AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR MACHINERY FOR PACKING A CERTAIN KIND OR DESCRIPTION OF FRICTION MATCH
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Victor Toepken, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE
OR MACHINERY FOR PACKING A CERTAIN KIND OR DESCRIPTION OF FRICTION
MATCH."
Sealed the 9th August 1867, and dated the 14th February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Victor Toepken at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th February 1867.
I, JOHN VICTOR TEOPKEN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MACHINE OR MACHINERY FOR PACKING A CERTAIN KIND OR DESCRIPTION
OF FRICTION MATCH," to be as follows:-
: The kind or description of friction match to which my Invention relates is
that in which the match splints are made in lengths of wood cut in a comb-
like form, and are packed at their free ends alternately with bands of paper in
such manner that in the withdrawing from the packed bundle of any one
match it is caused to ignite by its prepared end coming into. contact with a
prepared surface on or attached to the band of paper.
The object of my Invention is to facilitate the packing into rolled up bundles
of the said comb-like lengths of match splints and bands of paper or other
flexible prepared bands. I employ a machine or machinery, the essential

page_text: feature thereof being that it has a rotating spindle around or on which the
prepared lengths of match splints and prepared bands are rolled or wound at
the same time. The said spindle is supported by a suitable frame and driven
by hand or other power; it is provided with a slot or clip to catch the end of
each length of match splints, or the band, or both of them, and also with a
forked lever to remove each bundle quickly, as soon as formed, from its free
end. The flexible prepared band is wound in long lengths on a reel free to
rotate on its axis, and is drawn off as required by the rotating spindle above
mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Victor Toepken in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
VICTOR TOEPKEN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Victor Toepken, Her special license that I, the said
John Victor Toepken, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Victor Toepken, my 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 Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR MACHINERY FOR PACKING A CERTAIN KIND OR
DESCRIPTION OF FRICTION MATCH," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said John Victor Toepken, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Victor Toepken, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say:
The kind or description of friction match to which my Invention relates is
that in which the match 'splints are made in lengths of wood cut in a comb-
like form, and are packed at their free ends álternately with bands of paper.
in such manner that in the withdrawing from the packed bundle of any one
match it is caused to ignite by its prepared end coming into contact with a
prepared surface on or attached to the band of paper.
The object of my Invention. is to facilitate the packing into rolled up
bundles of the said comb-like lengths of match splints and bands. of paper or
other flexible prepared bands. I employ a machine or machinery, the
essential feature thereof being that it has a rotating spindle around or on
which the prepared lengths of match splints and prepared bands are rolled or
wound at the same time; the said spindle is supported by a suitable frame
and driven by hand or other power; it is provided with a slot or clip to catch
the end of each length of match splints or the band, or both of them, and also
with a forked lever to remove each bundle quickly as soon as formed from its
free end. The flexible prepared band is wound in long lengths on a reel free
to rotate on its axis, and is drawn off as required by the rotating spindle above
mentioned.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings contains views illustrative of my
Invention, Fig. 1 being a side elevation of a bundle of matches of the kind to
which my Invention relates fitted in a box, the cover being removed; Fig. 2, a
plan view of one of the comb-like lengths of wood; Fig. 3, a plan view of the
paper or other flexible band; the tips of the teeth in Fig. 2 at a, and the edge
of the band in Fig. 3 at b, are coated with any of the well-known preparations
which produce ignition on the one being rubbed against the other; Fig..4 is
a perspective view of my apparatus for packing the comb-like lengths and
bands; c is a frame supporting the reel d on which the prepared band e is wound;
this band is led backwards and forwards over rollers or rounded surfaces so as
to give sufficient tension to bind tightly the comb-like lengths f around the
split spindle g, best shewn in Fig. 5. Instead, however, of leading the band
backwards and forwards, as shewn, any checking friction or weight could be
applied to d. The spindle g is made to rotate by the handle h supported in
the frame i, and when a bundle is rolled up of the full size a piece of gummed
elastic material is placed around the ends of the teeth off to hold e and f
tightly together, and so that when a match is withdrawn from the bundle it
will be ignited by its end coming into contact with the edge of e; j is a fork
hinged at k, and provided with a handle to remove from y each bundle as

page_text: soon as formed. Instead of the split or slot shewn in g, a clip or any other
contrivance to hold the band could be employed; I have found the split to
answer very well. Instead of preparing the ends of the comb-like lengths and
bands on both sides, as shewn on the Drawings, I have found it convenient
and economical to prepare only one side, and in this latter case it will be
necessary to observe in packing or rolling up the bundles that the prepared
surfaces are those next each other; taking those shewn in the machine on the
Drawings as an illustration the prepared surfaces of e would be uppermost,
and the prepared ends off would lay thereon.
I would have it understood that although I have only mentioned comb-like
lengths of wood, that my Invention is equally, applicable to the rolling up of
paper fusees and other lengths of matches where the ends are free.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and how the same
can be carried into practical effect, I claim the machine or machinery herein
described, constructed, and operating substantially in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Victor Toepken, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven..
In the presence of
JOHN T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
JOHN VICTOR TOEPKEN. (L.S.)