CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TINDER BOXES, WHEREBY THE SAME WILL BE RENDERED MORE USEFUL THAN THEY AT PRESENT ARE, PART OF WHICH MAY BE APPLIED TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1806

page_text: PHILLIPS SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN:
PHILLIPS, of East Stonehouse, in the County of Devon, Stonemason and:
Sculpter, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twelfth day of February,
in the forty-sixth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said John
Phillips, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, His especial licence, that I, the said
John Phillips, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, during the term of years.
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TINDER BOXES, WHEREBY
THE SAME WILL BE RENDERED MORE USEFUL THAN THEY AT PRESENT ARE, PART
OF WHICH MAY BE APPLIED TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said John Phillips, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Mäty's High Court of Chancery

page_text: within one calendar month after the date of the said recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, tho said
John Phillips, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained by the Drawings and description thereof hereunto annexed.
-In witness whereof, I, the said John Phillips, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand oight hundred and six
Fig. 1 represents the tinder box, the bottom of which is made as-these-
articles generally are, except the steel, which is here fastened to the damper,
as at A..
Fig. 2nd shews the top of the tinder box, to which is fixed one, two, or
more wires, or other proper substance, as may be found convenient, as B, B,.
Fig. 3d, which slides up and down in tubes attached to the outside of a hollow
cylinder, or other formed" screen, made of glass, horn, or other transparent
substance, as C, C, Fig. 3, and N, N, N, N, Fig. 4. A bottom of tin or other
substance must be attached to the same; which must be perforated, as at D
Fig. 4, so as to let a candle go through the same, and rest on the top of the
tinder box at E, Fig. 4, which candle may be there confined by one, two, or
more points, similar to what is called a savcall, or by a short sockett.
The transparent skreen may have a door, as "shewn at F, Fig. 4, and at
G, Fig. 8, or the door in the sido may be omitted, as at Fig: 7; and then
two hollow transparent screws may be applied, as P, Q, the one smaller than
the other, connected at the bottom, so as to hold water, 'spirits of wine, or any.
transparent liquid, which will cause, when the candle burns within it as it T,
a steady and, good light. In consequence of the transparent -screen being
attached to the top of the tinder box or bottom of the candlestick, with a hole
through the bottom of the same the size of the candle to be burnt therein, as
at D, Fig. 4, and U, Fig. 7, the candle is prevented from catching or setting
anything on fire which may be placed near it, and a long candló may be
burnt therein by means of the wires sliding in the tubes, as at Fig. 3, 4, and 5,
and the tubes S, S, S, sliding on the wires W, W, W, Fig. 7, the upper part
of the candle being confined' by the bottom of the transparent screen, without

page_text: the possibility of its falling against the same; forming thereby a very safe
candlestick, &c., for warehouses, shops, &c. &c. The transparent screen may
be mounted with tin or any other fit substance, and cut at top, as repre-
sented at H, H, H, Fig. 8; and a top fastened to the same with a hinge,
as at I, which, when turned down as here represented, anything can be
heated thereon; and when turned up, as at Fig. 5, the candle will be
completely screened, so that it may be carried in the open air, &c. &c. Fig. 5
alsó represents the tinder box, candlestick, &c., with the wires shoved up the
tubes, and fitted for the pocket, &c.
Although it certainly will be more generally useful when the tinder box is
attached to the bottom, yet in many instances the upper parts Fig. 2 and 3
may be used to advantage without Fig. 1. A tin tube in some cases will be
found useful, when fastened to the top of the tinder box, or bottom of the
candlestick, as at K, Fig. 2 & 3, which being nearly filled with water, a
candle put therein will rise as it burns, and be always at one height.
Instead of tubes, wires, &c., some may be made to slide like a microscope,
and then the bottom part may also be cased with glass or other transparent
substance.
Fig. 6 is here inserted to shew that they may be made of any form in the
bottom, according as utility or fancy dictates; and L, L, L, to shew that air
may be admitted from the bottom in what quantity is found necessary, by
means of a piece of tin or other substance, punched in this or any similar
form, fixed on the bottom of the transparent screen, which bottom should
always be punched exactly similar; and a knob being fixed, as at M, it may
thereby be turned so as to cover all the holes, or as much of them as is
convenient. Air may be admitted also from the sides, if required, as at
W, Fig. 3.
Fig. 4 shews the transparent screen drawn up to its full length, to
shew that the wires and transparent screen should be nearly of one length.
There should be a small knob at the top of each wire, and the bottom of the
tubes should be a little turned in, or have a small bit of solder fastened to
them, to prevent the wires being drawn entirely out. O, at Fig. 3, represents
a nut and screw, fixed to the bottom of the transparent screen, going through
the nut and one side of the tube, and, meeting the wire, thereby prevents the
screen from falling when a weight is fixed on the top.
The handle, Fig. 5, is represented on top, but any formed handle that is
found necessary may be applied to the sides, and any other ornament, &c. &c.
may be added as may be thought proper.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and six, the aforesaid
John Phillips came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and
acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Specification
aforesaid was stampt according to the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
Inrolled the Twelfth day of March. in the year of our Lord Ona