IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOHN MAYNES of 55 Myddelton Square London in the county of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in machinery or apparatus
employed in the manufacture of Fire-lighters of the class known as " squares" in
which several bars of wood are joined together by tongues or strips of wood at
each end.
These
For this purpose I take blocks of wood prepared by sawing to such a size that the
bars and strips required for one lighter may be cut from each block. These blocks
although cut to this size may be made up of oue or more pieces of wood.
blocks have also a groove cut in them extending down the middle of one side about
one-quarter of an inch deep. The block having been thus prepared is fed from a
hopper onto a table and is there held in position by a set of holding down lovers
actuated by cams.
A gang of, by preference, five circular saws, (the number employed being deter-
mined by the number of bars of wood in the lighter) mounted on a spindle is moved
by means of a cam or other action and cuts through the block in the direction of
its length producing five thick bars and two thin strips or bars of half the width
of the thick ones (the outside piece being separated into two by means of the
groove previously cut in the block). The two thin pieces together with two
alternate thick bars are then pushed forward by suitable means onto a moveable
table in front of that on which the block was placed at first, the levers before men-
tioned which held them down having been released.
The two thin pieces or strips are pushed each into a guide mounted in a bearing
at one end and having teeth on an extension of its spindle engaging in a toothed
rack under the table, and the two thick pieces are simply pushed into grooves on
the surface of the moveable table. The table is then noved by a cam a suitable
distance in a direction at right angles, to the plane of the saws, carrying also the
guides which contain the thin pieces or strips, the toothed spindles of which
engaging in the toothed rack under the table turn outwards describing three-
quarters of a circle. The two thin strips of wood by this means are brought into
a position at right angles (being situated across the ends) to the two thick bars.
They have also been raised to a higher elevation than they were in before by means
of a screwed sleeve in the bearing of the guides, which is actuated by the turning

page_text: of the guides as before mentioned. Instead of the screwed sleeve a fixed inclined
cam may be so placed that the end of the toothed spindle of the guide is moved in
contact with it and so raised. The two thin pieces or strips and the two thick
bars having thus been moved a certain distance the three remaining alternate bars
cut out of the block as first mentioned are pushed forward, the levers before men-
tioned which held them down having in their turn been released, into a position
parallel to the two other thick bars, so that now there are five thick bars alongside
each other with spaces between each and with a thin piece or strip lying across the
ends of them. These bars and strips in their present position are under a cast iron
framework which is capable of being moved from end to end of the machine, and
which is called a "hand." By means of a fork passing through the table and moved
from a cam underneath the table where the bars and strips are in position these
bars and strips are pushed upwards into the "hand" where the bars are immediately
gripped laterally by the action of spring fingers released by the motion of a cam
acting through gearing or other connection, the strips being pushed into suitable
knife edged grippers connected to two cranked levers capable of being moved by a
cam through a quadrant.
The hand is then moved to the other end of the table of the machine by means
of a toothed segment actuated by a cam which segment engages in a toothed rack
on the hand, or by other suitable means. The hand in the course of its travel
passes between horizontal saws or cutters mounted on vertical spindles on each side
of it which cut grooves in each projecting end of the five thick bars, the thin strips
having been pushed up into the grippers, which hold them, a sufficient height as to
cause them to pass clear of the saws.
Arrived at the end of the machine the grippers or holders of the two strips which
have been previously placed in such a position as to lie at right angles to, or across
the ends of the five thick bars turn downwards describing a quadrant carrying the
strips with them and bringing them in a line with and adjacent to the opening of
the grooves in the five thick bars cut by the horizontal saws or cutters as before
mentioned. The turning down of these quadrant holders or cranked levers is
effected from a cam acting through gearing or other connection. When these strips
are thus in position a hammer on either side of the hand is actuated by the motion
of a cam and drives the strips into the grooves in the ends of the five thick bars
thus binding them all together when the fingers which previously gripped the bars
are released and the bars as now bound together foruring a "lighter" drop down
assisted out by a fork moved from a cam.
The "lighter" drops onto two light frames mounted so as to move up and down
on pivots in a box which is kept supplied with hot liquid resin and these frames
are so moved by means of cams as to dip each end of the lighter in the resin
alternately.
While these last operations have been going on the first actions have been
recommenced and a fresh block is being cut into bars and the hand is now also
moved back to its first position.
The "lighter" then after being dipped is raised to the top of the resin box by
means of the two light frames and when the hand is again moved along to its end
position a projection on the front of it pushes the finished lighter onto a further
part of the table from where it is taken away to be packed.
The cycle of operations is continuous and one lighter is completed for each
revolution of the cam shaft.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of
Fire-lighters.
1, JOHN MAYNES of 19, late 55, Myddleton Square London in the county of
Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-LIGHTERS, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention has for its object improvements in machinery or apparatus
employed in the manufacture of Fire-lighters of the class known as "squares" in
which several bars of wood are joined together by tongues or strips of wood at
each end.
In order that the invention may be readily understood I have illustrated it in
the accompanying drawings, in which-Figs. 1. 2. 3 are the elevation, end view
and plan respectively of the general arrangement of the machine.
Figs. 4. 5 are the plan and side elevation of the resin-box respectively and
Figs. 6. 7. S. 9 are views of the end elevation of the same showing four positions of
the frame for dipping the "Lighter."
Figs. 10. 11. 12 are the side view plan and end view of the Lighter respectively.
Figs. 13. 14 show the plan and end view of the block from which the " Lighter"
is to be cut.
Fig. 15 is an enlarged view of the guide for the strips or tongues.
Figs. 16. 17. 18 are the side elevation plan and end view respectively of the
hand or carriage.
Figs. 19. 20. 21 are three views shewing the arrangement and details of the
hammers for driving the tongues into the "Lighter."
Figs. 22. 23 are the elevation and plan respectively of the means employed for
raising the pieces forming the "Lighter" into the hand.
Fig. 24 is the detail of the mechanism used for turning down the strips in the
hand.
Fig. 25 is the detail of the mechanism used for discharging the "Lighter" from
the hand.
The form of Lighter intended to be made by this invention is shewn in Figs. 10.
11. 12 in which bars of wood a (by preference five in number) are joined together
by strips or tongues b driven into grooves cut in each end of the bars.
In carrying out my invention I take blocks of wood a¹, Figs. 13. 14, prepared
by sawing to such a size that the bars a and strips b required to form one lighter
may be cut from each block. The blocks although cut to this size may be made
up of one or more pieces of wood. The blocks a¹ have a groove cut in one side of
them by means of a grooving aaw, or in any convenient manner, extending down
the middle of one side about one-quarter of an inch deep.
The blocks a¹ having been thus prepared are fed into a hopper c fixed on
the table d of the machine. The bottom of the hopper in the direction of the
length of the machine is made open on the two opposite sides so as to allow the

page_text: block a and the feed-block c¹ pushing it out to pass through. The feed-block c¹
is made to push the block a¹ onto the part of the table & outside the hopper. The
feed-block then returns and allows another block a¹ to drop to the bottom of the
hopper to be pushed out in its turn at the next forward stroke, of the feed-block c¹.
The feed-block c¹ is moved in the following manner:-A cam c² mounted on the
shaft g, which is made to revolve by means of the pulleys gl secured to one end of
it, actuates a lever c³. The lever is connected by a slotted link c to a lever c³
secured to an axis cf. A lever c7 secured to the same axis is connected to the feed-
block c¹, and a weighted lever c³ is also mounted on the axis cº. The motion of
the lever acting through the lever c³ and axis c tends to move the lever c' and
feed-block c; the weighted lever at the same time, by means of the play in the
slotted link c¹, enables the feed-block c¹ to press freely against the block a¹ whilst
pushing it out of the hopper c.
The block a is pushed out onto the table d against a guide e on the further
side, the feed-block c¹ pressing against it on the side nearest the hopper c.
A spindle e¹ mounted in bearings so as to lic over and across the block a¹ has a
number of projections on it which, by the action of a spring and levers hereafter
described, are made to press onto and hold down the block a¹ whilst it is being
sawn as next described.
A gang of, by preference, five circular saws. f, (the number employed being
determined by the number of bars a in the Lighter) is mounted on a saw
spindle f¹ which is moved vertically so as to cause the saws f to move upwards
in vertical planes through slots formed in the top of the table d. To give this
vertical motion to the saws f the saw spindle f¹ is mounted in bearings g² g
secured to the ends of bell crank levers g³ g³ pivotted on the shaft g which is
placed in bearings fixed to the frame of the table d. The other ends of the bell
crank levers g³ g³ are connected with eccentric links g g moved by eccentrics gⓇ g
mounted on the shaft g. Continuous motion of revolution is given to the saw-
spindle f¹ from a driving belt passing over the pulley f2.
On the upward vertical movement of the saws f taking place they cut through
the block a¹, which has been placed in position above them as just described, and
divide it into six parts viz-five thick pieces to form the bars a and one thin end
piece. As however this thin end piece is divided into two at the part of the
block a where the groove was previously made, the block is actually sawn into
five thick bars and two thin ones, the thin ones being each one-half of the depth
of the thick bars a. These two thin pieces are intended to form the strips or
tongues b, and after being cut by the saw f they are held against the guide e (an
end view of which is shewn drawn to a larger scale in Fig. 15) against which that
part of the block al had been previously pressed. (For convenience of description
the thick bars are numbered from 1 to 5).
The bars as now cut are all pushed forward in the manner as next described in
the direction of the plane of the saws a certain distance, so as to be supported
between five guides e² which are fixed on the table d in a line with but are of
rather less thickness than the saws f. Levers h h rocking on the centre h³ are
moved by connections from cams h³h respectively mounted on the shaft g. The
upper ends of these levers h³ are connected to sliding pieces ho ho sliding in
grooves formed in the surface of the table d. The sliding pieces h³ are made
each with three projections lying in a position parallel with the plane of the saws f
and which rest in contact with the end of the block a¹. The motion given to the
levers h h¹ causes the bars to be pushed forward as required. While the bars and
strips are being thus pushed forward into the guides e² the projections on the
spindle e which held the block a down whilst it was being sawn are raised,
which is done in the following manner: The end of the spindle e nearest the
hopper is formed with a projecting or crank arm hanging downwards; a sliding
piece attached to and moved together with the lever h¹ presses against the
crank arm h and thus causes the spindle e¹ to be turned on its axis and the pro-
jections on it to be raised. When the sliding piece h retires the spindle e¹ is

page_text: turned down again by a spring connected to its other end, when the projections
press upon the next block a¹ which will then have been pushed out from the feed
hopper c.
The thick bars a are, after having received this first movement, pushed forward
a further distance onto a moveable table d¹ formed so as to slide in grooves made
in and to be flush with the top of the table d. This table d' is able to be moved
in a direction at right angles to the plane of the saws f by means of the motion
given from the cam c² to the lever c³ the top end of which is connected to the
under side of the table d¹. The table d' has guides d² formed on its surface in
which to receive the thick bars a. These guides are spaced apart the distance
which the bars a have from each other in the finished "Lighter" Figs. 11. 12.
The two thin strips b which are held against the guide e are pushed forward
end wise by means of one of the projections on the sliding piece 5 each into one of
two holders eet, which at the time when this motion takes place are in a position
end-on to and in a line with the strips b. The holders e³ e are formed with a
stalk or spindle ees at one end of them mounted vertically as an axis on either
side of the moveable table d¹ and when the strips bare pushed into them they are
made to turn round on their spindles or axes e ed as a center through an angle
of 90° by means hereafter described, and to place themselves on either side of and
parallel to the line of motion of the table in which position they are shewn in
the drawing in Figs. 1, 3.
The bars a and strips b are pushed out of the guides e² into the guides d² on the
table and into the holders e³ e respectively in the following order :-The three
projections of the sliding piece ho push forward the two strips 6 into the holders
ee and also the two alternate thick bars numbered 2, 4; the table d¹ is now
moved in a direction at right angles to the plane of the saws by the means before
described a distance equal to that occupied by three spaces and two bars in the
finished lighter and the three remaining alternate bars numbered 1. 3.
pushed forward by the projections on the sliding piece h. By this means the
bars a will be placed on the table dat such distance apart as they occupy in the
finished lighter. When the five bars are thus in position between the guides d² on
the table d', the table is made to move a further distance to the end of its travel
when it will appear in the position shewn in Figs. 1, 3.
are then
The strip holders e³ e' are inade to turn through the angle of 90°, so as to place
themselves across the ends of the five thick bars as before described, by means of a
projection attached to the table d¹ striking an arm on one of the spindles es e³ uf
the holders ee. The spindles ee are extended downwards below the frame of
the machine where a toothed sector e7 is mounted on the ends of each of them, so
that when the one is turned by the projection on the table & the other is moved
correspondingly.
The bars a and strips bare now raised into a hand or carriage i, shewn drawn
to an enlarged scale in Figs. 16, 17, 18. This carriage is a framework mounted on
two square spindles jj supported in bearings ¹¹ at either end of the machine.'
A rack is secured to this carriage into which a circular rack or toothed segment
arm gears, so that when this toothed segment arm is made to turn round its
axis the hand or carriage i is caused to travel or slide lengthwise on the bars jj
from one part of the machine to the other. Instead of the rack and toothed
segment I may use other mechanical connections for obtaining the same motion.
The axis of the toothed segment arm is extended vertically down the machine
and carries at its lower end a bevel pinion gearing into its bevel wheel j. The
bevel wheel receives a turning motion from the motion given to the levers j³, a
stud Fig. 1 on the end of which works in a cam groove in the side of the cam j
mounted on the shaft g.
The bottom of the hand i is divided by bars into five spaces in which the
bars a are to be held. Ten fingers 23 are mounted on axes ¿' secured to a moveable
frame is supported on the top of the hand i, five fingers being mounted on each side
of the frame i³, by which arrangement two fingers are placed so as to be able to.

page_text: Springs are caused to press
the bars a are filling up the
enter each of the five spaces left for the wood bars a.
against the top of each of the fingers-so that when
spaces left for them, and the frame 25 is caused to be moved lengthwise by means
hereafter described, the bottom end of the fingers ³ will press firmly against the
bars a in the spaces and hold them there securely. Should any of the bars a be
thinner than the intended size they will still be held firmly by the fingers belonging
to that space, which are, by means of the spring, able if necessary to move each one
by itself through the whole breadth of the space. The two strips 6 are also raised
into the hand i simultaneously with the bars a and are pressed into a series of
knife edged clips or holders which are mounted within the framework of the
hand on the spindles jj.
k
The bars and strips are raised into the hand i from off the table by means of
the following arrangement, parts of which are separately shewn in Figs. 22, 23, and
which is suitably placed in position under the table d' from which the bars are to
be raised. A platen having bolted on its top side a number of upright pieces k¹
is secured to guide rods k² able to be moved up and down vertically, to which is
also secured a projection k³. A cam c³ secured to the shaft g lifts the projection k³
and with it the guide rods k² and the platen k through slots made in the table d¹;
the upright pieces by this means pushing the bars a upwards into the spaces
between the bars in the hand i. The spindles es e of the holders ese are passed
through one end of the arms 1, Figs. 1. 2, the other ends of which are secured to
the guide rods ² ². The arms press against springs secured to the
spindles ee. When the guide rods k² are lifted as just described the arms raise
the spindles e eº, and thus the strips bare pressed into the knife-edged holders 26
in the hand i. As the distance which the strips have to be raised differs from
that required for the bars a, the springs on the spindles e³ e are caused to be
compressed, which gives the requisite play.
When the bars a have been raised into the hand the fingers 23 are caused to
press against them so as to secure them in their places. To accomplish this
screws m m working in connection with the frame 5 carrying the fingers 2³ are
made to revolve and the frame is thus caused to be screwed along lengthwise of
the hand, which movement causes pressure to be put onto the springs attached to
the fingers which then hold the bars a securely as before described.
The screws m m are made to revolve in the following manner:-A cam m
mounted on the shaft g gives turning motion through one end of a bell crank
lever m² to a radial rack on the other end. A weighted lever connected with this
bell crank lever causes it to be kept always in contact with the cam m¹. This
motion is conveyed through a bevel pinion gearing in the radial rack to a vertical
spindle m³, from which it is transmitted through two pairs of bevel wheels m³ m*
to a square spindle m³, on which the screws m m are mounted which thus at times
determined by the cam m¹ bind the fingers onto the bars a.
The square
spindle m³ is supported in bearings at each end of the machine.
The hand after receiving the bars a and strips b is moved to another part of the
machine as before described, and in its passage is made to pass between two
horizontal saws or cutters n n revolving on vertical spindles n¹ n' driven by belts
passing over the pulleys n²n. These saws or cutters cut grooves in the projecting
ends of the bars a into which the strips b are afterwards driven, and as whilst the
groove is being cut the bars a are held firmly by the fingers i³ the groove in each
bar will be in exact alignment with the others although the bars themselves may
not all be parallel with each other.
When the hand i has passed clear of the saws or cutters n n it is brought to
a stop, and the knife-edged holders & are turned down through 90°, which brings
the strips b in a line with and adjacent to the grooves just cut in each end of the
bars a
This turning motion is communicated to the holders by a partial revo-
lution of the spindles jj on which they are mounted, which is effected from a cam o̟,
Fig. 24, mounted on the shaft g moving a lever o' which through a link connection që

page_text: pulls down a lever o³ secured to one end of one of the spindles jj. On the other ends
of the spindles jj a pair of toothed quadrant sectors o'o' are mounted, so that when
one of the spindles j is turned as just described the other one will receive a corres
sponding motion in an opposite direction through 90°, by which means the holders **
are turned down in the manner and for the purpose as before described.
The tongues or strips b are now driven into the grooves in the ends of the bars a
by means of hammers p p placed on either side of the hand in a line with the
strips. These hammers p and the means of actuating thein are shewn separately
in Figs. 19, 20, 21, where p, Fig. 20, is a plan view of the hammer, the striking
part of which is made in the form of projections separate from each other so as to
strike between openings made in the knife-edged holders i6. One hammer is placed
on either side of the hand being secured to the ends of the levers p¹ p'; a cam p²
mounted on the shaft g allows the levers p¹ p¹ which are secured to the frame dat
their bottom end to be sprung together by which means the hammers p drive the
tongues 6 out of the holders into the ends of the bars a. In Fig. 19 à side view
of the bar a is shewn, on the right hand side of which the hammer p and
lever p³ is in position ready to drive the tongue b into its groove, and on the left
hand side of the same bar a, a detached portion of the hammer p and lever p² is
shewn in position as it would be after having driven the tongue into the groove.
The cam p2 then opens the levers p¹ p¹.
The bars and strips as now bound together form a "lighter" and a reverse
movement being given to the screws m m, the fingers are caused to release their
hold upon the bars a, after which the lighter drops out of the hand i assisted down
by a fork q. This fork is struck down by one end of a lever q', the other end of
which is secured to a spindle q2 in such a position as to strike the fork when the
hand is stationary in this portion of its travel.
The spindle q is supported in bearings at each end of the machine, and has
connected to it a lever q3 actuated through links and connections q' q, Fig. 25, from
the cam q mounted on the shaft g. By this means the fork q is made to push the
lighter out of the hand at proper times as determined by the cam q³.
The lighter is caused to drop onto two light frames ¹ mounted in a box 72
containing hot liquid resin, which is shewn drawn to a larger scale in Figs. 4 to 9.
In the plan and side views Figs. 4. 5, the two frames are mounted in
bearings 3 secured to the sides of the box 2, the frames turning in these
bearings so that the ends of thein are raised up and down in the box. This motion
is given to the frames r¹ from two arms s s¹ secured to them being caused to move
at certain times by means of links and levers s² 3, Fig. 1, actuated from the
periphery of the cam 7. The frames are made with projections on one
side of the pivot, which projections are perpendicular to the other part of the frame.
When the lighter drops into the box r, the frames are down, Figs. 5, 6, with the
projections 5 in an upright position between which the lighter is held. By
means of the levers 82 83 moved from the cam the frames are now raised
alternately to the positions as shewn in Figs. 7. 8, which causes the ends of the
lighter to be dipped in the hot resin, which is allowed to fill the box r up to about
one-third of its depth. In Fig. 8 the lighter is shewn resting on the frame r, which
has been raised as just described. After this action both the frames are raised to
the top of the box, as in Fig. 9, supporting the lighter in that position, and in the
continuous course of operations when the hand i is again brought up to that end of
the machine, the lighter is pushed off the frames rr by the front part of the hand
after which it is taken away to be packed.
Whilst these operations have been going on, the first described actions have been
recommenced and a fresh block a¹ is being cut into bars, and the hand i is now also
moved back to its first position to receive the bars and strips cut from the fresh
block a¹, all the actions being gone through in the same manner as herein described.
The cycle of operations is continuous and one lighter" is completed for each
revolution of the cam shaft g.
"

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The method of making Fire-lighters substantially as herein illustrated and
described.
2. The means of feeding the block a¹ and of holding the same in position whilst
it is being divided by the gang of saws substantially as illustrated and described. .
3. The means by which the bars and strips are raised into the hand substantially
as illustrated and described.
4. The means by which the bars a and strips b are moved from the place where
they are sawn onto the table and the manner of spacing them in the required
order substantially as described.
5. The piece of mechanism herein called the "hand" and particularly illustrated
in Figs. 16. 17. 18 which is made to receive the several pieces intended to form the
finished lighter and transfer them from one part of the machine to the other and
the operation during that passage or transfer of sawing grooves in the ends of the
bars in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
6. The means adopted for turning down the strips or tongues b adjacent to the
grooves in the ends of the bar a and the use of hammers for driving the same into
the grooves substantially as herein illustrated and described.
7. The manner of dipping the finished "Lighter" in the hot resin and the
means employed therefor substantially as herein illustrated and described.
Dated this wirth J...