Improvements in Boxes for Containing and Delivering Matches and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boxes for Containing and Delivering Matches
and the like.
I, GORDON WILLIAM HARRIS, of 133, Lewisham Road, London, S.E.,
in the County of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of boxes to contain matches, either
of wood wax or composition or other material.
وو
I construct the box of convenient form and size and it is fitted with a lid. I
provide a device for expelling the matches singly, & for holding each match
partly protruding from the outlet for the purpose of igniting it by "striking'
against any suitable surface in the usual manner. The use of one hand only
is required for expelling & striking the match but in the event of the user having
both hands free, the match on being partially expelled from the box may be
withdrawn by the hand not holding the box and struck either on the box or on
any other suitable surface. In the box I form by the insertion of a suitable
plate or diaphragm a groove or pocket of sufficient size to contain one match,
and one end of the box is perforated with a hole of such a size as will allow of
the egress of only one match from the groove or pocket. When a match is
required the box is first shaken for the purpose of causing a match to fall into
the groove before being expelled, & to assist this operation, I provide in the box,
one or more longitudinal plates parallel to the groove, for the purpose of pre-
venting the matches crossing each other or becoming tilted or otherwise dis-
arranged so that the matches shall follow in regular order to the groove.
mechanism for expelling the match is constructed as follows; in the bottom or
side of the box & preferably covered by a plate or division, I provide a moveable
plate or link, one end of which is attached to the box by a pin on which it is
capable of vibration. The other end of the link is provided with a pin on which
a wheel, preferably serrated on its periphery is free to rotate; a portion of the
periphery may be caused to enter the groove and the wheel is of such a size that
when a match is in the groove, & the periphery of the wheel pressed against it a
portion of the wheel i.e. on the opposite side protrudes from the box.
The
When it is required to expel a match, the wheel is rotated by the action of a
finger on its periphery outside the box, and the pressure of the finger bringing
the opposite side of the wheel into contact with the match, the latter moves in
the groove in the direction of its length and passes through the aperture in the
end of the box, & by maintaining the pressure of the finger on the wheel &
thus on the match, the latter may be firmly held while its head is "struck," &
as the match burns it may be still further ejected. In some cases I provide a
spring in the box acting on the link for the purpose of keeping the wheel clear

page_text: of the groove, when it is desired to shake a match into the latter, but in some
cases I fit the wheel to a spring attached to the box thus dispensing with the
vibrating link. In place of this arrangement I in some cases provide a spring
acting on the link to keep a portion of the periphery of the wheel in the groove, &
in this case I construct the link with an extension beyond the pivot or pin on
which it vibrates, this extension being carried to the outside of the box. The
link thus becomes a lever of the first order & by pressure of the finger on the
end, outside the box, the wheel is removed from the groove to allow a match
to fall into the latter & on the pressure of the finger being released the spring
preses the wheel into the groove & against the match, if it be there.
In some cases, I provide a spring at the bottom or side of the groove, to partially
close the aperture in the box through which a match may be ejected. The object
of this is to prevent a match being shaken out of the box through the aperture,
and it may also act to hold a match in position partly protruding. When the
pressure of the wheel on the latter is released, and when a match is about to be
forced out of the box, its head presses the spring back to leave a clear passage.
I in some cases provide an extension of suitable form to the link beyond the
pin carrying the wheel; when by the rotation of the wheel the match has been
forced out as far as possible, it may be still held by the spring; when the match
is free of the wheel the pressure of the finger forces the latter against the opposite
side of the groove, allowing the above mentioned extension of the link to come
into contact with the spring in such a manner as to relieve the pressure exerted
by the latter in holding the match, and this is thus free to fall from the box.
The box may be of metal, wood, or any suitable material.
Total : 10th
Hauck 1000
GORDON WILLIAM HARRIS.
Improvements in Boxes for Containing and Delivering Matches
and the like.
I, GORDON WILLIAM HARRIS, of 133, Lewisham Road, London, S.E.,
Engineer, 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:
-
This invention relates to the construction of boxes to contain matches either
of wood wax composition or other material.
I construct the box of convenient form & size and I provide a device for expell-
ing the matches singly and for holding ech match partly protruding from the
outlet for the purpose of "striking" against any suitable surface in the usual
manner. The use of one hand only is required for expelling and striking the
match but in the event of the user having both hands free the match on being
partially expelled from the box may be withdrawn by the hand not holding the
box and struck either on the box or on any suitable surface.
"
One method of constructing the box the device for expelling the matches singly
is shown in the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 being a section through the box
on the line A B,-Fig. 2 a section on the line C D, Fig. 3 an outside view and
Fig. 4 a section on the line E F.
The box is constructed with a dividing plate 1 which serves to enclose the
mechanism and to form a groove or trough 2 of such a size as will receive only
one match as shown.

page_text: An aperture is provided in the end of the box to allow the egress of only one
match at a time. I provide a wheel 3 preferably serrated on the periphery free
to revolve on an axis 4 which is formed on a link or plate 12 capable of vibration
on an axis 5 attached to the box; the wheel 3 is of such a size compared with the
width of the box, that when one side of the periphery is in contact with a match
in the groove 2 the opposite side of the periphery projects from the box. The
wheel 3 is kept normally free of the groove 2 by the action of the spring 6 (shown
only in Fig 2) though the drawing shews the wheel in contact with the match.
I usually provide in the box plate 7 which may be either flat throughout
or curved at one side as shewn; the object of this is to guide the matches into
the groove 2 in regular order & to avoid their crossing or fouling each other.
In some cases I provide one or more additional plates but each plate is fitted
with the opening for the match to pass on the opposite side of the box to that on
which the opening occurs in the case of the next plate, thus causing the matches
to take a zigzag course to the groove.
I provide a spring 8 which is formed to partially cover the orifice at the end
of the groove 2 in order to prevent matches falling from the box; this spring
will also hold a match when partly protruding from the box.
16
In some cases I provide a nose or excrescence 9 in order that when a match is
held protruding from the box and the head is rubbed or struck" this nose shall
press against the match instead of the edge of the plate forming the box. The
box may be provided with a lid of any suitable form though in the drawing a
plain hinged door 10 is shown.
The action of the apparatus when containing matches is as follows. The box
is held with the groove 2 below and shaken to cause a match to fall into the latter
(though the shaking is not always necessary). The wheel 3 is then pressed
against the match and caused to rotate by the action of a finger and as the
opposite side of the wheel is in contact with the match the latter is caused to
travel in the groove 2 in the direction of its length and assuming the wheel is
rotated in the proper direction the match will be partially expelled from the
box through the opening provided. As soon as the head protrudes sufficiently,
the pressure of the finger on the wheel being maintained to hold the match in
position the latter may be ignited by rubbing on any suitable surface otherwise
struck."
The pressure of the finger may then be released as the spring 8 will hold the
match while alight. The match may then be entirely ejected from the box as
follows. By continuing to rotate the wheel 3 the match may be advanced to a
certain point beyond which the wheel will not force it as it will be forced clear
of the teeth and the wheel will then pass into the groove 2. In order to relieve
the pressure of the spring S on the match I provide an extension 11 to the link 12
which is so arranged that when the match has passed and the extension 11 has
passed into the groove 2 it will come into contact with the spring 8 and force
it out slightly, and thus remove it from its contact with the match which is then
free to be shaken or to fall out. The outward movement of the spring 8 is effected
by forming the end of the extension 11 in the form of a wedge, and the spring
may be set or provided with an excrescence indicated by 16 in Fig. 1 to engage
with the wedge on the part 11 thus the latter in coming into contact with the
spring moves this in a direction at right angles to the plane of its own path. In
some cases I form the link as shewn in Fig. 5 (in which the references are as
above). An extension 13 is formed to project from the box and instead of the
spring 6 being fitted, a spring 14 is arranged to keep the wheel 3 in the groove.
When using the box the lever 13 is first pressed to withdraw the wheel from
the groove to allow a match to pass into the latter,- -the finger is then transferred
to the wheel and the operation carried out as described above.
In some cases I dispense with the link 12, the axis 5, and the spring 6 and
substitute a spring 15 as shown in Fig. 6 which is fixed to the box in any con-

page_text: venient manner and is arranged to keep the wheel 3 clear of the groove 2 as
described above though the drawing shews the wheel in contact with the match.
This invention is applicable to boxes for containing matches of wood wax or
composition and the box may be of metal wood or any other suitable material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The construction of a match box provided with a plate or plates arranged
to form the matches into a 66 queue" or single file" to ensure a match arriving
into the required position by shaking the box-substantially as described.
2. The application in a matchbox of a serrated wheel free to rotate on an axis,
also capable of movement in a plane at right angles to itself, and so arranged
that the wheel may be rotated by the finger and thus cause a match to be ejected
from the box-substantially as described.
3. The construction of a matchbox provided with an aperture to allow the
egress of only one match at a time also a spring to hold a match in position when
partly protruding from the box, and the device by which the pressure of the
spring on the match may be relieved when it is required to entirely eject the
match substantially as described.
4. The combination in a matchbox of the plate or plates specified in Claim 1
the wheel specified in Claim 2 and the spring specified in Claim 3 substantially
as described.
Dated this 16th day of December 1898
GORDON WILLIAM HARRIS.