Improvements in and apparatus to be employeu Articles known as Fire-lighters.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 29th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th July, 1887.
Improvements in and apparatus to be employeu
Articles known as Fire-lighters.
I ALLEN RIDGE of Townley Iron Works Bradford near Manchester in the County
of Lancaster, Millwright and Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to what are known as fire-lighters and consists in a method of
and apparatus to be employed in forming fire-lighters which are more efficient and
convenient in use than fire-lighters as hitherto constructed have been.
The first part of my invention consists in forming each fire-lighter by employing
end-pieces of wood formed of any suitable shape and connected together by other
pieces of wood inserted into suitable holes or openings formed through the end-pieces
before-mentioned. In each of the end-pieces above-mentioned I also form other
openings or perforations for the passage of air or flame. Within the cavity enclosed
by the end-pieces above-mentioned and the other pieces of wood above referred to I
place shavings or fragments of wood made in the formation of the said end-pieces and
of the holes openings or perforations formed in the said end-pieces.
If desired a piece of wood or pieces of wood similar to the end-pieces may be placed
between the said end-pieces and upon the other pieces of wood above-mentioned.
In some cases I apply resin or other inflammable material or substance to the fire-
lighter above referred to in order that the said fire-lighter may be more readily
ignited.
A further part of my invention consists in apparatus to be employed in forming the
end-pieces above described which apparatus consists in a punch formed of suitable
shape and operated in any convenient manner. In some cases 1 form the punch
above-mentioned of a ring or frame to which is secured a block to or in which block
I secure cutters or punches for forming the end-pieces to be employed in the forma-
tion of fire-lighters such as those above-described.
The cutters or punches above-mentioned may be secured to or in the block afore-
said either by means of screws or by being inserted into holes formed in the said block
or in any other suitable manner so that when required they may be sharpened or
replaced by others.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of September 1886.
W. T. CHEETHAM,
Carlton Chambers,
18, St. Ann's Street, Manchester,
Agent to the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in and Apparatus to be Employed in Forming the
Articles known as Fire-lighters.
I ALLEN RIDGE of Townley Iron Works Bradford near Manchester in the county
of Lancaster Millwright and Engineer 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 :-
My invention relates to what are known as fire-lighters and consists in a method of
and apparatus to be employed in forming fire-lighters which are more efficient and
convenient in use than fire-lighters as hitherto constructed have been.
The first part of my invention consists in forming each fire-lighter by employing
end-pieces of wood formed of any suitable shape and connected together by other
pieces of wood inserted into suitable holes or openings formed through the end-pieces
before-mentioned.
In each of the end-pieces above mentioned I also form other openings or perfora-
tions for the passage of air or flame. Within the cavity enclosed by the end-pieces
above mentioned and the other pieces of wood above referred to I place shavings or
fragments of wood made in the formation of the said end-pieces and of the holes
openings or perforations formed in the said end-pieces.
If desired a piece of wood or pieces of wood similar to the end-pieces may be
placed between the said end-pieces and upon the other pieces of wood above
mentioned.
In some cases I apply resin or other inflammable material or substance to the fire-
lighter above described in order that the said fire-lighter may be more readily
ignited.
In the drawings hereunto annexed Figs. 1. 2. 3 and 4 show one form of firelighter
constructed according to my invention and Figs. 5. 6. 7 and 8 show another form of
fire-lighter constructed according to my invention. As the form of fire-lighter shown
in Figs. 5. 6 7 and 8 only differs from that shown in Figs. 1. 2. 3 and 4 in being
rectangular instead of circular in cross-section I shall apply the same letters of refer-
ence to corresponding parts in both sets of figures and employ one description to
describe both of the said forms of fire-lighter. Fig. 1 is an end view and Fig. 2 a
side view of one form of fire-lighter constructed according to my invention and Fig. 3
is a longitudinal section and Fig. 4 a transverse section of such form of fire-lighter.
Fig. 5 is an end view and Fig. 6 a side view of a second form of fire-lighter con-
structed according to my invention. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of such fire-lighter
and Fig. 8 is a transverse section of this second form of fire-lighter taken at right
angles to Fig. 7. In the figures above mentioned a, a, are the end-pieces of wood
which are formed with holes or openings to receive the ends of other pieces b of wood
and with an opening or perforation c for the passage of air or flame. Instead of one
opening or perforation c more than one of such openings or perforations may be

page_text: formed in each of the end-pieces, a, a. Each of the end pieces a, a with the holes or
openings and opening or perforation or openings or perforations formed therein is
formed from thin board by means of a suitable punch which will be hereinafter
described in reference to a further part of my invention. The pieces 6 of wood may
be formed in any suitable manner. The required number of the pieces 6 of wood are
inserted at one end into one of the end-pieces a. a of wood and the hollow formed by
such pieces of wood and the end piece into which they are inserted, is filled with
shavings or fragments of wood made in the formation of the end-pieces a, a and of the
holes openings or perforations formed in the said end-pieces a, a. After the hollow
aforesaid has been filled with shavings or fragments of wood as above described the
second end-piece a of wood is placed upon the free ends of the pieces of wood
inserted into the first end-piece a of wood. The fire-lighter is then completed and
ready for sale or use or before such fire-lighter is sold or used I apply resin or other
inflammable material to the said fire-lighter in order that such fire-lighter may be
more readily ignited. If desired a piece of wood or pieces of wood similar to the end-
pieces a, a may be placed upon the pieces b of wood and between the end-pieces a, a
to provide a further quantity of combustible material. The end pieces a, a, and any
other similar piece or pieces of wood inserted between the end-pieces may be made of
any suitable size or form and any number of the pieces of wood may be employed
and the pieces of wood may be made of any suitable length.
Fire-lighters constructed as above described are more efficient and convenient in
use than fire-lighters as hitherto constructed have been, the fire-lighters constructed
as above described supporting the coal or other fuel to be ignited and distributing
the flames produced by their combustion better than fire-lighters as hitherto
constructed.
A further part of my invention consists in apparatus to be employed in forming the
end-pieces above described which apparatus consists in a punch formed of suitable
shape and operated in any convenient manner. In some cases I form the punch above
mentioned of a ring or frame to which is secured a block to or in which block I secure
cutters or punches for forming the end-pieces to be employed in the formation of fire-
lighters such as those above described. The cutters or punches above mentioned may
be secured to or in the block aforesaid either by means of screws or by being inserted
into holes formed in the said block or in any other suitable manner so that when
required they may be sharpened or replaced by others.
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a punch adapted for forming the end-pieces to be employed
in the manufacture of fire-lighters such as that illustrated by Figs. 1. 2. 3. and 4,
Fig. 9 being a view of the cutting face of the punch and Fig. 10 a section taken on
the line A. B of Fig. 9. Figs. 11. 12 and 13 illustrate a punch adapted for forming
the end-pieces to be employed in the manufacture of fire-lighters such as that
illustrated by Figs. 5. 6. 7 and 8-Fig. 11 being a view of the cutting face of the
punch and Figs. 12 and 13 sections taken on the lines C. D. and E. F respectively of
Fig. 11.
The punch illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 is formed of a circular cutter or punch
upon or to which a ring or frame e is "shrunk" or otherwise attached. The cutter or
punch & serves to connect to the ring or frame e a block f which is screwed into
Screw-threads formed in the cutter or punch d and into which are inserted cutters or
punches g. One of the cutters or punches 9 is shown detached in Fig. 14. In the
block a cutter or punch his inserted by being screwed into screw-threads formed
in the block f. The cutters or punches are retained in the block f by being made
to fit with sufficient tightness into the holes into which they enter and into which they
are driven in any suitable manner. The cutters or punches g are prevented from being
forced too far into the holes in which they are inserted by means of the collars
formed around such cutters or punches. The cutter or punch d serves to form and
separate each of the end-pieces a from the piece of thin wood from which such end-
piece a is to be formed, the cutter or punch serves to form the central opening or
perforation c in the said end-piece a and the cutters or punches 9 serve to form the
holes or openings to receive the pieces 6 of wood by means of which the end-

page_text: pieces a, a of each fire-lighter are connected. The ring or frame e is provided with
Jugs by means of which it may be connected or secured in any suitable manner to
or in the press or machine employed to operate the punch attached to and supported
by the said ring or frame e.
As the punch illustrated by Figs. 11. 12 and 13 is in many respects similar to that
illustrated by Figs. 9 and 10 I shall apply to the parts of the punch illustrated by
Figs. 11. 12 and 13 which correspond to parts of the punch illustrated by Figs. 9
and 10 the same letters of reference as I have applied to the corresponding parts in
Figs. 9 and 10 and only refer to the punch, illustrated by Figs. 11. 12 and 13 in so far
as may be necessary to point out in what respects it differs from that illustrated by
Figs. 9 and 10. In the punch illustrated by Figs. 11. 12 and 13 the frame and the
cutter or punch d upon or to which the frame e is "shrunk" or otherwise attached are
made rectangular in form and the block f is inserted into the cutter or punch d and
retained therein by means of the set screws k. The cutter or punch is also made
rectangular in form and is secured in the block f by being made to fit the opening
into which it is inserted with sufficient tightness to. be held when such cutter or
punch is driven into the opening in which it is inserted. The cutter or punch d
serves to form and separate each of the end-pieces a, a from the board from which it is
formed, the cutter or punch serves to form the opening or perforation e in the said
end-piece a and the cutters or punches g serve to form the holes or openings to receive
the pieces of wood by means of which the end-pieces a, a of each fire-lighter are
connected. The frame e is provided with lugs by means of which it may be con-
nected or secured in any suitable manner to or in the press or machine employed to
operate the punch.
The cutters or punches d, g and h may when required be sharpened in any suitable
manner or may be replaced by others of like form.
I would point out that whatever may be the shape to be imparted to each of the
end-pieces a, a the punch to be employed to form such end-pieces a a will require to
be made of suitable form.
Instead of the cutters or punches d. 9 and being attached or connected to or
secured in the ring or frame e or frame e or block fas the case may be in the manner
illustrated by Figs. 9. 10. 11 12 and 13 such cutters or punches may be connected to
the ring or frame e or frame e in any other suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The herein before described method of forming fire-lighters which consists in
employing end-pieces such as a, a of wood, connecting such end-pieces of wood by
other pieces of wood inserted into holes or openings formed in such end-pieces and
placing within the space in the interior of the fire-lighter shavings or fragments of
wood made in the formation of the said end-pieces of wood and of the holes or
openings or openings or perforations in the said end-pieces.
2. The herein before described apparatus to be employed for forming the end-pieces
to be employed in the manufacture of the fire-lighters hereinbefore described which
apparatus consists in a punch formed of cutters or punches such as d. g and all
constructed, arranged and operating for the purposes and substantially in the manner
herein before described in reference to the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of June 1887.
W. T. CHEETHAM,
Agent to the Applicant.