IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR TEMPORARY FIRES OR HEATERS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Templeman, of the City of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Artificial Fuel Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS,
APPLICABLE ALSO FOR TEMPORARY FIRES OR HEATERS, AND IN THE MEANS OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Templeman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th November 1867.
I. JAMES TEMPLEMAN. of the City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain. Artificial Fuel Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-
LIGHTERS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR TEMPORARY FIRES OR HEATERS, AND IN THE MEANS
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows. that is to say:
This said Invention has for its object the manufacture of fire-lighters, also
applicable for temporary cooking or other heating purposes, in a new or
improved manner, combining greater advantages in the certainty and constancy
of combustion with cleanliness and cheapness than has been done heretofore,
and it consists mainly in using the materials such as wood sawdust, spent
ground dyewood, or finely ground or crushed coal, or other cheap vegetable or
[Price 8d.]

page_text: combustible mineral substance as a body in a finely ground or granular and
dry state, mixed with a proportion of ground or pulverized pitch or rosin, or
with the tarry or oily residues left in the refining distillating or treatment of
mineral oils in a liquid or semi-liquid state, as the essential combustible
matter in the lighters, either mixed respectively any one with the other or a
mixture of any two or more of them. The mixture so made being filled into
moulds and compressed from this dry or semi-dry state by powerful lever,
screw, or hydrostatic presses into hard solid blocks of various sizes and
thicknesses to suit for small or large fires, and being made hollow or with
large holes through them, and by preference also formed with lateral
serrated or recessed edges on their upper and under edges, all to assist the
conducting of the air to the points or surfaces burning to ensure steady and
constant combustion without study or arrangement on the part of the person
using the fire-lighters. The forms preferred are that of annular rings either
with or without radial arms across the holes, having their upper and lower
sides formed with radial undulating or angular ridges and hollows, which
hollows and projections may be formed star-like round the outer and inner
edges when desired, which recesses will admit air to support its combustion
however flat the bottom of the grate or coal on which the fire-lighter is
placed, or however closely it may chance to be packed in the fire or fuel to
be kindled or lighted. The form and construction of one of the moulds
preferred for compressing the said blocks or forms of fire-lighter is as
follows: The outer case is formed of an annular block of metal, by preference
of malleable cast iron, of a height sufficient to contain the quantity of the
loose granular mixture required to be compressed into the particular size
desired of the thin hard ring or block forming the finished fire-lighter; a core
piece projects up in the centre of the said outer case or mould of the same
diameter as the hole to be formed in the centre of the fire-lighter, having as
many radial slots formed down through it as there are arms to be formed
across the eye or hole in the fire-lighter. This core piece may either be
made portable and removable, or be formed in one piece with the body of
the mould, but the parts or ends of the mould forming the upper and lower
surface of the compressed annular fire-lighters (which may either be flat or
serrated in an angular notched form on these surfaces, the latter ridged or
pointed form being preferred) are made loose and detached so as to be
removed with the compressed blocks. In proceeding to form a block, the
lower end ring having its upper surface formed of the shape desired to be
given to the under surface of the compressed block is dropped into the
annular space and cross slopes of the mould and core piece to the bottom;

page_text: the space above it is then filled with any of the soft granular dry or semi-dry
mixtures before described to the top or nearly so of the mould, and the loose
top end or ring of the mould (with the under side formed in the manner
which it is desired to form the compressed block) is then inserted on the top
of the loose materials so filled in. Sets of moulds so prepared and filled are
then placed in rows on the flat plate of the press below short pressing blocks
or plungers, which come down or enter into each mould by the action of the
press, so as to compress the lighters to the desired hardness. The reversing
of the press then withdraws the pressing blocks from the moulds, when each
mould is then free to be removed and the compressed fire-lighter withdrawn
from it along with the loose rings forming the upper and lower ends of the
moulds; or otherwise the moulds may all be fixed to the table of the press,
and a forcing action from below the table made to force out the compressed
blocks and loose ends by rows of pins, two passing up into each mould; the
blocks so formed and pressed out are then packed up into parcels ready for
the consumer's use. When it is desired to give a harder and tougher skiu
or surface to the outer surface of the compressed blocks, a portion of the
pitchy or resinous material may be sprinkled into the bottom of the mould
before filling in the great body of the mixture, and then again a layer at the
top before putting on the top ring or end of the mould; and further when
desired the ends or whole body of the moulds may be heated or kept hot (to
about from 300° or 400° Fahrenheit) while compressing the mixture.
forming the mixture it is preferred to use materials as free from damp as
possible, and also with as little impure or disagreeable smell as possible; and
although it is preferred to mix them all in a dry ground state without the
extra labour and expense of heating them, yet still the substance may be
mixed in a heated state when desired, and when tar or other semi-liquid
material is employed to mix with the more solid materials forming the main
body of the fire-lighters, either or both materials of the mixture may be
heated sufficiently to secure the thorough moistening and mixing of the whole:
and the proportions of coal-tar pitch with the veneer sawdust preferred is
from one-fourth to one-half of the whole, and of rosin when it is used of from
one-sixth to one-third, or in such proportions that the whole would burn
without the rich pitchy resinous or oily inflammable melting matters running
off to waste without being burned. The blocks might also be compressed in
the new or improved hard form and manner described out of the granular
wood saw-dust, coal, or other substance composing the body of the fire-lighters,
and then subsequently be dipped or coated with the pitchy or other resinous
substance employed for causing their combustion. Although the blocks
In

page_text: have been described as compressed into the form of hard open rings, yet it
will be evident they could be compressed into many other forms, such as
polygonal or rectangular, or even in straight thin corrugated or angularly
ridged hard blocks, when desired with nearly equal advantages in their use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Templeman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th May, 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
TEMPLEMAN, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Artificial Fuel Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said James Templeman, Her special licence that I, the said James
Templeman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said James Templeman, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR
TEMPORARY FIRES OR HEATERS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Templeman, 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 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Templeman, 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
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and numerals marked thereon, that is
to say:-

page_text: My said Invention has for its object the manufacture of fire-lighters and
fire "revivers," also applicable for temporary cooking or other heating purposes,
in a new or improved manner, combining greater advantages in the certainty
and constancy of their combustion, cleanliness, and cheapness than has been
done heretofore, and consists mainly in using the materials such as wood
sawdust, "spent" ground dyewoods, or finely ground or crushed coal, or other
cheap vegetable or combustible mineral substance as a body, in a finely ground
or granular and dry state, mixed with a proportion of ground or pulverized
mineral or vegetable pitch, or ground rosin, or other cheap resin, or with
those tarry or oily residues left in the refining, distillation, or treatment of
mineral or vegetable oils in a liquid or semi-liquid state, which are free from
disagreeable smell, and do not volatilize at low temperatures, as the richer or
essential combustible matters to the said body materials composing the fire-
lighters when finished, any one, two, or more of the first body materials being
mixed respectively with any one, two or more of the second or richer materials
by preference generally in greater or equal proportions, as varying from five-
sixths to equal parts, or in some cases when the resinous or richer materials
The mixture so
were cheap a greater proportion of these might be used.
made is then filled into deep moulds, either heated or not as desired, and
compressed in this dry or semi-dry state by powerful lever, screw, or hydrostatic
presses into thin hard solid blocks of various sizes and thicknesses to suit for
general consumption or use in small or large fires, the whole mould being
filled with one medium mixture, or as by preference, with a layer at the top
and the bottom of a richer mixture of say equal parts, with the central part of
a medium or poorer mixture with pitch or only a little resin in its composition,
which would ensure the quick ignition and constant burning of the block and
the heating of the centre before it required to burn. These blocks are
preferred to be made of a hollow form or with large holes through them, and
having either plain surfaces or serrated or recessed sides, or it may be both
when desired, to prevent their being too closely packed or put out when once
lighted, and assist in conducting the air to the ignited parts, and thus spread
the flame over all the surfaces, so as to ensure steady burning of the whole to
the last, and the thorough lighting of the main fuel and fire without study or
arrangement on the part of the person using the fire-lighters.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood and
performed, I shall now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on
the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for that
purpose, the same reference letters indicating the same or corresponding parts
in all the Figures and modifications.

page_text: Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections of a cylindrical mould taken at right
angles to each other on the lines 1-1 and 2-2 in Figure 3, shown complete
as filled with the mixture all ready for being pressed into one form of hard
block or fire-lighter within the mould by any powerful press, in accordance
with and illustrative of one modification and means of performing my said
Invention; and Figure 3 is a plan of the same corresponding to Figure 1 with
the top end pressing plate removed.
Figures 4 and 5 are a transverse section and plan respectively of a fire-
lighter in accordance with one modification of my said Invention as formed in
the mould shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Figure 6 is a plan of a mould much similar to that shown in Figure 3 for
making the upper and lower surfaces and perimeter of the fire-lighters made
in it with angular grooves and projections, as shown in elevation and plan in
Figures 7 and 8 respectively, all in accordance with my said Invention..
Figures 9 and 10 are a transverse section and plan respectively of a plain
annular form of fire-lighter as formed in a mould similar to that shown in
Figures 1, 2, and 3, but having a cylindrical core piece, so as to have no cross
arms, as shown in Figures 5 and 8, showing a modification of my Invention.
Figure 11 is a vertical section taken on the line 1-1 in Figure 12 of a
rectangular mould, shown as filled with the mixture, and having the lower
and upper shaping and pressing plates in position all ready for pressing the
fire-lighters into the form of a hard rectangular cake grooved across the upper
and lower surfaces, so as to be easily broken into six elliptical oblong fire-
lighters ready for use, two of which are made at one compressing in two
compartments of the mould, as shown in the plan view, Figure 12, corre-
sponding to Figure 11, with the bottom pressing plate in one compartment
ready for being filled, and the other filled ready for being compressed with
mixtures to form the fire-lighters, all illustrative of my said Invention.
Figures 13 and 14 are an edge and side view of a block of fire-lighters as
formed and compressed in the mould shown in Figures 11 and 12; and
Figures 15 and 16 are an edge and side view of a compressed block or cake
of fire-lighters with alternate large and small "flat-sided" or angular grooves
across, as formed by upper and lower pressing blocks of a corresponding shape,
and different from those shown in the mould, Figures 11 and 12 of my said
Invention.
Figures 17 and 18 are an end and side view of a single fire-lighter shown
as broken off from a block or cake such as shown in Figures 14 and 16
respectively, ready for use, illustrative of one modification of my said
Invention.

page_text: Referring to Figures 1 to 10, one general form of the finished or compressed
fire-lighters preferred is that of thin flat rings A (Figures 9 and 10) or A¹
(Figures 4 and 5) either with or without a central arm or arms, as a¹, across
the hole a respectively, and having their upper and lower sides in some cases
formed with radial undulating or angular ridges and hollows a², which hollows
and projections may be formed serrated or star-like at a round the outer
perimeter, as shown at A3, Figures 7 and 8, and on the inner edge of the
central hole when that is desired, which hollow centres a and angled recesses
as, a", admit air to support the combustion of the fire-lighter however flat the
bottom of the grate or coal on which it is placed, or however closely it may
chance to be packed or embedded in the main fuel of the fire to be kindled or
lighted. The form and construction of mould preferred for compressing the
said blocks or forms of fire-lighters A' consists of an outer annular block or
case B of metal, by preference made of malleable cast iron, of a depth or
height sufficient to contain the quantity of loose granular mixture C required
to compress the particular size, thickness, and hardness of ring or finished
fire-lighter desired. A cylindrical core piece D is fixed or formed loose, so as
to project up in the centre of the outer case B of the mould, of the same
diameter as the hole a, to be formed in the centre of the fire-lighter, as a in A
of Figure 10, and having as many radial slots d formed down through it as
there are arms a¹ to be formed across the eye or hole a, as shown in the fire-
lighter A', Figure 5. The core piece D may either be made portable and
removable, or fixed to or formed in one piece with the body B of the mould,
but as shown in the Figures it is fixed into a small annular recess in the under
and inner edge at b of the case B. The bottom and top ends of the mould
and surfaces of the compressed block or fire-lighter to be compressed are
formed by the loose or "false" lower and upper pressing blocks or plates E
and E of the same superficial shape as the hollow annular fire-lighter, as seen
in Figure 5. and having their inner or upper and lower faces plain or radially
recessed and ridged respectively, according as the flat or recessed form of
lighter A or A3, Figures 5 or 8. is to be compressed.
In proceeding to form a block or fire-lighter A¹, Figures 4 and 5, and
referring more particularly to Figure 1, the lower pressing end E is dropped
into the bottom of the mould, so as to rest on the lower part d' of the core
piece D, or other equivalent projection across the hollow annular part of the
mould, which is then filled up to the top with one of the mixed and prepared
loose materials, either of one uniform mixture (such as two or three parts of
dry veneer sawdust or other ground wood before named to one of ground
rosin), or having a thin layer c first put into the mould of a richer mixture

page_text: (such as two parts of rosin to one of sawdust), or in such proportions that the
whole would burn without the rich resinous matter melting or running to
waste, and then a greater layer C¹ in the centre of a cheaper mixture (as five
parts of the sawdust to one of rosin), and then a similar layer c¹ at the top to
that at the bottom, then on the top of the loose mixture thus filled in the
upper pressing end or plate E' is inserted into the annular and open part of
the mould, as shown at Figure 1, all ready for being pressed down with great
force by any ordinary strong lever, screw, or hydrostatic press; one, two, or
more moulds so filled being pressed at once by placing them on the table of
the press, to which or a portable plate for the purpose they may be fixed by
the corner flanges B' at the bottom of the mould by eccentric catch levers or
other equivalent simple locking and unlocking catches; the upper part of the
press having a short pressing block or plunger attached to it of the same
shape as the interior of and above each mould, indicated by the dotted lines F,
which enters it as the top end or lid E' is pressed down by the action of the
press to the lowest position with sufficient force to make the fire-lighter so hard,
close, and tough (by pressure alone) as to form a cake or block capable of resisting
the absorption of damp and breakage by and during the ordinary use in packing,
transit, and keeping to which they are necessarily subject without material
injury or loss, as indicated pressed down in this form and manner in Figure 2,
and shown as detached and finished in Figures 4 and 5. When the fire-
lighters of the set of moulds are thus compressed the back action of the press
may be made to insert two prongs, as indicated by dotted lines at G, up
through the table of the press, or the portable plate on which they may be
fixed, and the openings in the lower end flange of the core piece D, so as
to push out the lower and upper pressing ends E and E, and the compressed
and finished fire-lighter A' between them to the top of each mould, from
which they are then removed by hand. The portable plate on which the set
of moulds are fixed, when such is used, or the individual moulds may be
removed from the press when compressel only to lighter lever, or other press
or table with an arrangement of pins or other equivalents, which could be
forced into the moulds to remove the pressing end blocks and pressed fire-
lighter, and clear the moulds ready for the refilling and stove heating if such
was desired, all while the powerful press was compressing the fire-lighters of
another set of moulds.. In forming the mixture or mixtures to fill the moulds
with, it is preferred to use materials as free from damp as possible, and in
some cases to stove dry them before mixing, and to have them also as free
from smell or volatilization at atmospheric temperatures as possible; and
although I prefer to mix them all in a dry ground state without the extra

page_text: labor and expense of heating them, yet still the substance may be heated
before or while being mixed when desired; and when coal tar or other pitchy
or oily material is used I prefer to mix it with veneer sawdust or other
equivalent as before named, in the proportion of from one-sixth to one-half
of the whole mixture according to their burning qualities, and I confine these
and such mixtures to the main body of the fire-lighter, as at C¹ in Figures 1
and 4, and that they should always have an outer thickness or coating as
at c, c', outside or over the other C¹ of a richer resinous mixture or com-
position, as before described, or the outer coating or composition may be put
on by dipping the compressed fire-lighter into a vessel of melted rosin, and
then dipped or rolled in sawdust for the purpose of giving the blocks or
lighter A' a tougher skin, particularly also to increase their igniting qualities,
so that they may be readily lighted and continue to burn rapidly until quite
consumed.
In some cases when it is desired to form the said tough hard fire-lighters
out of the dry granular mixture within the moulds by less pressure than could
be done without heat, as heretofore described, the desired proportion of the
materials, as before stated, may be heated after being mixed, either before or
after being put into the mould (to about 300° to 400° Fahrenheit), as by
putting the filled moulds into an oven so as to melt the pitchy or resinous
materials without burning them or the sawdust or "body" materials, or the
mixed materials heated before or while being mixed, as before described.
may be put into the moulds in ovens or otherwise. In this heated state the
materials are much more easily compressed into a dense form in the mould,
and when thus compressed and removed with their upper and lower com-
pressing plates E, E¹. which are then removed from the compressed block
after they have cooled. by and at the moment of a reheating on a very hot
plate, without breaking or injuring the fire-lighters, which are then finished
ready for packing, storing, and use. Fire-lighters, such as A' in Figures 4
and 5, may be made with radial grooves on their upper or lower sides, or on
both sides. as shown at a in Figures 7 and 8, in the same moulds and by the
same means as described and shown in reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, in
reference to making these flat sided blocks. Figures 4 and 5. by simply
making the inner pressing and shaping surface of the corresponding upper or
lower or both end pressing blocks E, E, of a corresponding reverse shape to
that desired to be given to the particular surface of the fire-lighter; and when
it is desired to form the perimeter of the fire-lighter with serrated surfaces, as
at a in Figures 7 and 8, then the inner circumference or perimeter of the
mould B must be grooved vertically to correspond, as shown at b" in

page_text: Figure 6, to correspond, as also the perimeter or edges of the upper and lower
pressing blocks E, E', which by the same means as herein-before more fully
described in reference to Figures. 1 to 5 would in the mould shown in
Figure 6 compress and make the improved form and construction of fire-
lighters indicated at A2 in Figures 7 and 8.
Although in describing my new or improved mode of making fire-lighters
with openings through them of a hard tough nature by great pressure from
granulated, dry, or semi-resinous or pitchy materials, I have only shown and
described them as of a circular or annular form, that being the simplest and
strongest form of mould, yet still it will be evident that they can be made
with nearly all the advantages of an open rectangular, triangular, or
hexagonal shape or form, substantially in the same manner when desired, by
having the moulds B, cores D, and end-pressing blocks E of a corresponding
shape respectively.
Although I prefer the open form of individual blocks or fire-lighters herein-
before described, still many other good forms may be made in accordance with
my said improvements which would give nearly equivalent advantages to them
in their use; two of the simplest forms or modifications of these which I
consider very good are those shown in Figures 13, 14, and 15, 16, which consist
of thin hard pressed rectangular blocks as A³, A', respectively. That of A³ is
formed with deep curved or elliptical ridges and sharp grooves as at a³, a¹¹,
across each side, which while they leave the blocks or capes A³ strong enough
to resist breakage in packing and transit, enables them to be easily broken
into elliptical bars or small single lighters at the angles a, as shown in
Figure 17, ready for use; and that of A' with alternate shallow and deep
angled grooves across its upper and lower sides enables those thus formed to
be broken at every second groove into single fire-lighters ready for use, as
shown in Figure 18; this form having a groove a along the centre of each
side, which leaves it somewhat opener for air and circulation than that shown
in Figure 17; neither being flat on their sides, however, makes it difficult to
pack them so close in the coals of a fire that they will not burn and kindle
the fire if once lighted.
Referring to Figures 11 and 12, the fire-lighters as shown at A3, Figures
13 and 14, are compressed in this arrangement of mould B two at a time,
one in each compartment b, b, of an oblong rectangular shape formed by the
central division B" of the nearly square box or mould B, which is preferred
to be as hot as it can well be handled by the two snugs or handles B2; a
lower plate E is dropped into each mould b', b, so as rest on the projec-
tions, with its shaping and pressing face up, as seen in the empty

page_text: compartment 62, Figure 12, and then the dry mixed material, either hot or
cold, is then filled into both moulds up to the top, as shown at C' in the com-
partments band ', Figures 11 and 12 respectively, in which latter Figure
the upper pressing block E' is shown as pressed down slightly by the hand,
which is done to both compartments after being filled; the mould B is then
ready for removal to the press, the upper part of which has two rectangular
plungers as indicated by the dotted lines F, which come down on each upper
pressing block E¹, so as to press it down to about the position indicated by the
dotted curved lines a, a, in Figure 11, or until the granular mixture is pressed
as hard and dense as desired for the particular distance, trade, and purposes
where the fire-lighters are to be sent and used. In this case the mixture C¹
is shown of one uniform medium mixture throughout of two or three parts of
sawdust to one of ground rosin, mixed dry and put into the mould cold, with
the mould B and its four pressing plates E. E', by preference hot from an
oven or hot plate, to which it is by preference returned for a short time to
heat and soften the mixture before removing the mould to the press to com-
press and form the blocks of fire-lighters A", which is done and removed, all
substantially as described in reference to the former modification described in
reference to Figures 1 to 10; the snugs B₁ of the mould B serving also to
hold it in proper position ou the plate of the press. The blocks of fire-
lighters shown at A. Figures 15 and 16, are made in the moulds B,
Figures 11 and 12, in all respects the same as described in reference to the
blocks A, except that the inside shaping surfaces of the upper and lower
pressing blocks E' and E are made to suit the shape of the upper and lower
surfaces of the fire-lighter A to be made, and in
simple form of fire-lighter may be made of the size
mould by having the upper and lower plates E. E
surface desired to be given to such fire-lighters.
also made in such moulds by the use of two flat faced pressing plates E. E¹.
so as to form a thin. hard. tough, flat cake out of the granular mixtures, and
having numerous slots formed nearly quite across the upper pressing plate, so
that a series of sharp blades or knives could be brought down through these
slots after the block was formed, so as to cut it through or nearly so, either
quite across or at intervals, so that the whole block would be divided into
strips, which could be easily broken off so as to be used as single small fire-
lighters, as described in reference to Figures 17 and 18: one, two, or other
number of which single fire-lighters, as well as those shown in Figures 5, 8,
and 10, could be used to kindle a fire according to its size and the despatch
desired in the particular cases.
like manner any other
of the compartment of
to suit the shape of
A simple form might be

page_text: Any of the various forms of hard pressed blocks or fire-lighters, as A, A,
A2, A3, A4, herein described, may be made out of sawdust, or a mixture of
that or other equivalent with a little oily, tarry, or resinous matter (the great
pressure applied to these blocks rendering less of the resinous material
necessary), and when hot from the mould, or sufficiently heated afterwards for
the purpose, can be coated by rolling them in or sprinkling them with ground
rosin, or a rich mixture of that and sawdust, or other resinous substance, or
whether these blocks are cold or heated they can be dipped into melted rosin
or other rich burning and cheap resinous matter, or into a solution of those in
vegetable or mineral naptha or other solvent, and finally dusted or not as
desired with sawdust or "spent " ground dyewood, any of which modes would
make a most efficient fire-lighter, which would heat the central parts so as to
ensure its burning to the last, and thereby quickly and thoroughly lighting
the fire.
Having thus particularly described the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner of performing the same. I may observe in conclusion that I
neither restrict myself to nor claim the use of the particular materials or
substances, or their precise admixture or modes of mixing which I have had
occasion to describe by themselves individually or separately without the
application of pressure thereto, and the other means and apparatus employed
therefor, as these may to a considerable extent have been practised heretofore
in the manufacture of fire-lighters without interfering with the main and
essential features of my said Invention; but what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The manufacture of compressed, hard, rough fire-lighters, with
granular, dry, combustible body matters, and resinous or pitchy material
combined as a whole generally, and their use substantially in the new or
improved manner herein described and shown in the accompanying Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The manufacture of compressed, hard, tough fire-lighters of a
hollow or grooved form or construction with granular, dry, combustible body
matters, and resinous or pitchy material combined, substantially in the new
or improved manner herein described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Third. The construction and use of moulds for the compressing of fire-
lighters, and that of the loose lower and upper pressing plates or ends of the
same for the purpose of removal therefrom along with the compressed fire-
lighters, all substantially in the new or improved manner herein described

page_text: and shown In
thereof.
accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
In witness whereof, I, the said James Templeman, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
20, Buchanan Street,
Glasgow.
JAMES TEMPLEMAN. (L.S.)