Improvements in or relating to Lucifer Matches.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Lucifer Matches.
We, RICHARD THOMAS MAGUIRE, of 37, Sandringham Road, Waterloo, in the
County of Lancaster, Superintendent of Match Factory, and DAVID PERCY
MAGUIRE, of Fir Villa, Crosby Road, Waterloo aforesaid, Foreman of Match
Factory, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows -
In the manufacture of lucifer matches, every person engaged in the factory
is more or less exposed to the fumes of phosphorous that are evolved. This
exposure gives rise to a disease of the jaw that is of so insidious a nature that
the sufferer often dies of the disease, others unable to open their jaws have lingered
with carious and necrosed bones, while the faces of others have undergone
mutilation from surgical operations considering themselves happy to escape
with the loss of the lower jaw or the greater portion thereof.
The present invention has for its object to so tip the end of the match splints,
that even if they take fire, the evolution of the fumes will be harmless to the
operatives thus preventing their being attacked by this peculiar disease and
rendering the match manufactory more healthy. We have found in our experi-
ments that while the use of the customary quantity of phosphorous has a
deleterious effect on the operatives, yet the use of minute quantities has no such
deleterious effect, but is practically harmless, The difficulty in using minute
quantities however is, that ignition cannot readily be secured, because if the pro-
portion of phosphorous is reduced to such small proportions, ignition cannot be
obtained except by repeated rubbing on the abrasive surface. By our invention
however we overcome this difficulty by subjecting the splints to a double dipping,
first dipping them in a composition that will produce a sufficient body of flame
when ignited to fire the splints, and secondly dipping the tips of these heads in
a composition containing phosphorous or other substance that can be readily
ignited by friction and so start the combustion of the head. The first dipping
makes the head of the match, while the second dipping tips the head with just
enough phosphorous or other substances to strike a light and set fire to the head
which in its turn fires the splint, the minute quantity of phosphorous in the tip not
being sufficient to have any deleterious effect on the operatives.
The composition we prefer to use in which the splints are first dipped, is formed
of the following ingredients in approximately the following proportions:-Gum
or glue or mixture of both, 10 to 20 parts, chlorate of potash 30 to 50 parts, bi-
chromate of potash to 6 parts, flowers of sulphur 3 to 6 parts, flour glass 15
to 35 parts, red lead 6 to 12 parts. This composition constitutes the heads of
the matches. The composition in which the heads are tipped is composed of
chlorate of potash, bichromate of potash, sulphur, sulphide of antimony, dextrine
and water to which may be added phosphorous in such a proportion as not to
cause necrosis. The phosphorous we prefer to use is amorphous phosphorous
which is in nearly all respects unlike yellow or ordinary phosphorous except in
combustibility but which we have found to answer exceedingly well for lucifer

page_text: matches. The glue or gum of No. 1 composition is converted with a little water
by a gentle heat into a jelly. We then mix together the chlorate of potash,
bichromate of potash, flowers of sulphur, four glass and red lead using water if
required and with, this compound mix the paste of glue till the whole forms a
uniform paste. The match splints are then dipped into this paste to form the
heads. No. 2 paste is made in a similar way, the dextrine being converted with
a little water by a gentle heat into a jelly and then mix this jelly with the in-
gredients mentioned, the heads of the matches being then tipped at the extre-
mities in the paste to form the ignitible portion of the match which sets fire to the
flame producing head which in its turn sets fire to the wood splints. The bi-
chromate of potash is introduced for the purpose of binding the ingredients, the
sulphur for producing flame, the four glass for providing the necessary friction
and the red lead is to bind the ingredients without concussion. The red lead
hardens the head of the match and helps friction.
In igniting, the sulphur combines with the amorphous phosphorous at a lower
temperature than the amorphous phosphorous combines with the oxygen of the
air, and the combination of the sulphur and the amorphous phosphorous gives
off no poisonous gas that will cause necrosis.
In another method we dispense with the double dipping and employ gum or
glue or a mixture of both, chlorate of potash, bichromate of potash, Howers of
sulphur, and ground glass in the proportions above mentioned, and amorphous
phosphorous 1 to 4 parts. To these ingredients Paris white may be added, also
sulphide of antimony. We convert the glue with a little water by a gentle heat
into a jelly and add to this glue amorphous phosphorous. We then mix together the
chlorate of potash, bichromate of potash flowers of sulphur, ground glass and
Paris white, using water if required, and with this compound mix the paste of
glue and amorphous phosphorous until the whole forms a uniform paste. The
match splints are then dipped in this paste to form lucifer matches.
In using either of these methods, it is believed that the operators will not be
subject to the peculiar complaint alluded to, while rendering the manufactory
more healthy and the boxes of matches themselves less dangerous, and even if in
packing the matches into the boxes, any of the matches should take fire the
evolution of the fumes resulting from this occurrence do not give rise to the jaw
disease.
It must be understood that in describing our invention some of the ingredients
mentioned may be omitted or others added to suit special requirements, also that
the proportions may be varied.
TIC 1000.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or relating to Lucifer Matches.
We, RICHARD THOMAS MAGUIRE, of 37, Sandringham Road, Waterloo, in the
County of Lancaster, Superintendent of Match Factory, and DAVID PERCY
MAGUIRE, of Fir Villa, Crosby Road, Waterloo aforesaid, Foreman of Match
Factory, 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 statment:-
In the manufacture of lucifer matches, every person engaged in the factory
is more or less exposed to the fumes of phosphorous that are evolved either by

page_text: accidental ignition in the process of manufacture or otherwise. This
exposure gives rise to a disease of the jaw that is of so insidious a nature that
the sufferer often dies of the disease, others unable to open their jaws have lingered
with carious and necrosed bones, while the faces of others have undergone
mutilation from surgical operations considering themselves happy to escape
with the loss of the lower jaw or the greater portion thereof.
quan-
The present invention has for its object to so tip the end of the match splints.
that even if they take fire, the evolution of the fumes will be harmless to ihe
operatives thus preventing their being attacked by this peculiar disease and
rendering the match manufactory more healthy. We have found in our experi-
ments that while the use of the customary quantity of phosphorous has a
deleterious effect on the operatives, yet the use of minute
tities such as used in our invention has no such deleterious effect, but
is practically harmless. The difficulty in using minute quantities how-
ever is that ignition cannot readily be secured, because if the proportion
of phosphorous is reduced to such small proportions ignition cannot be
obtained except by repeated rubbing on the abrasive surface. By our invention
however we overcome this difficulty by subjecting the splints or stems to a double
dipping, first dipping them in a composition that will produce a sufficient body of
flame when ignited to fire the splints, and secondly dipping the tips of these heads in
a composition containing phosphorous or other substance that can be readily
ignited by friction and so start the combustion of the head. The first dipping
makes the head of the match, while the second dipping tips the head with just
enough phosphorous or other substances to strike a light and set fire to the head,
which in its turn fires the splint, the minute quantity of phosphorous in the tip not
being sufficient to have any deleterious effect on the operatives.
In use it is only when the phosphorized tip comes in frictional contact with a
rubbing surface that ignition occurs, and there is no liability to accidental
ignition due to friction or pressure between the sides of the sulphurized head
and the match box, or other matches.
The composition in which the matches are first dipped may be made of any
suitable ingredients which when ignited will set fire to the splint, without being
itself capable of ignition by rubbing. A convenient formula is as follows:-
Gum or glue or mixture of both, 10 parts, chlorate of potash 30 parts, bi-
chromate of potash 3 parts, flowers of sulphur 6 parts, flour glass 25 parts, red
lead 6 parts. As an alternative to the glue gum and chlorate of potash add
25 parts whiting, 9 parts resin and 6 parts kieselguhr which will give the same
result.
This composition constitutes the heads of the matches. The composition for
tipping the heads is made with a substance containing only just sufficient
phosphorous to secure ignition by friction on the rubbing surface. Such a
mixture is yellow phosphorous 6 parts combined with chlorate of potash 40 parts,
bichromate of potash parts, sulphur 10 parts, sulphide of antimony 10 parts,
dextrine and water 30 parts. The phosphorous in such a mixture is in such small
proportion as not to cause necrosis even if yellow phosphorous is used because
the proportion is so much smaller than is now used as may be seen from the fact
that in making the matches on the double tipped principle the quantity of yellow
phosphorous in the tip, is only equal to 2% of the head of the match against 6%
if dipped in the usual way. We prefer to use however amorphous phosphorous
which is in nearly all respects unlike yellow or ordinary phosphorous except in
combustibility but which we have found to answer exceedingly well for lucifer
matches.
The glue or gum of No. 1 composition is converted with a little water by a
gentle heat into a jelly. We then mix together the chlorate of potash, bichro-
mate of potash, flowers of sulphur, flour glass and red lead using water if
required and with this compound mix the paste of glue till the whole forms a
uniform paste. The match splints are then dipped into this paste to form the

page_text: heads. No. 2 paste is made in a similar way, the dextrine being converted with
a little water by a gentle heat into a jelly and then this jelly mixed with the
ingredients mentioned, the heads of the matches being then tipped at the extremi-
ties in the paste to form the ignitible portion of the match which sets fire to the
Hame producing head, which in its turn sets fire to the wood splints. The bi-
chromate of potash is introduced for the purpose of binding the ingredients, the
sulphur for producing flame, the flour glass to increase the bulk and the red lead
is to bind the ingredients without concussion. The red lead hardens the head
of the match.
The accompanying drawing shows a view of a lucifer match made in accord-
ance with our invention, A being the wood splint, B the head of the match
made of a composition that will produce a sufficient body of flame when ignited
to fire the splint, but which will not ignite by friction, and C the tip on the head
which contains just enough phosphorous in its composition to readily ignite by
friction and so fire the head. Owing to the minute quantity of phosphorous
required in the tip at the end of the head, there is a considerable saving in cost,
an important consideration with such an expensive article as phosphorous, more-
over there is a corresponding saving in the chlorate of potashi used in the head
of the match.
We prefer to use amorphous phosphorous rather than yellow phosphorous in
No. 2 because its use even in considerable quantities has no tendency to subject
the operators to the peculiar complaint alluded to so that the manufacture is
free from all objection and the boxes of matches themselves less dangerous.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
The improvement in the manufacture of lucifer matches which consists in first
dipping the splints or stems to form the heads in a combustible composition that
will when ignited produce a sufficient body of flame to fire the splints, but which
will not ignite on a rubbing surface, and secondly tipping the extreme end of
the heads with a substance containing only a small amount of phosphorous pre-
ferably of the amorphous kind which will ignite on any rubbing surface to fire
the head, substantially as and for the purposes described.
1
101
1
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.