Improvements in Boxes for the Holding and Delivery of Matches, Pins, Needles, Leads, and other like small articles, and in Com- bining such Boxes with Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boxes for the Holding and Delivery of Matches,
Pins, Needles, Leads, and other like small articles, and in Com-
bining such Boxes with Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, and the
like.
I, FRED WALLIS of Edgbaston Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
This invention relates to a box or receptacle for the holding and delivery of
matches, pins, needles, lead lengths, and other like small articles, and which said
articles are delivered or removed from the box, singly, or one at a time, as herein-
after fully described.
In the case of a match box, matches are both delivered one at a time, and struck
or ignited in the act of being withdrawn or removed by the user.
Thus, the matches which are placed within the box, with their stems directed
upwards, are, in turn, when shaken to one end, presented to an outlet hole
formed within the top, and on the box being inverted, the stem of a match fed,
falls through, which on being laid hold of, and quickly withdrawn, has its head
brought into intimate contact with a striker carried at the inner end of a
yielding lever, which is required first to be compressed before the stem is admitted
to fall.
In carrying out my invention in connection with a match box I proceed as
follows:-
I take an elongated rectangular shaped box, entirely closed at its sides, and
provided at its bottom with a hinged lid or cover held in position by a suitable
catch.
One end of the box has a longitudinal groove or channel, formed up its middle,
and wherein a match to be fed lies prior to its removal, and in front of the
top of this said groove or channel, is a yielding tongue or guard, with a semi-
circular cut-out part within its front, thus forming with the semi-circular figure
of the trough before which it comes, a circular hole or opening, wherethrough
the stem of the match falls by gravity, when the box is inverted, while it is
insufficiently large to allow the head of the match to pass, which is intercepted, and
thereby holds the match in position till withdrawn sharply by hand.
Disposed at the top of the box is a combined striker, and lever consisting of
a bent piece of metal folded upon itself, and with the lower part attachedly
connected to the box, and the other and free end directed rearwardly, in manner
so as to form a lever, which when pressed, lifts the front or nose end of the
striker from before or immediately above the hole or orifice, wherethrough the stem
of the match outwardly passes.
The underside of the nose of the striker which is yielding, has a spike or knife-
edge shaped projection upon it, against which the heads of the matches impinge,
when forcibly drawn through the orifice or outlet, and past the striker.
The lever part of the striker is formed by wings on the sides of the free end part,
taking their bearings upon fulcra ears, directed upwardly from the two opposite
sides at the middle of the top of the box, so that by depressing the said free end,
the wings take their bearings upon the fulcra, and lift the fore or striker part, and
so admit a match stem to freely pass.

page_text: end of the combined lever and striker, when the fore part of it will be lifted clear
of the match outlet, when the stem of a match will fall through by gravity, and be
there intercepted by the tongue.
The releasing of the lever, and the withdrawal of the match by the taking hold
of the hanging stem, ignites the head, by the drawing of the same past the tongue
and striker.
It will be understood that by employing the guard and free tongue within the
top of the box, and in proximity to the outlet, that the matches are struck outside
the box, so that all danger arising from sparks and detached lighted heads is avoided,
as the same are intercepted by the guard.
In order to properly feed the matches to the channel coincident to the outlet, I
provide the body of the box with longitudinal and erect semi-partitions, that is,
partitions extending partly across the box, but leaving a space sufficient for the
passage lengthwise of the matches, when the same are required to be shook to the
side from whence they are withdrawn.
In applying my invention to a box for the holding and delivery of pins, needles
and the like, the striker part and guard are dispensed with, but in the case of
headed articles such as pins the guard may still be retained.
The front of the lever now acts as a closure to the outlet or withdrawal
opening.
The boxes or receptacles as aforesaid, may be inserted, or sunken within the ends
of walking sticks, the handles of umbrellas, and the like, if necessary.
In fitting walking sticks with receptacles as described, I prefer that the spring
lever or releasing means should be extended down the side of the box, in manner
that a pusher working through a handle or articles as aforesaid, should place the
'same in a position suitable for the releasing of matches or the like.
Instead of arranging the semi-partitions within the boxes as described so as to
relieve the weight of the bulk of them, from the one being extracted, in manner
that they shall follow each other in single file, I may employ instead of them, a
conical lead or taper mouth at the entrance to the outlet.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1891.
FRED WALLIS,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boxes for the Holding and Delivery of Matches,
Pins, Needles, Leads, and other like small articles, and in Com-
bining such Boxes with Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, and the
like.
1, FRED WALLIS of Edgbaston Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer,
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:
This invention relates to boxes or receptacles, for the holding and delivery of
matches, pins, needles, lead lengths, and other like small articles, and which said
articles when required are delivered or removed from the box, singly, or one at a
time, as hereinafter fully described.
In the case of a match box, matches are delivered one at a time, and also struck
or ignited in the act of being withdrawn or removed by the user.
Thus, the matches which are placed within the box, are, in turn, when shaken
to one end, presented to an outlet hole formed within the one end, and on the
box being inverted, the stem of a match fed, falls through, which on being laid
hold of, and quickly withdrawn, has its head brought into intimate contact with
a striker carried at the striker end of a lever.

page_text: .
In carrying out my invention, in connection with a match box, I proceed as
follows:-
I take an elongated rectangular shaped box, provided at one end with a hinged
lid or cover held in position by a suitable catch.
One side of the box, has a lead or shallow channel, and wherein a match to be
fed is disposed prior to its removal, and in front of the top of this said lead or
shallow channel, is a yielding tongue stop, which overhangs the top of the lead,
thus forming between its tip ends and the opposite side of the lead, an opening,
wherethrough the stem of the match falls by gravity, when the box is inverted,
while the said opening is insufficiently large to allow the head of the match to
pass, which is intercepted, and thereby holds the match in position till withdrawn
sharply by hand.
Disposed at the top of the box is a combined striker and lever, consisting of a
bent piece of metal fulcrumed about its middle, and with the striker part over-
hanging the mouth outlet and the other and free end directed rearwardly in manner
so as to form a presser lever, which when pressed, lifts the front or nose end of the
striker from before or immediately above the mouth outlet, wherethrough the stem
and head of the match is drawn, with the latter coming in contact with the
striker, hence the striking and lighting of the same.
In order to properly feed or present the matches to the channel coincident to
the outlet, I provide the body of the box with longitudinal and erect semi-
partitions, that is, partitions extending partly across the box, but leaving a space
sufficient for the passage lengthwise of the matches, when the same are required to
be shook to the side from whence they are withdrawn.
In applying my invention to a box for the holding and delivery of pins, needles
and the like, the striker part and guard are dispensed with, but in the case of
headed articles such as pins the guard may still be retained.
The front of the lever now acts as a closure to the outlet or withdrawal
opening.
The boxes or receptacles as aforesaid, may be inserted or sunken within the ends
of walking sticks, the handles of umbrellas, and the like, if necessary.
In fitting walking with receptacles as described, I prefer that the spring lever or
releasing means should be extended down the side of the box, in manner that a
pusher working through a handle or article as aforesaid should place the same in a
position suitable for the releasing of matches or the like.
Instead of arranging the semi partitions within the boxes as described so as
to relieve the weight of the bulk of the matches from the one being extracted, in
manner that they shall follow each other in single file, I may employ instead of
them a conical lead or taper mouth at the entrance to the outlet.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in vertical section, an auto-
matic striking match box, constructed, arranged and provided according to my
invention.
The said box is so constructed and arranged that matches are both delivered
one at a time, and struck and ignited, in the act of the same being withdrawn.
Figure 2 represents the said match box inverted and slightly inclined, and
which when shaken, compels a match to fall into a lead, which is coincident and
lignable with the striker and mouth outlet of the box.
Figure 3 represents the said box in an inverted and upright position, and with
the releasing lever shown pressed back, which liberates, or forms a clearance for,
the stem of the match to fall through, whilst its head is suspended or held by a
catch stop at the inner outlet of the box, and when in this last named position, the
lever is then released, and the match subsequently pulled, which draws the head of
the match past the catch stop, and then brings the said head into intimate contact
with the striker, hence the ignition, and should the head be pulled off by the act of
striking, the same is caught and prevented from passing inwardly into the box by
the semi-closed inner outlet.
Figure 4 represents the match box, with a match withdrawn, struck and lighted.
:

page_text: Figure 5 represents the match box employed as a holder for the match, again
inverted, or with its striking end uppermost, and with a match held torch-like, by
the stem coming between back of mouth and striker as a holder.
Figure 6 is a cross section on the dotted line A Figure 1, showing the arrange-
ment of the semi partitions, for the taking off of the weight of the bulk of the
matches contained within the box from the one being delivered, and also keeping
them in their proper relative positions.
Figure 7 shows the lever ends of the box.
Figure 8 is the combined lining and semi-partitions separately.
Figure 9 is an edge view of the combined lever and striker, whilst Figure 10 is
a plan of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 10.
a is an elongated and rectangular box or metallic shell, closed at its sides, fitted
at bottom with a lid a", jointed at a³, and with the striking end closed, save for a
small opening at, of about the size of the head of a match, and with the same
coming lignable with a lead a', located upon one side of the box.
Situated on the striking or top side of the box, is a combined lever and striker b,
fulcrumed or jointed at 2, and with the striking and serrated end ³, partially
closing the mouth entrance a, formed by a semi shroud a', which makes as it
were, an extended lip to the striking side of the box, and a continuation of the
lead a³.
held
The presser end is pushed upwards by the free end c³, of a spring c,
between a clip a³, and the top of the box, and with the fore part e, of the said
spring extended into a catch stop, which intercepts the matches by their heads
as they fall from the box, and which are there held in a suspended position until
the lever of the striker has been liberated, and the said match pulled forcibly from
the box by its stem, which hangs tail-like out of the box as in Figure 3.
It will be seen that the tip c, of the stop catch, slightly extends itself into the
inner outlet a, so that the invertion of the box as in Figure 3, when the striker is
clear, allows a match to fall down the lead, and it becomes then suspended by its
head.
The lever, turns within bearings or ears d, whilst the interior of the box has
semi partitions e, slightly inclined from the sides towards the middle of the box,
and in manner that the matches take a circuitous course, and are prevented from
pressing unduly upon the one being withdrawn.
These partitions are preferably pressed out of the same metal as the lining e¹,
whilst the lid of the match box is secured by a catch a³.
The middle of the striker part of the lever is gapped, and slightly sunken at b³,
and with the teeth or serrations slightly turned upwards.
OPERATION.
Place the matches within the box between the semi partitions, with the heads of
them presented towards the lid.
Then invert the box from the position Figure 1 to that of Figure 2, with the
same slightly inclined towards the lead so that the matches may fall and lean that
way when the same are shook. The operation of shaking causes the first match,
by gravity, to fall slightly down the lead, with the stem directed through the
inner outlet, and with its extreme end resting upon the striker.
The pressing of the lever turns it upon its joint, and lifts the striker clear from
the match, when the same falls, until its head comes in contact with the tip of the
stop catch c, when the match is there retained in a suspended position.
The now releasing of the lever, and the pulling out of the match, causes the
tongue of the yielding stop catch to move away, in obedience to the pressure
exerted, and on the head of the match being free and coming into intimate contact
with the serrated edge 6, of the striker b, the same is ignited, and the match
lighted, as represented in Figure 4.

page_text: Should the head be pulled off in the act of igniting, as is commonly the case, the
same is retained within the chamber a10, located between the mouth a, of the box,
and the inner outlet at, hence the prevention of the return of the ignited head
into the match box, and the lighting of the matches contained therein.
Figure 11 represents a match box constructed according to a modified form of
my invention.
Figure 12 shows the same inverted.
a is a box or shell, with enclosed sides, open bottomed, and closed by a lid, and
with the metal at the striker end of the box, formed into a lever b, fulcrumed at b²,
and having a presser part 6, and a striker part b³.
is a spring limb or rest, which supports the joint or fulcrum 6, which consists
of snugs or ears, turned up from the metal of the said part c, or lever b.
The metal is made sufficiently thin, so that when pressed forcibly at 64, (as in
Figure 12) the striker part 63, gapes or cocks upwards and allows the stem of a
match to fall, until the same is intercepted by the tip c, of a split end c³, of the
spring or inner support e, after which, the withdrawal of pressure allows the
deflected metal top to resume its normal figure, and the striker to close upon
the match, and by the withdrawal of the same, the head is struck or ignited.
Figure 13 represents a still further modified form of match box constructed
according to my invention, in which the pressing or squeezing of the sides of the
box, arranged as levers, releases a match, which is caught by the striker, and
which, on the same being pulled out, is struck and ignited.
Figure 1 represents a side view of the said box, and Figure 15 the same
inverted, showing the match stail dropped through the mouth.
a is a box, with split side a³, formed of semi-divided sections or levers halves b,
fulcrumed at 2, and with presser ends, and striker ³, so that on the said ends,
which are normally opened as in Figure 4, being pressed together, the sections b
lever upon themselves at fulcrum or joint 3, and cause the other end near the
striker to gape, or open into a mouth outlet a, wherethrough the stems of the
matches fall, and are intercepted by the striker b³, and on the head of the match
being drawn forcibly past or over the said striker by the stem being taken hold of,
the same becomes struck and the match lighted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
First An automatic or self-striking match-box, mounting or disposing at or
near the outlet, or the mouth outlet of the box, a combined lever or spring
releasing lever and striker, with the latter overhanging, or coming lignable with
the said outlet.
Secondly: An automatic or self striking match box, providing the outlet, or a
throat, or part near the outlet, with a yielding and intercepting stop c³, c, whereby
the matches extracted are suspended by their heads, prior to the act of ignition,
and further, whereby the heads are prevented from returning to the interior of the
box, should the same become detached in the act of striking.
Thirdly-In an automatic or self striking or other match box, disposing within
the interior shell of the same, seni partitions, directed to about the middle of the
box, from the two opposite sides of the same, particularly as set forth.
Fourthly In a match box, the construction and arrangement of the striking
end of an automatic striking match box, as described and set forth, in Figures 1, 2,
3, 4, 5 and 7.
Fifthly: In an automatic striking match box, the construction and arrangement
of the parts as described and set forth in Figures 1 to 6.
Sixthly In an automatic, or self striking match box, releasing, intercepting,
and striking the matches by means, and by the arrangement of parts, as described
and set forth in Figures 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

page_text: :-
Seventhly The improvement in boxes for the holding of pins, needles, lead
lengths, and other small articles, as herein described and set forth.
Dated this 28th day of March 1892.
FRED WALLIS,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.