MATCH BOOK WITH ENCLOSED MATCH HEADS AND SAFETY FRICTION STRIP
United States Patent 3690449
A match book with flaps enclosing the match heads, and with a safety friction strip mounted to the front cover. Two flaps integral with the back cover enclose the top side portion of the book and are secured to the front cover. A specially prepared friction strip is mounted to the lower portion of the front cover. A slot is provided in the cover retainer, and the strip is positioned under the slot.
US Patent References:
Advertising novelty
Gold - February 1938 - 2107892
Safety cover for match books
Eastman - January 1938 - 2105141
Matchbox or the like
Swain - March 1942 - 2277021
Matchbook mirror and safety guard
Hill - December 1952 - 2620920
Advertising novelty
Gold - February 1938 - 2107892
Safety cover for match books
Eastman - January 1938 - 2105141
Matchbox or the like
Swain - March 1942 - 2277021
Matchbook mirror and safety guard
Hill - December 1952 - 2620920
Application Number:
05/063120
Publication Date:
09/12/1972
Filing Date:
08/12/1970
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
206/113, 48/29, 206/115
International Classes:
A24F27/12; A24F27/00; A24F27/00
Field of Search:
206/29,33,DIG.18
Primary Examiner:
Joseph, Leclair R.
Assistant Examiner:
John, Caskie M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton
Claims:
1. A safety match book having a first open side and a second open side comprising: a front cover; a back cover connected to said front cover; a retainer connected to said back cover and engageable with said front cover, said retainer having a slot; a first flap connected to said front cover and said back cover and disposed about the top portion of said first open side; a second flap connected to said front cover and said back cover and disposed about the top portion of said second open side; a friction strip mounted to said front cover and positioned under said slot only when said front cover is engaged with said retainer and said first flap and said second flap enclose the match heads, said first flap and said second flap are nonfoldable and extend from the top of said book to beneath the match heads, said first flap and said second flap are integral with said back cover and are secured to said front cover by adhesives.
Description:
This invention is in the field of safety match books.
Safety match books are open on both sides, thereby exposing the match heads. It is therefore quite possible that a spark may be carried by the wind, contacting the match head and resulting in unexpected ignition. These same match books typically have a specially prepared friction surface mounted to the cover retainer. It is therefore also quite possible that a match may be extracted from the book and struck against the friction surface without first engaging the front cover with the retainer. In this latter case, a spark may fly from the ignited match and ignite the remaining matches within the book. From the above background, it can be seen that there is a need for a safety book having means for enclosing and protecting the match heads. There is also a need for a safety match book having the specially prepared friction surface mounted in such a way that the front cover must first be engaged with the retainer prior to striking. In addition, the match book should automatically enclose the match heads whenever the front cover is engaged with the retainer.
This invention is a safety match book. A back cover integrally connected to a front cover has two flaps. These flaps extend from the back cover around the top side portion of the book and are secured to the front cover, thereby enclosing the match heads. A specially prepared friction strip is mounted to the bottom portion of the front cover. A slot is provided in the front cover retainer, and is arranged so that the strip is positioned thereunder whenever the front cover is engaged with the retainer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety match book having means for enclosing and protecting the match heads.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety match book which has a specially prepared friction strip mounted in such a way that the front cover must first be engaged with the retainer prior to striking the match head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety match book which automatically encloses the match heads whenever the front cover is engaged with the retainer.
Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
FIG. 1 is an end perspective view of a safety match book incorporating the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an end view looking in the direction of arrows 2--2 of Fig. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the match book of Fig. 1, showing the front cover disengaged from the bottom retainer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a safety match book is shown having a front cover 11 integrally joined to a back cover 12 along the top 13 of the match book. A retainer 14 is integrally joined to the bottom of back cover 12 and extends upward over the lower portion of front cover 11. Fastening devices 15, 16 and 17, such as staples, firmly secure the bottoms 19 of matches 18 between retainer 14 and back cover 12. As is well known, front cover 11 may be disengaged from retainer 14, and a match 18 may be taken from the book by tearing the match from its bottom 19.
Integrally attached to the top portion on both sides of back cover 12 are flaps 20 and 21. These flaps are made from paper or cardboard, being of the same material as the front and back covers. Flaps 20 and 21 have ends 25 and 26 which abut against and are secured to front cover 11. Ends 25 and 26 are attached to the outside surface of front cover 11 by means of adhesives or other suitable means. Flaps 20 and 21 close off the top side portions of book 10, thereby protecting the heads 24 of matches 18. The flaps are sufficiently wide so as to extend below the bottoms of the match heads 18. Thus, when viewing the match books from the side (Fig. 2), the match heads are not visible. It can be appreciated that when striking a match from the ordinary safety match book, it is possible to ignite the matches still within the book, since the heads are exposed through the sides of the match book. Likewise, a spark from another source, carried by the wind, may enter the sides of the match book, contacting the match heads and igniting the matches. Of course, flaps 20 and 21 act as hoods over the match heads and prevent accidental ignition. Typically, the prior art safety match books have a specially prepared friction surface made of phosphorus mounted to the outside surface of the retainer 14 for contacting and igniting the match head. Since the composition and method for producing the matches and friction surface are quite well known in the art, this specification will not elaborate thereon. These prior art books allow a person to strike a match on the phosphorus retainer surface even though the front cover is not engaged with the retainer. Book 10 has a strip of phosphorus material 22 mounted to the bottom portion of front cover 11 and has a slot 23 cut through retainer 14. After a match has been extracted from the book, the bottom edge of cover 11 is placed between retainer 14 and match bottoms 19 so that the phosphorus strip 22 is positioned within slot 23. The match head may then be struck against strip 22 through slot 23, thereby igniting the match.
Front cover 11 is not rigid and, thus, most users will engage the cover with retainer 14 in order to provide firm support behind strip 22 before striking the match. Flaps 20 and 21 will automatically be positioned around the match heads whenever cover 11 is engaged with retainer 14.
Many variations of the above-described match book are contemplated and included in the present invention. For example, flaps 20 and 21 may be integral with cover 11 and glued to back cover 12. On the other hand, flaps 20 and 21 may be glued to both covers 11 and 12. Likewise, it would be possible to produce a safety match book having flaps 20 and 21, without slot 23. In the latter case, strip 22 would be mounted to retainer 14.
It will be apparent from the above description that the present invention provides a safety match book having flaps for enclosing and protecting the match heads. It will be further apparent from the above description that the above-described safety match book has the specially prepared friction surface mounted in such a way that the front cover must first be engaged with the retainer prior to the striking of the match head.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.
Safety match books are open on both sides, thereby exposing the match heads. It is therefore quite possible that a spark may be carried by the wind, contacting the match head and resulting in unexpected ignition. These same match books typically have a specially prepared friction surface mounted to the cover retainer. It is therefore also quite possible that a match may be extracted from the book and struck against the friction surface without first engaging the front cover with the retainer. In this latter case, a spark may fly from the ignited match and ignite the remaining matches within the book. From the above background, it can be seen that there is a need for a safety book having means for enclosing and protecting the match heads. There is also a need for a safety match book having the specially prepared friction surface mounted in such a way that the front cover must first be engaged with the retainer prior to striking. In addition, the match book should automatically enclose the match heads whenever the front cover is engaged with the retainer.
This invention is a safety match book. A back cover integrally connected to a front cover has two flaps. These flaps extend from the back cover around the top side portion of the book and are secured to the front cover, thereby enclosing the match heads. A specially prepared friction strip is mounted to the bottom portion of the front cover. A slot is provided in the front cover retainer, and is arranged so that the strip is positioned thereunder whenever the front cover is engaged with the retainer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety match book having means for enclosing and protecting the match heads.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety match book which has a specially prepared friction strip mounted in such a way that the front cover must first be engaged with the retainer prior to striking the match head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety match book which automatically encloses the match heads whenever the front cover is engaged with the retainer.
Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
FIG. 1 is an end perspective view of a safety match book incorporating the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an end view looking in the direction of arrows 2--2 of Fig. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the match book of Fig. 1, showing the front cover disengaged from the bottom retainer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a safety match book is shown having a front cover 11 integrally joined to a back cover 12 along the top 13 of the match book. A retainer 14 is integrally joined to the bottom of back cover 12 and extends upward over the lower portion of front cover 11. Fastening devices 15, 16 and 17, such as staples, firmly secure the bottoms 19 of matches 18 between retainer 14 and back cover 12. As is well known, front cover 11 may be disengaged from retainer 14, and a match 18 may be taken from the book by tearing the match from its bottom 19.
Integrally attached to the top portion on both sides of back cover 12 are flaps 20 and 21. These flaps are made from paper or cardboard, being of the same material as the front and back covers. Flaps 20 and 21 have ends 25 and 26 which abut against and are secured to front cover 11. Ends 25 and 26 are attached to the outside surface of front cover 11 by means of adhesives or other suitable means. Flaps 20 and 21 close off the top side portions of book 10, thereby protecting the heads 24 of matches 18. The flaps are sufficiently wide so as to extend below the bottoms of the match heads 18. Thus, when viewing the match books from the side (Fig. 2), the match heads are not visible. It can be appreciated that when striking a match from the ordinary safety match book, it is possible to ignite the matches still within the book, since the heads are exposed through the sides of the match book. Likewise, a spark from another source, carried by the wind, may enter the sides of the match book, contacting the match heads and igniting the matches. Of course, flaps 20 and 21 act as hoods over the match heads and prevent accidental ignition. Typically, the prior art safety match books have a specially prepared friction surface made of phosphorus mounted to the outside surface of the retainer 14 for contacting and igniting the match head. Since the composition and method for producing the matches and friction surface are quite well known in the art, this specification will not elaborate thereon. These prior art books allow a person to strike a match on the phosphorus retainer surface even though the front cover is not engaged with the retainer. Book 10 has a strip of phosphorus material 22 mounted to the bottom portion of front cover 11 and has a slot 23 cut through retainer 14. After a match has been extracted from the book, the bottom edge of cover 11 is placed between retainer 14 and match bottoms 19 so that the phosphorus strip 22 is positioned within slot 23. The match head may then be struck against strip 22 through slot 23, thereby igniting the match.
Front cover 11 is not rigid and, thus, most users will engage the cover with retainer 14 in order to provide firm support behind strip 22 before striking the match. Flaps 20 and 21 will automatically be positioned around the match heads whenever cover 11 is engaged with retainer 14.
Many variations of the above-described match book are contemplated and included in the present invention. For example, flaps 20 and 21 may be integral with cover 11 and glued to back cover 12. On the other hand, flaps 20 and 21 may be glued to both covers 11 and 12. Likewise, it would be possible to produce a safety match book having flaps 20 and 21, without slot 23. In the latter case, strip 22 would be mounted to retainer 14.
It will be apparent from the above description that the present invention provides a safety match book having flaps for enclosing and protecting the match heads. It will be further apparent from the above description that the above-described safety match book has the specially prepared friction surface mounted in such a way that the front cover must first be engaged with the retainer prior to the striking of the match head.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.