Improvements in Match Strikers for Boxes, Receptacles, and other Articles.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Match Strikers for Boxes, Receptacles, and other
Articles.
1, HARRY ALLDAY, trading as Horton and Allday, of Warstone Lane, in the
City of Birmingham, Manufacturing Jeweller, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the striker parts of match boxes, receptacles and other
articles and has for its object, a positive and indestructible striker, applicable for
striking both ordinary vestas and lucifer matches, and also "safety" matches or
those matches which strike upon the box, and my said invention consists in inserting
within a cavity, sinking or recess formed on the outside of the box, a slab of the
striking material such as is commonly employed for striking safety and other
matches upon.
Heretofore strikers for silver match boxes and like receptacles, have consisted of
a cross serrated metal strip, which clogs immediately and is soon worn away by the
frictional contact of the match heads.
In carrying out one form of my improvements, I take a box and provide the
same with a longitudinal sinking, preferably undercut at the sides and of a length
and breadth suitable for match-striking purposes, and I fill this said cavity with a
plaster composition, which, when dried or treated in any other suitable way,
becomes hard without being too brittle. The depth of the composition may vary as
required, the average being from a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch in thickness.
The face of the composition comes preferably flush with the edge of the cavity and the
said composition is made of the same material as is employed on the surface of
the striking strips of the boxes of safety matches, or it may be composed of phos-
phorous, plaster-of-paris, and emery powder, and if necessary, to neutralize the
brittleness occasioned by the pressure of the plaster-of-paris, the composition may
have worked in with it, a small amount of fibrous matter, such as paper pulp.
Instead of filling up the cavity with composition in a plastic state, I propose to
roll the composition into a thick sheet, dry the same and then cut out panels or
blanks in the same and insert them within suitable recesses in the end or upon the
outside of a match box by pressure. In inserting the blank into a recess with
undercut edges, I propose to slightly camber the same whilst inserting it and to
flatten it out when in place.
The striking composition may be varied; sometimes safety match striking com-
position only may be employed sometimes a panel of composition that will strike
only ordinary matches and at other times a panel upon which both safety and
ordinary matches may be struck.
As a modification of striker applicable to dressing-cases, ink-stands, blotters and
for use in railway carriages and public and private vehicles, the walls of public
buildings and apartments and other like uses, instead of employing plaster-of-paris

page_text: as one of the ingredients of the composition for binding the same together, I may
employ a natural substance of a resinous or gummous character called "gumphas"
for this purpose. The bottoms of the sinkings or recesses wherein the composition
is placed are serrated, roughened or toothed after the manner of file teeth so that
when the striking material has disappeared by use, there still remains a striker base
for use with ordinary matches.
The metal at the ends of the sinkings are brought over so as to admit of the word
"Patent" and the makers name being placed thereon.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Match Strikers for Boxes, Receptacles, and other
Articles.
I, HARRY ALLDAY, trading as Horton and Allday, of Warstone Lane, in the
City of Birmingham, Manufacturing Jeweller, 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 the striker parts of match boxes, also to match strikers
applicable for use in dressing cases, upon ink stands, blotters, smoking tables and
the like, also in railway carriages, public and private vehicles, public and private
buildings, and apartments, and for other uses, and has for its object, a positive and
practically indestructable striker applicable for striking indifferently both ordinary
vestas and lucifer matches and also "safety" matches, or those matches of the
Bryant and May type which only strike upon the specially prepared striking strips
of the boxes in which they are sold.
My said invention consists in the employment of a solid composition made up
primarily of phosphorous and emery or some similar frictional material combined
with and consolidated by gum-thus, asphaltum or like material which will produce
the necessary cohesion.
Thus in carrying out one form of my invention, I take 9 parts by weight of
phosphorous and 12 parts by weight of emery and mix the same together with
4 parts by weight of gum-thus into a homogeneous mass, which, whilst in a soft
state or pasty condition is rolled out flat to any desired thickness, from which slabs,
panels or the like are cut and which, when dried and hardened, are used alone as.
match strikers by being cemented or otherwise connected to a wall or other surface
or by being let within a sinking formed in a match-box, ink-stand or other article.
Or the composition may be inserted into the recess in the box or striker when in a
pasty condition.
It is understood that in the consolidated match striker thus produced, the phos-
phorous is employed for striking safety matches and the emery or gritty substance
is for striking ordinary matches whilst the gum-thus is for the purpose of pro-
ducing the necessary cohesion between the phosphorous and emery.
It is obvious that instead of employing emery, I may employ any analogous
gritty substance such as sand, powdered glass or stone, chalk, pulverised metal or
the like, and instead of employing gum-thus for compacting or producing

page_text: Asphaltum
Gum thus
Shellac 2
Pitch
Emery 6
Asphaltum
Gum thus
Shellac 2
Pitch
Pitch
Sand 6
Chalk +
Phosphorous 6
Phosphorous 6
Phosphorous 4
Asphaltum
Gum thus
Shellac
Asphaltum
Gum thus
Shellac
Pitch +
Emery 2
Sand 2
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a slab of my match striking
composition applied to a match box, the lower part of which is in section.
Figure 2 represents a like view as Figure 1, but before the composition is placed
in the recess, and with the ears or end plates for retaining the composition in place
removed. It will be seen that the bottom of the recess is serrated, so that after the
composition has been worn away a metallic striker for ordinary matches presents
itself.
Figure 3 shows the same view as Figure 2 but with the end plates in position and
Figure 4 is a plan of the same.
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the lower part of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the slab of striking composition.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section and Figure 8 is a plan of the recess or com-
position receptacle, and Figure 9 shows the end plates separately.
Figure 10 is a plan of the striker end of the match box Figure 1.
Figure 11 shows a plan and Figure 12 a section showing how my invention
is applicable as a match striking tablet for use in public and other buildings and
vehicles.
In Figures 1 to 10, a is the body of a match box, a' the lower end thereof and
a² is a sinking having a serrated bottom a³. a are metallic end plates secured at the
ends of the recess, for the purpose of preventing the striking composition 6, coming
out of place.
In Figures 11 and 12, a is a flat plate and a² is the pierced middle the edges of
which are preferably under-cut and serrated at a³, so that should the composition b,
become worn away by long continued use, the edges of the piercings may be used for
striking ordinary matches.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
First. A match striking composition for striking indifferently safety and ordinary
matches, consisting of phosphorous in combination with a gritty matter such as
emery, sand or the like, with the cohesion between the said materials effected by a
compacting material, such as gum-thus, asphaltum, pitch or like, substantially as
described and set forth.
Secondly. The several specific compositions for striking indifferently-safety and
ordinary matches, as herein set forth.
Thirdly. In the match-striker parts of match boxes and other articles, providing
the same with a recess, sinking or piercing having a serrated bottom or serrated
edges, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Fourthly. In the match-striker parts of match boxes and other articles, providing
the recess sinking or piercing, which receives the striking composition, with
end ears or plates, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth."
1007
HARRY ALLDAY,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant..