IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF and APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING FIRES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walker Riley, of Allerton, near Bradford, in
the County of York, Noil Merchant, for the invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF and APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING FIRES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walker Riley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd July 1875.
I, WALKER RILEY, of Allerton, near Bradford, in the County of York,
5 Noil Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING FIRES,” to
be as follows .-
The operation of lighting domestic fires has hitherto been of a tedious,
troublesome, and in some districts of an expensive character in con-
sequence of the difficulty of procuring timber that is properly dried, and
of the trouble of cutting up the same preparatory to being used
The object of my Invention is to make a simple apparatus so arranged

page_text: without the use of wood or other inflammable substances generally
adapted for lighting the same, which I accomplish in the following
manner: On to the common gas burner I place a flexible tube of
sufficient length to reach the fire range. The end of the tube fitting on
to gas burner is made of strong section, so that when the tube is fixed
and bent over, the area of the hole through the tube will be very
slightly reduced The other end of the tube is attached to what is
commonly known as a T coupling, to this coupling is screwed a piece of
pipe at each end, and one of the pipes is fixed in a regulating stand placed
opposite the fire range. Inside these pipes is inserted another pipe
having a number of small grooves (through which the gas passes)
reaching from the coupling to-the-end- of the pipe next the fire. To
the end of the pipe screwed into the other end of T coupling is
secured a flexible tube, to which is attached in any suitable position a
ball or air vessel, and the other end of the tube is prepared to fix to a 1
pair of common bellows pipe or small fan When the coal has been
placed in the range, and it is desired to light the fire, place the
regulating stand in a position opposite the range, turn on the gas and
light the same at end of the pipe opposite the fire range, when the
fire will be lighted in a short space of time on the attendant blowing
with the bellows or fan and directing the flame on to the coal for, say,
about two minutes
I would here remark that I do not confine my method to the exact
details herein-before described, as the operation may be considerably
varied without departing from the characterístic features of my improve-
ment, which consists of lighting domestic or other fires by a flame of
gas with a continuous current of air, the same being concentrated on
to the coal for a short time.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Walker Riley, Her special
licence that I, the said Walker Riley, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Walker Riley, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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, exercisc, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF AND Apparatus FOR LIGHTING FIRES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Walker Rilcy, 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 Walker Riley, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The operation of lighting domestic fires has hitherto been of a tedious,
troublesome, and in some districts of an expensive character in con-
sequence of the difficulty of procuring timber that is properly dried,
and of the trouble of cutting up the same preparatory to being used.
The object of my Invention is to light ordinary domestic coal fires
by a simple apparatus so arranged that any intelligent person can light
the fires without the used of wood or other inflammable substances
generally adopted for lighting the same, which I accomplish in the
following manner :- -On the common gas burner or gas fittings having a
short projecting pipe from the side of the same, I place one end of a
flexible tube of sufficient length to reach the fire range. The other end
of this tube is attached to a projecting pipe of my improved apparatus
This last-named projecting pipe is secured to an ordinary T coupling
or common elbow. To this coupling or elbow is attached another piece

page_text: of pipe, through which the supply of gas required for lighting the fire
is conducted. This last-named pipe and coupling are enclosed in
another pipe, one end of which is arranged so as to fit a pair of common
bellows or small fan, and the other end of this exteral pipe is prepared
to receive a nose pipe having a number of grooves or otherwise to admit
of the current of air forming the jet of gas
When the coal has been placed in the range, and it is desired to light
the fire, couple the flexible tube to gas burner and to my apparatus, and
light the gas at the end of internal pipe, when the fire will be lighted in
a short space of time on the attendant blowing with the bellows or fan,
and directing the flame of -gas-on to the coal for the space of time, say,
about two minutes.
I would here remark that I do not confine my method to the exact
details named, as the operation may be considerably varied without
departing from the characteristic features of my improvement, which
consists of lighting domestic or other fires by a flame of gas with a
continuous current of air, the flame being concentrated on the coal for
a short time

page_text: can be made without grooves without interfering with the efficiency of
the apparatus. The bellows or fan is attached to pipe A at A¹.
When it is desired to light a fire, and the flexible tube is secured to
gas burner and projecting pipe, and the gas lighted by blowing with the
bellows or fan, the current of air passing through grooves f,f, will blow
the jet of gas and ignite the coal in a short space of time.
In Figs. 3 and 4, G is the body part of a gas tap or cock with plug H
and openings J so arranged that the gas can be supplied to the burner
or to the projecting pipe K as desired.
I wish it to be understood that I do not claim any part of Figs. 3 and
4 as my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walker Riley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the above-named Walker Riley,
in the presence of
JOHN WAUGH,
Engineer & Patent Agent,
29, Tyrrel St.,
Bradford,
Yorks.
WALKER RILEY (L.S.)