Friction Matches
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
STEPHEN DOLE, OF CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
IMPROVEMENT IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING SPLINTS FOR FRICTION-MATCHES
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214, dated May 30, 1837.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, STEPHEN DOLE, of Concord, New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Splinters to be Used in the Making of Friction-Matches, of which the following is a specification.
The object of this improvement is to prevent the ends of the matches to which the inflammable composition is applied from touching each other, by which the danger of their being casually set on fire is prevented; and the manner of making the splinters, with a view to accomplish this object, is claimed as the invention of said DOLE.
The splinters are made in the following manner: A block of dry pine or other suitable wood being prepared, of suitable length and dimensions, according to the judgment of the manufacturer, a suitable piece of cotton or linen cloth or other proper material is to be fastened by means of paste, glue, or other adhesive substance to one end of the block in such a manner as to cover the whole of such end. The other end is to be grooved by means of a saw or other suitable tool to the depth of one-third of an inch, or other convenient depth. The grooves are to be cut in two directions, crossing each other at right angles, or other convenient angle, and may be of the width of one-sixteenth to one-quarter of an inch, or other convenient width, and may be at such distance from each other as to leave the wood between them of a suitable size for the end of a splinter. The said block is then to be split from one end to the other by inserting a knife, chisel, or other proper tool into each of said grooves, thus making a collection of splinters, attached to each other at one end by the cloth or other material before mentioned, and the other ends, to which the inflammable composition is to be applied, being prevented from touching each other, partly by the other ends being confined together by the cloth or other material before mentioned, and partly by the form of the splinters, that part of them next to which the grooves are made being less than the other parts.
STEPHEN DOLE
Witnesses:
JNO. WHIPPLE
SAML. D. BELL