Improvements in or relating to Matchboxes and Apparatus applicable for Manufacturing Match and other Boxes and Bags of Cardboard, Paper, or other suitable material.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Matchboxes
and Apparatus
applicable for Manufacturing Match and other Boxes and Bags
of Cardboard, Paper, or other suitable material.
A communication from abroad by JEAN MAURICE LAVIGNE, of Marseilles, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M, E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present application for Provisional Protection is a machine for
manufacturing match and other like boxes. It also relates to an improved match box,
more particularly to the mechanical connection for the various parts of the said box,
whereby the use of glue, hooks or clasps is obviated.
The successive operations which transform cardboard blanks, previously cut out
with the stamp, info match boxes solidly made without glue, hooks or clamps, are as
follows:
The cardboard blanks cut out are placed on a plunger or piston of a lifter operated
by a piston rod, which rises by means of a lever with a counterweight.
The lifter being loaded with a sufficient number of cardboard.blanks, the admission
door of the same is closed and the machine set in action.
An automatic gripper exerts immediately a slight pressure at a depth of about
15 millimetres on the cardboard blanks arranged in the lifter and retained (or held in
position) by a card presser in such a way that the gripper can only seize a single one
at a time. This cardboard blank is seized by the diverging needles of the gripper
with such delicacy that the said needles leave no mark on it. It is then carried by a
rectilinear movement, first horizontally and then vertically, into a matrix where it is
placed at a depth of about 15 millimetres.
The first folding of the cardboard blanks is due to the action of the gripper which
is withdrawn in order to make way for a mandrel or punch. This latter completes
the folding of the box by pressing it back into the matrix. At this moment, claws
penetrate into the interior of the box, into which they pass by the sides for fastening
and mortising it, which does away with the use of glue..
The return of the mandrel about to make another box drives the first one out by
a. tube.
This description applies specially to the shell of the box. The movements are
absolutely the same for the drawer, but the claws are dispensed with and replaced
by springs turning down the four upper parts of the drawer, which, in order to be
completed, undergoes the action of the following drawer, which fastens up the
preceding one, and pushes it simultaneously into the tube aforesaid.
The manufacture of shells and drawers continues regularly, and only ceases for
want of a supply of cardboard blanks. But the interruption of the supply is notified
to the operative by the plate of the piston rod, which, striking against a peg, pushes
a spring ending in a bell, the audible ringing of which indicates that the platform
must be recharged with cardboard blanks.
Several machines may be arranged on one frame, and consequently several kinds of
boxes can be made simultaneously, or even one machine can be devoted entirely to
the manufacture of-shells, and another to the drawers. In the one which is described
in this Specification each frame carries four machines which can produce fifty

page_text: thousand shells and fifty thousand drawers.or together a hundred thousand articles per
day, and a single operative is sufficient to feed them.
By the preceding it may be seen that this machine, for producing, automatically.
match boxes without glue, is composed of the main frame of the machine, and of
several devices, each forming individual inventions in themselves for the functions
they are called upon to fulfil. The exclusive right is, therefore, not only claimed for
the whole of these mechanisms constituting, by their combination, the machine, but
also for each of these devices taken separately, whenever their utilisation may be
applied to the manufacture of match boxes without glue.
The machine is not limited to the manufacture of match boxes, it can be employed
for the manufacture of many other kinds of boxes or bags of cardboard and paper,
the different parts of which are fastened together without having recourse to glue,
hooks or clasps.
The machine being automatic, a single operative suffices to feed and watch several;
and this effects a considerable saving of labour. The economy is made still more
apparent when the production of four machines arranged on one frame, working
together, giving a yield of fifty thousand shells and fifty thousand drawers, or a
hundred thousand articles per day, is considered, which would represent the work of
a hundred hands.
Further it must be pointed out that the boxes obtained by this machine are perfectly
made and of a mathematical regularity which it has never been possible to obtain by
hand work.
The importance of this result is very considerable, seeing that it prevents the
production of badly shaped ones, and the consequent rejections.
Some of the principal elements of the machine are as follows:-
The body or frame.
The base on which the frame rests.
The axle carrying the cams, flywheels and pulleys.
The ram actuating the main connecting rods.
The rod giving movement to the gripper.
The rod operating the mandrel or punch.
The rod operating the grips.
The rod working the two cardboard pressers.
The lever with counterpoise operating the rod
The lever operating the rod of two the cardboard pressers and another rod.
The lever carrying a counterweight serving to return the piston rod of the elevator
or lifter.
The disengaging device, the lifter fitted with door raising the cardboard cut into
blanks.
The gripper having divergent needles and a rectilinear movement.
The matrix in which the boxes are formed without glue.
The mandrel or punch shaping out and bending the pieces of cardboard cut out in
the matrix.
The screw knob for regulating the said mandrel.
The tube serving as a passage for the boxes.
The piston rod of the lifter having a plate at its upper end, and the cardboard
blank stamper.
In addition to the aforesaid devices, there are the claws for putting together,
fastening and mortising the boxes which have already been alluded to.
Dated this 26th day of November 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant,

page_text: c, divergent needles of the gripper O.
d, reciprocating cam plate for actuating the gripper 0.
ec, parts of the cardboard blank of the box shell V, bent up by means of the
pegs gg, when the said blank has been driven to a depth of say 6 millimetres into
the matrix P.
ff, lateral edges of the cardboard V bent by the flanges
gy, bending pegs of the matrix P (see Figure 12).
of the matrix P.
hh, parts of the cardboard blank forming the drawer X by means of the pegs g
when the blank has been forced, say 6 millimetres into the matrix.
iiiii, parts of the cardboard blank of the drawer X bent up by the flanges of
theatrix when the blank has been driven in 15 millimetres.
slot into which the buckle is forced when a second drawer is introduced
into the matrix.
kk, springs for re-bending the upper parts of the drawer after the plunger is
withdrawn.
friction strips of the lift N.
mmm, screws serving to regulate the strips 1 l.
nn, alarm bell of the lift N.
o, bowls supporting the gripper
upon the cam plate P.
P P, sliding block of the gripper O.
44, horizontal guide of the gripper U.
sts angles of the cam-plate d.
u, spring catch of the gripper 0.
vv fixed plates comprising the matrix P.
sliding plates placed six millimetres lower down than the plates,v v.
yy, screws serving to regulate the sliding plates.
z, horizontal plates of the matrix P.
1, block in which the gripper slides vertically.
2, adjustable stops of the gripper O.
3, tail of the spring catch u.
4, projecting stop of the catch u.
5, cam-groove guiding the bowl G which serves to actuate the lever K.
6, 6, jointed levers of the matrix P.
7, 7, beveled extremities of the levers 6, 6.
8, 8, levers connected to the claws U U of the matrix P.
9, 9, springs for returning the claws U U out of the matrix P.

page_text: The main parts composing this machine having been enumerated their mode of
working will now be described :-
The match boxes are composed of two parts, the tube or shell (Figure 5) and
the drawer X (Figure 7). The movements and the parts which form the shell are
practically the same as those which form the drawer X.
The description therefore will be limited to the mode of forming the shell V
and then the few modifications required for making the drawer will be described
separately.
The cardboard blanks Y having been previously cut out by a punch and having
the form shown in Figure 5, are placed on the plate a of the piston T of the lift N,
this piston pressing in an upward direction by means of the counterpoise lever L.
This lift (shown in elevation, Figure 13 and in plan Figure 14) is composed of an open
framework box of approximately rectangular section of the shape of the cardboard
blanks, in which the piston T, having a plate a supporting the set of blanks Z travels.
In the inside walls of this lifter N are six friction strips furnished with little
teeth like those of a saw.
These strips exert a pressure on the layer of blanks in order to steady them; they
can be regulated by means of set screws m m. A card presser Y also fitted with
little teeth presses on the card blanks and makes a slight movement backward in
order to allow the gripper O to take one blank. This movement takes place by
means of the rod H fixed on the lever K which is connected to the cam D by a
bowl running in its groove.
When the cardboard blanks have all been removed
the plate a strikes against a peg which causes a spring door to open. This latter is
supplied with a little hammer which strikes a bell and which gives warning in con-
sequence that there are no more blanks.
The cut out blanks having been placed as described above, on the plate «, the
machine is set in action by causing the clutch of the apparatus to become engaged by
meaus of the lever M. The lever J has a bowl J which follows all the curves of
groove in the cam D; this, turning, causes the said lever to move which actuates
the sliding block by means of a pitman E. On the block which slides horizontally
in the guides, a reciprocating cam-plate d is fixed. This cam d is in two parts
between which a vertical block 1 slides horizontally, on which block the gripper O
travels vertically and is supported and stopped on each side of the cam-plated by
two pinions o
Supposing the apparatus to be in the position indicated at Figure 5:
By the first movement towards the left, the gripper descends in the lifter to a
depth of about 15 millimetres and seizes a cardboard blank with such delicacy that the
This movement is
divergent needles leave hardly any trace on the cardboard.
partly brought about by the stop 2 at the left hand which prevents the block 1 (in
which the gripper O slides) from advancing, whilst the cam plate d actuated by the
pitman E, making a movement towards the left, forces the pinions which stand at s
to go to t. By reason of this descent the extremity of the gripper O which is ou
springs, is caught by the spring catch u.
"
By the second movement, the gripper O rises. This movement takes place by
means of the cam plate d (still pursuing its motion towards the left) and forces the
rollers O to rise to S¹.
By the third movement, the cam plate d and the gripper 0 are carried to exactly
above the matrix P by the pitman E which returns towards the right bringing with it
the sliding block on which are fixed the above described parts.
In the third and fifth movements, the tail 3 of the catch u encounters the projecting
stop which causes it to unhook itself and allows the spring end of the gripper O
to act.
By the fourth movement, the pitman E continuing its motion towards the right and
the part 1 striking against the stop 2, the cam-plate d forces the pinions o to return
to t, and consequently the gripper O to penetrate 15 millimetres into the matrix,
bending up the cardboard blank Z, as is shown in Figures 3 and 4 for the case V and
in Figure 6 for the drawer X.

page_text: By the fifth movement the rollers
first movement.
return to S, which is the exact reverse of the
By the sixth movement, the rectilinear cam d and the gripper () return to their
places in order to recommence the cycle of operations.
When the gripper, making its fourth movement descends into the matrix P, the
edges and ff of the blank Y not being covered by the gripper O, encounter the
pegs gg, and the edges of the matrix P which bend them respectively as shown
in Figures 3 and 4.
The bent cardboard blank rests on the plate Z, (see Figure 12); at this moment the
plunger or punch Q sliding vertically between two guides fixed on the frame A, forces
the tube or case V into the tube of rectangular section formed by the plates a
and zz.
The tube is then in the position shown in Figures 11 and 12. The
descending movement of the plunger Qis produced by the connecting rod F moved
by the rocking lever I, which itself receives its motion from the cam D. The said
plunger is cut out or slotted at the sides to allow the ends of the claws U to pass:
Screw knobs R serve to regulate it and vertical springs assist its ascending motion.
The box shell V, when forced into the rectangular tube of the matrix is perfectly
bent into shape and it suffices, in order to complete it, to buckle and insert the
sides one into the other and this operation will now be described.
Claws set in action by a bell crank connected to the pitman G moved by the
cam D, are inserted in the sides of the box, entering the slots in the plunger
fasten the sides f f.
This operation is executed in the following manner;-
and
The bowl G guided by a cam groove 5, pushes up on each side the jointed
levers 6, 6, which by means of their beveled ends 7, 7, and acting as inclined planes
push up in their turn the levers 8, 8,.connected with the claws U. Springs 99 push
up the claws out of the matrix when the fastening is completed and the bowl G₁
moved by the cam D (by means of the lever K) returns the levers 6, 6, to their
primitive position ready to commence another operation.
It should be noted that the plunger Q when withdrawing cannot displace the box
shell which is retained by springs k formed preferably of a thin strip of steel fixed on
the inside of the plates and projecting to the thickness of a card. On the same
movements being repeated the second shell V drives out the first one by the tube S.
The tube or case V is thus entirely made.
As regards the drawer X (Figures 6, 7 and 8) the movements are almost the same
with the exception that the claws U are done away with and replaced by springs k.
The lift N for making a drawer is constructed exactly in the same manner as that
already described. It has the same dimensions as the drawer instead of as the tube;
it goes through the same movements.
The gripper O is identical with that already described except in the dimensions of
its lower part it also goes through the same movements.
On entering the matrix to a depth of 6 millimetres, the gripper bends at right
angles the five parts h, h, h, h, h³ by means of the pegs g, placed in the requisite
position.
Then penetrating in the matrix to the depth of 15 millimetres, the gripper () turns
up the six parts i, i, i, i, i, i, and retires.
Then the plunger Q enters the tube forming the bottom of the matrix, always
describing the movements already enumerated in the case of the shell V, and in with-
drawing from the drawer X raises forcibly the upper parts of the cardboard blank,
which compose the front of the drawer; but these parts, having already been bent,
return of themselves with the aid of the springs & placed in the wall of the matrix.
A second drawer pressing on the first causes the buckle h¹ to enter the slot jand
expels it by the tube S.
It is to be understood that the dimensions mentioned in this Specification may be
varied.
The manufacture of shells and drawers continues. regularly, and only ceases for
want of a supply of cardboard blanks. But the interruption of the supply is notified

page_text: to the operative by the plate of the piston rod, which, striking against a peg, pushes
a spring ending in a bell, the audible ringing of which indicates that the platform
must be recharged with cardboard blanks.
Several machines may be arranged on one frame, and consequently several kinds of
boxes can be made simultaneously, or even one machine can be devoted entirely to the
manufacture of shells, and another to the drawers. In the one which is described in
this Specification each frame carries four machines which can produce fifty thousand
shells and fifty thousand drawers, or together a hundred thousand articles per day, and
a single operative is sufficient to feed them.
By the preceding, it may be seen that this machine, for producing, automatically,
match boxes without glue, is composed of the main frame of the machine, and of
several devices, each forming individual inventions in themselves for the functions
they are called upon to fulfil. The exclusive right is, therefore, not only claimed for
the whole of these mechanisms constituting, by their combination, the machine, but
also for each of these devices taken separately, whenever their utilisation may be
applied to the manufacture of match boxes without glue.
The machine is not limited solely to the manufacture of match boxes, it can be
employed for the manufacture of many other kinds of boxes or bags of cardboard
and paper, the different parts of which are fastened together without having recourse
to glue, hooks or clasps.
The machine being automatic, a single operative suffices to feed and watch
several; and this effects a considerable saving of labour. The economy is made
still more apparent when the production of four machines arranged on one frame.
working together, giving a yield of fifty thousand shells and fifty thousand
drawers, or a hundred thousand articles per day, is considered, which would
represent the work of a hundred hands.
Further it must be pointed out that the boxes obtained by this machine are
perfectly made and of a mathematical regularity which it has never been possible to
obtain by hand work.
The importance of this result is very considerable seeing that it prevents the
production of badly shaped ones, and the consequent rejections.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. In a machine such as described
(a) The lifter for supplying the blanks,
(b) The gripper for transporting said blanks to the matrix,
(c) The matrix in combination with the mandrel therefor,
all substantially as described.
2. The machine taken as a whole, for manufacturing boxes for matches, or the like,
substantially as described.
3. The manufacture of boxes for matches, or the like without glue, hooks or clasps, .
substantially as described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.