IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE, OF FIRELIGHTERS AND FUEL BLOCKS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Templeman, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Artificial Fuel Manufacturer. for an Invention of “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE, OF FIRELIGHTERS AND FUEL BLOCKS, AND IN
MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
"J
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Templeman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August 1883.
"
JAMES TEMPLEMAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Artificial Fuel Manufacturer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-
LIGHTERS AND FUEL BLOCKS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
This Invention has for its object the more advantageous, economical, and
complete carrying out of the Invention described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to the present applicant and dated 15 November 1867, (N° 3244);
the combustible materials and combinations being the same, as those particularised
in the said Specification and the manufacturing processes being generally similar;
whilst the present Invention comprises important improvements in the firelighters
and fuel blocks themselves and in the apparatus employed in their manufacture.
In carrying out the Invention according to one modification common rosin is by
special grinding apparatus reduced to a powdered condition, and is mixed with
sawdust or other materials which have been previously desiccated. The mixture is
filled into moulds of special construction and forms; and after the moulds with
their contents have been heated to render the material sufficiently soft or plastic
pressure is applied to consolidate the blocks and to subsequently remove them from
the moulds. The improved moulds may be shaped or adapted to make blocks of
existing or known forms but are by preference such as to produce novel and
improved forms designed to facilitate the ignition of the blocks, and to cause their
combustion to proceed with certainty and in a manner to very satisfactorily secure
the object in view.
In the improved rosin grinding apparatus there are arranged in a vertical
cylindrical casing two horizontal disks of castiron or other suitable metal, the lower

page_text: one being stationary and the upper one being turned by means of a vertical shaft.
Both disks are made like gratings or with holes through them of any suitable form
such holes being by preference wider at the under than at the upper sides of the
disks; and to the top of the upper disk there are fixed by casting in the disk or
otherwise a number of cutters projecting upwards and which as the disk rotates 5
pass through grooves or between projections upon a stationary piece or pieces fixed
to the casing. On the top of the lower disk there is fixed a plate of comparatively
thin metal having small holes or perforations through it. The rosin to be ground
is put into the upper part of the casing and being first roughly broken up by the
cutters on the upper side of the upper disk finds its way down through the openings 1
in that disk and is reduced to sufficient fineness between the under side of the
upper disk and the perforated plate of the lower disk; and passing through the
perforations and openings in the lower disk is discharged from the lower part of
the casing. The lower disk may be made with such perforations as to dispense
with the perforated plate; and either or both disks may be made or built up of 1
segments or other separate pieces. The disks or either of them may be made
convex or conical, and cutters in addition to or instead of those on the upper disk
may be fixed to the shaft at different heights, suitable stationary projections or
pieces being fixed in the casing to hold the lumps of rosin against the cutters.
Instead of the casing being entirely cylindrical the upper part may be shaped like 2
a hopper, and the lower part may have a conical or convex form.
The sawdust or similar materials, are dried or desiccated in one or more light
metal cylinders or cylindrical cases, each of a moderate size and capable of being
easily handled. Means are provided for connecting a number of these drying
cylinders-in-a horizontal-series, for carrying the series on bearings, and for turning 2
the whole by means of a winch handle or other appliance at one end. Or a single
long cylinder may be used such cylinder, being divided internally by transverse
partitions into short lengths. Each cylinder is fitted with a lid or cover at one
end, and is divided internally by two or more radial partitions, whilst each
segmental compartment thus formed is fitted with one or more shelves or short 3
partitions. With such partitions each cylinder will hold a large quantity of
material without there being too great a depth of it at one part; and the cylinder
will be better balanced than without the partition and will require less force to
turn it. The lid or cover will occupy the central part of the end, and the outer
part of the end, which may be conical or convex to facilitato emptying, is formed 3
with perforations or holes or with large openings covered with wire gauze for the
escape of steam. Lids or covers may be fitted to the sides instead of the ends.
The heat for desiccation is supplied by a stove or hot flue over which the cylinder
or series of cylinders is placed, or the heat may be applied in any other convenient
way the cylinder or cylinders being turned during the operation.
Instead of using the horizontal rotating cylinders the sawdust or like materials
may be desiccated in a stationary vertical cylinder of small depth such cylinder or
pan being provided with one or more rotating stirrers or agitators, and being
heated by one or more annular flues formed under it, whilst it is by preference
made with a central discharge opening having a door to be opened from above or
from below.
Apparatus like that used for the desiccating process may be used for mixing the
materials but will not require perforations or other escape outlets for steam.
Moulds of castiron or other suitable metal are employed for compressing the
materials so as to form dense solid blocks. Each mould is made with vertical sides 5
and is of a depth suitable for containing in the loose state sufficient materials to
form a block; and each mould is provided with a pressing plate fitting casily inside
the mould, this pressing plate being placed at the top or bottom of the mould
accordingly as the pressure is applied downwards or upwards. In many cases
inwardly projecting ribs are formed on one or more sides of the mould to form
grooves on the firelighter or fuel block, and in some cases cores of a star-like or
other section are fixed to one end of the mould, and in such cases the pressing plate.

page_text: is shaped with notches or indentations to fit the ribs or with holes or openings to
fit the core. One of the more important of the present improvements consists in
providing the mould with peculiar movable cores or pieces, such movable cores
being fitted to apertures in one or more sides of the mould and being: used
to form deep grooves in the sides of the moulded blocks or holes partly or
completely through the blocks. After a block has been compressed the movable
cores are withdrawn before pushing the block out of the mould. It is in some
cases desirable to form deep and narrow grooves in the surface shaped either by the
pressing plate or by the opposite end or cover of the mould but this cannot be
satisfactorily done by giving the counterpart of the desired shape to the pressing
plate or cover because of the tendency of the block to adhere when compressed.
For this purpose movable pieces are fitted through slots in the pressing plate or in
the end or cover of the mould and aro withdrawn through the slots after the
compression has been effected. This expedient may also be used for forming one
or more grooves or rows of perforations or indentations through or partly through
blocks of comparatively large size to facilitate their subsequent separation into
smaller blocks. Two or more moulds may be formed in one casting or may be
fixed together, and the movable cores or pieces of such attached moulds may be
formed on or fixed to ono bar by means of which they may be inserted or
withdrawn simultaneously. Instead of the movable pieces being morely core like
pieces more or less of the mould or its side may be made movable or separable along
with the core or cores.
To facilitate the heating of tho moulds and their contents a movable fraine or
carriage is provided, and is fitted with a number of movable shelves on which the
moulds can be placed in tiers one above the other. This frame or carriago being
charged with moulds is moved into an oven, or into one compartment of an oven
which is suitably heated; and the frame or carriage is withdrawn when the moulds
have become sufficiently heated, all the moulds on the frame being thus equally
heated. If preferred the moulds may be placed on a stationary frame and be heated
by the direct application of burning gas, or in any other convenient way.
The compressing apparatus is arranged to operate simultaneously on two moulds
or on two sets of attached moulds, the moulds or sots of moulds being placed on n
table or frame on opposite sides of a vertical scrow spindle arranged to work in
a nut or internally screwed block fixed to the table. In one modification the
compressing movement is in an upward direction the screw spindle having a
hand wheel or turning lever at its upper end, and a cross bar at its bottom end.
The cross bar has fixed to it vertical prongs or rods which entering up through
holes in the table or in the bottoms of the moulds push up the pressing plates
which in this arrangement are placed at the bottoms of the moulds. Before the
compressing operation commences however, lids or covers are placed on the open
tops of the moulds and are fixed by means of a cross bar which is fixed by means
of a screw on the outside of the nut or internally screwed block through which the
main screw spindle works. The lids or covers might also be fixed in any other
convenient way. When by turning the main screw spindle the blocks have been
sufficiently compressed, the covers are released and turned out of the way, and then
the screw spindle is worked to raise the pressing plates still further and until they
have pushed the compressed blocks out through the tops of the moulds, so that
they can be lifted away. In another modification the parts are arranged in an
analogous manner but so as to compress the blocks in a downward direction and
so as to finally push them out at the bottoms of the moulds.
Some of the improved firelighters or fuel blocks are of an approximately
rectangular contour but with deep grooves on the bottom, such grooves being
sometimes combined with a concave form of the general surface, the object being
to give free access for air and to facilitate ignition oven when the block is placed
on a hearth or other flat surface. .Blocks of such forms are moulded in a turned-
up position, the part to form the bottom being shaped by one side of the mould
which has ribs or projections on it to form the grooves as herein before described.

page_text: A great variety of forms can be made by means of the improved moulding
apparatus, including circular forms (like cheeses) and semicircular, square, oblong,
triangular and polygonal forms. These are the forms of the blocks as seen in
plan; but in the top and bottom surfaces or in one surface only, grooves aro
formed by means of the movable cores or shaping pieces; and grooves are also in
many cases formed in the cylindrical or contour surfaces, these grooves as well as
openings quite through the blocks being formed by the vertical ribs or cores fixed in
the moulds. In some cases the fixed ribs or cores are made with narrow or
contracted parts connecting them to the sides of the mould so as to form com-
paratively large cored-out spaces with narrow openings through the sides of the
block, the object of the construction being to provide for the passage of currents
of air into and through each block whilst keeping the lateral opening so small that
ignition may easily spread across it. One improved form of block has upper and
under-convex-surfaces with a cored-out centre; and a number of such blocks are
moulded together the pressing plate having corrugations to form the upper convex
surfaces running in one direction whilst the cover or opposite plate has corrugations
running at right angles. The slab formed in this way is afterwards easily broken
up into separate squares or blocks.
-
The firelighters or fuel blocks can be made of different combinations of materials
to suit special requirements or purposes. Compound blocks which are suitable for
-some purpose are formed by making one part of each block of a comparatively
rich or quickly igniting mixture and the other part of a more slowly burning
mixture. When the block is of the kind which has its bottom shaped by the side
_of_the_mould_as_hereinbefore described the compound formation may be con-
veniently obtained by placing a thin vertical plate in a suitable position-in-the-
mould and filling in the two mixtures one on each side of the plate and afterwards
withdrawing the plate. Or the compound block may be obtained by moulding a
block of one composition with one or more dovetail wedge-shaped cavities shaped
by means of removable corc pieces, and by moulding pieces of the other composition
to fit the cavities, the pieces being afterwards jammed into the cavities of the
blocks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
"
by the said James Templeman in the Patent Office on the 15th February 1884.
JAMES TEMPLEMAN, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, North Britain,
Artificial Fuel Manufacturer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-
LIGHTERS AND FUEL-BLOCKS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
My said Invention has for its object the more advantageous, economical, and
complete carrying out of the Invention described in the specification of Letters
Patent granted to the present applicant and dated 15th Noveinber 1867 (Nº 3244);
the combustible materials and combinations being the same, as those particularised
in the said Specification, and the manufacturing processes being generally similar;
whilst the present Invention comprises important improvements in the fire-lighters
and fuel blocks themselves, and in the apparatus employed in their manufacture.
In carrying out the Invention according to one modification, common rosin is by
special grinding apparatus reduced to a powdered condition and is mixed with
sawdust or other materials which have been previously desiccated. The mixture
is filled into moulds of special construction and forms; and after the moulds with
their contents have been heated to render the material sufficiently soft or plastic,
pressure is applied to consolidate the blocks and to subsequently remove them
from the moulds. The improved moulds may be shaped or adapted to make blocks
of existing or known forins but are by preference such as to produce novel and
improved forms designed to facilitate the ignition of the blocks, and to cause their
combustion to proceed with certainty and in a manner to very satisfactorily secure
the object in view.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate arrangements of apparatus employed for
grinding, drying, mixing, moulding and compressing the material into fire lighters
and fuel blocks of various forms. Figures and 2 are respectively a vertical
section and a plan of one modification of the improved grinding apparatus.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a longitudinal vertical section and a transverse
vertical section of a modification of drying apparatus. Figures 5 and ure
respectively a vertical section and plan of the mixing machine which prefer to
employ. Figures 7 and 8 are vertical sections of a modification of apparatus for
compressing the material within the moulds. Figure 9 represents another
modification of apparatus for this purpose. Figures 10 to 20 represent the
improved moulds, and Figures 10a, 11a, 12a, 13a 17a and 19a plans of new forms
of fire-lighters and fuel blocks produced by these moulds.
In the improved rosin grinding apparatus, represented in Figures 1 and 2 there
are arranged in a vertical cylindrical casing A two horizontal disks B, B¹, of cast
iron or other suitable metal, the lower one being stationary, and the upper one
being turned by means of a vertical shaft C. Both disks B, B₁, are made like
gratings, or with holes b through them of any suitable form, such holes being by
preference wider at the under than at the upper sides of the disks; and to the top
of the upper disk B there are fixed by casting in the disk or otherwise a number of
cutters 6 projecting upwards, and which as the disk rotates pass through grooves b³,
or between projections upon a stationary piece B' within the casing A. On the
top of the lower disk B¹, there is fixed a plate B³ of comparatively thin metal
having small holes or perforations through it. The rosin to be ground is put into
the upper part of the casing A, and being first roughly broken up by the cutters on
the upper side of the upper disk, finds its way down through the openings b in that
disk, and is reduced to sufficient fineness between the under side of the upper disk B,
and the perforated plato B³ of the lower disk B', and passing through the

page_text: perforations and openings in the lower disk is discharged from the lower part of
the casing A into any suitable receptacle. The lower disk B¹ may be made with
such perforations as to dispense with the perforated plate. The disks B, B¹ when
made of malleable iron have holes drilled or punched through them for the passage
of the broken rosin, and the cutters are screwed, rivetted, or otherwise secured in
the disks.
The drying and mixing apparatus which I prefer to employ in treating the
sawdust and rosin or other materials of which the fire-lighters and fuel blocks aro
composed, is illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, 6, of the Drawings, and is
substantially the same as is described in my Provisional Specification. The
apparatus shown in Figures 3 and 4 consists of a rotating casing wherein the
material is agitated and dried or mixed by the rotation of the casing, and that
shown in Figures 5 and 6 consists of a stationary casing in which the material is
mixed by arms on a rotating shaft. I however make no claim to these arrangements
of apparatus.
Moulds of cast-iron or other suitable metal are employed for compressing the
materials so as to form dense solid blocks. Each mould is made with vertical sides
and is of a depth suitable for containing in the loose state sufficient materials to
form a block; and each mould is provided with a pressing plate fitting easily
inside the mould, this pressing plate being placed at the top or bottom of the
mould accordingly as the pressure is applied downwards or upwards.
cases inwardly projecting ribs are formed on one or more sides of the mould to
form grooves on the fire-lighter or fuel block.
In many
Figures 10, 11, and 12 illustrate moulds of this kind, and Figures 10a, 11a,
and 12a, illustrate the blocks produced. The sides of the moulds D are formed..
with projecting ribs d, which are extremely light where they meet the sides, and
are expanded out into triangular or rectangular or other forms towards the centre,
so that the fire-lighters or fuel blocks produced have large openings formed through
the body of the inaterial and narrow slots at the edges.
One of the more important of the present improvements consists in providing a
the moulds with peculiar movable cores or pieces, such movable cores being fitted
to aportures in one or moro sides of the mould, and being used to form deep grooves
in the sides of the moulded blocks or holes partly or completely through the blocks.
After a block has been compressed, the movable cores are withdrawn before
pushing the block out of the mould. Figures 13 and 14 are a vertical section and
horizontal section of a mould of this form with a movable core piece E. Figure 13
shows the block formed by such mould. The cores are tapered so that they may be
readily withdrawn from the blocks. The core-piece may be inserted near the
bottom of the inould to form grooves or channels in the bottom of the block instead
of holes through it. The movable core pieces are adapted for use with any of the
forms of moulds shown and described, and with any of the forms usually made.
It is in some cases desirable to form deep and narrow grooves in the surface,
shaped either by the pressing plate, or by the opposite end or cover of the mould,
but this cannot be satisfactorily done by giving the counterpart of the desired
shape to the pressing plate or cover because of the tendency of the bluck to adhere
when compressed. For this purpose movable pieces are fitted through slots in the
pressing plate or in the end or cover of the mould, and are withdrawn through the
slots after the compression has been effected. Figures 15 and 16 are views
illustrating the end of the mould of this kind. The pieces which form the grooves
in the block are formed on a plate outside the cover or pressing plate D', and are
passed through slots in it. Instead of the movable pieces being merely core-like
pieces, more or less of the mould or its side may be made movable or separable
along with the core or cores.
Figures 17 and 18 are sections of a mould made in two separable parts, the
sides being formed with core pieces E projecting inwards, and Figure 17a shows a
block produced by this form of mould. Two or more moulds may be formed in
one casting, or may be fixed together, and the movable cores or pieces of such

page_text: attached moulds may be formed on or fixed to one bar by means of which they
may be inserted or withdrawn simultaneously.
Some of the improved fire-lighters or fuel blocks are of an approximately
rectangular contour, but with deep grooves on the bottom, such grooves being
sometimes combined with a concave form of the general surfaco, the object being
to give free access for air, and to facilitate ignition even when the block is placed
on a hearth or other flat surface. Blocks of such forms are moulded in a turned-up
position, the part to form the bottom being shaped by one side of the mould
which has ribs or projections on it to form the grooves. Figure 19 represents a
mould adapted to form blocks of this kind, and Figure 19a shows the block
produced by it.
A great variety of forms can be made by means of the improved moulding
apparatus, including circular forms, and semi-circular, square, oblong, triangular,
and polygonal forms. These are the forms of the blocks as seen in plan; but in
the top and bottom surfaces, or in one surface only, grooves are formed by means
of the movable cores or shaping pieces; and grooves are also in many cases formed
in the cylindrical or contour surfaces, these grooves as well as openings quite
through the blocks being formed by the vertical ribs or cores fixed in the sides of
the moulds, or by the movable cores, or by the moulds which are made separable
as described. In some cases the fixed ribs or cores are made with narrow or
contracted parts connecting them to the sides of the mould as already describod,
and as illustrated in figures 10a, 11a, 12a, so as to form comparatively cored-op")
spaces with narrow openings through the sides of the block, the object of the
construction being to provide for the passage of currents of air into and through
each block, whilst keeping the lateral opening so small that ignition may easily
spread across it.
The fire-lighters or fuel blocks can be made of different combinations of materials
to suit special requirements or purposes.
Compound blocks which are suitable for some purposes are formed by making.
one part of eacli block of a comparatively rich or quickly igniting mixture, and the
other part of a more slowly burning mixture. When the block is of the kind
which has its bottom shaped by the side of the mould as hereinbefore described,
the compound formation may be conveniently obtained by placing a thin vertical
plate in a suitable position in the mould as indicated in horizontal section in
figure 20 and filling in the two mixtures, one on each side of the plate, and after-
wards withdrawing the plate.
The compressing apparatus is arranged to operate simultaneously on two moulds,
or on two sets of attached moulds, the moulds or sets of moulds being placed on a
table or frame on opposite sides of a vertical screw spindle arranged to work in an
externally screwed block fixed to the table. In the modification illustrated in
Figures 7 and 8, the compressing movement is in an upward direction, the screw
spindle G having a hand-wheel or turning lover g at its upper end, and a cross bar
or plate H at its bottom end. The cross bar or plate H has fixed to it vertical
prongs or rods h which entering up through holes in the table F or in the bottoms
of the moulds D, push up the pressing plates d, which in this arrangement aro
placed at the bottoms of the moulds. Before the compressing operation commences
however lids or covers D³ are placed on the open tops of the moulds, and are fixed
by means of a cross bar I which is fixed by means of a nut 1¹ on the outside of the
screw or externally screwed block J through which the main screw spindlo G
passes. The lids or covers might also be fixed in any other convenient way, and
instead of employing the screw blocks J, the cross bar I may be fitted with screws
at each end bearing on the lids or covers. When by turning the main screw
spindle G, the blocks have been sufficiently compressed, the covers D2 are released
and turned out of the way and then the screw spindle G is worked to raise the
pressing plates still further, and until they have pushed the compressed blocks out
through the tops of the moulds, so that they can be lifted away. In the modifica-
tion shown in Figure 9, the parts are arranged in an analogous manner, but so as to

page_text: compress the blocks in a downward direction, and so as to finally push them out at
the bottoms of the moulds. In this arrangement, one screw spindle K is fitted
through an eye in the frame F to press down a plate L fitted with plungers which
press the material within the moulds, while a bottom plate L' is kept up by a
second screw K' to form the bottom of the moulds. After the material is compressed
by the plungers, the lower screw is turned to withdraw the plate L', and the upper
screw K turned to press the plungers further into the moulds whereby the fire-lighters
or fuel blocks formed in the moulds are pressed out on to the plate below from
which they are removed by hand.
. Having now particularly described my said Invention, and in what manner tho 1
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;-
First. The combination of parts forming the improved grinding apparatus herein
described and illustrated.
Second. A machine for grinding rosin or similar material consisting of a casing
fitted with a stationary perforated disk or disks and rotating disk, the latter disk
being fitted with cutters adapted to cut or crush the material between them and a
stationary piece, substantially as herein described.
Third. The various forms of moulds herein described and illustrated, for shaping
fire-lighters or fuel blocks.
Fourth. Forming moulds for fire-lighters or fuel blocks with side ribs or cores of:
the forms described, for the purpose herein set forth.
Fifth. Forming moulds for fire-lighters or fuel blocks with movable side cores or
movable pieces adapted to form holes or grooves in the blocks, substantially¨as"
described.
:
Sixth Forming moulds for fire-lighters-and-fuel-blocks-with-movable-pieces-passing-
through the cover or through the lower end of the mould, substantially as herein
described and illustrated..
Seventh. Forming moulds for fire-lighters or fuel blocks in separable parts, as
and for the purpose herein set forth.
Eighth. Forming moulds for fire lighters and fuel blocks with curved sides 3
adapted to give a concave or approximately concave surface to the side or sides of
the blocks as and for the purpose set forth.
Ninth. Forming composite fire-lighters and fuel blocks by fitting movable vertical
plates or partitions within the moulds, and filling into the divisions thus formed in
the moulds, different qualitics or mixtures of combustible material, substantially as 3
and for the purpose set forth.
Tenth. The improved apparatus for compressing the combustible material within
the moulds, and for removing the blocks formed, substantially as herein described
and illustrated.
Eleventh. In apparatus for compressing combustible materials within moulds, the
arrangement of a mould or set of moulds on each side of an actuating screw or
screws substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Twelfth. The improved compressing apparatus shown and described in reference
to Figure 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
In Witness Whereof, I the said James Templeman have hereunto set my hand 4
and seal this Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty-four.