FR2780137A1 - High illumination safe torch which may be used outside in gardens and similar locations - Google Patents

Abstract

A wick (2) made from a non combustible materiel such as glass fibre is supported and secured by a bracket (4) and slider (6) above a reservoir (1) of combustible material such as paraffin powder. The torch is started by sprinkling the paraffin powder over the wick and continues by capillary action the brightness being proportional to the thickness of the wick. The flame is prevented from reaching the reservoir by the bracket and slider.

Description

TORCH AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING IT

  The present invention relates to an illuminating device called a "torch", in particular but not

  exclusively for outdoor use.

  It has been known for a very long time to use candles for lighting, which conventionally consist of a cotton wick, impregnated with paraffin and having a variable diameter, usually about 1-2 mm, and a body of candle mainly made of paraffin

  solidified, distributed around the cotton wick.

  There is also a variant of candles using a container and a wick of cotton impregnated with paraffin set in a metal support placed at the bottom of a reservoir, which is itself filled with paraffin powder. This variant, however, allows only a low intensity flame, due to the small diameter of the wick. In addition, the flame goes down as the wick burns in parallel with the lowering of the level of the liquefied paraffin powder; there is also a risk of paraffin not burning against the walls of the tank depending on its size. If, to remedy this, a wick of larger diameter was used, it would encourage the rapid melting of all the paraffin powder, but with a significant risk of ignition of its entire surface which had become liquid. Such techniques therefore did not allow the realization of a lighting torch having a strong lighting power, and this under safety conditions

acceptable.

  We have now found that such torches can be produced, having a strong and stable lighting power during the entire operating time of the light energy source, by making an original combination of a wick made of non-combustible material, a container in which said wick is placed and combustible material, as well as a support for said wick holding the latter in the raised position in said container, so as to define an upper part of the wick lying above above and at a distance from the initial level of said fuel, said wick being or being able to be further impregnated and / or covered with a quantity of

  sufficient fuel to ignite the torch.

  The first object of the invention is therefore a device forming a torch, comprising a wick, a fuel tank and a support for holding the wick in said tank, characterized in that it comprises a combination of a wick made of non-combustible material, d '' a container in which said wick and combustible material are placed, as well as a support for said wick holding the latter in the raised position in said container, so as to define an upper part of the wick lying above and at a distance from the initial level of said fuel, said wick being capable of absorbing molten combustible material by capillary action and being able, moreover, to be sprinkled or covered with a quantity of pulverulent combustible material sufficient to

lighting the torch.

  According to a preferred embodiment, said torch comprises a wick support arranged so as to create a barrier between the upper part of the wick and the rest of it, so as to prevent the flame maintained at the upper part of the wick can reach the wick part used to drive the

  fuel by capillarity and plunging into it.

  In an advantageous embodiment, the above-mentioned torch further comprises a collar, preferably annular, forming a protective screen intended to avoid any contact of the flame with said container and / or the materials of structure of the torch, in particular when are flammable, said flange being preferably fixed to the upper part of said container and can advantageously be combined with said support

wick.

  In a particularly preferred embodiment, said wick support has substantially the shape of a flat strip, possibly with a lowered or raised central part, in which a clearance of appropriate size is provided to allow a tight passage of the wick. As a variant, this clearance, which is preferably centered, may include a lateral opening facilitating the introduction of the wick and allowing it to be held firmly. A member, for example sliding, comes, in position close to the wick, to close the lateral entry and thus complete the barrier isolating the upper part from the

bottom of the wick.

  The subject of the invention is also a method for producing a torch having a stable and safe operation, in which such a torch is produced by placing a wick made of non-combustible material for effect in an open container at its upper end. of capillarity on the fluids, by fixing this wick at at least one point situated above the upper level of the fuel received by said container, by filling said container with such fuel in powder form, while the wick is also sprinkled or coated , simultaneously or subsequently, with pulverulent combustible material intended to allow the ignition of the torch and, under the effect of the combustion of this dusting or coating material, the melting

  fuel contained in said container.

  The invention is described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which show nonlimiting embodiments and in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a torch according to the invention, with bamboo sleeve for fixing outdoors; Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective representation of the torch container with wick, support

  wick and protective collar according to the invention.

  Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective representation of a piece forming a wick support and

  comprising a sliding member which encloses the wick.

  Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective representation of the container according to FIG. 2, filled with fuel up to a certain level and further comprising a porous part for diffusing perfume and / or insecticide. The torch according to the invention comprises a container 1 with an upper opening, in which is disposed a wick 2 made of non-combustible material which can exert a capillary effect on the fluid formed by the fuel of the torch in molten form or once its fusion has taken place. The wick 2 plunges into the container 1, advantageously to the bottom of the latter and substantially perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the said container 1. This non-combustible wick is preferably made of fiberglass or any other equivalent material, sufficiently rigid to have a clean hold without being sheathed or stretched, and of a diameter adapted to the flame that it is desired to obtain, in practice with an outside diameter of approximately 5 mm. The length of the wick corresponds substantially to the height of the container. A fiberglass wick suitable for the torch according to the invention preferably comprises a core and a braid, the core being in discontinuous wire in E or verranne glass, assembled and twisted, while the braid is in discontinuous wire in verranne . The container 1 containing this wick 2 and receiving the fuel is a container with a sealed bottom made of heat-resistant material, preferably metal, for example steel or baking sheet, for example with a thickness of about 0 , 3 mm. In practice, it can have an internal diameter of approximately 65 mm, for a height of approximately 55 mm, and be inserted into the flared upper part of a traditional bamboo torch structure. This assembly can however also be provided to be placed on or hung on a table or any other horizontal plane or slightly inclined on the horizontal, in which case it does not include the torch structure in

  bamboo 3 shown in Figure 1.

  As explained above, the wick is held towards its upper end by a support 4, made of a material resistant to heat and having a clearance 5, and which ideally bears at its two ends on the upper edge of the container 1, as shown in FIG. 2. Any other embodiment is however also possible, provided that it leaves free the upper end of the wick, preferably over a length of approximately 2 cm, and that it does not completely cover the container which must receive sufficient heat to bring the solid starting fuel to the liquid state. In addition, this allows easy refueling. This support 4 has for example a length of about 10 cm, a width

  about 1 cm and a thickness of about 0.8 mm.

  In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, this part 4 has the general appearance of an elongated strip of about 1 cm wide, having a curvature at each of its ends to facilitate installation on the rim of the container 1 and has a length which

  roughly corresponds to the diameter of container 1.

  According to the variant shown in Figure 3, this piece 4 has an orifice 5 for inserting the wick and it further comprises a slide 6 allowing, once it is brought back to the center, to lock the wick 2 and create a complete barrier

  between the upper and lower parts of the wick.

  The slide 6 can be replaced, if it is

  wishes, by an annular or other part.

  According to a preferred variant, the container further comprises, placed or otherwise fixed on its upper free edge, a flat or curved plate 7, forming a flange or having an equivalent shape, intended to constitute a protective screen between the flame of the torch and the structural materials thereof, as well as the container 1. This flange 7 is in practice made of metal, for example steel, and must in any case withstand heat and flame. It may have, while advantageously being related to the dimensions of the container 1, an annular shape having an outside diameter of about 115 mm and an inside diameter of about 65 mm, for a thickness which can

be about 0.6 mm.

  In addition to or in replacement of this part 7, the torch according to the invention may comprise a cup pierced in its center with a hole substantially of the diameter of the wick 2, threaded thereon from above and resting on the support 4 , to improve the insulation between the upper part of the wick and the part of the container containing the liquid fuel, thus avoiding any risk of ignition of the liquid fuel of the container

  1, for example in case of exposure to wind.

  As shown in the appended figures, the support 4 of the wick 2 makes it possible to position and maintain the latter in the center of the container by letting the wick protrude at the top, thus creating a "barrier between the top wick called to maintain the flame and the lower part of the wick intended to "pump" the fuel 8 by capillary action,

  preferably melted paraffin.

  The fuel 8 introduced into the container 1 is advantageously paraffin powder of fine

  particle size intended to maintain the flame.

  If desired, a porous part, impregnated with a perfume and / or can also be added to this device.

  an insecticide, such as lemongrass.

  This piece is advantageously a piece of suitable porous material as shown under the reference 9

in figure 4.

  To make the torch according to the invention operational, the container 1 is filled with paraffin granules to form the fuel 8 and the upper part of the wick 2 and / or the wick support 4 is lightly dusted or covered, at least in its central part surrounding the wick, with paraffin powder. In practice, it is therefore advisable to fill the container while not hesitating to cover the support 4 at the same time and to sprinkle the wick 2 with the filling fuel powder. This filling is therefore very

  simple. It is done in an open environment, so safe.

  The fuel powder used can be

  natural powder or colored and / or scented powder.

  To obtain with this device a flame of the "torch" type, that is to say several centimeters high, preferably about 5-10 cm high, it is sufficient to light the wick with a match. The system thus designed keeps the flame at a constant level

  during the whole operation of the system.

  The ignition is very simple and very quickly a flame intensity is reached. Under the effect of the heat given off, the paraffin powder placed on the wick 2 and / or on the support 4 melts, so that in a few minutes the entire volume of paraffin powder contained in the container 1 becomes liquid. In practice, the diameter of the wick should be adapted to the diameter and height of the container. For example, a wick diameter of 5 mm allows the complete melting of the powder contained in a substantially cylindrical container having an internal diameter of approximately 65 mm and a height of combustible powder of approximately 40 mm. This volume of liquefied paraffin from container 1 is then able to supply the wick 2 by capillary action, the flame of which self-maintains with equal intensity until the total consumption of the liquefied powder or until the device is stopped voluntarily. The separation created by the wick support 4 keeps the flame only on the wick part 2 which is above the support 4. The wick part located below the support 4 is thus normally in contact with no flame and causes the liquid paraffin to rise by capillary action as the flame consumes that which has reached the upper end of the wick 2. There is therefore no risk of ignition of the entire mass of liquid paraffin as this could happen in a brazier or if the wick was fixed, no longer on container 1, but in

its background.

  The wick burns without consuming itself and draws off the paraffin which has become liquid to the last drop, if the device is not stopped beforehand. During use it is even possible to add fuel powder without risk, for example with a

  spoon, which would be dangerous with a liquid oil.

  If the flame is extinguished before all the fuel powder has been consumed, the liquefied fuel freezes quickly and this avoids any risk during transport and storage. To then restart the device, simply add a layer of new paraffin about 1 to 2 cm thick on top and

  re-ignite as described above.

  The torch according to the invention also allows savings on the operating cost, since the cost of the paraffin powder is significantly lower than the amount of paraffin oil which would be necessary for an equivalent period of use. In addition, there is

  no risk of evaporation between two uses.

  The flame obtained resists the breath of the wind, which allows this torch to be used outdoors, under the same conditions as the torches currently known, which

  use paraffin oil.

  As an indication, but not exhaustive, applications of the torch according to the invention can be: garden torch with bamboo stake to stick in the ground or with metal support, torch to be threaded on a support with suitable ring, wall torch or also a table torch, known as a table torch, which can optionally be placed inside an insulating cork sleeve. The latter may advantageously further comprise a second container, of size larger than the container 1 which is immersed therein, and comprising an appropriate quantity of water to prevent being burned when the torch is touched or moved in operation. The two containers can be, independently of each other,

  glass, metal, terracotta or others.

  According to a variant particularly suitable for lighting effects on water bodies, the torch is made floating by traditional means, for example by a cork envelope, and placed directly in the container containing the flotation liquid, as for example on the surface of a basin at least partially filled with water, a basin filled with water or even a swimming pool, o can be placed simultaneously

  one or more torches according to the invention.

  The torches thus created can also be multiflamme torches making it possible to use containers of larger diameter, the depth of which is then

  adapted to the drill bit diameters.

  In all these applications, job security is guaranteed and complies with regulatory requirements

in force in this area.

Claims (8)

  1. Device forming a torch, comprising a wick, a fuel tank and a support for holding the wick in said tank, characterized in that it comprises a combination of a wick 2 made of non-combustible material, of a container 1 in which said wick and combustible material 8 are placed, as well as a support 4 for said wick holding the latter in the raised position in said container 1 so as to define an upper part of wick 2 lying above and at distance from the initial level of said fuel 8, said wick being capable of absorbing molten combustible material 8 by capillary action and being able, moreover, to be sprinkled or S15 covered with a quantity of combustible material   sufficient powder for lighting the torch.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the torch comprises a wick support 4 arranged so as to create a barrier between the upper part of the wick 2 and the rest of it, so as to prevent the flame maintained at the upper part of the wick 2 can reach the wick part used to drive the fuel 8 by   capillarity and plunging into it.   3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that the torch further comprises a collar 7, preferably annular, forming a protective screen intended to avoid any contact of the flame with the container 1 and / or the structural materials of the torch 3, said collar 7 being fixed preferably at the top of container 1 and which can advantageously be combined with wick holder 4.   4. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 3, characterized in that the support 4 of the wick 2   has substantially the shape of a flat band,   ment with lowered or raised central part, in which a clearance 5 of appropriate size is provided to allow a tight passage of the wick 2. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the clearance 5 comprises a lateral opening and the wick, once introduced, can be held there firmly by means of a member 6, for example sliding, which comes in close position wick 2, close the side entrance and complete the barrier isolating the upper part bottom of the wick.   6. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 5, characterized in that the wick 2 is made of glass.   7. Method for producing a torch according to one   any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that   place a suitable wick in an open container at its upper end   non-combustible material with capillary action effect   screw fluids, by fixing this wick at at least one point located above the upper level of the fuel that receives said container, by filling said container with such fuel in powder form, while the wick is also   sprinkled or coated, simultaneously or later-   ment, with powdery combustible material intended to allow the ignition of the torch and, under the effect of the combustion of this dusting or coating material, the melting of the fuel contained in said container.   8. Use of the torch according to any one of   claims 1 to 6, as a garden torch, as   table torch, as a floating torch for bodies of water, as a wall torch and / or as a multi-flame torch.