IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES, AUTOMATICALLY LIGHTING THE MATCHES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolphe Romain, Civil Engineer, of 82, Boulevard Sebas-
topol, Paris, in the Republic of France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MATCH BOXES, AUTOMATICALLY LIGHTING THE MATCHES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolphe Romain at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd June 1877.
ADOLPHE ROMAIN, Civil Engineer, of 82, Boulevard Sebastopol, Paris; in the
Republic of France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES, AUTOMATICALLY LIGHTING
THE MATCHES."
The object of this Invention is to ignite the inatches contained in a box, singly
and as required, automatically by a simple and effective method.
The box may take the form that taste may suggest, and be constructed of any
suitable substance, metal, china, earthenware, or other matter.
The box consists of base or pedestal and bottom plate, in the centre of which a
cylindrical tube is fixed, in whose middle a fixed shaft is established, and sur-
rounding it is a spiral spring which maintains a second cylinder (constituting the
match holder) in a rigidly vertical position; the top of the match holder terminates
in a conical and movable cap, pierced for the exit singly of the matches; this
aperture is either denticulated or furnished with some frictional matter for igniting
the match head as it passes through the opening.
The action of the box is as follows:-On pressing down the column containing
the matches within the lower cylinder the spring is depressed, and the fixed shaft
protrudes into the upper cylinder or match holder and forces a match up through
the opening at the head of the match holder, and the match in its
lighted.
passage is
The upper and lower end of the holder are conical, so that a match must always
rest on the head of the central and fixed shaft ready for ignition.

page_text: The upper cylinder is prevented leaving the lower by bending up the ends of
the upper one, which catch or are arrested by the cap at the head of the lower
cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Adolphe Romain in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th December
1877.
ADOLPHE ROMAIN, Civil Engineer, of 82, Boulevard Sebastopol, Paris, in the
Republic of France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MATCH BOXES, AUTOMATICALLY LIGHTING
THE MATCHES."
The object of my Invention is to ignite the wooden matches contained in a
box, singly and as required, by an automatic, simple, and effective method.
The box may take any form that taste may suggest, and be construoted of any
suitable substance, metal, china, earthenware, or other matter. In the accompanying
Drawing it is shaped like a castle.
: Fig. 1 represents a vertical elevation of an automatic match lighter, and Fig. 2,
a front view of the same.
It may here be remarked that the appellation of the Parisian match box is.
given to this apparatus.
The box consists of the case or frame A and bottom plate B; on this latter and
secured to its centre is a vertical and cylindrical tube C, in whose middle is a fixed
shaft D, and surrounding which is a spiral or other spring E which maintains the
match holder H (which is a second cylindrical body) always in a rigidly vertical
position; the top of the match holder terminates in a movable cap K, the centre
being pierced for the single exit of the matches, and is furnished either with teeth
or some equivalent frictional or roughed surface for igniting the matches on their
passage through the aperture.
The holder H and cylinder C would both be shaped in conformity with that of
the matches, that is to say, round or square. These two parts must always be alike
in form, as one slides within the other, as hereafter explained.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The holder H is filled with wooden
matches by removing the conical cap K; it is then replaced, and the box is ready for
action. On pressing down the column or cylinder H containing the wooden matches,
it slides into the lower cylinder C, depressing the spring E, and causing the pro-
truding end of the shaft D to force a match through the opening I of the cap K
where it is ignited by the rough surface or teeth at this point, or some equivalent
for causing the ignition of the phosphorous at the heads of the matches, which
latter are placed in the holder H, head upwards.
Both the top and bottom of the upper cylinder H are conical, so that the wooden
matches contained in the holder H must always keep this form, one always resting
on the upper and protruding end of the shaft D, so that a simple depression of the
upper into the lower cylinder will always force a single match through the top K
of the holder H, and there ignite it, as shown by the Drawing, Fig. 1.
The cylinder or match holder H is prevented leaving the cylinder C by bending
up its edge F so as to catch on the rim or cap G fixed at the head of the cylinder C
Inside the foot, pedestal, or case A a bell J may be placed, and would be of use
in many cases, especially in hotels, restaurants, or private apartments.
There is an economy of matches by the use of tho Parisian match box, in

page_text: that one match at a time only can be withdrawn from the box, thus preventing
waste.
I claim as my Invention, the combination of the upper cylinder H or match
holder sliding within the lower cylinder G. by depressing the spring E for forcing
a single match to pass out at a time by the combined aid of the conical ends of the
holder H, shaft D, and spring E, the match being ignited in its passage through
the roughed or denticulated aperture I of the conical head K of the holder H, by
the means and for the purposes herein set forth, and as illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings..
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolphe Romain, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.