US669531A - Fire-lighter. - Google Patents

Description

No; 669,53I. Patented Mar. [2, 190i. J. M. L-EEK.

FIRE LIGHTER. (Applicafiou ied Nov. 5, 1897. Renewed July 21, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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n4: mums PETERS no PnuTo-uma, WASHINGTON. 0 cv Nu. 669,53I. Patented Mar. 12. 1901. J. m. LEEK.

FIRE LIGHTER.

(Application filed Nov. 5, 1897. Renewed July 21, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shaet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT JOHN M. LEEK, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

FIRE-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,531, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed November 5, 1897. Renewed July 21, 1900. serial lilo. 24,461. (No model.)

T0 at whorm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. LEEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Firelflfiighter, of which the following is a specifica- My invention relates to improvements in automatic devices for igniting fires; and one object that I have in view is to provide a simple contrivance by which a fire may be ignited at any predetermined time, so that a housewife or other person is not required to arise early in the morning and enter a cold kitchen or room for the purpose of starting the fire.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved ignition device which may be used in connection with any ordinary cook stove or stoves and grates generally; and a further object is to provide means adapted for use in connection with an alarm mechanism of a time-clock adapted to be adjusted to be set in operation at any desired hour.

To the accomplishment of these ends the invention consists in the combination of a shaft carrying an abrasive surface, a spring adapted to be put under tension by adjusting the shaft, a detent mechanism for restraining the shaft from movement under the energy of the spring, a time mechanism for re leasing the detent mechanism from engagement with the shaft, a match-holding appliance adjacent to the abrasive surface of the shaft, and a wick-carrier arranged in operative relation to the match-holder, so as to sustain a wick in position to be ignited when the matches are lighted by the movement of the abrasive surface on the shaft; and the invention further consists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fire-igniting device, showingit applied to the apron of an ordinary cook-stove, the latter being indicated by dotted lines. Fig.

2 is aplan view of the igniter device removed from the stove and showing the cover of the casing thrown open to expose the interior of the casing. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the igniter device. Fig. 4 is an end elevation.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

My ingniter device consists of a casing 1, a shaft 2, journaled in the casing, aspring 3, a detent mechanism 4, an abrasive surface 5 on the shaft, a match-holder 6, and a wickcarrier 7. These parts are all arranged and combined in operative relation to each other substantially as shown by the drawings, and Iwill now proceed to describe the detailed construction and arrangement of said elements.

The casing 1 is preferably of oblong shape, although this is not essential, and said casing is provided with a hinged cover 8 and with an extension 9 at one end. This extension is in the plane of the bottom of the casing, and on the extension and to one end of the casing is affixed a guard 10. This guard is preferably of wire bent to segmental form and attached to the casing and its extension by soldering or other suitable fastenings, and said guard is adapted to embrace a time mechanism which rests on the extension 9. This time mechanism is shown in the accompanying drawings as an alarm-clock of a well-known variety, which is adapted to be used in connection with an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention; but it is not strictly necessary to use a time mechanism of this character, because it will be apparent that the casing may be constructed to embody a time mechanism as an integral part of the apparatus. I prefer, however, to employ a time mechanism, because such devices are in common use and because of the ready removability of the mechanism from the guard for the purpose of winding up the springs of such mechanism or of setting or adjusting the time-train and the alarm-train. The time mechanism is indicated in a general way by the numeral 11, and it is equipped with a key 12 for the purpose of winding the alarm of such time mechanism.

The shaft 2 is arranged longitudinally within the casing 1, and it is journaled in suitable bearings provided in the end walls of the casing or in bearings which may be attached to the casing. One end of this revoluble shaft is extended through one end wall of the casing, and to its protruding end is affixed a roller or disk 12, which is coated or covered with an abrasive material 5. I prefer to employ a roller or pulley of larger diameter than the shaft 2, and the abrasive 5 may be applied to this roller or pulley in any suitable wayas, for instance, by fastening a strip of abrasive-coated fabric to the periphery of such roller or disk. Again, the roller may be a solid piece of emery or other abrasive material to afford a friction-surface for the ignition of the matches carried by the holder 6. The protruding end of the shaft 2 is equipped with a means by which the shaft may be conveniently rotated by. hand, and in the embodimentof the invention shown by the drawings the shaft-rotating device consists of a crank 13, which protrudes beyond the roller or pulley with the abrasive surface, so that it may be reached conveniently for winding the shaft by hand. The shaft is placed under tension by the employment of a coiled spring 3, which is shown as fitted around the shaft to be held in place thereby. One end of the spring is attached to the shaft, while its other end is fastened to one of the walls of the casing 1, and said spring is thus honsedwithin the casing to be protected thereby from accumulations of dust, &c. The shaft is prevented from turning under the influence of the spring by the detent mechanism, (indicated generally by the nu-' meral 4,) and this detent mechanism consists of a ratchet 14 and a pawl 15. The ratchet is fastened to the shaft 2, near one end of the casing, and the pawl has astraight length 15*, which is pivoted in the casing. This pawl is made, preferably, from a length of Wire which is bent to substantially the form shown by Fig. 2, and said pawl has a protruding arm 15, which passes through a slot or opening in the end wall of the casing adjacent to the time mechanism. This protruding arm 15 of the pawl is free to rest by gravity upon the key 12 of the alarm of the time mechanism 11, and said pawl is adapted to be lifted by the key 12 when it is rotated by the operation of the alarm-train of the time mechanism, whereby the pawl is freed from the ratchet, and the latter thus rotates with the shaft under the recoilaction of the spring 3. The match-holder 6 is shown in the accompanying drawings in the form of a clamp adapted to grasp and hold one, two, or more friction-matches which are to be presented to the abrasive surface 5, so as to be in con,- tact therewith. This matchholder in one embodiment of the invention has a base 16, a movable jaw 17, mounted on the base and controlled by a spring, or a spring 18 may be used as a means for attaching the movable jaw to the base 16 of the holder, as shown by Fig. 4; but this precise construction of the match-holder may be varied by a skilled mechanic.

The wick-carrier 7 is made by bending a stout piece of wire or a rod of metal, and said wick-carrier is constructed to serve as a means for holding the wick and for supporting the match-holder in proper relation to the rotary abrasive surface 5. As shown in the drawings, the metallic rod or wire is bent to form an arm 19, having a pintle 20 at its extremity, then bent or deflected laterally, as

at 21, then carried upward to form the short standard 22, then doubled upon itself to form the inclined seat 23 for the attachment of the match holder or clamp thereto, and then finally bent into a series of loops which constitute the wick-holder proper. The rod has its arm 19 fitted against the rear side of the casing for the pintle 20 to enter a socket 24 on the casing, and said arm of the rod is engaged by a clasp 25, which is attached to the casing and which serves to reinovably hold the rod on the casing. The base of the matchholder or clamp 6 is fastened to the seat 23 0f the rod in any appropriate manner, and by reason of the inclination of the seat 23 of said rod the match-holder is presented at the proper angle to the rotary abrasive surface for the matches held by the holder to rest upon the abrasive surface. The wick-carrier proper extends upwardly and rearwardly from the match-holder in agenerally inclined.

direction, so that the wick-carrier will present the wick to the stove. The wick 26, which I prefer to use, is made, preferably, of asbestos or other analogous material, and it is fitted loosely in the loops of the wick-carrier. This wick may be saturated with any suitable inflammable substance.

The lower part of the wick is carried over the match-holder to lie adjacent to the matches, and this part of the wick is confined in a fork 27, which is attached to the match-holder.

This being the construction of my fire-igniter, the operation may be described, briefly, as follows: The crank is rotated by hand to turn the shaft and put the spring 3 under tension, the ratchet turning with the shaft and the pawl slipping idly over the ratchet,so as to engage with the teeth thereof and hold the shaft'from rotation when the operator ceases to turn the crank. The time mechanism is now wound, its alarm mechanism adj ustedto be started in operation at a predetermined time, and the time mechanism is placed on the extension and in the guard'in position for the free arm of the detent to rest upon the key 12 of the time mechanism. The match or matches are now placed in the match-holder to have the friction igniting material or head in contact with the abrasive surface 5, and the wick is placed in the carrier with its lower extremity adjacent to the matches. The entire apparatus may now be placed on the apron of a stove,

as represented by Fig. 1, and the remote end of the wick may be passed through one of the draft-openings in the door of the stove, thus obviating the necessity for opening the draftdoor of the stove. When the alarm of the time mechanism is set in operation at the time previously determined upon, the key 12 is rotated to lift the arm of the pawl, thus raising the latter from the ratchet and allowing the spring to turn the shaft, which actuates the abrasive pulley or roller to ignite the matches. As the Wick is adjacent to the lighted matches, the wick is in turn ignited and the flame is applied to the kindling in the stove, thereby starting the fire.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that I have provided an automatic ignition device which is readily operated and adjusted to start or kindle at any predetermined time a fire in a stove. While the apparatus is shown as adapted for use in connection with a cook-stove, it will be evident that it may be used to advantage in starting fires in other kinds of stoves, grates, (X 50. The apparatus is readily portable, so that it may be removed and stored away when not in use, and it is simple and durable in construction and cheap of manufacture.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and in the details of construction of the devices herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention, as, for example, the form of the wick carrier or support may be changed from a looped-wire support to a tubular support when the device is to be placed at some distance from the stove; but the arrangement of the wick-support, whether tubular or the looped-wire construction shown, with relation to the match-holder and to the airopenings in the stove-door is the same in both forms of the wick-support. As the wickholder is of any suitable tubular form, I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate the sam e. Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-lighter, the combination with a casing, and a'spring-controlled shaft carrying an abrasive surface, of a detent pivoted to said casing and having a protruding extremity and a bent arm between its pivot and said protruding extremity which is adapted to rest upon a movable element of a timetrain, a ratchet mounted on the shaft for engagement by said bent arm of the detent, a match-holder in operative relation to said abrasive surface, and a wick-carrier extended from said match-holder, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic fire-igniter, a supporting arm or rod provided at one end with a series of loops forming a wick-carrier and with an inclined seat, combined with a rotatable abrasive surface, a match-holder clamp attached to the seat of said arm or rod, a fork supported by the matchholder clamp and arranged to retain a wick adjacent to the matches in said .clamp, and mechanism for operating the abrasive surface, substantially as described.

3. In a fire-kindler, a wick-carrier provided with an extended su pporting-arm,the inclined seat, 23, and the wick-loops which are inclined upwardly and rearwardly beyond said seat,23, and a match-holder or clamp supported on the inclined seat, 23, below the loops of said wickcarrier, in combination with a casing to which the supporting-arm of said wick-carrier is attached, a spring-con trolled shaft journaled in the casing and having an abrasive roller in operative relation to the match-holder or clamp, and a detent mechanism for restraining the shaft against rotation by its spring, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. LEEK.

Witnesses:

H. L. BRANDON, T. H. MCDANIEL.

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