Patent GB-190103591-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Machines for Making Wax Matches.
Inventor: HARVEY JOHN LANCASTER
Filed: 1901-02-19
Granted: 1901-06-29
Abstract: 3591. Harvey, J. L. Feb. 19. Matches.-Relates to machinery for making wax matches. A series of threads pass from bobbins 1 over guide-rollers 6, 7 into a tank C, containing melted paraffin or other coating-material, which is heated by means of steam pipes 3. The threads are guided during their passage through the trough to a die-plate 11 by rods 12 carried by a series of cranks 13, which are secured to shafts driven by means of toothed gearing. The front end of the tank is pivoted at 19, and the rear end is supported by a cam 21, which can be revolved by means of gearing 23, 24, thus permitting the level of the paraffin &c. to be lowered beneath the level of the die apertures. After leaving the die-plate 11, the coated threads travel beneath a cooling-chamber D, which has a perforated base 26, through which cold air issues from the chamber. A pan 27, provided with a discharge pipe 28, receives the superfluous paraffin &c. blown from the threads by the air currents. The threads are next wound upon a skeleton reel, Fig. 5, which is substantially square in side elevation. This reel comprises four series of bars 32, one series for each face of the reel, connected by braces 33, which are secured to hubs 34, mounted on a shaft 29. Brackets 35, on the reel, support laterally-movable carriages 36, each of which comprises a base 37, and side-bar 38, provided with lugs 39, 40. The carriages are connected by a frame 41 to nuts 42, which work upon a right and left handed sleeve 43 on the shaft 29. This sleeve carries a toothed wheel 44, which is rotated by means of gearing 45, 47, 48 and an arrangement of fast and loose pulleys 150. The free or leading ends of the coated threads are clamped to the reel, and the threads are wound upon the reel concurrently with a series of racks G, Figs. 5 and 13, each of which comprises a bar 50, provided with a transversely-grooved strip of rubber 51, and formed with slots 53 for the reception of clamping-devices. The racks G are supplied from a hopper to travelling chains, the leading ends of which are attached to the bases 37. During the revolution of the reel, the chains, racks, and coated threads are wound thereon, and the threads rest within the grooves 62 of the racks, and serve to hold these in position until the beginning of the last revolution, when a series of clamps is applied to the racks. These clamps comprise cross-pieces connecting two vertical limbs, which pass through the apertures 53, and are secured by means of spring-pressed catches fitted to the lowest series of racks. The clamps are supplied from frames, which travel upon rails, and have vertical slots in which the clamps are supported by means of slide bars formed with slots registering with the slots of the frames. The slide bars are moved, by means of the lugs 39, so as to bring the slots into correct register and allow the clamps to fall from the frames, and the frames are traversed by means of the Ings 40. When the reel has received its full charge of coated threads, and the racks have been secured by the clamps, the threads are cut off near the last rack, and the chains are withdrawn by moving the carriages 36 outwards by means of the sleeve 43 and nuts 42. Next, the coated threads are cut successively at the four corners of the reel, and the four series of racks &c. are discharged upon trucks which carry the racks, clamps, and severed threads, to a series of rotary cutters for cutting the coated threads to match lengths. Each cutter is formed with two cutting-edges which act successively, one of the edges having a diameter slightly exceeding that of the other edge. The splints, carried by the separate series of racks, are finally transferred to the dipping-room.