IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Michael Letchford, of Three Colts Lane,
Bethnal Green, Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES."
Sealed the 24th January 1868, and dated the 26th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Michael Letchford
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th October 1867.
ROBERT MICHAEL LETCHFORD, of Three Colts Lane, Bethnal Green,
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES," to be as follows:-
I saturate match wood in a solution of rosin previously to dipping the
wood in the usual lighting composition, and so produce matches superior to
sulphur matches in so far that they have no disagreeable odour, and superior
to paraffine matches in so far that they burn with a stronger flame, which saves
them from being so readily extinguished by a draught. To render rosin
practicable for this purpose I either, 1stly, dissolve it in benziline or such like
spirits; or 2ndly, and which I consider preferable, I melt it along with hard

page_text: paraffin or other greasy or fatty matter, & while the solution is very hot I
dip the bundles of match wood therein. In a few minutes the bundle will
become cold & the matches saturated with rosin without being stuck together,
which is a practical success not hitherto obtained with this material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Michael Letchford in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th March 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MICHAEL LETCHFORD, of Three Colts Lane, Bethnal Green, Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert Michael Letchford, Her special licence that I, the said
Robert Michael Letchford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Robert Michael Letchford, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Michael Letchford,
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 Robert Michael Letchford, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :-
My Invention has for its object "Improvements in Matches," and consists
in saturating match-wood in a solution of rosin previously to dipping the
wood in the usual lighting composition, and so producing matches superior

page_text: to sulphur matches in so far that they have no disagreeable smell, and
superior to paraffin matches in so far that they burn with a stronger flame,
which saves them from being so readily extinguished by a draught. To
render rosin practicable for this purpose, I either, firstly, dissolve it in benziline
or such like spirits; or secondly, and which I consider preferable, I melt it along
with hard paraffin or other greasy or fatty material, and while the solution is
very hot I dip the bundle of match wood therein. In a few minutes the
bundle will become cool and the match wood saturated with the solution of
rosin without being stuck together. The proportions I find to answer best
are four pounds of rosin to six pounds of hard paraffin, but this must be
varied according to the quality and consequent solvent power of the paraffin
used: After the bundles of match wood have been dipped in this solution of
rosin they must be shaken out or "clotted" in the usual way in making
matches.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
I propose to carry it into practical operation, I wish it to be understood that
what I claim as my Invention is, the use of a solution of rosin for saturating
match wood previously to dipping such wood into the igniting composition,
which said solution may be obtained either-by dissolving rosin in benziline or
such like spirits, or by melting it with hard paraffin or other greasy or fatty
material as previously set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Michael Letchford, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
ROBERT MICHAEL TWICHFORD
ROBERT MICHAEL LETCHFORD
LETCHFORD. (..)
CARRAYK
ROBERT MICHAEL
CASERAYT
TWICKFORD
SALOME VAR