AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF MATCH Box
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Parkins, of Brewer Street, Golden Square,
in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturing Stationer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF MATCH Box."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Parkins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th December 1872.
I, JOSEPH PARKINS, of Brewer Street, Golden Square, in the County
of Middlesex, Manufacturing Stationer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF MATCH Box," to
be as follows :-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of match box, the
object of which is to provide against accidents and to facilitate the
ignition of the matches as they are required for use. To this end I
provide a cylindrical case with a detachable lid, and in it I fit a circular
rack which is notched at is periphery or provided with holes to receive
the matches and retain them in a vertical position, while they rest
head downwards upon a stationary annular trough or support.
An

page_text: intermittent rotary motion is given to this rack by means of a coiled
spring, which occupies the hollow centre of the rack and serves to move
the matches forward, and bring them severally under the action of an
ascending step or plunger. This step works through a division made in
the trough, and is attached to a central rod which has an upward
tendency imparted to it by means of a coiled spring. The central rod
slides in a tube standing up from the bottom of the box, and the step
which it carries works in fixed vertical guides. This step or plunger
. carries a locking pin which slides in the holes or notches of the rack,
and thereby prevents the rack from rotating until the step or plunger
has been depressed to the level of the trough or match support, and is in
a position to receive a match thereupon preparatory to lifting it and
projecting it through the lid of the box which is detached from the case
to allow of the matches being inserted in the rack. The depression of
the central rod (by the pressure of the finger or thumb) to the amount
sufficient to disengage the locking pin from the rack leaves the coiled
spring free to move round the rack. An intermittent motion is
obtained by reason of the matches nearest the plunger being pressed
against a stop fixed to the case; and thereby serving for the moment
the purpose of the disengaged locking pin. As, however, the foot or
plunger rises to project a match from the box the locking pin will
resume its function and the match will be free to rise under the pressure
of the ascending plunger. The tail of the match now passes upward
through a friction spring clip fitted to the lid of the box, which clip
retains the match until it is required to be lighted.
.
The ignition is effected by drawing the match out smartly from the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Parkins in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
PARKINS, of Brewer Street, Golden Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturing Stationer, send greeting.

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Parkins, Her special
licènce that I, the said Joseph Parkins, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Parkins, 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 Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION
OF MATCH Box," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Joseph Parkins, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Parkins, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement; reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say)
This Invention relates to a novel construction of match box, the object
of which is to provide against accidents and to facilitate the ignition of
the matches as they are required for use.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews the improved match box
in sectional elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a
sectional elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1, or in the line 1, 2, of
Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is an external elevation of the match box, a portion of the outer
case being broken away to shew the internal arrangement of the working
parts; Fig. 6 is a view of the same parts but in a different position; and
Fig. 7 is a sectional plan of the step for lifting the matches.
A is a cylindrical case with a detachable lid A', and within it is fitted
a circular rack frame B, which is provided with holes near its periphery
to receive the matches C and retain them in a vertical position while
they rest head downwards upon a stationary annular trough or support

page_text: "
D attached to the casing A. An intermittent rotary motion is given to
this rack frame by means of a coiled spring E which occupies the
hollow centre of the rack frame and is made fast thereto at one end,
while its other end is secured to a stationary central tube F. The spring
serves to move the matches forward and bring them severally under the
action of an ascending step or plunger G; this step works through a
division made in the trough D, and is attached to a central hollow rod
G', which has an upward tendency imparted to it by means of a coiled
spring H inserted within it and bearing upon a button carried by a fixed
The central
central pin I standing up from the bottom of the case.
hollow rod G¹ is closed at top with a knob, and it slides in the tubular
guide F standing up from the bottom of the box. The step G, which
the rod G¹ carries, works in fixed vertical guides K, K, made fast to the
bottom of the box; this step or plunger carries a locking pin G* which
enters the holes of the rack frame, and thereby prevents the rack frame
B from rotating until the step or plunger has been depressed to the level
of the trough or match support, as shewn at Fig. 6.. The step when
thus depressed is in a position to receive a match from the trough
preparatory to lifting it and projecting it through the lid of the box,
which lid is made detachable to allow of the matches being inserted in
the rack frame. The depression of the central rod G¹ (by the pressure
of the finger or thumb on the knob) to the amount sufficient to dis-
engage the locking pin from the rack frame, leaves the coiled spring E
free to move round the rack frame. The intermittent motion is obtained
by reason of the match that has been brought over the plunger being
pressed against a stop L fixed to the case, and thereby serving for the
moment the purpose of the disengaged locking pin. As, however, the
foot or plunger rises to project a match from the box, the locking pin
will resume its function and the match will be free to rise under the
pressure of the ascending plunger. The tail of the match now passes
upward through a friction clip M fitted to the lid of the box, where the
match is retained until it is required to be lighted. The ignition is
effected by drawing the match out smartly from between the friction
surfaces. The withdrawal of the match removes an obstruction to the
further rotary motion of the rack frame B. When, therefore, the knob
of the rod G¹ is depressed and the locking pin G is brought to the
position of Fig. 6, the rack frame will move round in the direction of
the arrow until its motion is intercepted by the foremost match striking
against the stop L. Then on the knob being released from the pressure

page_text: of the hand the foremost match will be raised, as shewn at Fig. 5, and
the locking pin will again engage with the rack frame B and prevent its
moving on the withdrawal of the protruded match. N is a socket on
the match box for holding the match in a vertical position while it is
burning.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved
Construction of Match Box," and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I claim, the arrangement and construction of
parts as above described, whereby the matches will be protruded in
succession from the box ready for ignition by their rapid withdrawal
therefrom.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Parkins, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
JOSEPH PARKINS. (L.S.)