Recreational fire starting aid

Abstract

An apparatus having a regulator fluidly connected to a nozzle by a fuel supply conduit can be fluidly connected to a source of liquefied fuel, such as liquefied petroleum gas. The apparatus can be used to initiate self-sustaining combustion of combustible materials in poor condition. The apparatus can be used to dispense a gaseous jet stream of the fuel through an air space and towards combustible materials for aspirating a portion of the air in the air space. The gaseous stream fuel contacts the combustible materials for mixing the gaseous fuel with air surrounding the combustible materials and with the portion of aspirated air, forming a flammable mixture. The flammable mixture can be automatically ignited by the heat of combustion provided by an open source of ignition adjacent the combustible materials.

1 . A method for initiating a self-sustaining combustion of combustible materials, comprising:
 providing a source of fuel located in surrounding air;   providing an open source of ignition adjacent the combustible materials;   regulating the fuel to discharge a generally coherent stream of gaseous fuel through an air space between the combustible materials and the source of fuel;   directing the stream of gaseous fuel towards the combustible materials at a distance from the combustible materials that the stream of gaseous fuel in the air space remains above an upper flammability limit of the fuel;   contacting the stream with the combustible materials for interrupting the stream and mixing the gaseous fuel with the surrounding air forming a flammable mixture;   igniting the flammable mixture with the open ignition source for imparting heat of combustion into the combustible materials; and   continuing directing the stream towards the combustible materials until combustion of the combustible materials is self-sustaining.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the directing the stream towards the combustible materials further comprises:
 aspirating a portion of the air from the air space with the stream; and 
 dispersing the stream of gaseous fuel and aspirated air through contact with the combustible materials for mixing the gaseous fuel, the aspirate fuel, and air and forming the flammable mixture adjacent the combustible materials. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the directing the stream towards the combustible materials further comprises:
 discharging the regulated stream of gaseous fuel through a nozzle. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the regulating the fuel further comprises:
 providing a single stage regulator fluidly connected to the source of fuel for discharging gaseous fuel at a pressure of about 0.7 psig to about 1.2 psig. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the discharging of a generally coherent stream of gaseous fuel through the air space further comprises:
 providing a conduit between the regulator and the nozzle; 
 directing the gaseous fuel through the conduit; and 
 discharging the gaseous fuel through the nozzle. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the providing of an open ignition source comprises providing an open flame. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fuel is propane and the open source of ignition provides an ignition temperature at least about 940° F. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fuel is propane and the coherent stream of gaseous fuel is above about 9.6% propane in air. 
     
     
         9 . A method of building a campfire in an open air space comprising:
 erecting a teepee of wood in the open air space for circulation of surrounding air about a base of the teepee, the wood being combustible materials;   initiating self-sustaining combustion of the combustible materials using the method of  claim 1 .