154 



MATCH WORKS 



PARAGRAPH XXIX. 



MATCH WORKS. 



Wooden matches are either round or square. 



(A) ROUND MATCHES are made on a machine 

 resembling the wooden wire machine described in 

 the preceding paragraph, under "B." 



The fine circular planes through which the wood 

 is being forced cause a compression of the fibre so that 

 the matches are unfit for impregnation with paraffine. 



The wood is air-seasoned before using. The weight 

 of a double-acting machine is 900 lbs. It is attended by 3 

 two workmen, is driven by one horse-power, 

 and yields 5,000,000 round matches per day. 



(B) SQUARE MATCHES are made 

 from blocks 16 inches to 24 inches long 

 which, after steaming or boiling, are peeled 

 on a rotary veneer machine into layers 

 having the thickness of a match. 



I. The veneers are automalically clipped 

 into sheets having a length of 6 feet and 

 a width equaling 5 to 12 match lengths. 

 These sheets are heaped up in packs con- 

 taining 50 to 80 tiers. 



II. A knife system, with spur-knives, 

 plays in a vertical sash and cuts from 

 each tier, at each stroke, 5 to 12 matches. 

 The pack, after each stroke, is moved 

 forward the thickness of a match. 



The machine is attended by one man, 

 requires one horse-power, weighs 1 ,500 lbs., 

 and has a daily capacity of 25,000,000 square 

 matches. 



III. The matches are then dried and 

 cleaned by sifting. 



(C) THE TREATMENT THERE- 

 AFTER is identical for round and square 

 matches, consisting of : - 



I. Causing the match pegs to lie parallel, 

 by rocking them in an oscillating drawer. 



II. Fixing about 2,250 matches at a time 

 in a clasp or frame. 



III. Dipping the clasp (for fine matches) 

 wholly into paraffine and the tips thereafter 

 into a chemical compound which forms the 

 inflammable head. The compound consists 

 of one or more oxidizing substances often 

 mixed with a particle of some explosive, so 

 as to allow of ignition by friction on any 

 rough surface. 



Machine for the manufacture of round 

 matches. A. Roller, Berlin, Germany. 



Rear view of match stock rotary veneer peeling' machine. 

 A. Roller, Berlin, Germany. 



