IMPROVEMENTS IN LUCIFER MATCH AND FUSEE BOXES OR CASES, AND IN FRICTIONAL SURPACES FOR IGNITING LUCIFER MATCHES AND FUSEES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir John Macneill, Knight, of Kensington, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LUCIFER MATCH AND FUSEE BOXES OR CASES, AND IN FRICTIONAL SURPACES
FOR IGNITING LUCIFER MATCHES AND FUSEES."
Scaled the 17th May 1870, and dated the 20th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir John Macneill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th November 1869.
I, Sir JOHN MACNEILL, Knight, of Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LUCIFER MATCH AND FUSEE BOXES OR CASES, AND IN
FRICTIONAL SURFACES FOR IGNITING LUCIPER MATCHES AND FUSEES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in lucifer match and fusee
boxes or cases whereby the lucifer or other similar matches or fusees
coutained therein (which ignite by friction) are caused to ignite in
the act of being withdrawn or protruded from such boxes or cases.

page_text: For this purpose according to one part of my improvements I prefer
to form the boxes or cases with separate cells or receptacles to receive
the lower or prepared end of each match or fusee arranged in one
ór more rows. The boxes or cases may be made of paper, wood, metal,
or other suitable material. Above each row of cells on the inner sides
or divisions near the entrance to the box or case a strip of sand paper
or other roughened or chemically prepared surface is arranged, against
which the end of the match or fusee as it is withdrawn from the box
or case is pressed, so as to cause the match or fusee to ignite in the act
of being withdrawn.
The form of the box or case, the number of receptacles or cells, and
the manner of closing the openings thereto, may be considerably varied,
and although I prefer to construct match and fusee boxes or cases
according to my Invention with cells as previously described, I do not
confine myself to this arrangement, as the matches or fuses may be
otherwise arranged therein.
'
When the roughened surface for igniting matches or fusees is required
to be very durable or permanent, according to another part of my
improvements I produce such roughened surfaces by attaching steel
filings or other hard metallic particles to the surface of sheet copper
or other metal by means of solder or otherwise.
Match and fuseo boxes constructed according to my Invention admit
of a match or fusee being ignited in the act of being withdrawn there-
from by means of one hand alone, the box or case when required being
firmly held in a pocket, pouch, or belt attached to the person for this
purpose when riding, driving, or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Sir John Macneill in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th May-1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir JOHN 30
MACNEILL, Knight, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Macneill, Her special licence that I, the
said John Macneill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Macneill, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUCIFER MATCH AND
FUSEE BOXES OR CASES, AND IN FRICTIONAL SURFACES FOR IGNITING LUCIPER
MATCHES AND FUSEES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Macneill, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 John Macneill, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in lucifer match and fusee
boxes or cases whereby the lucifer or other similar matches or fuseer
contained therein (which ignite by friction) are caused to ignite by being
pressed against the frictional surface in the act of being withdrawn or
protruded from such boxes or cases. For this purpose according to one
part of my improvements I prefer to form the boxes or cases. with
separate cells or receptacles to receive the lower or prepared ends. of the
matches or fusees arranged in one or more rows. The boxes or cases
may be made of paper, wood, metal, or other suitable material. Above:
each row of cells on the inner sides or divisions near the entrance to the-
box or case a strip of sand paper or other roughened or chemically
prepared surface is arranged, against which the end of the match.
or fusce as it is withdrawn from the box or case is pressed, so as to
cause the match or fusee to ignite in the act of being withdrawn..
The form of the box or case, the number of receptacles or cells, and
the manner of closing the openings therefo, may be considerably varied,

page_text: Figure 1 shews a front elevation, Figure 2 a vertical section, and
Figure 3 a plan of a match or fusce box made of paper, cardboard, or
other suitable material for containing matches or fusecs, constructed and
arranged with cells a, a, the parts at a', a', above such cells being lined
or provided with sand paper or other rough surface in accordance with
my Invention.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 shew vertical sections and a plan of a metal box.
The surfaces a', a', in the interior are produced by attaching steel
filings or other hard metallic particles to the metal by solder in
accordance with my Invention.
Match and fusee boxes constructed according to my Invention admit
of a match or fusce being ignited in the act of being withdrawn there-
from by means of one hand alone, the box or case when required being
firmly secured in a pocket, pouch, or belt attached to the person for this
purpose when riding, driving, or otherwise.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is carried into practice, what I claim is,―
First. The application of sand paper or other rough or frictional
surface to the interior of lucifer match and fusee boxes or cases con-
structed with cells or otherwise for the purpose substantially as herein
described and shown in the Drawing annexed.
Secondly. I claim the production of frictional surfaces for igniting
lucifer matches and fusees by attaching steel filings or other hard

page_text: metallic particles to the surface of sheet copper or other metal by means
of solder, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Macneill, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
JOHN MACNEILL. (L.S.)