Matches can be attributed to relatively recent inventions. Before a modern match flashed in human hands, many various discoveries took place, each of which made its own significant contribution to the evolutionary path of this subject. When were modern matches invented ? Who were they created by? What path of formation have you overcome? Where did you first invent matches? And what facts does history still hide?
The meaning of fire in human life
Since ancient times, fire has been given an honorable place in everyday life. He played an important role in our development. Fire is one of the elements of the universe. For ancient people, it was a phenomenon, and its practical application was not even guessed. The ancient Greeks, for example, protected the fire as a shrine, passing it on to people.
But cultural development did not stand still, and they learned to use fire not only properly, but also independently obtain it. Thanks to the bright flame of the house, they became warm all year round, the food was cooked and tasted better, the smelting of iron, copper, gold and silver began to develop actively. The first clay and ceramic dishes also owe their appearance to fire.
The first fire - what is it?
As you already understood, for the first time fire was produced by man many millennia ago. How did our ancestors do this? Simple enough: they took two pieces of wood and began to rub them, while the wood pollen and sawdust were heated to such an extent that spontaneous combustion was inevitable.
The "wood" fire was replaced by a flint. It is a spark produced by hitting steel or copper pyrites against flint. Then these sparks were ignited with some kind of combustible substance, and it turned out that famous flint - the lighter in its original form. It turns out that the lighter was invented before the matches. The difference in their birthdays was three years.
Also, the ancient Greeks and Romans knew another way of producing fire - by focusing the sun's rays with a lens or concave mirror.
In 1823, a new device was invented - the Deberayer incendiary apparatus. Its principle of operation was based on the use of the ability of detonating gas to ignite upon contact with spongy platinum. So, when were modern matches invented? Let's look at this issue in more detail.
A significant contribution to the invention of modern matches was made by the German scientist A. Gankwatz. Thanks to his ingenuity, matches with a sulfur coating first appeared, which was ignited by rubbing against a phosphorus piece. The shape of such matches was extremely uncomfortable and required speedy improvement.
The origin of the word "match"
Before we figure out who invented the matches, let's find out the meaning of this concept and its origin.
The word "match" has old Russian roots. Its predecessor is the word "knitting needle" - a stick with a pointed end, a splinter.
Initially, knitting needles were nails made of wood, the main purpose of which was to attach the soles to shoes.
The history of the formation of modern matches
When modern matches were invented, the moment is quite controversial. This is due to the fact that until the second half of the 19th century, International Patent Law was not as such, and the base of various chemical discoveries was various European countries at the same time.
The question of who invented the matches is much more transparent. The history of their appearance owes its origin to the French chemical scientist K. L. Bertollet. Its key discovery is salt, which in contact with sulfuric acid contributes to the release of a huge amount of heat. Subsequently, this discovery became the basis of the scientific activity of Jean Chansel, thanks to the work of which the first matches were invented - a wooden stick, the tip of which was coated with a mixture of Bertollet salt, sulfur, sugar and resin. Such a device was ignited by pressing the head of a match to asbestos, previously impregnated with a concentrated solution of sulfuric acid.
Sulfur matches
Their inventor was John Walker. He slightly changed the components of the match head: Bertolet's salt + gum + antimony sulfide. To ignite such matches, interaction with sulfuric acid was not necessary. These were dry sticks, for ignition of which it was enough to strike on any rough surface: emery-coated paper, grater, crushed glass. The length of the matches was 91 cm, and their packaging was a special pencil case in which 100 pieces can be placed. The smell was terrible. They were first produced in 1826.
Phosphoric matches
In what year did phosphorus matches invent? Perhaps it is worth connecting their appearance with 1831, when the French chemical scientist Charles Soria added white phosphorus to the incendiary mixture . Thus, the constituent components of the match head included Bertollet salt, glue, white phosphorus. Any friction was enough for the improved match to light up.
The main disadvantage was the high degree of fire hazard. One of the shortcomings of sulfuric matches was eliminated - an unbearable smell. But they were unhealthy due to the release of phosphorus vapors. Employees of enterprises and factories were exposed to serious diseases. Given the latter, in 1906 it was forbidden to use phosphorus as one of the components of the match.
Swedish matches
Swedish products are nothing more than modern matches. The year of their invention came 50 years after the very first match saw the light of day. Instead of phosphorus, red phosphorus was included in the incendiary mixture. A similar composition, which was based on red phosphorus, was used to cover the side surface of the box. Such matches lit up exclusively when interacting with the phosphorus spraying of their containers. They did not pose any danger to human health and were fireproof. Swedish chemist Johan Lundström is considered to be the creator of modern matches.
In 1855, the Paris International Exhibition was held, at which the highest award was given to Swedish matches. A little later, phosphorus was completely excluded from the components of the incendiary mixture, while on the surface of the box it remained to this day.
In the manufacture of modern matches, aspen, as a rule, is used. The composition of the incendiary mass includes sulfur sulfides, metal paraffins, oxidizing agents, manganese dioxide, glue, iron oxide, glass powder. In the manufacture of coatings for the sides of the box, red phosphorus, antimony sulfide, iron oxide, manganese dioxide, calcium carbonate are used.
You will be interested!
The first match box was not a cardboard box at all, but a metal box-chest. There was no label, and the name of the manufacturer was indicated on the stamp, which was placed on the lid or on the side of the package.
The first phosphoric matches could be ignited due to friction. Moreover, absolutely any surface was suitable: from clothing to the match packaging itself.
A matchbox made according to Russian state standards has a length of exactly 5 centimeters, so it can be used to accurately measure objects.
A match is often used as a determinant of the overall characteristics of various objects, which can only be seen in the photograph.
The dynamics of the production turnover of matches in the world are 30 billion boxes per year.
There are several varieties of matches: gas, decorative, fireplace, signal, thermal, photographic, household, hunting.
Matchbox Advertising
When modern matches were invented, then a special container for them - boxes, came into active use. Who would have thought that this would be one of the promising marketing moves of the time. On such packages portrayed ads. The first commercial matchbox advertisement was created in America by Diamond Match Company in 1895, which advertised the comic troupe Mendelson Opera Company. In the visible part of the box was an image of their trombonist. By the way, the last remaining matchbox made at that time was sold recently for $ 25,000.
The idea of advertising on a matchbox was accepted with a bang and was widely adopted in the business sphere. Using matchstick packaging, the Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee, tobacco products from King Duke, and Wrigley's Chewing Gum chewing gum were advertised. Looking through the boxes, we met with stars, national celebrities, athletes, etc.