AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION OR PREPA-
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johan Wilhelm Hjerpe, Wilhelm Holmgren, and
Adolphe Victor Sundstedt, all of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden,
Merchants, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION OR PREPA-
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Johan Wilhelm Hjerpe,
Wilhelm Holmgren, and Adolphe Victor Sundstedt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 20th November
1862.
We, JOHAN WILHELM HJERPE, WILHELM HOLMGREN, and ADOLPHE VICTOR
SUNDSTEDT, all of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, Merchants, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED COM-
POSITION OR PREPARATION OF MATERIALS APPLICABLE FOR IGNITING MATCHES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention of an improved composition or preparation of materials
applicable for igniting matches has for its object, first, to dispense with the
use of phosphorus in the manufacture of matches, and also to prepare and
apply the igniting ingredients in such a manner that matches cannot become
accidentally ignited, and in fact cannot be ignited at all except by being
rubbed on a roughened surface specially prepared for the purpose.
The improved composition consists mainly of from two to three parts of
chlorate of potash, one part of bichromate of potash, to which may be added a
metallic oxide, such as the oxides of iron, manganese, lead, or other metal, or
a metallic salt. These ingredients are mixed and incorporated with glue,

page_text: gum, or some adhesive preparation, with the addition of a suitable quantity of
pulverized glass or other substance to form a roughened surface sufficient to
produce friction. By increasing the proportion of the chlorate of potash the
matches may be made to ignite by friction on any rough surface, but for
safety it is preferable that they should only be capable of ignition by being
rubbed on a surface on which the following composition or preparation of
ingredients has been applied:-Some metallic sulphuret with the addition of
a metallic oxide together with bichromate of potash forms the basis of the
composition to be applied to the frictional surface.
As an example of the proportions in which these ingredients may be
beneficially applied, I may say that to from twenty to thirty parts of sul-
pburet of antimony may be added from two to four parts of bichromate of
potash and from three to six parts of the oxide of iron, lead, or some other
metal. These chemical substances may be mixed with some adhesive material,
such as glue or gum, and a sufficient quantity of pulverized glass or other
gritty substance added to produce a rough surface. This compound may be
applied to any suitable surface, and when dry the matches prepared in the
way above mentioned, may, upon being rubbed thereon, be ignited with
facility.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Johan Wilhelm Hjerpe, Wilhelm Holmgren, and Adolphe
Victor Sundstedt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th May
1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHAN
WILHELM HJERPE, WILHELM HOLMGREN, and ADOLPHE VICTOR SUNDSTEDT,
all of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, Merchants, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Johan Wilhelm Hjerpe, Wilhelm Holmgren, and Adolphe Victor
Sundstedt, Her special license that we, the said Johan Wilhelm Hjerpe,
Wilhelm Holmgren, and Adolphe Victor Sundstedt, our exccutors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Johan Wilhelm Hjerpe,
Wilhelm Holmgren, and Adolphe Victor Sundstedt, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from

page_text: 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 COMPOSITION OR PREPARATION OF MATERIALS
APPLICABLE FOR IGNITING MATCHES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Johan Wilhelm Hjerpe, Wilhelm Holmgren, and Adolphe
Victor Sundstedt, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 Wilhelm Holmgren, on behalf of
myself and of the said Johan Wilhelm Hjerpe and Adolphe Victor Sundstedt,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement (that is to say):-
This Invention of "An Improved Composition or Preparation of Materials
applicable for Igniting Matches" has for its object, first, to dispense with the
use of phosphorus in the manufacture of matches, and also to prepare and
apply the iguiting ingredients in such a manner that matches cannot become
accidentally ignited, and in fact cannot be ignited at all except by being
rubbed on a roughened surface, especially prepared for the purpose.
The improved composition consists mainly of chlorate of potash, bichromate
of potash, to which may be added a metallic oxide, such as the oxides of iron,
manganese, lead, or other metal, or a metallic salt. These ingredients are
mixed and incorporated with glue, gum, or some adhesive preparation by
grinding them up with the addition of a suitable quantity of pulverized glass
or other substance to form a roughened surface sufficient to produce
friction.
As examples of the proportions of the several ingredients which will be
found to effect the object of the Invention, we will give the following two
receipts, vizt.:-
No. 1 COMPOUND.
Four to six parts by weight of chlorate of potash.
Two parts
of bichromate of potash.
"
Two parts
"
of sulphate of iron.
Three parts
"
of glue, gum, or other analogous substance for

page_text: Two parts
"
of peroxide of manganese or lead.
Three parts
"
of glue, gum, or other analogous substance.
The quantity of pulverized glass or other suitable material to be introduced
into these compositions in order to form a roughened surface sufficient to
produce friction is not material, as it will produce no chemical effect.
By increasing the proportion of the chlorate of potash, the matches may be
made to ignite by friction on any rough surface; but for safety it is preferable
that they should only be capable of ignition by being rubbed on a surface on
which the following composition or preparation of ingredients has been
applied: Some metallic sulphurets with the addition of a metallic oxide,
together with bichromate of potash, form the basis of the composition to be
applied to the frictional surface.
As as example of the proportions in which these ingredients may be
beneficially applied to produce the frictional surfaces, we give the following
receipt, without, however, binding ourselves rigidly thereto :-
From twenty to thirty parts of sulphuret of antimony.
Two to four parts of bichromate of potash.
Three to six parts of sulphate of iron, the oxide of iron, or of lead,
or of some other metal.
These chemical substances may be mixed with three parts of some adhesive
material, such as glue or gum, for the purpose of amalgamating the other
ingredients. A sufficient quantity of pulverized glass or other gritty sub-
stance, say, from two to three parts, are to be added to produce a rough
surface. This compound may be applied to any suitable surface, and when
dry the matches prepared in the way above mentioned will upon being rubbed
thereon be ignited with facility.
From the above description it will be seen that our security matches do
not contain any phosphorus or other poisonous matters, and by leaving out all
sulphurets in the composition to be applied to the matches they will ignite
without producing any unwholesome gases or volatile matters which might
prove dangerous to health. It must be remarked that sulphur, sulphuret of
antimony, or other metal, when used only in the composition which is applied
to the friction surface, and not in that of the matches themselves, will not
produce smoke or noxious gas, even when matches prepared with the above-
mentioned igniting materials are kindled by rubbing them against the friction

page_text: surfaces made as we have described. If the igniting power of this surface
should be diminished, it can easily be restored by wetting it a little, and then
leaving it to get perfectly dry again before using it.
Among the inconveniences incidental to the use of the common phosphoric
matches, we may name the illnesses to which the workmen in the manufac-
tories of matches are liable. The poisonous qualities of the composition have
often been the cause of death of both men and animals. The inflammability
of those matches has also often occasioned sad accidents from fire. All these
disadvantages are entirely overcome by employing our Invention, which,
moreover, would leave to be used for agricultural purposes all the bones
which are now used in the manufacture of the phosphorus employed in
making matches.
Our improved matches are also attended with the following important
advantages:
First, they do not ignite of themselves through accidental friction or high
temperature of the atmosphere.
Second, the danger of children being injured by putting these matches into
their mouth is much less than is the case with other matches.
Third, they emit no smell either when manufactured, or when kept in
stores, or when used and rubbed on their friction surface.
And, fourth, they are very slightly hygroscopic, and therefore not liable to
be injured by humidity, and thus lose their igniting power.
Having now described our Invention of "An Improved Composition or
Preparation of Materials applicable for Igniting Matches," and having
explained the means of carrying the same into effect, we claim as the Invention
secured to us by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the combination of materials
herein set forth as applied to matches, and the frictional surfaces for igniting
the same, whereby the advantages herein-before mentioned are obtained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wilhelm Holmgren, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
WILHELM HOLMGREN, usual signature W. HOLMGREN. (L.S.)