US892391A - Match-box. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JULY 7, 1908.

K. E. BLOMQUIST.

MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1906.

\X/ 576% ZWKIMP UNITED STATES KARL E. BLOMQUIST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 1908.

Application filed June 25, 1906. Serial No. 323,333.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL E. BLOMQUIST, a subject of the King of Sweden, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Match-Boxes, of which the fol owing is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of match box designed to permit the convenient removal of one match at a time and to interferewith the removal in the ordinary operation of the box, of a large number of matches, except by removing them individually and by separate operations; further, to provide improved means for causing the matches to readily feed to a suitable position for removal and to prevent the clogging of the same in the box. These objects are accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a match box embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figs. 1 and 2.

The back 1 has an upper extension 2 and a lower extension 3 suitable for fastening the box to a wall. The extension 3 is formed by two cuts or slits in the material of the back 1, and at each side of said extension, the ma terial of said back is bent forward to form the parts 4 which serve as a bottom for the box, the part 3 being bent back so as to provide the rear slot 5. This slot is enlarged at its lower end 6. The front 7 of the box has the cuts 8 therein forming the separating member 9. The box shown is made of sheet metal, so that the separating finger 9 has a resilient action. This separating finger is bent inwardly slightly, as shown in Fig. 2, so that it lies rearward of the resilient members 10 which form the front wall at the opening 11 through which the matches are removed.

.The finger 9 is shorter than the parts 10.

This, together with the lower end 6 of the slot 5 provides an enlargement of the o ening 11 at its middle part, through which t fie lowest match can be readily grasped by the fingers of the operator for ulling the same through said opening. Eaci of the members 10 has an inner rib or ridge 12 which bears against the matches to hold the same away from the body of the front 7, and cause the matches to readil feed toward a suitable position for remova Each of the members 4 at the back and bottom of the box has the inner rib or ridge 13 which serves a purpose similar to that of the ridge 12. The middle part of the separating finger 9 is out out at 14 to show whether ornot the box contains matches, and also to enable the operator to adjust the matches in case they should not lie 'in the proper horizontal position. The slits or cuts 8 are enlarged at their upper ends 15 to improve the resilient action of the separator finger 9. The side walls 16 are secured to the back 1 and the front 7 down to the points 17 and 18 which are a sufficient distance above the opening 11 to permit of spring action of the lower part of the members 10 and 4. The lid 19 is pivoted at 20 to the back 1. This is intended to permit the box to be readily supplied with matches.

In operation, the device will be attached to a wall by means of the extensions 2 and 3. The matches will be inserted from the top so as to lie in a horizontal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To remove a match, the operator will grasp the lower one with his thumb and forefinger at the enlargement 6 of the slot 5. The openings 11 are small enough to prevent the match from dropping out of the box, but the spring action of the members 4 and 10 permits the operator to readily withdraw the match through said openings. If the operator attempts to withdraw several of the matches at the same time, the action of his thumb or finger against the separator 9 will tend to prevent such withdrawal. The separator 9 will in such case bear against the matches immediately following the lower match and thus interfere with their removal except when taken one at a time.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. match box, comprising a rear wall and a front wall meeting at an angle at their lower edges, said walls being unattached at said edges to provide an opening for removing a match and being yieldingly urged toward each other to retain the lowest match at said opening, each of said walls being cut away at the middle part of its lower edge to form an enlargement of the opening through which the lowest match may be grasped by the fingers of an operator, and the front wall having thereon a finger extending into the enlargement of said opening, the middle of the lower end of said finger being spaced above the position of the lower match and adapted, through contact with the operators finger, to be ressed inward so as to grip the second match between it and the rear wall, and thereby prevent the removal of more than one match at a time.

2. A match box, comprising a rear wall and a front Wall meeting at an angle at their lower edges, said walls being unattached at said edges to provide an opening for removing a match and being yieldingly urged toward each other to engage and prevent the lowest 'match from falling out of said opening, the

front wall being cut away at the middle part of its lower edge to form an enlargement of the opening through which the lowest match may be grasped by the fingers of an operator, and said front wall having a air of slits extending upwardly from its ower edge, the part between said slits being sprung inwardly fromthe adjacent parts of said front wall, and the middle of the lower end of said parts being spaced above the lower edges of said walls in position to clear the lowest match and adapted, through contact with the operator's fingers, to be pressed inward so as to grip and retain the second match during the removal of the lowest match.

3. A match-box comprising a front wall formed of one piece of sheet metal having its lower edge free and unattached to the sides of the box and having a pair of spaced slits extending upwardly from its lower edge, and a separator finger formed by the ma terial of said wall between said slits, said separator finger having therein a relatively large opening spaced above its lower end and having a part below said opening s aced above the lower edge of the front wal and adapted through contact with the operators fingers to press inwardly and grip the second match during the removal of the lowest match.

Signed at Chicago this 20th day of June 1906.

' KARL E. BLOMQUIST.

Witnesses HARRY N. GARDNER, WM. R. RUMMLER.

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