IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING SPLINTS USED IN THE MANTRACTURE OF MATCHES AND OTHER LIANTS" PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS. PATENT to George Charles Grimes, of No. 8, Wandle Terrace,
South Street, Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING SPLINTS USED IN
THE MANTRACTURE OF MATCHES AND OTHER LIANTS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Charles Grimes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th January 1863.
I, GEORGE CHARLES GRIMES, of No. 8, Wandle Terrace, South Street,
Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING SPLINTS
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES AND OTHER LIGHTS," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate first to the clamp-filling machine, and consist in
drawing the splints into the clamps from the boxes or holders in which they
are placed to be transferred to such clamps in place of pushing the splints
from such boxes or holders into the clamps, and in using sharp points to stick
into the ends of the splints for the purpose of drawing them, and springs or
releasers to press off the splints from the sharp points when the splints have
been drawn into position in the clamp. The clamps are placed between the
boxes or holders and the drawing means. In place of points, nippers or
fingers may be used as the drawing means. In place of the clamp boards of
the clamping frame being separate and independent of each other, as is the

page_text: common practice, I connect them to bands or other suitable means adapted
to admit of their being suspended at intervals apart from each other sufficient
for the free passage of splints between any pair of them, and yet when splints
are placed between them of their being pressed together to hold such splints
tightly between them. When drawing the splints from their boxes or holders
to between such boards, several rows of such drawing means may be acting
at the same time on the same splints. When all or several rows are filled at
once, the front of the box or holder next, the clamp will have openings to
allow of the drawing instruments freely passing through, and taking the splints
back with them, and I apply the boxes or holders for the splints so that after
a selection of splints therefrom by the drawing means motion may be given
thereto sideways a distance that will bring the ends of the splints missed by
the selection referred to into position to be taken, which operation may be
repeated if desired. I apply with such clamps, capable of being filled in
several rows at the same time, vertical guides extending about the height
of the clamp frame so as to guide the splints and keep them in position
between the clamp boards. I form the bottoms of the boxes or holders for
holding the splints preparatory to their being taken into the clamps with
openings, so that broken splints, or splints considerably shorter than the
length for which such boxes are adapted, may drop or fall through such
openings, and then be removed out of the way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Charles Grimes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
CHARLES GRIMES, of No. 8, Wandle Terrace, South Street, Wandsworth, in
the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Charles Grimes, Her special licence that I, the said
George Charles Grimes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Charles Grimes, 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

page_text: lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING SPLINTS
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES AND OTHER LIGHTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Charles Grimes, 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 George Charles Grimes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The improvements relate, first, to what is commonly called the clamp filling
machine, and they consist in drawing the splints into the clamps from the
boxes or holders in which they are placed to be transferred to such clamps in
place of pushing the splints from such boxes or holders into the clamps, and
in using sharp points to stick into the ends of the splints for the purpose of
drawing them, and springs or releasers to press off the splints from the sharp
points when the splints have been drawn into position in the clamp. The
clamps are placed between the boxes or holders and the drawing means.
In carrying out this part of the improvements I prefer to form the frame of
the machine rather longer than is ordinarily the custom in order to give
increased length of guiding surface for the moveable frame, carrying the
means for drawing the splints out of the boxes or holders into the clamps, and
I place the clamps for receiving splints between the box or holder and the
frame carrying the drawing out means.
Figure 1 shows a section of parts of a clamp filling machine adapted to
illustrate this part of my improvements. a, a, is part of the main framing;
6 the box containing splints c. These splints may be shook or rubbed into
the grooves in the bottom of the box 6 by well known or other suitable means;
d, are some of the bars of a clamp frame into which the splints are to be
drawn in succession as the frame is moved for the purpose; e represents one
of a series of pins or wires with sharp points adapted to stick into the ends of
the wood or other splints opposite them. These pins or wires e are arranged
side by side as closely together as may be found convenient in the moveable
bar e', to which a to-and-fro motion is given in order to cause the points of

page_text: the wires e to move alternately forward to take into the ends of 'splints,
and then to move backwards to draw out those splints from the box b, and
place them between the clamps d; f is a spring, of which there may be. one
to each or one to several of the wires or pins e. These springs are held
stationary at one end in the fixed bar g, and at their other ends they rest on
the wires e in position to act on the ends of the splints in the back motion of
the bar e', and push them off the points 6, leaving them between the clamps d.
In place of points, nippers or fingers may be used as the drawing means.
Figure 2 shows a wire e with the end split so as to form nippers or fingers to
take hold of the splints and draw them out.
Secondly, in place of the clamp boards of the clamping frame being separate
and independent of each other, as is the common practice, I connect them to
bands or other suitable means adapted to admit of their being suspended at
intervals apart from each other sufficient for the free passage of splints between
any pair of them, and yet when splints are placed between them of their being
pressed together to hold such splints tightly between them.
Figure 3 is an illustration of this part of the improvements. h, h, are bars
or clamps, between which the splints are to be received; and i, i, are bands
connected to each of the bars or clamps h at ¹ by tacks, or by other suitable
means: When drawing the splints from their boxes or holders to between
such boards several rows of drawing means, according to the first part of the
improvements, may be acting at the same time on the splints. When all or
several rows are filled at one operation, the front of the box or holder next the
clamp will have openings to allow of the drawing instruments freely passing
through, and taking the splints back with them, and I prefer to support the
boxes or holders for the splints so that after a selection of splints therefrom
by the means employed for that purpose, motion may be given to such box
sideways a distance that will bring the ends of the splints missed by the last
selection into position to be taken by the next, which operation may be re-
peated if desired. When using such clamps capable of being filled in several
rows at the same time, I prefer to extend the vertical guides used for spacing
the splints to about the height of the clamp frame, so as to offer continuous
guides to the splints, and better keep those of each row in position in relation
to each other between the clamp boards, I form the bottoms of the boxes or
holders for holding the splints, preparatory to their being taken into the
clamps, with openings j, as shown by Figure 1, so that broken splints, or
splints considerably shorter than the length for which such boxes are adapted,
may drop or fall through such openings, and then be removed out of the

page_text: Having described my said Invention, and means which I adopt in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details referred to, as these may be varied; but what I do
claim is, the withdrawing splints used in the manufacture of matches and
other lights from boxes or holders to between the clamp bars by means sub-
stantially as explained.
Secondly, I claim the connecting the clamp boards of clamp-filling machines
used in the manufacture of splints and other lights by bands, or other suitable
means, substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Charles Grimes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
GEORGE CHARLES GRIMES.
(L.B.)