Page:Federal Reporter, 1st Series, Volume 9.djvu/409

 394 FEDEEAL EEPORTBB. �views of another form of such apparatus. The same letters indicate like points in all the figures. Prior to our said invention matches for producing flame have been made in separate pieces, of some material whicti, ■when ignited, would produce a flame ; generally, splints of wood, rendered more readily ignitable by having pne end coated for a short distance with sulphur, and the extreme end thereof with phosphorus or other substance, which will readily ignite by friction. At each ignition the entire of one such match is either entirely consumed, or, if not entirely consumed, what is left of it is thrown away, and, generally, the modes of keeping and using such matches are at- tended with inconvenience and danger. ihe object of our said invention is to form a continuons or repeating match requiring only so much of it to be uaed as may be required, and then extinguished, and the residue retained for further use, until, after repeated use, the whole is consumed. And our said invention also relates to apparatus for containing and uSing such continuons or repeating matches. We prepare said continuons or repeating matches by taking a strip, a, of paper or tape of any desirable length, and about a quar- ter of an inch in width, and saturate it with stearine or equivalent combus- tible substance, which, when ignited, will produce a flame and burn more slovvly and steadily than the paper or tape, and, when ignited, will continue to bum with a flame throughout the entire length, unless it be extinguished by some means. For a continnous match, we apply to one surface of the pve- pared strip, and along the middle portion thereof, as at 6, sulphur and phos- phorus, applying the sulphur flrst and then the phosphorus ; or, instead, other equivalent substance or compound for igniting by friction may be so applied. But, for making what we terra a repeating match, instead of applying the sulphur and phosphorus, or equivalent therefor, continuously, we apply it in spots, at equal distances apart, leaving a length of the prepared strip hetween every two sufflcient to make a flame for the required length of time. And, as the material; for igniting by friction does not adhere to the surface of the prepared strip with much force, and for that reason would be likely to be rubbed ofC in making friction upon it to ignite it, a part of our said invention relates to a means of securing such preparation, aud consists in puncturing holes, «, through the strip, either before or after it has been prepared with the inflammable matter, so that the phosphorus, or equivalent therefor, when applied, will enter such perforations, as at d, and becoine thereby securely connected with the strip, so that it cannot be rubbed off. For the convenient use of our continuons or repeating matches, the strip ig to be placed in a case of a circular form, as represented at e, the strip being coiled np in the form of a volute, and one slde, /, of the case being fltted to the circular rim, g, so that it can be put on or taken off readily. like the cover of an ordinary snufl-box, or it may be hinged to the rim. ihe end of the match-strip is pushed ont tlirough an opening in the rim, and into and through a tangent nose-piece or beak, 7i, the under part of which is provided with a toothed roller, i, the teeth of which aet on the under face of the strip, which is borne against the said roller by a slight spring, j, so that, by turning the said roller with the flnger, the requred length of match is pushed out beyond the end of the nose-piece. But instead of turning this roller by the finger, acting on the under part, it may be entirely enclosed in the nose- ��� �