US2308509A - Match-book construction - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 19, 1943. J. R. HAR-TMAN MATCH-BOOK CONSTRUCTION Filed May 11, 1940 -2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, mJHzwfin an l fqym d-W AT ORNEY.

Jan. 19, 1943. J. R. HARTMAN 2,308,509

MATCH-BOOK CONSTRUCTION Filed May ll, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L ATTORNEY.

Ratented Jan. 19, 1943 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to match-boon in general, and it relates more particularly to a new and improved matchbook construction providing a match-book which is handy and safe in use, and wherein the matches are generally completely enveloped or encased by an outer covering which provides ready access to the enclosed matches, and which match-book affords a superior advertising medium, andiwhich is yet simple and inexpensive to construct.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 represents a corner perspective view of a match-book construction constituting one illustrative embodiment of the present inven tion.

Figure 2 represents a vertical sectional-view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a more or less schematic view showing the inner and outer elements of the matchbook, of the preceding figures prior to folding and assembly of parts.

Figure 4 represents a perspective view showing how the match-book of the present invention may be held with the free ends of the cover panel drawn apart, to facilitate the extraction of -a match therefrom.

Figure 5 represents a perspective view, drawn at regular transverse intervals, as at 9, thereb to provide a series of adjacent match-bodies ill. The, outer end portions of these match-bodies it may be tipped as at ll with any suitable combustible material, preferably of the safety type, that is to say, of the type which will ignite frictionally only when drawn across a particular selected striking surface.

The outer casing I is constructed from a sheet of flexible material preferably of sufllcient stiffness or body to cause it to spring back substantially to its original position when deflected and released. Cardboard or relatively stiff paper are illustrativeexamples of materials suitable for use in constructing this outer casing 1.

The outer casing 1 comprises a generally rectangular sheet of material folded transversely at its center along the fold-zone l2, thereby providing a pair of identical opposed cover-panels l3. The basal edges of the juxtaposed matchcards 6 are disposed in the fold-zone l2.of this outer casing, and the assembled inner and outer elements 6 and I may be fixedly held together by any suitable securement means, as for example, by means of the illustrated metallic staple ll,- whose legs extend through the juxtaposed.

cardboard or paper plies, and which serves to press the cover-panels I3 more or less closely against the sides of the intermediate matchcards.

The upper transverse marginal portions ll: of the cover-panels l3 are each permanently folded down along a fold-line l6, preferably disposed a slight distance beyond the match-heads I l, into overlapping relation with each other and with the underlying match-heads H. The folds iii are originally made preferably sharp enough to insure that the down-foldedend flaps l5 will retain their perpendicular relation to their respective cover-panels 13 throughout the normal use of the match-book.

The outer surfaces of the opposed cover-panels I3 are preferably each provided with an identical striking-surface I! which may be formed of any material adapted frictionally to ignite the match heads I I. In the illustrated embodiment, these striking surfaces H are disposed near the lower ends of the cover-panels I3. If desired, one of these match-striking surfaces l'l may be omitted,

although in the preferred embodiment two identical surfaces are provided, .one on either side of the match-book cover so that the match-book may be used with. either side facing the user.

When it is desired to strike a light, the user need merely move apart the free ends of the cover-panels l3 only sufficiently to provide access to the interiorly disposed matches Ill, whereupon one of these matches may be readily torn ofi from a match-card 6. These free ends of the cover-panels may be separated in several ways, one of which has been illustrated in Figure 4. As there illustrated, the thumb and index finger of the users one hand may be inserted between the lower portions of the side panels H3 at opposite edges of the match book, thereby flexing the cover-panels l3 away from each other and separating the overlapped end-flaps I5 suffi ciently to expose the heads of the matches, thus facilitating the extraction of a match by means of the user's other hand. It will be noted that during this operation the permanently down-folded end-flaps l5 retain their substantially perpendicular relation to their respective coverpanels l3.

Another manner in which a match can be conveniently extracted from the match-book of the present invention is to grasp the match-book between the thumb and index finger of one hand,

with the tips of these fingers being superimposed over or generally covering the opposite sides of the staple-means It at the base of the match-book, and then wedgingiy insert the thumb and index finger of the other hand between the projecting side edges of the cover-panels l3 atone side of the match-book, thereby spreading the panels apart sufiiciently to provide access to the intermediate matches, one of which may then be grasped between said thumb and index finger and torn ofl.

In either case, however, as soon as the match has been torn off and extracted, the outwardlyfiexed cover-panels l3 are released by the withdrawal of one's fingers from therebetween, and if I the cover-panels l3 are made of material possessing inherent resilience or springiness they will be thus permitted to spring back into their original positions in close proximity to the matchcards, thereby bringing the permanently downfolded marginal flaps l5 back into overlapping relation with each other directly over the heads of the remaining matches, thereby again generally completely covering said matches.

The match-book is then re-grasped between the thumb and index finger of the left hand as illustrated in Figure 5, with said fingers superposed over the opposed cover panels l3, clear of the striking areas l1. This necessarily completely encloses and safely shields the heads ll of the remaining matches during ignition of the extracted match, even in cases where the cover panels 13 are not made of material possessing inherent resilience and therefore do not spring back into proximity to the match-cards when released, for by grasping the match-book in the users one hand preparatory to striking the match across any one of the igniting surfaces ll,

the cover panels i3 will necessarily be pressed closely against the intermediate match-cards, thus bringing the cover-panel end-flaps i5 into overlapping relation over the heads of the remaining matches. By virtue of the foregoing, safe and effective coverage of the remaining matches is achieved without having to separately or independently manipulate the match-book cover to close the opening.

Thus, even if the match-book cover panels l3 should be made of some non-resilient material which would not tend to spring back to its original position when released and thus not achieve an automatic closure of the match-book upon extraction of a match therefrom, nevertheless complete and efiective closure of the match-book opening is still assured merely by the grasping of the match-book preparatory to striking the extracted match, as illustrated in Figure 5.

The closing of the match-book is thus assured, and the remaining matches will be fully and adequately protected against accidental ignition at all times, and without requiring any special act on the part of the user.

The match-book of the present invention is of symmetrical construction, and presents the same appearance when viewed from either side. This feature is of particular advantage from the standpoint of utility, as well as from the advertising standpoint. A person using the match-book of the present invention need not preliminarily turn the match-book to any front position in order to extract or ignite a match, for the match-book of the present invention has no back side.

Thus, either side of the match-book consti-- a "front" side, because the opposite cover-p. are identical and are both provided with Shir-"s. surfaces.

From an advertising standpoint, the hereinabove-described match-book is of particular advantage, for both the cover-panels it are equally effective indisplaying such advertising matter as may be imprinted thereon. Thus, since the match-book has no "back" side, but instead has two "front" sides, the messages on either side of the match-book will be observed by the user with equal frequency, and one side will not be any less important from an advertising standpoint than the other. Hence, the advertising effectiveness or eillciency of the match-book is much higher than that of heretofore known matchbooks wherein the advertisements on the back sides were at best only infrequently presented.

to the user's view.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without'departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claim rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is hereby claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A match-book adapted for portable use comprising a plurality of juxtaposed match-cards each intemiittently slitted upwardly from its basal portion to provide a series of adjacent detachable matches having their free ends tipped with combustible material, a single generally rectangular more or less resilient sheet of cardboard or the like folded transversely at its center to provide two opposed cover panels of generally identical appearance and construction, said cover panels extending around the outside of said match-cards in upwardly-diverging relationship with the fold-zone of said sheet covering the basal edges of said match-cards and closely adjacent thereto, an inwardly-extending flap formed at the upper free end of each of said cover panels, said flap being formed integrally with its panel and being connected thereto along a scored fold-line whereby said flap tends to remain more or less permanently at generally right angles to its panel, one of said panels being slightly longer than the other whereby the flaps are held in fully-overlapping and angle-retaining position when the side panels are urged inwardly, a stripe of match-igniting material adhesively carried on each of said cover panels adjacent said fold-zone and extending generally parallel thereto, and a metal staple extending through the basal portions of said cover panels and said match cards and securely holding them together thereby to urge said side-panels in-z wardly and to hold the flaps in fully-overlapping position, said match-book being open at its side ends whereby transverse inward finger pressure upon the open side ends will cause the side panels to swing open and to spread the flaps thereby to expose the matches and to permit removal thereof, said side panels tending to move inwardly into their closed position when the finger pressure is released.

JOHN RAYMOND HAR'IMAN.

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