US2319778A - Apparatus for making flame coloring sticks - Google Patents

Description

' May 25, 1943. J. P. B. FISKE 2,319,778

APPARATUS FOR MAKING FLAME COLORING STICKS Filed Oct. 22, 1941 :fdizafiaaraZZBLZilske Patented May 25, 1943 2 .APPARA'IUSiFOR MAKING FEAliIE COLOR- LING STICKS Jonathan P; B. Fiske,. Newton; Mass.

:OriginaLapplication ..0ct0ber 29, 1940, 'SerialfNo. 3.63346. Divided? and this applicationEOctober 2 2,-;1-941, Serial No. 416,061

,6 Elairns.

fromrsuch material-andcomprising-a flame color- 1 ing agent' incorporated in a carrier, while solid-at room temperature, are readily convertefdw-hen placed in a fire into a liquid which spreads over .anclpenetratesthe logs-or other fuel. Theagent, epreferably-oneor -more chem-icalsalts, e. g, the chloridegnitrateor sulphateof s trontium,- or bar- .ium, ortherchloride ersulphate ofcopper; is'thus ldistributed over :the fuel, leeing caught by the v cracks .an;d crannies thereof, so that the coloring =efiectproduced by-the agentin the-flames'lasts for along time and produces amide-spread effect. JIfhe carrier may heealgy one of;that classcf sub- =-.,stances -which are solid atroom temperature 1 and melt. into 2. a .li quidupon .thegapplioation of heat.

.I have-found paraffinewaxgives superior results I as a carrier,Palthoughfithersubstances suchas g-stearicacid or beeswax may: be usedif desired.

.Heretofore ithas been proposed Itomix the fflamecoloringagent with; the molten' carrier and v.thento pour the mixtureinto molds. -S uch-= mix- 1' ing of agent :and; carrier priorto pouring involves so many diificultiesjncluding excessive time and -'eXcessiveexpense, that r it has been foun31,;-af;ter

repeated trials, to be i not comm-erci-ally; practical to manufacture .flame coloring -;mater;ials-;where .isuch pre-mixing.iseinyolved. aMoreover, thisprocedure ah-as not been satisfactory -for Wile-reason :that the flame coloringragent settles to the bot- .tom. of themolten carrier. It is not feasible'to stir .the {mixture constantly while pouring and 1 even if itrweretheysticks in diflerent molds would not be uniform. Furthermore, it is notifeasiole .to heat-the carrier-onlyto the pointzWhere the v:flame coloring agent 1"Zi11 not settle rapidlybecause .then the mix does not pour well.

:The primary object of this invention resiid es in the manufacture of molded flame coloring articles :consisting. of a carrier -and'a flame coloring agent .without .the necessityof mixing the ingredients ;prior to molding.

.Another object of the invention' resides. inthe .structure "and construction of :such apparatus in .Whichthematerialis for-med into thedesired shapes. .Specifically ,said apparatus comprises ;a die.block, havi ng-.molding cavities thereinopen r -at-;bo,th;endsganda bed of non-adhesivematerial -;posed xbetween thebasel bloekwand the: sheet and means5for-so clamping the die block :upon :the bed that thebottom surface .of -.the "die 'block is depressed into the layer :and themolding cavities in; the, die block lare sealedat; one end bythe sheet of 1 non adhesive; material in :combination :withL-a charger unit including a box ha'ving pockets open at:thebottom and a slidable plate having .-:slots therein which register with the gpockets in one position of the plate, said unit restingupon the die block ;with the pockets-therein in: register with the cavities in the die block.

jThGSe as -w,ell ,as;v other; objects of the invention "will appear froma consideration :of the following description and of the drawing :which forms a part;thereof,and in which =F1j g .-1 is a;plan view of the mold in'whichthe material'is for-med;

Fig. -2 is a cross-sectional view of the mold taken along the lines :2-2 in :Fi 1;

is'a side elevation of--the-mold;

i ,4 is across-sectional view of the die block of the mold taken along the line 4--4 inFig. ,1;

Fig.5 5 is -a-.similar view; ofthe mold with which -.is assembled a charger unit for supplying the .agent to-the mold;

Fig. 6 is-a.-sectional-view:of theimold with the agent in the cavities thereof;

Fig; '7 is-a-viewsimilar to Fig. G-With theagent .and carrierin-thecavities thereof;

:Fig. dillustratesthedie .blocke-with an ejector :unit and the blocks ;of .-material after ejection from the mold -and 9 is a perspective view of ;a finished-stick.

Thestick l llof flame, coloring material consists of a carrier l l and :a flame coloring-agent l2. The carrier 1 l is preferably of paraflin wax and the agent l2 is preferably copper chloride in the .form of particles incorporated :With the carrier and eonfinedlargely to oneside oftheestick (the upperside: in='-F1f g. 9). The process by'which the stick l,0-is made according to this invention is .as follows: 'A- predetermined amount. of the copper f-chloride in the form of separate particles is cplacedina mold. Theparaflin waxconverted by heat into. a freely. flowingliquid iscpoureclv into the mold on top of the particles -until the mold is completely or substantially filled. While -the liquid carrier readily fills the interstices between the particles of flame coloring agent the particles remain localized in the bottom of the mold because of their higher specific gravity. Since heated paraffin wax has a tendency to set quickly when no longer subjected to heat, the particles of agent are trapped and held in the cooling mass.

The apparatus for carrying out this process illustrated in the drawing includes a mold comprising a die block 2| and a bed 22. The die block 2| includes a plurality of cavities 23, three being here shown, in which the sticks of material are formed, such cavities being open at both ends and bound by inwardly inclined walls. The bed 22 comprises a base block 24, a layer 25 of sponge rubber, flannel, plush, or similar depressible material, and a sheet 26 of non-adhesive paper, e. g.,'

glassine.

The die block 2| is suitably clamped upon the bed 22 by the coaction of hooks 21 carried by the base block 24 and pins 28 projecting outwardly from the die block. When assembled the sheet 26 closes the cavities 23 at the bottom. The hooks 21 and pin 28 are so located that when the die block 2| is assembled with the bed plate 22, the bottom surface of the die block is depressed somewhat into the upper surfaces of the yieldable mass of the layer 25 so that the bottoms of the cavities are tightly sealed by the sheet 26 to prevent any escape of liquid therefrom during the formation of the sticks.

A charger unit 30 is employed in the feeding of the copper chloride crystals to the cavities 23 of the mold. That unit 30 comprises a box 3| having a plurality of pockets 32 in the base thereof and a slidable plate 33 held in close contact with the under face of the box by shouldered set screws 34 carried by the box and extending through slots 35 in the plate 33. The unit 30 is positioned on the block 2| by the "reception of the dowel-pin heads of the screws '34 in apertures in tongues 36 projecting from the sides of the block 2|. The pockets 32 in the box are open at the bottom and when the unit is positioned on the block, register with the cavities 23 therein. The plate 33 in one position closes the pockets 32 (see Fig. 5). Slots 3'! are provided in the plate which when the plate is shifted register with the pockets 32 and cavi 'sufficiently for conversion into a liquid, is poured into the cavities on top of the crystals. After the carrier has set in the cavities 23 the die block 2| is separated from the bed 22 and supported in an inverted position over a removable pallet 40. 'Suitable'means are then employed to drive the sticks I0 out of the cavities 23, such as an ejector unit 4| which comprises a base 42, bars 43 secured thereto and pins 44. The bars 43 are so dimensioned and positioned that they will register with and enter freely the open bottom ends of the cavities when the unit is positioned relative to the die block 2| by the entry of the pins 44 into the apertures 45 in the tongues 36. Sufficient pressure is exerted to depress the unit 4| and drive the sticks ||l out of the cavities onto .the pallet 49.

Inasmuch as some of the flame coloring crystals are exposed at the surface of the sticks they tend to absorb moisture in damp weather. Crystals being intensely hydroscopic, absorb sufficient moisture from the air to cover, here and there, the surface of the sticks with a watery solutioin, and. in the case of copper chloride, with green drops, which are very objectionable as they not only stain the paper box in which the sticks are packaged, but they stain the hands of any person using the sticks. To avoid this difiiculty the sides of the sticks containing the crystals are painted with paraflin or other suitable waterproof material after they are removed from the mold. By localizing the crystals in one side of each stick as illustrated in Fig. 9 it is necessary to paint only the upper portion of each stick after it has been deposited on the pallet 40. If the crystals were distributed throughout the entire stick it would be necessary to paint all sides of the stick. This would involve painting one side of the stick, waiting for it to dry, turning it over, and then painting the other side, thereby materially increasing the cost of production. 1

While one form of apparatus for carrying out this process has been described in detail, it will be understood that I am not limited thereto and that other forms of apparatus may be used if desired without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim: I

1. Molding apparatus adapted m forming sticks of flame coloring material comprising" a die block, a bed including a base block, a sheet of non-adhesive non-porous material and a layer of depressible resilient material interposed between the base block and the sheet, saidfifilie block having molding cavities therein open at both ends and resting upon said sheet ofn'onadhesive material, and means for so clamping the die block to the bed that the bottom surface of 'the die block is depressed into the layer ofthle base and the molding cavities are sealed at one end by the sheet of non-adhesive material.

r 2. Molding apparatus adapted for forming sticks of flame coloring material comprising a die block, a bed including a base block, a sheet of non-adhesive non-porous material and a layer of depressible resilient material interposed between the base block and'the sheet, said die block having molding cavities therein open at both ends and resting upon said sheet of nonadhesive material, means for so clamping the die block to the bed that the bottom surface of the die block is depressed into the layer of the base and the molding cavities are sealed at one end by the sheet of non-adhesive material, and a charger unit including a box having pockets open at the bottom and a slidable plate having slots therein which register with said pockets in one position of the plate, said unit resting upon the die plate with the pockets therein in register with the cavities in the die plate.

3. Molding apparatus adapted for forming sticks of flame coloring material comprising a die block, a bed including a base block, a sheet of non-adhesive non-porous material and a layer of depressible resilient material interposed between the base block and the sheet, said die block having molding cavities therein open at both ends and resting upon said sheet of nonadhesive material, means for so clamping the die block to the bed thatthe bottom surface of the die block is depressed into the layer of the base and the molding cavities are sealed at one end by the sheet of non-adhesive material, and a charger unit including a box having pockets open at the bottom and a slidable plate having slots therein which register with said pockets in one position of the plate, said unit resting upon the die plate with the pockets therein in register with the cavities in the die plate, said die block having apertured tongues and said charger unit including set screws which enter the apertures in the tongues to position the unit relative to the die block.

4. Molding apparatus adapted for forming sticks of flame coloring material comprising a die block, a bed including a base block, a sheet of non-ahesive non-pourous material and a layer of depressible resilient material interposed between the base block and the sheet, said die block having molding cavities therein open at both ends and resting upon said sheet of nonadhesive material, means for so clamping the die block to the bed that the bottom surface of the die block is depressed into the layer of the base and the molding cavities are sealed at one end by the sheet of non-adhesive material, and a charger unit including a box having pockets open at the bottom and a slidable plate having slots therein which register with said pockets in one position of the plate, said unit resting upon the die plate with the pockets therein in register with the cavities in the die plate, said die block having apertured tongues and said charger unit including set screws which hold the plate in contact with the box and which also enter the apertures in the tongues to position the unit relative to the die block.

5. Apparatus for molding a composition which in liquid form has low viscosity, comprising a mold open at top and bottom, a bed for said mold, a layer of depressible resilient material over the bed, and between said mold and layer a flexible sheet which is non-pervious to said liquid and which does not stick tightly to the mold composition, whereby the open bottom of the mold may be sealed by sinking the mold into said depressible resilient material and the intermediate non-pervious non-adhesive sheet prevents the molded composition from sticking to the resilient material.

6. Apparatus for molding a composition which in liquid form has low viscosity, comprising a mold open at top and bottom, a bed for said mold, a layer of depressible resilient material over the bed, and between said mold and layer a flexible sheet of glassine, whereby the 'open bottom of the mold may be sealed by sinking the mold into said depressible resilient material and the intermediate non-pervious non-adhesive glassine prevents the molded composition from sticking to the resilient material.

JONATHAN P. B. FISKE.

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