An Improvement or Improvements in or connected with Matches.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement or Improvements in or connected with Matches.
I, JOHN ISAAC WILLIAMS of Pentre Issa Farm, Ruabon in the County of
Denbeigh, North Wales, Contractor 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:-
My invention refers to a new or improved device, or combination of materials
made or manufactured into devices, or appliances, capable of being applied to
matches, whether they be ordinary splints or wax or other matches, so as to render
them capable of being ignited and rendered non-extinguishable with facility in the
open air when so required or to be used as an ordinary match; that is a mitch
(made with or without sulphur) according to my invention is capable of being
converted into a fusee, or a fusee vesta, as may be required and with the utmost
facility. It is well known how difficult and annoying it is very often, to endeavour
to light an ordinary match in the open air, and hence why many people carry
fusees, for use outdoors and carry matches for use indoors or in carriages or
other places where the smell of a fusee is most objectionable. By my invention I,
to a very great extent at any rate, overcome the objections above mentioned to
the use of fusees and matches, by rendering the ordinary match convertible for
either purpose viz. as a fusee or as an ordinary match at pleasure.
According to my invention I provide certain devices or appliances consisting
of ferrules, rings, collars, pellets or the like, which are capable of being applied
to ordinary matches when it is required to convert same into fusees; such devices
are or should be composed of a composition such as that now used in the
manufacture of fusees without the fulminate (and hereafter termed the flaming
composition) the materials of which they are composed not being capable of
ignition by friction or concussion but only by being brought in contact with a light
from a match or other flame. This I accomplish by applying to an ordinary match
such a separate device composed of flaming composition in the form a ferrule,
ring, collar or pellet, as those before mentioned, and when so applied the match
becomes a fusee. The invention will be best understood by further describing
same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, showing a wax vesta converted into a fusee
according to one arrangement of my invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view
and Figure 3 is a vertical section of one of the devices composed of flaming com-
position, before referred to as ferrules, rings, collars, pellets, or the like detached
from the match proper.
Figures 4, 5 and 6, represent other forms of devices to those illustrated at
Figures 2 and 3, with the object of showing that I do not limit myself to the shape
of the composition. The illustrations are obviously drawn on an enlarged scale
to more clearly show the construction.
A is a wax vesta and B is its igniting tip, C is the flaming composition. At
Figure 1, the flaming composition C, is made in the form of a ring or sleeve, and
adapted to be slidden up the stem of the vesta A, and to fit tightly thereon for
which purpose the aperture should be made of somewhat conical form to admit of
the easy entry of the vesta stem, but the aperture may be parallel throughout its
length or of other shape; the exterior form may for example be circular as shown
at Figures 1, 2, and 3, or it may be square, hexagonal or other form.

page_text: As shown at Figure 4, in elevation and Figure 5 in plan, the device need not
be annular but slotted laterally, and clipped on to the stem A, of the match close
to the igniting tip B, as shown.
The flaming composition C, is shown at Figure 5, of somewhat rectangular
form to suit a square stem A, while at Figure 6, the device is shown semi-circular
or nearly so.
Having now particularly described and ascertained 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. In matches, a collar or pellet of flaming composition, capable of being
applied to, or removed from, an ordinary match or vesta, whereby such may be
converted from an ordinary match to a fusee or vice versa, and substantially as set
forth.
2. A collar or pellet, of flaming composition formned with an aperture and
adapted to be slidden on to the stem of a match, or formed with a rebate and
adapted to be clipped thereon, all substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of October 1895
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.