IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LUCIFER MATCHES to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS ALLEN of Reading in the County of Berks Mechanical Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO
BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LUCIFER MATCHES to be as follows:-
"
:-
This invention has for its object improvements in machinery to be employed in
the manufacture of lucifer matches.
At the present time the splints to be made into matches are prepared for dipping
into the composition with which they are tipped by setting them into a frame in
parallel rows In this frame they are clamped between bars of wood or laths-The
laths are grooved on one side in order to keep the matches properly spaced and
they are covered with felt on the other in order that when laid on the splints
the splints may be securely held.
The laths are held in an iron frame their ends entering grooves in the side bars
of the frame. When the dipping frame is full with splints between the laths they
are securely locked in place by a top bar which is pressed down and secured by
catches engaging with ratchet teeth.
Heretofore in order thus to place the splints between the laths a hand apparatus
has been employed-Now my invention consists in automatic mechanism which
I have arranged for this purpose.
In this machine the dipping frame is supported upon a platform with the laths
lying horizontally and one on the other the laths are then supported by fingers
forming part of the mechanism and these allow the laths to descend along the
grooves of the dipping frame one by one as they are required.
The platform is suspended by cords passing over pulleys and attached to a
counterpoise.
On the axis of the pulleys there is also a wheel with ratchet teeth and a
propelling pawl carried by a lever engages with these teeth.
The lever receives movement from a cam upon the main axis of the machine and
it operates to turn the pulley axis in such manner as to lower the platform and
the frame which it supports step by step as each row of splints is placed between
the laths.
There is also upon the axis of the pulleys a second ratchet wheel with com-
paratively fine teeth and with this a retaining pawl engages one purpose which
this retaining pawl serves is to prevent the platform rising again when the main
driving pawl which causes it to descend retires-A guard holds the propelling pawl
away from the teeth except towards the end of its forward motion when it
operates to rotate the axis for the purpose stated.
The retaining pawl is also carried by a lever controlled by a cam upon the main
shaft. The object of this contrivance will be presently described.

page_text: The splints to be placed in the frame are contained in a receiver or hopper to
which a short to and fro movement is imparted which causes the splints in the
hopper to maintain a parallel arrangement and to descend uniformly-this is
further ensured by partitions within the hopper at the lower part.
The bottom of the hopper consists of a parallelly grooved table and there are
slides or pushers which occupy and fill the grooves when the slide to which they
aro attached is in its forward position; but when this slide retires the pushers are
drawn out from the grooves horizontally and splints then descend from the hopper
into the grooves.
When the pushers next advance they drive these splints end wise in front of them,
out through a delivery mouth at the lower part of the hopper.
Lips are provided in connection with this mouth to retain the row of splints
thus driven out from the hopper and prevent them from falling until the proper
moment for their delivery.
The splints which are each sufficiently long to form two matches are thus pro-
jected forward in a row over one of the laths or splint boards in the frame already
described.
The grooved side of the lath is uppermost and in such a position as not to
interfere with the forward movement of the splints produced by the pushers as
already described but just as the pushers are on the point of delivering the splints
the lath beneath the splints is lifted into contact with them and then another lath
is dropped down upon them from above so that they become held between the two.
The rise of the lower lath which brings its grooved side into contact with the splints
is obtained by movement imparted to the cam by the lever which carries the
retaining pawl. The movement of the fingers which cause one lath only to be
dropped from above whilst retaining the rest is effected by parts connected with the
pusher slide which as the pusher slide completes its stroke come into contact with
the parts carrying the fingers and enter one pair of fingers between the lath which
is to be delivered and the lath immediately above and at the same time carry a
lower pair of fingers out of the way so that the lower lath is left unsupported.
This lath then falls. To ensure the lath being deposited correctly in its place there
are two rods with rounded or wedge shaped ends moving in line with the outer
grooves in the lath and in advance of the splints. These serve to bring each groove
in line with delivering splints and also to break the fall of the next lath.
After the splints have been delivered the main driving pawl operates to causo
the descent of the dipping frame a suitable distance then the pushers again advance
and drive forward another row of splints out of the hopper in the manner already
described.
In this way the work goes on automatically until the frame is full when the
workman stops the machine. He then pushes down the top bar of the frame to
lock the laths securely in place and removes the frame.
This operation is facilitated by lifting the retaining pawl which allows the plat
form with the dipping frame to rise up and so at the same time the platform is
brought to the proper level to receive an empty frame with its laths.
The machine is provided with a knife and immediately after each row of splints
is delivered this knife descends and if anything be left projecting from the mouth
of the hopper the knife cuts it off; thus the accidental mal-delivery of a splint is
prevented from interfering materially with the regular action of the machine.
Dated this 90th day of Mob 188A

page_text: "
I THOMAS ALLEN of Reading in the County of Berks Mechanical Engineor do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO
BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LUCIFER MATCHES
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 for its object improvements in machinery to be employed in
the manufacture of lucifer matches.
At the present time the splints to be made into matches are prepared for dipping
into the composition with which they are tipped by setting them into a frame in
parallel rows. In this frame they are clamped between bars of wood or laths.
The laths aro grooved on one side in order to keep the matches properly spaced
and they are covered with felt on the other in order that when laid on the splints
the splints may be securely held.
The laths are usually about eighteen inches long somewhat more than an inch
wide and about one quarter thick; they are grooved on the upper face with
shallow transverse parallel grooves at distances about half an inch the one from the
other. The grooves are V and very open.
The laths are held in an iron frame: their ends entering grooves in the side bars
of the frame. When the dipping frame is full with splints between the laths they
are securely locked in place by a top bar which is pressed down and secured by
catches engaging with ratchet teeth.
The dipping frame consists of a bottom bar and two vertical sides of sheet iron
bent to a trough like form-The laths lie horizontally in the dipping frame and
flat one over the other their ends being retained in the grooves in the vertical
sides.
Heretofore in order thus to place the splints between the laths a hand apparatus
has been employed-Now my invention consists in automatic mechanism which
I have arranged for this purpose.
In this machine the dipping-frame is supported upon a platform with the laths
lying horizontally and one on the other the laths are then supported by fingers
forming part of the mechanism and these allow the laths to descend along the
grooves of the dipping frame one by one as they are required.
The platform is suspended by cords or chains passing over pulleys and attached
to a counterpoise.
On the axis of the pulleys there is also a wheel with ratchet teeth, and a
propelling pawl carried by a lever engages with these teeth.
The lever receives movement from a cam upon the main axis of the machine and
it operates to turn the pulley axis in such manner as to lower the platform and
the frame which it supports step by step as cach row of splints is placed between
the laths.
There is also upon the axis of the pulleys a second ratchet wheel with com-
paratively fine teeth and with this a retaining pawl engages one purpose which
this retaining pawl serves is to prevent the platform rising again when the main
driving pawl which causes it to descend retires. A guard holds the propelling
pawl away from the teeth except towards the end of its forward motion when it
operates to rotate the axis for the purpose stated.
Tho retaining pawl is also carried by a lever controlled by a cam upon the main
shaft-The object of this contrivance will be presently described,

page_text: The splints to be placed in the frame are contained in a receiver or hopper to
which a short to and fro movement is imparted which causes the splints in the
bopper to maintain a parallel arrangement and to descend uniformly; this is
further ensured by partitions within the hopper at the lower part.
The bottom of the hopper consists of a stationary parallelly grooved table and
there are slides or pushers which occupy and fill the grooves when the slide to
which they are attached is in its forward position; but when this slide retires the
pushers are drawn out from the grooves horizontally and splints then descend from
the hopper into the grooves.
When the pushers next advance they drive these splints endwise in front of them
out through a delivery mouth at the lower part of the hopper.
Lips are provided in connection with this mouth to retain the row of splints
thus driven out from the hopper and prevent them from falling until the proper
moment for their delivery.
The splints, which are each sufficiently long to form two matches, are thus
projected forward in a row over one of the laths or splint boards in the frame
already described.
The grooved side of the lath is uppermost and in such a position as not to
interfere with the forward movement of the splints produced by the pushers as
already described but just as the pushers are on the point of delivering the splints
the lath beneath the splints is lifted into contact with them and then another lath
is dropped down upon them from above so that they become held between the
two The rise of the lower lath which brings its grooved side into contact with the
splints is obtained by a movement imparted by the cam to the lever which carries
the retaining pawl. The movement of the fingers which causes one lath only to be
dropped, from above whilst retaining the rest is effected by parts connected with
the pusher slide which as the pusher slide completes its forward stroke come into
contact with the parts carrying the fingers. These parts are thus moved in
opposition to springs-When the pusher frame retires these parts also return and
they then enter one pair of fingers between the lath which is to be delivered and
the fath immediately above and at the same time carry a lower pair of fingers out
of the way so that the lower lath is left unsupported-This lath then falls. To
ensure the lath being deposited correctly in its place there are two rods with
rounded or wedge shaped ends moving in line with the outer grooves in the lath
and in advance of the splints-These serve to bring each groove in line with
delivering splints and also to break tho fall of the next lath.
After the splints have been delivered the main driving pawl operates to cause
the descent of the dipping frame a suitable distance then the pushers again advance
and drive forward another row of splints out of the hopper in the manner already
described.
In this way the work goes on automatically until the frame is full when the
workman stops the machine-He then pushes down the top bar of the frame to
lock the laths securely in place and removes the frame substituting another in its
place; then by lifting the retaining pawl he allows the platform with the dipping
frame to rise up to the proper level.
The machine is provided with a knife and immediately after each row of splints
is delivered this knife descends and if anything be left projecting from the mouth
of the hopper the knife cuts it off; thus the accidental mal-delivery of a splint is
prevented from interfering materially with the regular action of the machine.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: a. a is the main shaft-it has upon it a pulley receiving a driving belt-the
pulley is loose on the shaft and by well known mechanism the pulley is clutched or
rendered fast with the shaft so long as the treadle b is depressed by the foot of the
operator.
The shaft a has upon it a cam c with which a bowl on the slido d is kept.
constantly in contact by springs attached at d'-The slide at its upper end is
jointed to an arm on the horizontal shaft e and another arm on this shaft is
connected by a link f with the hopper g in which the match splints aro placed in
regular order-g¹ g₁ are horns upon the ends of the hopper and these bear upon the
rollers g g and so the hopper is supported with freedom to move rapidly to and
fro under the influence of the cam c-g³ ³ are partitions in the lower part of the
hopper to assist in maintaining the regular arrangement of the splints-g' is a door
at the front of the hopper which opens to admit the splints-only the lower part of
this door appears in the Drawing-A flat weight is put into the hopper on the top
of the splints it has lugs at its ends and these are received into guide grooves g³
in the ends of the hopper-h is a stationary plate which closes the hopper at the
bottom-it has grooves h¹ h¹ in it and as the body of the hopper moves to and fro
over the plate splints are deposited in the grooves h'-The interior of the hopper
at the lower part is somewhat larger from back to front than it is above so that
the ends of the splints resting upon the plate h are not in contact with the walls
of the hopper.
The main shaft a by means of bevilled pinions drives the vertical shaft i and
this has at its upper end a disc i which by a crank pin on its face and a connecting
rod i³ is connected with the slide k and so this slide is moved horizontally front
and back in guides on the frame. The slide k carries the grooved bar k¹ and holes
are drilled in the front of this bar to receive the pushers ; these are round steel
wires they are nipped by their ends by means of the set screws ³. The pushers /²
traverse the grooves h' and when the slide advances they push before them the
splints which previously occupied these grooves-The splints are thus driven
forward beneath the lips . -(two sections only of these spring lips are indicated
in the drawing) they are inclined on their inner sides and they serve to prevent
any splints issuing from the hopper except those which are actually driven forward
by the pushers; they serve also to prevent these splints falling until the lath is
ready to receive them. The splints which are thus expelled from the hopper pass
out between stationary guide blades m. m fixed upon a bar m²- are two
projecting rods or instruments fixed to the slide one on either side-they serve
to regulate the laths of the dipping frame as hereinafter described-n. n are
horizontal bars which receive motion endwise from the slide -As the slide comes
to the front the projections which are provided with screws for adjustment
come into contact with lugs n' n¹ on the bars n and drive the bars forward
overcoming springs which are attached to them-When the slide retires the
bars n. n go back as far as stops upon them admit-n³ ³ are a pair of fingers
upon the bars n. n they can at pleasure be drawn forward by hand and replaced
when again required for use-For this purpose they are arranged to slide through
sockets in which grooves are formed and when a tooth on the stem of the finger is
brought to correspond with the groove in the socket the finger can be drawn
forward or thrust back.
n³ n³ are other fingers on the bars n. n—they are each hent to a right angle so
that the end may face the point of the finger n².
The action of the bars n and of the fingers which they carry is hereinafter
described.
o. o is a frame which rises and falls in guides upon the main frame of the
machine-it has chains p attached to it at p¹ p₁ and these pass around chain
pulleys q. q. to a counterpoise 7 which is heavier than the frame o and the load
which it receives-This consists of the dipping frame previously described-it rests
the cross bar o¹ of the frame o and is kept in place by spring turn buttons
upon

page_text: which press the dipping frame rearwards and hold it steadily against the upright
sides of the frame o.
On the main shaft a there is an eccentrics and the rod of this eccentric is
connected with a lever 8¹ which is able to rock upon the axis of the chain pulleys q q.
The lever 8¹ carries a pawl s' and this engages with a ratchet wheel 8³ also fixed on
the axis of the pulleys q so that these pulleys are turned the distance of one tooth
of the ratchet for each rotation of the shaft a. Thus the dipping frame is
progressively lowered as the splints are being placed in it and each movement
compensates for the thickness of a lath together with a row of splints laid in
place.
There is also on the main shaft a a cam t and a bowl on the rod t' is kept in
contact with this cam by a spring. The rod as will be seen is slotted and the
axis a passes through it. The rod t' also at its further end is jointed to the lever {2
it is to this lever that the spring is attached. t is a pawl on the lever t engaging
with the teeth of the ratchet wheel fast on the axis of the chain pulleys q q.
There are twice as many teeth in the wheel as there are in the wheel 8'.
t³ acts as a retaining pawl and prevents the frame o from rising at the time when
the pawl retires. 8 is an incline which when the pawl 8 recedes lifts it entirely
out of the teeth of the wheel and so leaves the pawl in entire control during
a considerable part of the rotation of the main shaft a. The frame o thus receives
from the pawl t³ a reciprocating up and down movement independent of the
intermittent downwards movement which it receives from the pawl 8.
Again the main shaft a has upon it a pair of cams uu on which rest levers u ut
having their fulcra at u* 2*. The levers are drawn down to the cams by
springs u u² and the cams lift the levers against the resistance of these springs.
The levers u¹ u¹ at their forward ends are connected by rods u³ u³ with a vertical
slide u carrying the upper blade u³ of a guillotine cutter; u is the lower blade.
After each forward delivery of splints from the hopper the blade u descends and
cuts away anything that may be left between the blades so that in any case there
may be no impediment to the advance of the next row of splints.
The dipping frame is most conveniently put into its place on the frame o when
this frame is in its lowest position and by the turn buttons already referred to it is
Becured in its place. The slide k at this time is in its backward position and the
fingers n have been drawn forward out of their working position. The operator
now lifts the retaining pawl t and allows the frame o to rise.
Then all the upper
laths in the dipping frame are lifted and the fingers n² are replaced beneath them.
All is now ready to start the machine. The pushers then bring forward a row
of splints projecting them over the bottom lath laid in the dipping frame to receive
them. This takes place whilst this lath is considerably beneath the level of the
advancing splints and about at the time when the points of the splints have reached
the front of the lath, the dipping frame rises and brings up the lath to receive the
splints into its grooves. The extreme grooves of the lath however receive into them
the projecting rods or instruments and these being V form on their under side
according with the grooves in the lath an accurate adjustment of the position of the
lath end wise is thereby effected so that each splint as it advances finds a groove
immediately beneath it and finally it is left in this groove. During the advance of
the slide the pile of laths has been dropt from the fingers n'on to the fingers n³ and
now as the slide retires the lowest lath of the pile is dropt on to the row of splints
already deposited so that its felted side may rest upon the splints and confine them
in the grooves of the lath beneath. Only one lath is thus dropt for the points of
the fingers n enter beneath the laths forming the remainder of the pile and still
support them. The action of the pawl 82 now causes the dipping frame to descend
a distance equal to the space occupied by a lath and row of splints. Before the
next row of splints advances to the dipping frame a further descent of this frame is
caused by the movement of the pawl so as to ensure that the points of the splints
shall not strike the lath and afterward as already described when the splints are

page_text: sufficiently advanced the lath on which they are to be received rises to meet them
again by the action of the pawl . In this way the work goes on until the
dipping frame is full when the foot of the operator is removed from the treddle and
the machine stops.
Having now particularly described and as ertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1). In a machine for arranging match splints in a frame ready for dipping the
use of a hopper closed at the bottom by a plate with grooves which the splints
enter and from which they are then thrust forward arranged in proper order by
pushers moving to and fro in the said grooves substantially as described.
(2). In a machine for arranging match splints in a frame ready for dipping the
use in combination with the hopper grooved plate and pushers, of spring lips or
stop pieces to prevent splints passing forward other than those in the grooves and
acted on directly by the pushers.
(3). In a machine for arranging match spliuts ready for dipping the use in
combination with apparatus for feeding splints forward in successive rows between
laths held in a frame, of instruments controlling the said laths 50 that as each row
of splints is placed a lath may be laid thereon to hold the splints in position
substantially as described.
(4). In a machine for arranging match splints ready for dipping the use in
combination with apparatus for feeding splints forward in successive rows between
laths held in a frame, of mechanism giving to such frame a to and fro movement so
that the lath to receive the row of splints may be out of the way at the time when
the splints advance and may then come into position to receive them substantially
as described.
(5). In a machine for arranging match splints ready for dipping the use in.
combination with a hopper and pushers thrusting forwards successivo rows of
splints through a delivery mouth of a knife operating in front of the said mouth
and cutting away any obstruction which may be accidentally left substantially as
described.
(6). A machine for arranging match splints ready for dipping constructed
substantially as herein described and represented in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 29th day of December 1884
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.