IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES, AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES, AND
IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREFOR."-A communication from abroad
by McClintock Young, of Frederick, Maryland, United States of
America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 30th August 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
The Manufacture OF MATCHES, AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREFOR," and
have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from

page_text: abroad by McClintock Young, of Frederick, Maryland, United States
of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming a
part of this Specification :-
My machine has for its object the cutting of match splints or sticks
from blocks of wood, and setting them into a back or strip of wood or
other material, which may be bored during the operation of cutting off
the splints, or previously, and fed up to receive the splints automatically
in its bored holes. The match splints so set in the back or strip are
sufficiently distant from each other (though cut from the block in
contact with each other so much so as to use up the whole of the block)
as to admit of their being dipped into the igniting composition without
sticking or clogging the ends of the matches together. The matches
so made may be ejected from their back or strip and packed as loose
matches; or the back may be cut up into convenient lengths, and the
-matches packed and sold as block matches. In this latter case there is
much economy of wood, as that from which the match splints are cut
must be of a superior quality, while the back may be of an inferior
quality of wood and consequently cheaper. But whether the matches be
sold as loose or block matches the great advantage of the back consists
in holding the matches in a suitable manner for dipping them in the 1
`composition.
Such being the object and purpose of my Invention I make use of
a machine that will cut and stick match splints into a. back, and of
course automatically perform all the necessary mechanical operations
to completely accomplish this purpose and object, and which will be now
explained

page_text: In a gate or frame A, which is caused to move up and down in guides
or ways B by means of a cam tappet C, are arranged a series of boring.
bits a and a series of cutters 6. The tappet C is pivoted to a shaft D,
and is vibrated by means of an eccentric d on the main driving shaft E,
which eccentric works in the opening e in the said tappet. The point
of the tappet C, as shown at Figures 1 and 3, need not be permanently.
attached to the gate A, but simply passes into or through a recess or
opening, and so moves the gate up and down. The boring bits a, a, a,
are all geared together so as to be simultaneously and rapidly revolved
by a belt f passing around a pulley g on the shaft h, and around a larger.
pulley F driven from gear wheels and pinions, as shown in the Drawing,
or in any other suitable way. The cutters b may be made as shewn in
Figure 6, and are arranged in the gate A, as shewn by the dotted lines.
in Figure 4. The cutters are made of a rectangular form so as to cut a
similarly shaped splint or stick from the strip of wood G, and thus use
up the entire strip. Above the cutters are rectangular guides c, c, one
for each cutter, and arranged in immediate proximity, each to its cutter,
so that as the sticks or splints are cut from the block or strip they will
enter their guides, and be there held until carried up and stuck in
ȧ back H bored with suitable holes for that purpose either by the
bits a as it is fed along, or previously bored, as shewn in Figure 7; and
fed along to receive the sticks or splints as they are cut and carried up
to said back. The cutters and guides and the boring bits are preferably
set oblique to the line of feed of the strip or block G, by which means
the sticks or splints are cut off from said strip in steps, and this admits
of using up the whole of the wood, whilst at the same time the splints
are sufficiently separated and stuck in the back H at sufficient distance
apart to dip them in the composition without clogging or sticking
together. Instead, however, of arranging the cutters, guides, and bits
in a line oblique to the feed of the strip they may be arranged in a right
lino, and the strip fed up in an oblique line, the object, being to cut the
splints from steps in the strip, and for the purpose above mentioned.
The cutters and guides being arranged in steps, as shown in Figures 1
and 4, a metal plate i, similarly stepped, is attached to the main frame,
which serves as a guide for the cutters and carriers above the block G.
And below this stepped plate and underneath the block or strip G there
is another similarly stepped plate I, which has upon it (more distinctly.
seen in Figure 4) a series of projections j, j, that enter the knives as
they come down, and cause, the splints to be cut entirely off from the

page_text: block G, and without carrying them in any degree beyond the edge of
said block from which they are cut, said projections being a permanent
fixture, catching and holding the splints whilst the knives descend
farther. The splints thus cut off from the block or strip G pass into
their respective guides c, c, and by the action of the machine are
clamped therein so as to be held with sufficient firmness to be carried
up and stuck into the back H, after which they are released, and the
gate or frame of knives descends for another operation. This clamping
is done as follows:-J, Figure 4, is a moveable piece, the recess or steps
of which form two sides respectively of each of the guides c, c. A bell
crank K, pivotted to the frame at k, and braced as at 7, bears with its
vertical arm against the clamping piece J, and its other arm extends to
and is operated by a cam m on the main driving shaft L, said cam being
so timed as to clamp the splints in the guides as they are coming up to
the back H, and holding them until they are stuck in said back, and
then releasing the bell crank, when said clamp is moved back to relcase
the splints by the reaction of the spring n. The back H is laid upon
the table o, and is held thereto by a spring p, and passes near to where
the bits operate upon it under a fingered holder q. A portion of this
bed or table, as shown at r, is moved forward by means of the pivoted
arm M, which is operated through a cam 's on the main shaft to feed
forward the back H, and after feeding said back it is returned for
another feeding operation by the reaction of the spring t. The fingers
upon this feeding plater take against the splints u set in the back,
and by their contact therewith push the back far enough forward to
receive the next series of holes for the next series of match splints. The
cam s is so timed that the feeding plate will first move out far enough
to catch against the match splints, and by pressure hold them whilst
the gate, cutters, and guides descend to cut off another series of splints;
and as the gate descends the series of splints just stuck in the back
leave the guides c, and when the splints are clear of the guides then the
feeding point or plater feeds the back along far enough for the suc-
ceeding series of holes, and returns to be ready for the next holding and
feeding operation. If, however, the back H be bored first, as shown in
Figure 7, or in a separate machine, then it may be fed along by the
fingers taking into the tiers of holes, and pushing the back along in
that way, the said fingers being operated as the above-described feeding
plate is by the cam and lever as above described. The feeding-in of
the block or strip G from which the splints are cut requires that the

page_text: said strip should be very rigidly held when the splints are being cut,
very readily and accurately fed up to the cutters, and prevented from
running. with the grain of the wood in being cut, which would prevent
the splints from entering the guides or being clamped therein, and be
destructive to the wood and make irregular splints. To accomplish the
purpose
and avoid the difficulties I arrange as follows:-In a frame N,
pivoted to the main frame at w, are hung two feeding wheels O, P, one
bearing against the upper and the other against the lower portion of the
strip of wood G, so as to hold said strip close against a fence x, and to
feed it along also under the cutters. Upon the same shaft with these
pressure feeding wheel O, P, there is a ratchet wheel Q, into which a
pawly attached to an arm R works, said arm being moved slightly
around its centre of motion by a cam S on the main shaft L, and through
this arrangement working the feed wheels. Holding pawls z take
against the feed wheel O to prevent any back lash. Between the
wheels O, P, there is arranged a clamping foot. T, Figure 5, which foot
though hung in the frame N is operated by an independent cam U,
though on the same shaft as the cam S, and through the arm or
frame V, to which the said presser foot T, as seen in Figure 5, is pivotted
as at 1. The cam. U turns with the main shaft L, but is really placed
on an arm or wrist W eccentrically set in a wrist wheel X on the said
main shaft L. The feed wheels O, P, and presser foot T are so operated
that when the former come up to the strip to feed it along the presser
foot is released from said strip, and when the feed has taken place then
the presser foot comes up tight against the strip, and the feed wheels
recede. The frame N that carries the feed wheels, ratchet wheel, and
presser foot and its frame, pivotted at one end as above described, has
attached to it at its free end rods 22, which are attached to a spring
clamping bar Y at the back of the machine, and in this clamping bar Y
thero is a cranked screw shaft Z, the point of which bears against the
main frame of the machine, so that by it the said frame N and its con-
nected devices may be adjusted to the block or strip of wood to properly
feed and hold it without too much or too little friction. Springs 3 are
used for holding certain moving parts to the mechanism which operates
5 them. Such springs are, however, common in other machines, and necd
not be described.
The aforesaid machine is provided with an apparatus for first slightly
singeing or burning the points of the match sticks or splints, as the back
in which they are stuck is fed along; and secondly, an apparatus for

page_text: -
putting the composition used for such purpose upon the ends of the
splints, and completing the matches. This apparatus consists in a heating
furnace and flues 4 with suitable dampers 5 to regulate the heat. At the
front of this furnace is a singeing or charring plate 6 over which the
points of the splints pass, and in so doing are slightly burned or dried.
Next there is a vat 7 which is set in a sand bath 8, the said vat
containing the usual composition first applied to matches, and in this
vat there is a roll 9 grooved or otherwise for carrying up the composition
so that the match sticks as they pass will take a portion of it. Next a
similar vat 10, sand bath 11, and roll 12 for containing and carrying up
and delivering to the passing match sticks the finishing composition.
When the matches are thus finished they may be knocked out of the
back H and be packed as loose matches. Or the back may be cut up
into suitable lengths and the matches put together comb fashion, and
so packed and sold, which latter are known as block matches. Instead
of a clamping bar J I may use a plate or other device to close the
bottoms of the knives, and allow the splints to rest thereon unclamped,
yet positively held in the guides. And instead of feeding wheels O, P,
I may use a feeding bar, that will afford more clamping surface on the
block or strip, the said bar to move with the block, but of course both
to be relieved when the feed-is to take place. What I have called -a
bored back or strip H may be a frame of any kind, and though I prefer
it made of wood, it may be made of metal, paper, board, or any other
material of proper strength.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to 2
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,―
First. The arrangement of a series of spaced cutters in a receding
line, for cutting off match splints from a block of wood in steps, as and
for the purpose herein described.
I also claim in combination with a series of receding cutters and 3
guides for cutting, receiving, and carrying match splints, a travelling,
clamping, or holding bar that continues to hold the splints in the guides
whilst it moves with the said cutters and guides, substantially as
described.
I also claim in combination with a series of cutters and receiving 3
and carrying guides arranged in a receding line, and with splints firmly
supported in the said guides, a bored strip or back for receiving and
holding the splints in an oblique line without moving either block,
.

page_text: splints, cutters, guide or bored back, in a lateral direction, substantially
as described.
.
I also claim in combination with a series of knives for cutting off
match splints from a block or strip of wood, a series of points or pro-
jections on the plate i for entering the cutters and holding the splints
therein and preventing their being carried beyond the block from which
they are cut, substantially as described.
I also claim in combination with the top and bottom stationary guides
an adjustable frame for carrying the feeding wheels and presser foot, as
herein set forth, so that pressure may be applied to the block to firmly
hold it against the action of the cutters, and then removed when the
block is to be fed along for the next cut, substantially as described.
I also claim in combination with the series of receding cutters and
guides or carriers, herein described, the top and bottom receding bearing
plates i and I, substantially as described.
I also claim the cutters constructed as herein described, that is to say,
made of short rods or bars with a square transverse opening through`
them near one end, and with two cutting edges filed or ground thereon,
as shown and described.
I also claim in combination with a match machine in which a bored
back is used to receive the splints cut off by it, a feeding pawl that acts
directly against the splints stuck therein, or the holes therefor, and thus
feeds the back along without the use of real ratchets, frames, or guides,
substantially as described.
I also claim "block matches " made of separate splints stuck in a
previously bored strip, back, or frame from which they may be drawn
or broken off, as used, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
WN. ROB. LAKE.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)