The Penn's Grove record., 1895-01-25

AAC0RSDr 49, AS1
radiant with happiness, and by hi
side was Jeanette. They said moth
ing, but Jeannette raised her arms I'M
til they encircled Oscars neck, ant
Uncle Jabez understood and blessed
them on the spot.-Chicago Newa
lcAsKs CUT FROM THE TREE.
A German has Invented . Machine "a
Mare Them.
Few objects are more familiar than
the cominon cask or barrel; yet few
people have probably been at pains to
consider the skill and ingenuity
which have succeeded in bringing to
perfection an invention as scientific
as 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 co~ntrivances. 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'
Lion.
r The trade readily divides itself into
twogseat classes-the wet and dry
manufactSSsrs; or casks designed tc
hold liquids, or dry goods. A third
subdivision, known technically as
neutrality-suspicious. 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
i 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. 1t will be readily under.
stood how important are the sound
materials and workmanship in their
| construction.
A cask is adouble conoid-namely,
having its greatest liameter-techni-
| cally known as the "bulge"o or "bellY'
lat its center; and this being borne
in mind, the complex shape Of each
slaye will be at once appreciated.
mot only is the stave curved length,
ways to form the bulge" but cross
ways 1t Is similarly made to form part
of circumference Of the cask;
whilst the edges must re-
ceive the exact bevel to
ct 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
ES-be-porearmed. The chime is the
bevel formedreR the extremity OF the
slaves; and the scroze' 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 al concisely as posi-
| Bile MI. Oncken's invention for pro
ducing ~staveless 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 a lead-pencil by
pocket sharpener, the shaving pro
s.uced forming the slaves 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 Their
boiled for two or three hours in q
closed vessel, a 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 s~oftness, and enables
the subsequent cutting process to be
performed without dificulty in a ma
chine rotating the log In the same
manner as the ordinary lathe, whilst
advancing it towards a broad block
fixed on a frame, having a slot in II
similar to that Of a common joiner's
plane. AS the trunk Of the tree 1:
revolved against the block, a continu'
Gus sheet of wood is Gus Of any de
sired thickness, and drawn out fiat by
hand on to a table at the rear Of the
machine. The sheets are then passed
through a grooying-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 a series of mortfses or slots round
the sides, giving 1t when made up the
desired conical shape. Eventually,
the sheet reaches the cooper, who
rolls 1t into cylindrical form, drive.
on the hoops, and renders 1t q perfect
barrel, after drying in a special ap
paratus.
The invention above detailed has
safely passed the experimental stage,
and is already in full practical opera
ton at Merxem, In Germany, where
Mr.. Oncken has started o factory,
and is busily engaged In turning out
M s~.aveless casks. I,
When tits considered how numbet
less are the quantities Of casks IL
daily use in every part Of the globe,
and the innumerable purposes tc
which they are devoted, hardly q
trade or industry being carried or
without them, the wide field open tt
improved and economical means oi
production Of such Indispensable
necessaries OF civilization, will bs
readily appreciated