IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS MATCHES, IN BINDING AND EXTINGUISHING THE SAME, AND IN HOLDERS OR CASES THEREFOR, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO SIMILAR LIGHTING AGENTS INCLUDING TINDER
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Henry Samuel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th February 1871.
I, WILLIAM HENRY SAMUEL, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Merchant and Manufacturer of Continuous Matches and
Holders, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS MATCHES, IN BINDING AND EXTINGUISHING
THE SAME, AND IN HOLDERS OR CASES THEREFOR, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE
TO SIMILAR LIGHTING AGENTS INCLUDING TINDER," to be as follows :—
The first part of my Invention relates to the employment of new
ingredients and the manner of combining and preparing the same in
the manufacture of continuous matches, and consists in combining any
friction match composition which may be used for tipping the ends of
what are commonly known as "Patent safety" matches with caoutchouc,
ballata, gutta percha, or other elastic gum, resins, glue, gelatine, treacle,
bitumen, oil solidified by chloride of sulphur, collodian, or other
substances of a like nature, or a combination of two or more of them
in order to form with other ingredients a mass which is perfumed and
coloured and gives during combustion a coloured flame. The said mass

page_text: is made into continuous matches of the kind defined in my Patent,
No. 755, 1870, or into ribands, or of any other required form, or a
composition formed by the ingredients herein-after named may be used,
viz., about two-thirds of an ounce each of powdered chlorate of potash,
sand, and charcoal. In some cases the charcoal may be omitted, and
a fibrous material such as cotton substituted therefore. To these
ingredients when mixed is added in solution or otherwise about one
ounce of caoutchouc or other elastic gum. The resultant combined
mass from any of the above is perfumed by the addition of any essential
oils or other odoriferous substances and of cascarella bark or other
substances affording a pleasant smell while incandescent, and is coloured
by the addition of the aniline dyes or other suitable colouring substances.
To this mass may also be added certain well-known materials which
impart a special colour or colours to the flame, such as a salt of lithium
or strontium for a crimson colour, or of baryta for a green colour, or the
metal magnesium for a brilliant white light, and so on, and I prefer in
this manner to make the flame a similar colour to that given to the
mass. This mass may be so manipulated as to be rendered capable of
being used as a convenient substance for affording coloured lights for
theatrical, musical, terpsichorean, or other public entertainments, for
signals, and for many other purposes.
The second part of my Invention consists of certain novel modes
of binding or arranging continuous matches of the compositions before
mentioned, or of any other composition. When continuous matches are
formed into coils they are sometimes liable to unroll or tighten themselves
more than and when not desirable or requisite. To prevent this I fasten
across the coil, or fasten the coil on slips or pieces, which may be com-
posed of paper or other fibrous substance, woven or otherwise, wood,
skins, metal, earthenware, india-rubber, gutta percha, or any other
suitable material, in such a manner that the coil is attached to these
slips on one or both sides at certain points of or all through its length,
and is thereby prevented from becoming loose or tighter unless a certain
additional external tension or force is applied. These slips may be
of any convenient size or shape, and may be the shape of and cover the
whole or part or parts of one or both sides of the coil.
Another mode I adopt is wholly or partially to apply to one or both
sides of the coil or to the edge or edges of the length collodion or a
solution of india-rubber, gutta percha, glue, gum, varnish, or other

page_text: convenient suitably prepared adhesive substance or compound which
may be perfumed.
By any of the modes above described the rings of the coil are made
to adhere lightly together and prevented from separating without the
application of a sufficient external force or tension, which force or
tension may easily be regulated as not to cause the breaking or excessive
disruption of the coil.
Another mode which I adopt is to confine the coil by one or more
rings or bands which may or may not be elastic, and which is or are
passed through the inner circumference of the coil, to which it may or
may not be attached, and to the part at or near the outer circumference
may be attached a small protuberance in order to form a handle, which
if desirable may be made to run on a roller or rollers.
The said second part of my Invention is applicable as mentioned in
the title to the binding and arranging of other lighting agents, such as
heilbronner, and also to tinder.
The third part of my Invention relates to providing an efficient
striking surface for the continuous matches described under the first
head, and consists in fitting in the holders hereafter described or else-
where several sheets or discs one over the other, such sheets or discs
being provided, fitted, or formed with protuberances or perforations to
facilitate their removal singly when worn out.
The fourth part of my Invention has for its object to provide
convenient cases or holders for containing and delivering in certain
descriptions of continuous matches. This part of my Invention consists
in the employment of any convenient number of discs or pieces of
any suitable material, size, or shape so placed on or between them, and
be or not be wholly or partially enclosed therein. These discs or picces
may be connected by a hinge or hinges or equivalent means, and closed
with a snap, catch, clasp, or other suitable means if desired, or they may
be connected by a centre upright piece, which may be wholly or partially
fixed, and in the latter case may be composed of one or more parts
revolving one round the other by the aid of a spring or springs with or
without the assistance of ratchet wheels or by the aid of a handle or
other suitable means, and round which centre upright piece one or more
of the discs or the match coil may or may not be made to revolve.
The said centre may be solid or wholly or partially tubular or hollow,
and fitted with a small hook and slit or slits so as to contain the spring,

page_text: and may or may not be provided with projections on which a catch
inserted in the discs or pieces or other convenient place may be made to
catch so as to stop the revolving at pleasure. To this said centre upright
piece may be attached a loop, hook, clasp, or other convenient apparatus
in such a manner that it can be easily drawn outside the case or discs
or otherwise arranged in order that the end of the coil may be easily
and securely attached thereto and drawn thereby into or fixed in or on
the case or discs. To the part through which the coil is fed out may be
attached one or more rollers wherewith to facilitate, and a stop catch
wherewith to stop, at pleasure its ingress and egress. Or these discs
may be formed of a double hollow leaf form struck, cut, or stamped
with one or more corrugated formations to form recesses for the coil
and holder or striking surfaces or for any one or more of them, and in
order to impart the necessary strength and for other purposes, out of a
piece of sheet metal, paper, or other suitable material, and afterwards
folded intermediately of its length to constitute a spring hinge or
connection, and give to the case its necessary hollow double leaf form.
These may be afterwards lined or covered with any suitable material,
or may be painted or otherwise ornamented, or may be covered wholly or
partially with the composition used for the striking surface, and if desired
can have any suitable fastening applied, or the holder may be made to
serve as a fastener.
With the before-named discs or pieces or cases may be combined one
or more receptacles or attachments for one or more surfaces on which
to ignite the coil and one or more chains or cords, elastic or otherwise,
or any other suitable means for connecting the coil to the discs, pieces,
or cases. There may also be combined with them other small useful
articles, such as cigar case, tobacco pouch, purse, cigar holder, and such
like.
The fifth part of my Invention consists of novel apparatus for
holding, lighting, and particularly for extinguishing certain descriptions
and forms of continuous matches, and of all similar articles, the ignition
of which is not stopped by the total or partial exclusion of air. Con-
tinuous matches of this description may be so made that they may be
extinguished by any sufficient pressure or concussion which will cut,
shake, press, jerk, or knock off the incandescent portion, such as a
sudden hard tap or a motion as of throwing, but as this requires more
attention and excrtion than is usually convenient I sometimes employ

page_text: in order to extinguish them one or more pieces of metal or any other
sufficiently hard, infusible, and non-inflammable substance or substances
of any convenient shape, which is or are pressed by any convenient
means, or by a spring, or by the fingers against that portion of the
lighter at which it is desired to stop the ignition, and when the flame
or ignition reaches to or near the point at which such pressure is applied
the ignited portion is pressed or cut off and separated from the other.
portion which does not become ignited, and the separated portion burns
itself out and becomes extinguished. There may be combined with
this extinguishing piece or may be formed out of it one or more pro-
jections, or else in addition a tube or tubes, of which one or more portions
may or may not be cut away so that the projection or tube or both may
form a holder and afford a back or support to the match while being
ignited, and at the same time leave a sufficient portion of the match
exposed so as to render visible and available the flame or incandesence
resulting from its ignition, and this exposed portion of the lighter may
or may not be guarded by wires or other suitable means for preventing
the falling or knocking off of the incandescent ash and other purposes.
With this extinguishing piece or projection or tube or any two or all of
them may be combined a stop which may be pressed by a spring or
otherwise against the lighter and prevent its coming too easily out of
the tube. The tube so cut away, the projection, the extinguishing piece,
and the stop may be used each by themselves or any one in combination
with any one or more of them, or singly, or any two or more of them
combined in combination with the discs, pieces, or cases previously
described, and may also be used in combination with a form of holder
now commonly known as the pocket pencil light, or with any of the
forms of holders described in Patents, No. 1199, A.D. 1869, No. 755,
A.D. 1870, or with any other holders in which continuous matches or
other lighters of like nature can be used.