. Firelighters of the kind described, treated with salt or other chemical sub-
stances to render them more inflammable or to prevent the evolution of too much
smoke in burning, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of Iul 100
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.