IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCH BOXES AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREIN
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Alexander Bell, of Bow Lane, in the
City of London, and George Higgons Higgins, of Fairfield Road,
Bow, in the County of Middlesex, Machinist, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCH BOXES AND IN APPARATUS
TO BE USED THEREIN."
Sealed the 28th August 1868, and dated the 3rd March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Alexander Bell
and George Higgons Higgins at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd March 1868.
We, SAMUEL ALEXANDER BELL, of Bow Lane, in the City of London,
and GEORGE HIGGONS HIGGINS, of Fairfield Road, Bow, in the County
of Middlesex, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCH BOXES AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improved construction of box
for containing lucifer or friction matches by means of which the danger
arising from the liability of the whole box to become ignited from a
spark thrown off from a match during ignition will be avoided. Match

page_text: boxes as ordinarily constructed consist of two parts, a sliding tray for
containing the matches, and a case or envelope which receives the
sliding tray and retains the matches therein. Access is gained to the
matches by thrusting out one end of the tray beyond the envelope, the
sides of which are usually provided with friction surfaces for igniting the
matches. The trays are slidden out either end foremost, as chance may
dictate, and thus the heads of the matches are as likely to be exposed as
the opposite ends of the matches. Any sparks therefore falling from the
match that is being ignited on the open box are liable to fall on to the
composition with which the matches are tipped and ignite them. In
order, however, to prevent this we close one end of the envelope or case
either wholly or in part, and thus prevent the tray from being slidden
out except in one direction, and when the tray is inserted in the case we
prevent its entire withdrawal by interposing a strip of wood or other
obstacle which will catch against the inner end of the tray when drawn
out to a given extent and retain it in the case. When filling this
construction of box we lay the matches with their heads towards the
closed end of the case and thus the heads of the matches in the tray
will remain covered. For the purpose of sliding out the tray we propose
to cut an opening in the end of the case to allow the finger to press
upon the inner end of the tray and thrust it out.
The Invention relates, secondly, to certain means for facilitating the
operation (which is now performed by hand) of painting the friction
composition on the bottom or sides of match boxes. To this end we
provide a vessel for receiving the mixed composition and retaining it by
the application of heat in a liquid state, and in this vessel we set up a
vertical frame in which we mount a small and a larger roller clothed
with flannel or other suitable material. The lower roller dips into the
composition, and by reason of its rotation in contact with the upper and
larger roller the composition will be evenly distributed upon the
periphery of that roller. Rotary motion is given to the upper roller by
means of a winch handle or otherwise, and a band passing from a pulley
on the axle of this roller to a pulley on the axle of the lower roller
will transmit the requisite motion to the lower roller. By simply
passing the box to be coated across the top roller an even coating
will be imparted to the surface brought into contact with the roller.
Upon the vessel in which the rollers are mounted we sometimes
fit a frame or guide to facilitate the traversing of the boxes over the
roller. To this guide frame we apply a moistened pad for wetting the

page_text: surface to be coated immediately before applying it to the top roller.
This pad may be kept moist by a continuation of its flannel covering
dipping into a cup of water and taking up moisture by capillary
attraction. Provision is made for adjusting the rollers with respect
to the height of the composition in the vessel and to each other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Alexander Bell and George Higgons
Higgins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd September
1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
ALEXANDER BELL, of Bow Lane, in the City of London, and GEORGE
HIGGONS HIGGINS, of Fairfield Road, Bow, in the County of Middlesex,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Samuel Alexander Bell and George Higgons
Higgins, Her special licence that we, the said Samuel Alexander Bell
and George Higgons Higgins, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such other as we, the said Samuel Alexander Bell and George
Higgons Higgins, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ircland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCH BOXES AND IN APPARATUS
TO BE USED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Samuel Alexander Bell and George Higgons Higgins, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office, within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Samuel Alexander Bell and George
Higgons Higgins, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improved construction of box
for containing lucifer or friction matches by means of which the danger
arising from the liability of the whole box to become ignited from a
spark thrown off from a match during ignition will be avoided and
that without adding materially if at all to the cost of manufacturing
such boxes.
The Invention relates, secondly to certain means for facilitating the
operation, which is now performed by hand, of painting the friction
composition on the bottom or sides of match boxes.
Match boxes as ordinarily constructed consists of two parts, a sliding
tray for containing the matches and a case or envelope which receives
the sliding trays and retains the matches therein. Access is gained
to the matches by thrusting out one end of the tray beyond the envelope,
the sides of which are usually provided with friction surfaces for
igniting the matches. The trays are slidden out either end foremost,
as chance may dictate, and thus the heads of the matches are as
likely to be exposed as the opposite ends of the matches. Any sparks
therefore falling from the match that is being ignited by friction against
the side or top of the open box are liable to fall on to the composition
with which the matches are tipped and ignite them.
In order however to prevent this it is now proposed to modify the
construction of the ordinary lucifer or friction match box as shewn
in Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, where Fig. 1 shews the
box in perspective as partly open; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section
shewing the box fully open or thereabouts; and Fig. 3 is a plan view
of the same.
Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the end A* of the case or
envelope A is so far closed as to prevent the tray B from being slidden
out except in the opposite direction. The tray B is formed in the
usual manner, and when inserted in the case its entire withdrawal
therefrom is prevented by interposing a strip of wood C or other
obstacle which will catch against the inner end of the tray when

page_text: drawn out to a given extent. The tray therefore when once secured
will be effectually retained in its case, the object of which will be
presently understood. When filling this construction of box the
matches will be laid with their heads towards the closed end of the
case, and thus the heads of the matches in the tray will remain covered.
For the purpose of facilitating the sliding out of the tray to give
access to the matches contained therein an opening is cut in the end
A* of the case to allow the finger to press upon the inner end of
the tray and thrust it out to the required extent. It will now be
seen that when the tray B is drawn out as far as permitted by the
stop C and a match taken therefrom is rubbed upon the friction
surface or composition with which the case or envelope A is provided
the risk of sparks alighting on the composition with which the matches
are tipped and so igniting the whole box of matches will be entirely
removed, as the heads of the matches will be covered by the case so
long as they remain in the tray.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings the apparatus for painting or coating
the sides or the bottom of the box with the friction composition
is shewn in several views. The simplest form of the apparatus is
shewn in plan view at Fig. 4 and in longitudinal vertical section at
Fig. 5. It consists of a vessel A for receiving the well-known mixed
composition used for forming the friction surface in a liquid state.
This vessel is formed with a water jacket, which it is proposed to keep
hot by means of a jet or jets of gas for the purpose of preventing
the coagulation and hardening of the mixture in the vessel. Within
the vessel are mounted two rollers B, C, which act after the manner
of printing rollers. These rollers turn in bearings formed for them
in the vertical side bars D, which are made fast to the sides of the
vessel A by clamping screws and form an adjustable frame for the
rollers. A winch handle fitted to the axle of the top roller B is used
to give motion thereto, and this motion is transmitted by a band to
the lower roller, which is immersed in the composition, and as it rotates
carries upon
its periphery a coating of the composition and transfers
the same to the periphery of the roller B. Both rollers are covered
5 with flannel, felt, or other suitable absorbent substance, or the top roller
may be a rotary brush if thought desirable. To equalize the charge
of composition on the roller B an adjustable scraper E is provided
which will intercept the passage upwards of an undue supply. While
the roller B is in motion the boxes properly prepared to receive the

page_text: composition are brought into contact with the roller and moved over it
by the hand of the attendant until the side or the bottom, as the case
may be, is properly coated. When requisite as when both sides or when
both sides and bottom are to be coated the operation is repeated until
the desired extent of friction surface is obtained and the boxes are
then laid aside to dry. A repetition of the operation may then if
thought desirable take place. Before painting or coating the box it
is necessary to damp the surface, and for this purpose we provide a
damping pad. This is shewn at F; it consists of a metal plate covered
with flannel (or other absorbent of moisture), which extending down to
a water trough draws up moisture by capillary attraction and keeps
a constantly wet surface suitable for damping the surfaces to be coated.
It will now be understood that by simply passing the box with its
damped side downwards over or across the top roller an even coating
will be imparted to the surface brought into contact with the roller.
Upon the vessel A we sometimes fit a frame or guide to facilitate the
traverse of the boxes over the roller. This arrangement is shewn in
side elevation at Fig. 6 and in plan view at Fig. 7. To this guide
frame we apply the moistened pad, or by preference a damping roller,
over which passes an endless apron that takes its moisture from
revolving in a bath of water. In Figures 6 and 7, G, G, is the guide
frame which is temporarily attached to the vessel A; at its front
end is the damping roller H which receives rotary motion through
a band from the roller B. The apron I of this roller passes under a
roller I immersed in water in a bath K attached to or forming part
of the frame G. Vertical side flanges serve to guide the attendant
in passing the boxes forward first over the damping roller and then
over the exposed portion of the periphery of the roller B which will
impart an even coating to the surfaces brought into contact therewith..
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of "Improvements
in the Manufacture of Match Boxes and in Apparatus to be used
therein, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, we wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent we claim,―
First. Retaining the tray in connection with the case or envelope
and facilitating the sliding out of the tray (to give access to the
matches), substantially in the manner and for the purpose above
described.

page_text: Secondly. The means above described for facilitating the operation
applying the friction composition to match boxes.
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Alexander Bell and
George Higgons Higgins, have hereunto set our hands and
seals, the Second day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
SAM. A. BELL.
G. H. HIGGINS.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)