AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Michael Letchford, of Old Montague Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Match Manufacturer, for the Invention of
Sealed tho 23rd November 1861, and dated the 29th May 1861,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Michael Letchford
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th May 1861.
I, ROBERT MICHAEL LETCHFORD, of Old Montague Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Match Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce matches at a low price, free from
sulphur and from objectionable smell. My Invention consists in dipping the
ends of the usual match splints in hard paraffine, melted for the purpose, or in
saturating the same in paraffine oil. The solid paraffine may be used alone or
in combination with a portion of stearine and japan wax, or with either, as
may be found convenient, but I prefer using solid paraffine alone. Having
thus prepared the ends of the splints, they are dipped into any of the ordinary
lighting compositions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Michael Letchford in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, ROBERT
O MICHAEL LETCHFORD, of Old Montague Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Match Manufacturer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Michael Letchford, Her special licence that I, the said
Robert Michael Letchford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Michael Letchford, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time, and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert-Michael Letchford,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the-nature of the said Invention, and.in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Michael Letchford, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to bo particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to produce matches at a low price, free from
sulphur and from objectionable smell. My Invention consists in, and I claim,
dipping the ends of the usual match splints in hard paraffine, melted for the
purpose, or in saturating the same with paraffine oil. The solid paraffine may
be used alone or in combination with a portion of stearine and japan wax, or
with either, as may be found convenient, but I prefer using solid paraffine
alone. The ends of the splints having been thus prepared, are dipped into any
of the ordinary lighting compositions.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Michael Letchford, have hereunto
-set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
R. M. LETCHFORD. (LS.)