IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Marriott, of Hull, in the County of
York, Colour Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS."
Sealed the 19th August 1853, and dated the 21st May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Marriott at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st May 1853.
1, GEORGE MARRIOTT, of Hull, in the County of York, Colour Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS" to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of certain preparations of combustible mate-
rials combined, and moulded into suitable forms, to be applied in
lighting household and other fires.
And that the same may be the more readily understood and per-
formed I will proceed to describe the method I usually pursue in such
manufacture.

page_text: I first prepare a composition, formed by mixing eighteen pounds of
rosin oil, and any other like fixed oil, with forty-eight pounds of tar,
which I afterwards wash with lime water to free it from impurities. I
then boil thirty-three pounds of this composition in a cast iron or other
vessel to drive off any remaining water, and add sixty-six pounds of
rosin, and, when melted, I combine with it charcoal, by by stirring,
and it is then in a state fit for moulding into any required shape. I
sometimes add to the first-named composition of rosin and oil the
dregs of sugar or molasses, or the settlings obtained in distilling
naptha or turpentine, also animal fats, along with charcoal in a
roughly divided state, to which I sometimes add the nitrate of potash,
chopped shavings of wood, seperated woody fibre, or furze.
I would observe, that although I have described one precise method
of proceedure in the manufacture of my fire lighters, I do not restrict
myself to the exact proportions given, or to the entire use of all the
ingredients specified, the combination of which may be considerably
modified; neither do I restrict myself to any particular form of the
fire lighters, though I prefer generally to make them of an oblong
narrow figure for easier division and use in lighting fires. Neither do I
confine myself to any particular kind of moulds or machinery, as I only
require the employment of such as are in common use. And I do
declare that what I claim as my Invention is,-
The peculiar compositions for manufacturing fire lighters, as
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Marriott in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 21st November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1,
GEORGE MARRIOTT, of Hull, in the County of York, Colour Manufac
turer, send greeting.
_ WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the

page_text: sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto ine, the said George Marriott, Her special. licence
that I, the said George Marriott, 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 THE MANUFACTURE
OF FIRE LIGHTERS," upon, the condition (amongst others) that, I, the
said George Marriott, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
scal, 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 George Marriott, 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:-
My Invention consists of certain preparations of combustible mate-
terials combined, and moulded into suitable forms;-to-be-applied-in
lighting household and other fires:
And that the manufacture of the same may be more readily under-
stood and performed I will now proceed to describe the method I
usually pursue.
I first prepare a composition, formed by mixing eighteen pounds of
rosin oil, or any other like fixed oil, with forty-eight pounds of tar,
which I afterwards wash with lime water to free it from impurities.
I next proceed to boil thirty-three pounds of this composition in a
cast iron or other suitable vessel to drive off any remaining water:
sixty-six pounds of rosin are then to be added, and, when melted, I
combine with it charcoal, by stirring, and the preparation is then in
a state fit for moulding into any required shape. I sometimes add to
the first-named composition of rosin oil and tar the dregs of sugar or
molasses, or the settlings obtained in distilling naptha or turpentine,

page_text: also animal fats, tar, pitch, or like suitable substances, along with char-
coal in a roughly divided state, to which I occasionally add the nitrate
of potash, chopped shavings of wood, separated woody fibre, or furze.
I would observe, that although I have described precisely one method
of proceedure in the manufacture of my fire lighters, I do not restrict
myself to the exact proportions given, or to the entire use of all the
ingredients specified, the combination and proportions of which may
be considerably modified; neither do I limit myself to any particular
form of the fire lighters, although I prefer generally to make them
of an oblong or narrow figure for easier division and use in lighting
fires, nor to any particular kind of moulds or machinery, as I only
require the employment of presses already in use. And I do declare
that what I claim as my Invention is, namely,―
The peculiar compositions for manufacturing fire lighters, as
described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said George Marriott, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of November, in
the year of our Lord 1853.