AN IMPROVED FUSEE IGNITER FOR THE USE OF SMOKERS."
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Twigg, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FUSEE
IGNITER FOR THE USE OF SMOKERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Twigg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th March 1859.
1, GEORGE TWIGG, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
FUSEE IGNITER FOR THE USE OF SMOKERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a little apparatus for the pocket, which apparatus
forms a case and lighter for fusees. Its construction will be readily seen by
the accompanying sketch, in which the instrument is shewn by the black lines
as set for use, and by the red lines as at rest. (A) represents the outer casing
or box; (B), a spring retaining the serrated striker (c); this striker is
advanced by employing the nib (d), attached thereto by passing through a slot
in the edge of the box. A similar nib (e) passes through a quadrant slot in
the back of the box, and is then connected with the arm (f) bent at the one
end to forin a spring holder for the fusee (9); this arm is for the purpose of
advancing a sufficient length of the fusee for lighting by raising the nib (E);
the end of the fusee passes through the opening (h) on to the plate (7), and i
there retained. The third uib (k) is for the purpose of depressing the plate (7):

page_text: which working like a spring is turned up at the end to receive the serrated
end of the striker (c), as will be seen by the black lines. To light a fusee, the
nib must be pressed down, when the striker being thereby released, and the
serrated edge passing rapidly over the composition of the fusee, lights it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by tho said George Twigg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TWIGG, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said George Twigg, Her special license that I, the said
George Twigg, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Twigg, 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 FUSEE IGNITER FOR THE USE OF SMOKERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Goorge Twigg, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 Georgo Twigg, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in the construction of a small apparatus for the
pocket, which apparatus shall form a safe receptacle for fusees and also a
self-acting igniter, so that a person may be enabled to carry with him a largo

page_text: number of fusees in small compass, and can readily obtain a light under any
circumstances, without the annoyance of breaking the fusee or burning the
fingers. This will be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1 is an external view; Figure 2, an internal view;
and Figure 3; a plan of the top, illustrating one of the forms in which I
propose to make my fusee igniter. (A) represents the outer casing or box;
(B), a spring, holding back the serrated striker (C), which striker is capable
of being advanced against the action of the spring by force exerted on the
nib (D), which is connected with the spring by passing through a slot in the
edge of the box. A similar nib (E) passing through a quadrant slot (F) in the
side of the box, is attached to the piece (G), which is curved and bent up as
at (H), and thus forms a spring retainer for the fusee (I), keeping it in
position against the inside of the spring piece (K), the end of which at (L) is
turned up to catch the teeth of the striker (C), when the latter is advanced
sufficiently for the purpose. The adjustment of a sufficient length of the fusee
under the striker is effected by raising the nib (E), and thus forcing on to the
plate (M) a length of fusee equal to the traverse of the nib (E) in the slot (F),
the bent points of (C and L) having been hooked into each other over the end
of the fusee; the pressure of the finger is applied to the nib (N), releasing tho
striker (C), the teeth of which passing rapidly over the fusee, ignites it, and it
will then continue to burn as long as any portion of it remains out of the case.
It is not absolutely necessary that the end of the striker (C) should be serrated.
The teeth may be dispensed with, and the under side of the striker may bo
roughed similar to a file; or it may be provided with a pad of rough com-
position, that will answer equally well for igniting the fusee.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are views of an apparatus, a modification of that
already described, and of a circular form, in which the fusee is coiled up into
a box, with one end protruding as at (A). The small spring carrier (B) has
its supply nib (C) on the edge of the box, in which edge is also cut a slot the
length of the fusee required to be protruded; the striker (D) is in this case
fixed on the cap or lid of the case shewn detached at Figure 7, and which cap
or lid is free to revolve upon the pin (E), secured to the opposite plate or
bottom of the box, so that the operator holding the box in his left hand and
pressing upon the fusce with the forefinger upon the stud (F) to keep it in
position, with the right hand turns round the cap or lid sharply, at the same
time pressing the striker with the forefinger of the right hand, the rapid motion
of which ignites the fusee..
Figures 8 and 9 shew, upon an enlarged scale, a small contrivance for
readily securing together the parts of the box. The end of the vin (E) is

page_text: undercut to leave a slight collar at the top, over which only the larger of the
loops (G, G',) will pass; the plato (H) having been passed over the head of the
pin at the loop G¹, is slipped up to the loop (G), and turned about half round,
the broad side of the pin being opposite to the slot; in that position the plate
cannot detach itself from the pin, in fact it can only be removed by reversing
theso operations.
.
Figures 10, 11, and 12 shew another modification of my Invention, in
which, like that last described, the action is obtained by the cap or lid turning
upon a pin or arbor through the centre; in this instance two drums or
cylinders are employed, the inner one (A) being capable of motion on the
arbor (B), round which the coiled spring (C) works, the action of this
spring being checked by the small stud (d) on the periphery of the inner
drum, meeting the similar stud (E) on the bottom of the outer drum; the
inner drum moves with the cap or lid, a stud (f) on the latter engaging with
the stud (g) on the periphery of the inner drum. The fusee may be coiled
up inside the inner cylinder and round the spring, one end projecting through
the aperture (h) ready for lighting. In this form of igniter, the same motion
answers for the supply and also for the lighting of the fusee, but twice
repeated, the first bringing up the sufficient length of fusee, and the second
striking the light. The striker in this instance also is attached to the cap
or lid.
In the last two forms or modifications of the apparatus, I propose also to
employ, in place of the serrated strikers, strikers furnished with roughened
ends, or with rough composition, as before alluded to in form No. 1.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to these precise details, as the same will admit of variation;
but that which I claim is, the Invention of an improved fusee igniter, either
in the forms shewn or in any merely modified form of the same ideas,
substantially as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Twigg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
GEORGE TWIGG. (LS.)