Improvements in and relating to Machines for Filling Boxes with Matches.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Filling Boxes with
Matches.
We EDWARD MEAD LOCKWOOD, Mechanical Engineer, and WILLIAM
MARCUS PATTERSON, Match Manufacturer, citizens of the United States of
America, residing respectively at 18 West Fourth Street, in the City of Oswego,
County of Tioga and State of New York, and at 107 Chambers Street in the
City of Trenton, County of Mercer and State of New Jersey, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and the manuer in which the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Our invention relates to the construction of a certain new machine for
automatically filling the ordinary tubular or slide match-boxes with matches,
and to the combination and arrangement of the various parts of said machine, so
that the boxes may be introduced, filled, closed and removed, quickly and
conveniently and without the interposition of the attendant, after the boxes have
once been set in position in the machine on the carrying chains at the rear.
Our invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which the same letters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
Figure I is a rear elevation of our machine.
Figure II is a vertical cross-section on line -, of Figure IV.
Figure III is a front elevation with a portion of the face plate broken away.
Figure IV is a top plan view.
Figure V is a top plan view, the closing slide brackets and the bed plate being
removed and the carrying chains broken away.
Figure VI is a top plan view, the retracting slide and its operating arms being
removed.
Figure VII is a side elevation.
Figure VIII is a side view on line -, of Figure IV, partly in section.
Figure IX is a longitudinal vertical section on line y-y of Figure IV.
Figure X is a longitudinal vertical section on line y-y of Figure IV.
Figure XI is a longitudinal vertical section on line - of Figure IV.
Figure XII is an enlarged side elevation of retracting slide and hooks.
Figure XIII is a front elevation of a portion of retracting slide, showing
supports for hooks.
Figure XIV is a side view of retracting hooks, a portion of the support being
broken away.
Figure XV shows the boxes in position under the inclined filling planes, showing
the position of the matches therein.
Figure XVI shows the filled boxes under the leveler.
The machine as here shown is made double so that two boxes may be operated.
upon simultaneously. For convenience and clearness we will proceed to describe
our improved machine under several heads as follows: First, the main frame of the
machine, the supports for the operative parts and means for operating the same;
second, the mechanism for carrying in the boxes; third, the mechanism for
elevating the boxes; fourth, the mechanism for retracting the boxes; fifth, the
leveling mechanism; sixth, the mechanism for closing the boxes; seventh, the
means for removing the boxes after they have been filled and closed; eighth,
mechanism for advancing the boxes step by step and for locking the belts.

page_text: FIRST THE MAIN FRAME OF THE MACHINE, THE SUPPORTS FOR THE
OPERATIVE PARTS AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SAME.
The letter A indicates the main frame of the machine, preferably made of cast
iron with legs B, B, side plates C, C, face-plate C¹ and back-plate C. The main
shaft E, by which motion is communicated to all parts of the machine, is journale 1
to frame A in bearings D, D; to shaft E is keyed the driving wheel F meshing
with pinion G by which, or some similar means, motion is communicated to all
the operative parts of the machine; to shaft E are also keyed various cam wheels
by which certain parts of the mechanism are put in operation. In addition to face
and back-plates Cand C the frame is braced by cross-plate A2 and by tie-rod B³
and by rod T supporting certain operating levers.
For holding boxes and covers in place on endless belts 3, 3, 3, the guards R, R,
are provided on each side, and the centre guide R¹ extending rearwardly from
centre rib R2. This centre rib R2 extends forwardly and is sustained by its widened
base on cross-plate A, and on it are set at its forward end the central inclined
planes M².
On the outer sides of frame A are firmly attached arms M, M, supporting
closing levers 84, 84; and to outer ends of rod B are journaled the retracting
levers 44, 44. On the main frame of the machine and toward the front are set on
each side of the retracting-slide brackets P, P, to which are journaled at J J the
front shaft 1. These brackets are best shown in Figures III, V, VI, VII, VIII.
Each of them is provided with a widened base P, and with widened upper
portions S S on which rest the closing slide brackets 0, 0, and between which
portions S S the bracket P is cut out leaving the groove U in which slides the
end 45 of the retracting slide 41. Rib R is provided with a corresponding
groove U between the upper extensions S S for receiving the center of slide 41.
To rear faces of brackets P P are journaled the rollers 102, 102, and to rear face
of rib R2 the idler 103, on which rollers runs the carrying out belt 101. On
retracting slide brackets P P, are set and firmly secured the closing-slide
brackets OO, which cover grooves U U; to brackets 00 is secured the hed
plate D having slots 117 in forward edge receiving hooks; and to ears A'A'
arranged near the forward ends of brackets 00, the leveler 61 by arms 66, 66.
On brackets OO at their forward ends are attached carrier arms FF, which
carry at their inner ends inclined planes M' M' corresponding to planes M² M.
Bolted to front of machine is face-plate C shown partly broken away in Figure III;
this acts as a stop to the forward motion of the boxes, and is provided with
slots 116, through which the forward hooks project.
SECOND THE MECHANISM FOR CARRYING IN THE BOXES.
This consists of endless ropes, tapes or chains of link belting 3, 3, 3, running on
sprocket wheels 2, 2, 2, keyed to front and rear shafts 1, 1, rear shaft being
journaled to frame A in bearings H, H, and front shaft to retracting slide
brackets P, P, in bearings JJ2. These chains are provided at regular intervals
with projections or teeth 4, 4, 4, with sufficient space between them easily to
receive the boxes, which teeth engage with the boxes and covers when they are set
in position on the belts. These belts are operated as more fully hereinafter
described, by belt 5 ruuning from sprocket wheel 6 on front shaft I to sprocket
wheel Jon main shaft E. The boxes W with their covers W, as shown in
Figures 1 and 5, are set in place on the belts 3, 3, 3, near the rear of the machine
between the guards R R and the centre guide R', the distance between guard R
and guide R being preferably a tritte less than the combined length of box W
and cover W', so that when set in place on the belts 3, 3, 3, the box extends
into its tubular cover a short distance. The box and cover being set in place on
the belts 3, 3, 3, are carried forward on this level into the machine until they

page_text: arrive at the front of the machine where they are received on the lifting
blades 31, 31, 31, and elevated to the upper level of the machine, that is the level
of the bed plate D'; when they arrive at this level they are immediately under
the sloping planes M M and M M and in position to be filled. This elevation
of the boxes to the filling position on the upper level is effected by
THIRD THE MECHANISM FOR ELEVATING THE BOXES.
This consists of the lever 24 provided with two forwardly extending arms 23, 23,
this lever being mounted freely on the cross bar or rod T by its sleeve so that the
forward ends of arms 23, 23, are free to move up and down through the are of a
circle. Lateral movement of lever 24, as well as of the curved operating lever 64
of the leveling mechanism is prevented by collars U U set firmly on rod T by set
screws.
Elevating slide 21 has ends 27, 27, grooved to fit tongues L' L' on frame, on
which it slides up and down; and on its under side bearings 26, 26, against
which bear antifriction rollers 25, 25, attached to ends of arms 23, 23; on the
upper face of slide 21 are firmly secured the vertical lifting blades 31, 31, 31,
which receive the boxes and covers from the belts. Slide 21 is elevated by
cam 22 on cam wheel 36, keyel to shaft E and rotating therewith; at each
rotation this cam bears against antifriction roller 34, pivoted to lever 24 between
its arms, forces upward the forward ends of said arms, which, bearing against the
bottom of slide 21, elevate said slide, the blades and the boxes carried thereon,
adjacent to the inclined planes M' and M.
FOURTH RETRACTING MECHANISM.
This consists of a retracting slide 41 extending from side to side entirely across
the machine and having ends 45, 45, which are fitted to slots U U in the
retracting-slide bracket so as to slide therein; slide 41 is also provided on its lower
face with guides 46, 46, which bear against inside faces of said brackets P, P. On
the upper surface of the retracting slide 41 are set and secured the hook
supports cec, formed each with two upwardly extending arms d d d and e e e,
and secured in place by bolts ; arms e e e are provided with forward
extensions ygg, whose forward ends are slightly curved downward at h h h, and
between arms d and e, on each support are pivoted one pair of the retracting
hooks a and b; in our drawing hook a is shown arranged next to arm d and hook
next to arm e.
Hook a is pivoted between the arms by pivot i, its hooked end m extending a
little forward of the curved end 4 of arm e, and its end a extending rearwardly
and acting as a counterpoise slightly to overbalance the hooked end m and to keep
it normally elevated, and at the same time, as a counterpoise to hook b, keeping its
rear end p elevated, the weight of end n being so proportioned that when slide 41
is run forward under a box, end m and end p will be easily depressed. The second
retracting-hook & lies next to arm e and is journaled thereto by rivet o at its
forward end; its rear end slants upwardly towards the rear, extending slightly
above arms d and e, having a vertical face p which acts as a hook for the purpose
of retracting secondarily the boxes and covers, which have been first retracted by
hook a near its rear end p, hook & is provided with a slot q in which rests the
journaling pivot i of hook a, so that the hook-end p can vibrate up and down
freely for a short distance. Hook a is provided with a pin r which engages in
the longitudinal slots provided in hook 6 at about its centre, so that when either
of the hook-ends m or p is depressed, the other will be depressed simultaneously;
the purpose of slot a is to prevent binding.
Slide 41 is connected by rod 54 to upper arm 53 of retracting lever 44, rod 54
being connected freely to both slide 41 and arm 53; forward end of lower arm 51
of lever 44 is provided with antifriction roller 55 engaging with cam-groove 42 on

page_text: inner face of cam-wheel 52, keyed to E and rotating therewith; as wheel 52
rotates an up and down motion is imparted to end of arm 51, by which through
arm 53 and rod 54, a reciprocating, horizontal, longitudinal movement is imparted
to slide 41, and therefore to retracting-hooks a and carried thereon.
By this means boxes and covers elevated on blades 31, 31, to level of bed
plate D are received on hooks a a and supports dd, with the open boxes
immediately under inclined planes M M and M M, and having been filled with
matches in this position, are retracted first by hooks aa which engage with forward
side of box, and second by hooks and are then left supported on bed plate D'
and immediately under leveler 61.
FIFTH MECHANISM FOR LEVELING THE MATCHES.
The leveler 61 which is provided for leveling and slightly compressing the
matches in the boxes and holding the boxes and covers in place, while they are
being closed, is a rectangular plate smooth on its under side and faced with
leather, felt, or other suitable substance; it is large enough completely to cover
the pair of filled boxes as they rest in the machine after being retracted and
to extend over the covers; leveler 61 is carried by its arms 66, 66, journaled to
ears A' A on closing slide bracket. The leveler is operated by cam 62 on
cam-wheel 72, which bears against the antifriction roller 68 pivoted on forward
end of curved lever 64; this lever is journaled by its rear sleeve to cross rod T,
so that its forward end may freely vibrate up and down. Attached to the
upper and inwardly curved end 69 of lever 64 is a socket 70, in which rests
the lower end of vertical rod 71, running through perforation 75 in the middle
rib R. The upper end of rod 71 rests against a rearwardly extending ear 73
of the leveler 61, so that when rod 71 is forced up by cam 62 the leveler is
also slightly raised, permitting the boxes to pass under, and again descending on
them, by its weight levels and slightly compresses the matches and holds the boxes
and covers in place while they are being closed by closing-slides 81, 81. The
necessity for the leveler 61 and its mode of operation are illustrated in Figures XT
and XVI; the matches held in the holes of the endless belt of the match
making machine (indicated in Figure X) are brought into position so as to extend
immediately over the box W and inclined planes M M; then ejected from belt
they fall some directly into box W, some first onto planes M M, thence into
box where they lie substantially parallel but a little piled up at each end of the
box, as shown in Figure XV; when the box has passed under the leveler 61, its
weight forces these piles down substantially level as shown in Figure XVI;
the upper layer of matches may still lie slightly above the edge of the box,
but the cover W, the box W, and the matches k being firmly held in position by
the leveler 61, the cover is forced over this upper layer and onto the box without
difficulty.
Box RETAINER.
To guides 87, 87, on closing slide brackets O are secured inwardly extending
arms 104, 104, to which is journaled the box retainer composed of arms 105, 105,
extending forward over arms 66, 66, of the leveler on which they rest, and
carrying on their forward ends the retaining plate 106, which extends down close
to bed plate D'. It is evident that this plate is elevated simultaneously with
the leveler permitting one pair of boxes and covers to pass under it, at the same
time that the pair immediately behind them, pass into position under the leveler;
normally it rests in its position close to bed plate retaining in position the boxes,
which are sometimes disarranged by the forwardly moving hooks or otherwise.
SIXTH Box CLOSING MECHANISM.
On top of each retracting-slide bracket F on each side of the machine is secured
firmly by bolts 88, the closing-slide bracket O consisting of a base 86 extending
Ingitudinally formince the bad of the hunokat
night analan thenate the

page_text: guiding piece 87, preferably integral with base; this guiding piece is formed on
its interior with grooves and lips to which slide 81 is fitted, and on which it runs
with a reciprocating, lateral, horizontal motion. On bracket O forward of guiding
piece 87 is the car A' to which arm 66 is pivoted, and further forward is
supported the carrying arm F. The reciprocating motion is communicated to
slide 81 by closing lever 84, supported near its middle by pin 96 in forked end N
of arm M; at its upper end it is connected by pin 93 and link 95 to extension 94
on outer end of slide 81; and at lower end is provided with antifriction roller 98
which engages in eccentric groove 82 on roller 97, carried on outer end of main
shaft E and rotating therewith; as roller 97 rotates, the antifriction roller 93
follows eccentric groove 82, and reciprocating horizontal motion through closing
lever 84 is thus communicated to closing-slide 81.
SEVENTH CARRYING OUT MECHANISM.
The boxes having been leveled, closed, and pushed back in the machine by the
boxes which are being continually retracted, are pushed onto the carrying out
belt 101 which is an endless belt running on rollers 102, 102, 102, and on soine
outside roller at its outer end (not shown), and which may be supported at its
center by au idler 103. This belt 101 carries the boxes off to one side of the
machine where it delivers them over its outer end into some suitable receptacle.
EIGHTH MECHANISM FOR ADVANCING THE BOXES STEP BY STEP
AND FOR LOCKING THE CHAINS.
The earrying chains may be operated by means of a belt running from pulley on
main shaft to pulley keyed on one of the shafts 1, 1, or by other desired means;
but we prefer to give to them a regular step by step movement by the following
mechanism:
To end of arm 107 projecting inwardly from frame is journaled lever 108
having on its lower end an adjustable weight 109 by which upper end of lever is
held up against one of the sprocket wheels and in engagement with the teeth, thus
locking the shafts, sprocket wheels, and chains carried thereon. On main shaft E
is keyed a cam wheel 110 whose cam at each rotation engages with antifriction
roller 111 on lower end of lever 108, which is elevated while said roller is passing
over the cam, and upper end of lever disengaged frem sprocket teeth, leaving
shafts and sprockets free to rotate, and chains and boxes to advance.
Belt 5 runs from sprocket wheel J to sprocket wheel 6 threaded freely on front
shaft 1; said wheel 6 is held between two friction plates, oue, 112 keyed on
Trout shaft 1, and the other, 113, threaded thereon, and forend inwardly to grip
wheel 6 by means of spring 114, pressure being regulated by nut 115; washers of
fibre or leather may be arranged between each plate and sprocket wheel. By this
arrangement, when upper end of lever 108 is in engagement with the sprocket
wheel with which it is arranged to engage, shafts, sprocket wheels, and chains are
positively locked, while wheel 6 continues to revolve idly between plates 112
and 113, the pressure of the spring being regulated; when, however, end of
lever 108 is thrown out of engagement with sprocket wheel by cam on wheel 110,
then motion is communicated to front shaft 1 and sprocket wheels keyed thereon
and through them to carrying chains and boxes.
MODE OF OPERATION.
The empty boxes W with their covers W₁ are set in position by the operator
on the carrying chains or endless belts 3, 3, 3, as indicated in Figure I and
Figure V, the box W being set on the inside against guide R', and the cover on
the outside against guard R, the distance between guide RT and guard R being a little
less than the combined length of the box and cover, so that the end of box extends a
short distance into its cover. The boxes, engaged by teeth 4, 4, are carriert
forward step by step until they arrive at the front of the machine immediately

page_text: over the elevating mechanism where further movement is prevented by face
plate C; the box and cover are then in position to be received on the elevating
blades 31, 31, 31, and are elevated to the upper level-the level of the bed
plate D by the elevating mechanism, which is put into operation by cam 22,
whose wheel 36 is rotating with main shaft E; cam 22 bears against roller 34
pivoted between arms 23, of lever 24, and communicates upward motion to
iever 24 and so to elevating slide 21, on whose upper surface are the elevating
blades 31, 31; when the box arrives at this upper level, it is received on
hooks aa and arms e e, which are carried on retracting-slide 41, on which the
box and cover are then sustained, the blades 31, 31, and elevating slide 21 then
falling away in this position the hook ends m m, of the hooks a a engage with
the forward side of box and cover, so as to draw them back when hooks are
retracted. The box is now held immediately under inclined planes M' M² and
in position to be filled with matches; while here in this position, and before the
retracting slide is operated, the match making machine is timed to eject from
its endless belt enough matches to fill the two boxes under the inclined planes
(which is what we call the first position). As the matches are expelled with
some force from endless belt, the guard plate C is arranged immediately back
of inclined planes to insure the deposition of the matches in the boxes. The
boxes being filled, the retracting mechanism is timed to come into operation and
the boxes are retracted by hooks a a which engage with front of box and cover;
by this means they are retracted into second position, or position in which their
front edges are engaged by hooks bb, so that at the next operation of the
retracting mechanism, the first box is retracted by hooks bb, into third position
under leveler 61, simultaneously the second box is being retracted by hooks a a
into second position, the following boxes are being carried in, elevated and filled
continuously and successively. It will be noticed that the operation of cam slot 42
on lever 44 is timed to correspond with that of the longer cam 22 on lever 24,
so that while the box is being held at the upper level on the blades 31, 31, by
operation of this longer cam 22 on lever 24, the preceding box has been retracted
and the slide 41 returned to its normal or forward position, when it is in position to
receive another box on hooks a a and arms e e.
Next comes the operation of the leveling mechanism, which is so timed that by
means of cam 62, lever 64, and rod 71, the leveler 61 will be raised so as to permit
the boxes to be retracted freely, and the first box, or the first pair, to be moved
into position under it, when the roller 68 on lever 64 having been passed over the
cam 62, the leveler settles back onto the boxes filled with matches and their
covers, holding them in position with some firmness, and also leveling and
compressing the matches. Retaining plate is, of course, raised simultaneously
with leveler. The leveler 61 having settled down onto the boxes, the closing
mechanism before described comes into operation. This closing is performed
by a lateral end pressure of the closing-slide 81 on the outer end of cover W' so
as to force the cover over the filled box, while the matches as well as box are
held in position by the leveler. The weight of the leveler is not great but
sufficient to compress matches and hold boxes and covers firmly without crushing,
while the covers are being forced on; there is no such force applied to matches
as to run any risk of igniting them by friction against the leveler, the cover, or
among the matches.
All these steps of the process are performed during one rotation of main shaft,
and on the next rotation of the shaft the same operation of elevating one box,
retracting another by the first hooks, and retracting a third by the second hooks
is performed, so that the box now resting under the leveler is forced rearwardly
by these following boxes into what may he called the fourth position on the
bed plate between the leveler and the carrying out belt 101, and by the next
operation it is moved into the fifth position and onto the belt 101 by which
immediately and as fast as they are fed to it they are carried off to the side of the
machine.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is :-
1. In an automatically-operating match boxing machine, the combination of a
suitable supporting frame, a suitable conveyor for carrying in the empty boxes and
their covers, a cam-operated slide for elevating said boxes and covers to a position
to receive the matches expelled from a match-making machine, a horizontal slide
carrying hooks adapted to engage the boxes and retract the same when filled, a
weight raised by cain-action and dropping by gravity for compressing the matches
in the box and holding said box and its cover in place, and cam-operated slides for
closing the box, said slides operating at a right angle.
2. In a match boxing machine, mechanism for supporting and carrying in the
empty boxes and their covers, said mechanism consisting of shafts, sprocket wheels
keyed thereon, endless chains running over said sprocket wheels, and means for
rotating said shafts, in combination with a vertically reciprocating slide carrying
lifting blades adapted to move between the sprocket wheels on the front shaft
and to elevate the boxes and covers to the filling position, substantially as
specified.
3. In a match boxing machine, the combination with the box and cover,
supporting and carrying in mechanism consisting of front and rear shafts carrying
a series of sprocket wheels, endless chaius or belts running over said sprocket
wheels, and means for rotating said shafts and sprocket wheels; of a vertically
reciprocating slide carrying lifting blades adapted to move between the sprocket
wheels on the shaft and to elevate the boxes and covers to the filling position,
and a horizontal slide provided with hooks adapted to engage and retract said
boxes and covers, substantially as specified.
4. In a match boxing machine, the combination, with a series of endless chains
or belts rotatably supported, of a vertically reciprocating slide carrying lifting
blades adapted to move between the chains or belts and elevate the boxes and
covers, a horizontal slide provided with hooks adapted to engage the boxes and
retract the same, and mechanism for leveling the matches, substantially as
specified.
5. In a match boxing machine, the combination, with a series of endless chains
or belts rotatably supported, of a vertically reciprocating slide carrying lifting-
blades adapted to move between said chaius or belts and elerate the boxes and
covers, a horizontal slide provided with hooks adapted to engage the boxes and
retract the same, mechanism for leveling the matches, and mechanism for closing
the boxes, substantially as specified.
6. In a match boxing machine, the combination, with a series of rotatable chains
or belts for carrying in the boxes and their covers, a vertically reciprocating slide
carrying lifting-blades, a cam-operative lever for operating said slide to elevate
said boxes and covers, of a horizontally reciprocating slide carrying retracting-
books, a cam-operated lever for operating said slide, a cam-operated gravity
weight for leveling the matches, and means for closing the boxes, substantially as
specified.
7. In a machine for performing automatically the operations necessary for filling
boxes with matches the combination of the frame supporting the operative parts,
a conveyor for carrying in the empty boxes and covers, a slide for elevating the
boxes adjacent to guides down which matches expelled from match-making
machines drop into boxes, a cam-operated slide carrying retracting hooks for
withdrawing the filled boxes, said boxes resting by their own weight on said
conveyor, an clevating slide and a retracting slide.
8. In a machine for performing automatically the operations necessary for filling
boxes with matches, the combination of the main frame, endless chains or belts
5 for carrying in the empty boxes and covers, cam-operated slides and carrying
blades for elevating the same inclined planes for guiding matches expelled from

page_text: the match-making machine into the boxes, cam-operated mechanism for retracting
the boxes, gravity weight for leveling the matches and holding the boxes in position,
and cam-operated mechanism for simultaneously closing the boxes, substantially as
described and showu.
9. In a machine for performing automatically the operations for filling boxes
with matches, the combination of the main frame, endless chains or belts for
carrying in the empty boxes and covers, cam-operated slides for elevating the
same, cam-operated slides carrying retracting books for retracting the filled
boxes, mechanism for leveling the matches and holding the boxes in position, and
simultaneously-acting cam-operated slides for closing the boxes, substantially as
described and shown.
10. In an auton:atic machine for filling boxes with matches, endless chains or
belts for carrying in the empty boxes and covers, cam-operated vertically-recipro-
cating slides for elevating the same, cam-operated longitudinally and horizontally
reciprocating slides for retracting the boxes, cam-operated gravity weight for
leveling the matches in the boxes and holding the boxes in position, and cam-
operated transversely-horizontally-reciprocating slides for closing the boxes,
substantially as described and shown.
11. In an automatic machine for filling boxes with matches, endless chains or
belts for carrying in the empty boxes and covers, cam-operated vertically-recipro-
cating slides carrying vertical blades for elevating the same, cam-operated
longitudinally-horizontally-reciprocating slides carrying a double set of retracting
hooks arranged in pairs for retracting the boxes, cam-operated gravity weight for
leveling the matches in the boxes and holding the boxes in position, and cam-
operated transversely horizontally-reciprocating slides for closing the boxes,
substantially as described and shown.
12. In an automatic machine for filling boxes with matches, endless chains or
belts for carrying in the empty boxes and covers, cam-operated vertically-recipro-
cating slides carrying vertical blades for elevating the same, cam-operated
longitudinally horizontally-reciprocating slides carrying a double set of retracting
hooks arranged in pairs for retracting the boxes, cam-operated gravity weight for
leveling the matches in the boxes and holding the boxes in position, cam-operated
transversely horizontally-reciprocating slides for closing the boxes, and endless
belt transversely operating for carrying away the filled and closed boxes,
substantially as described and shown.
13. In a machine for performing automatically the operations necessary for
filling boxes with matches, the combination of the frame supporting the operative
parts, a conveyor for carrying in the empty boxes and covers, a slide for elevating
the boxes adjacent to guides down which matches expelled from match-making
machine drop into boxes, a cam-operated slide carrying retracting hooks for with-
drawing the filled boxes, said boxes resting by their own weight on said conveyor,
an elevating slide, a retracting slide, a cam-elevated weight timed to be elevated
to permit the boxes to take position under it, and dropping by its own weight to
compress matches and to hold box and cover in place, while a transverse cam-
operated slide is forcing cover on filled box.
14. lu an automatic match boxing machine, the combination with a suitable
conveyor for carrying in the empty boxes and their covers, a vertically-operating
slide for elevating the boxes and covers, of a horizontally-reciprocating slide
carrying one or more sets of pivoted hooks arranged to pass under a filled
box and engage its forward edge when the slide is moved forward and to
draw the box back when said slide is retracted, and a cam-operated lever for
operating the slide.
15. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, the combination
of an elevating-slide supporting vertical lifting blades and provided with slide guides
for guiding it in its reciprocating motion on the main frame, and a cam-operated
lever for elevating said slide, in combination with retracting hooks adapted to pass
between the lifting blades.

page_text: 16. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, meaus for elevating
the boxes, consisting of a vertically-reciprocating slide formed to fit main frame
and slide thereon, vertical lifting-blades arranged on said slide, a cam-operated
lever bearing against the under side of said slide at one end, and supported ou a
shaft at its opposite end, and a cam keyed to main shaft for forcing said lever
upwardly at each rotation, in combination with retracting hooks adapted to pass
between the lifting blades.
17. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, means for
elevating the boxes, consisting of a slide formed with guideways at each end fitted
to the main supporting frame, and carrying vertical lifting-blades on its upper side
and provided with a widened bearing face or faces below, a cam-operated lever
baving an antifriction roller or rollers at one end bearing against said widened
bearing face and supported at its opposite end freely on an axle, another antifriction
roller arranged between two arms of said lever, aud a cam carried on a cam-wheel
keyed to main shaft for bearing against said second antifriction roller and forcing
said lever up at each rotation, in combination with a slide carrying retracting
hooks arranged to pass between the lifting blades, substantially as described
and shown.
18. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, means for retracting
the filled boxes, consisting of a suitable support, a horizontally-reciprocating slide
supported thereon and arranged on the upper face of said slide two sets of retracting
hooks arranged in pairs, said pairs composed one of each set, and a cam-operated
lever for reciprocating said slide, substantially as described and shown.
19. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, means for
retracting the filled boxes, consisting of a suitable support, a horizontally-
reciprocating slide supported thereon, and arranged on the upper face of said
slide, two sets of retracting hooks arranged in pairs, said pairs composed one-
of each set, and a cam-operated lever for reciprocating said slide, and a lever
having two arms, a connecting bar connecting upper arm of said lever to
said slide and antifriction roller arranged at end of lever arm, said antifriction
roller taking in a cam slot on face of wheel keyed to main shaft.
20. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, a retracting slide
fitted to slide on its supporting frame, and arranged on its upper side sets of
forward and rearward retracting hooks, said hooks, one of each set, being arranged
in pairs, each pair being pivoted between the two arms of a hook support, one of
said arms being provided with forwardly-extending portion, substantially as
described and shown.
21. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, a retracting-slide
fitted to slide on its supporting frame, and arranged on its upper side sets of forward
and rearward retracting hooks, said hooks, one of each set, being arranged in pairs,
each pair being pivoted between the two arms of a hook support one of said arms
being provided with forwardly-extending portion next to which the rearward hook is
arranged, substantially as described and shown.
22. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, retracting-
slides 41, carrying hook supports cc, provided with upwardly extending
arms d and e, and pivoted between said forwardly exending arms hook b having
rearward face p, and hook a having forwardly extending hooked end m and
rearwardly extending portion, substantially as described and shown.
23. In a machine for automatically filling boxes with matches, means for retracting
the filled boxes, consisting of a cam-operated slide suitably supported, one or
more sets of hooks carried thereon, said hooks having forward hooked ends and
rearward extensions, and being freely sustained on pivots near their centre points,
so that the hooked ends are normally elevated and easily depressed.
24. In a match boxing machine, the box and cover, carrying-in mechanism
consisting of front and rear shafts, sprocket wheels keyed thereon, endless chains or
belts running on said sprocket wheels, means for locking said chains and sprocket
wheels, consisting of a lever normally engaging with one of said sprocket wheels,.
B

page_text: and a cam wheel for temporarily disengaging said lever from said sprocket wheel
and permitting the chains to advance a certain distance, substantially as specified.
Dated this Twenty-first day of July 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.