When I first spotted this stove at the Newark meet 2023 I assumed it was a Lilor, and whilst it does resemble some of the Lilor stoves posted in the reference galleries it is completely unmarked. It came in a rather splendid box...... along with a lovely chrome or nickel plated pump..... ...and some instructions in French. The tank is also nickel or chrome plated and has a typical pump valve, control lever and a rather splendid double gauge showing pressure and fuel level. The tank can be pressurised but quickly loses pressure no matter the position of the control lever, so that's one issue. Another is that the inner burner cap is missing. The condition of the generator is unknown as yet but I couldn't hear escaping gas when the tank was pressurised and the lever moved. I'll post progress photos when I get around to this one.
Today I spent time on the UFS (Unidentified French Stove). The first job was to identify the source of the leak. It turned out to be leaks, from the control valve and the pressure/fill gauge. The gauge just required a new viton washer cutting and fitting, although I also replaced the rather withered float cork on the lever operating the fill gauge whilst I had it out of the tank. Then onto the control valve and to inspect the generator. The first surprise was that it was necessary to first remove a leg from the stove as the generator passes through a hole in the cast body and the tank brackets are placed on the inside of the stove legs! An odd decision. I also had to remove the valve lever and holding nut and the curved chromed cover which can be seen in one of the photos posted before. What a faff! Finally then the tank and generator can be separated from the stove body. Then I removed the nut, valve lever and the chrome semicircular cover. This allowed access to the control lever shaft and the nut securing it, which I removed. It also revealed another nut on the end of the generator tube which I also removed. At this point I could see the end of what I assumed was a pricking rod. So I removed the jet which unfortunately showed no pricker intact. Turning the control lever moved the rod back and forth, on a rack and pinion type gear. I assumed turning the valve spindle would result in the pricking rod being pushed out but no it stopped dead. So I rotated the pricking rod at the valve end and only succeeded in removing a section with the rack gear on it not the rod itself . I had unscrewed the two sections! The rod appeared to be captive within the generator, I couldn't push it out from either end, without hitting a stop. It did however reveal it was spring loaded. OK so any ideas of adding a pricking wire had to be abandoned. Back to the control spindle. With the rack removed the spindle unscrewed easily and it reminded me of a chunkier version of the spindle in an Optimus 111, with one major difference.... ... a hole running from one side to the other to allow the flow of fuel through to the generator when in the correct position. What did surprise me was that the graphite packing collar was in fine condition. So why the leak? Well it turned out the expansion washer had been put on the wrong way around so the graphite wasnt being expanded to fill the spindle housing. That and an additional washer on top of the expansion washer, to apply greater force from the spindle nut, cured this leak. Now the one place that should have leaked air when pressure testing and didn't was the jet. So the next job was to clear the jet. Mucky to say the least. Once cleaned I pressure tested again. Success! A steady stream of bubbles only from the jet and nowhere else and with the valve closed the pressure was maintained. So next to test with fuel in the tank and pressurised. Both gauges working, however on opening the valve the expected mist of air and fuel didn't appear. It turned out the jet was once again blocked. A quick prick with a pricking wire and success! For all of 5 seconds. So this process was carried out multiple times collecting the fuel mist in a jug. It was full of carbon particles. Eventually it ran clear and kept running. Whew. So now the entire stove was reassembled and it was time for testing. You may remember I said there was no inner cap but I decided to test without. At first... But then the generator heated up... A great burn with no inner cap! I hadn't replaced the valve cover or top nut in this shot or the video but did so later I declare the UFS fettled! Rob.
Very nice job Robert, I like it a lot. I have a pile of IFS (identified french stoves) on queue, they always require a little more work than usual Nicola
Some of the engineering or design choices seemed to be a case of 'style over substance'. It certainly wasn't made for easy maintenance with the exception of the cast iron burner block which can be removed by undoing just one finger tightened knurled nut.
@Mesquite must admit I'm pleased with this one Steve, it'd have been a shame if this one had just sat in the box.
@Robert Radcliffe congratulations a real test of patience. I am so pleased to se you have got it going! What are you running it on Aspen 4T? It’s a fine looking stove isn’t it? I am rather sad to have let it go now it’s running properly I hope yo have many a good cup of tea from the old lady! Cheers Nick
@nmp Hi Nick, a fine looking stove indeed. One of the first to really grab my attention at Newark, that was for sale at any rate. It baffles me that it's unbranded. I must admit I'm rather pleased and grateful to you for letting it go I will take great care of it for sure, and I'm hoping to make use of it on future camps. Rob.
@Robert Radcliffe As a guess I would have said it has a 20s or 30s feel? But it could be 50s? So I am not much help really. It’s a domestic stove I would have thought, and as such I wonder how many liquid fuelled stoves were in use post war? Plus the quality of the build and finish makes it an expensive item. Having said all that the travel case and description does indicate that whoever was selling it was doing so for camping purposes. As you say why no brand name? Really glad you’re pleased with it. Looks great Cheers Nick
Rue de la Tombre Issiore is the name on the instructions which is a street in Paris. Could Imp Briquet be the printer or manufacturer? Briquet is a lighter I think googling it brings up all sorts of petrol lighters a strange coincidence ?
I was searching for the same info @nmp Seems that in French Imp means “little devil” and Briquet “lighter”. But for now I didn’t find any company at that address in Paris. Nicola
My money is on a Lilor stove, that enamelling and the gauges on the fuel tank are very similar to others in the SRG. @Nicola Francesco Elia an imp here in the UK is a sort of mischievous little fairy in Ireland a leprechaun! but imp in this case could be an abbreviation of Imperial?
Hi all I never seen such a stove, but it seems to be a rebranded Lilor stove with all the Lilor technology « imp « means simply « printer » for « imprimeur « in French this is the printer’s postal address
Hi Robert, I don't know this kind of stoves very well, but I assume it's a late 1920's / 1930's model, and the instruction paper remind me of the Pigeon Ignus instructions. Could it be a stove from Pigeon? Bastien
I've a feeling this one will remain a mystery Bastien. Lilor or Pigeon? Could be either or neither. I would love the mystery to be solved one day though. Rob.
Brand is probably Lilor, as Michel said But the grill and the pump are the same on my Cobra stove ( cobra or Melius are two names for only one industrial : Moufflet So , is think name is Cobra
