An Improved Non-phosphoric Composition for Producing Fire, especially Suitable for the Heads of Matches, Vestas, Fire and other Lighters, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Non-phosphoric Composition for Producing Fire,
especially Suitable for the Heads of Matches, Vestas, Fire and
other Lighters, and the like.
I, NARCISO TRUILLET, of Templarios No. 3, Barcelona, in the Kingdom of
Spain, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improved non-phosphoric composition or pre-
paration for producing fire and is especially applicable or suitable for the heads
of matches, fusees, vestas, pipe, fire and other lighters, and the like; and the
object of it is to obviate the injurious effects attendant upon the use of poisonous
phosphorus in the fire composition of such articles as above mentioned.
According to my invention the composition is prepared as follows, for a
quantity of 100 pounds:
In a suitable vessel I mix sixty (60) pounds of hyposulphite of antimony with
ten (10) pounds of a thick glue or gum solution, which latter may be advan-
tageously prepared from gelatine or from gum arabic. If this solution is made
with the gum arabic then five (5) pounds of the gum added to an equal weight
of water will make it, but if gelatine is used, four (4) pounds of gelatine intro-
duced into six (6) pounds of water will be about the right proportions; of course
to some extent the amount of gelatine to be added to the water must depend
upon the strength or quality of the former, some absorbing more water than
others, but the above proportions will give good results with good quality
materials.
The vessel in which the preparation is made may be of china, earthenware,
glass, metal or other suitable material, and, in the event of gum being used as
the binding material in my fire composition, the vessel may be employed cold,
but in the event of gelatine being used it will be found preferable to keep the
mixing vessel heated during the process to prevent the gelatine from setting.
After the hyposulphite of antimony is well mixed into the gum or glue solution,
thirty pounds of chlorate of potash in powder is added; stirring and incor-
porating it well until a uniform creamy or plastic mass is obtained. Colouring
matter such for instance as minium, vermillion, Prussian blue or other colouring
may now be added or not, according to requirements, and this completes the pre-
paration of the novel composition; the remainder of the process of match making
or whatever the article may be on which the composition is to be used, being
carried on in the usual way.
The chief novel agent in this preparation is the antimony-hyposulphite, and
it may be used in either a solid or liquid state or in solution and employed as
a body or principal compound, accidental or accessory, in any proportion, or
it may be re-actioned with any other substance, whatever may be the way, form
or manner that re-actions either on the potassium chlorate or on any other
bodies that may be contained in the mixture, and even if hyposulphite of
antimony forms the whole paste.

page_text: Of course this paste or composition being essentially non-phosphoric does not
contain phosphorus in any form, or any ingredient of a phosphoric nature, but
I may add that should phosphorus in some form or other be added to the in-
gredients herein before specified, whilst it might not destroy the efficacy of the
preparation, it would defeat the object of this invention and would be quite
unnecessary or superfluous.
Any suitable inert substance, such for instance as plaster or glass powder in
any proportion may be added to the composition to weaken the energy of the
explosion or combustion on ignition, if desirable.
Matches or other articles tipped with this composition will strike anywhere,
that is to say, on any sufficiently hard surface.
The preparation may after being applied to the match splint or other article,
be dipped in or coated with any suitable composition such for example as
paraffine wax to render it impervious to moisture and also to lessen the likelihood
of accidental ignition by either heat or friction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The composition or preparation for producing fire consisting of a mixture
of hyposulphite of antimony, chlorate of potash and a gum or glue solution and
with or without the addition of some inert substance, as and for the purposes
described.
2. In a composition or preparation for producing fire, hypo-sulphite of anti-
mony in any form, as and for the purpose described.
3. A match or other article for ignition purposes headed, capped, smeared
or otherwise provided with a composition for producing fire, the said composi
tion containing hyposulphite of antimony in any form, as described and set
forth.
Dated the 11th day of May 10.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings. Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.