Improvements in and connected with Fuse Lighters.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Fuse Lighters.
I, JOHN FRASER of Malua Street, Brighton, in the Colony of Victoria, Miner,
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:
This invention has been devised to provide an inexpensive, efficient and reliable
means or appliance by which the fuses of explosives, such as dynamite, powder, or
the like, may be properly, regularly and certainly ignited, and is designed to
overcome many disadvantages attendant upon the modes or meaus at present in
vogue for igniting such fuses. At the present time the fuses used in connection with
explosives are usually lighted or endeavoured to be lighted by what is called
"spitting the fuse." This method consists of holding a lighted flame to the end
of the fuse until the latter spits fire. To enable the operator to do this with a
fair promise of safety it is obvious that he must employ a. long fuse, otherwise he
would not have sufficient time to reach a place of safety prior to the explosion
taking place. When a number of fuses are to be lighted a difficult and precarious
task has to be performed, inasmuch. as the ordinary fuse will not ignite easily, and
it frequently happens that when the operator succeeds in getting the first fuse to
"spit
it extinguishes his light and for his own safety he must precipitately
abandon his task for a place of safety, leaving the other fuses unlit; or perhaps. in
his endeavours to light others of them he has left them in a smouldering condition
only to explode some time after and possibly cause a serious accident. Another
common way of igniting the fuse consists in bending it over somewhat in the form
of an arch, keeping it in position by means of a stone or lump of earth,, and. with
a second lump of earth or clay the operator affixes au improvised. stand or
candlestick under the arch, in which he places a lighted candle, so arranged that
the flame, in a short time, burus into the fuse, if placed directly beneath same;
but it happens in some cases, owing to varying conditions, such as wind or the
distance of the flame from the fuse, that the latter does not become properly
fired, or in some cases to light at all; or in others the said fuse may smoulder for
a considerable time and ignite more or less unexpectedly, and thus possibly cause
accident.
Moreover, an important feature in blasting. or mining operations, is to arrange
the charges so as to explode in their proper rotation, that is to say in the direction
calculated or aimed at by the experienced miner.
Now by the use of my invention the above difficulties and disadvantages are
overcome, and in order that my invention may be the more easily understood
reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, in. which
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improvements attached to a piece of fuse...
Figures 2 and 3 are also elevations of my improvements, supplied. with a
protecting shield. or hood, hereinafter to be referred to (part of Fig. 3 being: in
section).
Figure 4 shows a view of some minor details of my invention, whilst
Figure 5 is a sectional plan taken at line x-x on Figure 4.
In these drawings "A" represents a stem composed of a suitable freely igniting
and burning material, hereinafter to be referred to, and terminating in a bulb or
enlarged portion "B" which is also composed of a suitable igniting chemical

page_text: compound or material. Included in this bulb or enlarged portion "B" and
depending therefrom is a small shank of wood, wire, or other strong material.
Encircled around or attached to this shank is a small coil of wire "D," this
latter wire "D" being for the purpose of attaching the shank "C" firmly to the
fuse "E" and a little below the sliced portion "E." It will be noticed that the
bulb or enlarged portion "B" is arranged so as to nestle in the slit portion "E"
of the fuse "E."
provided
Reverting to the wire "D," it may in some cases be bent to form a depression
as "D" and then proceed upwards and terminate either in a hook as "D" or a
pointed end as "D3" so as to hold a hood as "G," or a cylinder as "H,"
with a cover as "H" in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The said hoop "G"
or hooded cylinder "H" is designed to protect my fuse lighter whilst it is burning
from drippings of water or draughts of wind, but where the tunnel or shaft in
which my fuse lighters are to be used is dry and not subject to draughts the
hood "G" or hooded cylinder "FI" may be dispensed with. The material
composing either "G" or "H" may consist of stiff paper, said paper having
preferably been previously prepared with some preparation rendering it
incombustible.
Reverting to the stem "A" I find that one suitable material for its composition
consists of a mixture of chlorate of potash 5 parts, sulphide of antimony 2 parts,
glue 1 part, with sufficient prepared vegetable meal to slacken the burning to the
required travel per minute; and referring to the bulb or enlarged portion "B"
I find that one suitable material for its composition consists of a mixture of
chlorate of potash 32 parts, of bichromate of potash 12 parts, re.l lead 32 parts,
sulphide of antimony 24 parts, with a little glue to consolidate the parts.
I do not confine myself to the employment of the compounds last set forth, as
other suitable substances may be used in lieu thereof.
The material composing the stem "A" might in some cases be so calculated as
to burn a predetermined period before reaching and igniting the more fiery
compound contained in the bulb "B."
. In some cases I may construct the stem "A" and bulb "B" so as to contain a
central wire of copper or some other suitable material for the purpose of
strengthening "A" or "B" and to prevent them from coming apart through
cracking, and I may also in some cases continue "A" in length so that it takes
the place of shank "C."
The modus operandi of my invention is as follows:-
The operator, having arranged his fuse for the explosion, secures his
.shank "C" to the fuse "E" by a few tight twists of the wire "D," having seen
meanwhile that the bulb "B" is in close contact with a sliced portion "E"
If the locality be a wet one, or exposed to draughts, the operator may place the
hooded cylinder "H" or hood "G" upon the wire "D in manner shown on
Figs. 2 or 3; he then lights the top of "A," which, being of highly ignitable
material, burns either quickly or slowly (but surely) according to the character of
the mixture of which it is composed, until the bulb "B" becomes ignited. This
bulb, being composed of a material producing great heat and of great ignition
power, quickly fires the fuse.
On Figure 4 a plate or disc "J" of cardboard or analogous substance is shown,
its function being to act as a shield or plate so as to prevent any sparks or ignited
droppings from "A" touching or prematurely igniting either the bulb "B" or the
slit fuse-end "E."
1 prefer, in some climates, to coat the outside of "A" and "B" with a
film of gelatinous substance or varnish, so as to protect same from damp or
deterioration.
I would here point out some of the advantages to be gained by using my
improvements in connection with fuses, viz. :-
(a) Economy is effected, inasmuch as shorter lengths of fuse can be used.
(b) Considerable reduction in the risk of misfires, thus saving loss of time to

page_text: workmen, who have to wait a given period before returning on the dangerous
errand of ascertaining the reason of a non-explosion.
(c) Enabling the operator to light, say, three or more charges quickly with
an ordinary light, and should anything unforeseen arise during an interval of, say,
three minutes which might prevent him retreating to a safe distance, the said
operator can simply snuff out the lighted stems and all danger is over, whereas
under the present system the unfortunate inan or men would simply have to await
their doom.
(d) Enabling shots to do their work properly by exploding in precalculated
rotation, for by using my igniters and lighting them quickly the operator may with
safety depend that all his fuses will be set on fire almost at the same instant, so
that if the fuses are regulated in proper proportionate lengths the shots will
explode in correct rotation and do their best work.
(e) The minimising or avoiding of accidents or catastrophes caused by quick
fuses or premature explosions.
Having now particularly described and' ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In fuse lighters-
In combination a stem as "A," bulb or enlarged portion as "B," fuse as "E,"
and means for securing same together substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
2. In fuse lighters-
In combination a stem as "A," bulb or enlarged portion as "B," shank as "C,"
bent wire or binder as "D," and fuse as "E," substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
3. In fuse lighters-
In combination a stem as "A," bulb or enlarged portion as "B," fuse as "E,"
and a hood or cover as "G" or "H," with means for supporting same substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
4. In fuse lighters-
In combination a stem as "A," bulb or enlarged portion as "B," fuse as
and a plate or disc as "J," substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1896.
E,"
JOHN P. O'DONNELL.