IGNITION SYSTEM AND SELF-HEATING CONTAINER

摘要

An ignition system for a self-heating container includes a metal plate (12) to which is journalled a shaft (38) carrying a sparking wheel (36) which can be rotated against a flint (40) supported by the plate in order to generate sparks. A screen (18) on the plate adjacent the wheel and flint deflects the sparks through an opening (20) to ignite a pyrogen against which the plate can be disposed. The shaft can be keyed to a spring (50) by means of which it can be rotated for spark generation. The ignition system is self-contained and requires no external power source, and the shaft (38) can be maintained disconnected from the spring (50) until required in order to prevent accidental ignition of the pyrogen.