AN IM- PROVED FIRE LIGHTER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Carne Hedley, 87, Pool Street,
Wolverhampton, Stafford, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IM-
PROVED FIRE LIGHTER."
Sealed the 7th July 1874, and dated the 9th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Carne
Hedley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th January 1874.
I, GEORGE HENRY CARNE HEDLEY, 87, Pool Street, Wolverhampton,
Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED FIRE LIGHTER," to be as follows :—
The object of my Invention is to make an inflamable fire lighter of
wood strips dipped in rosin or in my prepared composition, to arrange the
pieces of wood to move on a centre to form them into a star or fan
shape for lighting the fire; and to close them together by a centre
motion into layers or bundles, for the convenience of close packing into
boxes or cases for transit or convenience of stowage in warehouses.

page_text: I take two, three, four, or more short pieces of wood and dip each end
of each piece into an inflamable substance or into my composition
which I prepare specially for this application. The pieces of wood are
dipped into liquid or melted rosin, or into a composition of rosin and
coal dust, or rosin and coke dust, at each end of each piece of wood.
A hole is then made in each piece at or near its centre; or, at or near
either end of each piece, to form a centre upon which each piece
may be moved into the shape of a star, or into a fan shape. The pieces
of wood are then placed one piece upon the other lengthways into layers
to form a bundle, and a piece of wire or string, or elastic thread, or
screw or rivet of any material is passed through the holes in the wood
by which the bundle may be formed into a star shape, or passed through
the holes at the ends of the pieces to form the fan shape fire lighter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Henry Carne Hedley in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HENRY CARNE HEDLEY, of 87, Pool Street, Wolverhampton, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
I seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Henry Carne Hedley, Her
special license that I, the said George Henry Carne Hedley, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Henry Carne Hedley, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED FIRE LIGHTER," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Henry Carne Hedley, my executors,
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain

page_text: the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said George Henry Carne Hedley, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to an improved fire lighter.
According to my Invention I manufacture an inflammable fire
lighter so as to take up but very little room whilst stored or during
transit, and which may be readily spread open into the desired form
when required for use.
I take two or more strips of wood (four is a convenient number) and
connect them one above the other so that they will move on a centre,
and may thus be spread out or opened into the form of a star or fan
when required for use, and may be closed or shut up so that the several
strips will come directly above or below one another in the same line,
and so allow of very close packing in boxes or otherwise, and take up
but very little room whilst stored or during transit. The strips are con-
nected together by a pin, screw, or piece of string, which also forms the
centre for them to turn on. Before being connected together the strips
of wood are dipped at each end into liquid or melted resin, or into a
composition of resin and coal or coke dust.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters
marked thereon. The same letter of reference represents the same part
or parts in all the several Figures.
Figure 1 is a plan view of a fire lighter made up of four short strips
of wood A fastened together at the centre by a pin, screw, or piece of
string B which also acts as a centre on which the several strips of wood
may be turned. As shewn in the Figure they are opened into the form
of a star and ready for use.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the lighter when closed up, the several
string hoing all in the
same lino
Figure 2 is a front view of come

page_text: shewing the strips A one above the other, and having a thin washer C
of wood, or any other suitable material between each pair; the object
of this being to allow for increased thickness of the ends consequent
o ntheir having been dipped into the resin or composition. The use of
this washer may be dispensed with when desired. Figure 4 is an end
view.
Figure 5 shews similar strips of wood connected near to one end
instead of in the middle, and spread open in the form of a fan. Figure
6 is a plan of same closed up, and Figure 7 a front view of same.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to or may be
performed, I claim as my Invention to be secured by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, the improved fire lighter herein-before
set forth and described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Carne Hedley, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
GEORGE HENRY CARNE HEDLEY. (L.S.)
JOHN W. GRAY, C.E.,
Office for Patents,
16, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.