MENTS IN LIGHTING FIRES AND ECONOMISING FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wadsworth, of Bromley Street, in the
City of Manchester, Machinist, for the Invention of
MENTS IN LIGHTING FIRES AND ECONOMISING FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR."
Sealed the 2nd October 1869, and dated the 10th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Wadsworth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th April 1869.
I, JAMES WADSWORTH, of Bromley Street, in the City of Manchester,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN LIGHTING FIRES AND ECONOMISING FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a ready and certain method of lighting fires,
the apparatus used being also applicable for boiling or cooking when a
fire is not otherwise needed, and consists in constructing an open ended
sheet or cast-iron casing of any suitable shape having holes formed near
its lower end, through which a portion of the chips used for lighting the

page_text: fire are passed so as to form a grid or support for other chips or other
igniting material upon which the coals are placed, such coals being used
by preference in small pieces. I also form other holes or slots in the
casing for the admission of air.
This apparatus or casing is of less area than the fire-place, and is
placed in the fire-place when used, and other coals may be placed round
the outside of the casing, so that when the fuel within it has become
kindled it falls down into the fire-place and allows the apparatus to be
lifted out, leaving the kindled fuel within the fire-place. The upper edge
of the casing may be formed of any suitable shape to allow the flame to
escape when such casing is used for boiling or cooking purposes, in which
case the pan or kettle rests upon the upper edge of such casing.
This apparatus may also be made wholly or in part of fire-clay,
plumbago, or any other suitable material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Wadsworth in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WADSWORTH, of Bromley Street, in the City of Manchester, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of April, in the
in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Wadsworth, Her special licence
that I, the said James Wadsworth, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Wadsworth, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LIGHTING FIRES AND ECONOMISING FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR," upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Wadsworth, by
an instrument in writing 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 im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Wadsworth, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
This Invention relates to a ready and certain method of lighting fires,
the apparatus used being also applicable for boiling or cooking when a
fire is not otherwise needed, and consists in constructing an open ended
sheet or cast-iron casing of any suitable shape having holes formed near
its lower end, through which a portion of the chips used for lighting the
fire are passed so as to form a grid or support for other chips or other
igniting material upon which the coals are placed, such coals being used
by preference in small pieces. I also form other holes or slots in the
casing for the admission of air.
This apparatus or casing is of less area than the fire-place, and is
placed in the fire-place when used, and other coals may be placed round
the outside of the casing, so that when the fuel within it has become
kindled it falls down into the fire-place and allows the apparatus to be
lifted out, leaving the kindled fuel within the fire-place. The upper
edge of the casing may be formed of any suitable shape to allow the
flame to escape when such casing is used for boiling or cooking purposes,
in which case the pan or kettle rests upon the upper edge of such
casing.
This apparatus may also be made wholly or in part of fire-clay, plum-
bago, or any other suitable material.
In order that this my said Invention may be the more readily seen
and understood, I have hereunto annexed a Drawing illustrative of my
apparatus.
Fig. 1 is a side exterior view; Fig. 2 a side sectional view, and Fig. 3
a plan of my improved apparatus for lighting fires and economising fuel

page_text: drawn about full size; Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of the same
drawn to a scale of about half size. Similar letters being used to denote
similar parts in all the views.
A represents a rectangular casing or frame open at the top and bottom,
and provided with a saucepan handle B (shewn broken off in the
Drawing) by means of which handle the casing is lifted and carried from
place to place. In the two sides of such casing are formed holes C
arranged by preference in a pyramid form as illustrated. Through the
holes C the chips or sticks D are passed so as to rest in such holes at
either end, and thus to form a grid or grating upon which the coals E or
other igniting material may be placed. In the other two sides or ends
of the casing A are formed other holes G for the admission of air. The
upper edge of such casing is cut away, as illustrated at H, in order that
the flame may escape when a saucepan or kettle is placed upon the top
of such casing.
The manner of using this apparatus may be thus described :-The
chips and fuel being placed and arranged within the casing A as
illustrated and herein-before described, all that is necessary is to ignite
the bottom layer of chips either by means of ignited paper or by holding
the casing over a gas or other light, and when ignited to place such
casing in the fire-place, filling up the fire-place round the outside of the
apparatus with coals, or it may be lighted after being placed in the fire-
place. In a short time the fuel in the apparatus will become kindled
and fall down, the apparatus may then be lifted out, leaving the kindled
fuel within the fire-place. For boiling a kettle or saucepan it is only
necessary to place it upon the top of such apparatus.
Although the Drawing illustrates the apparatus in a rectangular form,
it will be readily understood that it may be cylindrical, oval, or any
other shape, as its object is to form a rack or support for the chips and
coal used, and at the same time to keep a proper distance between such
chips and coal so as to allow space for the flame to pass freely between
such chips and coal, and thus to ensure certainty in lighting fires and to
provide a ready heating medium for boiling or cooking. The upper edge
of the apparatus may be serrated, vandyked, or otherwise ornamented
instead of being cut away as illustrated so long as sufficient area is left
for the escape of the flame and products of combustion, and to produce
a proper draught when a pan or kettle is placed upon it.
By using this apparatus a great saving of time is effected in lighting

page_text: fires, and the operation is performed with less igniting material and with
absolute certainty, whilst for cooking or boiling purposes when a fire is
not otherwise needed it forms an economical fire just sufficient for the
purpose.
The casing may be constructed of sheet or cast iron, or of fire-clay,
plumbago, or any other suitable material.
Having thus particularly described and illustrated my improvements,
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details, relative proportions, or dimensions illustrated in the
Drawing, as the same may be considerably varied without departing from
the Invention, but what I claim is, constructing apparatus for lighting
fires and economising fuel, substantially as and for the purposes described
and illustrated in the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Wadsworth, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine
Witness,
0 JOHN G. WILSON,
Patent Agent,
1, Market Place,
Manchester.
JAMES (L.s.) WADSWORTH.