US575489A - Zachariah douglas morrow - Google Patents

Description

' (No Model.) 2. D. MORROW, DeccL J. G. WIDENHAM, Administrator.

MATCH BOX. 7 -N0. 575,489. Patented Jan. 19. 1897.

Hi; asses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ZAOHARIAH DOUGLAS MORROYV, OF FRANKLIN, ILLINOIS; J. O. \VIDENI-IAM ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID MORROVV, DECEASED.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,489, dated January 19, 1897.

Application filed March 2, 1896. Serial No. 581,504. (N 5 1,)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ZACHARIAH DOUGLAS MORROW, a resident of Franklin, in the county of Morgan and State of Illinois, have 5 invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Match-Boxes; and I do hereby 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 ap- IO pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in match-boxes, the object of the invention being to construct the box, with the exception of the cover, of a single piece of metal, to so I 5 construct and arrange the parts that the matches can be readily removed therefrom, one at a time,without danger of igniting them, and to provide simple and eflicient means whereby the box can be readily and quickly 2o filled with matches.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed 2 5 out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a match-box embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional view. Fig. 3 is a view showing the position of the lid or cover when the box is to be supplied with matches. A represents my improved match-box, and, comprises a back 1, having an upwardly-extending portion 2, which may be out to form an ornamental design, and provided with a 3 5 hole 3 for the reception of a nail or peg whereby to hang the device against the wall, a front a and sides 5 5, all made of a single piece of metal, preferably sheet metal. The front and back of the box are bent toward each other, as at 6 7, so as to form a bottom for the box which shall be practically V-shaped in crosssection, and the depending portions of the sides 5 are cut in conformity with the V shape of the bottom of the box. The lower edges of the portions 6 7 are bent so as to form parallel flanges S 9, with a narrow channel 10 between them, into which the matches will drop in single file. 6 7 of the bottom of the box are cut away or recessed between their ends to form finger holes or recesses 11 to enable the user to read- The back and front portions ily withdraw the matches from the box. The rear portion 7 of the bottom of the box is slit at opposite. sides of the finger-hole to form spring tongues 12, which normally bear against the flange 8 of the front portion 6 and serve to normally prevent the escape of matches from the box. From this construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that the bottommatches of the supply within the box will be normally disposed within the channel 10 above alluded to, the heads and butt-ends of the matches being disposed in said channel and the intermediate portions being supported by the spring-tongues 12. 6 5 The user will now insert his finger and thumb through the finger-holes and grasp a match, and, pulling it downwardly, will force the spring-tongues back and withdraw the match from the box, the head of the match passing 7o freely through the open channel 10 between the flanges S 9 and thus prevented from ignition. It is evident that the spring-tongues could be made on the front portion 6 instead of the rear portion 7.

The upper edges of the sides or ends of the box are bent laterally and slit at 13 to form two flanges 1-1 15 at each end or side of the box.

The lid or cover 16 of the box is made with a depending flange 17 to abut against the upper edge of the front of the box. The ends of the lid are made with bent flanges 18 19, the flanges 18 being adapted to engage the flanges 14 at the respective ends of the box, and the flanges 19 of the lid being adapted to engage the flanges 15 of the box. The flanges 14: are bent a little farther than the flanges 15 and form stops at 20 against which the flanges 19 will abut when the lid shall have been slid partially off. The flange 19 fits the flange 15 loosely, so that when the lid is slid partly off and the flange 19 is in engagement with the stop 20 the lid can be raised so as to assume a diagonal position, as shown in Fig. 3, with a space 22 between its rear edge and the back of the box. Matches can noiv be placed in large quantity upon the lid and they will fall down the inclined lid and into the box. Thus I am enabled to supply the box with matches very quickly instead of'having to place them in one at a time, as has been on the ends of said lid adapted to engage the flanges on the box, so that when the lid is par- 15 tially off the box it can be inclined whereby to facilitate the insertion of matches into the box in quantity, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subserib- 2o ing witnesses. i

ZACHARL-Ul DOUGLAS MORROW.

Witnesses:

W. S. M RGAN, L. A. MANSFIELD.

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