Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1887
Specification Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
A communication from JAMES SAMUEL FOLEY, of the City of Chicago, in the County
of Cook, in the State of Illinois, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. 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 :-
The object of the invention is to provide a pocket case designed to contain a number
of matches which can only come out singly, each match to be lighted as it leaves the
magazine; and it consists essentially of a cylindrical case preferably about the size of
a pencil case and fitted with a hollow plunger inserted in it designed to contain a
number of stub-matches, and having a peculiarly formed open end designed when the
plunger is moved in the proper direction to instantly grasp the stub-match nearest to
its mouth and carry it towards the open end of the case during which passage the
match will be lighted and held between jaws formed at the open end of the case
substantially as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1 is a perspective outside view of the match magazine.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views of the same showing the plunger in its various
positions.
The match magazine is made larger in the drawing than it is manufactured but of
course I do not propose to confine the invention to any particular dimensions or to any
specific material to be used in its construction.
In the drawing A represents a hollow plunger fitted into the cylindrical case B.
The upper end of the plunger A projects through a hole in the cap a and has a knob
formed on its end. A slot b is made through the plunger A through which a pin d
passes which pin is fixed to the case B so as to hold the plunger within the case;
the slot being sufficiently long to permit the necessary longitudinal movement of
the plunger.

page_text: A spring C is placed between the shoulder e formed in the case B and a collar f
fixed to the plunger A.
The open end of the plunger A is divided so as to form independent fingers, of
which the fingers gare shorter than the fingers h. It will be noticed that the difference
between the length of the fingers g and represents the thickness of a single stub-
match D with which the hollow plunger A is filled. It will also be noticed that the
fingers g have inwardly bent ends.
When the plunger A is in its normal position the fingers y are expanded as shown
in figure 2 so that their ends are clear of the inside surface of the plunger A the
interior diameter of the case B being made larger at the point indicated for the purpose
of permitting the said fingers g to expand as described.
A spring finger E is attached at one end to the case B and is bent at its other end
so as to project through the case B and form a support for the stub-matches D when
the plunger A is in its normal position as indicated in figure 2.
When the plunger A is pushed towards the open end of the case B the fingers g
will be instantly pressed inwardly owing to the tapering form of the case B. By this
action the fingers g separate the first stub-match from the others within the plunger
so that the said stub-match will be carried by the plunger A to the open mouth of the
case B.
As the stub-match D nearest to the open end of the plunger A was resting
upon the bent end of the spring finger E when in its normal position the said match
in order to reach the open mouth of the case B must be pushed past the spring
finger E consequently the friction produced by the stub-match D being pushed past
the said spring will be sufficient to ignite the said match so that by the time the match
is carried by the fingers g and h to the jaws k formed on the open end of the case B
the match will be blazing ready for use.
As indicated by the drawing it will be noticed that the moment the match is pushed
past the spring finger E the said finger springs back into the case and resumes its
position as a support for the main body of matches contained within the plunger.
The stub-matches I may be made of any suitable material and of any size. The
form which is shown will, my correspondent thinks be the best. He also thinks that
the cylindrical form of the case and plunger will be most proper, but the invention is
not confined to either forın or material in the construction of the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same
is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. As an improved match magazine, a hollow plunger designed to contain a number
of stub matches, and having spring fingers formed at its open end arranged to grasp
and separate the matches as they are discharged from the said open end, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
2. As an improved match magazine a hollow plunger designed to contain a number
of stub matches, and having spring fingers formed at its open end arranged to grasp
and separate the matches as they are discharged from the said open end, in combination
with a case designed to hold the plunger and having spring jaws formed at its open
end and designed to hold the stub match when it is discharged from the plunger
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. As an improved match magazine a hollow plunger designed to contain a number
of stub matches and having spring fingers formed at its open end arranged to grasp
and separate the matches as they are discharged from the said open end, in combination
with a spring arranged to ignite each match as it is discharged from the plunger,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. As an improved match magazine a hollow plunger designed to contain a number
of stub matches and having spring fingers formed at its open end arranged to grasp
and separate the matches as they are discharged from the said open end in combination
with a case designed to hold the plunger and having spring jaws formed at its open end
and designed to hold the stub match when it is discharged from the plunger, a spring
finger connected to the case designed to support the stub matches when in the plunger

page_text: and ignite them as they are discharged separately from the said plunger substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
5. A plunger A fitted into a case B and secured therein by a pin d passing through
a slot made in the plunger A a spring C fitted between the shoulders e on the case B
and the collar ffixed to the plunger A and fingers g and h formed on the open end of
the plunger A in combination with the spring finger E attached at one end to the
case B and having its other end bent so as to extend through a hole in the case B
made immediately below the normal position of the end of the plunger A substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
6. A plunger A. fitted into a case B and having formed on its upper end the fingers g
and in combination with the spring finger E and jaws k the whole being arranged
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.