IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Holmes, of Malvern Lodge, St. James's, New
Cross, in the County of Kent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Holmes at the
Oflice of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th December 1881.
FREDERICK HOLMES of Malvern Lodge St. James's New Cross in the County of
Kent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE LIGHTERS AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN
THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF."
The Invention relates to that class of fire lighter known as the "wheel fire
lighter" and my improvements in such lighters consist firstly in forming the
spokes" of the "wheel" in the following manner.
"
employ two pieces of length sufficient to extend entirely across the wheel
which pieces are cut and fitted together so as to form a cross piece, thus producing
a firm centre for the "wheel" the remaining spokes are formed of the sliort pieces
usually employed placed in the spaces between the arms of the cross piece.
My second improvement in the "wheel fire lighter" consists in a method of
tying it with wire in lieu of with string as heretofore.
For this purpose I fix in one of the rin pieces of the wheel a tack which before
the "wheel" is tied up, is only partially driven into tho wood thereby leaving a
small space between the head thereof and the surface of the wood, then when all
the parts of the wheel are in position and tightly compressed together I connect the
tie wire to the tack by twisting one end of the wire two or three times around
the tack; I then stretch the wire tightly round the "wheel" and twist the free
end thereof around the tack after which I drive the tack tightly home thereby
fully securing the tie wire around the wheel.
By these means I produce a fire lighter which will not fall to pieces by the
burning of the tie and which will retain its form in dipping packing and transit.
My improved machinery for the manufacture of the above description of fire
lighter is constructed as follows.

page_text: The base plate is formed with a number of grooves or slots corresponding to
the number of spokes in the wheel such grooves or slots being arranged around a
central die or template within and around which the pieces to form the "wheel"
are placed.
In the aforesaid grooves or slots are placed a number of pressing dogs which are
acted upon by a corresponding number of rises on a cam which latter has partial
rotary motion to the extent required given to it by means of a rack and pinion or
by other suitable means.
The pressing dogs are arranged opposite the "spokes" of the wheel and one of
them is so formed as to permit of the "tack" in one of the rim pieces being placed
centrally of such piece and yet enable the said pressing dog to act properly thereon
whilst a space is left to enable the tie wire to be passed around the tack.
A hammer or pressing lever is mounted on the machine in such position that its
striking or pressing end is opposite the tack thereby enabling the tack to be fully
driven home whilst the wheel is still under pressure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Holmes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June
1882.
FREDERICK HOLMES of Malvern Lodge St. James's New Cross in the County of
Kent. " IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE LIGHTERS AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN
THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF."
The Invention relates to that class of fire lighter-known as the "wheel fire
lighter" and my improvements in such lighters consist firstly in forming the
"spokes" of the wheel" in the following manner.
I employ two pieces of length sufficient to extend entirely across the wheel
which pieces are cut and fitted together so as to form a cross piece thus producing
a firm centre for the wheel, the remaining spokes are formed of the short pieces
usually employed placed in the spaces between the arms of the cross piece.
My second improvement in the "wheel fire lighter" consists in a method of
tying it with wire in lieu of with string as heretofore. For this purpose I fix in
one of the rim pieces of the wheel a tack which before the wheel is tied up is
only partially driven into the wood thereby leaving a small space between the
head thereof and the surface of the wood, then when all the parts of the wheel are
in position and tightly compressed together I connect the tie wire to the tack by
twisting one end of the wire two or three times around the tack I then stretch the
wire tightly round the "wheel" and twist the free end thereof around the tack
after which I drive the tack tightly home thereby fully securing the tie wire
around the wheel. By these means I produce a fire lighter which will not fall to
pieces, by the burning of the tie and which will retain its form in dipping packing
and transit.
My improved machinery for the manufacture of the above description of fire
lighter is constructed as follows:-
The base plate is formed with a number of grooves or slots corresponding with
the number of spokes in the wheel such grooves or slots being arranged around a
central die or template within and around which the pieces to form the "wheel"
are placed.
In the aforesaid grooves or slots are placed a number of pressing dogs which are
acted upon by a corresponding number of rises on a cam which latter has partial
rotary motion to the extent required given to it by means of a rack and pinion or
by other suitable means. The pressing dogs are arranged opposite the spokes
of the wheel and one of them is so formed as to permit of the tack in one of the
rin pieces being placed centrally of such piece and yet enable the said pressing
dog to act properly thereon whilst a space is left to enable the tie wire to be
passed around the tack.
A hammer or pressing lever is mounted on the machine in such position that its
striking or pressing end is opposite the tack thereby enabling the tack to be fully
driven home whilst the wheel is still under pressure.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying Drawings more fully
to describe the same.

page_text: In the construction of my improved fire lighter I employ twopieces a. a. of length
sufficient to extend entirely across the wheel, which pieces are cut and fitted
together as shown so as to form a cross piece producing a firm centre for the
wheel," the remaining spokes a¹. are formed of the short pieces usually employed
which are placed in the spaces between the arms of the cross piece.
"
My improvements in the wheel fire lighter also consist in a method of tying
it with wire in lieu of with string as heretofore.
For this purpose I fix in one of the rim pieces b of the wheel a tack c which
before the "wheel "is tied up is only partially driven into the wood thereby
leaving a small space between the head thereof and the surface of the wood, then
when all the parts of the "wheel" are in position and tightly compressed together
I connect the tic wire d to the tack c by twisting one end of the wire two or three
times around the tack. I then stretch the wire d tightly around the "wheel" and
twist the free end thereof around the tack c. after which I drive the tack tightly
home thereby fully securing the tie wire d around the wheel. By these means I
produce a fire lighter which will not fall to pieces by the burning of the tie and
which will retain its form in dipping packing and transport.
My improved machinery for the manufacture of the above description of fire
lighter is represented at Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 and is constructed as follows:-
e, is the base plate which is formed with a number of grooves or slots e². therein
corresponding with the number of spokes a. a'. in the wheel, such grooves or
slots c¹. being arranged around a central die or template within and around
which the pieces a a¹ and b. to form the "wheel" are placed as shown at
Figure 4.
In each of the grooves or slots c¹, is placed a pressing dog g which dogs are made
as shown and are acted upon by a corresponding number of risers_on_a.cam-h
which latter-has-partial-rotary motion to the extent required given to it by means
of a segmental rack ², fixed to the cam h and a pinion i. which is operated by the
lever handle i¹, or other suitable means may be employed for giving motion to the
cam h.
The pressing dogs g are arranged opposite the " spokes" a. a. of the "wheel"
and one of them is formed shallower than the others and of the form shown at
Figures 7 and 8 so as to permit of the tack c. in one of the rim pieces b being placed
centrally of such piece and yet enable the pressing dog g to act properly thereon
whilst a space is left to enable the tie wire d. to be passed around the tack c.
A hammer or pressing lever jis mounted on the cam h in such position that its
striking or pressing end is opposite the tack c, thereby enabling the tack to be fully
driven home whilst the "wheel" is still under pressure from the dogs g.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect I would have it understood that I do not claim the use
of a die, cam and dogs generally considered but what I do claim is :-
First. The improvements in wheel fire lighters substantially as herein shown
and described and for the purpose stated and
Second. In machinery for the manufacture of wheel fire lighters the novel
construction of die or template f, the method of mounting and guiding the dogs g,
and the employment of a hammer or pressing lever in j, combination with a shallow
dog g, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose stated.
In witness whereof I the said Frederick Holmes have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
FRED. HOLMES. (L.S.)