MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGAR LIGHTS OR FUSEES, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
I GEORGE ALBERT SWEETSER of 35 Kennington Park Road in the county of
Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGAR LIGHTS OR FUSEES, AND APPARATUS
THEREFOR to be as follows:-
,,
Hitherto in the manufacture of cigar lights, fusees or vesuvians it has been
generally the practice to employ a stem of suitable material such as wood, glass or
porcelain, one end of which stem has been dipped in the required combustible
material.
This mode of manufacture is tedious and involves much labor and the article
produced is clumsy and unsightly in appearance and requires relatively a large
amount of space when put up in boxes for use.
My invention relates to the manufacture of the cigar lights, fusees or vesuvians
by moulding or pressing them from plastic materials around or on a core by means
of suitable apparatus such as is hereafter described whereby I avoid the dipping
operation hereinbefore referred to now in use and produce the articles of uniform
size and shape and in a more simple, economical and speedy manner than hitherto.
In a suitable arrangement for carrying out my invention I employ a tube or die
having an internal diameter corresponding with the diameter of the cigar light,
fusee or vesuvian to be formed; one end of the tube or die is open and the other
end is closed with the exception of a small hole to allow of the passage of a core
which is preferably formed of wire coming from a coil. I connect this tube or
die by a suitable passage or passages to two cylinders, one filled with suitable
combustible composition and the other with non-combustible composition in a
semi-fluid or plastic condition; both compositions are kept under pressure by
plungers operated in any suitable manner or by other suitable means for forcing
the compositions into the tube or die containing the wire or other core.
I provide
a valve constructed so as to admit either of the compositions to the tube or die as
required so that by a movement of this valve the core in the tube or die will be
alternately coated with combustible and non-combustible composition which is
squeezed out of the open end of the tube or die, the friction of the composition on
the core dragging the same through with it. This coated wire or other core has
then only to be cut up into suitable lengths and dipped in any usual igniting

page_text: composition to form cigar lights, fusees or vesuvians the combustible portion
forming the burning ends and the non-combustible portion forming the stems to
hold them by. The number of tubes or dies in the machine can be increased to
any practicable extent but would only require the two cylinders and the one valve.
Instead of employing a valve as above named the pressure of the compositions
may be made intermittent by any suitable arrangement so that only that compo-
sition under pressure would flow into the tube or die, the other composition
remaining stationary.
I employ a core as above named for the purpose of giving rigidity to the articles
but the core can be omitted and instead of employing wire for the core a wood
splint or other suitable material may be used and the core instead of being in the
centre of the article may be on the side thereof. It will be obvious that only one
cylinder may be employed videlicet the cylinder containing the combustible com-
position. In this case portions of the combustible material would require to be
stripped off the wire or other core, such stripped part forming the stems or
holders.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
I GEORGE ALBERT SWEETSER, of 35 Kennington Park Road, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGAR LIGHTS OR FUSEES, AND APPARATUS
THEREFOR," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Hitherto in the manufacture of cigar lights, fusees or vesuvians it has been
generally the practice to employ a stem of suitable material such as wood, glass or
porcelain, one end of which stem has been dipped in the required combustible
material which is applied separately from the igniting composition.
This mode of manufacture is tedious and involves much labour, and the article
produced is clumsy and unsightly in appearance, and requires relatively a large
amount of space when put up in boxes for use.
My invention relates to the manufacture of the cigar lights, fusees or vesuvians
by means of suitable moulding apparatus as hereafter described. As will be seen
I avoid the ordinary dipping operation herein before referred to now in use, and
produce the articles of uniform size and shape, and in a more simple, economical
and speedy manner than hitherto.
According to one arrangement for carrying out my invention, whereby I form a
continuous length of coated core which is afterwards cut up so as to enable
separate lights or fusees to be produced, I employ a tube or die (or a series of
tubes or dies) having an internal diameter corresponding with the diameter of the
cigar light, fusee or vesuvian to be formed; one end of the tube or die is open and
the other end is closed with the exception of a small hole to allow of the passage of
a core, which is preferably formed of wire coming from a coil. I connect this tube
or die by a suitable passage or passages to two cylinders, one filled with suitable
combustible composition and the other with non-combustible composition in a semi-
fluid or plastic condition; both compositions are kept under pressure by plungers
operated in any suitable manner, or by other suitable means for forcing the com-
positions into the tube or die containing the wire or other core. I provide a valve
or valves constructed so as to admit either of the compositions to the tube or die as
required, so that by a movement of the valve, the core in the tube or die will be
alternately coated with combustible and non-combustible composition, and the
coated core is squeezed out of the open end of the tube or die, the friction of the
composition on the core dragging the same through with it. This coated wire or
other core has then only to be cut up into suitable lengths and dipped in any
usual igniting composition to form cigar lights, fusees or vesuvians, the combustible
portion forming the burning ends and the non-combustible portion forming the
stems to hold them by. The number of tubes or dies in the machine can be
increased to any practicable extent and may be used with the two cylinders and the
one valve.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1, sheet 1, is
a front elevation, figure 2, sheet 1, a plan, and figure 3, sheet 2, an end view of an

page_text: apparatus suitable for manufacturing cigar lights or fusees according to my
invention; figure 4, sheet 2, is a transverse vertical section of the same on line A B
of figure 1; figure 5, is a part longitudinal section on line CD of figure 2;
figure 6 is a transverse section of figure 5. Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a
cigar light fusee or vesuvian manufactured according to my invention ready to
receive the igniting composition; figures 1 to 4 are drawn to a scale of about one
fourth full size, figures 5 and 6 about half full size and figure 7 full size. Similar
letters in all the figures represent similar parts.
h
a, a, are the series of tubes or dies having an internal diameter corresponding
with the diameter of the cigar lights, fusees or vesuvians to be formed; b, b, are
the open ends of the tubes or dies and c, c, the ends thereof which are closed with
the exception of the small holes d, d,; e, figure 6 is the wire which I use by
preference to form the core, and which comes from a suitably placed coil (not
shewn in the drawings); f and g, are the two cylinders, one of which cylinders f, is
filled with suitable combustible composition; the other cylinder g, is filled with
non-combustible composition, both compositions being in a semi-fluid or plastic
condition; h and i, are the passages connecting the series of tubes or dies a, with
the cylinders fand g, respectively; ; and k figure 1 represent the plungers working
respectively in the cylinders f and g, and operated by suitable means such as by
hydraulic or screw pressure, and serving by means of the loose pistons land m to
keep the composition in the cylinders under pressure so as to force the same into
the tubes or dies a; the pistons 7 and m are provided with a cup leather n, on each
side whereby, when the pistons have reached the tops of the cylinders by reason of
the composition being exhausted, they can be worked back, the cylinders being
then turned upside down for this purpose; o, o', are the valves in the passages h
and i, respectively, which valves are operated as hereinafter described, so as to
alternately admit the combustible and non-combustible compositions to the tubes
or dies a, whereby the core e, is coated on alternate portions of its length with the
said compositions respectively; P, is a connecting piece between the two passages
and i; q, and r, are passages in the connecting piece p, leading from the passages h
and to the tubes or dies a; 8 and t, are supplementary valves which I find it
advantageous to employ for regulating the admission of the compositions to the
tubes or dies a; v is a cylinder rotating opposite the open ends of the tubes or
dies a, the said cylinder being furnished opposite each die with two transverse
openings u at right angles to each other and of somewhat larger diameter than the
interior diameter of the dies a; as the coated core t¹, passes out of the open ends b,
of the tubes or dies a, it enters one of the two corresponding transverse passages u,
in the cylinder v, which is partially rotated at intervals in a backward and forward
direction as hereinafter described; the required length of the coated core t', is
determined by the end thereof coming in contact with a bar w, extending from one
side of the machine to the other and normally caused to bear against the
cylinder by means of a spring a³; the bar w, is fixed to arms x, x¹, pivotted
at y, y', to the frame of the machine; the pivot y, is provided with a projection or
arm z, which serves as a catch to a similar arm a¹ fixed to a pin 61, pivotting in
two plates c¹, c², which can be rotated round the main shaft A of the machine and
are mounted loosely on each side of a grooved wheel d¹, which is fixed on the said
main shaft A operated by hand or by power; e¹, is a pinion mounted loosely on the
shaft A and fixed to the plate c²; f¹, is a pawl fixed on the pin 6¹, and engaging
when required in the groove of the wheel d; the pinion e¹, gears with a spur
wheel gl, mounted on a shaft h¹, extending across the machine; ¹, are cams fitted
to the shaft h, and serving as the shaft rotates to operate a pair of knives ¹³, for
cutting the coated core t¹ into lengths as follows: the upper knife j¹, slides in
guides k¹, on extensions ¹, of the parts B and C of the frame of the machine; from
the knife j', at each end extends a pair of connecting arms m³, to a point below the
cam k¹, where they are connected by a cross-head, n¹; in the centre of and fixed to
the cross head is a rod p¹, one end of which bears against the underside of the
cam i¹; the other end of the rod p', works in a guide q'; r', is a spring serving to

page_text: keep the rod p', pressed against the cam it; the lower knife, works in guides a¹;
and rests upon the cam ; in this manner the cams ¹, in rotating cause the
knives to approach each other and cut off the coated core t¹, to form the fusees;
the knife, is kept pressed against the cam i', by reason of its weight; on that
end of the shaft h' which projects beyond the part C of the frame of the machine
is fixed a disc crank u', to which one end of a connecting rod vl, is attached; the
other end is pivotted to a moveable rack w¹, working in guides '; the rack w¹,
gears with a toothed wheel a³, which gears with a toothed wheel b'; each of the
said toothed wheels has a nut d', fixed thereto and rotating with the said wheels,
the threads of the nuts working on corresponding screw threads on the ends of the
valves, so as to give an alternate reciprocating motion to the valves; on the end
of the cylinder v, extending beyond the part 1, of the part C of the frame of the
machine, is fixed a pinion e', gearing with a rack f³, which works in guides g², as
shewn; on the rack f³, are pins or projections h³, whereby a backward and
forward movement is communicated to the rack f', by means of an arm i², on the
rack w; by this means a partial rotation is given to the cylinder v, first in one
direction and then in the other for the purpose of depositing all the lengths of
coated core cut off in one position, that is to say, with their combustible portions
in one direction; this is rendered necessary because the length of core to form the
fusees is cut by the knives first in the middle of a combustible portion and then
in the middle of a non-combustible portion and so on; as the fusees are cut off the
cylinder v, will cause them to pass through shoots ja, into the drying frame k³,
which is caused to travel along under the shoots so as to bring a fresh row of holes
into position at each operation of the machine, by means of a rack ', fixed to the
drying frame at each side of the machine and operated by a pinion m², on a
shaft n³, on one end of which shaft is also fixed a ratchet wheel o³, operated by a
pawl p², attached to the cross head n', which pawl moves the ratchet wheel o³,
forward one tooth each time the cross head n¹, descends; the rack 1, is supported
and runs on a table q³, and is guided by flanges or plates +³.
The operation of the machine is as follows:
The cylinders f, and g, having been supplied with plastic combustible and non-
combustible compositions respectively, pressure is applied to the plungers j, and k,
and thereby to the pistons 1, and m, and the main shaft A of the machine is set in
motion.
When the machine is first used the composition from one of the cylinders will
pass into and fill the tubes or dies a, and coat the core e, which is dragged forward
by the composition, and it will be seen that a portion of the wire nearly equal to
the length of the tubes or dies, will be thereby coated with one composition only
before the valves o, and o¹, can commence to operate; this portion will be useless
to form fusees and will therefore be wasted.
As the coated core t', emerges from the ends b, of the tubes or dies a, it will pass
through the cylinder v, by that one of the passages u, which is at that time
horizontal and will move the bar w, outwards whereby the catch z, will be lowered
and will release the arm a¹; the pawl f', will then be free to engage in the groove
of the wheel d³, the pawl being pressed into engagement by the springs, bearing
upon the arm a¹; the grooved wheel which continually rotates with the main
shaft A will thereby rotate the pawl f¹, plates c¹, c³, and pinion e¹, which latter,
gearing with the wheel g¹, will rotate the cam shaft h¹, and cams i, and the knives
will be caused to approach each other and will cut off the projecting lengths of
coated core t¹; the cam shaft h¹, in rotating will, by means of the disc crank u', and
connecting rod vl, operate the rack w¹; the movement of the rack w¹, will, by
means of the arm i, coming against the pins or projections h³, be communicated to
the rack f, and the pinion e³, will be rotated, and will turn the cylinder v, con-
taining the cut off lengths of coated core a quarter of a revolution, and the said
lengths will then fall through the shoots, into the drying frame k³, which as
hereinbefore described is moved forward so as to bring an empty row of holes into
position under the shoots ³, for the reception of the cut lengths; the rack w¹, in

page_text: its movement will cause the wheels a³, and 6, to rotate in opposite directions
thereby causing, by means of the screw threaded nut d, the valve o³, to open its
ports q, and the valve o, to close its ports r, or vice versâ ; one of the two com-
positions (the combustible composition for example) will thus be caused to enter
the tubes or dies a, whilst the other (the non-combustible) composition will be
withheld from doing so; when a quantity of the combustible composition has been
fed forward from the open valve sufficient to press outwards the bar w, a similar
operation of the parts of the machine to that already described will take place,
and the other valve will be opened so as to feed forward the other composition and
so on; when one drying frame k³, has been completely filled it is removed for the
cut off lengths of coated core to be provided in any known manner with any usual
igniting composition to complete the cigar lights, fusees, or vesuvians; a fresh
frame is then placed in position to be filled by the machine and so on.
Instead of employing a valve or valves arranged as hereinbefore described, the
pressure of the compositions may be made intermittent by any other suitable
arrangement, so that only that composition under pressure would flow into the tube
or die, the other composition remaining stationary.
I employ a core as above named for the purpose of giving rigidity to the articles,
but the core can be omitted and, instead of employing wire for the core, a wood
splint or other suitable material may be used, and the core instead of being in the
centre of the article may be on the side thereof.
It will be obvious that only one cylinder may be employed videlicet, the
cylinder containing the combustible composition. In this case portions of the
combustible material would require to be stripped off the wire or other core, such
stripped part forming the stems or holders.
The combustible composition which I have found it advantageous to use for the
manufacture of cigar lights or fusees according to my invention is that described in
the Provisional Specification filed with my application for Letters Patent dated the
second day of October 1884 N° 13,109 and the non-combustible composition which
I prefer to employ is that described in the Provisional Specification filed with my
application for Letters Patent dated the second day of October N° 13,110.
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
1. The manufacture of cigar lights, fusees or vesuvians formed in continuous
lengths by moulding or pressing them from suitable plastic materials (with or
without a core) substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The combination of parts forming the improved apparatus for manufacturing
cigar lights or fusees substantially as hereinhefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawings.
3. The use in the manufacture of cigar lights or fusees in continuous lengths as
herein before described, of intermittently-acting moulding and coating apparatus
constructed substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.