Devices for Facilitating and Promoting the Ignition and Combustion of Fuel in Fire Places.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Devices for Facilitating and Promoting the Ignition and Combustion
of Fuel in Fire Places.
I, WILLIAM PRIESSNITZ BONWICK, of 59 Blomfield Road, Maida Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention has reference to simple and inexpensive devices for facilitating
and promoting the ignition and combustion of fuel in fire places as when lighting
or making up a fire.
A device for this purpose according to this invention consists of a tube of
refractory material, as for example cast iron, formed with a number of lateral
openings and preferably open at the top the arrangement being such that when the
device is embedded in a mass of solid carbonaceous fuel it will act as a chimney so
that if the fuel be then ignited in the ordinary manner, or if the fuel be already in
a smouldering state, air will be able to circulate more freely through the fuel than
otherwise and smoke and flame will be permitted to freely escape through the tube,
thus facilitating the ignition and combustion of the fuel. As will be obvious a
device of the kind referred to can be constructed in various forms. According to
one construction, the tubular device consists of a casting formed with a number of
bars, preferably of triangular form in cross section, arranged in an annular row
about a common axis and connected at one end by a ring shaped part to form the
open top and at the other end by a plate, recessed at the edge, to form the bottom,
the whole somewhat resembling a cage. Such a device may advantageously be
made of taper form, the lower end being the smallest, to facilitate its insertion into
and withdrawal from a mass of fuel.
The device may advantageously be made internally of gradually increasing cross
sectional area from top to bottom in order to prevent or lessen liability of fuel that
may enter the open top of the device becoming lodged in the upper part thereof
and thus interfere with the free exit of smoke and flame. For the same reason the
spaces between the bars may also be made of gradually increasing size from their
outer to their inner ends. In some cases the plate connecting the lower ends of
the bars may be replaced by a pointed or conical mass of iron or the lower ends of
the bars may be bent and united so as to form a pointed lower end to the device so
that such device can be readily pushed into a mass of fuel when desired. Or the
lower ends of the bars may be left free.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1893.
W. P. BONWICK,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Devices for Facilitating and Promoting the Ignition and Combustion
of Fuel in Fire Places.
I, WILLIAM PRIESSNITZ BONWICK, of 59 Blomfield Road, Maida Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:→
This invention has reference to simple and inexpensive devices for facilitating
DOJ

page_text: and promoting the ignition and combustion of fuel in fire places, as when lighting
or making up a fire.
A device for this purpose according to this invention consists of a tube of
refractory material, as for example cast iron, formed with a number of lateral
openings and open at the top, the arrangement being such that when the device is
embedded in a mass of solid carbonaceous fuel it will act as a chimney so that if
the fuel be then ignited in the ordinary manner, or if the fuel be already in a
smouldering state, air will be able to circulate more freely through the fuel than
otherwise and smoke and flame will be permitted to freely escape through the tube,
thus facilitating the ignition and combustion of the fuel. As will be obvious a
ventilating device of the kind referred to can be constructed in various forms.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is an elevation ;
Fig. 2 a plan; and
Fig. 3 a horizontal section on the line of Fig. 1, illustrating a construction
of ventilating device which I have found to give satisfactory results in practice.
This device consists of a casting formed with a number of bars 1, preferably
of triangular form in cross section as shown, arranged in an annular row about a
common axis and connected at the upper ends by a ring shaped part 2 to form the
open top, and at the lower ends by a ring 3 of triangular form in cross section with
the apex uppermost so as to offer the minimum resistance to withdrawal from a
fire. 4, 4 are upwardly extending projections from the ring shaped part 2 to
support a vessel such as a kettle, in such a manner as to keep open the top of the
device.
The said device may advantageously be made of taper form as shown, the lower
end being the smallest, to facilitate its insertion into and withdrawal from a mass
of fuel.
The device is preferably made internally, of gradually increasing cross sectional
area from top to bottom as shown in order to prevent or lessen liability of fuel that
may enter the open top of the device becoming lodged in the upper part thereof
and thus interfere with the free exit of smoke and flame. For the same reason the
spaces between the bars may also be made of gradually increasing size from their
outer to their inner ends as shown.
The casting pattern may advantageously be made in two parts, one corresponding
to the bars 1 and top 2, and the other to the ring 3. By this means the use of a
core is unnecessary and the cost of production considerably reduced. Furthermore
by making the device of the taper form shown, the pattern therefor can be readily
withdrawn from the sand.
As will be obvious the lower ends of the bars may be variously connected.
Thus instead of being connected by a ring they may be cast in one with a flat
bottom plate formed with recesses at the edge in line with the spaces between the
bars. Or the ring 3 or plate, as the case may be, connecting the lower ends of the
said bars may be replaced by a pointed or conical mass 5 of iron, as shown in Fig. 4.
Or the lower ends of the bars may be left free.
In applying a ventilating device of the kind mentioned to facilitate the lighting
of a fire, it is placed upon the fire lighter, or wood and paper used to ignite the
fire, together with coal which is arranged to surround the said device. Upon then
lighting the combustible material, the device will act as a chimney providing a free
vent for the smoke and flames which are thus enabled to easily ascend. As a result
a strong draught will be produced from all sides towards the centre where the heat
is intensified and a more complete combustion of the gases effected than otherwise
would be the case. The flame escaping through the open top of the device can
consequently be directed against the bottom of any vessel resting above such open
top. When the coals have become thoroughly ignited and caked together, the device
may be removed leaving a hole that will continue to act for some time as a chimney,
if the fire be not disturbed.
To facilitate the making up of a fire, the glowing fuel may be drawn to the

page_text: forward portion of the grate and the ventilating device placed behind it and then
be surrounded with fresh coal, whereupon it will act as before to cause rapid
ignition of the fresh coal with the minimum production of smoke, after which it
can be removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A device for facilitating and promoting the ignition and combustion of fuel in
fire places, consisting of a tube or hollow body of refractory material formed with
a number of lateral openings and open at the top, the arrangement being such that
when the device is embedded in a mass of carbonaceous fuel and the fuel ignited, it
will act as a chimney through the open top of which the smoke and flame can
readily ascend and thereby cause air to be drawn into and circulate more freely
through the fuel than would otherwise be the case substantially as herein described
for the purpose specified.
2. The device for facilitating and promoting the ignition and combustion of fuel
in fire places constructed substantially as described and shown whether the lower
ends of the bars 1 be connected in either of the ways mentioned or be left free.
Dated this 27th day of December 1893.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.