Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb.,
1899
We, JOSEPI ASHTON, off No. 12, Martell Road, West Dulwich, in the County
of Kent, Accountant's Clerk, and WILLIAM ASIITON, of No. 26, New Strect,
Covent Garden, in the Administrative County of London, Civil Engineer, do
herchy declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in match boxes and the object
of it is to provide such receptacles with a wind screen or guard to shield the
match when necessary, such guard to be automatically sprung open or released
simultaneously with the opening of the box by means of a small press-button or
stud.
According to our invention such a match box consists of a body portion more
or less rectangular, (or it may be any fancy shape if desired) with preferably
rounded corners and edges. The back, top, bottom and right and left-hand sides
are closed in, but the upper part of the front is spring-hinged to the lower
part thus forming a spring flap which normally is held closed against the tension
of the spring by means of the wind screen or guard.
The wind screen or guard consists of a quadrant shaped hood pivoted through
its right angle to the top left-hand corner of the box. This screen is also under
the influence of a spring tending to spring and keep it open. It therefore has to
be closed by hand, and in closing it embraces each side of the box and sliding
of the hinged flap in the front by which means the said flap is held closed until
the press-button is pressed which releases a spring catch or projection which
engages in a slit or hole in the front of the screen.
The hood or screen is provided at the side with a slot, preferably perpendicular,
in which to rest the match when alight under the hood.
The roughened striking surface may be situated on any convenient part of
the receptacle, but preferably on the lower part of the front, and is preferably
sunk or recessed to prevent the match composition getting rubbed off on to the
pocket.
D L
Jave of Avail
1808
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Match Boxes.
We, JOSEPH ASHTON, of No. 12, Martell Road, West Dulwich, in the County
of Kent, Accountant's Clerk, and WILLIAM ASHTON, of No. 26, New Street,
Covent Garden, in the Administrative County of London, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The present invention relates to improvements in match and vesta boxes,

page_text: and the chief object of it is to provide such receptacles with means whereby to
shield a match or vesta from the wind when lighted in draughty or windy places,
and other objects are to so design, construct and combine all the parts or elements
which go to form such receptacles that their co-operation shall facilitate to
the greatest degree the successful operation and utility of the invention.
It is only too well known that on account of the feebleness of a match-light it
is almost useless to attempt to keep one alight in even moderately draughty or
windy places or situations, and yet one frequently sees match after match struck
and wasted in this way in the endeavour to get a light for a sufficient time to
light one's pipe or cigar, for example.
The mere fact of such frequent observation of itself is sufficient proof that a
match-box provided with a means to effectually shield a match from the wind
would be a public boon even for the convenience alone, not to mention the
saving in matches.
We are aware that a match or vesta box provided with a wind-guard is in
itself not novel and we do not lay any claim to such invention alone or in a
general sense, but our invention consists in the particular design, that is, con-
struction, of the box, as hereinafter fully described and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, so that the actions of opening the box and guard,
removing the match, striking it, shielding it, and closing the box again, are
simplified to the greatest degree, and the proper performance of the function
of each part and the box as a whole, ensured.
We will now proceed to describe our invention with the aid of the accom-
panying sheet of drawings illustrating the same and which are to be considered
as part of such description and read in conjunction therewith.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box shewing the wind-guard and front
spring-flap open and the top flap or lid closed.
Figure 2 is a perspective view shewing the wind-guard and front spring-flap
closed and the top flap or lid open.
Figure is a sectional elevation of the box, with wind-guard open shewing
the modified form of spring-hinge for the wind-guard and lid.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the box shewn in Figure 3, the dotted lines repre-
senting the open position of the lid.
Figures 5 and 6 represent an end elevation and side elevation of the box
completely closed.
According to our invention such a match or vesta box consists of a hollow
body portion, 1, more or less rectangular in form---or it may of course be any
fancy shape if desired-with preferably rounded corners, 2, and edges, 3. The
back, 4, bottom, 5, and right and left hand sides 6 and 7, respectively, and the
lower part, S, of the front, are all stamped or otherwise formed in one piece
or secured together immovably. The upper part of the front is enclosed by a
spring flap, 9. This spring flap is hinged at its bottom edge to the recessed
part 10 of the lower part 8 of the front of the box; the spring of the said flat
being a helical one inserted in the hinge in the well known manner.
spring-hinged to the top edge 3 of the back 4, in a similar manner to the flap 9.
11, is a lid
The wind screen or guard is a quadrant shaped hood composed of the three
sides 12, 13, and 14, spring hinged through its right angled corners to the top
edge of the left-hand side of the box. The spring-hinge of this hood is arranged
so as to release a spring-catch projection or click 21 which when the guard is
closed engages in an indentation or hole made in the guard to receive it and the
guard caused to fly open by the pressure of the thumb upon a press-button
situated near the front of the bottom of the box, as shewn at 15, Figure 1; or
it may be so arranged that the guard has to be opened out and closed by hand in
the manner of an ordinary pocket-knife, in which latter case we prefer to form
the spring shape as shewn at 15', Figure 3, and secure it to the bottom of the
box by a rivet 16, or other means.
It will be observed that the back edge of the guard in Figures 1 and 2 is

page_text: extended by the piece 17 beyond the hinge and in the same plane as the top
of the guard; this provision is to ensure that the top of the guard when it is
fully open shall be in perfect alignment with the top of the box and also to
relieve the hinge of the sudden jerk or strain upon it each time the lid is sprung
open.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 3, the extension 17 is not required
because the lid being opened and closed by hand is not suddenly thrown open
and consequently no such sudden strain is imposed upon the hinge as is the case
when the spring-hinge and press-button are, as shewn in Figure 1, employed;
but instead thereof we turn the back edge of the top of the guard downwards
at a right angle and this provides the necessary flat surface for the spring 151 to
bear against. The other extremity of the same spring 151 acts in a similar
manner against the lid hinge 18.
The object of the lid 11 is to enable a match to be extracted without necessi-
tating the opening of the guard and front flap; 19 being a thumb boss or recess
to facilitate the opening of it by hand.
The spring-hinge of the front flap is so arranged as normally to keep the said
flap open, so that it is kept closed against the tension of the spring by the
guard alone, which is one of the essential features of our invention, and it
ensures that the said flap will open automatically and expose the matches as
soon as the guard has cleared it.
The screen or guard is provided on its side 12 with a slot 22. The peculiar
position of which is to be noted. The peculiar position and wedge-like shape
of this slot is for the express purpose of facilitating the entry of the match as
it is extracted from the box and to grip the match inserted in it, and its near-
ness to the front edge of the guard is to cause the match to keep well alight and
be within easy reach of the pipe, cigar &c., that it may be required to light.
A star or other fancy-shaped hole 23 is provided in the top of the wind guard
to let out the hot air to keep the guard cool.
The striking-plate 24 is most conveniently formed in the lower part of the
front of the box.
As previously stated, we are aware that match or vesta boxes have already
been provided with a pivoted wind-guard to shield the lighted match, and we
therefore do not broadly claim such as our invention, but:-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:—
1. A match or vesta box composed of the following elements or parts in one
combination namely:-The hollow receptacle or body portion 1, the spring-hinged
front flap 9, the top flap or lid 11, the wind-guard having the slot 22 adapted
to grip the match, the press-button 15, and the striking-plate 24, all constructed
arranged and operating substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In a match or vesta box provided with a wind-guard the combination with
the wind-guard of a wedge-shaped slot cut out of one side of the said guard,
the mouth of the said slot being the wider end thereof, adapted to grip as well
as receive a match or vesta, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated the 0th day of Daarben 1000
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
¡Agents for the Applicants.