Illustration: FILLING THE BOXES.
These convenient matches, which have completely superseded the old
apparatus of flint, steel, and tinder-box, may be looked upon as
one of the improvements derived from chemistry, for phosphorus--the
necessary ingredient--till lately sold at half-a-crown an ounce;
such a price would, of course, prevent its being used for so
general a purpose as match-making. But when chemistry devised means
of preparing it on a large scale, and at a low price, then its
application was soon perceived.
Illustration: CUTTING THE MATCHES.
Illustration: FRAME.
Some years ago a kind of match was used, made of chlorate of potash
and sulphuret of antimony, and ignited by drawing through a folded
piece of glass-paper. Another sort was also for a time in use called
“Prometheans,” but far too expensive for general use. They consisted
of strips of paper rolled up, with a little glass cylinder full of
sulphuric acid sealed up in the end of each, surrounded by chlorate
of potash in powder; the end of the match had to be crushed by a
small pair of nippers, and the glass being broken, the sulphuric acid
came in contact with the chlorate of potash, causing it to take fire.
Illustration: FILLING THE FRAME.
Illustration: DIPPING THE MATCHES.
For making lucifer-matches the wood is sometimes split by hand,
and sometimes by machinery. For those the wood of which is rounded,
a peculiar apparatus is used; it consists of a plate having small
steel cylinders let into it, so that their cutting edges are raised
above the plate, and the wood is struck upon this, and not only
divided, but each piece forced through the cylinders and so rounded.
When cut, the wood is dipped in bundles into melted sulphur, and
afterwards into a composition variously made, but usually consisting
of phosphorus ground up with gum arabic and water, colored either
with red-lead or Prussian blue, and in some cases chlorate of potash
is added. This composition is spread out on a board to about the
tenth of an inch in thickness, and the matches which have been dipped
in sulphur are packed into a frame to the number of about 3000, and
dipped by pressing them on the board spread with the composition, so
that a little is attached to the ends of each match. This is a most
unwholesome and dangerous employment, and water is always at hand,
in case of fire, which is chiefly to be feared in the process of
separating them and filling the boxes when the composition has dried.