Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
FIRE STARTING STRIP
The present invention relates to a fire starting strip for igniting a bed of
charcoal or a
log fire, without using a secondary ignition fuel (such as lighter fluid) or
kindling.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Lighting a fire, whether a log or coal fire indoors or on a charcoal barbecue,
is often
seen by many as quite a challenge. Fire lighting outdoors can particularly be
a challenge
when confronted with the elements of potential wind and/or rain.
There are a number of different fuels that can be used for fires that need to
be ignited.
These range from wood logs to biomass heat logs, coal and smokeless fuels used
in
home open fires or wood burners, to charcoal and briquettes for barbecues.
There is
also an increasing demand to light log fires in wood-fired pizza ovens and for
outdoor
camping.
For wood log or coal fires, kindling or newspaper is often used to help ignite
the main
fuel, but requires some form of additional fuel to assist in igniting the
fire. This would
either be in the form of a paraffin firelighter, lighter fuel, or sometimes
electric
firelighters which provide a powerful concentrated heat to ignite the main
fuel.
Kindling, in the form of relatively small and thin sticks of wood, is a
commonly used
smaller fuel. It is used to help light the main fuel (logs or charcoal) by
providing the
initial heat source, and also helping to warm the chimney or flue, which in
turn increases
the rate at which air is drawn up the chimney or flue. Most retailers that
sell coal or logs
also stock kindling alongside, in addition to firelighters.
Whilst kindling provides an excellent solution to help start a fire, it is
considerably
bulky in volume. This not only takes up space for retailers, but also in the
home or next
to the fireplace. In terms of wild camping, it is highly impractical to carry
kindling
sticks to help light a fire.
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In terms of lighting charcoal or briquette barbecues, paraffin firelighters or
lighter fluid
are the most commonly used form of secondary fuel used to ignite the main fuel
source.
With firelighters, several blocks are normally needed to help light the large
bed of
charcoal and to get even ignition across the bed. Both these ignition fuels
invariably
have a strong petroleum odour and are far from a natural product. Charcoal is
sometimes sold in small paper packs which can be lit and should light the main
fuel
source. Another method of lighting charcoal include a charcoal chimney
starter, but this
still needs a firelighter or lighter fuel to assist with lighting the main
fuel source.
Firelighters will nearly always be used to ignite kindling and/or newspaper in
a fire.
Firelighters are themselves lit by using a match or lighter, or even a fire
steel to light
campfires. Various different firelighters are commercially available. For
example, Zip
produces a range of firelighters in the form of frangible cubes containing
kerosene.
Other firelighters containing only natural or eco-friendly materials are also
available in
various forms.
Typically, next to a fireplace or wood-burning stove, there will be a stock of
firewood,
kindling and firelighters, and perhaps even newspaper.¨ Thus, all of the
ingredients to
make a fire are provided, each with their own storage receptacle such as log
basket
and/or kindling bucket.
The action of lighting a log fire requires the correct method of using the
'ingredients'
of firelighters, possibly newspaper, kindling and logs. The 'laying' of a fire
is somewhat
of an art form, with the requirement to allow adequate airflow through the
fuel to aid
ignition, and also to create a warming of the flue or chimney to aid draft and
intensify
the flames and heat generated.
The lighting of a charcoal barbecue also needs strategic placing of several
firelighters
within the bed of charcoal, and the same important considerations regarding
airflow
still apply, as mentioned above.
Once ready, the firelighters are quickly lit one by one. Sometimes newspaper
or other
material is used too, but this quickly burns through and invariably does not
provide
sufficient heat for a long enough time to light the main fuel source. Also,
modern day
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newspapers and magazines contain inks which may be harmful if burnt. If the
positions
of the various firelighters are suitable, then the logs or charcoal should
eventually catch
fire (weather conditions permitting, if outdoors). Even so, it takes time for
the burning
regions to become fully established and link up, and it takes even more time
until the
fire reaches an even temperature across the bed of charcoal. This can present
an
unwelcome delay when barbecuing, because it takes time for there to be
sufficient heat
for cooking.
Even though fire lighting with kindling is recommended, it is possible to try
and use
firelighters on their own to light logs directly. In many cases, however,
firelighters
cannot provide sustained heat at a high enough temperature for a long enough
time to
ignite the main fuel source. Even if a large number of firelighters are used,
it is
frequently the case that the firelighters fail to light logs or charcoal at
the first (or
second) attempt, particularly for damp logs or charcoal. In any case, it still
takes a long
time for the fire to reach an even temperature.
It is possible to douse charcoal with an accelerant such as lighter fuel (or
similar) to
temporarily provide extra fuel to encourage ignition. However, this is not the
safest or
most environmentally-friendly way to light a barbecue.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce or substantially obviate
the
aforementioned problems. It is also an aim of the invention to make fire
lighting a much
simpler, easier, and more environmentally-friendly process.
STATEMENT OF INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fire
starting strip
for igniting a bed of charcoal or for lighting a log fire or firewood, without
the need for
any one or more of: kindling, lighter fluid or newspaper, the fire starting
strip
comprising an elongate body which is covered or impregnated with fuel, the
elongate
body having a length substantially in the range of 15 to 100 cm and being
substantially
at least five times longer than it is wide.
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The length of the firestarter is important to the present invention. The
firestarting strip
effectively amalgamates a firelighter with a fuel source into one product as a
firestarter
which can burn intensely enough to, on its own, light charcoal or logs.
Neither separate
kindling nor accelerant is necessary.
The fire starting strip may be considered to be a fire starting rope (or strip
of rope). It
allows a log fire (e.g. in a wood-burning stove) or charcoal fire (e.g. in a
barbecue) to
be started easily without needing to use any kindling or fire lighting fluid.
The strip
simply needs to be lit with a match at one or both ends and it quickly lights
along its
entire length. This avoids the issues of where and how to store kindling, and
indeed the
need to buy it at all, which brings down the average cost of lighting a fire.
Surprisingly, the fire starting strip or rope burns for a long time and
provides an intense
heat across a large area of the log fire or bed of charcoal. This makes
lighting a fire
easier and quicker, because it is considerably simpler to light the main fuel
source. This
of course assumes that the main fuel source is sufficiently dry and of the
right quality
for a successful fire.
By using a fire starting strip or rope according to the invention, there is no
need to
consider relative positions of different firelighters or kindling in the fire.
This is because
only one single firestarting strip or firestarting rope is required for
successful ignition
of the main fuel source. This applies to both log fires and charcoal fires.
The heat
required is quickly generated once the strip is alight, subject to sufficient
airflow around
the main fuel source and strip or rope.
The elongate body may include an absorbent or porous material for containing
the fuel.
That is, it should be absorbent or porous enough for the body to absorb or be
impregnated with the fuel. This can also allow the body to retain the fuel.
The strands (or slivers or shavings) are made of wood wool. Wood wool may also
be
known as 'excelsior' in some countries. Most or substantially all of the
strands are
twisted together in the same direction. There may be air gaps between the
strands.
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Wood wool typically includes thin wood shavings or fibres, which may on the
order of
about 1 to 3 mm thick. Typically, wood wool is made of pine or spruce or
similar
softwoods. However, any suitable wood source may be used. Individual strands
of
wood wool can be up to several tens of centimetres long. This is long enough
for the
.. strands to be formed into a long rope, which can then be cut up into
shorter strips or
lengths of rope.
The strands may be tightly twisted or woven together in an inner region or
core of the
strip or rope. The stands may be less tightly twisted or woven together in an
outer region
of the strip or rope. That is, the region around the core.
The elongate body may include one or more air gaps. For example, one or more
pockets
may be provided in the body. The air gap(s) may be provided between strands,
if strands
are provided.
Fuel may be added before or after the rope is cut to provide a firelighting
strip, but
preferably fuel is added to the rope prior to cutting. Alternatively, strands
can be twisted
together into a line or strip which is already of suitable length, or which
can be trimmed
to size. Similarly, this may happen before or after fuel is added to the
strip.
The elongate body may be considered to be a fuel carrier. In that sense, it
will be
appreciated that the elongate body and the fuel are separate components. The
elongate
body acts as a carrier for the fuel. The elongate body may itself be
combustible and act
as a second fuel source, but it is distinct from the fuel covering or
impregnating the
body.
The fuel may be in and on the strands. Where the strands are combustible, the
strands
can be considered as both a carrier for fuel (such as a wax) as well as a fuel
in their own
right (for example, if made of wood).
The fuel may be a solid fuel, such as a wax. Preferably, the fuel is a
paraffin wax or
hydrocarbon wax. In some embodiments, the wax is melted to liquid form for
impregnating the rope. After the strip or rope has been treated with wax, it
is then left
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to cool. This provides a more rigid length of rope than the wax-less
equivalent, but there
is still an element of flexibility.
More preferably, the fuel is refined paraffin wax. For example, Sasolwax 6202
(CAS
number: 8002-74-2) may be used.
Refined paraffin wax may be considered to have a low percentage of oil in the
wax.
Ideally there are few impurities too. For example, there may be 1.5% or less
oil in the
wax. There may be 1% or less oil in the wax. There may be 0.5% or less oil in
the wax.
The elongate body may include first and second opposing ends. The length of
the fire
starting lighting strip can be considered to be the distance between the first
and second
ends when measured along the body.
The strip is three-dimensional. The strip may be at least about 1.5 cm or 2 cm
in width.
The strip may be at least about 1.5 cm or 2 cm in depth. The width or diameter
of the
body may be substantially in the range 2 cm to 3 cm. The width of the body may
be
approximately constant between the ends or may vary in diameter substantially
within
the limits of the range. Having uniform or near uniform width helps to
generate heat
evenly along the strip or rope once ignited.
The elongate body may be about, or at least about, 10cm or 11cm long. The
elongate
body may be at least about, or at least about, 12cm or 13cm long. The elongate
body
may be at least about, or at least about, 14 or 15cm long. The elongate body
may be
about, or at least about, 17cm or 18cm or 20cm long. The elongate body may be
up to
about 75cm long. The elongate body may be up to about 50cm long.
The elongate body may have a length substantially in the range 15 cm to 40 cm.
The elongate body may have a length of about 25 cm. This length is preferred
for
storage and portability, as well as providing a size that will lie flat along
most or all of
the length of a standard log, or cover a significant area for a bed of
charcoal. Longer
lengths may be suitable for larger barbecues or fireplaces.
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The fire starting strip or rope may be substantially flexible. For example,
the elongate
body may be flexed such that it is non-linear, without snapping. That is, ends
of the
elongate body may be moved relative to each other, or put another way the
opposing
end regions of the body may not share a common linear axis when the body is
flexed.
The strip or rope may be flexible enough for the ends of the strip to face in
substantially
the same direction, if suitable force is applied to flex or bend the strip.
The strip or rope
may be flexible enough the ends of the strip can be brought into contact with
each other.
Again this may done without snapping the strip or rope.
Providing a flexible firestarter allows it to be bent and re-shaped into a
coiled or coil-
like shape. This is particularly useful when lighting a log fire as it
provides a slight
pyramid shape onto which firewood logs can be stacked ready for lighting and
this helps
maximise airflow.
The length and diameter of the strip affects the extent to which it can be
coiled.
Depending on the flexibility of the strip or length of rope, it may be
necessary to
permanently deform it so that it retains a coiled shape, or for a log or
charcoal briquettes
to be placed on top of it to hold it in a coiled configuration, for example.
In some embodiments, the elongate body may be substantially rigid. Air gaps or
pockets
may still be provided in the body. The body may have a rod-like shape.
Although not explicitly recited, any lower length limit mentioned in this
specification
can be combined with any upper length limit mentioned in this specification to
provide
a range of lengths for the firestarting strip.
The elongate body may be substantially at least 5 or 7.5 times longer than it
is wide.
Put another way, the length to width ratio of the elongate body may be at
least 5:1 or
7.5:1. The elongate body may be up to 20 times longer than its width.
The elongate body may be substantially up to 40 times, or 30 times, or 20
times, longer
than it is wide. Preferably, the elongate body may be about 8 to 13 times as
long as it is
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wide. This particularly applies where the elongate body is about 25 cm long
and about
2 to 3 cm wide.
The length to width ratio may be considered to be a length to average (or
mean) width
ratio. This accounts for variations in the width of the elongate body which
may affect
the length to width ratio at selected sections of the elongate body.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a fire
starting rope, for
igniting a bed of charcoal in a barbecue or for lighting a log fire without
the need for
any one or more of: kindling, lighter fluid or newspaper, the fire starting
rope
comprising strands of wood wool which are twisted and/or woven together to
form an
elongate body or length of rope which is impregnated with a fuel such as
paraffin wax,
has a length substantially in the range of 15 to 100 cm and is substantially
at least five
times longer than it is wide.
The fire starting rope may include any feature or features presented with
respect to the
first aspect of the invention.
A pack comprising one or more fire starting strips, or one or more fire
starting ropes,
may be provided.
The fire starting strips or ropes may be packed together such that each strip
or rope is
arranged substantially along a respective longitudinal axis. That is, each
strip/rope may
be laid out substantially straight in a pack (e.g. box or container),
optionally with the
strip / rope extending from one end of the pack to the other end of the pack.
A given axis (of a give strip or ripe) may be arranged to be substantially
parallel to the
axis of another strip or rope. A given axis may be arranged to be
substantially parallel
to some or all of the other axes (where there is a plurality of strips /
ropes).
This optimises packing efficiency within the space in the pack. Having the
strips or
rope sections arranged to be parallel to each other also minimises
fragmentation of the
wood wool in the strip / rope prior to use.
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According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
method of
manufacturing one or more fire starting strips or fire starting ropes for
igniting a bed of
logs or charcoal without any one or more of kindling, lighter fluid or
newspaper, the
method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a rope formed of strands which are twisted and/or woven together,
the strands being covered or impregnated with a fuel; and
b) cutting the rope to generate one or more elongate bodies, each elongate
body
having a length substantially in the range of 15 to 100 cm and being
substantially at least five times longer than it is wide.
The method may include any feature or features presented with respect to the
first aspect
of the invention. The rope in step (a) may be of any suitable length. The rope
in step (a)
may already be impregnated with fuel, or the elongate body or bodies may be
impregnated with fuel after step (b). The rope or strands may be dipped in
fuel, such as
(refined) paraffin wax, and allowed to dry before commencing step (b).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly
how it
may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example only
to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a plan view of a fire-starting strip according to the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figure 1, a fire starting strip is indicated generally at 10. In
this
embodiment, the strip 10 is a portion of rope. The strip 10 in Figure 1 is
shown in its
standard length (or linear) format. However, if suitably long, the strip 10
can also be
arranged as a coil.
The strip 10 is made of wood wool. The wood wool is provided in the shape of
an
elongate body, indicated generally at 12. The strip 10 may in some embodiments
be
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referred to as a stick, a rod, or a baton. These terms are considered to be
applicable to
any embodiment of the invention.
The body 12 is approximately cylindrical. The body 12 is approximately 25 cm
long in
this embodiment. The width of the body 12 is about 2.5 cm in diameter along
its length,
give or take up to 0.5 cm. This means that strip 10 is about ten times longer
than it is
wide.
Strands 14 of wood wool are twisted or woven together to form the body 12. The
strands
14 are combustible because they are made of wood. However, they are more
combustible than wood wool alone because it includes a refined paraffin wax.
Although there are some loose or splayed strands, most of the strands 14
remain
wrapped together. The strands 14 are twisted together relatively tightly so
that they
maintain their shape. However, there are small air gaps between the strands
14. An
example of such a gap is indicated at 16. This is particularly true for an
outer region of
the strip 10, but air gaps may still be present in an inner region of the
strip 10. The outer
region may be less tightly twisted together than the inner region.
The wood wool strands 14 includes refined paraffin wax as a fuel for improving
combustion. The refined paraffin wax impregnates or coats the strands 14. The
wax can
help to bind the strands 14 together. The wax also mitigates against water
ingress.
The wax may only impregnate or coat outer strands 14 of the strip 10. The
extent to
which inner strands (not visible) of the strip 10 are impregnated or coated
with refined
paraffin wax depends on how the wax is applied, and on how tightly the strands
are
twisted together (and the size of gaps between the strands 14).
Due to its length, the strip 10 is flexible, or at least flexible for a
firelighter. One end or
end face of the strip 10 can be moved relative to the other end or end face.
In other
embodiments, the strip 10 is substantially rigid.
The degree of flexibility is affected to some extent by how tightly the
strands 14 are
wrapped together, and how brittle the strands 14 are. Less tightly wrapped
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28
and/or less brittle strands will allow greater flexibility. Similarly, a
longer strip 10 is
more flexible than a shorter strip of the same width/diameter.
To make the strip 10, the first step is to produce (or acquire) a rope of wood
wool. The
rope is normally on the order of tens of metres long, but any suitable length
may be
used.
Refined paraffin wax is then added to the rope strands. In this embodiment,
the rope is
dipped in hot, liquid refined paraffin wax for a period of time. This allows
the wax to
impregnate and/or adhere to the strands. The rope is then withdrawn from the
source of
paraffin wax and allowed to cool and dry. In other words, the liquid paraffin
wax is
allowed to solidify or set.
The rope can subsequently be cut into a series of fire starting strips or
lengths of rope.
In this embodiment, the rope is cut into strips of about 25 cm in length. Of
course, the
rope may instead be cut into shorter strips, longer strips, or strips of a
variety of lengths
in other embodiments, within the scope of the claims.
To use the fire starting strip (or rope) 10 for lighting a charcoal barbecue,
a single strip
10 is laid on a grill or grate (not shown) and charcoal added over the top.
For log fire lighting, the strip can (if suitably long) be provided in a semi-
coiled
arrangement and laid on the grate with two or three (or more) smaller logs
added across
the strip. Alternatively, two (or more) small logs can be laid across the
grate and the
single length laid between the logs.
In each case, suitable air gaps should be left between the logs or briquettes.
This is done
so that the strip is not smothered whilst burning. The strip 10 is positioned
centrally
relative to the logs or charcoal around it. Ideally, there should be means to
allow air to
circulate under the strip 10 to help it burn.
The strip 10 can then be ignited at one or more places by using a match or
lighter. Of
course, another suitable ignition source or source of fire can be used
instead, if needed.
The burning match(es) can be extended through one of the gaps and/or touched
to an
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end of the strip 10 (if exposed). If the strip is lit at several points along
its length at the
start, this can help the logs or charcoal to catch fire at about the same time
and so the
fire reaches an even temperature across the grill more quickly.
.. It will be appreciated that a substantially similar series of steps can be
used for starting
a log fire in a wood-burning stove, for example.
The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and
various
changes and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art
without
departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended
claims.
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