IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE LIGHTERS
Year: 1884

page_text: "
I, EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE LIGHTERS a communication to me from
abroad by Camille Navarre of Capelle au Bois in the Kingdom of Belgium Manu-
facturer and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists of a kind of agglomerated brick or block and constituting
by its manufacture and by the material of which it is made a fire lighter advan-
tageously replacing wood faggots and breeze.
refuse
This firelighter is composod of dry breeze, dry pitch, resin, petroleum, straw,
of flax, sawdust, chips of wood, and cork or other materials that will burn freely.
Of a mixture of these materials a paste is formed which is placed in a mould the
shape of which it assumes.
After this operation the lighter is provided with a wick more or less impregnated
with inflammable material. This wick may be made of wood, wax, stearine, cotton
or other suitable materials.
The shape given to the lighters is or may advantageously be as hereafter described
and shown. They are bored with one or several holes so as to produce a current of
air: in one of these holes the match is placed. When there are two holes the match
separates them and when there are more than two holes the matches are distributed
according to the arrangement of the holes.
Owing to these holes whatever may be the shape of the firelighter it cannot fail
to light easily whether it be covered or not with coal.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a firelighter where it is made in
this instance according to this invention of truncated pyramidal shape with a hole A
in which the match B is placed.
Figure 2 shows another form which the Inventor calls a spherical square that is
to say that when seen from the top and from the bottom it shows a half sphero
resting on a square flat portion and on the side a complete sphere presenting in
TDA71

page_text: projection four sharp angles on the same plane. This form more complicated than
the first produces a more rapid lighting at the same time affords a more extended
surface and is more effective in use in the sense that when it is placed in the fire
place the coal may be placed wherever desired the pieces of coal will be compelled
to have left between them a passage for the air and this owing to the shape of the
lighter prevents any subsidence. The drawing shows this lighter in perspective-it
is formed with two holes A coming into one at the lower part provided at its lower
part with a match see Figure 4 which is a vertical section through the middle or
Figure 5 which shows the same form of lighter but with projections rounded off at
the ends. Figure 3 is a top view or plan. Figure 6 is a bottom view. All the
spherical forms are good. Figure 5 shows a lighter of another form and provided
with five orifices connecting the upper part and separated at the lower part
(Figure 7).
The proportion of the mixture employed to make up a lighter is 71 per cent of
resin 15 per cent of petroleum and 14 per cent made up of the other materials.
The proportions of the different materials may however be varied and changed at
will but the mixture given is very good as to the proportions. As to the shapes of
the lighters they may be varied without departing from the Invention although the
shapes shown are those preferred.
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 :-
First. In a firelighter the composition and the proportions of the mixture
substantially as set forth.
Second. The application to and the arrangement of holes in fire lighters
substantially as described and shewn.
Third. The construction and arrangement of fire lighters substantially as
shown and described with reference to the accompanying drawings together with
any mere modification thereof.
Dated this Fifteenth day of November 1884.