Improvements in Machines for Filling Match Boxes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Filling Match Boxes.
I, ALBERT SCHUSTER of 49A Stettinerstrasse, Berlin in the German Empire,
Locksmith, 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 a new or improved Machine for filling Match Boxes,
and its objects are to secure greater convenience in use, and to ensure as nearly
as possible that an equal number of matches shall be placed in each box.
I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:-
Figure 1 shews the essential parts of my machine in elevation, and the table
in cross section.
Figure 2 represents a plan of the machine, some unimportant parts being
omitted.
Figure 3 shews in plan, some of the parts omitted from Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of the drop piston which puts the matches into
the inner part of the match box.
Figure 5 shews the mechanism for placing the inner part of the match box into
the outer part after the matches have been filled in.
On the table of the machine there is arranged a sliding carriage a which is
limited in its longitudinal movements by the stops ala2 and carries the arm b.
Above the carriage there is arranged upon the table, a hopper Figure 1, tq
which the finished matches are supplied with their points to the front. In this
hopper there is arranged a stirring appliance actuated by a small bowl B and
corrugations on the carriage a. The reciprocations of this bowl are transmitted
by a system of arms and levers to the block and stirrer c¹ which is pivoted
at c. The stirring devices, effect the parallel arrangement of the matches in the
bottom part d', of the hopper, the lower edge of which is in contact with the
reciprocating carriage a. As shewn by Figure 1, there is a horizontal slot in
the right hand side of the part d' through which a knife e can reciprocate. The
knife is carried by the block e upon which it can be adjusted as to height
according to the depth of the match boxes to be filled. Above the space there is
a presser f which reciprocates vertically and compresses the matches below it
before they are separated by the knife. Its motion may be derived, through
levers at the back of the hopper, from the motion of the carriage..
At about the centre of the carriage there is an opening g having a breadth and
length equal to those of the inside of the inner part of the match box, so that
when this part of the match box is placed above the opening, it cannot drop into
it. Below the opening 9 Figure 1, there is arranged a plunger gl separately
shewn in section on a larger scale by Figure 4. When the opening g comes under
the hopper d¹ the plunger is lowered to permit the matches below the knife e to
fall into g. It is afterwards lifted to force the matches into the match box
arranged upside down on the carriage. In front of the opening there is a
connected opening h in the carriage, in which there is a reciprocable presser h¹.

page_text: The function of this presser is to facilitate the endwise adjustfent of the matches.
Whilst the matches are being placed in the opening 9 the presser is furthest
from g but when they have been inserted, the presser moves forward and forces
any projecting matches into line. The opening h also enables the matches to be
fed into 9 with greater ease and certainty. The reciprocation of the presser h
may be effected by means of the bowl in the .stem 2 which runs upon the
stationary adjustable inclined plane . Springs acting upon the projections k
tend to keep the presser away from the opening g. The adjustability of the
inclined plane permits the presser being used for various lengths of matches.
A projection is fixed upon the upper face of the carriage for the inside of the
match box, and an extension for the outside part of the box, these parts fixing
the positions of the parts of the box. A bracket m Figures 1 and 3 is fixed upon
the table, and carries a hand » over the carriage, to which hand there are attached
two fingers n¹. These serve to hold the filled inner part of the matcli box during
the backward motion of the carriage in the position in which the inner box has
to be inserted into the outer part. The plunger glis arranged below .the carriage
in a casing g5 and is limited in its motion by the pin g in the casing, engaging
in a slot in the plunger. At its lower end there is a catch g, engaging with the
projection g² under the action of a spring g³. On the underside of the table there
is fixed a bracket g Figure 1 the front horizontal edge of which is formed to an
inclined plane which, when the carriage moves in the direction indicated by the
arrow 1, Figure 2, releases the catch and permits the plunger 9 to fall by
gravity. It is again raised into engagement by the catch by means of the leyer
fulcrumed at v¹ and the key w Figure 1. The lever is constantly kept in
with the lower end of the key stem by the spring
contact
The filling of the match box is effected in the following manner: The outer
part of the match box is arranged in advance of the extension and the inverted
inner part in advance of the projection. The dividing knife e being withdrawn,
the space becomes filled with the matches. When the carriage is moved in
the direction of the arrow 1, Figure 2, the inner box is brought, exactly in front of
a plunger z Figure 3, where it is held by the box-holder y Figure 1. The box
holder has an elastic under part yl and slightly arched side springs, see Figures 6
and 7. The under part is fixed to the bracket and the springs are connected
to the part y which engages with the lever y which is normally held up by the
catch y6. On the carriage there is fixed a projection 7, the upper part of which
is so shaped that, when the carriage,is moved in the direction of the arrow 1, it
presses upon the lever 2, which then releases the catch whereupon the spring.
presses down the lever and thereby causes the box to be held by the box
holder and by the springs which are pressed down by the same action. The
box is now held by the box holder at the top, by the fingers n on one side, by a
bracket y on the other side, and by the springs at the ends. In the action
of pushing the carriage forward with the box in front of the projection, the
box comes under the hand m which it raises so as to pass under the fingers n,
which drop behind it instantly on the box coming to rest between the plunger
and the receiver 3, upon the latter of which the outer part of the match box has
been placed by the forward movement of the arm, and is held by the spring, c
At the end of the stroke of the carriage, the matches which are below the knife,
drop from the part into the opening in the carriage. On the return of the
carriage, in the direction of the arrow 2, the matches in the opening, are brought
under the inverted inner part of the match box, the plate. h having in the meantime
pressed upon the matches endwise. The key w is now depressed and the plunger,
is thereby lifted so as to force the matches in g into the inverted inner part of
the box. When the key w is depressed, a projection w¹ on its stem comes into
contact with a projection on the lever y, the other end of which is, thereby
lifted and engaged by the, catch 6.
93
Between the inner part of the box and the outer there is a spring, casing Por
converging spring guides mounted upon the slide o and moved forwards, by the

page_text: plunger z when this latter takes a forward stroke to place the inner box within
the outer. The part o moves forward and is held with the springs p entered
into the outer box by means of a convenient part engaging with a latch . The
inner box is then forced by the plunger through the springs p into the outer box.
Upon the continued movement of the plunger an attached part lifts the latch
and allows the slide o to be returned against the carriage a by means of the
spring shown in Figure 2. The compléte combined and filled box is now free
to be moved laterally to a suitable receptacle or the like when the next empty
outer box is fed into place. The forward motion of the plunger z causes another
empty inner box to be placed in front of the part 1 by means of the projection 23.
A second carriage a may be employed, in connection with the free end of the
arm b, to be worked by the same lever mechanism and hopper, a cross bar on
the lever being then all that would be necessary to obtain a double quantity of
filled boxes with the same moving power.
Compared with other machines of the kind, that hereinbefore described possesses
the advantage of great simplicity and exactness, since the motion of the carriage a
and of the lever and catch is free from complication of any kind.
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:-
1. A match box filling apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as
hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. A match box filling apparatus having a sliding carriage in which there is an
opening g for the reception of matches from a hopper, there being arranged in
combination with the opening a plunger for the endwise adjustment of the matches,
and a vertical plunger which drops for the reception of the matches and is after-
wards forced up when the opening comes under an inverted match box, for the
purpose of placing the matches in the box which is held during the operation,
and is afterwards pushed into the outer part of the box, substantially as hereinbefore,
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In a match box filling apparatus, a box holder for securing the inner box
whilst it is being filled with matches, constructed arranged and operating substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of August A.D. 1896.
W. E. HEYES & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.