An Improved Match-box or Holder.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Match-box or Holder.
I, OSCAR BRIGGS, of 41, High Street, Newcastle, Staffordshire, Clerk, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to an improved box or holder for matches and has for
object to form the same as a reservoir for automatically feeding the matches to
the lower open portion thereof as those in the said portion are abstracted. The
matches lie horizontally in the reservoir and in order to keep them in position
and permit of their gradual descent to the lower open end the said reservoir is
formed in cross section with two or more curves or corrugations the plate forming
the back being curved up in front at the bottom to form the receptacle for the
matches which is open at the top for their abstraction.
The width of the curved passage or reservoir which is slightly longer than the
matches increases gradually towards the bottom to prevent the match sticking up
on end when the lower portion is empty.
.
The back and front of the box or reservoir may be formed of tin or other suit-
able plates bent or curved to fit the sides which may be of wood or other sub-
stance the said plates being nailed or otherwise attached to the said sides or the
box or reservoir may be formed of a single piece of any suitable material and be
ornamented as desired.
By means of my invention a regular supply of matches is always obtained as
long as there are any in the reservoir.
1000
J. B. FLEURET,
5, Hatton Garden, Holborn Circus, London, E.C.,.
Agent for the Applicant.
I, OSCAR BRIGGS, of 41, High Street, Newcastle, Staffordshire, Clerk, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to an improved box or holder for matches and consists
in forming the same as a reservoir or receptacle in which the matches are auto-

page_text: matically fed to a lower open portion thereof as those in the said portion are
abstracted.
The matches lie horizontally in the reservoir, and in order to keep them in this
position and permit of their gradual descent to the lower open end the said reser-
voir is formed at the front and back in cross section with two or more curves or
corrugations, the plate or portion forming the back being curved or turned up
in front at the bottom to form the receptacle for the matches which is open at the
top for their abstraction and provided with a hinged cover. The back and front
of the box or reservoir may be formed of tin or other metal plates nailed or
otherwise attached to the sides which may be of wood, or it may be made wholly
of wood, metal, cardboard or other suitable material and ornamented as desired.
The upper open end of the reservoir as well as the lower receptacle may be
fitted with a lid opening either by a hinge or a sliding action, and the upper
one may be secured by a lock. The front or sides of the box may be provided
with a match-striking surface, and it is fitted with suitable devices for hanging
or attaching it to a wall by wires, tapes, or nails.
The said box may also be formed with rests or feet for supporting it in an
upright position upon a table or other surface, and in some cases a single reservoir
may be formed with two lower receptacles placed back to back., The receptacle
may also be provided with a piece of prepared substance or luminous paint for
indicating its position in the dark.
And in order to clearly understand the invention reference is had to the accom-
panying sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of the box or
holder constructed of sheet metal and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of a box or holder constructed of wood or similar
-material, and Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of two niodifications. a is the
reservoir or holder for the matches formed with the front and back plates a¹, a²
curved or corrugated as shown and b is the lower receptacle having its upper
part open for the abstraction of the matches.
The upper end of the reservoir is fitted with the hinged cover c which is opened
for filling the same with matches and the mouth of the receptacle 6 is fitted with
a similar cover or lid which is raised for abstracting the matches.
The latter are placed horizontally in the reservoir and descend into the recep-
tacle b, the sides of the reservoir being slightly further apart at the bottom than
at the top to prevent the matches sticking up on end when the receptacle is
empty.
2
The reservoir having been filled with matches the latter fall gradually down,
in a horizontal position, into the receptacle b as the lower ones are abstracted
from the latter by reason of the curved or corrugated passage through which they
decend.
Fig. 3 shows a slightly modified construction of box or holder formed of wood,
the lid c being open for the abstraction of the matches from the receptacle b.
A
In order to prevent too many matches being abstracted by one individual at
any time I prefer to employ the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 in which a ledge d
is formed in the mouth of the receptacle leaving a slit or opening of sufficient
size to admit of the insertion of only one or two fingers of the abstractor.
slite is formed in the front of the receptacle to permit of only one match being
pushed through at a time, and underneath the slit is a ledge f for receiving the
matches as they fall out. I may also provide means whereby it will be necessary
to use both hands in abstracting a match, and which consists of a slide covering
the slit which must be forced back by one hand of the operator against the action
of a spring to uncover the slit, whilst the other hand abstracts the match, or the
ledge 'f may be so arranged as to cover the slit and must be pulled down against
the force of a spring to uncover it, the spring returning the ledge to its former
position when the latter is released.
In order to abstract the matches with greater ease in the arrangement shown

page_text: in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the front of the receptacle is formed with a notch or open-
ing g as shewn in Fig. 5 for the insertion of the thumb or finger of the operator.
When the boxes are made of cardboard I may form them from a single piece
cut to the proper shape and partly cut through at the joints of the sides so that
the latter may be turned up to the required shape and fastened by pins, rivets,
metal corner pieces or otherwise. When made of sheet metal the box may be
formed of a single sheet in a similar manner the joints being formed by means
of teeth on one side engaging with holes in the other side the said teeth being
turned up to secure the fastening.
In some cases I may dispense with the corrugated or curved surfaces forming
the reservoir, constructing the latter with parallel vertical sides or surfaces, or
one or more of the said surfaces may be inclined as desired, the matches in each
case descending to the lower receptacle as those in the latter are abstracted.
My improved match boxes or holders are especially applicable for use in all
public places, and when so employed may form a good medium for advertisements
which may be marked or indicated thereon.
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:-
-
I
(1) The improved box or holder for matches comprising a reservoir forming a
curved or corrugated passage for the matches for permitting of their gradual
descent to a lower receptacle as those in the latter are abstracted therefrom sub-
stantially as described.
(2) In an improved box or holder for matches the combination of the reservoir a
formed with the curved or corrugated plates or sides a, a², the lower receptacle b
formed with the opening or mouth b and the covers or lids c, c¹ substantially as
described and for the purposes specified.
(3) The improved match box or holder consisting of a reservoir for holding the
matches and a lower receptacle to which the matches are fed as those therein
are abstracted therefrom.
(4) The modifications as shewn in and described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5
of the drawings.
1000
J. B. FLEURET,
5, Hatton Garden, Holborn Circus, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.