Improvements in Match Boxes, Stands, or Receptacles Having Automatic Striking Action.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1897--Accepted, 26th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Match Boxes, Stands, or Receptacles Having
Automatic Striking Action.
We, ROBERT LAIDLAW DUNFORD, ERRINGTON DUNFORD, both of Mosley Street,
in the City and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Ironmongers, and GEORGE EMENS, of
Hetton-le-Hole, in the County of Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of ordinary
pocket match boxes, table, or other match stands, receptacles or containers, portable
or fixed, in which the action of withdrawing a match causes it to be ignited with
perfect safety against accident, either by igniting the remaining matches (as some-
times occurs with ordinary match boxes) or by particles of the striking composition
flying off and inflicting personal injuries and prevents the serious los incurred in
public bars, smoke rooms and like places by live matches being carried away each
match being ignited as it is drawn out and there is no necessity for external striking
surfaces for which mantels, walls &c. are often misused and thereby disfigured.
According to our invention the matches are contained in a series of "holders" and
these series of "holders" being filled with matches are fitted into the match box,
table or other match stand or receptacle, in such manner that when required the
"holders" can be readily refilled, either in position or by being withdrawn, when the
table or other stand or receptacle is fixed. Each receptacle cell or division contains
one or more matches which are filled in at the end and pushed forward till the
igniting end is level with the inner end when the shank will be projecting above the
top of the holder sufficiently to be grasped by the finger and thumb to draw out any
match and each match is grasped between the spring jaws of its "holder," the inner
surfaces of which are suitably prepared so as to ignite the matches as they are drawn
through the spring jaws either by friction in ordinary matches, or by a chemical
preparation applied to the inner surfaces in the case of "safety" matches. The series
of spring "holders" may be disposed in a variety of forms within the match box,
stand or receptacle, to suit the varying shapes of same, thus they may be in
longitudinal or transverse series or concentric rings in rectangular circular oval,
hexagon, octagon or other polygonal receptacles, so as to contain the greatest possible
quantity of matches.
The match "hoklers" may be formed to receive any convenient number of matches,
and of any number of series, preferably by stamping, rolling, or other process forming
them into corrugated or trough shaped strips which can be cut off to any required
size to form one of the series, or they may be formed singly of flat strips, doubled or
folded into a Y shape and held in grooves formed or slots cut in the box.or receptacle.
They may be of various shapes which will give them a spring action to hold, and.
sufficiently resist, the withdrawal of a match to cause it to ignite by friction as the head
passes through the spring jaws without pulling off the head.
The match holders may be made of any suitable material, according to price, such.
as aluminium, copper, brass, tin, steel or iron, in thin sheets or strips, or wire gauze,
or of vulcanite, cardboard, papier maché, wood chip or pulp, and in case of pocket
match boxes the outer case may be of gold, silver, silver gilt or electro-plated metals,
aluminium, pure, or as bronze, and chased or ornamented to any extent, or they may

page_text: be of wood chip, as ordinary match boxes, or for table or wall stands fixed or portable
may be of earthenware, china, porcelain, or of any metal, cast or otherwise produced
of any shape and ornamented or plain.
DL: cu 1
Improvements in Match Boxes, Stands, or Receptacles Having
Automatic Striking Action.
We, ROBERT LAIDLAW DUNFORD, ERRINGTON DUNFORD, both of Mosley Street,
in the City and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Ironmongers, and GEORGE EMENS,
of Hetton-le-Hole, in the County of Durham, 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 :-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of ordinary
pocket match boxes, table, or other match stands, receptacles or containers, portable
or fixed, in which the action of withdrawing a match causes it to be ignited with
perfect safety against accident, either by igniting the remaining matches (as some-
times occurs with ordinary match boxes) or by particles of the striking
composition flying off and inflicting personal injuries, and prevents the serious
loss incurred in public bars, smoke rooms and like places, by live matches being
carried away, each match being ignited as it is drawn out and there is no necessity
for external striking surfaces for which mantels, walls, &c. are often misused and
thereby disfigured.
According to our invention the matches are contained in a series of "holders"
and these series of "holders" being filled with matches are fitted into the match box,
table, or other match stand or receptacle, in such manner that when required the
"holders" can be readily refilled, either in position or by being withdrawn, when
the table or other stand or receptacle is fixed. Each receptacle, cell, or division
contains one or more matches which are filled in at the end and pushed forward till
the igniting end is level with the inner end, when the shank will be projecting
above the top of the "holder" sufficiently to be grasped by the finger and thumb to
draw out any match and each match is grasped between the spring jaws of its
"holder," the inner surfaces of which are suitably prepared so as to ignite the matches
as they are drawn through the spring jaws either by friction in ordinary matches,
or by a chemical preparation applied to the inner surfaces in the case of "safety"
matches. The series of spring holders" may be disposed in a variety of forms
within the match box, stand, or receptacle, to suit the varying shapes of same, thus
they may be in longitudinal or transverse series or concentric rings in rectangular,
circular, oval, hexagon, octagon, or other polygonal receptacles, so as to contain the
greatest possible quantity of matches.
The match "holders" may be formed to receive any convenient number of matches,
and of any number of series, preferably by stamping, rolling, or other process,
forming them into corrugated or trough shaped strips which can be cut off to any
required size to form one of the series, or they may be formed singly of flat strips,
doubled or folded into a Y shape and held in grooves formed, or slots cul, in the box
or receptacle. They may be of various shapes which will give them a spring action
to hold, and sufficiently resist, the withdrawal of a match to cause it to ignite by
friction as the head passes through the spring jaws without pulling off the head.

page_text: The match "holders" may he made of any suitable material, according to price,
such as aluminium, copper, brass, tin, steel, or iron, in thin sheets or strips, cr wire
gauze, or of vulcanite cardboard, papier maché, wood chip or pulp, having sufficient
spring action, and in case of pocket match boxes the outer case may be of gold, silver,
silver gilt, or electro-plated metals, aluminium, pure or as bronze, and chased or
ornamented to any extent, or they may be of wood chip, as ordinary match boxes, or
for table or wall stands fixed or portable may be of earthenware, china, porcelain,
or of any metal, cast or otherwise produced of any shape and ornamented or plain.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On Sheet 1, Figs. 1. 1A and 1B shew three views, partly in section, of a pocket
match box A. with a hinged lid B. at one end (shewn open), to withdraw the matches
and ignite them, and a hinged lid BA at opposite end (shewn closed) to insert the
"holders" CCC &c. filled with matches, in this case 35 in all.
Figs. 2 and 24 shew two views, partly in section, of such a match box A.
uncharged, the "holder" forming one series made out of a continuous flat strip,
first cut out at intervals to the required shape and then stamped in dies, rolled or
otherwise formed, into a series of 7 trough shaped cells D. inserted in the box.
from the bottom end, retained in position by their elasticity and closed when charged.
by the door B".
Figs. 3, 34 and 3B shew three views of the "holder" (thus formed, separate from:
the box and before being charged with matches.
Figs. 4 and 44 shew two views of a match box A. as already described, but with
the "holders" C C C &c. each formed of a single strip bent into a Y shape inserted
from the bottom end, and being filled are closed by the door BA..
Figs 5 and 54 shew the "holders" C thus formed each having at the bent end
a projecting shoulder E. which slips into a corresponding notch or slit F. cut in the
sides of the box as shewn on the upper half of Fig. 4 and lower half of Fig. 4^, and
this fitting keeps each separate "holder" in position when drawing out the matches,
but will not be required when the "holder" is formed and inserted as shewn by
Figs. 3 and 34 and Figs. 2 and 2ª.
Figs. 6 and 64 shew a form of box A. in which only one hinged lid is required and
thus the construction is much simplified. Here the match case AB, containing the
"holders" C, is hinged upon the match box A. so as to be enclosed in it, as shewn
on Fig. 6, and the binged lid B. closes the box till a match is required, when the
lid B. is turned back and the case AB is turned upward a quarter circle as in Fig. 6ª,
leaving the match ends exposed. When the holders C require to be recharged the
case is turned till it rests in the cavity of the lid B. as shewn by Fig. 6B, when the
"holders" C. are replenished and the box is again closed.
The "holders" may of course be formed in a variety of shapes, the essential
considerations being that they can be cheaply produced, he neat and light in weight,
and bave sufficient elasticity to yield when a match is withdrawn, at the same time
grasping it with sufficient force to ignite it by friction. We consider the method of
producing the "holders" described with reference to Figs. 2, 24 and Figs. 3, 34,
and 3", in series formed out of a continuous ribbon or strip cut out at intervals and
slotted and then formed into corrugations or troughs, is the best form in which they
can be made, as they form a perfectly firm fitting by their elasticity in the match box
or other receptacle.
The striking prepared surface is indicated by the shaded lines on Figs. 3B
and 54, and will be such as to ignite ordinary matches or those called "safety"
matches by special composition. The required roughness of the striking surfaces
for igniting ordinary matches may be produced by parallel or crossing ridges, but
in order to keep the spring jaws of the "holders" free from being fouled with
the igniting substance left behind, we propose to perforate them, like the surface
of a nutmeg grater, with small holes, through which the powder will pass and fall
between the "holders."

page_text: All the figures referred to shew the match boxes and "holders" of full actual
size for ordinary standard sizes, but for smaller six-s of wax matches the boxes will
be smaller in proportion.
"
The other forms in which our invention may be brought into practical use are
numerous, such as for fixed receptacles on tables, counters, brackets, or like
supports. The main receptacle in such cases may be of any ornamental shape
externally and arranged to receive the match "holders" so that they can be
readily inserted when charged and withdrawn to be replenished, the "holders
being divided into sections following the form of the receptacle which may be
rectangular, circular, oval, hexagon, octagon, or any other shape, and the external
surfaces may be used for advertising purposes. In some cases the match holders
may be arranged around the outside of the receptacle and the inner portion may
form a stand for a gong or hell, as for a table, or the "holders
may be
arranged to form part of a bedroom candlestick which will thus always have
matches at hand. On Sheet 2 a few of these forms are shewn as illustrations
to proposed actual size (except Figs. 3 and 4 which aro
which are to a reduced
scale).
Figs. 7 and 7 shew respectively an elevation and plan of a vase A to stand on a
table, desk, or the like, and may be fixed. Both views are (Fig. 7) in section on the
left hand and Fig. 7 is a half plan on top and a sectional half plan on -, Fig. 7
looking upward. AB is the "holder" case which fits into a cavity A^ provided in
the vase, and is secured therein by a horn E. which enters by a slot F a circular
groove F and, being turned round either way, is fastened and in the same manner
released to be recharged.
The "holders" Care shewn of the form described with reference to Figs. 2 and 24
(Sheet 1) as a series of trough shaped cells D.
Figs. 8 and 8 shew a match stand A adapted for a bar counter, smoke room.
cable, or the like, to which it may be fixed. Here a gong or hell G. is fitted at
the centre and at one end is a "holder" case AB secured in the circular
tavity A stand as above described by a "bayonet-joint" fitting, and at the other
a receptacle H. for burnt matches &c. concealed by a hopper J, or another
"bolder" case may replace this.
The stands may be of any suitable material, as carved wood, metal (cast or
sheet) earthenware, china, or the like, and the sides may he ornamented and used
for advertisements.
66
Figs. 9 and 9 show our invention applied to a bedroom candlestick shewn of china,
the spring holders" fitting into cases A sunk in cavities and withdrawn to he
refilled, and requires no further description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. The improvements in match boxes, stands or receptacles having automatic
striking action, consisting in the fitting thereto of "spring-holders" of thin steel
or other metals (or materials, having the requisite elasticity and strength) so
formed as to receive and retain the matches in groups, each so separated from
the others that any one match can be ignited automatically by withdrawing it
through the jaws of the "holders" without danger of igniting the others, and
that the holders" can be refilled from their opposite ends without removing
them from the match box, or in table, counter, or other match stands, fixed or
portable, from their case; substantially as described.
2nd. The formation or construction of such "spring-holders," singly or in series of
two or any number, out of a continuous strip of thin steel or other metals (or
materials having the requisite elasticity and strength) into cells each containing
a number of matches isolated from those in the other cells, and so that the
matches being inserted at one end and pushed through are held in the jaws of
the "holders until pulled out when each match is ignited by the friction of the

page_text: jaws without danger of igniting the adjacent matches; substantially as described
and in some forms illustrated.
3rd. The match boxes for pocket use fitted with "spring-holders" having a
hinged lid for withdrawing a match and a separate lid for access to the charging
end, as described and shewn on Sheet 1, Figs. 1, 1A and 1B, Figs. 2, 24 and 2;
or the form in which oue hinged lid encloses the "holder" case and box and,
when open, gives access to withdraw a match and also to allow the "holder
case to be replenished; as described and shewn by Figs. 6, 64 and 6B.
4th. As applied to portable or fixed stands or receptacles for tables, counters, or
the like, the method of fitting the cases containing the "spring-holders" so that they
can be readily unfixed and withdrawn for replenishing, and as readily.inserted and
refixed; substantially as described and in certain forms shewn on Sheet 2 by Figs. 7
and 7A, Figs. 8 and 8 and Figs. 9 and 9ª.
Dated HIS OL
T. J. DANSON,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Agent for Applicants.