Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-01-30
CASKS CUT FROM THE TREE
A German aas Invrnted . Aaohine to
Make Them.

Mako Thsm.
Few objects are more familiar thar.
, the common cask or barrel; yet few
people have probably been at pains to
consider tie skill and ingenuity
which have succeeded in bringing to
perfection an invention as scientific
rs beneficial all the world over; and
probably fewer still are conversant
| with the brain power and time which
have been expended in attempts to
produce machinery which shall at the
same time cheaper and expedite the
manufacture Of these well-knOwn
and useful contrivances. Barrels are
no new thing: as far back as the
time of Pliney they were in use, and
! that author mentions the Alpine
| valleys as the locality Of their inven.
| tion.
The trade readily divides itself into
two great classes-the wet and dry
manufacturers; or casks designed to
hold liquids, or dry goods. A third
subdivision, known technically a
"white-cooperage'-that is, wooden
! tubs, churns, pals, and other even.
STAYED vessels-may be added.
When it is considered that tigh
casks have not merely to withstand
/ the pressure of the contained liquid,
but frequently that Of gases, arising
from fermentation of such liquid,
in addition to the handling and
rough usage to which they are at all
times liable. it will be readily under
stood how important are the sound
materials and workmanship in their
construction.
\ cask is double conoid-namely
having its greatest aiameter-techni.
cally known as the "bulge" or "belly''
/ at its center; and this being borne
! in mind, the complex shape Of each
Save will be at once appreciated.
Not only is the stave curved length.
/ ways to form the bulge" but cross
ways it is similarly made to form part
Of circumference Of the cask;
whilst the edges must re-
ceive the exact bevel to
tit those on either side along their en-
tire length. The two processes
known as Ginning and crozing,
which consists in finishing the ends
for receiving the heads, yet remain
to be performed The chime is the
bevel formed on the extremity of the
slaves: and the 'croZe' is the groove
into which the ends or heads fit.
Hopping, generally with iron bands.
completes the manufacture of a cask
Having thus sketched in brief out
line the routine in vogue in the coop
ers' trade for manufacturing casks, we
pass to consider as concisely as posi-.
Die Mr.. Oncken's invention for pro.
ducing stavcless casks direct from the
tree. Mr.. Oncken aims at turning
out casks from one piece of wood
the body of the cask to be formed of
one single stave; the ordinary shape
that is, the double conOid-being re-
tained. The method of preparing
the body of the cask may be likened
to sharpening lead-pencil by a
pocket sharpener, the shaving pro-
1uced forming the staveS Of the cask
The stem of the tree-poplar is fire.
quently chosen-is first cut into
lengths corresponding to the size OF
! the cask. These lengths are then
boiled for two or three hours in a
closed vessel, current of electricity
being passed through the water the
whole time. The chemical action
thus produced in combination with
the prolonged boiling gives to the
wood necessary sOftness, and enables
the subsequent cutting process to be
performed without difficulty in a ma
chine rotating the log in the same
manner as the ordinary lathe, whilst
advancing it towards a broad block
fixed on frame, having slot in it
similar to that of a common joiner's
plane. AS the trunk of the tree is
reyolved against the block, continu.
Gus sheet of wood is cut of any de-
sired thickness, and drawn out fiat by
hand on to table at the rear of tn
machine. The sheets are then passed
through grOoving-machine, which
cuts the 'croze' or groove in which the
head is eventually fitted. Another
| machine seiZes the sheet between two
| arms, and by the means of knives,
| cuts series Of mOrtises or slots round
the sides, giving it when made up the
| desired conical shape. Eventually,
| IilC SllCCU lCdCllCo UlC COODcEs WlS
! rolls it into cylindrical form, drives
on the hoops, and genders it perfect
barrel, after drying in special ap
paratus.
The invention above detailed has
safely passed the experimental stage,
and is already in full practical opera
tion at Merxem, in Germany, where
| Mr. Oncken has started n factory
and is busily engaged in turning out
his staveless casks.
When it is considered how number
less are the quantities of casks il.
daily use in every part of the globe,
and the innumerable purposes to
which they are devoted, hardly a
trade or industry being carried on
without them, the wide field open to
improved and economical means of
production Of such indispensable
necessaries Of civilization, will b.
readily appreciated.