Vestas.—In making wax vestas, the first process is the coating of the cotton. A number, say 20, of strands or wicks, composed of 15-20 threads each, are led from a bale placed upon the ground through guides arranged overhead, down into an oval steam-jacketed pan, filled with wax composition, underneath a presser arranged in the centre of a pan, and through a draw-plate pierced with holes of the required gauge of the match-body ; thence it is led some 15-16 ft. over a drum 5-6 ft. in diameter, and then to a similar drum en the opposite side of the bath, from which it is repeatedly passed through the paraffin, wooden guides being arranged to support the wick where ever necessary. The distance traversed after the cotton has passed through the bath is made as long as possible, since the composition neither dries so readily, nor adheres so uniformly to the strand, as in the after-dipping. It is passed and repassed about six times through the bath, until the wax coating is of sufficient thickness, and just passes the holes in the gauge-plates. Considerable care is necessary to ensure evenness in the first coating, and to watch against broken threads.
The drum has a metallic plate on one part of its circumference, and here the wax taper is cut into lengths of the circumference of the drum, is tied in bundles, and is carried to the table having partitions to hold each bundle of lengths. The lengths are pressed against a gauge, and cut up by means of a knife working on a pivot. The match-bodies so cut off are carefully trans ferred to shallow zinc frames, constructed of the required depth, and made with a lid which is slid down when the frame is filled ; they are then carried to a filling-machine similar to that shown in Fig. 967, but of a smaller size, and usually worked by hand. Here they are filled into dipping, frames in the same way as ordinary matches, the machine having its hopper arranged to suit the size of the bodies. Wax matches can be dipped in the same way as those of wood ; but some years since, S. A. Bell devised a machine in which frames are attached to two chains running on either side of guides. Between each, a flannel roller revolves in a pan of liquid composition. The frames with the splints arranged downwards run over this roller, and the composition is thereby added to the bodies with considerable regularity and dispatch. The machine will dip 3500-4000 frames a day, and since each frame holds about 4500 splints, it will dip about 18,000,000 splints in that time. The drying is effected, when practicable, in the open air, the frames standing together in twos or fours. At other times, the splints are dried by hot air, distributed by means of revolving fans, in rooms set apart for the purpose. After drying, they are sorted and packed in boxes of various size, pattern, and capacity.
Vesuvians.—The " vesuvians " principally used as lights by smokers, have rounded splints, made frem alder, or some similarly hard wood, the object being to prevent the ignition of the wood, and consequent dropping of the burning composition. The more expensive kinds are made on glass bodies, consisting of glass piping of small section (see Glass, p. 1072), which is chiefly procured from
Italy, and should yield some 1200 splints to the lb. J. W. Hunt and Co., of London, have an ingenious method of retaining the composition by means of a piece of wire, about -I in. long, inserted by hand into the end of each splint ; it answers the purpose effectually. The vesuvian-splints are placed by hand into the dipping-frames, dipped twice or three times into the burning-composition, until the head is of sufficient size, and then finally dipped into the igniting-composition, in the same way as an ordinary match, an interval being allowed between the operations for drying.
Compositions.—Igniting-compositions are generally manufactured of some form of phosphorus mixed with oxidizing agents, with which it will readily inflame by friction. Such are saltpetre, chlorate of potash, and red-lead ; these are mixed up with glue, which causes them to adhere to each other and to the wooden splints. Most makers have particular mixture of their own ; the following practical recipes may be taken as fairly representative, the first being the best :—(1) part by weight phosphorus, 4 chlorate of potash, 2 glue, 1 whiting, 4 finely-powdered glass, 11 water ; (2) 2 parts by weight phosphorus, 5 chlorate of potash, 3 glue, 1. red-Iced, 12 water.
The Germans replace the chlorate either by nitrate of potash or nitrate of lead, together with red-Iead, hence their matches strike silently, without the short detonation peculiar to English goods.
The match composition is coloured either with a coal-tar colour, ultramarine blue, Prussian blue, or vermilion. In preparing the composition, the glue and the nitre or chlorate of potash are dis solved in hot water, the phosphorus is then added, and carefully stirred in until intimately mixed, the whole being kept at a temperature of about 38° (100° F.). The fine sand and colouring matter are then added, and the mixture is complete.
Dipping-composition for safety-matches consists of 1 part by weight chlorate of potash, 2 glue, 1 sulphide of antimony, 12 water. For the rubber on the box, 2 parts of amorphous phosphorus and 1 of powdered glass are mixed with the solution of glue, and painted on the box.
Vestas are tipped with similar ingredients, but the taper being less rigid than wood, a larger proportion of phosphorus is added.
The heads of vesuvians are made up principally with powdered charcoal and saltpetre in some such proportions as those iu the following :-18 parts saltpetre, 19 charcoal, 7 powdered glass, 5 or 6 gum arabic or gedder ; to these, are added a little scent, in the form of satin-wood, lignum vitas duet, eaacarilla-bark, or gum benzoin, which render them fragrant when burning. The igniting composition is identical with that for ordinary matches.
The production of matches is so enormous that it cannot be estimated, some idea of its magni tude may be gained from the fact that many large firms, such as Bell & Black, Hunt & Co., and Anthony Brisker & Co., of London, turn out daily upwards of 80,000,000, the first-named firm frequently producing this quantity of wax vestal alone per diem.
(See Explosives ; Paraffin ; Timber.) E. S.