IM- PROVED MACHINERY FOR FRAMING MATCH SPLINTS FOR DIPPING
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVED MACHINERY FOR FRAMING MATCH SPLINTS FOR DIPPING." A com-
munication from abroad by Ebenezer B. Beecher, of New Haven, County of
New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 21st December 1876, and dated the 6th November 187
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR FRAMING MATCH
SPLINTS FOR DIPPING. A communication.
Prior to this Invention matches have been dipped in two ways, namely, the
bundle dip and the frame or clamp dip. In the former case the dipper takes a
bundle of splints tied round with string, and grasping it with both hands, causes the
ends of the splints by a skilful movement to expand in so wide a circle that they
become detaclied, and upon being dipped each will receive its own separate portion
of the composition.
In frame or clamp dipping as practised before my Invention, the splints are
placed by hand or by inachinery between the members of a series of clamps
arranged in a frame, the grasping surfaces of the clamps being grooved at suitable
intervals to separate the splints properly; or the splints are set by hand or by
machinery in a series of parallel holes through a board of suitable size for a dipping
frame.
.
Endless bands have been used to connect and carry a series of clamps fastened
thereto, instead of being secured to a frame, as above described.
One of the principal feautures of this Invention comprises a new mode of framing
match splints for dipping. For this purpose I use as a binder a long flexible tape
or band of cotton webbing, or other suitable material, about the thickness of the
splint, but considerably narrower than its length, in combination with a cylinder or
drum shorter than the splint, and adapted to a rotating mandril or axis, so as to be
rotated thereby, and readily removed from the same when the frame is completed.

page_text: The cylinder or drum is used as a centre or form for the frame of match splints,
which is made by setting the splints at proper intervals between the coils of the
flexible binder band as it is being continuously wound upon the drum by the
rotation thereof, until a frame of desired size and quantity for dipping is completed,
when the end of the binding tape is secured to the preceding coil by a pin, or is
fastened to the frame in any secure manner, and the drum and the frame of match
splints thus bound upon it is ready to be removed from the mandril for dipping, the
splints being disposed around the drum in a continuous spiral between the coils of
the binder parallel with each other and with the axis of the drum. The splints
being separated from each other by the thickness of the flexible binder and by
setting them the thickness of a splint apart in the coils, each receives its proper
proportion of composition when dipped, and can conveniently be dried in the frame.
This frame may be used for splints of the length or of double the length of the
matches by setting the splints close together in the coil by lapping them, so that the
ends project alternately from each end of the frame. But I prefer setting the splints
at a suitable distance apart, about the thickness of a splint apart, as it gives the
flexible binder a better grasp of the splint in the successive spiral layers to hold
them while being set and for dipping.
I also prefer to use splints of double the length of the matches both for economy
in making the splint and saving of time in feeding and setting them in the frames.
The two-length splint is dipped at both ends while in the frame, and after being
dried is cut in two in the middle.
The said Invention further comprises mechanism for receiving the splints from a
hopper or other suitable presenting device, and setting them at regular distance
apart between the coils of the flexible binder; and also of mechanism for con-
trolling and guiding the flexible binding tape while it is being wound around the
splints upon the drum, so as to hold them tight within its coil until the whole frame.
is completed.
I use in combination with the frame drum, binder, setting, and feeding mechanism,
a friction drag or equivalent device for the purpose of stopping the frame when the
feeding mechanism is disconnected from its motive power; and in combination with
the above I provide a receiving cylinder grooved across its periphery with grooves
suitable to take in and hold only a single match-splint in each groove; I also use a
wire brush or equivalent device in combination with the receiving cylinder.
The said machine is also provided with counting wheels in combination with the 3
setting wheels and receiving cylinder.
The setting wheels are arranged in combination with the frame drum and binding
tape for the purpose of setting the splints in the coils of the binding tape.
In combination with the feeding and setting mechanism I arrange a clutch and
lever, or equivalent means, whereby the frame is stopped when splints are not
supplied at the proper time, and set in action again by the splint itself.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
May 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR FRAMING MATCH
SPLINTS FOR DIPPING.' A communication from abroad by Ebenezer B. Beecher,
of New Haven, County of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of
America.
Prior to the said Invention matches have been dipped in two ways, namely, the
bundle dip and the frame or clamp dip. In the former case the dipper takes a
bundle of splints tied round with string and grasping it with both hands causes the

page_text: ends of the splints by a skilful movement to expand in so wide a circle that they
become detached, and upon being dipped each will receive its own separate portion
of the composition.
In frame or clamp dipping as practised before this Invention the splints are
placed by hand or by machinery between the members of a series of clamps arranged
in a frame, the grasping surfaces of the clamps being grooved at suitable intervals to
separate the splints properly; or the splints are set by hand or by machinery in a
series of parallel holes through a board of suitable size for a dipping frame.
Endless bands have been used to connect and carry a series of clamps fastened
thereto instead of being secured to a frame as above mentioned.
One of the principal features of this Invention comprises a new mode of framing
match splints for dipping. For this purpose I use as a binder a long flexible tapo
or band of cotton webbing or other suitable material about the thickness of the
splint but considerably narrower than its length in combination with a cylinder or
drum shorter than the splint and adapted to a rotating mandrel or axis, so as to be
rotated thereby and readily removed from the same when the frame is completed.
The cylinder or drum is used as a centre or form for the frame of match splints
which is made by setting the splint at proper intervals between the coils of the
flexible binder band as it is being continuously wound upon the drum by the
rotation thereof until a frame of desired size and quantity for dipping is completed,
when the end of the binding tape is secured to the preceding coil by a pin or is
fastened to the frame in any secure manner, and the drum and the frame of match
splints thus bound upon it is ready to be removed from the mandrel for dipping the
splints being disposed around the drum in a continuous spiral between the coils of
the binder parallel with each other and with the axis of the drum. The splints
being separated from each other by the thickness of the flexible binder and by
setting them the thickness of a splint apart in the coils each receives its proper
proportion of composition when dipped, and can conveniently be dried in the frame.
This frame may be used for splints of the length or of double the length of the
matches by setting the splints close together in the coil by lapping them so that the
ends project alternately from each end of the frame. But I prefer setting the splints
a suitable distance apart, say, about the thickness of a splint. This arrangement
gives the flexible binder a better grasp of the splints in the successive spiral layers
to hold them while being set and for dipping.
I also prefer to use splints of double the length of the matches both for economy
in making the splint and the saving of time in feeding and setting them in the
frames. The two length splint is dipped at both ends while in the frame, and after
being dried is cut in two in the middle.
The said Invention further comprises mechanism for receiving the splints from a
hopper or other suitable presenting device and setting them at regular distances
apart between the coils of the flexible binder and also of mechanism for controlling
and guiding the flexible binding tape while it is being wound around the splints
upon the drum so as to hold them tight within its coil until the whole frame is
completed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of a machine constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2
is a longitudinal section; and Figures 3 and 4 are opposite side elevations of the
same.
Figure 5 illustrates a modification of the arrangement of the tape guide roller of
the said machine.
a represents the frame of the machine; a¹, a bed plate to which the legs of the
frame are fastened; all, a base on which the machine stands. On the main driving
shaft o are tight and loose driving pulleys b', 6', and a toothed wheel b² by which
it is geared to a countershaft c by the toothed wheel c¹ on said countershaft. This
countershaft between its bearings is surrounded by a sleeve attached to the
vibratable frame d which swings thereon as its axis irrespective of the rotation of

page_text: the shaft. The splint frame mandrel e rotates in a long pipe bearing e¹ attached to
the end of the frame d'that hangs over the mechanism for setting the splints. Upon
this mandrel is placed the drum or cylinder fupon which the splints are framed,
the same being slipped on the mandrel at the end thereof and held so as to rotate
with it and be readily removed by friction or by a spline or by making the drum
hole and mandrel square or in any other suitable manner.
In order to compensate for the increasing size of the frame and to maintain a
constant tension on the binding tape which is held in the grasp of feeding mechanism
whereby it is regularly paid out to the frame drum, the frame drum mandrel is
driven by a rapidly revolving friction surface on the mandrel pulley es, its tension
being regulated by the adjustable tightening pulley c¹. This slip band is sufficient
for the purpose, but any adjustable friction connection between the frame drum and
its motive power may be used. The frame drum should be about three inches in
diameter, and for two length splints about three inches wide.
The binding tape g which is preferably formed of cotton webbing about the
thickness of the splints and about two and a half inches wide, such as used
for driving reins is attached at one end to the frame drum by winding a coil
around the same or in any suitable manner. The other end of the tape is
placed in a coil upon the horizontal pin g¹ on the vibratable frame d, from
which as it uncoils it passes down under the guide pin g² and through the
slotted guide g³ into the grasp of a holding mechanism consisting of an endless
band which is mounted on drums 1, 2, and a weighted pressure roller h³
which serves to tighten the endless band and at the same time to grasp the binding
tape for the purpose of holding and feeding the same between its periphery and the
top surface of the endless band.
The binding tape passes from the holding and feeding mechanism upwards to and
partially around a guide roller g' and thence to the frame drum, the latter with its
accumulating coil of splints resting on the guide roller g. The guide roller turns
loosely on the shaft i between the two notched setting wheels 2, 3, which are fast
to said shaft i and constructed and arranged as shewn in the Drawings with opposite
matched notches the thickness of a splint apart to take the splints one by one from
the count wheels at a point above the binding tape as it passes over the guide
roller g, and as they revolve carry in the splints regularly between the binding tape
going in to the frame and the preceding coil, the splints being lifted out of the
notches of the setting wheel by the binding tape as it passes on to the frame.
The splint setting wheels are rotated by a toothed wheel on the end of the
shaft which gears into and is driven by a toothed wheel j¹ on the shaft j which
actuates the holding and feeding mechanism of the binder tape so that the setting
wheels and feed mechanism move simultaneously. The driving drum which
moves the endless belt is fast to the shaft j, and the loose drum 2 runs on a
bearing in the middle of the tie rod which fast at both ends to the sides of the
machine frame. The pressure roller runs loose on a fixed bearing or axis h" fast
to the swinging frame h7 which swings on bearings hs, h, on the tie rod at each
side of the loose drum h², and is connected with a heavy weight 10 by links h¹¹, 12.
To prevent the movement of the feeding and setting mechanism when disconnected
from the other part of the machine whereby it is driven by the pull of the binder
tape sufficient friction is applied to the surface of a pulley 2 fast to the shaft j by
means of a strap j³ fastened at one end to the tie rod ho and passing partly around
the pulley and held against the surface thereof by a weight j attached to the
pendent end of the strap.
The inertia and friction of the feeding and setting mechanism will oppose the
pull of the friction driver of the frame drum on the flexible binding tape, and there-
fore such additional friction as it may be necessary to apply by the strap to
overcome the friction driver of the drum mandrel does not materially interfere with
moving the feeding and setting mechanism when thrown in gear by the clutch with
the count wheels and receiving cylinder.
For holding the binder tape in a stationary position by the feeding mechanism

page_text: when the same is not moved regularly for the purpose of paying out the binding
tape I prefer the friction drag as above described to a positive locking device, acting
in conjunction with the self-acting clutch by which the feeding and setting
mechanism is connected with and receives notion from the count wheels shaft,
because it permits the movement of the feeding and setting mechanism by hand
for the purpose of adjustment when necessary by means of the crank on the
shaftj. But it is evident that any device which will keep the feeding and setting
mechanism stationary when disconnected with its motive power will enable it to
perform the function of overcoming the pull of the friction driver of the frame drum
on the flexible binder and therefore not only keep up a proper tension on the
flexible binder to hold the frame of splints together but also by maintaining it in a
stationary position preserve the regular distance between the splints in the coils
of the frame; this result would not be practicable were the frame suffered to con-
tinue to turn unsupplied with splints or at the rate it would be moved by the
pull of the frame drum mandrel on the binding tape.
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism by which the splints are taken
into the machine and placed in the setting wheel. It has a receiving cylinder
grooved regularly across the face with inclined or hooked grooves; each groove is
of suitable size to pick up splints presented by a hopper or other suitable presenting
device and carry them forward as the cylinder slowly rotates. It also has a pair of
inclined toothed wheels which lap over the ends of the receiving cylinder; by
means of their opposite inclined teeth these wheels lift the match splints one at a
time by their projecting ends out of the grooves of the receiving cylinder and carry
them forward to and place them in the notches of the setting wheels. These wheels
are termed count wheels because there is mechanism connected with them herein-
after described, whereby the setting and framing mechanism is stopped when the
count wheels do not present splints at the proper time to the setting wheels by
reason of the failure of one or more of the grooves of the receiving cylinder to pick
up splints, the said mechanism being set in action again by the next splint brought
to the setting wheels.
A rotating wire brush cylinder covered with card teeth inclined backwards is
placed over the receiving cylinder as close to it as possible and rapidly rotated in
the direction of the arrow, Figure 2, for the purpose of sweeping from the surface of
the cylinder match splints that are not taken into the grooves of the same. There
are also curved guides placed over the receiving cylinder and count wheels and
running up in front of the setting wheels for the purpose of keeping the splints in
the grooves and notches of these devices. is the receiving cylinder mounted on
the shaft; and k³, the grooves for the splints. The hopper L, which is of suitable
width for the splints, is wider than the receiving wheel, the excess of width being
equally apportioned at both ends of the receiving cylinder so that the splints when
taken into the grooves of the receiving cylinder project equally from both ends of
the same in order that the count wheels may lift them by their projecting ends and
transfer them to the setting wheels.
The wire brush is shewn at n, the guides at n¹, n1; 01, 0, represent the count
wheels which are mounted on a shaft o and overlap the ends of the receiving cylin-
der, as shown.
The face of each wheel has a groove o³ cut in it around its entire circumference,
and is divided into inclined teeth, arranged as shown with reference to the grooves
of the receiving wheels so as to lift the splints one at a time from the grooves of
the receiving cylinder by the projecting ends of the splints as the inclined teeth
sweep by the ends of the grooves, the speed of the counting wheels being duly
proportioned to that of the receiving cylinder, so that each groove of the latter as it
comes to the proper place will be served by a pair of the inclined teeth on the counting
wheels.
A pair of stationary cams p¹, p², fast at one end to the tie rod p come up close to
the sides of the setting wheels, and extend forward with a curve into the groove
of the counting wheels. These cams assist in the transfer of the splints from the

page_text: count wheels to the setting wheels by lifting them from the count wheels at the
point of transfer.
Motion is communicated to the aforesaid mechanism from the fly wheel b³ on the
main shaft by a band 6 running on a grooved rest pulley 65 fast to the wire brush
shaft m, and which by a groove of larger diameter drives a cross band be, and the
latter turns a grooved pulley 67 fast to the shaft 7, which rotates in bearings on the
under side of the frame of the machine. On this shaft q is a pinion g', which gears,
with a carrier toothed wheel q2 running on a stud pin at the side of the frame, and
carrying with it the pinion 3, which is fast to the toothed wheel q², and drives a
second carrier toothed wheel 24 with pinion q³ fast thereto. The pinion q³ gears
with the toothed wheel qº fast to the receiving wheel shaft, and also gears with the
toothed wheel q7 fast to the counting wheel shaft o.
The wheels on the receiving cylinder and count wheel shafts being both driven
by the same pinion q³ must be proportioned to each other as the number of
opposite pairs of teeth in the comb wheels is to the number of splint grooves in the
receiving cylinder.
The mechanism for setting the splints being geared to the mechanism for holding
and feeding the binding tape, as herein-before described, both are driven from the
count wheel shaft o, as follows, that is to say :-Upon one end of the shaft o which
carries the count wheels is a clutch wheel loose upon the said shaft, and fast to a
toothed wheel, which is also loose upon the said shaft. The toothed wheel
gears into the toothed wheel j¹ which drives the feeding and setting mechanism.
An arm fast to the shaft o carries a lever pawl s actuated by a spring s¹ so as to
take into the inclined teeth 82 of the clutch wheel and connect it with the shaft o.
The number of teeth in the clutch wheel is the same as in either one of the count
wheels, and the toothed wheel attached to the clutch wheel is proportioned to the
toothed wheel, which it drives as the number of teeth in the counting wheels is to
the number of notches in the setting wheels.
The clutch is operated to stop the feeding and setting mechanism when the count
wheels fail to bring a splint at the proper time to the setting wheels, and to set
said mechanism in motion when the next spring is brought to the setting wheels by
the count wheels as follows, namely:-The pawl is lifted by a lever t, which moves
on a fulcrum pin in the slotted end of the horizontal stud pin t¹, and is operated
by a toggle u, which vibrates on the fulcrum pin us at the bottom of the frame.
A crooked arm u with a hook us at one end and jointed at the other end to the
vibrating lever u is suspended horizontally by a link u depending from an arm or
lever u framed with a lever us, both moving freely on bearings on the tie rod uº.
The end of the power arm of the lever u8 is so shaped as to enter and lie in the
groove around the count wheel o¹, as shown, so that if a splint be not present in
that notch of the counting wheel below the end of the lever the lever drops in the
groove, and thereby lowers the hooked arm, so that the hook u catches on a
pin projecting from a lever v, which is constantly moved back and forth upon
its fulcrum pin v¹ by a crank v2 on the end of the shaft q. A connecting link v*
joins the crank to said lever. The shaft q makes as many revolutions for each
revolution of the count wheel as there are pairs of splint carrying notches on the
count wheel; therefore whenever the hooked arm descends in consequence of the
absence of a splint in one of the pairs of notches of the count wheel, which as the
same revolve approaches the setting wheels, the vibrating lever v catches the hook
with its pin, and through the intermediate levers above described, lifts the pawl
from the notch in the clutch wheel, where it happens to lie, and from each suc-
ceeding notch or tooth in the clutch wheel, so long as the count wheel notches do
not bring splints to the setting wheels. The splint frame and its setting mechanism
are thus stopped until the count wheels bring forward a splint, when the hook arm
being lifted out of the track of the pin on the vibrating lever by the action of
the splint against the lower side of the lever us the pawl released from the lever t
is thrown into the notch on the clutch contiguous to it, and sets the frame and
setting mechanism in motion.

page_text: The hopper
pivoted in front to a seat upon the tie rod u, to which it is
confined so as to vibrate freely by the screw pin m*, and is also supported behind
near the top by being jointed to a long elastic rod fast at the lower end of the tie
rod.
A shaking motion is given to the hopper by the bell crank y connected by a
link y¹ with the lever v, and playing between the pins projecting from the bottom
of the hopper.
In place of the hopper, any known device by which the splints can be presented
horizontally to the grooves of the receiving cylinder may be employed.
A modification of the above-described arrangement of guide roller and setting
wheel is shown detached in Figure 5. In this modification the binding tape is
aided in lifting out the splints from the notches in the setting wheels by the
excentric position of the guide roller, which turns on an excentric bearing & sur-
rounding the setting wheel shaft, but not confined in it, being held in a stationary
position by the arm z¹ which is fast to the tie rod p. A crank 68 is placed on the
main shaft b for the purpose of moving the machine by hand when adjusting the
drum and binder.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The employment of a flexible binding tape or band in combination with a
drum adapted to be rotated by a mandril, and removed therefrom to form a spiral
frame of match splints for dipping, as herein-before set forth.
Second. In combination with a frame drum moved by friction, the endless band
and pressure roller, or equivalent feeding mechanism for the purpose of holding and
paying out the flexible binding tape to the frame, as above described.
Third. In combination with the frame drum, binder, and setting and feeding
mechanism, the friction drag or equivalent device for the purpose of stopping the
frame when the feeding and setting mechanism is disconnected from its motive
power, as above set forth.
Fourth. The receiving cylinder with grooves across its periphery suitable to take
in and hold only a single match splint in each groove as above described, and for
the purpose specified.
Fifth. The wire brush or equivalent device arranged and operating in combination
with the receiving cylinder as above described, and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In combination with the setting wheels, and receiving cylinder, the count
wheels as above described, and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The setting wheels in combination with the frame drum and binding
tape as above described, and for the purpose of setting the splints in the coils of the
binding tape.
Eighth. In combination with the feeding and setting mechanism, the clutch and
levers, or equivalent means, whereby the frame is stopped when splints are not
supplied at the proper time, and set in action again by the splint itself, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sevents-coven