Improvements in Machines for the Manufacture of Matches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb.. 1899 -Accepted, 1st Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by INTERNATIONAL MACHINE COMPANY, a Corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, and doing
business in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States of America, Manu-
facturers.]
Improvements in Machines for the Manufacture of Matches.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:
My invention relates to improvements in match machines, and especially to that
class of machines in which the matches are formed of strips of veneer and the
matches cut and automatically delivered into holding frames where they may
be dipped in the phosphorous composition, either automatically or otherwise.
The object of my invention is to produce a relatively cheap and simple machine
of this character, which is adapted to use up the smallest strips of veneer such as
usually go to waste, which is arranged to work very rapidly and which works with
absolutely no waste, which cuts clean splints and automatically delivers them
to a holding device in which they may be dipped and, in general, to produce a
compact practical machine which works sufficiently well to lessen the cost of the
manufactured match.
To these ends my invention consists of a match making machine, the construc-
tion and organization of which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the views.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the match machine embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the upper part of the machine.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line III-III of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of the finger mechanism for regulating the
dropping of the splints through the chutes or magazine.
Figure 5 is a broken front elevation of the said mechanism.
Figure 6 is a broken enlarged side elevation of certain details for operating the
splint feed rolls and other parts of the machine.
Figure 7 is a broken cross section through the chutes or magazine.
Figure 8 is a sectional elevation on an enlarged scale of the plunger for feeding
the veneer strips to the cutting rolls.
Figure 9 is a broken enlarged detail plan of the splint knives.
Figure 10 is a broken enlarged perspective view of the stripping device which
prevents the splint from adhering to the cutting rolls.
Figure 11 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the cutting and feed rolls,
showing the manner in which the splints are separated.
Figure 12 is a broken enlarged plan of the feed rolls.
Figure 13 is a detailed perspective view of the cam operating the slide bars of
the holding frame.

page_text: Figure 14 is a perspective view of a spring used in adjusting the holding
frame.
Figure 15 is a sectional plan on the line XV-XV of Figure 16, of one of the
holding frames; and
Figure 16 is a cross section on the line XVI-XVI of Figure 15.
The machine has a frame 10, which can be made in any appropriate design,
although it should be made relatively high to provide for a divergence of the
chutes in the magazine, as hereinafter described, and, near the machine top is a
feed box or chute 11 in which are placed a series of veneer strips 12 which are
packed closely together and with their edges against the box bottom, these strips
corresponding in width to the length of the splints to be cut. The veneer springs
are pushed inward by the plunger 13 which is held in a case 15 at the outer end
of the feed box or chute and is normally pressed inward by the spring 14.
Obviously, the feed box or chute may be of any necessary length and weights of
the usual kind can be substituted for the spring, or the veneer may be fed from
a roll in the customary way if preferred, the manner of feeding being not abso-
lutely essential so long as the veneer is delivered to the cutting rolls properly,
as hereinafter described. The feed box arrangement is, however, a preferred means,
and the feed box or chute has at its inner end and in the bottom a slot 16 through
which the strips 12 are fed one by one, each strip being pushed downward by a
vertically movable plunger 17, which moves between guide rolls 18 on opposite
sides of the frame, as best shown in Figure 10, this plunger being pivoted to
a walking beam 19, which is pivoted to the frame 10 as shown at 20, and the
outer end of which connects by rod 21 with a crank 22 on the rock shaft 23 which
is journaled transversely in the machine frame and is operated by an arm 24
(see Figures 1 and 6) one end of which is fixed to the rock shaft and the other
straddles the cam 26, which is attached to the main driving shaft 27, the arm 24
having rollers 25 (see Figure 2) which contact with the cam. The main shaft 27
is driven by a pulley 28, although it can be driven by any usual means.
cam 26 is shaped so as to cause the arm 24 and rock shaft 23 to come to rest
momentarily, for the purposes to be hereinafter described. It will be noticed that
the tilting of the rock shaft 23 will actuate the crank 22 connecting rod 21 and
walking beam 19 so as to vertically reciprocate the plunger 17.
The
When the plunger 17 moves downward it forces a veneer strip 12 into the cutt-
ing holes 29, which are arranged opposite one another, as shown best in Figures 3
and 11, these being arranged just above the feed rolls 30 which cause the cut
splints to be delivered to the chutes or magazine, as presently described. The
cutting rolls 29 have circumferential parallel knives 31, and the knives of one
roll overlap those of the other, as best shown in Figure 9. It is necessary to
grind these knives as illustrated, as if the bevel is all on one side the tendency
is to slide the veneer laterally so that tlie splints are not suitably discharged.
This result is obviated by grinding the knives as shown in Figure 9, where it
will be seen that the knives of each pair have an opposite bevel so that the shift-
ing effect of one knife is neutralized by the other.
The splints 12ª, as cut from the veneer by the knives 31 which are placed the
width of a splint apart, have a tendency to follow the curvature of the cutting
rolls 29, and this is prevented by the strippers 32 which are formed on cross bars 33
(see Figure 10) and project upward in the form of brads or spurs to a point near
the surface of the rolls 29 and between the knives 31. The splints are thus
guided downward between the bars 33 as shown in Figure 11. These cross bars
have inturned end flanges 34 to enable them to be secured to the machine frame 10
and have inner guards 35 pointed at the top, each projecting upward between
the rolls 29 near the ends of the rolls, so that if a strip of veneer happens to be a
trifle long the extra splint or length is deflected by the guards 25 and prevented
from clogging the rolls or chutes below.
As the splints 12° are discharging from the cutting rolls they pass between the
feed rolls 30 immediately below. These feed rolls have circumferential ribs 37,

page_text: which mesh as shown in Figure 12, but which leave space between their outer
edges and the surface of the opposite roll to permit the passage of a splint, as
shown in Figure 12. It will thus be seen that the splints are discharged by the
feed rolls in vertical and parallel rows so as to enter the chutes or channels 38,
which form a magazine and which are made in opposite sides of a transverse
vertical web 39 on the machine frame. The separation is rendered more sure by
the dividing plate 40 formed at the outer edge of the web 39 and in order that the
splints may not clog in the chutes and that they may be seen in case any foreign
matter gets into the chutes so that it may be located, the outer faces of the chutes
are covered by a glass 42 (see Figure 7). These chutes 38 are of a width to loosely
contain a splint, but are not sufficiently large to permit the splints to overlap, and
so after the machine is run momentarily the chutes are filled with splints which
lie endwise therein, the chutes being held end to end, and the chutes thus form a
magazine from which the splints are fed to the holding mechanism below, as
presently described. By reference to Figure 2, it will be seen that the chutes
diverge or spread as they near the bottom of the magazine and they are made
loose enough to permit the splints to drop through readily at the inclination
shown. The object of the spreading of the chutes is to bring the splints sufficiently
far apart at their point of discharge to enable them to be held properly in a frame
and dipped without making a bad head. It is understood that the splints should
be held at least a quarter of an inch apart to prevent any malformation of the
heads.
Obviously, the cutting and feeding rolls can be run in any convenient manner.
I have illustrated a good means. As shown, the cutting rolls are geared together
by the gears 43 (see Figures 1 and 2) and the feed rolls are connected by gear
wheels 44. At one end, one of the rolls 29 has a gear 45 meshing with a gear 46
on one of the feed rolls 30, and the latter has also a beveled driving gear 47
connected with a beveled gear 48 on the vertical shaft 49, which is journaled in
brackets 50 on the side of the machine frame and connects by beveled gears 51
and 52 with the driving shaft 27. It will be observed then that the motion of
cutting and feed rolls is constant and continuous.
It is necessary to momentarily check the dropping of the splints from the
magazine or feed chutes while the holding frame is being moved below, and to
this end the chutes 38 are open at the bottom, and near the bottom of the chutes
are spring fingers 53 which swing into the chutes to stop the flow of splints. Each
finger has an inturned end 54 to enter the chute, is preferably provided with
strengthening coil 55 and is secured to a transverse rock shaft 56. The journals
of the rock shaft project through the frame 10 of the machine and at their outer
ends have overlapping cranks 57 (see Figure 6) which connect with a spring 58
supported on the frame at a point above the shafts and, therefore, the pressure of
the spring is such as to normally tilt the shafts and swing the spring fingers 53
inward into the chutes 38 so as to support the splints above. At a certain time it
is necessary for the fingers to swing outward and permit the splints to drop, and
to this end one of the shafts 56 has a tongue 59 (see Figures 4 and 5) extending
upward into the path of a trip 60 on a disk 61, carried by the shaft 27. When
the trip strikes the tongue 59 it turns the shaft 56 and also the connecting shafts
by reason of the two cranks 57, and the fingers 53 all swing out long enough to
permit a match splint to pass each one, by which time the trip 60 will have passed
the tongue 59 and the fingers will have sprung back to place. In order that the
splints may be carried positively downward into the holding frame, rollers 62.
preferably rubber covered, are arranged opposite the lower parts of the chutes 38
and below the spring fingers 53, these rolls being connected by gears 63, one of
which connects through an intermediate gear 64 with a gear 65 on the driving
shaft 27. These rolls 62, therefore, have a constant motion and carry the splints
positively down into the holding frame 66, which slides flat-wise beneath the
chutes 38.
The holding frame 66 has transverse rows of vertical holes 67, each adapted to

page_text: receive a match splint. These holes are, in each direction, far enough apart to
hold the splints the correct distance for dipping. Adjacent to each row of holes 67
is a transverse slide bar 68 which is normally pressed outward by a spring 69
(see Figure 15) and which slide bar has a series of yielding grippers 70, backed
by cam surfaces 71, and the grippers and the cams are adapted to slide back and
forth so that the grippers will engage the splints 12 in the holes 67. When the
slide bar is pushed inward, as shown in the lower part of Figure 15, the grippers
will be out of engagement with the splints and the latter in such case fall through
the holes 67, and when the spring 69 pushes out the slide bar, as in the upper
part of Figure 15, then the grippers engage and hold the splints. When the
frame 66 stops as it does intermittently, as presently described, it brings two
rows of the holes 67 below the magazine and in alignment with the two series
of chutes 38, and during this stopping of the frame the fingers 53 swing back and
the series of splints are driven down through the holes until they abut with the
leveling table 10" (see Figure 3) at which time the fingers 53 are swung back
and the holding frame advanced a distance to receive an extra supply of splints.
In order that the slide bars 68 may be pushed inward and the holes 67 opened at
the correct time, the cam 72 (see Figure 13) attached to a plate 73 is fixed to the
inside of the frame 10 at a point opposite the holding frame 66 and below the
chutes 38 (see Figure 2) so that as the frame passes this point the cam acting on
the slide bars opens the holes 67 to the free passage of splints, and when the
frame 66 advances and passes the cam 72 the slide bars spring out and bind the
splints in place. It is obvious that a cam acting in this way can be arranged in
any convenient manner in the path of the slide bars.
To hold the frame 66 against lateral movement, the spring 74 is used, the free
end of which presses against the side of the frame (see Figure 2), the spring
having an inturned end 75 which is secured to the frame 10. The pressure of
this spring holds the frame 66 over and against an abutment 76, which is formed
on the end of a shank 77 (see Figure 2) which is secured to the frame 10. The
frame 66 slides through the machine on a series of rollers 78 which are journaled
at suitable distances on the inner part and opposite sides of the frame 10 (see
Figures 2 and 3). On one side of the frame 66 is a ratchet bar 79, which engages
a pawl 80 on the lower end of the frame 81. which extends downward from the
rock shaft 23 to which it is attached. It will be, of course, understood that this
precise mechanism for moving the frame 66, or even the frame itself, is not of
such a nature that it cannot be departed from, as any suitable holding frame
can be used in connection with the mechanism for cutting and feeding splints,
shown and described.
It will be clearly understood from the above description and by reference to the
drawings:
I. That the veneer may be fed to the machine in other ways without departing
from the spirit of the invention.
II. That the magazine formed of the chutes 38 can be arranged with the chutes
on one side only, although the machine works faster with the double series of
chutes, that the pitch of the chutes may be changed as desired, that other forms
of cutting mechanism may be used, and it will be further seen, as has been found
in practice, that the feed rolls 30 are not absolutely essential, as the splints, after
passing through the cutting rolls 29, naturally separate as indicated by dotted
lines in Figure 11. The feed rolls, however, make the separation surer.
It will be seen further that the frame 66 may be made of any necessary length
and that, if desired, a whole series of the frames may be linked together so as to
pass through the machine and the splints while held in the frame may be sub-
jected to any of the usual automatic processes of dipping and discharging, thus
making the machine continuous. This is so self-evident that there is no need of
illustrating it.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The feed box or chute 11 is kept sufficiently full of veneer, the strips of which

page_text: are cut to uniform length and then the revolution of the driving shaft transmits
a constant motion to the cutting and feed rolls 29 and 30 through the mechanism
described, while the cam 26 acting on the arm 24 and shaft 23, crank 22, connect-
ing rod 21 and walking beam 19, reciprocates the plunger 17, which being thus
actuated, pushes strip after strip of the veneer down between the cutting rolls 29.
When the machine is first started, the spring fingers 53 are held in momentarily
until the chutes 38 can fill with splints after which the operation is automatic.
The splints are cut by the knives 31, as already described, and delivered endwise
in the chutes 38. Supposing the chutes to be filled, the rotation of the driving
shaft causes the trip 60 and tongue 59 to tilt the rock shafts 56 and swing out the
spring fingers 53 so that a series of splints are fed into two rows of holes 67 in
the holding frame 66. The cam 26 is shaped so that during the operation, which
is instantaneous, the arm 24 and shaft 23 are at rest. As soon as the two series
of holes are filled, however, the cam 26 acts on the arm 24 and tilts the rock
shaft 23, which works the plunger as above described and which also swings for-
ward the arm 81 causing the pawl 80 to act on the ratchet bar 79 and advance the
holding frame 66 to a sufficient distance to bring two further series of holes
beneath the feed chutes 38.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to 'me by my
foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A match machine, comprising rotary cutters having oppositely arranged
circumferential knives, a series of feed chutes arranged below the cutters, and
means for discharging splints endwise from the cutters into the feed chutes, sub-
stantially as described.
2. A match machine, comprising rotary cutters having oppositely arranged
circumferential knives, spreading chutes to receive the splints endwise from the
knives, and mechanism for delivering the splints from the chutes to a holding
frame.
3. A match making machine, comprising oppositely arranged rotary cutters having
circumferential knives, and an essentially vertical magazine arranged to receive
the splints from the knives, the magazine having chutes to hold the splints end-
wise, the said chutes diverging or spreading as they extend downward.
4. A match machine, comprising oppositely arranged rotary cutters having
circumferential knives, means for feeding veneer strips transversely to the cutters,
feed chutes to receive the splints endwise from the cutters, a holding frame
movable below the feed chutes, and means for delivering splints from the chutes
to the holding frame, substantially as described.
5. The combination of the rotary cutters having circumferential knives, the
feed rolls beneath the cutters, said rolls having meshing circumferential ribs
adapted to hold and direct the splints discharged from the cutters, and chutes
arranged to receive the splints endwise from the feed rolls, substantially as
described.
6. The combination with the splint cutting mechanism adapted to deliver splints
endwise, of the magazine comprising an essentially vertical web having spreading
chutes therein, said chutes being adapted to receive the splints from the cutting
mechanism, substantially as described.
7. The combination with the cutting mechanism adapted to deliver splints
endwise, of the magazine comprising a central web having chutes on opposite
sides, the chutes being adapted to receive the splints and diverging laterally
towards the magazine bottom, substantially as described.
8. In a match machine, the combination of the cutting rolls having circum-
ferential overlapping knives, the strippers projecting upward between the knives,
the feed rolls arranged beneath the cutting rolls and provided with meshing ribs,
and the chutes to receive the discharge from the feed rolls, substantially as
described.

page_text: 9. The combination with the cutting mechanism adapted to deliver splints
undwise and essentially parallel, of the magazine, comprising a web having feed
chutes therein adapted to receive the splints, and a transverse outer covering for
the chutes.
10. The combination with the splint chutes and a cutting mechanism adapted
to deliver splints to the chutes, of an intermittently moving holding frame below
the chutes, devices in the chutes to check the splints flow, and mechanism for
moving the splint checking device when the holding frame is at rest, substantially
as described.
11. The combination with the splint chutes, of the swinging spring fingers
adapted to enter the lower ends of the chutes and check the splints, and mechanism
for moving the said spring fingers, substantially as described.
12. The combination with the movable holding frame and the magazine or
series of chutes, of the rollers arranged above the frame and opposite the lower
parts of the chutes, substantially as described.
13. The combination with the holding frame, the feed chutes adapted to deliver
to the frame, mechanism for giving the frame an intermittent or step by step
movement, and mechanism to discharge splints from the chutes while the frame
is at rest.
14. The combination with the cutting mechanism, the plunger to feed vencer
to the cutting mechanism, the feed chutes and fingers movable out and in in
relation to the chutes, of the driving shaft, and mechanism for working the
plunger, the fingers and the holding frame from the drive shaft, substantially as
described.
15. The combination with the feed chutes of the oppositely arranged rock
shafts having connecting spring pressed cranks, a series of spring fingers attached
to the shafts and entering the feed chutes, and means as the tongue on one of
the shafts and its engaging trip for intermittently moving the rock shafts and
fingers, substantially as described.
16. The combination with the chutes and mechanism for delivering splints into
the chutes, of the holding frame, the ratchet bar on the side of the holding frame,
the rock shaft, and a pawl carried by the rock shaft to engage the ratchet bar,
substantially as described.
17. The combination with the perforated holding frame, of the slide bars movable
laterally in the frame, the slide bars having grippers thereon adapted to be
pushed laterally across the perforations, substantially as described.
18. The combination with the perforated holding frame, of the slide bars movable
laterally therein, the slide, bars having cams and grippers thereon adapted to
move across the perforations, substantially as described.
19. The combination with the holding frame having rows of perforations there-
through, of the spring pressed slide bars in the frame, the said slide bars having
grippers normally pushed across the perforations so as to grip splints therein,
substantially as described.
20. The combination with the perforated holding frame, the spring pressed
slide bars adapted to normally grip splints in the holes of the frame, and means
as a cam for moving the slide bars laterally, substantially as described.
21. A match machine having its several parts constructed and arranged to
operate substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings and described in
the foregoing specification.
D
11
1411 1
TI
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.