Improvements in match boxes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
Improvements in match boxes.
I, THOMAS ADDISON BELL, of Birmingham, in the County of Jefferson and
State of Alabama, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:
My invention relates to that class of match boxes adapted to be carried in
the pocket and the object of the invention is to provide an improved match box
of this class having means whereby a match may be lighted in the act of with-
diawing it from the box
With this object in view, my invention consists in the improved construction,
airangement and combination of parts hereinafte fully described and after-
waids specifically pointed out in the appended claims
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly
appertains to make and use the same I will now proceed to describe its con-
ati uction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying diawing,
forming part hereof, in which
Fig 1 is a perspective view of a match box constructed in accordance with
my invention.
Fig 2, 18 a sectional view of the same
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views in side elevation of examples of match boxes em-
bodying my invention, and
Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a catch spring detached
Like numerals of refeience mark the same parts wherever they occur in the
various figures of the drawing
Refering to the diawing by numerals 10 indicates the body of a pocket match
box or safe which, for the purposes of my invention may be made of various
materials preferably of light sheet metal, and so far as its general form is con-
cerned, may be of various shapes
11 indicates the lid or cover of the box, preferably made of the same material
and of corresponding shape with the box This lid is hinged to the box which
16 provided with a spring as at 12, bearing against the inside of the lid with a
normal tendency to throw it to its position
13 indicates a catch spring, of suitable metal and of any approved form,
secured to the box and adapted through the medium of a beveled latch end 14,
to engage and hold the front edge of lid when closed down upon the box
The meeting edges of the box and lid may be made straight, as in Figures 1
and 2, but are preferably formed as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, in which the
box 18 toimed with cut-away recesses, technically termed "thumb-notches" in
its upper edges, as at 15, such recesses being located variously in said edges, as
for instances, near the front edge of the box as in Figure 3, or at about the
middle of the edge, as in Figure 4, in which instance the notches are only a
third or fourth as wide as the edge, or as in Figure 5, in which the whole edge
is cut away on an inwardly curved line to form a recess or notch
In each con-
struction, the lid will be shaped to correspond, being provided with a projecting

page_text: portion, as at 16 to occupy and close the notch when the lid is closed down upon
the box.
17, indicates a roughened or "scratch" surface formed on the catch spring 13,
a notch 18 being formed in its beveled latch and 14 to receive and guide a
match while it 18 being withdiawn from the box, and the usual push bottom 19
being provided whereby the catch spring may be pressed inward to release its
latch and from engagement with the edge of the lid
"
20 indicates a correspondingly roughened or scratch" surface in the lid
extending to its catch edge 21 whereby when the lid is closed, this surface will
be substantially parallel and in contact with or very close to the scratch sur-
face 17 on the catch spring 13, the catch edge 21 being provided with a notch 22
similar to and in corresponding position with the notch 18 of the catch spring
The scratch surfaces may be straight, curved o inclined toward then centeis
as shown in Figures 1 and 6, provided always that they substantially meet when
the lid is closed down on the box
The matches are placed in the box heads first and when it is desued to with-
diaw and light one, the push button is pressed, which as before stated, and as
is usual in boxes of this general class, releases the catch spring 13 from engage-
ment with the catch edge 21 of the lid and permits the lid to be thrown open
by spung 21 A match is now grasped, which action 1s facilitated by the
existence of the thumb-notches, and canned into position in the notch 18 of
the sping 13, when the lid is pressed inward binging its scratch surface down
on the match, when the match is pulled outward and ignited by reason of the
fictional contact of its head with the roughened surfaces
The advantages attending the use of this invention are numerous and obvious.
The matches will be ignited during the process of withdiawal from the box,
whereby obviating the necessity of separate movemonts to ignite them on out-
side surfaces, which are sometimes not handy to reach and may be greasy or
wet, which will prevent ignition With this invention, ignition 18 easy and
sure the scratch surfaces being always protected against wet and grease, so that
a match may be readily ignited even in the rain
While I have illustrated and described what I consider to be the best means
now known to me for carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be under-
stood as restricting myself to the exact forms and constructions shown as many
slight changes therein, or variations therefiom might suggest themselves to
the ordinary mechanic, all of which would be clearly included within the limit
and scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim 18.
1 A match box provided with a roughened surface, combined with a lid
having a similar roughened surface, said surfaces being located in the path of
the head of a match when being withdrawn from the box, substantially as
described
2 A match box provided with an interio 1oughened sui face, in combination
with a hinged hd piovided with a similar 1oughened sui face, these two surfaces
being placed in position in the box and lid to adapt them to bear on opposite
sides of a match while being withdrawn from the box, substantially as described
3. A match box provided with a catch sping having a roughened or scratch
surface, substantially as described.
4 A match box provided with a catch spring having a roughened or scratch
sui face in combination with a lid provided with a similar interior surface in
position to meet the scratch surface of the spring, when the lid is closed on the
box, substantially as described
5. A match box provided with thumb notches in its edges and a catch sping
provided with a scratch surface, in combination with a sping opening lid
•

page_text: having projections to close the thumb notches and a scratch surface to moet
that of the catch spring, when the lid is closed on the box, substantially us
described
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.