IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS TOMLY ONSLOW of Riga Wharf, Canal Road, Hoxton in the County
o Middlesex, Fire Wood Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS," and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to fire lighters made of wood and coated with resin or other
inflammable substance, and it has for its object to lessen the cost of manufacture
of such fire lighters at same time rendering the same more effective.
As heretofore made such lighters have been composed of a number of pieces of
wood assembled in the forin of a wheel and secured by string, and they are very
liable to fall to pieces in handling and particularly immediately they begin to burn,
thus allowing the fuel to collapse and causing the fire to kindle less readily owing
to deficient ventilation.
Now my Invention has for its object to avoid these objections, and it consists in
making the fire lighter in one piece by cutting it out of the solid plank or block in
such form as to enable it to be easily and cheaply made, and at the same time to
ensure adequate ventilation to promote the kindling of the fuel.
In order that my Invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated
a fire lighter in the accompanying Drawings forming part of this Specification, and
will proceed to describe it with reference thereto.
Figure 1 shows a plan. Figure 2 a side view. Figure 3 an end view of the fire
lighter.
My improved fire lighter is made of a piece of wood having the grain running
lengthwise and of any suitable length, width and thickness, but preferably about
4/ inches long, by 2, inches wide and 1/4 inches thick, in the opposite edges of
which are cut recesses a extending nearly across the entire width and alternating
with one another so as to give the wood a zigzag form as shown. These recesses
are conveniently made by a circular saw, of a greater thickness than usual (or by
what is known as a "grooving" saw) so as to produce the recesses by a single cut
across the grain at about a quarter of an inch or more apart. These recesses are
at such distance apart as to leave about half an inch thickness of wood intervening,
giving sufficient strength to enable the fire lighter to hold together in handling,
whilst a bar of wood of any length may, after being so notched or recessed, be
readily broken up into short lengths as required.

page_text: In manufacturing these lighters on a large scale, a number of saws would be
fixed on a spindle at the proper distances apart to make a series of cuts at once,
the two edges of the bar being successively presented to the saws.
After being notched or recessed the one zigzag face of the lighter is dipped in
resin or other inflammable substance or composition.
I prefer to leave the edges of the recesses roughened or jagged so as to avoid the
necessity of using paper, bass &c. to kindle the lighter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
The manufacture of fire lighters of zigzag form out of solid wood as described and
shown in the Drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of May A.D. 1884.
T. T. ONSLOW,
By his Agents,
A. M. & W. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane.