IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James Webster at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th July 1880.
WILLIAM JAMES WEBSTER, of Bethnal Green, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES."
My Invention relates partly to match boxes of the kind known as "slide boxes,"
and the object of this part of my said Invention is to render such boxes capable of
being suspended in the same manner as ordinary hanging match holders, the
matches contained in the boxes when so suspended being readily accessible.
According to this part of my Invention I connect the box to its case in such a
manner that the box may be capable of being only partly slidden out of or projected
from its case. The connection may be made in any convenient manner. I prefer
to use a slip of paper, the ends of which I secure by means of gum, paste, or other
suitable material, one to the underside of the box and the other to the innerside of
its case. I cut the sides of the box near one of its ends, or I form one end of the
box so that when the said box is projected from its case at that end, the said end
may be turned down into the same plane as the bottom, and I form a hole in the
said end by means of which the box with its case may be suspended from a nail or
hook.
The improved match boxes herein before described are capable of being used
either as banging match holders or cases, or as ordinary match boxes. In both cases
the withdrawal of the matches is much facilitated by my improvement.
In constructing match boxes for use solely as hanging boxes, I form a box or
case, one end of which is provided with a flap capable of being turned back so as
to expose the heads of the matches contained in the said box or case, the said flap
having formed in it the hole by which the box is to be suspended, and being tempo-
rarily connected to the box (in order to prevent the matches from falling therefrom)
by means of a slip of paper gummed or otherwise fastened to the said flap and
box.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William James Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th January 1881.
4
WILLIAM JAMES WEBSTER, of Bethnal Green, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES."
My Invention relates to match boxes of kind known as slide boxes, and the
object of my said Invention is to render such boxes capable of being suspended
in the same manner as ordinary hanging match holders, the matches contained in
the boxes when so suspended being readily accessible.
According to my Invention I connect the box to its case in such a manner that
the box may be capable of being only partly slidden out of or projected from its
case. The connection may be made in any convenient manner. I prefer to use a slip
of paper, the ends of which I secure by means of gum, paste, or other suitable
I
material, one to underside of the box and the other to the innerside of its case.
cut the sides of the box near one of its ends, or I form one end of the box so that
when the said box is projected from its case at that end the said end may be turned
down into the same plane as the bottom, and I form a hole in the said end by
means of which the box with its case may be suspended from a nail or hook.
Having described the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe
the manner in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of a match box to
which my improvements are applied, the box being shown partly projected from
its case and opened. Figure 3 is a vertical section of the same taken through the
centre and drawn to a large scale. In the said Figure 3 the box is shown closed
in full lines, and its position when opened and projected from the case is indicated
in dotted lines.
The same letters and figures of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures
of the Drawings.
a is the box and b is the case; c', c³, c³, is a slip of paper secured at one of its
ends to the underside of the bottom of the box a at c', and to the outerside of the
end of the said box, and secured at the other end to the innerside of the underpart
of the case at c², the intermediate portion of the said slip of paper being free
or unconnected to either the box or case. This arrangement admits of the box
being partly slidden out from the case at one end, as shown in Figure 2, and
as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, but prevents the separation of the box and
The sides of the box a are cut in an angular direction near the end which
is capable of being projected from the case, as shown at a³, Figure 3, so as to admit
of that end of the said box being turned back into the same plane as the bottom,
and a hole a' is formed in the said ends by means of which the said box and case
may be suspended from a nail or hook when the box is projected from its case.
case.
The manner in which I prefer to proceed in carrying out my Invention is as
follows: I take a match box and case made in the ordinary manner and separate
'them; I then take the slip of paper c1, c2, c³, and paste it at one end to the inner-
side of the case, as shown at c², Figure 3, leaving part of the slip of paper
protruding from the case, and I then set the case aside until the paste is dry. I cut
the sides of the box, as shown at a³, Figure 3, and punch the hole a' in the end
thereof, and fill the box with matches. I then slide the box into its case from the
end opposite to that from which the slip of paper protrudes, and I paste the
protruding end c¹ of the said slip of paper and project the cut end of the box from
the said case to the extent to which it will be required to slide out when connected
to the said case. I then press the pasted paper down on the bottom of the box

page_text: and over the end of the said box in which the hole a' is formed and allow the
paste to dry. The manufacture is then completed, and the box is closed and
secured by pushing it into the case.
Instead of securing the slip of paper c¹, c², c³, to the innerside of the case b after
its manufacture is completed, the said slip of paper may be secured in the necessary
position on the wood from which the said case is to be made before bending or
shaping it.
I prefer to secure the friction tablet to the front of the case, as shown at 62,
Figure 2, instead of to the side thereof as usual,
Although I prefer to use a slip of paper for securing the box to its case, and to
secure the paper thereto by means of paste, other suitable materials may be used.
The improved match boxes, herein before described, are capable of being used
either as hanging match holders or cases, or as ordinary match boxes.
In some cases I dispense with the connection between the box and case, and only
cut or form the sides of the box, as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings. By thus cutting or forming the said box the withdrawal
of the matches is much facilitated, whether the box be used in the ordinary manner
or as a hanging match holder, and the said box is as secure when closed as a box of
the ordinary form, it being impossible to turn down the end of the box without first
projecting it from its case. If preferred, the sides of the box may be cut or formed
at or near both ends, as herein before described and illustrated with reference to
one end.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which it
is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
precise details described and illustrated, as they may be varied without departing
from the nature of my Invention, but I claim as my said Invention of "Improve-
ments in Match Boxes,"―
First. Connecting slide match boxes to their cases so as to admit of the said
boxes being slidden only partly from their cases, and so forming the said boxes
as to admit of their being suspended from a nail or hook, and used in conjunction
with the cases to which they are connected as hanging match holders, essentially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Forming or cutting the sides of the said boxes, as herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, whereby the ends of the said boxes
when projected from their cases may be turned back so as to allow of the ready
withdrawal of the matches.
In witness whereof, I, the said William James Webster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tweny sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. J. WEBSTER. (L.S.)