Patent GB-424671-A (GB)
IPC: C06F1/12
Abstract: 424,671. Packeting matches. TENNANT, W. J., 111, Hatton Garden London.-(Aktiebolaget Siefvert & Fornander; Kalmar, Sweden) April 5, 1934, No. 10354. [Class 94 (i)] [See also Group XII] To obtain a predetermined number of matches per box the filling of the match carrier chain of continuous match - making machines is regulated so as to assume a value below the maximum before the final ejection of the matches. Regulation may be effected by means preventing certain carrier holes from being supplied with splints, or an extra ejecting mechanism which removes certain of the splints or finished matches before the final ejecting mechanism is reached may be used solely or in combination with the regulated filling device. To prevent certain splints from being inserted, the teeth of the usual vertically movable insertion comb which project through openings in grooves 38 in the splintreceiving gratings 37 mounted on a sliding beam 29 are replaced, e.g at every fifth groove by needles 41 secured to plates 42 which are slidable in guides 43. Lugs 44 on the underside of the plates bear against set screws 45 on the insertion beam by the action of a spring 51 securec to an arm 50 on a shaft 47 to which plate-engaging arms 48 are also fixed. With the parts in this position a full number of splints is inserted when the beam moves forward as the needles 41 act as inserting teeth. A cam disc 54 is however caused to rotate once for each feed motion of the discharge conveyer belt and, engaging a roller 52 on arm 50, prevents the needles 41 from being retracted and the splints from entering the grooves. In the form shown two independent sets of needles and control means are provided as each match box is fed twice, once from each half of the carrier chain. In a modification with a similar inserting mechanism having vertically reciprocating comb teeth projecting through openings in the splint grating a second series of vertically movable teeth is intermittently or continuously caused to block some of the grooves to prevent the insertion of particular splints. An ejecting mechanism for removing certain splints or matches before the final ejection comprises a needle bar 65 Fig. 7, carried by rails 67 slidably mounted on guides 68, 68<1>, and caused by a spring to move downwardly to eject particular splints, being again raised by a cam 70. A cam 73 may however be in such a position as to be engaged by a roller 72 to render the ejecting mechanism inoperative so that by particularly designed cams any desired number of splints may be ejected. The mechanism, which may comprise several independent units, may be employed with or without the regulated filling mechanisms and either eject splints immediately after their insertion or finished matches previous to the final ejection, the matches at either stage being filled into boxes. To compensate for unintentional vacancies in the carrier chain a control mechanism may be employed to prevent the operation of an ejecting needle if one of a group of carrier holes is accidentally vacant. Each group of, say, five holes has four feeling needles 77, Fig. 10, and one ejecting needle 78 guided by plates 75, 76, the plate 75 having a locking plate 80 and a guide plate 82 with openings into which heads 81 of the feeling needles fit. The mechanism may reciprocate like the bar 65, the reduced ends of the feeling needles entering the carrier holes before the shorter ejecting needle reaches the carrier and being displaced by the matches so that their heads 81 emerge from the locking plate which is then caused to slide to the right by a spring 83. Further motion of the mechanism towards the carrier enables the ejecting needle 78 to enter the corresponding (fifth) hole and eject the match. During the return movement a stationary nose 85 moves back the locking plate whereupon the feeling needle heads slide back into position to lock the plate. If a match is missing the corresponding feeling needle passes through the carrier hole and its head 81 keeps the plate 80 locked so that the ejecting needle is free to move backwardly instead of ejecting a match.