Improvements in the Manufacture of Matches adapted to Prepared Striking Surfaces.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Matches adapted to Prepared
Striking Surfaces.
We, SIEGMUND NEUBURG, of No. 733, Sladkooskygasse, Prague, Austria, Manufac-
turer, and IGNAZ NEUBURG, of No. 5, Glasergasse, Vienna, Austria, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in headless matches, free from phosphorous
and which are intended to ignite by scratching against a suitably prepared
surface.
Matches have heretofore been made in which a sulphate of ammonia is employed
in connection with sodium chlorate; but the volatile nature of such materials renders
the match unreliable and subject to deterioration. We find that by substituting a
metallic sulphate for the aminonia sulphate the match is rendered durable. The
process of making our improved matches is as follows:
The match blanks or wooden splints of suitable cross section, usually square, are
tied up and fastened into bundles of 500, 1,000, or 10,000 or more, as may be most
convenient for handling, forming thus a sort of round disk which is advantageously
made straight on both sides by placing it on a flat surface or pressing down the splints
that protrude. The disks are first thoroughly dried and then dipped, preferably on
both sides, into substantially the following solution :
87.5 parts sodium chlorate.
The dipping should be to a greater depth than the dipping into the oxidising solu-
tion, in order that the waterproofing inflammable material may coat the match to the
After the
middle portion, or nearly so, and fully cover the oxidising solution.
matches thus dipped have been thoroughly dried, they are ready to be filled into
boxes of any suitable size for sale. The boxes have on one or more of their surfaces
D
077

page_text: a coating upon which the match can be ignited by friction, such coating usually
consisting of
25
parts amorphous phosphorous.
12.5 parts antimony.
3.75 parts glass powder.
25 parts water, and
6.25 parts gum arabic.
It will be seen that the matches on being dipped at their ends into the solution
containing the oxidising ingredient or consuming agent, will take up or absorb the
said ingredient inost or substantially at their ends, the same penetrating into the
wood from the end, but accumulating most towards or at the ends. This is a very
important point, for if said oxidising ingredients were distributed uniformly through
the match, as would be the case if the whole match was immersed in the solution,
the result would be that the whole match would be so violently combustible that it
would be consumed almost immediately, flashing explosively from end to end and
would thus be unsuitable for use. On the other hand, care must be exercised to
ensure the taking up of enough of the oxidising material to ignite the match. It is
thus apparent that what is desired is an accumulation of the oxidising ingredients
towards the end of the match. This we obtain by the process above described, of
dipping the match endwise; and it is advantageous to have the igniting agent at
each end of the match, because either end may be ignited, which is an important
consideration with the headless match, and the comparatively unimpregnated central
portion of the match will carry the flame but slowly, so that the match can safely be
held while burning, and the second end may be ignited if desired.
In this improvement, all the impregnations or treatments can be effected
while the matches are assembled in compact bundles, enabling large quantities
to be simultaneously treated and rendering the process an extremely rapid and
cheap one.
This process is, as far as we know, the first to produce a safe and practical head-
less match, and the advantages of such a match in regard to closeness and ease of
packing and in other respects, are obvious. The coating of the match by an in-
flammable waterproof material maintains the efficiency of the oxidising materials
and adds to the inflammability of the match, the rosin, oleic acid, &c., being
moisture resisting.
De 11:00
2 AL 1007
Improvements in the Manufacture of Matches adapted to Prepared
Striking Surfaces.
We, SIEGMUND NEUBURG, of No. 733, Sladkooskygasse, Prague, Austria, Manufac
turer, and IGNAZ NEUBURG, of No. 5, Glasergasse, Vienna, Austria, Mánufacturer, 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 headless matches free from phosphorous and which are
intended to ignite by being scratched against a suitably prepared surface. It has
heretofore been proposed to manufacture matches by employing sodium chlorate in

page_text: On the other hand, care must be exercised to ensure the taking up of enough of
the oxidizing material to ignite the match. It is thus apparent that what is desired
is an accumulation of the oxidizing ingredients towards the ends of the inatches.
This is obtained by the process above described of dipping the match endwise and it
is advantageous to have the igniting agent at each end of the match, because either
end may be ignited, which is an important consideration with the headless match,
and the comparatively unimpregnated middle portion of the match will carry the
flame but slowly, so that the match can safely he held while burning and the second
end may be ignited if desired.
In this improvement, all the impregnations or treatments can be effected while the
matches are assembled in compact bundles, enabling large quantities to be simul-
taneously treated, and rendering the process an extremely rapid and cheap one.
This process is, as far as known, the first to produce a safe and practical headless
match, and the advantages of such a match in regard to closeness and ease of packing
and in other respects are obvious.
The coating of the match by an inflammable waterproof material maintains the
efficiency of the oxidizing materials and adds to the inflammability of the match, the
resin, oleic acid, &c., being moisture resisting.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
First The method herein described of manufacturing headless safety matches,
which consists in applying to the end or ends of match splints, a solution of an
alkaline chlorate and a soluble salt of a metal proper, so as to impregnate the end or
ends of the splints, substantially as specified.
Second-The method herein described of manufacturing headless safety matches,
which consists in applying to the end or ends of the match splints sodium
chlorate, a sulphate of a metal proper, and a gum in solution, so as to impregnate
the ends of the splints, thoroughly drying and subsequently covering the splints
to a greater depth by a waterproof solution, substantially as described.
Third: The method herein described of manufacturing headless safety matches,
which consists in securing the match splints together in flat bundles, applying to
the ends of the match splints an oxidizing solution, drying the same and then
applying to such match splints to a greater depth a waterproof solution, substantially
as described.
Fourth A solution for the impregnation of match splints in the manufacture of
safety matches, consisting of sodium chlorate, a sulphate of a metal proper, water and
a gum, substantially as described.
U
Fifth A solution for treating matches after their impregnation with an oxidizing
or consuming agent, said solution consisting of resin, turpentine, oleic acid and
linseed oil, substantially as specified.