IE20120420U1 - A robust moisture resistant fire log that is clean to handle and can be lit directly with a naked flame without the necessity to use additional combustible materials - Google Patents

Description

A robust, moisture resistant fire log that is clean to handle and can be lit directly with a necked flame without the necessity to use additional combustible materials.

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a manufactured fire log for use in solid fuel burning units or open fires. The fire log is robust in nature, clean to handle, moisture resistant and can be lit directly without the necessity to use additional combustible materials. In particular, the invention relates to a new form of fire log.

IE12o420 Bac round to the Invention A fire log is a manufactured unit, which may consist of a variety of materials such as wood and peat and is commonly used as a source of fuel in solid fuel units and open fires. Conventionally other manufactured logs require the use of additional materials such as firelighters, kindling, or paper to assist with the lighting of the product The user must therefore acquire or purchase these additional materials to ensure that the log can be lit. Some products are available in sealed packaging that can be ignited which causes the log to ignite. Products such as these prove more costly to purchase given the necessity to package the product fore lighting purposes. Additional products though robust in structure require the use of additional materials to light the log.

Another difficulty with existing products is that they can fracture or disintegrate when exposed to moist or damp conditions. Other products are very brittle in nature and can fracture or disintegrate when handled. In some cases the user may discover that the product is too brittle, that they require additional material to ignite the product, the product fails under moist conditions and that pre wrapped products are expensive to purchase.

Existing products that are based on timber, such as wood chip, wood pulp or saw dust, are either too brittle in nature or disintegrate if exposed to damp conditions.

These products that are more robust in structure prove more difficult to ignite and must be assisted by additional materials.

Those products that may be pre wrapped for lighting purposes are more expensive to purchase.

Accordingly there exists a for a single product which overcomes the failings of other products on the market and in doing so provides a cost effective robust, clean to handle and moisture resistant product which can be lit directly by the use of a necked flame such as offered by a cigarette lighter or a match.

\E12o420 Summary of the Invention The present invention relates to a manufactured, robust, clean to handle, moisture resistant fire log that can be lit directly with a necked flame without the necessity to use additional combustible materials. The log comprises either entirely of one of the following or a verity of combinations of the following. The materials used are wood chips, wood pulp, saw dust or straw and in addition to these elements, varying amounts of wax is added to achieve the desired result of moisture resistance and rate of bum. The inclusion of wax also acts as a binding agent to ensure a robust product that is clean to handle.

The log according to the invention comprises: - a moulded compacted unit either entirely of wood chip, wood pulp, saw dust or straw or of a variety of combinations of these materials. - wax of varying proportions and consistencies, which acts as a binding agent, determines the rate of burn and contributes to the logs residence to moisture. 1. In one embodiment, the fire log is circular in cross-section. 2. In another embodiment, the fire log is square in cross-section. 3. In a future embodiment, the fire log is rectangular in cross-section.

IE12o42° Brief Deseriytion of the Drawing The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of an example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1(A): shows a front view of a fire log according to the invention (circular cross-section).

Figure 1(B): shows a side view of a fire log according to the invention (circular cross—section).

Figure 1(C): shows an end view of a fire log according to the invention(circular cross-section).

Figure 2(A): shows a front view of a fire log according to the invention (square cross-section).

Figure 2(B): shows a side view of a fire log according to the invention (square cross-section).

Figure 2(C): shows an end View of a fire log according to the invention (square cross-section). lEi20420 Detailed Description Referring now to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is illustrated: 1. The fire log is circular in cross section and rectangular in profile along its length.

Referring now to the drawings and to Figure 2, there is illustrated: 1. The fire log is square in cross section and rectangular in profile along its length.

Within the limits of the specification of the fire log, it can be manufactured to any size and shape required by the purchaser. The fire log will be suitable as a source of fuel to be used in solid fuel appliances and open fires.

The advantages of the fire log according to the invention when used as a form of fuel is set out as follows: Lighting of fire log: The fire log can be lit directly by the application of a necked flame such as a cigarette lighter or a match and no other material is required to ignite the log.

Moisture residence: The fire log is moisture resistant and will not readily fracture or disintegrate when exposed to damp conditions Robustness: The fire log is robust in structure clean to handle and will not easily fracture or disintegrate when handled.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but may be varied within the spirit of the invention.

Claims (14)

Claims 1. A robust moisture resistant fire log that is clean to handle and can be lit directly with a necked flame without the necessity to utilise additional combustible materials comprising : A moulded compacted unit either entirely of wood chips, wood pulp, saw dust or straw, or a variety of combinations of these materials. Wax of varyin g proportions and consistencies, which acts as 5 binding agent, determines the rate of burn and contributes to the logs resistance to moisture. A robust, moisture resistant fire log that is clean to handle and that can be lit directly with a necked flame without the necessity to use additional combustible materials. |E120420 The following amended Claims were filed on 05th November 2012 IO E12o42° Claims

1. A robust moisture resistant fire log that is clean to handle and can be lit directly with a naked flame without the necessity to utilize additional combustible materials Comprising: A molded compacted unit either entirely of woodchip, wood pulp, saw dust or straw, of a variety of combinations of these materials. Liquefied wax of varying proportions and consistencies, which acts as a binding agent, determines the rate of burn and contributes to the fire logs resistance to moisture. Mixing of the referred to elements including the wax until the wax binder coats the mixture; compressing said coated mixture into a mould to form a combined mass; and removing said compacted mass from said mould after said mass has solidified. A robust, moisture resistant fire log that is clean to handle and that can be lit directly with a naked flame without the necessity to use additional combustible materials.

2. The method of claiml, wherein said binder is paraffin wax.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the said binder is animal wax.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the said binder is vegetable wax.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the said binder is petroleum wax.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the proportion of the binder added to the mixture is within the range of 6—10% of the total mixture. 10 IS 30 IE120420

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the proportion of the binder added to the mixture as a percentage of the overall mixture, can vary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fire log can consist of the binder and one of the elements referred to.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the fire log can consist of the binder and a variety of combinations of two or more of the elements referred to.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fire log can be formed in a cylindrical shape and to varying lengths.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fire log can be formed in a rectangular shape and to varying lengths.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a light coating of wax can be formed to a significant portion of the external surface of the fire log to offer moisture resistance.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein alight coating of wax can be formed to a significant portion of the external surface of the fire log to assist in the prevention of disintegration of the outer surface of the fire log when handled, by means of acting as a binder for the outer surface of the log.

14. A fire log made according to the method of claim 1.