An Improved Fire-lighter.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
LCIFICATION.
An Improved Fire-lighter.
1, JOSEPH ALFRED WHITBY, "Stanway," Montpellier Crescent, New Brighton,
Cheshire, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The fire-lighter consists of an incombustible sponge or wick of asbestos or metal
wire, adapted to hold and burn any inflammable oil or spirit, and enclosed in a
holder or case made of wire or perforated metal of any suitable form or shape;
said holder or case being provided at one end with a cap or protector in the shape
of a cone or spike, in order to enable it to be thrust into a coal fire without
damage. The holder or case is provided, at the opposite end to the cap or protector.
with a handle which will either form part of, or be made separate and fastened to
such holder or case.
Dated this 16th day of June 1890
JOSEPH ALFRED WHITBY.
By Cheesbrough & Royston,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Fire-lighter.
I, JOSEPH ALFRED WHITBY, Stanway, Montpellier Crescent, New Brighton,
Cheshire, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
The fire-lighter consists of an incombustible sponge or wick of asbestos or
metal wire, adapted to hold and burn any inflammable oil or spirit, and enclosed in
a holder or case made of wire or perforated metal of any suitable form or shape;
said holder or case being provided at one end with a cap or protector in the shape
of a cone or spike, in order to enable it to be thrust into a coal fire without damage.
The holder or case is provided at the opposite end to the cap or protector, with a
handle, which will either form part of, or be made separate and fastened to, such
holder or case.
In the drawings which illustrate the invention,
Figure 1 is an outside elevation of a fire-lighter according to the invention.
Figure 2 is an end view of same.
Figure 3 is a cross section at the line A A Figure 1.
Figure 4 shews in sectional elevation, and
Figure 5 in end view, a modified construction of the upper end of the lighter.
Figure 6 is a cross section shewing a modified construction of a lighter.
With reference to the drawings, a is the case or holder, 6 is the sponge of
asbestos or other suitable non-combustible material, and c is the handle of the
lighter, which in the drawings is shewn broken off.
The case consists, as will be seen, of a series of wires running longitudinally
and parallel with each other, their outer ends being secured to and adapted to
hold, a ring d at the upper end. At the lower end of the sponge portion & another
ring e, analogous to d, is provided, and again in the centre a further ring fis
provided.
In the modification shewn in Figures 4 and 5, a sheet metal cap d is used in lieu
[Price 6d,]

page_text: of the ring in Figure 1, the ends of the wires forming the case a being formed in
the cap and bent round as shewn.
In Figure 6 I shew a modification wherein the asbestos or other non-combustible
sponge is enclosed within a tube h of porous fire-brick or equivalent material, said
tube being held within the case a. When the material of the tube is sufficiently
porous, I may dispense with asbestos or other filling material, as then the material
becomes a sponge in itself and may, therefore, if desired, be made solid instead of
hollow, as shewn in Figure 6.
In using the lighter it is dipped into paraffin or petroleum or any other suitable
inflammable oil or spirit and placed in the grate with the fuel above it, it is then
lighted and a good fire is rapidly made.
Some of the advantages of this invention are that the lighter is safe, clean,
handy, and economical, and always ready for use; and it morcover causes no
disagreeable smell.
When in the grate and the fuel above it a free circulation of air about it is
afforded with a result that the flame given off is thoroughly efficient in lighting
the fuel above it.
The frame or case is made of metal, substantially in the form shewn, and there-
fore will not break if it falls or when heated, nor is the handle liable to snap off at
any time as is the case of other fire-lighters made of cast metal or composition, or
the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A fire-lighter consisting of the case or frame a adapted to contain and hold a
sponge of non-combustible material band having a handle e; substantially as set
forth.
2. The construction of frame of the fire-lighter, substantially as set forth with
reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3.
3. The modification of the upper end of the fire-lighter herein particularly set
forth with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings.
4. The modification of tire-lighter constructed substantially as set forth with
reference to Figure 6 of the drawings.
Dated this 12th day of March 1891.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.