IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR UNWINDING AND CROSS CUTTING MATCHES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Evans, of the Firm of Dixon, Son, and Evans, of
Newton Heath, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR UNWINDING AND CROSS CUTTING
MATCHES." A communication from abroad by Ebenezer Benton Beecher, of
Westville, Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 11th January 1878, and dated the 1st October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Evans at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st October 1877.
GEORGE EVANS, of the Firm of Dixon, Son, and Evans, of Newton Heath,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
UNWINDING AND CROSS CUTTING MATCHES." A communication from abroad by
Ebenezer Benton Beecher, of Westville, Connecticut, United States of America.
After
This Invention has reference to matches, the splints of which have been wound or
framed between two bands in a circular form for the purpose of dipping or having
the inflammable or ignitable composition applied thereto. The coil in these cases is
dipped at both ends, the splints being long enough to form two matches.
being dipped the matches have to be unwound and cut across the middle, and the
object of this Invention is to accomplish those processes in one machine with ease
and celerity.
The circular frame or coil of matches with its bands is placed on a shaft, fixed on
an arm joined to the framework of the machine, on which shaft there is a friction
pulley, which gives tension to to coil of matches by pressing against a strap
fastened to a stud fixed in a bracket at the top, and having a weight at the bottom
to steady it. The operator takes the ends of the bands, and places one end of each
round shafts, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the, machine, and it
being set in motion by the attendant, pressing down a lever with his foot, and so
causing a pulley to press against the driving strap and tighten it, the bands are
Drine 631

page_text: unwound from the coil and wound on the said shafts, leaving the matches between
endless bands or straps, which carry them between two revolving dises or guides
covered with india rubber, and forward under a revolving cutter, which divides
them in the centre, they being kept from flying out by two wires pressing on them
from behind, whence they are delivered into a trough and carried away to be stored,
if necessary, and put in boxes."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Evans in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
April 1878.
1
GEORGE EVANS, of the Firm of Dixon, Son, and Evans, of Newton Heath;
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster: "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
UNWINDING AND CROSS CUTTING MATCHES." A communication from abroad by
Ebenezer Benton Beecher, of Westville, Connecticut, United States of America.
This Invention relates to machinery to be employed in the manufacture of matches,
and is designed more particularly to be employed as an adjunct to a machine in
which the match splints are framed or wound between two bands in a circular
bundle or coil for the purpose of dipping them in the inflammable or ignitable com-
position to be applied to them. The framing machine which I prefer to employ.
in connection with my present Invention is described in the Specification of my
former Letters Patent dated 28th June, A.D. 1877, No. 2506. The match splints
framéd or wound into a coil are dipped at both ends, the splints being of such a
. length that each splint will form two matches. After being dipped the match
splints have to be unwound and cut or divided at the middle, and the object of this
Invention is to provide a machine which will perform both of these operations with
ease and celerity.
The manner in which I accomplish this object is herein-after fully explained by
the aid of the accompanying Drawing, which I will now proceed to describe.
Figure 1 is a plan of the said machine; Figure 2 is a front elevation; Figure 3 is
a back elevation; and Figure 4 is an end elevation of the same, some of the parts
being omitted.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the frame and standard of the said machine; a is a shaft on which the coil
of matches is placed, and from which the said coil is unwound; b is an arm in which
the said shaft is carried; c is a pulley, whereby, the desired tension is applied to the
said coil by means of the strap d and weight d¹; e, f, are shafts on which the
webs or bands of the said coil are wound, as herein-after described; g is a treadle
or foot lever; h is a pulley connected with the same, and which serves for tightening
the driving belt or strap j; k, k, are endless bands or belts; 7, 7, are guiding discs,
which may or may not be covered with india-rubber or other suitable material; m
is a revolving cutter fitted between two blocks, and working above two other
blocks m¹, which are provided at m² with some soft material for the knife to work
on; n, n, are wires for keeping the matches in place.
9

page_text: The circular frame, bundle, or coil consisting of matches held between bands or
webs, is placed on the shaft a, which, as above specified, is fixed on the arm b, jointed
to the framework A of the machine; the said friction pulley c affords the means.for
applying tension to the coil of matches by the aid of the strap d, which is secured at
any suitable point, and provided with the aforesaid weight at the bottom to
steady it.
.
In using this machine the operator takes the ends of the bands of the coil and
places one end of one of them around the shaft and one around the shaft f. The
machine being set in motion by depressing the lever g, and so causing the pulley h
to press against the driving strap j and tighten it, the said bands are unwound from
the coil and wound on the said shafts, leaving the matches between the endless
bands or straps k, which carry then between the two revolving discs or guides 7, and
forward under the revolving cutter m, which divides them in the centre. These
discs present the match splints to the cutter in such a manner as to ensure their
being cut or divided into equal lengths; during this operation the splints are kept
from flying out of place by the two wires n; they are finally delivered into a trough
and carried away to be stored if necessary, and put in boxes.
Having thus described the said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A machine or apparatus in and by which match splints or sticks are
unwound from a coil or bundle, and presented to a rotary or revolving cutter,
which cuts or divides each splint into two lengths or portions for the purpose
specified.
Second. The improved machine for unwinding or uncoiling, and cutting matches
or match splints, and which consists of or comprises the parts constructed and
combined, as shewn in the accompanying Drawings, and operating as above set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Evans, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand