IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING FRICTION MATCHES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING FRICTION
MATCHES."A communication.
Sealed the 1st November 1858, and dated the 24th June 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION lett by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th June 1858.
1, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Laue, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING
FRICTION MATCHES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new and useful machine for manufacturing
friction matches, by which machine the whole process of manufacture is
carried out, to wit, the splitting or cutting of the match sticks in proper form
from the "bolt" or block, and the immersion of their ends in the sulphur and
igniting compounds.
The Invention consists, 1 st,in a cutting tool of peculiar construction, having
circular and semicircular or convex and concave cutters, by which the match
sticks are cut smoothly and easily from the "bolt" or block, and properly
presented to an endless chain of clamps, by which they are conveyed to the
sulphur and igniting compounds.
It consists, 2nd, in an endless chain of clamps constructed, arranged, and
operated so as to effect the object above named, and also to allow of the
discharge of the matches at the proper time and point.
[Price 8d.

page_text: It consists, 3rd, in a discharging device, arranged for the purpose of
discharging the finished matches from the clamps.
The block of wood is fed forward to the cutting tool, which is brought down
on to it and cuts off a row of splints, which are then pushed into one of the
endless chain of spring clamps, which is opened by means of a cam, so as to
receive the splints when they are cut from the block. A guide and grooved
bar is provided to assist in conveying the spliuts to the spring clamps. After
passing under a hammer or instrument for bringing the ends of all the splints
into a level line, they are conducted to vessels containing sulphur and the
igniting compositions, which are kept in afluid state by means of a flue placed
beneath the vessels. When provided with the igniting composition, the
matches are carried forward, and the spring clamps are opened by means of
another cam or suitable contrivance, and the finished matches are delivered
on to a travelling endless belt, whereby they are carried out of the machine.
It will of course be understood that the endless chain of clamps has an
intermittent motion communicated to it, so as to admit of the clamps receiving
and discharging the matches.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING FRICTION MATCHES," being
a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and

page_text: seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was 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 Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to Improved Machinery for Manufacturing Friction
Matches," by which machinery the whole process of manufacture is carried
out, to wit, the splitting or cutting ofthe match sticks in proper form from the
bolt" or block, and the immersion of their ends in the sulphur and igniting
compounds.
The Invention consists, first, in a cutting tool of peculiar construction having
circular and semicircular or convex and concave rollers, by which the match
sticks are cut smoothly and easily from the "bolt" or block, after which they are
properly presented to an endless chain of clamps, by which they are conveyed
to the sulphur and igniting compounds. The machine consists, second, in an
endless chain of clamps constructed, arranged, and operated so as to effect the
object above named, and also to allow of the discharge of the matches at the
proper time and place. The Invention consists, third, in a discharging device
arranged as herein-after described, for the purpose of discharging the finished
matches from the clamps.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a side sectional elevation of the
machine; Fig. 2 is an end sectional view of the same, taken in the line x, x,of.
Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective section of one of the clampsand cams;
Fig. 4 is a detached inverted plan of the cutting tool; Fig. is a descriptive
view,shewing the manner in which the cutting tool acts upon the "bolt or
block of wood; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the endless chain of
clamps; Fig. 7 is also a plan view, shewing one method of operating the
clamps.
"
A is a platform or base, on which are placed four uprights a, which support
a horizontal bed B; C is an endless chain of clamps, each of which is formed
of wooden slabs c, d, the ends of which are slotted longitudinally for a short
distance, and are fitted on the links e' of chaius D, D, projections f being
formed on the links, between which projections the clamps are fitted.
The slab c of each clamp has a spring e bearing against it, the said spring
having a tendency to press the slabs c against their fellow slabs d. The..

page_text: springs e may be formed of flat steel strips, having their ends slotted and fitted
on the links e¹. The construction of the chain will be undertood by referring
to Figures 3 and 6, the former shewing the peculiarity of the chain 1), D,
the manner in which the clamps are fitted on them, &c., and the latter showing
the relative position of several clamps, and a portion of the chains, the details
of the latter not being shewn. The construction of the chain may be modified
in various ways, the important feature being the clamps thereon. The endless
chain of clamps C pass or work over guides h and through guide boxes i, see
Fig. 1.
F is a shaft, which is fitted in suitable bearings on the platform or base A.
This is the driving shaft of the machine, and to one end of it is attached a
bevel pinion (Fig. 3), gearing into a corresponding pinion on the lower
end of a vertical shaft G, which, by means ofgearing 7 and a shaft m, gives
motion to a shaft. n, placed transversely on the front end of the bed B. The
shaft n, by means of bevel gearing o,communicates motion to two shafts H,H,
which are placed longitudinally on the bed B, and extend nearly its whole
length. On each shaft H a cam I is placed. These cams are constructed
precisely alike, and are formed of a section of a screw and two parallel portions,
as will be clearly understood by referring to Fig. 3, in which the included
part
between the points p,p, and marked 2*, is the screw portion, and the ends q,,
the parallel portions. The part q is of wedge or taper form, or it is made
thicker than the screw portion, and at its junction with this portion is gradually
tapered, the remaining portion having parallel sides. The cams 1 extend
rather more than one revolution on the shafts H,H, the ends q, r, projecting
past each other.
The cams I work between the slabs c, d, of the clamps, as
will be herein-after more particularly referred to.
To the back end of each shaft H a bevel pinion s is attached. These
pinions gear into corresponding pinions t,t,on the lower sides of small upright
shafts, u, on the bed B. Each shaft u has a cam J on it, which are formed
like the cams I, but work in a horizontal position (see Fig. 1), in which the
screw part a of one of the cams J is shewn clearly, as well as its parallel
portions *, c*.
K, K, (Fig. 1), are discharge rollers placed in front of the chain of clamps
C, and on a line which passes between the two cans J, J. An endless apron
Lis also placed transversely on the bed B, directly in front of the rollers K;
the use of this apron will be presently shewn.
M is a gate, which is fitted in a plate N. secured between the two front
uprights a, a. The gate M is fitted between proper guides in the plate N,
and a reciprocating motion is given it from the shaft F by means of a crank

page_text: and a connecting rod ¹. In the upper part of the gate M is placed a
, connected by semicircular
This cutting tool is of course
cutting tool O, formed of a series of cutters
cutters m (see the inverted plan in Fig. 4).
constructed of steel. The position of the cutting tool with the endless chain
of clamps is plainly shewn in Fig. 1.
The plate N is not rigidly attached to the uprights a, a, but has a recipro-
cating lateral movement given it by a cam P on the shaft G. The cam P
works within a loop Q, attached to one side of the plate N (see Fig. 2).
The plate N has two horizontal rods 11 attached to each side, and fitted and
working in openings in the uprights, and serving as guides to the plate. To
the upper part of plate N is attached a transverse bar R, having its front or
face side grooved vertically, as shewn at 111, and these grooves are placed in
line with the circular cutters of the tool O, see Fig. 5, in which the circular
cutters, or rather their position, is shewn by dotted lines.
In Fig. 2, S is a guide formed of a rod bent to form a horizontal top piece
, and having two vertical portions o*, o*, which pass through the gate M.
In Fig. 1,
represents the "bolts" or blocks of wood from which the
match sticks are cut. The bolts" or blocks are sawed or got out of wood of
proper thickness corresponding to the desired length of the sticks, which are
cut from the bolt longitudinally with its fibre or grain. The bolts are placed
one behind another on a bed U, and are fed to the cutting tool O by feed
rollers V, V, which may be operated in any proper way from the driving shaft
of the machine. The lower edge of the bar R rests upon the upper surface
of the front block T, near its front edge, as seen in Fig. 1.
W is a discharge plate fitted in a guide X, so as to work in line with the
"bite" of the rollers K, K. This plate is operated at the proper time from
the shaft by means of levers 1,Y, the rod Z, and a spring A', see Fig. 2.
M' is a hammer, which is placed above the chain of clamps C. This
hammer is operated by a cam N' and a spiral spring O. P is a reservoir
or basin in which sulphur is placed, and R¹ is a basin in which the igniting
compound is placed; S' is a flue, which runs under both basins P¹, R¹; T' is
a furnace with which the flue is connected.
The operation is as follows:-The bolts or blocks T are placed on the bed
U, and motion is given to the shaft F in any proper manner. The gate M
hus a reciprocating motion given it by the crank, and connecting rod k¹, and
as the cutting tool O¹ descends, the circular cutters / cut entire match sticks
from the bolt, and form concave portions 5 (see Fig. 5), the semicircular
cutters m forming convex portions 6. At the next stroke of the cutting tool
it is shifted or moved laterally by the cam P, so that the circular cutters /

page_text: will cut out the remaining half circle of the convex portions 6 which were
formed at the previous stroke. The following or third stroke is the same as
the first, the cutters & cutting out entire match sticks every alternate stroke.
and in the intermediate strokes finishing or cutting out in match sticks the
convex portions 6. The match sticks are retained in the cutters during
the upward movement of the tool O, and the sticks enter the clamp im-
mediately above it; the grooves of the bar R, in connection with the
guide S, keeping the match sticks in line, and causing the sticks to be
properly presented to the clamp; the guide S rising with the gate M until it
strikes the under side of the bed B, and thus remaining until the gate ha
reached its culminating point. When the gate descends, the guide S descends
with it a certain distance until the lower ends of the rods o, o*, of the guide
strike the base or platform A, when it remains stationary, so that the rod n¹
will be at a point some distance below the upper edge of the bolt, and keep
the sticks in line so that they will enter the grooves of the bar R, the
lower edge of which, in consequence of bearing on the end of the bolt T,
prevents the same from being raised by the tool as the latter ascends. When
the tool descends, the sticks are retained by the clamp, and a clamp com-
posed of the wooden slabs c, d, is fed over the cutter O, so as to receive the
sticks cut by it at each stroke by means of the screw portion p*, a*, of the
cams I, I, J, J, the cams fitting between the ends of the slabs c, d; the
apron
C therefore is moved intermittently, the movement being produced by
the screw portions p°, a", of the cams, and the "dwells" being produced
by the parallel portions q, r, 6*, c*, and the clamps are distended by the
wedge-shaped parts of the portions q, b*, of the cams, the springs e closing
the clamps as the parts g, b*, leave them. The parts q of the cams I open
the clamps to receive the match sticks, while the cams J open the clamps to
allow the sticks to be discharged therefrom by the plate W, which is actuated
as the clamps are opened by said cams, the plate W forcing the sticks
between the rollers K, K, by which they are discharged upon the apron L.
The sticks as they are carried around by the endless chain of clamps have
their lower ends brought even by the hammer M1, which descends on the
tops of them, and forces down any that may project upward above a proper
height, and they have their lower ends dipped in the sulphur in the basin. P¹,
and afterward they are covered by a roller z¹ with the igniting compound in
the basin R', the roller z¹ being made to rotate within the basin R. The
sulphur and igniting compounds are kept in a fluid state by the fiue S. A
roller x serves to dip or depress the ends of the match sticks into the
hasin Pl

page_text: Another device may be employed in lieu of the cams I, J, for moving the
endless chain of clamps C; for instance, the said endless chain of clamps may
pass around pulleys a², operated intermittently from the driving shaft F by
any proper means, and the clamps may be opened at the proper time to
receive the match sticks, and also to allow them to be discharged by means of
wedges b2 (Fig. 7), which are operated by a cam c².
Having now described the Invention of "Improved Machinery for Manu-
facturing Friction Matches," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
1 claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
First, the employment or use of the endless chain of the clamps C, for the
purpose of receiving the match sticks from the cutting tool and conveying
them to the sulphurizing and igniting compounds with which their lower ends
are covered.
Second, the cutting tool O, constructed of circular and semicircular cutters
, m', also the guide S fitted in the gate M, and used in connection with the
grooved bar R, for the purpose of properly feeding or presenting the match
sticks as they are cut to the clamps; also the bar R, with or without the
guide S,when the said bar R is used in connection with the cutting tool O,
for the purpose of retaining the "bolt" in proper position as the cutting tool
ascends.
Third, operating or moving the endless chain of clamps C intermittently,
retaining it during the proper" dwells," and opening the clamps during said
dwells" by means of the cams I, I, J, J.
I also claim the wedge be, actuated by the cam e, for opening the clamps
when the chains of the latter are placed over the rollers a, operated inter-
mittently direct from the driving shaft.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)