IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED therefor
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Waldie, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North-Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF FIRE-LIGHTERS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED therefor."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by tho said John Waldie at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th December 1879.
_JOHN WALDIE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North - Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS, AND IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
This Invention has reference to the manufacture of fire-lighters made mainly
with wood, sawdust, or spent waste, ground or like reduced dye-woods, mixed or
otherwise combined with rosin or other cheap good burning pitch, or tars, or fats,
grease, or oils, or their residues in refining these, or mixtures of any of these, all
compressed while being honted in moulds so far as usual, and essentially to special
modes, and means, and construction, and arrangement of machinery or apparatus
for drying the said sawdust or granular wood material; and for moulding,
heating, and compressing the mixtures into the fire-lighters, which improvements
will save much hand labour, besides making the manufacture more safe against
accidents by fire to the persons and property connected with the manufacture of
such fire-lighters, which will thus be rendered more economical, and the articlo
cheapened, or a better article supplied at the former price.
The nature and novelty of the Invention or improvements consist as follows:-
First, as regards the construction and arrangement of the apparatus for drying the
sawdust or other granular wood; this is done in a particular construction of steam
heated vessel or hollow cylinder mounted and revolving on a shaft hollow at its
opposite ends, or with a tube in the centre of one end for the admission of steam
of any suitable pressure for the temperature desired, as from about 270 to 370
degrees Fahrenheit, and led to an ordinary adjacent steam boiler or generator into a
large long, close, double cased sheet-metal cylinder with a narrow annular steam
heating space between them mounted on open eyes and arm centres keyed on the
shaft.

page_text: The condensed steam or water is raised and discharged from this annular
chamber by ordinary curved ducts through a tube passing out at the centre of the
opposite end of the shaft from which the steam is admitted. A larger and longer
single cylindrical case is fitted round and secured by arms to the steam case or to
the shaft, so that the whole would revolve horizontally or at an angle with the
shaft at a slow speed on journal bush bearings in suitable side frames or standards
at each end outside this combined steam drying cylinder or case.
The wood sawdust would be filled in at either open end so as to fill and be dried
within the lower half of the internal central space of the close steam cylinder and
the annular space between this and the outer retaining case by the direct radiation
of the heat from both cases of the steam heating vessel. And for the more regular
and perfect drying of the wood material shallow, longitudinal, or curved, or spiral
bars, ribes, or vanes would be secured on the inner concave surface of these chambers
to raise and turn over the sawdust circumferentially or longitudinally until it was
quite dry by the slow revolution of the cylinders.
The vapours or steam evolved would pass off freely at one or both open ends
between the inner and outer cases; and to assist the drawing off of the vapour dry or
hot air might be forced in at the one end, and doors might be fitted at the opposite
ends or in the circumference of the outer case for the filling in and discharging of
the material intermittently or regularly and automatically from spouts.
This arrangement of drying the wood sawdust by steam would prevent all
chance of waste by burning the material or accidentally setting fire to the drying
premises.
The second improvements consist essentially of a novel or improved construction
of combined steam heating moulding press for compressing the mixed dried wood
sawdust and rosin, and which is susceptible of considerable or different modifica-
tions. Thus one characteristic machine embodying the essential improvements
consists of a large hollow rectangular close steam heated chest or mould frame
flat above and below, and of the depth of the mould boxes or chambers, which are
formed in transverse and longitudinal cross rows at equal distances apart round,
polygonal, or square, and open vertically right down through with a thin shell or
metal case between them in the cross direction, but formed freely all round
each mould chamber within the close steam chest in the longitudinal or other
direction in which the transverse rows are divided equally at a further distance
apart to allow the steam to pass all round the sides of the chest frame and along
the tiansverse spuces left between the transverse rows of moulds, and thus heat
them through their cases twenty four at a time when filled.
This steam heating mould frame or chest is erected and secured horizontally on
two vertical guides or fiames at each end, secured in a sole plate below and proper
frame above, and at a proper height from the floor for filling the moulds and
emoving the fire-lighters from the upper surface and ends of the moulds.
Each mould box is fitted with a close steam heated box chambered pressing
piston or plunger working up through the lower open end of the mould, and all
secured by lower open stems on the top of a strong raising and lowering frame or
table plate working on the said guides of the end frames, and on the strong central
screw spindle which carries and actuates it. This screw works in a corresponding
screw cut eye in the centre of the table plate and in a footstep bush bearing below
in the centre of the bed plate, so as to be thus guided and steadied, and actuated
preferably by a large powerful wheel, keyed on the lower nick of the screw above
the footstep with spokes so as to be worked conveniently by the foot of the
attendant, or it might be by motive power by a screw shaft working into a screw
wheel upon or instead of the spoke wheel, or other equivalent toothed or friction
motive power gear.
The upper end of the press screw works up through a hole in the centre of
the mould frame to grip and take the whole strain of the top pressure sustaining
plate above the moulds between this and the pistons or plungers on its lower
plate, all equally as will hereinafter be described.

page_text: when these pressing pistons or plungers are neaton by ava
a central stem, tube, or branch screwed below into a steam chamber formed or fitted
across the upper surface of the screw pressing plate for each row of pistons and moulds.
The upper ends of each piston is fitted with as many long stems as it is wished to
have perforations through the fire-lighters (as from two to four), and of the proper
segmental or radial form desired, fitted with a thin loose portable pressing surface
plate, also filling the mould chamber loosely and working loose on the said stems.
These stems also work up through the upper pressure plate, which is made in
the form of a thin or shallow close heated chamber, and fitted to work up and
down on the said end guides, and hung by links or other equivalent to a chain or
rope passed over a guide pulley or pulleys and counterbalanced by a weight, so as to
be easily raised a foot or more to allow room for tilling the moulds and removing the
fire-lighters, and be lowered to lie flat on the upper surface of the mould chest fraine
in its lowest po-ition when sustaining the strain of pressing the materials filled
into the whole of the moulds at once, when the pistons are in their desired lowest
position and the loose material scraped off flush with the top of the mould chest,
so that the upper pressure steam heated plate may be secured close down, as stated,
on this by a strong rectangular swivelling metal bar or block mounted near the
upper end of the press screw under a screw nut or cap secured on the very top.
This swivel bar is an inch or so longer at each end in one direction than the
other, and a corresponding shaped recess is formed through the centre of the upper
pressure bearing steam chamber plate, so that when the plate is down this bar can
easily be turned across the narrow way of the recess so as to bear on the upper
edges, inade flat for the purpose, which is thus held securly down while the screw
is turned to press up the whole set of pistons within the moulds, and so compress
the sawdust and rosin into a thin cake near the top of the moulds, the heat of all
the surfaces forming the mould at the same time nielting the rosin and making the
whole sufficiently homogeneous, tough, and compact to be removable from the
moulds.
The operation of removing the compressed blocks or fire lights from the moulds
is effected by swivelling the holding cross bar on the upper end of the screw,
so that the balanced pressure plate may be raised off the mould frame and prongs
of the pistons, which are now raised by turning the screw until the loose piston
plates are just a very little above the upper surface of the mould frame, when a
thin forked plate is slipped in below each cross row, or it might be the whole of
turned to lower
the loose plates at once, so as to hold them there until the screw
the prongs of the pressing pistons quite down out of the compressed fire-lighters,
which may now be easily and quickly removed to a cool place to dry or harden
sufficient to stand all the fatigue of packing and transit, and form perforated discs,
rings, cakes, or blocks for fire-lighting purposes. The forked plates are then with-
drawn and the loose piston plates allowed to fall on to their pressing pistons, when
the moulds are again ready for being refilled, and the pressure plate brought down
and fixed for the compressing of another set of fire-lighters, all as before described.
The steam would be supplied from any suitable ordinary safe high pressure steam
boiler or generator, to give a beat sufficient for these purposes and machines, by &
pressure of from about 30 to 150 lbs. on the square inch, a single pipe conveying
the steam to the side of the several machines, and from which knee oscillating
jointed branches would lead it to the close heating chamber of the upper moving
pressure plate, the small branch at the opposite side conducting the condensed steam
or water to a lower chamber of the machine.
A stationary branch would conduct the steam to the upper part of one side of
the steam heating mould chest, from the lower part at the opposite side of which
the steam would or might be led to the steam ducts on the lower pressing plate
carrying the plungers to heat them, when that is done by steam; and in this
manner the condensed steam or water would all pass by the steam branches to the
lowest steam heating vessel of the machine, from which it might be drawn off
through any ordinary float water trap without the escape of the pressure steam.

page_text: Flexible pressure india-rubber branches might be also used for the steam instead
of the oscillating jointed pipes described, when desired.
By another arrangement the set of pressure plungers might be heated by gas with
little danger of fire, as they are quite down below the great moulding steam heated
chest, and closed off from the inflammable materials in the moulds by filling the
lower ends of these.
"
This gas heating of the pistons would be effected by fitting a 'Bunsen burner,"
or other arrangement of non-luminous or blue burning gas jet, under each, within
a heat retaining hood with small side holes for the escape of the waste products of
combustion, the gas being conveyed by a separate branch and controlling tap for
each from a common service pipe on the screw pressing plate connected by a flexible
or other jointed movable pipe from the supply pipe.
Although a screw press has been described for working the lower pressing plate
and the set of pistons carried on it, it is to be understood that this might be done
by powerful lever presses equivalent to the arrangements used in printing presses
for working the plattens, or by double toggle links under each end worked by
horizontal links and spanners or levers on a rocking shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Waldie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th June 1980.
JOHN WALDIE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS, AND IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
"
My said Invention has reference to the manufacture of fire-lighters made with
wood, saw-dust, or spent waste, ground or like reduced dye-woods mixed or other-
wise combined with resin or other cheap good burning pitch or tar, or fats, grease,
or oils, or the residual products of oil refining processes, or mixtures of any of the
materials named, which are compressed in moulds while being heated. The
Invention also comprises special modes and means or improved construction and
arrangement of machinery or apparatus for drying the said saw-dust or granular
wood material, and for moulding, heating, and compressing the mixtures into fire-
lighters. And the present improvements are designed to reduce hand labour
besides making the manufacture more safe against accidents by fire to the persons
and property connected with the manufacture of such fire-lighters, which will thus
be rendered more economical and the article cheapened, or a better article supplied
at the former price.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or put into effect or practice inay be properly understood, I have hero-
unto appended an explanatory Sheet of Drawings for that purpose, represonting the
improved apparatus which I employ in the manufacture of fire-lighters, and which

page_text: I shall now proceed to describe. In the Drawings the same reference letters are
used to indicate the same or like parts wherever they are shown or repeated.
Figure 1 and 2 on the Sheet of Drawings are vertical sections taken as at right
angles to each other of my improved machine or apparatus to be used for drying
the saw-dust which forms one of the main ingredients of the fire-lighters; Figure 3
is a side elevation, Figuro 4 is an end elevation, and Figure 5 is a plan of an
arrangement of my improved apparatus for heating and compressing the saw-dust,
resin, and other materials into moulds and forming them into fire-lighters, whilst
Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, and Figures 7 and 8 are
detached views of details to be hereinafter described.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the saw-dust or other granular wood employed in
the manufacture of the fire-lighters is dried in a novel construction of steam heated
vessel or hollow cylinder A mounted and revolving on a hollow shaft or trunnions B,
with a tube in the centre of one end for the admission of steam (of any suitable
pressure for the temperature desired, as from about 270 to 370 degrees Fahrenheit),
which leads from an ordinary steam boiler or generator into a sinaller close sheet
metal cylinder or chamber C fitted centrally in the interior of the large outer
cylinder A, and fixed between flanges b on and so as to open to the tube or
trunnions B. The condensed steam or water may be raised and discharged from
this contral chamber by ordinary curved ducts through a tube passing out at the
centre of the end of the shaft B opposite to that from which the steam is admitted.
The larger outer cylindrical case A is fitted round and secured by arms or flanges b¹
to the hollow shaft or trunnions B so that the whole revolves in a vertical plane,
or it might be horizontally with the shaft B at a slow speed, the shaft or trunnions B
being fitted in journal bush bearings B' in suitable side frames or standards B¹¹ at
each end, outside this combined steam drying cylinder or case A, B, C. The wood
saw-dust is filled in and withdrawn through an opening a fitted with a segmental
sliding door a', and is dried in the annular space between the close steam cylinder C
and the outer retaining case A by the direct radiation of the hent from the steam
heating vessel C, and for the more regular and perfect drying of the wood material
short longitudinal, or curved, or spiral bars, ribs, or vanes A¹ are secured on the
inner sides and concave surface of the chamber A. to raise and turn over the saw-
dust circumferentially or longitudinally by the slow revolution of the cylinders
until it is quite dry. The vapours of steam evolved pass off freely at one or both
sides of the outer case through openings A" covered with wire cloth, and to assist
the drawing off of the vapour dry or hot air might be forced in at the one end.
This arrangement of drying the wood saw-dust by steam pievents waste by
burning the material or accidentally setting fire to the drying premises.
Referring particularly to Figures 3 to 8 the new or improved construction of
combined steam heating and moulding press for compressing the mixed dried wood,
saw-dust, and resin (but which is susceptible of considerable or different modifi-
cations) consists of a large hollow rectangular close steam heated chest or mould
frame D, flat above and below, and of the depth of the mould boxes or chambers d
which are formed in transverse and longitudinal cross rows at equal distances
apart, in this case square with bevilled corners, but they may be round, polygonal,
or of other shape, and open vertically right down through, with a thin steam
space d' between them in the cross direction, but formed fully all round each mould
chamber & within the close steam chest in the longitudinal or other direction, in
which the transverse rows are divided equally at a further distance apart to allow
steam to pass all round the sides of the chest frame D and along the transverso
spaces d' left between the transverse rows of moulds d, and thus heat them through
their cases d, twenty four at a time when filled. This steam heating mould frame
or chest D is erected and secured horizontally on two vertical side frames E at
each end, secured on a sole plate or by flanges E' below, and the inould chest D is
fitted at a proper height from the floor for filling the moulds and removing the
fire-lighters from the upper surface and ends of the moulds.
Each mould box is fitted with a close steam heated box-chambered pressing

page_text: piston or plunger F, working up through the lower open end of the mould, and all
secured by lower open screwed adjusting stems ffitted into long box steam chambers F¹
carried on the top of a strong raising and lowering frame or table plate F",
working with eye snugs e, on vertical rods or guides e, fitted to the end frames E,
and on the strong central screw spindle G, which carries and actuates it. This
screw G works in a corresponding screw cut eye or bush g in the centre of the
table plate F, and in a footstep bush bearing G¹ below in the centre of the
sole plate, or on a separate bearing block, and the uper plain end of the screw
spindle G passes through an eye g₁ in the mould chest D, so as to be thus guided
and steadied; and it is actuated preferably by a large powerful wheel G",
keyed on the lower nick of the screw G, above the footstep G₁, with spokes, so as
to be worked conveniently by the hand or foot of the attendant, or it might be by
bevil wheels G² actuated by a hand wheel and shaft G³ at ono side, as shown by
the dotted lines in Figure 3, or by a screw shaft working into a sciew wheel upon
or instead of the spoke wheel G₁, or other equivalent toothed or friction motive
power gearing. The upper end of the press screw G works up through a hole in
the centre of the mould frame D, and at D' in the plate D¹ to grip and take the
whole strain off the top pressure sustaining plate D'above the moulds d, between
this and the pistons or plungers F on its lower plate F¹¹, all equally, as will
hereinafter be described. These pressing pistons or plungers F, which are heated
by steam, each have the central stem, tube, or branch f screwed below into the
steam chamber F¹, formed or fitted across the upper surface of the screw pressing
plate F for each row of pistons and moulds. The upper end of each piston is
fitted with four or as many long stems f' as it is wished to have perforations
through the fire-lighters, and of the proper segmental or radial form desired, as seen?
particularly in Figures 7 and 8, and fitted with a thin loose portable pressing
surface plate, also filling the mould chamber loosely, and working loose on the
said stems f¹. These stems f¹ each work up through an opening D" in the
upper pressure plate D¹, which is made in the form of a thin or shallow close
heated chamber, and fitted to work up and down on end guides e", fitted to the
mould chest D, and hung by links or other equivalent to a chain D, or rope passed
over a guide pulley or pulleys, and counterbalanced by a weight, so as to be easily
raised a foot or more, as shown in Figure 6, to allow room for filling the moulds d,
and removing the fire-lighters when made, and be lowered to lie flat on the upper
surface of the mould chest frame D in the lowest position, when sustaining the
strain of pressing the materials filled into the whole of the moulds at once, at which
time the pistons are in their lowest position, and the loose materials are filled in and
scraped off flush with the top of the inould chest. The upper steam heated plate D'
is secured close down on the mould chest D by a strong rectangular swivelling
metal bar or block D2, mounted near the upper end of the press screw G, under a 4
screw nut or cap D³ secured on the very top.
This swivelling bar D2 is an inch or so longer at each end in one direction than
the other, and a corresponding shaped recess D' is formed through the centre of the
upper pressure bearing steam chamber plate D¹. When the plate D¹ is down, this
bar D can easily be turned across the narrow way of the recess D' to bear on the
upper edges, which are made flat for the purpose, and the plate D' is thus securely
held down, while the screw G is turned to press up the whole set of pistons F
within the moulds d, and so compress the saw-dust and resin or other ingredients
into a thin cake z, near the top of the moulds d. The heat of all the surfaces
forming the mould, at the same time melt the resin, and make the whole sufficiently
homogeneous, tough, and compact, to be easily removable from the moulds d. The
operation of removing the compressed blocks or fire-lighters from the moulds d is
effected by swivelling the holding cross bar D³ on the upper end of the screw G, so
that the balanced pressure plate D' may be raised off the mould frame D and prongs f¹
of the pistons F, which are now raised by turning the screw, until the loose piston
plates are just a very little above the upper surface of the mould frame D, when
a thin, flat, or forked plate f" is slipped in between each cross row, or it might be

page_text: the whole of the loose plates at once, so as to hold them there until the screw G is
turned to lower the prongs f¹ of the pressing pistons F quite down out of the
compressed fire-lighters 2, which may now be easily and quickly removed to a cool
place to dry or harden sufficiently to bear the stress of packing and transit, and
form perforated discs, rings, cakes, or blocks z for fire-lighting purposes. The thin
plates are then withdrawn, and the loose piston plates 2 allowed to fall on to
their pressing pistons F, when the moulds d are again ready for being re-filled, and
the pressure plate D¹ brought down and fixed for the compressing of another set
of fire-lighters, as just described.
The steam is supplied to the hollow casings of the mould chest D, chambers F,
and pressure plate D¹, from any suitable high pressure steam boiler or generator to
give a heat sufficient for these purposes, corresponding to pressure of from about
30 to 150lbs. on the square inch. A single pipe conveys the steam to the side of
the several machines; and from this main pipe a branch H leads up to the
stationary mould chest D, a flexible tube H¹ being led from this branch H to the
chambers F¹ The heating chamber of the upper moving pressure plate D¹ is
supplied by a flexible tube H" from the lower mould chest D, and a small branch
at the opposite side may conduct the condensed steam or water to the lower
chamber D of the machine, from which, and the chamber H, it is withdrawn by
pipes H2, H3, and may finally be drawn off through an ordinary float water trap
without the escape of the pressure steam.
Flexible pressure india-rubber branches might be used in every case for the
steam or oscillating jointed pipes when desired. By another arrangement the set of
pressure plungers F might be heated by gas with little danger of fire as they are
quite down below the great moulding steam heated chest D, and closed off from
the inflammable materials in the moulds by filling the lower ends of these.
"
This gas heating of the pistons may be effected by fitting a "Bunsen burner
or other arrangement of non-luminous gas jet under each, within a heat retaining
hood, with small side holes for the escape of the waste products of combustion, the
gas being conveyed by a separate branch and controlling tap for each from a
common service pipe on the screw pressing plate F", connected by a flexible or
other jointed movable pipe from the supply pipe.
Although a screw press has been described for working the lower pressing plate F",
and the set of pistons carried on it, this might be effected by powerful lever
presses, equivalent to the arrangements used in printing presses for working the
platen, or by double toggle links under each end, worked by horizontal links, and
spanners or levers on a rocking shaft.
Figure 9 shows a diagonal edge section, and a plan of the form of fire-lighter, as
made in the moulds of the press shown in the Drawings, Figure 3 to 8, but to a
large scale; but it is to be understood that the fire-lighters might be made of many
other forms, as round, square, hexagonal, or other polygonal forms, and with or
without radial or other perforations or recesses, and of different thicknesses,
according to the form and construction of the moulds d, and compressers F, f¹, and
dies or plates f employed, and which would be made to correspond to the shape or
construction of fire-lighter desired to be made in this press or machine.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not confine myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what I consider novel and original, and
therefore clain as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First. The general construction or combination of the parts of a hollow revolving
outer cylinder or vessel A, B, C, for drying wood, saw-dust, or other granular wood
or waste fibre or material, having an inner close steam heating chamber, all
substantially as described in reference to and shown in Figures and 2 of the
accompanying Drawings, for the manufacture of fire-lighters or any mere
molification thereof.
Second. The general construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of

page_text: heating presses or mechanism for the manufacture of fire-lighters, all substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 3 to 8 of the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Third. The construction of screw or lever presses for the forming or heating and
compressing of fire-lighters, having the sets of moulds & formed in a stationary
hollow steam heating press box D, with a corresponding set of hollow heated-
pressing plungers F carried and raised and lowered on a plate F¹¹, actuated or
pressed upwards from below; and with a hollow steam hoated raising and lowering
pressure sustaining plate or box D¹ fitted above, all substantially as herein described
in reference to and shown in Figures 3 to 8 of the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof.
Fourth. The locking of the upper pressure sustaining plate D¹ of screw presses
for the manufacture of fire-lighters by a swivelling cross bearer D, mounted on the
upper end of the screw G, and in making the screw spindle sustain the whole strain,
equalised over the whole set of moulds d, between pressure plates D¹ and F", held
and actuated by the scrow G, all substantially as herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Fifth. The construction and use in moulding presses for the compressing or
manufacture of fire-lighters of long, thin, single, or forked sliding plates f, inserted
below the edges of the loose pressing blocks or plates f2, when at the top of the
moulds & for the convenient removal of the pressed or finished fire-lighters, and
again letting the plates f" fall all at once to the bottom of the moulds d, all
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 3 to 8 of the
accompanying Drawings, or any mero modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Waldie, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand oight hundred and eighty.
JOHN WALDIE. (L.S.)