Improvements in Machines for Inserting Match Splints into Perforated Separating Blooks and Removing them therefrom.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1899-Accepted, 19th Aug.,
1899
Improvements in Machines for Inserting Match Splints into Perforated
Separating Blooks and Removing them therefrom.
I, OLIVER IMBAY, of Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention (as communicated to me from abroad by Jonkopings
Tandsticksfabriks Aktiebolag, of Jonkoping, in the Kingdom of Sweden) and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and' by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a machine for introducing match splints into the
perforated separating blocks or slats which hold the said splints while they are
paraffined or sulphured, tipped or otherwise treated. When the matches are
finished, the perforated blocks or slats are returned into the machine which
removes the splints from them and deposits them in receiving pockets or cups
or in a magazine.
The machine comprises one or more magazines in which the splints are placed
so as to form a pile, guides along which the blocks are carried successively to
the front of the magazine, a splint fotcher or conveyor provided with a set of
grippers by means of which a certain number of splints at a time are withdrawn
from the magazine and placed on a grooved plane or table whence they are pushed,
by means of a comb in the rear whose teeth enter in the grooves, into the
perforated block which is placed close to the table. The blocks on being filled
with splints are fed along out of the machine for their subsequent treatment by
hand or by another machine.
For this reason the blocks or slats are not joined together but are entirely free
from one another being fed along in their guides independently of one another.
The perforated blocks are introduced into the machine with the matches treated
remaining in them. Before reaching the place where the filling is performed they
pass a special match fetching device which is also provided with grippers acting like
pairs of tongs and serves to extract the finished matches from the perforated
blocks so that the latter arrive empty to the splint-magazine for refilling. Near
the match-fetcher also there is a grooved table, which receives the matches in
its grooves from the match fetcher, and a comb to push the matches from the
table down either into the receiving pockets moved to position ready to receive
them, or into the receiving-magazine.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of the machine:
Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line of Fig. 5; Fig. 3 is a vertical
section on the line y-y of Fig. 5; Fig. 4 is a front elevation; Fig. 5 is a plan
and section on the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side view partly in section
of part of the splint magazine.
Fig. 7 is a plan partly in section of part of the magazine and splint-fetcher;
Fig. 8.is a vertical section of the same parts; Fig. 9 shews the same parts as Fig. 8.
with the splint fetcher moved slightly in toward the magazine: Fig. 10 shews
the mechanism for opening and closing the grippers of the splint-fetcher.
Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14 shew the match-fetcher which extracts the matches from
the blocks, viewed respectively in plan, in section on the line of Fig. 14,
from one end, and in cross-section.

page_text: Fig. 15 shews the table and comb serving for introducing the matches into
the perforated blocks; Fig. 16 shews same parts and a block in cross-section;
Figs. 17 and 18 shew respectively a side view and a cross-section of a block;
Fig. 19 shews one of the springs belonging to the perforated blocks which
retain the splints or matches.
Figs. 20 and 21 are respectively an edge view and a cross section of the
table and comb for depositing the matches in the receiving pockets.
A are the side-frames of the machine united by several intermediate stays A',
see Figs. 1, 2 and 4. A and A are the two splint-magazines, see Figs. and' 4,
A¹
of which however there may be only one as will be hereafter referred to.
and A are slides reciprocating at the lower ends of the magazines, these slides
being divided into compartments by plates A6, see Fig. 6. B is a separate small
frame-work consisting of side-frames united by stays B1, B2 and B on which move
the slides B4, B5 and B, see Figs. 1 and 2. The slides B and 136 are reciprocated
by quadruple-threaded screws B and B see Figs. 10 and 11, and in like manner
the slide 15 is reciprocated by a screw similar to that for B. The screws are
rotated to and fro by the arms B and B Fig. 1. B performs the same service
as 10. The motion of these arms is derived from a crank pin on the elliptic
gear wheel C, see Fig. 1, which by means of the link C¹, bell crank lever 0%;
rods C, C+ and C communicates motion to the arms B, B10 and B12 and to
their screws.
The moveable frame work B is sustained by pins B3, B4, B15 on the arms B15,
36 (see Figs. 3 and 5) and has an arm B, provided with a pin for the con-
necting-rod B which is linked to a pin D' on the wheel D. This wheel is
driven by the intermediate wheel 12 which is driven by the pinion D3 on tlie
shaft D of the belt-pulley. The frame-work 13 is thus rocked on the shafts B2,
as indicated by the dotted radii in Fig. 3. The wheel is fixed on the shaft D5
on which is fixed the pinion 16 driving the wheel D' which is fixed on the shaft DB.
Eis a weight at each side of the machine on the arm E' from which depends
a link linked to the frame-work B, thus balancing it. From the pin B,
see Fig. 3, a link 119 connected to the arm F, and from the arm F1, Fig. 2,
on the same shaft as F a link leads to a pin on lever F. Motion is thus
communicated to the strikers-off F, F, which remove the splints from the
splint-fetchers should they be inclined to stick in them as will hereafter be
again referred to. From the pin B13 a link B27 connects to the arm G (see Fig. 3)
on the shaft of which are arms G between the side-frames (see Fig. 2), one of
these is connected by link G to a bell-crank G. The arms G³ have links G6
to bars G which are united by a cross-bar Go forming the comb which is thus
moved to and fro on the table G. The arms G have links G8 to bars Gº united
by the comb G moving to and fro on the table G¹³. On the shaft carrying the
arms G, is mounted outside the frames, arms G, (see Fig. 3), linked by G
to the arm I. On the shaft of I are, inside the frames arms I (see Fig. 2)
which by links I' operate bars 13 united by a cross-bar I forming a comb moved
to and fro on the table 15 whence the matches are deposited into the receiving
pockets. On the elliptic wheel C, (see Fig. 1) is a crank pin C7 operating the
connecting-rod Cs, bell-crank lever C, connecting rod C10 and arm C on the
shafts carrying and C and are also mounted arms C3 and C3 inside of the
framing (see Fig. 2). From pins on these arms is suspended a vertical bar H
ou each side between the frames, the bar being provided with pins H¹, see
Figs. 2 and 5. In the bar H runs a slide H with similar pins H³, see Fig. 5.
The slides H are moved up and down by arms and links H³ (Fig. 2). The
arm H on the same shaft as H has a roller H bearing on the cam H, Fig. 2.
This mechanism feeds up the perforated blocks N (sce Figs. and 17) in the
conduit which consists of chutes arranged between the frames and in which the
ends of the blocks run. The pins H' and H³, see Fig. 5, alternately move into
and out of the feed-holes N³ in the blocks, as the pins H¹ do not move up and
down only into and out of the blocks, while the pins H move both up and down

page_text: and out and in, when the pins H' are in the blocks but H³ are out of them, the pins H³
move down and conversely, when the pins H³ are in, they feed the blocks. When the
feed is transferred from one block to another it must be slightly increased, and for
this reason the cam H, which makes one revolution for "cach block, has a
deeper recess corresponding to said transfer.
Boscillates about a shaft B which is the same part as the screw B³ pre-.
viously mentioned,. (see Figs. 2 and 13) and has an arm B20 connected by the
link with the lever B which has a roller Bas bearing on the cam 12. Loose
on the shaft B is the lever K having a roller K' running in the slot of the:
arm k2wliich is suspended by a pin from the arm K. Ka has a link K+ operated
by the bell-crank-lever K which has a roller Ke bearing on the cam K'. These
parts give motion to the match-fetcher 6 and its striker-off B. The arm L
which is fixed on the shaft L³ has a roller L³ bearing on the cam L. On the
shaft L³ are also fixed arms L with draw-bars Le, one on each side within the
machine. The bars L are connected to a cross-bar I, which gives the matches.
a knock at the moment when they are to be drawn out of the perforated blocks.
M is an arm in one with the shaft M', on which are fixed the bell-crank-levers M³.
on each side within the framing, see Fig. 2. M has a roller bearing on the
cam M. Me has hinged to it a feed-pawl to feed the blocks N into the slotted
transfer-wheel O, and M² operates by means of links M the bars M which have.
feed-pawls M for moving the blocks out of the wheel and pawls M³ for
feeding them farther up until they are caught by the feed-pins H. The wheel O
which turns the blocks from a horizontal into a vertical position is rotated by the
ratchet (see Fig. 3) engaged by the pawl 02 which is linked by G³ to the
arm M. When pushes in the perforated, block, the pawl 03 recedes, and
when 02 turns the wheel o, the pawl M recedes. I are the receiving-pockets
into which the matches are pushed when they are pulled out of the blocks. A
number (shewn as five) of pockets are joined in one piece, see Fig. 5, each
piece having a movable flap or doors P', (see Fig. 1) and with feed-holes P². Q
and Q, (see Fig. 2) are arms fixed to the same shaft Q. Q has a roller running
on the cam Q2 Q3 is an arm engaged with the arm Q and consequently moved.
in and out by it. Q and Q are connected together but loose on the shaft Q.
Q has a roller Q5 which is moved to and fro longitudinally on the shaft D³,
(see Fig. 5) by means of a double cam Q. The pockets P are advanced on their
horizontal track P in the following manner. When the pins of the arm Q
withdraw from the feed-holes the pins of the arm Q³ enter them (see Fig. 2)
and then the double cam Q moving Q3 causes the pockets to advance. The pins
of Q being then withdrawn from the feed-holes, Qis moved back by Q R is
a pair of arms with a plate R between them which depresses the matches into
the pockets P. On the same shaft is fixed the arm Ra having a roller running
on the cam R³. The slides A' and A are shaken to and fro by cranks S and So
on the shaft S³ which (see Figs. 3 and 4) is rocked by the arm S¹, rod S³, and
arm S which is fixed on the shaft 'S7. On S7 are fixed the arms S and S6, having
rollers S8, S10, each bearing on a cam on the shaft D. From the cranks S and S-
links $70 and S lead to the slides A and A5, (see Fig. 4). The elliptic wheels C.
C4 and C, (Fig. 1) engage with each other so that the greatest radius of C
engages with the smallest radius of C while the greatest radius of C" engages
with the smallest radius of C. The gear C consequently revolves with such
varying velocity that by means of the links C, CC and C it rotates the screws
sufficiently to open or close the grippers in the brief moment when I reverses
its motion in each direction.
Figs. 17 and 18 show the perforated block or slat N on an enlarged scale.
The holes are arranged in pairs vertically and are countersunk at the side where
the splints enter. For holding the splints or matches in place the block is
provided with U springs N' each with its limbs in two holes, so that each spring
holds two matches. By a hook on one of the limbs the spring is kept in the
holes

page_text: The machine operates as follows:
The splints are introduced into the blocks from the magazines A2 A³, from A³
into every alternate row of the holes in the block and from A into the holes left
empty. When only one magazine is employed all the holes filled from it in
which case the upward movement of the blocks must be at half the speed required
for two magazines. The splints are moved into the blocks as will be described
with reference to Figs. 6 to 10 and Fig. 16. The splints rest on the shoulder A10,
which has slight recesses and on the bar A which has similar recesses or
notches A and has a slight motion lengthwise of the splints as the splint-
fetcher, approaches the magazine. By the motion of the shakers A4, A5, splints
are caused to drop into the notches of the bar As, one row of splints being thus
brought lower than the rest, and separated from each other. These splints are
extracted from the magazine by the grippers of the splint-fetcher. The grippers
consist of U-shaped bars a oscillated on B by the lugs a bearing on their shorter
limbs which are on the slide B, and thus their longer limbs a forming one of
the jaws of the grippers, receives a swinging movement produced by the screw B.
The other jaws of the grippers are stationary, being small lugs as projecting
from 1. Each of the jaws a has a small tooth a' (Fig. 7). When the splint-
fetcher approaches the magazine, the grippers are open so that the jaws enter
freely between two splints, as shewn at in Fig. 7. The grippers then close
and grip the splints, as shewn at the left of Fig. 7, whereupon the splint-fetcher
by a backward movement, (Fig. 8) extracts the splints from the magazine. By
a downward movement the splint-fetcher then brings the splints down to the
table G, in front of the comb G previously withdrawn. The splint-fetcher,
as mentioned above, receives its motion from the frame-work B actuated by B17,
1318 and D. The table G has grooves corresponding to the grippers so that one
splint is received in each groove, (Figs. 15 and 16). In order that the splints may
be sure to drop out of the grippers, the strikers-off 1, F or thin plates descend
on them after the splint-fetcher has come over the table G and the grippers
have opened. When the splint-fetcher has again ascended, the comb G10 advanc-
ing pushes the splints into the perforated block N. In this manner one block.
after the other is filled with splints, whereupon the blocks are successively
removed from the top of the latter machine, as shown in Fig. 2. Splints that are.
too short are not caught by the grippers, such drop away through the open space
between A10 and A. When the splints have been pushed into the perforated
blocks N, these are elevated one or two rows of holes according as the machine
has one or two magazines. When there are two magazines the match-fetcher
or system of grippers which extracts the matches from the perforated blocks
have to grip two rows of matches at once, in order that the emptying of tlie
blocks may take place at the same rate as their filling. The match-fetcher B³,
therefore, is provided with double grippers, Figs. 11, 13 and 14 consisting of two
sets of gripper-jaws B, B2, which are movable as levers, being pivoted to the
slide B by their bent ends and protruding between the fixed lugs band b¹.
The gripper-jaws B, B2, are the one directly above the other in pairs, and from
the cover depend the fixed gripper-jaws 64 each of which is of such width that
both the movable jaws B2, B3 bear against it. Each gripper, accordingly,
consisting of one fixed jaw 6 and two movable ones B, B and are consequently
able to grip two matches at once, as shown in Fig. 14. The striker-off 13%
embracing all the grippers has the funnel-shape shown in Fig. 14, in order that
it may strike all the matches on both sides of the grippers. The match-fetcher
has such a motion, that when it approaches the perforated block the lower open ends
of the grippers are slightly higher than the upper row of matches, so that the
grippers can move up to the block without striking the tips of the matches. The
match-fetcher then descends so that the gripper jaws enfor between the matches
as shewn on the right, of Fig. 12 by the turning of the screw Bº the grippers are
closed and grip the matches. By a subsequent backward movement the match-
fetcher extracts the matches from the blocks, simultaneously moving them over

page_text: the table I into the grooves of which they are made to drop, by the opening of
the grippers and the descent of B. Two matches are thus dropped into each
groove. The comb I then pushes the matches from the table I down into the
adjoining receiving-pocket. To prevent the matches from dropping on to the
partitions between the pockets the grippers and grooves are arranged in groups,
as seen from Fig. 20, with four grooves in each group. The pressure-device R¹
having recesses for the partitions then depresses the matches into the pockets.
The feed of the pockets is so regulated that the pocket will have received its
intended number of matches when passing the last four grippers. A lever d
provided with feed-pawls.d¹ (Fig. 5) advances the pockets on their track so as to
give those ahead a lead in advance of the last in the series, an interval of time
being thus gained for emptying the pockets at their point of discharge. The
lever d receives its motion from another machine but it might be driven by
the machine here described: The doors P¹ serve as abutments of the matches
at their fipped ends. These doors are swung down automatically by the hook d
to allow of emptying the pockets, but they are afterwards raised by the rail d³.
In Fig. 2 the doors P are shown raised on one side and lowered on the other side.
The matches may be deposited in a receiving magazine. This is not shown in
the drawing but it might be applied instead of the receiving-pockets opposite the
table 1, Fig. 5, and might be lowered by degrees as it becanie filled with matches
lying in it in a pile as in the magazines A2, A3. The guides for the blocks N,
at the bottom might be like those at the top so as to dispense with the transfer-
wheel O but it is preferred to have the series of blocks interrupted below so that
any matches falling from the magazine may not remain on the blocks but drop
out of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim in respect of a machine for inserting match splints into perforated blocks
and removing them therefrom, is:
1. The combination of one or more splint-magazines (A³) guides for the
perforated blocks, a grooved plane or table (G¹³) close to the magazine, a trans-
ferring device (B) above the table provided with grippers by means of which it
catches and extracts certain splints at a time from the magazine, letting them
subsequently drop into the grooves of the table, and a sliding comb (G10) insert-
ing the dropped splints deposited into the perforated block situated opposite the
table, substantially as described.
2. The bent U-shaped springs (N¹) engaged in the perforations of the blocks,
each spring holding two splints in place, substantially as described.
•
3. The transferring device for each magazine, provided with a series of grippers
for extracting certain splints at a time from the magazine, and a cross-piece (14)
descending on the extracting splints and causing them to drop from the opened
grippers on to a receiving table substantially as described.
4. The means for advancing the perforated blocks by steps, consisting of a
slide (H) horizontally moving in a vertically reciprocating bar (H), and having
pins which alternately with stationary pins engage in holes of the blocks, sub-
stantially as described.
5. The small moveable framing (B) having the transferring devices mounted
on it and so simultaneously moved by it, substantially as described.
G. The grippers for extracting matches from the magazine cousisting of lugs
projecting from a cross-piece and forming one set of the gripper jaws, arms
pivoted on the cross-piece and forming the other set of jaws and a slide (B)
Berving to operate the arms so as to open and close the grippers simultaneously,
substantially as set forth.
7. The grooved table (15) for receiving the splints from the transferring device,
and a comb (13) serving to push the splints from the table down into pockets (F)
brought up. to the table or into a receiving-magazine, substantially as described.

page_text: 8. For extracting the splints from the perforated block a series of grippers
consisting of fixed lugs (6) on the transferring device and forming one of the
sets of gripper jaws, and levers (122, B2) in pairs forming the other set of jaws
so that each gripper catches two splints at once, and a slide (B) engaging with
the levers so as to open and close the grippers simultaneously, substantially
as described.
9. In combination with the grippers for extracting the splints from the
blocks cross-pieces (B30, B0) movable lengthwise of the grippers and having the
grippers between them and a mechanism for advancing the cross-pieces along
the opened grippers so as to cause the splints to drop from the grippers, sub-
stantially as described.
10. The table (15) for receiving the splints extracted from the blocks and
pockets (P) for receiving the splints provided with lateral downwardly opening
flap-doors (1) these pockets moving on a track (16) past the edge of the table,
each pocket when opposite the table receiving splints from it, and a mechanism.
for advancing the pockets intermittently, substantially as described.
11. For moving. the pockets intermittently along their track (1), a rocking:
arm () reciprocating along a shaft (Q10) parallel to the track (P), and adapted
to catch the pockets by a pin and carry them forward while it moves in the one
direction, and a lengthwise stationary rocking arm (Q) which by a pin retains
the pocket while the former arm makes its back stroke substantially as described.
12. The slotted cross for moving each perforated block from a horizontal to
a vertical position at the lower end of the guides substantially as described.
13. The hook and incline arranged along the track of the pockets for
respectively swinging down and up the doors or flaps of the pockets substantially.
as described.
14. For each splint magazine (A), a shoulder (A10), and a cross-bar (A$)
reciprocating lengthwise of the splints recesses in the shoulder and cross-bar for
separating the splints, a transferring device provided with a series of grippers
opposite the recesses to extract the splints from the magazine, and means for
inserting the splints when released from the grippers into the blocks brought up
to a level with the grippers, the shoulder (A) and cross-bar (As) being some
distance apart, to allow short splints to drop between them substantially as
described.
Dated thin 5th day of July 1800