IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES FOR AUTO- MATICALLY LIGHTING THE MATCHES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Charles Henderson, of the Firm of A. C.
Henderson and Company, British and Foreign Patent Agents, of
No. 6, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middle-
sex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES FOR AUTO-
MATICALLY LIGHTING THE MATCHES."-A communication from abroad
by Jules Saint Anne, Merchant, of Bordeaux, in the Department
of Gironde, France.
Sealed the 29th May 1874, and dated the 3rd December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Charles
Henderson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 3rd December 1873.
I, ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON, of the Firm of A. C. Henderson
and Company, British and Foreign Patent Agents, of No. 6, Southampton
Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES FOR
AUTOMATICALLY LIGHTING THE MATCHES," a communication to me from
153

page_text: abroad by Jules Saint Anne, Merchant, of Bordeaux, in the Department
of Gironde, France, to be as follows:-
The boxes herein referred to not only serve as receptacles for the
matches but effect their automatic and separate lighting. They are
especially characterized by the peculiar disposition and functions of two
segments or blades, between which the match is naturally seized to be
placed on a button conducting it by a rapid movement to the lighting
part or organ.
Fig. 1 is an external view of the complete apparatus, the match
being supposed alight and the shield raised.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section by A, B; and Fig. 3, an horizontal section
by C, D.
Fig. 4 is a detail of the pivoting segment receiving the match led by
the second segment seen at Fig. 5.
The box consists of a cylinder a capped with a lid 6 retained. by a
bayonet fixing, and which is raised for the introduction of the matches.
Inside this cap is a spring claw c, whose denticulated surface effects the
ignition of the match e in its rapid passage through the lid by the
apertures d, d.
All the mechanism is contained in the lower part of the tube a, and
consists of two discs or rundles fand i; the fixed one freceives the first
segment or blade g in a notch of some sort; the lateral axis g¹ of this
blade admits of its pivoting downwards on a metal piece h soldered to
the tube a. By its lower flattened extremity the same axis forms a
spring for bringing back the segment g when it has been raised by the
action of the second rundle i, which is movable and solid with the.
second segment j, and is actuated by the manoeuvring of the plate or
lower fly wheel k, to which it is attached by drawing pins r, r. This
same rundle is partly hollowed for the reception of the spiral spring
(Fig. 6) wound round a screw m, which unites the two rundles f and i,
whilst acting as pivot to the latter.
Action of the Box.-Supposing the matches placed therein, in turning
the fly wheel to the left or right the blade j is drawn along by this
movement, whilst the blade g is simply raised by the action of the
appendage of the segment j on the thin end of the axis g¹, round which
the pivoting takes place. In continuing to turn the fly wheel k the

page_text: segment always departs from, whilst the other ġ returns to its point of
departure. In this position and in the space comprised between the two
segments a match e arrives by agitating the box; this match after
loosening the fly wheel k. (led naturally by the effect of the spiral
spring) finds itself urged and directed by the blade j to occupy the kind
of case formed by the superposition of the two blades g and j, in such-
wise that the stick of the match is received by the appendage n¹ of the
button n, which, pressed smartly in a groove of the cylinder a, causes the
head of the match to traverse the head of the box b, where it is ignited
by friction against the spring claw and presents itself outside alight and
ready for use, and by raising the shield p, by sliding it along the tube a
the match cannot be extinguished by the wind.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Arthur Charles Henderson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st June 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR
CHARLES HENDERSON, of the Firm of A. C. Henderson and Company,
British and Foreign Patent Agents, of No. 6, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Arthur Charles Henderson,
Her special licence that I, the said Arthur Charles Henderson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Arthur Charles Henderson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES FOR AUTOMATICALLY
LIGHTING THE MATCHES," a communication to me from abroad by Jules

page_text: The organs of distribution of the matches move within the cylinder a
and consist of,-
-
1st. A piece g (Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6) maintained by a support h fixed
to the cylinder a, and below to a seat or plate i screwed to the
envelope a; this piece constructed of a special form is arranged above
and below so as to form an axis on which it turns. This same axis.
bears below an arched claw j, on which a spring / continually presses,
and which moves in a space in the piece or plate i.
2nd. Of a second piece 7, Figs. 3, 4, 12, 13, and 15, fixed to the lower
plate m, pivoting on a screw v screwed in a hole in the seat or plate i.
The section of the piece is so configured as to be capable of conducting
a match by its extremity at each use or action of the match case or
box. A groove or space n, Fig. 3, on a part of the circumference of the
case a serves for the introduction and withdrawl of the piece 7, whilst
admitting of its making about half a turn round its axis v. Above the
lower plate m and a projection equal to that of the arched claw j a cam p
is placed, which at the requisite time presses against the arc j and causes
the piece g to turn. Below the plate m and hollowed in its thickness a
space is made, in which a spiral spring lodges, vide Fig. 16, taking its
fulcrums, one in the slit of the screw and the other in one of the small
hollows o, o, of the lower plate m.
3rd. Of a disc q, Fig. 14, fixed to the plate m by two screws r, r.
4th. Of a button t forming a projection on the cylinder a and sliding
up and down a groove or slit x made the length of the cylinder.
Finally. A rings completing the lower portion of the case and con-
cealing all the mechanism.
To protect the flame from the wind a shield y is arranged outside the
cylinder, see Figs. 1, 2, 10, and 11, capable of being raised as high as
the stops or detents z, z, riveted on the case.
Action of the Match Box.-Supposing the match box two-thirds full
of matches, the heads turned upwards, and of dimensions in accordance
with that of the box, to make use of it it is placed horizontally with the
slot or opening x below, holding it in the left hand, with the right turn
the bottom rundle q in front as far as its check, after which and without
relinquishing it the same rundle is turned to its starting point; this
movement of rotation of the disc or rundle 2 should be performed

page_text: gently; its object is to turn the piece / so as to seize a match and lead
it in the piece g by the action of the camp on the arched claw j (which
turns the piece g) and on the button t. The box being now prepared or
charged it is placed in a vertical position, then by quickly pushing the
button from bottom to top the match makes its exit lighted. To
recharge the box the button t must be replaced before turning the
rundle g..
I claim as my Invention the improved match box, as herein described
and illustrated, and especially characterised by mechanism causing the
matches to quit the box alight one by one.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Charles Henderson, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.