IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-LIGHTERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and
Company, Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE-LIGHTERS."-A communication from abroad by Joseph Dottin
Husbands, junior, of St. Louis, in the County of St. Louis, State of
Missouri, United States of America.
Sealed the 11th February 1876, and dated the 13th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Brownc at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th August 1875.
I, ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent
Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-LIGHTERS," a communication from abroad by
Joseph Dottin Husbands, junior, of St. Louis, in the County of
St. Louis, State of Missouri, United States of America, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a new and improved fire-lighter or kindler,

page_text: the fire-lighter or kindler.
This Invention consists,-
Firstly. In forming a fire-lighter from a block of any suitable material
constructed with a series of draught flues or openings for admitting the
draught into or through the block, in order to intensify the heat and
obviate smothering of the flame. The said block is coated or saturated
with an inflammable material to insure case, rapidity, and certainty of
combustion, in such a manner that it may be readily ignited without
the aid of paper or shavings, and kindled into a powerful blaze capable
of igniting the fuel employed or brought in contact with it. The air
passages or draught flues serve to admit air to the interior of or through
the block, whereby intense heat will be generated, ensuring a rapid and
perfect combustion, by which means the said block is converted into
burning charcoal. The draught which impells the flame against it
generates an intense heat, and forms a bed of coal as a basis for the
fuel. The combustion of the material forming the block and the intense
heat secured are due to the presence of the air passages or draught flues,
thus rendering it impossible to be smothered by fuel or otherwise.
Secondly. In forming a fire-lighter composed of a block of wood, con-
structed with draught flues or partitions varying in size for admitting
draught into or through the block, so as to intensify the heat and secure
gradual combustion and rapid ignition of the fire-lighter, the draught
flues and the partitions being formed in the block by cutting tools.
Thirdly. In constructing a fire-lighter of a block with a series of
partitions, between each of which is an air passage or draught flue for
freely admitting air to the interior of or through the block, so as to
generate an intense heat and large flame, and securing a gradual and
perfect combustion of the material of which the fire-lighter is con-
structed. An igniting wick is combined with the said fire-lighter to
provide ready means for starting a flame.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of 5,
Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, send
groeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Browne, Her special
license that I, the said Alexander Browne, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Browne, 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
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-LIGHTERS," a communication from abroad by Joseph
Dottin Husbands, junior, of St. Louis, in the County of St. Louis, State
of Missouri, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Browne, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 Alexander Browne, 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 a new and improved fire-lighter or kindler,
which is designed to furnish a cheap and efficient substitute for the
ordinary firewood and dispense with the use of shavings, paper, and

page_text: THE DYC Figures sumar Tetters of reference
are employed to denote corresponding parts.
A marks a fire-lighter, composed of a solid head or body B of wood,
with a series of partitions C, formed in such a manner and in such
respect to each other as to create air passages or draught flues D, so that
when the front of the partitions are lighted, and the fire placed upon a
fire-grate or in any other desired spot, the air passages or draught flues
will conduct the draught and flame from the front toward the head or
body of the fire-lighter through the flues, and escape through the air
passages and draught flues at the top if the fire-lighter is placed upon a
fire-grate in the position shewn in Figure 1; or such flame will escape
at the sides through the air passages or draught flues if the solid portion
of the block is placed uppermost. In the block thus constructed it will
be noticed that a series of air passages or draught flues D are present, the
same being formed between partitions emanating from a head or body B,
which said head or body should be of sufficient thickness and bulk to
prevent splitting or separating while the blocks are being dipped, packed,
or burned.
The blocks are preferably prepared from the refuse pieces of wood
which accumulate in great quantities around lumber mills, by making
such pieces into slabs or blocks of suitable size, the air passages or
draught flues being constructed by feeding or bringing the blocks to or
in contact with a gang of cutting tools of proper size.

page_text: If desirable the head or body may be centrally formed or located as
illustrated in Figures 3 and 4; or a cross head may be constructed or
formed at each end, as illustrated by the dotted lines at a', Figure 2; or
straight strips partially broken, as illustrated in Figure 5, may be
substituted to form the improved flued fire-lighter, but the single-headed
strip illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, when constructed with air passages
or draught flues, is the most desirable and economical construction.
The blocks or strips thus formed are saturated, impregnated, or coated
with an inflammable material, such as petroleum, rosin, or paraffine.
When rosin, which is solid at ordinary temperatures, is used, it should.
be made quite hot so as to penetrate the substance composing the
blocks, and thus secure a proper requisite saturation and impregnation,
care being exercised not to deposit too thick a coating on the outside, as
such would have a tendency to obstruct the air passages or draught
flues, and hence prevent the block from rapidly kindling by obstruct-
ing the free entrance of oxygen or air to the interior of or through
the block.
In order to facilitate the lighting of the block an igniting wick d,
formed of cotton waste or equivalent material, can be combined with
the fire-lighter, and may be inserted between two of the partitions of the
block before supplying the same with the inflammable material, the said
wick in this instance being held in place by the setting or solidification
of the saturating or impregnating inflammable agent employed.
The partitions of the air passages or draught flues should either or
both be of varying size, for the purpose of facilitating rapid ignition by
a torch or match when applied thereto, so as to ensure more certainty
of perfect ignition and gradual combustion, and further to present
a fire-lighter suitable for igniting fuel requiring different degrees of
heat.
The Inventor is aware that blocks of wood have heretofore been im-
pregnated with hydrocarbons for the purpose of securing ignition and
combustion of the same, and to effect such impregnation the said blocks
have been provided with a slit or slot, so that the hydrocarbon could
enter such slit and permeate the block. A block having such a single
slit for the conduct of hydrocarbons into the interior of the same does
not produce a fire-lighter capable of securing the results attained by this
Invention, from the fact that the block, not being supplied with draught

page_text: flues will burn principally on the outside, and hence the smouldering
without generating sufficient heat to ignite the fuel. These objections
are obviated by constructing the block according to this Invention with
a series of thin partitions to form a series of draught flues, the practical
result being ease of ignition and rapidity of combustion; and further
the said draught flues admit draught into or through the block for
supporting combustion, thereby generate an intense heat around and
through the flues, producing charcoal and a flame incapable of being
smothered, so that fuel applied thereto will be readily ignited.
Figure 6 represents a block formed with a series of elbow or L shaped
draught flues or air passages, the same being formed by boring openings
into two of the sides of the block, so as to coincide with each other;
and in Figure 7 is shown the block formed with a series of air passages
formed by cutting the same at an angle to each other, so as to form
passages radiating from one edge of the block, and also in connection
therewith providing parallel passages, as shown.
Having now described the nature and object of this Invention for
"Improvements in Fire-lighters," as communicated to me by my forcign
correspondent, and the means by which it may be effected, I hereby
declare that what I claim as this Invention, intended to be secured by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is as follows:-
First. A fire-lighter made from a block of wood, in which are a series
of openings constituting draught flues, created by thin partitions, for ad-
mitting the draught into or through the block to intensify the heat and
to obviate smothering of the flame.
Second. The combination in fire-lighters of a block possessing a head
or body with a series of partitions, to form a series of air passages or
draught flues saturated or impregnated with an inflammable material
agent.
Third. Manufacturing a fire-lighter of a block of wood combined with
draught flues or partitions varying in size for admitting draught into or
through the block for intensifying the heat and securing gradual com-
bustion and rapid ignition of the fire-lighter, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of an igniting wick with a fire-lighter con-
structed of a block of suitable material, having a series of draught

page_text: flues for admitting draught into or through the block, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Browne, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.