Improvements in or relating to Match Making Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Match Making Machines.
I, JOSEPH EDMUND DUVAL DAY, of 119, St. Leonards Street, Bromley by Bow,
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in or relating to match making
machines and my invention consists in the improved means for moving a number
of splints from under the hopper and between a series of laths and then, as said
laths are moved downward in the usual manner the projecting ends of the splints
will be guided and retained their proper distances apart by means of a grooved
plate or equivalent.
By these means it is unnecessary to groove the laths as hitherto.
It has hitherto also been necessary in machines of this class for the operator
to vibrate the hopper as required by depressing a suitably arranged treadle and
to also push out the series of splints by pulling a bar or handle. This double
action is obviated in my improved machine in which I employ an eccentric or
equivalent for moving the needles for pushing out the splints and I so connect
the shaft which carries said eccentric with the hopper, that, as said eccentric is
revolved, the hopper is at the same time vibrated. I prefer that my improved
machine be driven by a suitable motive power in any usual manner.
J. E. D. DAY,
By his Agents,
Horn, Son & Co.,
151, Strand (next to Somerset House), London.
JOSEPH EDMUND DUVAL DAY, of 119, St. Leonard Street, Bromley by Bow,
London, E., Engineer, 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 has reference to improvements in machines employed in the
making of matches and my invention consists in the novel combination of narts
and mechanism in that class of machines which are employed for moving the
splints from a hopper on to laths or equivalents preparatory to the dipping of
the ends of said splints in the solution or solutions."

page_text: The special objects of my invention are (1) to dispense with the grooved laths
hitherto employed for receiving the splints, (2) to render the action of the whole
machine automatic and (3) to simplify the construction of such machines.
In order that my invention may be readily understood reference is made to
the accompanying drawings wherein like letters of reference indicate corre
sponding parts throughout the several figures and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective
view of my improved machine one side of said machine being visible.
Fig. 2 is also a perspective view the other side being in this case visible and
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper part of my improved machine.
In carrying my invention into practice I employ a frame A of suitable con-
struction the upper part of which frame is provided with a horizontally disposed
and transversely grooved plate a (Fig. 3) upon which plate a hopper B is adapted
to reciprocate.
The frame A carries a driving shaft C having a driving pulley c and a friction
clutch c which is operated by the treadle D so that the driving shaft and conse-
quently the machine may be stopped or started at will. Said driving shaft is
provided with a grooved friction roller or equivalent which is in frictional en-
gagement with a second friction roller E or equivalent mounted on a suitably
supported shaft F immediately over the first friction roller and which latter is
hidden from view by the former in Fig. 3. Said shaft F is provided with two
eccentrics f, f¹ having the usual eccentric straps and the rods g, g' of which
are pivotally connected to a frame G adapted to reciprocate between slides h.
Said frame G is provided with a series of needles or equivalents h¹ which enter
the grooves a² in the plate a and the hopper having been supplied with splints,
is reciprocated by the means hereinafter described so that a splint will drop into
each of the grooves a² the arrangement of the whole being such that if the
machine be started the rotation of the eccentrics f, f¹, will reciprocate the frame G
and the needles h¹ will push out the splints from out of the grooves a² on to a
plain lath, a series of which are situated in front of the machine in the usual
manner. At the second revolution of the eccentrics a second series of splints.
will be pushed out and deposited on a second lath and so on, each series of splints
being by means of the grooves a guided so as to be properly spaced between said
laths and said splints being allowed to project a sufficient distance from the laths
so as to be dipped in the usual manner. As the laths are being filled the frame
which carries them descends and in order that the splints shall be retained in
their proper positions I provide a vertically disposed and grooved plate J into the
grooves of which plate J the said projecting ends of the splints enter and are
thus guided or retained in their proper distances apart while they descend.
When the whole series of laths has been filled they are clamped together in any
usual manner and removed to have said projecting ends of the splints dipped.
By means of said vertically grooved plate J I am thus enabled to dispense with
the grooved laths which have been hitherto used and which are comparatively
expensive.
For the purpose of ensuring that each of the grooves a² will receive a splint,
the hopper B is vibrated or reciprocated on the horizontal plate a and
for this purpose I provide a spring K or equivalent to which I connect one side
of the hopper B by means of a cord or chain and the opposite side of said hopper
I also connect by means of a cord or chain to an arm L of a suitably supported
lever M which lever M is connected to an eccentric N or equivalent which is
rotated either directly or through intermediate gearing by the driving. shaft C
the arrangement being such that at each revolution of the eccentric or equiva-
lent N the hopper B will have been pulled a short distance one side against
the action of the spring K and thus returned to its original position by said
spring K the relative number of vibrations being any which is found in practice
to be most suitable.
In my improved machine the whole of the necessary actions are automatic,

page_text: its construction is comparatively simple and the grooved laths hitherto used may
be dispensed with and ordinary plain laths employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A machine of the class herein referred to in which the moving of the splints
and the vibration of the hopper are both automatic.
2. In a machine of the class herein referred to a plate having grooves j
adapted for the purpose and substantially as described and illustrated.
3. A machine to be used in the manufacture of matches and having a frame A
provided with a horizontally and transversely grooved plate a, a hopper B adapted
to be automatically reciprocated and a frame G having needles or equivalents W
said frame G being reciprocated by the rotation of eccentrics f, f¹ on the
shaft F, a lever M having an arm L and operated by an eccentric N or equiva-
lent, a spring K, clutch c¹, pulley e. friction rollers E, E¹ or equivalents and
a plate J having vertical grooves all arranged and operating for the purposes
and substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 10th day of April 1899.
J. E. D. DAY.
By his Agents,
Horn, Son & Co.,
151, Strand (next to Somerset House), London.