AN IMPROVED COMPOUND TO FORM SURFACES FOR THE IGNITION OF SAFETY MATCHES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COMPOUND TO FORM SURFACES FOR THE
IGNITION OF SAFETY MATCHES." -A communication from abroad by
L. Otto P. Meyer, of Newtown, Connecticut, United States of
America..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th July 1874.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED COMPOUND TO FORM
SURFACES FOR THE IGNITION OF SAFETY MATCHES," a communication, to be as
follows:
:
•mu. · coil Tavention wulates to an india-rubber compound for forming a

page_text: the said surface being of a quality superior to any other heretofore usea
for this purpose.
What are known as safety matches cannot be ignited like other
matches by friction on any surface, but must be rubbed on surfaces
having certain chemical properties, and hence such matches are termed
safety matches.
The best surface for that purpose known prior to my said Invention
was prepared by coating with a paste composed of glue or gum arabic
containing gray sulphuret of antimony, bichromate of potassa, red iron
oxide and glass, or else prepared by coating with a paste containing
phosphorus. Surfaces so prepared are not very durable, and do not
effectually resist the injurious influence of moisture.
My Invention consists in a compound of india-rubber or allied gum,
sulphur, and gray sulphuret of antimony, the said compound being
vulcanized by heat as in the preparation of what is known as hard
rubber or vulcanite.
I have obtained the best results by using the ingredients in the
following proportions by weight, viz.:-Two parts of pure india-rubber,
one part flowers of sulphur, and twenty-three parts of powdered gray
sulphuret of antimony.
The ingredients are to be mixed and vulcanized in the usual way of
preparing hard rubber or vulcanite.
My said compound can be adulterated by increasing the relative
proportions of sulphuret or by adding to the ingredients ground flint,
pumice, slate, red oxide of iron, or proto-sulphuret of iron. And the
relative proportions of india-rubber and flowers of sulphur can be varied
as in making vulcanite. The said compound can be produced in any
desired form, but sheets will be found most convenient. The sheets of
this compound while in the green and plastic state can be covered with
tinfoil preparatory to the vulcanizing process as heretofore practised in
covering the hard compound for the production of vulcanite, and the
plastic compound thus plated can be furrowed or be embossed by diès.
This compound can be united while in the green and plastic state with
the compound of india-rubber, sulphur, and adulteration mixed in the
proportions required for producing what is known as a soft and pliable
compound, or can be united with the compound that is known as hard

page_text: rubber compound, and these different compounds so united can be
vulcanized together, it will facilitate the making of combined match
receptacles and igniters of any desirable shape. If the said new com-
pound be vulcanized in contact with tinfoil the surface produced will be
glossy, and for use as a match igniter the gloss must be removed by a
scraping tool or by grinding.
.
rubber compound, and these different compounds so united can be
vulcanized together, it will facilitate the making of combined match
receptacles and igniters of any desirable shape. If the said new com-
pound be vulcanized in contact with tinfoil the surface produced will be
glossy, and for use as a match igniter the gloss must be removed by a
scraping tool or by grinding.
Deep scratches may be scraped in the plain smooth surfaces of
the vulcanized compound for producing surfaces affording greater
friction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give:
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said. William Robert Lake, my,
executors, administrators, 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,
excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED COMPOUND TO FORM SURFACES FOR THE IGNITION OF SAFETY MATCHES,"
a communication to me from abroad by L. Otto P. Meyer, of Newtown,
Connecticut, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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
:

page_text: 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained¨
in and by the following statement:-
What are known as safety matches cannot be ignited like other
matches by friction on any surface, but must be rubbed on surfaces
having certain chemical properties, and hence such matches are termed
"safety matches.".
f
The best surface for that purpose known prior to this Invention was
prepared by coating with a paste composed of gluc or gum arabic con-
taining gray sulphuret of antimony, bichromate of potassa, red iron
oxide and glass, or else prepared by coating with a paste containing
phosphorus. Surfaces so prepared are not very durable, and do not
effectually resist the injurious influence of moisture.
This Invention relates to a compound consisting of india-rubber or
allied gum, sulphur, and gray sulphuret of antimony, the said com-
pound being vulcanized by heat as in the preparation of what is known
as hard rubber or vulcanite.
I have obtained the best results by using the ingredients in the
following proportions by weight, namely, two parts of pure india-rubber,
one part flowers of sulphur, and twenty-three parts of powdered gray.
sulphuret of antimony..
The above ingredients are to be mixed and vulcanized in the usual
manner of preparing hard rubber or vulcanite.
:
The said compound can be adulterated by increasing the relative
proportions of sulphuret or by adding to the ingredients ground flint,
pumice, slate, red oxide of iron, or proto-sulphuret of iron. And the
relative proportions of india-rubber and flowers of sulphur can be varied
as in making vulcanite. The said compound ean be produced in any
desired form, but sheets will be found most convenient. The sheets of
this compound, while in the green and plastic state, can be covered with
tinfoil preparatory to the vulcanizing process, as heretofore practised in

page_text: covering the hard compound for the production of vulcanite, and the
plastic compound thus plated can be furrowed or be embossed by dies.
This compound can be united while in the green and plastic state with
the compound of india-rubber, sulphur, and adulteration mixed in the
proportions required for producing what is known as a soft and pliable
compound, or can be united with the compound that is known as hard
rubber compound, and these different compounds so united can be
vulcanized together. The said compound will facilitate the making of
combined match receptacles and igniters of any desirable shape. If the
said new compound be vulcanized in contact with tinfoil the surface
produced will be glossy, and for use as a match igniter the gloss must
be removed by a scraping tool or by grinding.
Deep scratches may be scraped in the plain smooth surfaces of the
vulcanized compound for producing surfaces affording greater friction.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim, the compound of india-rubber
or allied gum, sulphur, and gray sulphuret of antimony as above
described, forming a suitable surface on which to ignite safety
matches.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
JA. EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)