IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING BOXES FOR CONTAINING MATCHES, SPLINTS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Loomes, of Bower Road, Hackney, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR MAKING BOXES FOR CONTAINING MATCHES, SPLINTS, AND
OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES."
Sealed the 31st October 1871, and dated the 3rd May 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Loomes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd May 1871.
I, EDWARD LOOMES, of Bower Road, Hackney, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING BOXES FOR CONTAINING MATCHES, SPLINTS,
AND OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
:-
Match boxes are usually made from scaleboard, which is a kind of
thin rough veneer or shaving cut off from a block of wood. These
boxes are now made principally by hand with the assistance of various
tools.
The object of the present Invention is to make these and other
1

page_text: In carrying out my Invention the scaleboard may if preferred be cut
off by a separate machine in the usual manner and made up into boxes
in another machine. But I also propose and prefer to carry on all the
operations in one machine. To this end I place a block of wood of
suitable dimensions in the combined machine, and upon setting the
mechanism in motion the match boxes ready for use will be delivered
out in regular succession. A block of wood of suitable dimensions
(according to the size of the intended boxes) is secured in or on a table
or frame in the machine, and a strong plane iron or inclined cutter is
brought against the lower part of the block, so that a slice of the required
thickness is cut therefrom, and is conducted by guiding rollers or other
equivalent devices to a stamper, which comes down on the middle part
of the piece of scale board and doubles it up by driving it through a
plate, thereby forming one of the sides of the box. A pair of folders onc
on each side are then advanced and made to double or fold over the
ends of the piece of scale board, so as to form the second side, the
board part forming the top and bottom of the box. One of the guiding
rollers which carry forward the scalcboard revolves in a vessel contain-
ing some liquid dye, so that as the board passes onward its edges will be
stained. The next operation is to wrap round the box thus formed an
envelope or wrapper of paper so as to hold the parts in place. To effect
this the paper, which is usually printed with any desired device in-
cluding the name of the manufacturer, is placed in a pile and a vibrating
lever takes it up sheet by sheet and carries it forward to a roller or brush
whereby it is pasted on the under side. It is then wrapped round the
box, and the two sides of the box are then gummed and sanded to form
the rough surface on which the matches are to be ignited by friction. If
desired instead of sanding the sides may be painted over with a safety
composition on which the matches must be rubbed to ignite them.
The mode of preparing compositions of this kind is well known, and
such preparations being now extensively used they form no part of my
Invention. Or if preferred this composition may be applied by a sub-
sequent operation. When the boxes are thus completed they are pushed
out of the machine by the advance of a plunger. The boxes so made
form envelopes to receive drawers to contain the matches. These
drawers are made in precisely the same manner as the external boxes or
envelopes with the addition of a bottom piece to the drawer. This
bottom piece is thrust in by a plunger when the sides and ends of the

page_text: drawer have been secured by a paper wrapper as in the former case, and
the bottom is secured therein by folding back the pasted edges of the
paper wrapper. The outer boxes and drawers are made simultaneously
in the same machine, but if found more.convenient in practice, separate
machines may be used for the
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Loomes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
LOOMES, of Bower Road, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Edward Loomes, Her special licence that I,
the said Edward Loomes, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Edward Loomes, 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, cxercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
MAKING BOXES FOR CONTAINING MATCHES, SPLINTS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS
ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Loomes, 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 Edward Loomes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto

page_text: annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say)
The object of this Invention is to manufacture match boxes in a more
expeditious and economical manner than heretofore.
Match boxes as commonly constructed consist of two parts, viz.,
the tray and the envelope which encloses the tray. These parts are
formed of scaleboard (which is a kind of rough veneer or coarse shaving
cut off from a block of wood in the direction of the grain), and lapped
around the bent scaleboard is a covering of pasted paper which serves
to secure the joints.
By the novel arrangement of machinery to be presently described
I propose to fold scale board into the desired shape to form envelopes
and trays, and to cover the same with a paper wrapper, and to
apply and secure to the folded scalcboard which forms the sides and
ends of the tray a loose piece that will constitute the bottom of
the tray.
In the Drawings I have shown an arrangement of machinery for
forming the tray or body of the match box, the operation of making
that portion being somewhat more complex than the operation of
making the envelope, but up to a certain point, as will be hereafter
understood, the operation in the two cases is the same, the proportions
only of certain parts of the mechanism being varied. In practice I
find it most convenient to use two distinct machines, the one for the
tray and the other for the envelope. I have however in this my
Specification described and shewn only the more complex machine, as
the mode of modifying the same to adapt it to the manufacture of the
envelopes will be obvious to any competent mechanic.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 represents my
improved machine in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the
same taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1.
.
In Sheet II. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine; and Fig. 4 is a
cross section taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 3.
In Sheet III. Fig. 5 shews in longitudinal sectional elevation and
Fig. 6 in front clevation (partly in section) on an enlarged scale
the means employed for inserting the bottom in the tray and securing
it'in its place.

page_text: A, A, Sheet I. shew two end frames bolted to a bed plate and
connected together at their upper ends by a pair of parallel tie rods a;
A, A', are central standards cast with extensions or stays by which
they are secured to the end frames. In suitable bearings on the
front end frame is mounted a transverse shaft which carries a cam B
for transmitting motion to the operating parts of the mechanism.
The rods a serve as supports and guides for a sliding saddle piece C,
shewn best at Fig. 3, which serves as a carriage for bringing the
scalcboard under the action of a descending former D and for carrying
the pasted paper up to and delivering it on to the folded scalcboard
as will be presently more fully explained. The former D consists of
a horizontal rectangular box formed of thin metal and open at its
ends to receive at its rear a plunger D' of corresponding sectional
form, which plunger is intended by its advance to push forward a
piece of scaleboard, suitably shaped to form the bottom of the box
and dropped in front of the plunger down a shute D* communicating
with the interior of the former, and hold it in the proper position
for being secured to the sides and ends of the tray. This former D
is carried by a vertical guide bar D³, which travels in guides affixed
to the standards A', A'. This guide bar D³ takes its motion from a
lever D', which is pivotted to a bracket at the front of the machine,
and is fitted with a bowle that takes into the groove of the cam B.
The free end of the lever D' is slotted to embrace a pin projecting
from the guide bar D³; the rotation therefore of the cam B in
the direction of the arrow will by oscillating the lever D' give a
vertical motion to the guide bar D³, and thereby cause the former D
to rise and fall for the purpose to be presently explained. The
sliding saddle C receives its traverse motion from a lever C¹ having
its fulcrum on the bed plate of the machine. This lever like the
lever D' is fitted with a bowle which enters the groove of the canı B
and is operated relatively to the lever D*, so that the advance of
the saddle C will precede the descent of the former D, and the return
of the saddle C will precede the rise of the former D.. This saddle
carries a thin plate c, which is cut away at or near its middle,
leaving a space of a width equal to the transverse measurement of
the tray. Upon this plate are fitted guage pieces c¹ between which
a piece of scaleboard cut to a suitable length for forming the sides
and ends of the tray is laid, the piece bridging over the space cutting
the plate c. In rear of this plate c the saddle carries a second

page_text: plate E, the inner edge of which is formed with fingers and with
a central space intended to allow of the passage through it of the
tray when on the former D. This plate is intended to receive the
pasted paper from a plate E', which is affixed to a rock shaft
mounted in bearings on the rear end frame A and standard A'.
The duty of this plate E¹ is to dip into a vessel F containing paste,
and then to rock over to a pile of paper G situate below it to pick
up the top piece of the pile and then to deliver it on to the plate E,
leaving that plate on its return motion to bring the paper to the
position shewn in blue colour at Fig. 3. To enable the plate E'
to do this it is so formed that its fingers will, when the plate E is
brought up into line with it, pass through the spaces between the
fingers of the plate E. The requisite reciprocating motion of the
plate E is derived from the guide bar D³, a pin on which enters
a slot in one end of a rock lever e, pivotted to a pendent bracket
of the framing. The other end of this lever is connected by a link e'
to a vertical rack e', which is supported by guides on the end frame.
Into the teeth of this rack gears a pinion keyed on the rock shaft
of the plate E¹.
Supposing now the apparatus to be in the position shewn at Figures 1, 1
2, and 3, and a piece of scaleboard to have been fed to the machine as
indicated by the red color at Fig. 3, on motion being imparted to the
cam B the saddle C will carry the strip of scaleboard under the
former D and will then stop. The former will then descend and will
strike the scaleboard at or about the middle of its length and force it
down through the space cut in the plate c and between two cheeks
made fast to a bracket carried by the standards A'. By this means
the scale board will be creased and two angles of the tray formed.
To make a clean sharp crease it is essential that the former shall
be so proportioned that there shall be such sufficient space and no
more between the former and the cheeks as to allow of the passage
of the scale board between them. The downward motion of the former
will be continued until it has passed below and just clear of the
plate c.
The next operation will be to fold down the projecting ends of the
side pieces. This operation is effected as follows:-Mounted on the
plate c and lying horizontally across the plate is a steel plate c³ which
projects from a cranked slide bar c³ that works in guides secured to the

page_text: plate c. The cranked end of this bar is connected to the upper end
of a cranked rock lever Cs having for its fulcrum the same pin as the
lever C. Thus as the slide advances the scaleboard to the former this
lever will move with the slide and will be brought to the position shewn
in dotted lines at Fig. 1. By the time that the former has completed
its descending stroke an adjustable pin on the cam B will have come
round into contact with the lever c and striking this lever it will throw
it forward and cause it to drive the blade C* smartly against the upraised
portion of the scalebbard near its edge. The effect of this will be to
strike down that portion of the scale board, and thereby form an end
to the tray. The return motion of the slide will in like manner bring
into contact with the other portion of raised scaleboard the advancing
edge of the plate o adjacent thereto, and striking it down form a lapped
joint for the end of the tray. Supposing now the slide C to be in such
a position with regard to the former that the gap in the plate c is
coincident with the former and the tray to have been partly formed by
the aid of the former and the knife blade the slide will be ready to
commence its return movement, and effect by the plate c as already men-
tioned the creasing of the scalcboard. Before however this back move-
ment commences, the plate E' will have picked up a piece of paper and
laid it on to the plate E with the pasted side downwards, and drop below
into the paste vessel clear of the plate E. It should be here remarked
that the paper must exceed in width the depth of the tray by about
half an inch to provide for the lapping of the paper over the tray
bottom. The plate E being supplied as above stated will by the return
motion of the slide bring the pasted paper over the end of the tray, as
shewn at Fig. 3. Simultaneously with this action a presser block I
will fall on to the paper and serve to hold the lapped ends of the
tray firmly. This presser block is carried by a rod I' which slides in
guides in a bracket piece I attached to the guide bar D³. The rod I'
is furnished with pins i over which are passed elastic bands i², which
bands are connected by hooks to the lower part of the bracket I³. The
tendency of these bands will be to force down the presser block to its
lowest position. It is however necessary during the operation of lapping
the scaleboard round the former to retain the presser block in an elevated
position. To effect this there is fitted to the plate on the slide C a rib
or raised piece c', and to the presser block a bowle which is intended
to rest upon the raised piece c*. When the slide has brought the paper
over the end of the box the raised piece c' will have run back clear of

page_text: the bowle and thus the presser block will be free to fall upon the paper.
The next operation will be to raise the former around which the scale-
board has been lapped in order to lap around the tray the slip of pasted
paper. This is effected by the continued rotation of the cam B, and
the effect of this lifting of the tray with the paper pendent therefrom is
to bring it under the action of a pair of fixed brushes d and a pair of
oscillating brushes d' (Fig. 1). These brushes are mounted on the
standards A, and as the former rises the brushes d lay the paper
smoothly over the sides of the tray. The paper next comes into contact
with the oscillating brushes &³, the bristles of which are fixed in the
pendent ends of a pair of crank levers. The shorter limbs of these
levers are acted upon as the former passes the brushes by pins & fitted
to the guide bar D³. As the crank levers are struck by these pins the
brushes are forced inwards and caused to lap the ends of the paper one
upon the other. When the former has arrived at the elevation shewn
at Figures 1 and 2 the bottom is applied to the tray in the manner
which I will now describe. A piece of scalcboard of the desired size
being dropped by hand into the shute D* (as shewn at Fig. 5) falls into
the hollow former and takes an erect position in front of the plunger D¹.
The time at which this takes place will just precede the next advance
of the slide C. The plunger D¹ is jointed to a lever D³ (Figures 2
and 5) which is pivotted to a bracket on the guide bar D³. A spring ď
bearing on the lever D³ gives the plunger a tendency to remain in its
backward position.
Supposing now the hollow former to be charged with a bottom for
the tray it is necessary to thrust this piece forward to the extreme edge
of the former. To. enable the plunger to do this the slide C is fitted
with an incline, C¹³ so situate that as the slide moves forward to bring a
fresh piece of scaleboard into position for creasing the incline will press
on the back of the lever D³ and cause it to thrust forward the plunger D'
and with it the loose bottom of the tray. To prevent this piece falling
out of position a presser G is provided, which consists of a rod with an
enlarged head sliding in a guide box G¹ carried by pendent arms G³
which are pivotted to brackets on the standards A'. At the rear end
of this presser rod. G is a coiled spring 9. which gives it a tendency to
move outwards, but which yields readily to the thrust of the plunger D'.
Within this guide box G'are mounted four brushes g³, g³, g³, g*, the same
being arranged parallel to the sides of the box which is rectangular and

page_text: corresponding in its proportions to those of the former. These brushes
are severally provided with tail pieces which lie between pairs of studs
fitted to the rod G. The effect of this arrangement is that when the
presser rod G is thrust back the several brushes will be caused to move
towards each other, and thereby come in contact with the pasted paper
that stands out beyond the folded scaleboard and press it down upon
the loose bottom, the loose bottom will thus be secured in place to the
sides of the tray. The tray being now completed the next thing is to
discharge it from the machine. To provide for this the former D is
embraced by a sliding piece De which is carried by a pair of arms D'
that work in guides on the guide bar D³, and are connected together by
a cross rod. An clongated slot is made in the plunger D' for this rod,
so that the movement of the plunger up to a certain point will have no
effect on the sliding piece. Slots are also made in the sides of the
former D to admit of the advance of the rod De. The further advance
of the plunger will cause the arms D' to advance the sliding piece which
fitting closely on to the former will press against the edges of the tray
and thrust it off the former. To allow however of this action taking
place it is necessary first to withdraw the presser G and its guide box G',
and it is for this reason that the guide box is hung upon swinging arms.
To fix the guide box while the brushes are in action the peculiar arrange-
ment of locking apparatus is provided. The arms G² each carry a
bowle which bear against a locking frame y pivotted to horns pro-
jecting from the bracket I². This frame is held in contact with the
bowles so as to lock the arms G2 by means of an elastic band which
connects it with a pin pendent from a cross piece secured to the horns.
When now the plunger D' strikes the presser rod G and thrusts it back
to its farthest point in the guide box, the guide box will be caused to
recede under the pressure. This movement will cause the bowles g³ to
trip the locking frame, and at this moment a spring Gʻ will come into
action and draw back the guide box and brushes, thus leaving space
for the tray to fall out of the machine. It should be premised that
before this takes place it is necessary to remove the pressure of the
block I from the former D. To provide for this the tail of a forked
lever I³ pivotted in the guide bar D³ and embracing the rod of the
presser block below a pini is made to catch on a bolt carried by the
brackets G while the guide bar is rising. The effect of this will be to
draw the presser block upwards against the downward pressure of the
springs and hold it clear of the former. To provide for the return of

page_text: the guide box G¹ to its locked position, a T shaped inclined plate g³
carried by the pin on which the swinging frame hangs is employed to
bear against the bowles on the ascent of the bar D³, and thereby force
back the arms C² into the position shewn at Fig. 5. The T shaped plate
is connected to a hook on the cross piece g' by an elastic band to allow
of its passing the bowles on the descent of the guide bar D³.
When constructing a machine for forming the envelope or outer casc
of the match box the guide box G with its appurtenances will not be
required, neither will the plunger D' and shute D. The former will of
course be shaped to correspond in depth with the depth of the envelope,
and the portion of the former that projects beyond the sliding piece Do
must be made equal in length to the length of the envelope. The
relative movements of the former and the sliding saddle will have to be
timed to suit the work in hand, for which purpose the form of the cam B
will require to be slightly modified.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved
Machinery for Making Boxes for Containing Matches, Splints, and other
Analogous Articles," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I claim the arrangement of machinery above
described for manfacturing match boxes.
>
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Loomes, have hercunto
set my hand and scal, the Third day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.