IMPROVEMENTS IN FRICTION MATCHES, IN APPARATUS FOR USING THEM, AND IN ADAPTING THEM FOR LIGHTING LAMPS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FRICTION MATCHES, IN APPARATUS FOR
USING THEM, AND IN ADAPTING THEM FOR LIGHTING LAMPS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Philos Blake Tyler, of Springfield, in the
State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
30th December 1865.
1, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FRICTION MATCHES, IN
APPARATUS FOR USING THEM, AND IN ADAPTING THEM FOR LIGHTING LAMPS," to be
as follows:-
Matches for producing flame have beretofore been made in separate pieces
of some material which when ignited would produce a flame. Splints of wood
rendered more readily ignitable by having one end coated for a short distance
with sulphur and the extreme end thereof with phosphorus or other sub-
stance which will readily ignite by friction has generally been employed. At
each ignition the whole of one such match is either entirely consumed, or if
not entirely consumed what is left of it is thrown away. The modes of
keeping and using such matches are also attended with inconvenience and
danger.

page_text: The object of the first part of this Invention is to form a continuous or
repeating match requiring only so much of it to be used as may be required,
and then extinguished and the residue retained for future use until after
repeated use the whole is consumed. The Invention also relates to apparatus
for containing and using such continuous or repeating matches.
In carrying out the Invention the continuous or repeating matches are
prepared by taking a strip of paper or tape of any desirable length and
about a quarter of an inch in width. This is saturated with stearine or other
substance which when ignited will produce a flame and burn more slowly and
steadily than the paper or tape, and when ignited will continue to burn with a
flame throughout the entire length unless it be extinguished by some means.
For a continuous match I apply to one surface of the prepared strip and along
the middle portion thereof sulphur and phosphorus or other equivalent and
well-known substance or compound for igniting by friction. But for making
what I term a repeating match, instead of applying the sulphur and phos-
phorus or equivalent therefor continuously, I apply it in dots at equal
distances apart, leaving a length of the prepared strip between every two
sufficient to make a flame for the required length of time.
And as the material for igniting by friction does not adhere to the surface
of the prepared strip with much force, and for that reason would be likely
to be rubbed off in making friction upon it to ignite it, holes are punched
through the strip either before or after it has been prepared with the
inflammable matter, so that the igniting composition when applied will enter
such perforations and become thereby securely connected with the strip
so that it cannot be rubbed off. The strip when ready for use is coiled
up in the form of a volute and placed in a case of a circular form like
that of a measuring tape. One side of the case is fitted to the circular
rim, so that it can be put on or taken off readily like the cover of an
ordinary snuff box, or it may be hinged to the rim. The end of the
match strip is pushed out through an opening in the rim and through a
tangent nose-piece or beak, the under part of which is provided with a
toothed roller which acts on the under face of the strip, so that by turning
the roller the required length of match is pushed out beyond the end of
the nose-piece. An instrument termed the igniter is mounted in the nose-
piece. The igniter is provided outside with a thumb and finger piece so that
it can be turned. The extreme end of this igniter extends to the outer end
of the nose-piece, and is there formed with a slightly projecting lip or roughened
on the lower edge which bears on the match. The igniter is narrow, so that
when turned to one side the lip lies by the side of the strip and when the end

page_text: of the match has been pushed out beyond the nose it is ignited' by giving a
slight vibratory motion to the igniter, which carries its pointed or roughened
lip across the surface of the match. When the match has been ignited and
inflamed the flame can be continued as long as desired by pushing out more
of the match beyond the nose of the case, for it will only become extinguished
when the flame reaches, or rather approaches, the end of the nose which cuts
off the supply of atmospheric air that feeds the flame. The case may, if
preferred, be made in the form of a straight tube into which the match strip
is inserted, the upper end of the tube being provided with a nose-piece, roller,
and igniter, as the case already described.
The second part of the said Invention relates to the lighting of lamps and
gas burners by means of continuous or repoating matches. To light the
wick in kerosene lamps and others of similar construction the glass chimney
and globe (if one be used) must be removed and then replaced, operations
which are attended with inconvenience and oftentimes with breakage; and
in lamps and gas burners which admit of being lighted without removing the
glass chimney and globe, the lighting of them is attended with inconvenience.
The object of this part of the Invention is to avoid the above inconveniences,
and to this end the Invention consists in combining with the wick tube or
burner an apparatus containing a continuous or repeating match, and provided
with suitable means extending to the outside of the chimney or globe for pro-
jecting the match to the required distance from the case in which it is contained,
and for igniting it. By the side of the wick tube there is a match tube of
the required size to receive a continuous or repeating match such as bereiu-
before described. The substance or preparation to ignite by friction may be
continuous or at given and equal or nearly equal distances apart. The strip
of continuous match slides in the tube which extends down into the body of
the lamp. The extension of this tube to contain a considerable length of
match may be either straight or of any other form to suit the fancy or judg-
ment of the constructor. This tube is provided with a small wheel as feeder,"
the shaft of which extends through to the outside of the lamp cap, and is there
provided with a milled head. For the purpose of igniting the match after it
has been elevated there is within the match tube a vibrating arm provided
with a handle by which the arm can be vibrated or moved across the surface
of the match, so that its upper end, which is bent over and formed with ȧ
pointed or roughened lip, may make friction on the surface of the match to
ignite it. The vibrating arm may, however, be dispensed with and the
roughened surface made stationary, so that when the match is projected by the
feeder the dots of ignitable matter in passing the roughened surface will be

page_text: ignited, and the match when ignited
proximity to the wick as to ignite it.
tube, or it may be constructed with a
will produce a flame in such close
The match tube may adjoin the wick
space between the two for the passage
of a current of air, which will prevent the match tube from being overheated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th June 1866.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
'
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 FRICTION MATCHES, IN APPARATUS FOR USING THEM, AND IN
ADAPTING THEM FOR LIGHTING LAMPS," being a communication from abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
iny 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 William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say.) -
Matches for producing flame have heretofore been made in separate pieces

page_text: of some material which when ignited would produce a flame. Splints of wood
rendered more readily ignitable by having one end coated for a short distance
with sulphur and the extreme end thereof with phosphorus or other substance
which will readily ignite by friction has generally been employed. At each
ignition the whole of one such match is either entirely consumed, or if not
entirely consumed what is left of it is thrown away. The modes of keeping
and using such matches are also attended with inconvenience and danger.
The object of the first part of this Invention is to form a continuous or
repeating match requiring only so much of it to be used as may be required,
and then extinguished and the residue retained for future use until after
repeated use the whole is comsu. The Invention also relates to apparatus
for containing and using such continuous or repeating matches.
:
The mode of carrying out the Invention will be understood by referring to
the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a face view of a continuous
match; Fig. 2 is a face view of a repeating match, which is prepared by
taking a strip a of paper or tape of any desirable length and about a quarter
of an inch in width; this is saturated with stearine or other substance which
when ignited will produce a flame and burn more slowly and steadily than the
paper or tape, and when ignited will continue to burn with a flame throughout
the entire length unless it be extinguished by some means. For a continuous
match I apply to one surface of the prepared strip and along the middle por-
tion thereof, as at 6, Fig. 1, sulphur and phosphorus, or the sulphur may
be applied first and then the phosphorus, or instead thereof other equivalent
and well-known substance or compound for igniting by friction may be so
applied; but for making a repeating match, instead of applying the sulphur
and phosphorus or other equivalent substance continuously, it is applied in-
dots at equal distances apart, as shown at Fig. 2, leaving a length of the pre-
pared strip between the dots sufficient to make a flame for the required length
of time.
And as the material for igniting by friction does not adhere to the surface
of the prepared strip with much force, and for that reason would be likely to
be rubbed off in making friction upon it to ignite it, the Invention further
relates to a means of securing such preparation. This part of the Invention is
shewn at Figures 3 and 3*, which represent longitudinal sections of a repeating
match and a continuous match. It consists in punching holes c through thè
strip, either before or after it has been prepared with the inflammable matter,
so that the phosphorus or other igniting composition when applied will enter
such perforations (as at d), and become thereby securely connected with the
strip so that it cannot be rubbed off. For the convenient use of the con-

page_text: tinuous or repeating matches the strip when ready for use is coiled up in
the form of a volute and placed in a case of a circular form like that of a
measuring tape.
Fig. 4 is a side view, and Fig. 5 a sectional view of an apparatus for con-
taining and using such matches. One side of the case is fitted to the circular
rim.g, so that it can be put on or taken off readily like the cover of an ordinary
snuff box, or it may be hinged to the rim. The end of the match strip is
pushed out through an opening in the rim e and through a tangent nose-piece
or beak h, the under part of which is provided with a toothed roller i, the
teeth of which act on the under face of the strip which is borne against the
roller by a slight spring j, so that by turning the roller with the finger the
required length of match will be pushed out beyond the end of the nose-
piece; but instead of turning this roller by the finger acting on the under
part it may be entirely enclosed in the nose-piece of the case and its arbor
provided with a thumb-and-finger wheel. An instrument termed the igniter is
attached at its rear end to a little shaft mounted in the outer or top plate of
the nose piece; and this shaft is provided outside with a thumb-and-finger
piece, so that it can be turned. The extreme end of this igniter extends to
the outer end of the nose-piece, and is there formed with a slightly projecting
lip m, brought to a point or roughened on the lower edge which bears on the
match. The igniter is narrow, so that when turned to one side the lip lies by
the side of the strip, and when the end of the match has been pushed out
beyond the nose it is ignited by giving a slight vibratory motion to the igniter
which carries its pointed or roughened lip across the surface of the match:
When the match has been ignited and inflamed the flame can be continued. as
long as desirable by pushing out more of the match beyond the nose of the
case, for it will only become extinguished when the flame reaches, or rather
approaches, the end of the nose which cuts off the supply of atmospheric air
that feeds the flame.
The form of case above described is. that deemed best suited for general
use, but for lighting chandeliers, gas burners, or lamps at a height beyond the
reach of the hand the case may, if preferred, be made in the form of a straight
tube n, Fig. 6, into which the match strip is inserted, the upper end of the
tube being provided with a nose-piece; roller, and igniter; as the case alrealy
described.
I wish it to be understood that with reference to the matches I do not
limit myself to the use of any special material for the strip, nor for saturating
the strip to make it burn with a flame, nor to the kind or preparation of
material for igniting by friction, as there are many substances and preparations

page_text: .
possessing equivalent properties any of which may be readily substituted
without departing from the Invention, in fact the strip may be prepared-so-as
to be sufficiently inflammable to be ignited by the phosphorus without the use.
of sulphur. In short, the Invention does not relate to the preparation or
combination of materials for producing a flame-by friction, but to the structure
of an inflaminable-match by which it is rendered continuous or repeating.
What I claim as the first part of the Invention and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is, the continuous or repeating matches above described, and
composed of a strip of substance which when ignited will burn with a flame,
combined with the preparation of sulphur and phosphorus or other equivalent
substance which will ignite by friction, such igniting substance being put on
along the whole length, or in dots at given distances apart along the whole
length, as and for the purpose described.
And. I also claim piercing the strip with holes and applying the material
that ignites by friction thereto to prevent such material from becoming detached
therefrom, all substantially as described.
And in the apparatus for using continuous or repeating matches I claim the
nose-piece or tube through which the match passes, in. combination with the
vibrating igniter or the equivalent thereof, as and for the purpose described.
I also claim in combination the nose-piece through which the match passes;
the roller or equivalent thereof for moving the match and the igniter, or the
equivalent thereof, as and for the purpose described.
And I also claim in combination the case for containing the match, the
nose-piece, the roller for moving the match, and the igniter, or the equivalents
of them, as and for the purpose described.
The second part of the said Invention relates to the lighting of lamps and
gas burners by means of continuous or repeating matches.
Kerosene lamps have the wick tube enclosed within a metallic deflector;
and outside of the deflector is a glass chimney, and sometimes a globe outside
of the chimney, all of which are held in place by screws or catches, and such:is
the case with many other kinds of lamps, and in many instances with gas burners.
To light the wick in kerosene lamps. and others of similar construction,
the glass chimney and globe (if one be used) must be removed and then
replaced, operations which are attended with inconvenience and oftentimes with
breakage; and in lamps and gas burners which-admit of being lighted without
removing the glass chimney and globe, the lighting of them is attended with
inconvenience.
.
:
The object of this part of the Invention is to avoid the above inconveniences,
and to this end the Invention consists in combining with the wick. tube.or

page_text: burner an apparatus containing a continuous or repeating match, and provided
with suitable means extending to the outside of the chimney or globe for pro-
jecting the match to the required distance from the case in which it is contained,
and for igniting it.
I will describe and represent this part of the Invention as applied to the
burner of a kerosene lamp, because that is the kind of lamp which is the
most inconvenient to light with the means heretofore employed for the purpose.
In Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying Drawings a' represents the usual
form of kerosene lamp cap with its wick tube 6. By the side of the wick
tube there is a match tube c² of the required size to receive a continuous or
repeating match d³, such as herein-before described, saturated with stearine
or other equivalent substance which when ignited will produce a flame. The
substance or preparation to ignite by friction may be continuous or at given
and equal or nearly equal distances apart. The strip of continuous or repeating
match slides in the tube c', which extends down into the body of the
lamp. The extension of this tube to contain a considerable length of match
may be either straight as represented, or it may be of any other form to suit
the fancy or judgment of the constructor. This tube c³ is provided with a
feeder f, consisting of a small wheel, the shaft of which extends through to
the outside of the lamp cap, and is there provided with a milled head g¹. The
feed wheel is cut out in sections, so that when turned each projecting section
will feed or move the match the required distance, and enable the person
turning it to readily feel when the match has been lifted to a sufficient distance
above the upper. end of the match tube. For the purpose of igniting the
match after it has been elevated there is within the match tube a vibrating
arm h² mounted on a small shaft i¹, which extends to the outside of the lamp
cap, where it is provided with a handle j, by which the arm can be vibrated
or moved across the surface of the match, so that its upper end, which is bent
over and formed with a pointed or roughened lip, may make friction on the
surface of the match to ignite it, but as an equivalent when the match is a
repeating one the vibrating arm may be dispensed with and the roughened
surface made stationary, so that when the match is projected by the feeder
the dots of ignitable matter in passing the roughened surface will be ignited,
and the match when ignited will produce a flame in such close proximity to
the wick as to ignite it, and so soon as the match burns down near to the upper
end of the tube which cuts off the further supply of air it will be extinguished.
If desired the burned portion of the match may be removed by a whipper
projecting from a tubular shaft or sleeve on the shaft, and extending to the
outside of the lamp cap, where it can be provided with a thumb-and-finger

page_text: wheel, and by giving a slight turn to this wheel the whipper will be vibrated
and pass above the upper end of the match tube and knock off the charred part
of the match, which will fall to the bottom of the cap. In case the vibrating
igniter is not used as above suggested the vibrating arm of the igniter can
be extended up to constitute the whipper. The match tube is represented as
adjoining the wick tube, but it may be constructed with a space between the
two for the passage of a current of air, which will prevent the match tube from
being overheated. If desired, however, a non-conductor of caloric may be
interposed between the two tubes. The match tube and its appendages if
desired may be mounted in suitable slides in the lamp cap, so that it can be
lifted up to the level of the wick for the purpose of lighting it and then
depressed, or these may be stationary and the wick tube may be mounted in
suitable slides so as to be depressed to the level of the match, and (when the
wick has been lighted) elevated to the height required for burning. I would
remark, however, that the mode of application first above described has been
successfully worked and is deemed to be the best.
What I claim as the second part of the Invention and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is, the combination of the match tube with and in close
proximity to the wick tube or gas burner, as and for the purpose specified.
And I also claim in combination the wick tube or gas burner, the match
feeder for elevating the match or the equivalent thereof, and the igniter or
the equivalent thereof, as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.s.)