Improvements in Metal Match-boxes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left. 20th Mar.. 1890-Accepted. 17th May. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Match-boxes.
ARTHUR JOHN THURMAN Mechanic 19 Lime Grove Dolobran Road Sparkbrook
Birmingham in the County of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to Improvements in the construction and arrangements of
various parts of metal boxes to contain matches and the like and to an improved
mode of opening and closing the lid whereby the said lid shall open and close by
the combination and arrangement hereinafter described and at the same time retain
its proper position without further trouble. In order that my said Invention may be
fully understood I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same.
I do hereby declare the nature of my Invention as follows My said Improvements
consists of the back of box being so constructed to be made loose or otherwise so as
to spring when pressure is applied in combination and arrangement with or without
the ordinary back. The lid being hinged on or by the said back is pressed against
a piece of metal placed or formed inside or out of the box which causes it to open
when pressure is applied whereby the said lid shall close by the combination and
arrangement hereinafter described. A suitable spring is placed inside or out of the
box in such a manner that when the pressure is withdrawn the lid closes and retains
its proper position.
Dated this 23rd day July 1889.
ARTHUR JOHN THURMAN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Match-boxes.
I, ARTHUR JOHN THURMAN, late of 19 Lim: Grove, Dolobran Road, Sparkbrook,
Birmingham, but now residing at 102 Dolobran Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, in
the county of Warwick, 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 and arrangement of metal boxes to contain
matches and the like, and its object is, to provide that the back of the box shall yield
to pressure, and in so doing, shall open, while, upon letting go the said back of the
box, the lid shall automatically right itself; also that in closing, it shall lock itself in
position. Each of these objects is attained by means of the improved combinations
and arrangements of parts hereinafter described.
I will now proceed to more particularly describe and ascertain how this my inven-
tion is to be performed, by the aid of the accompanying illustrative sheets of drawings,
upon which are figures and letters of reference, similar letters referring throughout
the several views to the same thing or part.
Fig. 1, is a sectional side elevation of a box, constructed according to this my
invention, showing the arrangement when the lid is closed.
Fig. 2, is a sectional side elevation showing the arrangement when the lid is
opened.
Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the box when closed.
Figs. 4, 5, & 6, are similar views of a modified arrangement of the mechanism.
Fig. 7, is a back view of Fig. 3.
Fig. 8, is a sectional view of Fig. 1, upon line A-B in the direction of the
arrows.

page_text: Fig. 9, is a back view of Fig. 6.
Fig. 10, is a sectional plan view of Fig. 6, upon line C-D.
Figs. 11. 12, & 13, are views showing further modifications of this my invention.
Figs. 14, 15, & 16, are also further modifications of this my invention.
I will first describe it as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, & 8. a, is the box, b is
the lid. At the back of the box the piece c, is connected only to the body of the
box at its bottom corner at d, its junction thereat forming as it were a spring to
the said piece c.
At the upper end of this piece c, is provided the joint e, by which it is connected
to the lid b. This piece c, is made to slide or pass in between the two sides of the
box, as seen in Fig. 7. In the lid of the box, is rigidly secured the angular piece f
which extends from side to side, overlapping the two side parts y, g, which side parts
are formed upon the piece h, which is carried around three sides of the box, and
forms at its upper part, a rebate, to receive the lid b.
At the central and upper part of the angular piece f, I provide a loopi, and a link j,
to the lower end of which latter, is connected the upper end of the spring k, its lower
end being connected to the box at l.
Further, at the front of the box, is a catch peg m, which, when the box is closed,
takes into the hole n.
It will now be seen that upon pressing in the back c, of the box, the joint e, and
with it the lid b, is carried forward, the parts g, g, being each cut away at their
underpart, to permit the passing of the said joint e, thereunder. When being thus
pressed forward, the peg m, is first cleared of the hole n, then the angular piece f
strikes against the forward pieces g, g, upon either side, and in so doing, the said
pieces g, g, push back wards the lid upon its joint, and opens the box, as seen in Fig. 2.
In doing this however, the spring k, is put in tension, so that upon the removal of
the pressure from the piece c, the lid is instantly and automatically closed, the peg m,
being again drawn into the hole n, and thereby locking it.
In Figs. 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10, 1 have illustrated a modified form of this my invention,
in which the yielding push piece c', is made separate from the box itself, its lower
part being bent in a horizontal direction and secured by the pin o. The upper end
of this piece c', is connected to the lid 6', similarly to that described in Figs. 1, 2, & 3.
kis a flat spring, connected at the lower end at p, to the push piece c¹; so that
upon withdrawing the pin o, the pieces c¹, and k¹, would be quite free for removal
from the box.
In some cases, if desired, the back proper of the box, may be carried upwards as
far as the joint e¹, having an opening therein, to admit of a push piece, which is
carried upon the piece c¹, to project through to the outside, so that upon pressure
being applied to the said push piece, the same result as already described is
attained.
The pull of the spring 1, is as before, to tend to keep the box lid closed. Thus
the action of the parts e, el, f¹, gl, m³, and n', are each and all similar to that described
for Figs. 1, 2, & 3.
In Figs. 11, 12, & 13, is a further modification of this my invention, in which the
front inner part of the lid at g, is weighted, in order to bring it back into its closed
position, as in Fig. 13. A push piece c, joint e, angular piece f², pieces g², m²,
and n³, are each similar both in their construction and operation to those mentioned
in Figs. 1, 2, & 3, and will therefore be readily understood without further explana-
tion. Inasmuch however, as, without the return spring, the lid b, would be liable
to overturn too far backwards, so that the weight q, would have no tendency to close
it, I provide the check piece r, which, when the lid 62, is opened to a sufficient extent
rests against the underside of the pieces g, preventing any further rising of the lid,
and keeping it in a ready position to fall when the pressure upon the piece c³, is
removed.
In Figs. 14, 15, & 16, (instead of providing the piece », to rest against the piece g,
as described for Figs. 11, 12, & 13) I provide the plate s, which is rigidly
connected to the pieces g, so that when the lid has attained its open position as in

page_text: Fig. 15, the rear part of the said pieces, arrests the piece f³, and with it of course,
the further opening of the lid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The improvements as herein before described and illustrated upon the drawings
in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8, in the construction and arrangement of metal boxes, that
is to say-The combination with the box of the yielding back c, with the angular
piece, and parts g, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as set
forth.
2nd. In a metal box, the combination with a yielding back piece c, angular piece f
and parts g, of the return spring k, substantially as set forth and for the purposes
specified.
3rd. The combination with the back push piece c, c¹, or c³, and lid b, b², or 63, of
the locking device m, & n, m², n', m², and n², constructed and operating substantially
as described and shown, and for the purposes specified.
4th. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting this my
improved metal box, substantially as herein described and illustrated upon the
drawings in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, & 8.
5th. The modification of the combination and arrangement of parts constituting
this my improved metal box, substantially as herein described and illustrated upon
the drawings in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 9, & 10.
6th. The modification of the combination and arrangement of parts constituting
this my improved metal box, substantially as herein described, and illustrated upon
the drawings in Figs. 11, 12, and 13.
7th. The modified arrangement of arresting the extent of the opening of the box
lid, as described and illustrated in Figs. 14, 15, & 16, in combination with any or
either of these my improvements before stated.
Dated this 10th day of March 1900
CHARLES T. POWELL,
12, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Applicant's Agent.