Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Matches and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1889
Coniplete Specification Left, 20th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Matches
and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I, CHARLES ROBERT EDWARD BELL, of Albert House, Wandsworth, in the County
of Surrey, Match Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates mainly to improved machinery for the manufacture of
matches whereby the said matches are produced in a more speedy and economical
manner than hitherto.
In carrying out my invention I take what is known as ordinary match veneers,
that is to say, strips or veneers of wood of the thickness of a match and of a width
corresponding with the length of the matches to be produced.
A slotted guide plate is employed, the slots being of a corresponding width and
length to that of the vencer and the distance between each guide slot corresponds
with the spacing required for dipping the matches. The underside of the slide plate
forins what I term the cutting plate.
The strips or veneers are fed through these slots by feed rollers acting against the
edges of the strips the feed rollers being operated intermittently so that at each
motion the strips are projected below the cutting plate the exact thickness to be
given to the match and into a grooved plate. A knife is then passed between the
cutting plate and the grooved plate thereby cutting off the projecting pieces into
match splints.
A comb is now moved forward and pushes the splints between a pair of boards on
an endless band or chain and as the boards are moved forward by the chain they
clamp the splints, a fresh pair of boards being brought into position to receive the
next row of splints. One end of the splint projects from the board a certain
distance.
As the splints are moved forward by the endless band or chain the projecting ends
thereof are heated by passing in contact with heated rollers or in any other suitable
manner and they are afterwards caused to pass through heated paraffin for the
purpose of paraffining the ends. As the splints pass from the tank they are advan-
tageously cooled by means of a cold air blast. The splints being still carried forward
by their clamping boards are passed over a roller revolving in a tank of ordinary
"striking composition" and after being dried by means of dry air or in any other
suitable manner, the clamping boards are brought to a table or bench and being
opened by any suitable device the matches are then swept or cleared by means of a
finger or the like passing between the plates into the drawer of an ordinary matchi
box, the said drawers being advantageously arranged on a suitable feeding device so
that a drawer is brought into position at the required moment that the matches are
cleared from between any pair of boards. Or the matches are knocked from between
the boards on to a reciprocating spring band which feeds the matches into the drawer
of the box.
It will be obvious that my improvements for cutting and filling splints can be
used with any ordinary match frames and that my improvements for dipping, drying
and emptying may be applied to the machines at present in use for filling matches.
Dated the 26th day of March 1889.
G. F.. REDFERN & Co.,
• 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Matches
and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I, CHARLES ROBERT EDWARD BELL, of Albert House, Wandsworth, in the County
of Surrey, Match Manufacturer, do hereby declare the rature 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 mainly to improved machinery for the manufacture of
matches whereby the said matches are produced in a more speedy and economical
manner than hitherto.
In carrying out my invention I take what is known as ordinary match veneers,
that is to say, strips or veneers of wood of the thickness of a match and of a width
corresponding with the length of the matches to be produced, and I arrange the said
veneers in a slotted guide, the distance between each guide slot corresponding with
the spacing required for dipping the matches.
The strips or veneers are fed through the slots in the slotted guide by feed rollers
acting against the edges of the said strips, the feed rollers being operated inter-
mittently, so that, at each movement, the strips are projected into a grooved plate to
the extent of the exact thickness to be given to the match. A knife or a series of
knives is then passed over the grooved plate thereby cutting off into match splints
the portions of the strips or veneers projecting into the said grooved plate.
A comb or series of plungers is now moved and pushes the splints between boards
or grippers on an endless band by which the splints are clamped and held. One end
of the splint projects from the boards or grippers a sufficient distance. The endless
band passes over suitable drums by means of the intermittent motion of which fresh
boards or grippers are consecutively brought into position. I prefer, however, as
hereinafter described, to dispense with the endless bands, and to fasten the boards or
grippers direct to the drum without the intervention of a band. Moreover I find it
advantageous to provide a separate gripper for each match.
As the splints are moved by the drum or endless band or chain the projecting ends
thereof are heated by passing in contact with hot air or heated rollers or in any other
suitable manner and they are afterwards caused to pass through heated paraffin for the
purpose of paraffining the ends. As the splints pass from the paraffining tank they
are advantageously cooled by means of a cold air blast.
"
The splints being still carried by the drum or endless band are passed over a roller
revolving in a tank of ordinary striking composition and after being dried by
means of dry air or in any other suitable manner are brought to a table or platform.
The matches are then pushed out of the drum by means of a comb (or from between
the boards by means of a finger or the like passing between the said boards) into
a series of drawers of ordinary match boxes the said drawers being advantageously
arranged on the said table or platform in connection with a travelling band or feeding
device.
Instead of paraffining the splints by means of the tank hereinbefore described I can
paraffin one edge of the veneers before they are cut into splints.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will now proceed to
describe in detail that forin of my machine which I believe to be the best and most
generally advantageous.
In the accompanying drawings
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a partial side elevation and an end elevation partly
in section of a machine or apparatus for manufacturing matches according to my
invention, the said apparatus being constructed according to the arrangement
herein before described in which a series of grippers arranged on a drum is made
use of.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan of the same, the section being taken on the line A, A
1

page_text: mittently rotating drum, portions of the combs for respectively pushing the splints
nto and the finished matches out of the said drum and the travelling band for moving
the drawers of the match boxes.
Figure is a sectional elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 1, Figure 4,
of one end of the series of parts described in the said Figure 4, the section being
taken on the line B, B.
Figure 6 is a plan of figure 5.
Figure 7 is a section on the line C, C of Figure 5.
Figure 8 is a side elevation showing a suitable arrangement of cams and levers for
operating the knives and drum.
Figuro 9 is a plan of the free end of the lever for operating the drum.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are a side view and views of each end respectively of one of
the grippers.
Figures 13 and 14 are respectively a plan and transverse section of one of the
knives.
Figures 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are diagrams illustrating the operation of different
parts of the apparatus.
Figures 20 and 21 shew an arrangement of boards and endless band which may in
some cases be employed.
Figures 4 to 14 are drawn to larger scales than the remainder of the figures.
Similar reference letters indicate similar parts throughout the drawings.
a, a represent the framing of the machine or apparatus consisting of two side
portions connected together at their ends by tie rods a¹, a' and cross girders a², a³ as
shown clearly in Figures, 1, 2 and 3.
In this framing is arranged a shaft which forms the main shaft, through the
medium of which, the various parts of the apparatus are operated as hereinafter
described. 1, are pulleys for driving the said shaft.
c, Figures 2 to 6, my slotted guide which is advantageously constructed of a
series of plates c' arranged side by side between grooved plates c², c. The plates are
placed at a sufficient distance apart from one another to allow of ordinary match
veneers being inserted between them. The plates c², care attached at both ends to
brackets, fixed upon the side frames a, a. The upper parts of the plates cl are, in
the drawing, shown confined between plates c. The dotted lines c in figure .4
represent a portion of one of the veneers.
d, d are the feed rollers journalled in bearings d¹, d' in the brackets c³, c³ and which
are preferably fluted so as to grip the edges of the veneers in order to feed them down
into the row of grooves e in the upper surface of the grooved plate el, the said grooved
The width of the grooves e
plate being attached at each end to the side frames a, a.
corresponds with the thickness of the veneer and the depth with the thickness of
splints to be cut. The necessary intermittent motion of the rollers d, d is transmitted
from the main shaft b through the medium of a cam d², lever d³, rod d', lever d³,
pawl do, ratchet wheel and gear wheels and as clearly illustrated in the
detached diagram, figure 15.
The knives are marked, and are arranged between the grooves e; they extend
across the grooved plate e and are attached at their ends to a frame which slides on
supports on the grooved plate e¹ in the direction of the arrow, Figure 5. The
knifes work in contact with the upper surface of the grooved plate e' so as to cut off
the portion of the veneers which is contained in the grooves e, thereby forming the
match splints. The said knives are driven from the main shaft b through the medium
of a cam, lever f³, rod, bell crank and rod f as will be clearly seen without
further description by reference to the diagram, Figure 16.
g, is the comb forming a series of plungers working through a guide plate g¹ and
attached to a slide g which works in guides 93 upon the side frames a, a and causes
the said plungers to enter the grooves e and to push the match splints into the
grippers arranged in the face of the drum i the said grippers being omitted in

page_text: Figures 1, 2 and 3 for the sake of clearness. The slide is operated from the main
shaft through the medium of cams g. levers ³, rods g, bell cranks g and links
as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 17. Each of the grippers has shewn clearly in
Figures 10, 11 and 12. comprises a bell mouth which projects from the face of
the drum, and a tubular shank which projects inside the said drum and is split for
a portion of its length so as to make it elastic or of a spring nature, whereby it will
bear upon and grip the sides of a match splint. The grippers are also provided with
collars which serve to fix them in position on the face of the drum to effect which,
they are each passed shank foremost from the outside face of the drum into one of
the holes therein and forced or sprung into place. The grippers / are arranged in
the periphery of the drum i in rows which are successively brought opposite the row
of grooves el to receive the splints as they are pushed therefrom. To effect the necessary
intermittent movement the drum is provided in the centre of its face with ratchet
teeth which are operated upon by a pawl attached to a bifurcated lever it, a
roller at the free end of which bears upon a cam on the main shaft b as shown
clearly in Figures 1, 2, 8 and 18.
when not being
provided with an
In order to reduce friction I can arrange to support the lever
operated by the cam i. For this purpose 1 employ the bracket
adjustable pad or block on which the lever rests.
roller relatively with the cam I form the part of the lever carrying the said
For adjusting the position of the
roller adjustable relatively with the other part as shewn clearly in Figures 8 and 9,
set screws serving to effect the adjustment. The drum consists of two rings i",
(figures 2 and 3) which project sidewise from and are carried by the rim of the
wheel mounted on an axle j journalled in bearings on the side frames a. By this
construction room is provided inside the drum to allow of the arrangement of
the comb or series of plungers hereinafter described for pushing out the finished
matches.
As will be seen by reference to Figures 4, 6 and 7 the splints are not pushed right
into the grippers, a certain portion of their length being left protruding so as to
allow of them being paraffined and tipped with striking composition as hereinafter
described, the extent to which they protrude being regulated by what I term a
gauging roller kjournalled in bearings on the side frames a and arranged across
the face of the drum i so that, as the match splints are carried round by the said
drum, they will be caused to come into contact with the gauging roller and the
distances which the splints protrude from the drum will be equalized.
For beating the splints, I employ a heating chamber consisting of a casing
which encloses a portion of the face of the drum i, as shewn clearly in Figure 1.
This casing is similar in section to that shewn at the upper part of Figure 2 to be
hereinafter described, and the splints pass through this casing in their passage to the
tank m containing paraffin, which tank is arranged beneath the face of the drum i
and is heated by means of gas burners m¹ or other suitable means, contained at
one end of a chamber m² beneath the said tank and beneath the chamber ; the
heated products of combustion from the burners pass through the said chamber m²
thereby imparting heat to the said chamber and to the splints therein. The said
products of combustion are then passed or drawn away-through tubes or pipes m³
on each side of the apparatus as hereinafter described.
2
n is the tank containing the striking composition" in which revolves an adjustable
roller, a scraper a being used to gauge the thickness of composition on the said
roller in the ordinary manner. The tank n is advantageously mounted upon wheels n³
so as to allow of it being easily placed in position beneath the face of the drum i.
l
o is another casing or chamber similar to the casing through which the fumes
from the tanks m and are drawn by means of a suitable fan (not shewn in the
drawings) the said fan being connected to the chamber o by the pipe o and hollow cross
girder . The draught of air, which is caused to pass into the casing o also serves to
cool the splints as they pass from the tank m.
Another casing or chamber p which practically forms a continuation of the casing
or chamber o, is arranged around the face of the drum i from the hollow girder a³

page_text: to a point situated just above the slotted guide e and is connected to the chamber m²
by the pipes m³ hereinbefore described so that the products of combustion from
the burners m' are drawn through the pipes m³ and casing p by the fan herein before
mentioned. By this arrangement of the casings o and p the matches are thoroughly
dried as they pass therethrough.
9 is the comb or, series of plungers for pushing the finished matches from the
grippers h, the said comb being shewn formed in two portions which work in guides q
supported upon the side frames a, a, as shewn clearly in Figures 1 and 3. The two
portions of the comb y are operated from the bell cranks go through the medium of
rods g³, levers 93 and links q (as clearly shewn in Figures 1 and 17) so that, at
the same time that a row of match splints is being pushed into the face of
the drum by the comb g, a row of finished matches is being pushed out of the said
face by the comb g.
is the travelling band or feeding device, in connection with which are arranged a
series of drawers of ordinary match boxes for receiving the finished matches from the
drum i. This band r, which is endless, as shewn in Figure 3, is arranged across the
face of the drum i just below the point at which the finished matches are pushed out
of the same and passes round the upper part of the slotted guide e and over the
surfaces of two pulleys 1, 2 rotating on pins 23, 3 in the direction of the arrows, at
the top of the brackets c³, c³: One of the pins 3 is attached to an adjustable sliding
block as clearly shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 so as to allow of the band being
tightened as it becomes stretched by use; instead of a band, a chain passing round
sprocket wheels can be used. The said band is provided with a series of arms
between which are placed the drawers of the match boxes to be filled, the upper
part of the said arms being formed conical so that any matches falling thereon will
drop into the drawers is the table or platform on which the drawers
supported, the said table being attached to the brackets c³, c³. The band r is operated
intermittently in the direction of the arrow, figure 3, from the main shaft through
the medium of a cam s, lever s', rod 2, lever s³, pawls, ratchet wheels, bevel
wheels and pulley 2 as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 19 and in such a
manner that, if a series of empty drawers be placed upon the table between the
series of arms and fed across the machine, they will receive sufficient matches to fill
them. In the apparatus shewn in the drawings there are sixty slots in the guide c,
sixty knives and plungers 9 and 7 and the grippers h are arranged in rows of the
same number across the face of the drum i, the drawers being arranged so as to
receive four matches from each succeeding series of four grippers for each movement
of the band as shewn clearly in Figure 6.
are
Figures 20 and 21 show an arrangement of endless band carrying boards which is
an equivalent for the drum with its grippers but not so convenient, as it takes up more
space and is less reliable in its action. In this arrangement pairs of boards A, B, like
ordinary match boards are secured upon an endless band C passing over drums, one
of such drums being shewn in the drawing and is marked D. One board B of each
pair is fixed rigidly; the other A is hinged. The boards are ordinarily kept together
by a spring, not shewn in the drawing, so as to grip the splints which are placed
between them. Pins E are fixed at the ends of the boards, by means of which
the boards are opened when the splints are inserted by the comb. In conjunction
with and at the same time as the comb, two wedge-shaped slides F are pushed forward
so as to come between the pins and open the boards just before the splints are inserted
by the comb. The slides are withdrawn with the comb and the boards close again by
the action of their springs so as to grip the matches. I do not describe this alternative
further as I regard it as an inferior equivalent for the drum with separate grippers for
each match herein before fully described.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows, that is to say, assuming each of the
slots or divisions in the slotted guide c to contain a veneer and the parts of the
apparatus to be in the positions shewn in the drawings, if the main shaft 6 be operated
in the direction of the arrows, the cam d² will cause the feed rollers d to feed down
the said veneers into the grooves e in the plate e¹, the movement occupying a quarter

page_text: of a revolution of the said shaft b.as will be seen by reference to figure 15. The
cam (figure 16) during the next quarter revolution of the shaft will causes the
knives to cut off the splints, which, during another quarter of a revolution of the said
shaft (figure 17) will be pushed out of the grooved plate e¹ by the comb ginto a row
of grippers in the drum i by the action of the cam g and the pushers return to
their normal position. The remaining quarter of a revolution of the shaft will then
cause the cam (figures 8 and 18) to move the drum in the direction of the arrow, 2,
figure 1, so as to move the row of splints just pushed therein away from and bring
another row of grippers in front of the grooves e. These operations being continued
the drum will intermittently move round in the direction of the said arrow and the
splints contained therein will first come into contact with the gauging roller kas
hereinbefore described, and, after passing through the heating chamber 1, will be
carried through the paraffin in the tank mand being thus paraffined they will be tipped
with the striking composition by passing over the roller. n' the splints before being
tipped being cooled as herein before described. The matches will then pass into the
casings o and p, in the latter of which they will pass through the heated products of
combustion from the burners m¹ as herein before described so that by the time they
reach the comb q they will be dry. Each row of matches as it comes opposite to the
comb 4. will be pushed out into the drawers below. which, in the meantime, must
have been arranged between the arms of the band ; the mechanism for actuating
which is operated at the same time as the veneers are fed down. In Figures 15, 16,
17, 18 and 19 the portions of the surfaces of the cams shown therein for effecting
the operations described are comprised between the lines marked a which form
angles of 90°.
Various portions of my improvements may be usefully applied without the remainder
thereof, or in conjunction with substitutes for others thereof. For instance, my
improvements for cutting and filling splints can be used with any ordinary match
frames. My rotating drum with its grippers could be used if the splints were cut and
laid in the grooves for the comb to operate upon by the ordinary cutting and filling
devices, and so on. Also certain portions of my improvements may obviously be
applied in the manufacture of wax matches. It is also obvious that some stages of
the process may be omitted as, for instance, the veneers may be paraffined before being
fed into the machine, and the matches may be delivered into a slide or shoot or other
receptacle, and put into boxes by hand or otherwise. I am aware that there has been
a previous attempt to make matches by a continuous automatic machine, but this
attempt failed, one reason of such failure being that the matches were held sideways
whilst being tipped instead of being held vertically downwards and another that the
general idea of the machine was ill-conceived.
Having now particularly described and explained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The continuous process of match making substantially as hereinbefore described
by means of an automatic machine into which the veneers are fed, and by means of
which the vencers are cut into splints, the splints inserted into grippers carried by an
intermittently rotating drum or its equivalent and tipped and dried through the rotation
of the drum or its equivalent, and the matches delivered into boxes or a suitable shoot
or receptacle.
2. The continuous process of match-making by means of an automatic machine
herein before described consisting of the following stages or their equivalents.
(a.) Feeding the veneers by an intermittent motion in guides in which the
veneers are separated by spaces suitable for the subsequent process of tipping.
(b.) Cutting the veneers into splints by means of suitable knives, whilst held
in suitably spaced guides or grooves.
(c.) Inserting the splints into grippers carried on an intermittently rotating
drum or its equivalent by means of a comb operating in suitably spaced grooves
or its equivalent:.

page_text: (d.) Heating the splints in a suitable chamber through which they are passed
by the rotation of the drum or its equivalent.
(e.) Paraffining the splints by passing them through a tank of paraffin by
the rotation of the drum or its equivalent.
() Tipping the splints with striking composition by passing their ends by
the rotation of the drum or its equivalent over a roller or its equivalent upon
which the composition is suitably spread.
(a.) Drying the matches by passing them by the rotation of the drum or its
equivalent through a chamber around the circumference thereof through which
a current of air is caused to flow.
(h.) Delivering the matches from the grippers by means of a suitably arranged
comb or its equivalent.
3. The several separate stages of the process referred to in the last claiming
clause lettered respectively a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, each substantially as hereinbefore
described.
4. An automatic machine for the manufacture of matches by a continuous process
substantially as herein before described.
5. In a match making machine the use of an intermittently rotating drum or its
equivalent carrying grippers for receiving and holding match splints or tapers sub-
stantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore described.
6. In a match making machine the arrangement for feeding and cutting the
veneers in guides suitably spaced for the subsequent process substantially as
described.
7. In a match making machine the combination with the said intermittently
rotating drum or its equivalent, of mechanism for feeding and cutting veneers into
match splints and for pushing the said splints or tapers into the grippers in the drum
substantially as hereinbefore described.
8. In a match making machine the combination with the said intermittently rotating
drum or its equivalent and mechanism for feeding and cutting veneers into match
splints and for pushing the said splints into clips in the said drum, of means for
heating, paraffining, cooling, tipping and drying the matches, substantially as herein-
before described.
9. In match making machinery, the combination with the drum of the arrangement
for pushing the finished matches from the grippers in the drum, into suitable recep-
tacles, substantially as herein before described.
10. In match making machinery the arrangement for feeding the match box drawers
as they are filled from the grippers substantially in the manner and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
11. In a match making machine the use of grippers constructed substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 10, 11 and 12 of the accompanying
drawings.
12. The use in combination with ordinary match frames of the mechanism for
cutting and filling splints substantially as hereinbefore described.
13. The use in combination with ordinary splint filling machines of the rotating
drum and grippers and mechanism for dipping and drying matches and filling them
into match box drawers, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated the 20th day of January 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.