improvements in maton machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1996-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
improvements in maton machines.
I, WILLIAM, WARREN ABBOTT, of 672 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut,
United States of America, Designer of Machinery, 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 relates to machines for making matches, and especially to that
type of such machinery in which the match sticks having been previously cut from
the block, are applied to the machine in a mass, from which the individual sticks
are automatically separated, and are then secured to a carrier which conducts thom
to the devices by which paraffine and the composition are successively applied to
their projecting ends, after which they are carried by said carrier through a
sufficient space to dry them, to the point where they are discharged from the
carrier.
The objects of the invention are to provide novel and simplified means for
performing the several operations in auch a machine, with a view to lessening the
cost of manufacture of the machine itself and at the same time increase the efficiency
and working capacity thereof.
To these ends, my invention consists in the match machine embodying the
construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter
described, and as particularly pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts in the
several figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a match macliine embodying the invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.
Figure 3 is a side elevation, drawn to a larger scale and looking toward the left
in Figure 2 of the head of the machine, which contains the mechanism for
separating the match sticks and applying, them to the carrier..
Figure 4 is a front end view of the machine.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the inner side of the head of the machine, or the
side opposite to that shown in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of one of the hoppers to receive the match
sticks, and a portion of the separator-plate.
Figure 7 is a side view of said hopper.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are respectively a side view, a plan, and an end view, of
the separator-plate, the same being broken centrally to reduce its length in the
drawing.
Figure 11 is an inner side view of a portion of the machine head, showing the
plate containing the stick guiding grooves and the sliding bottom-plate for the
latter.
Figure 12 is a plan view thereof.
Figure 13 is a plan view of said hottom-plate.
Figure 14 is a cross-section of the parts shown in Figure 11.
Figure 15 is a detail view of the stop for temporarily locking the separator-
plate against movement, and its actuating means..
Figure 16 is a partial plan view of said separator-plate and said stop.
Figures 17, 18 and 19 are respectively a plan, a side view, and an end view of
the punches which force the match sticks into engagement with the carrier, and
heir supporting bar.

page_text: Figures 20, 21 and 22 are respectively a front view, a pan, and an end VIEW OF
the means for discharging the matches from the carrier.
Figure 23 is a plan view of portious of two of the independent, perforated plates
composing the carrier.
Figure 24 is an edge view of a portion of one of said plates, and a cross-section
of one of the continuous ways by which the ends thereof are guided..
Figure 25 is a detail view of the means for applying paraffine to the match
sticks.
Figure 26 is an end view of the means for applying the composition to said
sticks.
Referring to Figure 1 the numeral 1 designates the vertical portions and 2 the
horizontal portions of the frame of the machine which will be of suitable strength
to afford a rigid support for the moving parts, and of sufficient length to secure
the necessary drying action of the machines in their traverse of said frame with
the carrier, between the points where they receive the composition and where
they are discharged. As the front end of said frame is the machine head 3
containing the stick separating mechanism and the means for applying the sticks
to the carrier, the particular construction of which mechanisin and means will be
presently described. Suitably journailed in said head is the main driving shaft
from which most of the moving parts of the machine receive their motion, and
which is itself driven by belt connection with a power shaft in the ordinary
Dauner..
The carrier is composed of a series of independent plates 5, which plates at their
ends are movably supported in ways 6, see Figures 23 and 24, located at opposite
sides of the frame in such manner as to be retained within said ways while being
free to slide longitudinally of the latter.
Said ways 6 are parallel with each other throughout their length, and extend
from a point near the top of the frame downwardly in a vertical line, immediately
at the rear of the head 3, to a point nearly on a level with the driving shaft 4,
thence rearwardly in a substantially horizontal line to the rear end of the machine
thence upwardly and then forwardly nearly to the front end of the machine, thence
upwardly and then rearwardly again to the rear end of the machine, and thence
upwardly and forwardly again back to the starting point, thereby forming a
continuous track for the guidance of the plates 5. The particular back and forth
arrangement of said ways herein shown has been devised with a view to securing a
sufficient length of traverse of the carrier to dry the matches within a minimum
amount of floor space, and it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the
particular arrangement thereof shown so far as the portion thereof utilized for
drying purposes simply is concerned. Each of the plates 5 is provided with
recesses 7 near each end and upon the opposite sides thereof, which recesses,
together with those in the adjoining plates, form openings 8, see Figure 23, to
receive the teeth of the gear wheels by which motion is imparted to the plates
upon their ways, and which are located as follows: Concentrically disposed within
each of the curves described by the ways 6 is a shaft extending transversely
across the frame, said shafts being numbered respectively 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, see
Figure 1. Each of said shafts carries two gear wheels 14, the teeth of which are
adapted to enter the openings 8 of said series of plates at the opposite ends of the
latter. Each of said shafts also carries at one end thereof a ratchet wheel 15, the
teeth of which are engaged by a pawl 16 carried by a lever 17 movable about
the shaft as a center, in such manner as to impart positive movement to the shaft
in one direction. A rocker lever 18 suitably hung upon the frame, has connected
to its lower end an eccentric rod 19 operated by an eccentric 20 on the driving
shaft 4, in such manner as to impart a rocking movement to said lever, and con-
necting rods 21 connect said rocker-lever with each of the pawl levers 17, whereby
the latter receive a vibratory movement from the former, said connecting rotis
being so joined to said rocker-lever relatively to its center of motion as to cause
the pawls carried by said pawl levers to actuate the shafts 9, 10, 12, and 13 in the

page_text: same direction and the shaft 11 in the opposite direction, as will be apparent from
an inspection of Figure 1. Provision is thus made for imparting an intermittent
motion to the plates composing the carrier from the continuously revolving driving
shaft 4, and the various operations of applying the match sticks to said carrier,
treating them with paraffine and with composition, and discharging them from the
carrier, are performed during the pauses in the movement of the latter as will be
hereinafter described. It will be understood from the foregoing description: that
tlie plates 5 extend throughout the entire length of the continuous ways 6,.making
contact with each other at their edges, and thereby form practically an endless
carrier, while, at the same time, each plate is wholly independent of the others so
far as there being any connection between them is concerned. I thus avoid.
the use of endless chains to carry said plates, and greatly simplify and cheapen the
cost of manufacture of the carrier without impairing its efficiency. Each of the
plates 5' is provided with a series of perforations, preferably made slightly flaring
at each end, to receive the butt ends of the match sticks, and I have herein shown
said perforations as being arranged in groups of three, rows each extending
longitudinally of the plate, see Figure 23, the distance between said rows being
the distance travelled by the plate at each of its intermittent movements.
Turning now to the means for separating the match sticks from a mass and
inserting their butt-ends within the perforations in the carrier-plates, and referring
especially to Figures 3 to 6 inclusive, the head 3 of the machine is provided with a
horizontal table 22 located above the plane of the driving shaft 4, and upon said
table are erected two standards 23, 24, which extend from end to end of the table,
parallel with each other, and from the front and rear ends of the hoppers in which
the match sticks are placed in bulk. To the front side of the standard 23 are
secured a series of plates 25 by means of bolts passing through vertical slots 26 in
said plates, see Figures 6 and 7, whereby they are rendered capable of a limited
vertical adjustment. To said plates 25 are bolted bracket-pieces 27, which project.
rearwardly through openings 28 in the standard. To said bracket-pieces are
Fecured, between the two standards, the curved strips 29 which form one of the
sides of the series of hoppers, and also, by means of bolts 30, the journal-blocks 31,.
in each of which is journalled a roll 32, preferably composed of soft rubber, which
rolls are grooved circumferentially, as shown in Figure 7, to receive outwardly
bent fingers 33 on the strips 29. The arbors of said rolls 32 project through the
openings in the standard 23 and carry at their front end a spur gear 34, and notion
is imparted to said series of gears 34 in the same direction through the train of
larger gears 35 and intermediate idler gears 36, see Figure 4, mounted on studs. 37
projecting from the plates 25, the first gear of said train being mounted on a short
shalt carrying a bevel gear 38, Figures 3 and 4, which meshes with a similar gear 59
on a vertical shaft 40 carrying at its lower end a bevel gear 41 which meshes with
the large bevel gear 42 on the driving shaft 4. The rolls 32 are thus positively
driven in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 6, and can be adjusted
vertically to compensate for wear, by means of the vertical adjustment of the
plates 25 as described. The sides of the hoppers opposite to the strips 29 are
formed by strips 43 which stand at a suitable angle to the strips 29 to afford room
for a cousiderable supply of match sticks between them, and forming a converging
throat between said strips at their lower end. The strips 43 are provided upon
their cuter side with loops 44 which embrace pins 45 projecting from the rear side
of standard 23 in such manner as to permit the strips to have a slight upward and
downward movement on said pins, and such movement is automatically imparted
thereto through the series of elbow levers 46, a rod 47 connecting said levers with
ench other, a vertical rod 48 connecting the first elbow lever to a lever 49, see
Figure 3, a cam 50 on the driving shaft 4 which actuates said lever 49 in one
direction, and a spring 51 which actuates it in the opposite direction, the lever 49
being preferably extended beyond its cam and provided with a handle at its front
end as shown, whereby it can also be operated manually at any time. At its lower
end each of the strips 43 is provided with a horizontally projecting three pronged

page_text: foot, which foot, when the strip occupies its elevated position as shown by broken
lines in Figure 6, engages:the adjacent roll 32 and closes the throat of the hopper
to prevent the escape of the match sticks therefrom. The separator-plate 52 rests
upon the table 22 beneath the series of hoppers, said plate being provided at its
upper side with the transverse grooves 53 to receive the match sticks, and with
the longitudinal grooves 54 to receive the prongs of the feet on the strips 43 when
the latter occupy their depressed position as shown by full lines in Figure 6, and
thereby cause said prongs to lie below the level of the bettom of the grooves 53:
Said separator-plate is also provided with a series of perforations extending from
the bottom of the grooves 53 through the plate, see Figures 8, 9 and 10, to permit
a suction of air to be oreated through the plate as will be presently described.
The grooves 53 are arranged in groups to correspond with the groups of perforations
in the carrier plates 5 previously described, with which they exactly register when
the separator-plate and one of said carrier plates are in position for loading the
latter with match sticks. An intermittent longitudinal movement is imparted
to the separator-plate from a cam 55 on driving shaft through a lever 56 and a
connecting rod 57, see Figures 4 and 5, whereby each group of the grooves 53 in
said plate is caused to pass in one direction beneath the throat of its hopper and
then to return to its former position.. When said separator-plate moves toward
the right, in Figures 5 and 6, the strips 43 are raised to their highest position in
which they prevent the escape of any sticks from the hoppers as before stated.
As soon as the separator-plate reaches the end of such movement to the right, the
strips 43 drop to their lowest position, and as the said plate moves in the opposite
direction, or toward the left, the match sticks drop into the grooves. 53, oue by
one, so that when the plate reaches its normal. position again each groove contains
a stick. Such operation of filling the grooves in the separator-plate with sticks is
greatly facilitated by the action of the revolving rolls 32 which brush back the
surplus sticks and ensure the even laying of the individual sticks in the grooves,
while the projection of the bent fingers 33 of the strips 29 into the circumferential
grooves in said rolls before described, effectually prevents any of the sticks from
being carried upwardly by the rolls to clog the latter. A. series of stationary
cotter-plates 58 secured to the standard 23 between the hoppers, serve to close the
grooves 53 in the separator-plate when the latter stands in its ncrmal position and
thereby retain the sticks within said grooves when they are acted upon by, the
punches as will be soon described:
To still further facilitate the passage of the sticks from the hoppers into the
grooves in the separator-plate I provide means for creating a suction of air through
The table 22 immediately beneath the throat of each hopper, said means consisting
of an air chamber 59 secured to the under side of the table, Figures 4 and 5, from
which chaniber openings 60 lead through the table beneath the hoppers, and
pipes 61, 62 leading from said chamber to an exhaust pump 63, Figure 2. The
suction created by said pump being exerted through the holes in the bottom of the
grooves 53 in the separator-plate upon the mass of sticks in the series of hoppers
effectually prevent any clogging of the sticks in the latter and draws the sticks
into said grooves evenly and truly. To prevent any accidental movement of the
separator-plate during the time the punches are operating to force the sticks from
the grooves therein, I provide a locking bolt 64, Figure 15, guided at its upper end
by a hole in the table 22 and adapted to euter a hole in the separator-plate, said
bolt at its lower end being connected to a lever 65 having a stud which projects
into a cam groove 66 in the outer face of a cam wheel 67 on driving shaft 4, the
parts being so timed that said bolt will be operated to lock the separator-plate
when it reaches its normal position and to release it just before it begins its next
movement.
The series of punches 68, which I will herein call the loading punches, are
secured at their front ends to a head 69, Figures 17, 18 and 19, which head is
suitably guided for movement upon the table 22 toward and away from the
soparator-plate. An intermittent movement is given to said head from the

page_text: cam-wheels 67 and 70 on shaft 4 through levers 71 and links 72, see Figures 3 and 4,
said levers carrying studs which project into the grooves 73 in the inner faces of
said cam-wheels. The punches are arranged in groups to correspond with those of
the grooves in the separator-plate, with which they accurately register when said
plate occupies its normal position. Said punches are made of hardened steel and
their function is to force the match sticks from the grooves in the separator-plate
into the perforations in the plates 5 of the carrier, when a row of said perforations
is brought into register with the grooves in said plate by the intermittent movement
of the carrier. To accurately guide the sticks in such passage from the separator-
plate to the carrier plate and ensure their proper entry into the perforations in the
latter, I secure to the rear side of the standard 24 a guide-plate 74, see Figures 3, 11
and 14, having in the under side thereof grooved corresponding to those in the
separator-plate and which register with the latter when the separator-plate occupies
its normal position. To the under side of said guide plate secured in such
manner as to be capable of a slight movement transversely of the machine, a
bottom-plate 75, Figure 13, having a series of projecting tongues 76 the width of
which as well as the distance between them correspond to the width of the grooves
in the guide plate, whereby said bottom-plate is adapted in one of its positions to
form, by its tongues 76, a bottom to all of the grooves in the guide-plate, and in
its other position to leave said grooves open at the bottom to permit free egress
downwardly of the sticks with the carrier-plate into which they have been inserted.
The very slight movement of the bottom-plate 'necessary to secure this result is
produced in one direction by a spring 77, Figure 11, and in the opposite direction
by an elbow lever 78 on the guide-plate 74, which is connected at one end to the
bottom-plate through a slot in the guide-plate, and a. rod 79 connected to the
opposite end of. said lever, which rod projects through a hole in a portion of
the punchi-carrying head 69 and carried a tappet-80, see Figure 3, which is struck
by said head in its receding movement to operate said rod and lever aud move the
bottom-plate to the,position in which it covers the bottom of the grooves in the
guide-plate. By means of such connections, as soon as the head 69 begins its
movenient toward the separator-plate, the spring 77 moves the bottom plate to
close the lower sides of the grooves in the guide-plate, thereby causing said grooves
to truly guide the match sticks into the perforations in the carrier-plate, and when.
the head 69 recedes it moves said bottom-plate to open the grooves in the guide-.
plate, so that with the next downward movement of the carrier-plate the sticks
carried thereby are free to move downwardly out of the grooves in said
guide-plate. All danger of breaking the match sticks is thus obviated and
their proper insertion in the carrier-plates ensured in a very simple.manner.
Each carrier-plate is thus supplied successively with three rows of tnatch sticks,
and by the continued intermittent movements of the carrier said sticks are carried
first over a steam chamber 81, see Figure 1, by which the sticks are heated to
adapt them to readily take the paraffine, said steam chamber being supplied with.
steam from any suitable source through a supply-pipe 82 and branch pipe 83, or
auy equivalent means for thus heating the sticks can be employed. The sticks are
next carried over the parafline vat 84 and during one of the pauses of the carrier,
a dipper 85, see Figures 1 and 25, rises from the body of paraffine in said rat and
immerses the ends of an entire row of sticks in the paraffine therein, said dipper
being connected to a rock-shaft 86 to an arm of which is connected a rod 87 which
is connected at its opposite end to an arm of a rock-shaft 86, to which a rocking
movement is transmitted from one of the levers 71 through a connecting rod 89...
The dipper is thus caused to descend and take up.a fresh supply of paraffine with
ench intermittent movement of the carrier. A pipe 90 leading from the steam
chamber 81 to a coil in the vat 84 supplies the necessary amount of heat to the
paraffine in' said vat, and a pipe 91 conducts away the exhaust steam. The match
sticks are next carried over the composition vat 92, Figures 1 and 26, containing
an agitator 93 the shaft of which carries the fast and loose pulleys 94, 95, sce.
Figure 2, by which a continuous revolving movement is transmitted thereto by belt.

page_text: from the power shaft. On said vat above said agitator is mounted the feed roll 96,
the shaft of which carries a gear 97 which rushes with a gear 96 on the shaft of the
agitator, see Figure 26, the function of which roll is to take up a supply of the
composition and apply it to the ends of the match sticks in a well known manner.
A branch pipe 99 from the supply pipe 82 supplies steam to the steam jacket of
said vat 92 and a pipe 100 conducts away the exhaust in the usual manner, whereby
the composition is maintained at the proper temperature.
The sticks are now carried by the step by step movement of the carrier around
the thafts 13, 11, 12 and 9 successively, being properly dried in such transit, and
are finally brought to the discharging mechanism located just below the shaft 9,
and which is constructed as follows: A head 101, see Figures 20, 21 and 22, is
supported upon the frame in such manner as to be capable of a limited horizontal
movement, said head carrying the series of discharging punches 102 similar in their
construction and arrangement to the loading punches before described. Said
head 101 is connected by links 103 to two arms 104 of a cock-shaft 105, and a third
arm 106 on said shaft is connected by a rod 107 with an arm on the rock-shaft 88
as shown in Figure 1. An exact timing, of the movements of the head 101 with
those of the bead 69 is thus secured, whereby an entire row of sticks is inserted in
the carrier and another row discharged therefrom during each pause of the carrier
between its intermittent movements.
In Figure 21 a portion of one of the carrier-plates is shown, with the
discharging punches about to advance to discharge the matches therefrom, the
latter falling into any suitable receptacle placed in position to receive them. To
prevent lateral deflection of the carrier-plates, when the discharging punches.
advance, I locate stops 108: on the frame in position to bear against the outer
side of said plate, between the groups of matches, when it is in alignment with
the punches. Wheels 109 on shaft 10, see Figure 2, perform the same function
in connection with the loading punches, by bearing against the inner side of
the plate.
'
The machine thus constructed is comparatively simply in the number and
arrangement of its parts, and not liable to get out of working order. All of its
movements being taken from a single driving shaft, perfect timing in the operation
of the various parts is secured and the machine is rendered capable of operation
with a minimum amount of power.
It will be apparent that. various modifications, in the separate details of
construction herein shown and described can be made within the spirit of the
invention.
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 a match machine two parallel, continuous ways, a series of wholly
independent, match-holding plates movably supported at their ends upon said ways
and making contact with each other at their side edges, said plates being provided
with recesses in their said side edges, and a shaft carrying a toothed wheel the
teeth of which are adapted to successively enter the recesses in said plates to
cause a progressive movement of the latter upon said ways, combined and
operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a niatch machine, the combination with the parallel, continuous ways, and
the series of independent carrier-plates mounted upon said ways,. of a series of
sbafts located adjacent to said ways and adapted to impart movement to said
plates upon the latter, pawl and ratchet mechanisms connected with each of said
shafts for operating the same in one direction, a main driving shaft, and inter-
mediate crank connections substantially as described between the latter and each
of said pawl and ratchet mechanisms, whereby said series of plate moving shafts
are operated in unison, for the purpose set forth.
3. In a match machine, the combination with a series of hoppers to receive

page_text: match sticks in bulk, of a separator-plate movably supported beneath said hoppers
and containing a series of grooves of depressions for holding single sticks, tueans
for intermittently causing a to and fro movement of said plate, and means for
preventing the descent of the sticks from said hoppors during the movement of
said plate in one direction, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The combination of the series of hoppers having one fixed side and one
vertically movable side provided with a laterally projecting foot, of the grooved
separator-plate, means for periodically imparting a back and forth movement to
said plate, and means substantially as described for raising the movable sides of
said hoppers to their highest position during the movement of said plate in one
direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination, in a match machine, of a series of hoppers for holding
match sticks in bulk, with a separator-plate movably supported beneath said
hoppers and provided with grooves for holding single sticks and with openings
leading from said grooves through the bottom of said plate, and means substantially
as described for creating an air suction through the openings in said plate, for the
purpose set forth.
6. In a match machine, the combination with a table having at the under side
thereof an air chamber and provided with a series of openings.communicating
with said chamber, of a series of hoppers located directly over the openings in
said table, a separator-plate movably supported upon said table beneath said
hoppers, said plate being provided with transverse grooves for bolding match sticks
and with openings leading from the bottom of said grooves to the lower side of
said plate, and an exhaust pump suitably connected with said air chamber for
withdrawing the air therefrom, for the purpose described.
7. The combination with the series of perforated carrier-plates and means for
imparting an intermittent movement thereto, of the series of hoppers, the grooved
separator-plate and ineans for causing an intermittent movement thereof, the
series of loading punches and their supporting head, and means substantially as
described for imparting an intermittent movement to said head during the periods
of rest of said carrier and separator plates, to cause said punches to force a series
of match sticks from the grooves in the separator-plate into the perforations.in
the carrier-plate.
8. The combination with the grooved separator-plate and the series of loading
punches of the guide-plate provided at its under sido with grooves adapted to
register with those in said separator-plate, and the movable bottom-plate adapted
to open and close the grooves in. said. guide-plates, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
9. The combination with the endless ways, the series of independent carrier-
plates mounted upon said ways and containing perforations as described, and means
for causing an intermittent progressive movenient of said plates on said ways of
the series of hoppers for holding match sticks in bulk, the grooved separator plate
for separating sticks from said bulk, the movable head carrying the series of
loading punches, the head carrying the series of discharging punches, and means
substantially as described for simultaneously moving said punch-carrying head in
opposite directions between the movements of said carrier-plates substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated the 20th der of
hian's
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Streot, Birmingham, Agents.