Improvements in Lucifer Matches.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
Improvements in Lucifer Matches.
I, WILLIAM LUCIEN GORDON, of 256, West 43rd Street, New York, in the County
and State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, 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:
This invention relates to improvements in headless matches free from phos-
phorus and which are intended to ignite by scratching against a suitably prepared
surface.
Matches have heretofore been made in which a sulfate of ammonia is employed
in connection with sodium chlorate; but the volatile nature of such materials
renders the match unreliable and subject to deterioration it is shown herein that
by substituting a metallic sulfate for the ammonia sulfate the match is rendered
durable.
The process of making these improved matches is as follows:-
-
The match-blanks or wooden splints of suitable cross-section, usually square,
are tied up and fastened into bundles of five hundred, one thousand, or ten
thousand or more, as may be most convenient for handling, forming thus a sort
of round disk, which is advantageously made straight on both sides by placing it
on a flat surface or pressing down the splints that protrude. The splints are
preferably individually rounded on the end as by this means ignition is rendered
easier. The disks are first thoroughly dried and then dipped, preferably on both
sides, into substantially the following solution: 87.5 parts sodium chlorate,
125 parts gum-arabic, 75 parts sulfate of a metal proper, and one hundred and
twenty-five parts water.
In carrying out this invention a sulfate of one of the metals proper, otherwise
known as the "heavier" metals, excluding the metals of the alkalies or of the
alkaline earths, is employed, preferably using copperas or sulfate of iron. After
dipping, the disks of matches are to be thoroughly dried, and then they are dipped
into an inflammable waterproof solution. A preferred mixture for the solution
is twenty-five parts rosin, 675 parts turpentine liquid, one hundred and twenty-
five parts oleic acid, best quality, and 375 parts linseed-oil.
The dipping should be to a greater depth than the dipping into the oxidizing
solution, in order that the water-proofing inflammable material may coat the
match to the middle portion, or nearly so, and fully cover the oxidizing solution.
After the matches thus dipped have been thoroughly dried they are ready to be
filled into boxes of any suitable size for sale. The boxes have on one or more of
their surfaces a coating upon which the match can be ignited by friction, such
coating consisting of twenty-five parts amorphous phosphorus, 125 parts antimony,
3.75 parts glass powder, twenty-five parts water, and 625 parts gum-arabic.
It will be seen that the matches on being dipped at their ends into the solution
containing the oxidizing ingredient or consuming agent will take up or absorb the
said ingredient mostly or substantially at their ends, the same penetrating into
the wood from the end but accumulating most toward or at the ends. This is a
very important point, for if said oxidizing ingredient were distributed uniformly

page_text: through the match, as would be the case if the whole match was immersed in the
solution, the result would be that the whole match would be so violently com-
bustible that it would be consumed almost immediately, flashing explosively from
end to end, and would thus be unsuitable for use. On the other hand, care must
be exercised to insure the taking up of enough of the oxidizing material to ignite
the match. It is thus apparent that what is desired is an accumulation of the
oxidizing ingredients toward the end of the match. This is obtained by the
process above described of dipping the match endwise; and it is advantageous
to have the igniting agent at each end of the match, because either end may be
ignited, which is an important consideration with the headless match, and the
comparatively unimpregnated central portion of the match will carry the flame,
but slowly, so that the match can safely be held while burning, and the second
end may be ignited if desired.
In tuis improvement all the impregnations or treatments can be effected while
the matches are assembled in compact bundles, enabling large quantities to be
simultaneously treated and rendering the process an extremely rapid and cheap
one.
This process is the first to produce a safe and practical headless match, and the
advantages of such a match in regard to closeness and ease of packing and in
other respects are obvious. The coating of the match by an inflammable water-
proof material maintains the efficiency of the oxidizing materials, and adds to
the inflammability of the match, the rosin, oleic acid, etcetera, being moisture
resisting.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A headless safety match made in accordance with the herein before described
process.
2. The method herein described, of manufacturing headless safety-matches,
which consists in applying to the end or ends of the match-splints sodium chlorate,
a sulfate of a metal proper and a gum in solution, so as to impregnate the end
or ends of the splints, thoroughly drying and subsequently dipping the splints to
a greater depth in a hydrocarbon water-proof solution, substantially as described.
3. A solution for the impregnation of matches in the manufacture of safety-
matches, consisting of sodium chlorate, gum-arabic, a sulfate of a metal proper and
water, substantially as specified.
4. A solution for treating matches after their impregnation with an oxidizing
or consuming agent, said solution consisting of rosin, turpentine, oleic acid and
linseed oil, substantially as specified.
Dated this 12th day of January 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.