Patent GB-788493-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus and method for the continuous production of hogsheads and the like
Inventor: BELL HARRY GUTHRIE
IPC: B27M3/36
Filed: 1956-03-06
Abstract: 788,493. Making hogsheads. GAY-BELL CORPORATION. March 6, 1956, No. 7051/56. Class 21. [Also in Groups XXIII and XXX] An apparatus for manufacturing hogsheads or barrels from panels 30, Fig. 9, having hoops 31 and hoops-and-liners 32 temporarily secured thereto, comprises a loading and feeding station shown in side elevation in Fig. 1 and in end elevation in Fig. 5 (taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1) conveyer means 91 for moving the panels 30 from the feeding station past stapling mechanisms 122, Fig. 12, for permanently stapling the hoops 31 and hoops-and-liners 32, to the panels, additional means 140, 152, 161 to receive the panels 30 from the conveyer means 91 and convey them across saw means 184, Fig. 17, for cutting the panels into staves ; a receiving station 325, Fig. 29, and means 308 to push the completed panels from the support means on to the receiving station. Loading mechanism. The panel 30, with the hoops 31 and hoops-and-liners 32 temporarily fastened in place, arrives on a skid 62, Fig. 1. The operator picks up the stack of panels 30 with a grappling mechanism 33, 35 and moves it to the dotted line position indicated at 210. A rod 59 passing through a sleeve 60, pivoted at 61, is coupled to the grappling mechanism to minimize side sway. The stack is then lowered between side guides 66 of the feed mechanism, Fig. 5, the guides 66 being spring biased against the panels 30 to a degree sufficient to reduce the dead weight that would otherwise be exerted on the lowermost panel 30. Below the feed mechanism is a pair of endless conveyers 91, carrying a plurality of catch members 97. As each pair of catch members 97 moves up towards the feed mechanism they operate in succession two switches 100 and 101. When switch 100 is momentarily closed a hydraulic system causes one pair of arms 73, Figs. 5 and 7, supporting the lowermost panel 30 to withdraw such that the panel 30 falls into the path of the catch members 97 on the conveyers 91 and, at the same time, a second pair of arms 74 is caused to extend below the remainder of the stack to support it. As the catch members momentarily close the second switch 101, the arms 80 revert to their original position and the arms 74 withdraw to permit the stack of panels 30 to settle on the arm 80. As the catch members 97 commence to move along their upper path of movement they engage the panel 30 that has been released from the feeding system and push it past stapling machines 122, Fig. 12. Stapling machines and sawing mechanisms. The chains 91 and catch members 97 move the panels 30 steadily beneath the stapling heads 122 there being one head 122 for each band. As the panels approach the heads 122 they operate switches 131, 132 which permit a succession of staples to be passed through the hoops and hoops-and-liners until such time as the panel 30 has moved beyond said switches. When the stapling is completed the panels will be moved quickly by conveyer chains 139 to a position indicated at 30b in Fig. 12. A control circuit, Fig. 16, including switches 142, 143 and 146 will cause a pneumatically operated drag member 152, upon closing of the switch 142 by the panel resting thereon, to move such panel into position to be engaged by catch members 162 on conveyer chains 161. The chains 161 carry the panel under hold-down rollers 176 and across a supporting surface 179 which is preferably spring-biased. Saw blades 184 are located to cut through the panel member as it is pushed by the catch members 162 of the conveyer chains 161. Cam mechanisms serve, however, to raise the table and panel slightly each time a hoop and hoop-and-liner passes over the saw blades 184 so that the panel 30 is only grooved beneath these hoops and hoops-and-liners rather than cut clear through thus keeping the saw blades out of contact with the metal members 31 and 32. Between such members, however, the table is lowered so that the saw blades 184 cut clear through the panel 30. The lines of full cuts are indicated at 175 in Fig. 18 and the grooves at 175a. Alternative means for moving panels beneath stapling heads. Instead of the previous conveyer chains 91, a horizontally reciprocating pair of elongated plates 251, Fig. 23, are used. These plates have along their length numerous pivoted pusher members 253, which are normally spring biased to an upright position against stop means, but which deflect clockwise under the load of a panel 30. As the plates 251 reciprocate, the upstanding pusher members 253 cause the panel on the plates 251 to be moved to the right with the plates. As the plates 251 move to the left gripping means 269, 260, prevents return motion of the panels and the pusher members 253 pass to the left beneath the panel 30. The panel 30 is thus advanced to the right in steps and during each stationary interval of the panel 30 the stapling heads are actuated. Drag shoes 288, 289, resting on the panel 30 are incorporated in an electrical circuit such that the stapling heads can only operate once every time the panel 30 has been moved forward by one step. This arrangement prevents a second staple from being driven on to a first staple. Common means for receiving finished panels from a plurality of saw stations. The arrangement in Fig. 29 receives completed panels 30 from a pair of saw stations. A panel from one saw station is received on a support 304, Fig. 31, disposed above a support 305 receiving completed panels 30 from the other saw station. Associated with each support is a piston and cylinder arrangement 308 adapted to push the panels 30 from the supports 304, 305 on to upper and lower sets of support bars 325 or on to an endless conveyer. An electrically controlled pressure operated system ensures that the pistons do not operate simultaneously.