US557233A - Match-safe - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREELAND II. ROMANS, IVILLIAM A. ROMANS, AND SAMUEL IV. IIARMAN,

. OF BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS.

MATCH-SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,233, dated March 31, 1896.

Application filed July 11, 1895- Serial No. 555,599. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that W6,FREELAND H. ROMANS, WILLIAM A. ROMANS, and SAMUEL W. HAR- MAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Bentonv-ille, in the county of Benton and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Safes; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in match-safes; and it has for its object the production of simple and efficient means whereby but one match may be obtained at a time.

It is well known that cigar-dealers, &c. are much annoyed and put to not a little expense by unprincipled persons helping themselves freely to a large number of matches at one time, and the main object of our invention is to overcome this Waste, or at least reduce the same to a minimum.

In carrying out our invention we provide a box or casing having two interior flanges or guideways adapted to support a slide or partition which divides said casing into two chambers or compartments, the upper one of which is designed to contain the matches which rest on said slide, the latter forming the bottom for said chamber. The slide or partition projects through slots in the front and rear walls of the casing and is provided with a longitudinal slot through which extends an arm which is designed to engage and raise the matches out of a transverse groove or recess in said slide. The matches fall into said groove one at a time during each operation of the slide or partition. Means are also provided by reason of which an alarm is sounded upon each operation of the slide or partition. The top chamber is provided with a removable cover, which is pivoted between the side walls of the box or casing and may be thrown back when it is desired to refill said chamber.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the cover thrown back and the slide drawn out, said cover and slide being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a view of the slide. Fig. 5 is a detail view.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a box or casing which is divided into upper and lower chambers to a by means of a slide or partition B which rests on flangesa projecting from the interior faces of the side walls a of said box or casing. Slots a are formed in the front and rear walls a a of the box or casing A, the slide or partition B being projected therethrough and adapted to move back and forth without interference.

The slide or partition B forms the bottom of chamber a, and the same is provided with a transverse groove or recess 17 in its upper surface, said groove being designed to receive a single match from said chamber a and retain the same during the forward movement of said slide. As said slide reaches the for ward limit of its movement the match 0 in the groove or recess b is raised out of its position in said groove by a spring-arm b secured to box or casing A, the upper end of said spring-arm being passed through and adapted to work in a longitudinal slot b of said slide or partition. The forward movement of the latter is limited by a stop or lug b projecting from the under side thereof, said stop being designed to engage the front and rear walls, respectively, of the box or casing in the alternate back-and-forth movement of said slide, thereby limiting the play of the latter.

To the bottom (1 is secured a standard or post at, on which is mounted a bell D, which is designed to be sounded each time the slide B is moved forward the full extent of its movement. This is accomplished by a spring-arm d which is secured to the bottom (1, the upper end of said arm being in the line of travel of the lug b and is adapted to be engaged and moved forward by the latter. The said arm d is released from engagement with said stop or lug before the slide or partition reaches the forward limit of its movement and as soon as released flies back and strikes the bell D.

For the purpose of convenience and increasing the efficiency of the device the cham-' her a may be provided with a hopper-like rear wall (Z and a glass-covered opening (Z having a small portion of its surface covered with some phosphorescent material to enable the match-safe to be readily located in a dark room. A sheet of emery-paper or other rough substance (1 may be placed at the base of box or casing A for use in scratching the matches.

E is the cover for the box or receptacle, the same being provided with a rear downwardlyprojeeting portion a, said latter portion being provided with pivots or trunnions 6 projecting through the side walls of box A. This top is held locked in place by means of a lock 6 which is passed through the downwardlyprojecting portion 6 and provided with a hook portion e so arranged that it maybe turned by a handle portion 6 and caused to engage "a staple e secured to the wall (1 The advantages and operation of our improved match-safe are apparent. It will be readily seen that but one match can be obtained therefrom at one time, and the wholesale waste of matches is thereby prevented. The same is also simple and inexpensive and not liable to readily get out of order or become deranged.

We claim as our invention 1. In a match-safe, a box or receptacle having a rear hopper-like wall, a cover for said box or receptacle having a rear downwardlyprojeeting portion pivotally connected to said box or receptacle, a staple secured to said hopper-like wall, and a lock extended through the rear downwardly-projecting portion of said cover and having a hook portion adapted to engage said staple, substantially as set forth.

2. In a match-safe, abox or receptacle having a rear hopper-like wall, a sliding bottom for said box or receptacle having a transverse groove therein adapted to receive a single match, means for raising said match out of said groove during the forward movement of said sliding bottom, a cover for said box or receptacle having a rearward downwardlyextended portion, pivot-rods or trunnions projecting from said downwardly-extended portion and engaging the side walls of said box or receptacle, a staple secured to said hopperlike wall, and a hook extended through said cover and adapted to engage said staple, substantially as set forth.

3. In a match-safe, a box or casing having interior flanges, a slide or partition resting on said flanges and adapted to divide said box or easing into an upper and a lower chamber, said slide or partition being provided with a longitudinal slot and a transverse groove or recess adapted to receive a single match, a spring-arm secured to said box or casing and working in said slot, and adapted to engage and raise said match out of said groove, a stop or lug projecting from the under side of said slide, a bell located in said lower chamber, a spring arm or clapper located adjacent thereto and adapted to be engaged and operated by said stop or lug, a cover for said box or receptacle having a rear downwardlyextended portion pivoted to said box or easing, a staple secured to the rear wall of said upper chamber, and a hook extended through the rear extension of said cover and adapted to engage said staple, said hook being provided with an operating-handle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FREELAND II. ROMANS. WILLIAM A. ROMANS. SAMUEL W. HARMAN.

Witnesses:

F. O. WILsEY, J. S. C. Rnnvns.

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