Improvements in and Machinery for the Manufacture of Barrels, Casks, and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in and Machinery for the Manufacture of Barrels,
Casks, and the like.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Henry Reed, Judge, Court of Common Pleas,
and Charles Matthew Lea, Publisher, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; in the
United States of America, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to construct a machine for setting up barrels, casks,
or kegs, the improvements comprising certain mechanism for allowing the free
rotation of the staves in the heads of the machine; mechanism for automatically
locking the stave-receiving heads in place and releasing them at the proper moment;
mechanism for forcing the hoops upon the barrel; devices for delivering the barrel
when completed; means for firmly holding the barrel head in position on the stave-
receiving heads while the barrel is being formed. A further object is to prevent the
cracking and straining of the staves due to the bending of the same, prior to being
fed to the setting-up or trussing machine, where a series of staves are secured in
barrel form; and a still further object being to effect the bending of the staves at the
same time that they are being fed to the setting-up machine.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of sufficient of a setting-up machine to illustrate
the invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are detached perspective views of parts of the machine.
Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are transverse sectional diagrams illustrating the bending of
the staves, these views being taken on the lines 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5, respectively,
Figure 2.
Figure 10 is a detached perspective view of the suction pipes; and
Figure 11 is a modification of the suction device.

page_text: +
The fixed frame of the machine consists of two end frames A, secured together by
longitudinal bolts or rods B, B1, B2, three in the present instance. C, C are the
stave-receiving heads, pivoted to brackets on the rods B¹ B2, and D D are the hoop-
driving heads, each actuated by a screw, as shown, each head having a nut, to which
the screw is adapted, and said screw being driven in one direction to advance the
head and in the opposite direction to retract it.
Each head C has an annular groove c, into which the staves are inserted from
the feedway E, and in each groove c is a loose ring 2, shown in Figure 3, and back
of this ring are a series of anti-friction rollers 3, mounted on suitable pins 4. The
ring is held in place by a second ring 5, which overlaps the ring 2 and is secured
to the permanent part of the head C by means of screws or bolts 6, which pass
through and carry antifriction rollers 7, the latter serving to support and prevent
lateral play of the ring, so that it is kept at all times in a position concentric with
the axis of the head.
When the staves are fed into the grooves c, their ends bear against the rings 2 in
the grooves, so that the pressure is transmitted to the rings, and said rings move
with the staves as the latter are fed around the heads, thus materially reducing the
power necessary to feed the staves around the heads, owing to the antifriction bearings
of the rings 2.
Friction rollers alone may be used, against which the ends of the staves may bear,
but these would have to be placed very close together, hence it is preferred, in all
cases, to use the ring 2.
The stave-receiving heads C have a central opening F, and connected to a flange ƒ
around each opening is a pipe G, which communicates with an exhaust pipe H, so
that a partial vacuum may be maintained in the pipes G, as described hereinafter.
It has been found that owing to the difference in the force exerted upon the barrel
by the opposite hoop-drivers when driving on the hoops, a spring for holding the two
stave-receiving heads together is not practicable at all times; for instance, if a barrel
happens to be a trifle larger at one end than the other the hoop-drivers meet with
more resistance at said larger end and consequently, the barrel will be forced longi-
tudinally by said drivers, the spring will be stretched, and the barrel moved out of
place.
An automatic lock is therefore provided for the heads, which can only be thrown
out at a certain portion of the return stroke of the hoop-drivers.
On the lower tie-rod B are secured sleeves M, to which are pivoted levers N, each
having two arms n, n, as shown in the perspective view, Figure 4, these arms
bearing normally against extensions C₁ of the heads C. Arms a¹ of the levers N are
connected to rods P, which pass through bearings Q bolted to the tie-rod B, and also
through bearings R, bolted to the hoop-driving heads D. On the rods P are stiff
springs S, which bear against yokes p on the rods, while the opposite ends of the
springs are in contact with the stationary bearings Q, so that the springs will at all
times tend to keep the arms n of the levers N in the position shown in Figure 1.
Each rod P has an offset or catch q, and is tapered at its outer end k, which
is adapted to ride upon an inclined plane K, secured to a bracket 2 bolted to the
rod B.
The heads C, C are drawn back as follows: A guided rod a' is pivoted to each
head and passes through an orifice in the head D, and each rod is notched at a² to
engage with a projection on the head. when the latter is advanced. The end of each
rod is tapered, and when the head D on its retraction draws the rod and head back to
a certain point, the tapered portion of the rod comes in contact with a shoe b' on the
bracket band is lifted thereby, thus releasing the head (and allowing it to swing
by gravity back into its normal position.
Previous to the engagement of the head D with the notch a², however, the bearing R
engaged with the catch q on the rod P, so that draft was imparted to said rod and to
the arm n of the lever N, the arms n of the latter being thus swung down clear of
the head C before the rod al is operated upon to withdrawn said head C, and as soon
as the head D has travelled so far rearward as to effect a partial retraction of the

page_text: head C the end of the bar P is lifted by the inclined plane K, so that said bar is
released from the bearing R, thus permitting the spring S to act on the lever N and
swing the arm n of the same into position to engage with the head C as soon as the
latter is released from the control of the head D, and swung back into its normal
position, a sleeve b on the tie-rod B preventing undue forward movement of the
head.
Adapted to the lower tie-rod B is a cradle W (Figures 2 and 5) formed of two
levers w w tied together by rods w¹. The long arms of these levers are preferably
curved somewhat in the shape of the barrel. One of the levers w is connected to
a treadle Y by a link y, so that when the barrel has been set up and hooped, and
previous to the withdrawal of the stave-receiving heads, the cradle may be moved
to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, the attendant pressing his foot
upon the treadle to effect this movement. As the barrel falls, therefore, the cradle
held in this position will guide the barrel in the proper direction, that is, outward
in front of the machine.
Each of the hoop-drivers is provided with a supplemental driver pivoted at v₁
to the main driver V and provided with a spring 2 which is secured to the driver V
and bears against the supplemental driver tending to force it down against the staves
when it is driving a hoop into place.
By this construction the hoops can be driven on each end of the barrel
simultaneously.
The two hoops are placed upon each of the heads C. C previous to the feeding
of the staves into the machine.
. When enough staves for a barrel have been fed into the machine the bilge hoops
are drawn from the heads C on to the ends of the barrel by hand so that when
the hoop-drivers are fed towards the barrel the drivers act first on the bilge
hoops and when the latter are fairly started the drivers V commence to force on.
the other hoops. When both hoops have been forced on sufficiently the movement
of the drivers is reversed and they are retracted to their normal positions.
Each pipe G has in the present instance a flexible portion to allow its lower
end to accommodate itself to the movements of the head C.
At one end of the pipe H is an exhaust fan I driven by any suitable means
and opposite the end connected to the exhaust fan is a regulating valve / by which
the partial vacuum in the pipe G can be regulated thus when the valve is fully
opened air can enter the pipe H in quantity almost sufficient to supply the fan I
whereas if the valve h is closed a partial vacuum may readily be mantained in
the pipe supposing of course that the openings in the heads C are closed.
When a barrel is to be set up the fan I is started and the heads a x of the
barrel are placed centrally upon the heads C. bearing upon the flanges which
may if desired be packed to insure a reasonably tight joint. The partial vacuum
maintained in the pipes H and G causes the pressure of air upon the barrel heads
to hold the latter firmly upon the stave receiving heads but said barrel heads can
be moved to one side or the other to centre them as the staves are fed around them
or the heads may be forced from the heads (. when subjected to sufficient strain
there being no positive locking of the barrel heads to the heads (.
The speed of the fan and the adjustinent of the valve h are such as to maintain in
the pipes G and H a partial vacuum sufficient for the purpose intended.
In a certain class of barrels however those for instance in which oil is shipped the
barrels are stowed upon their sides with the bung-hole on top and the grain of the
wood in the heads must be vertical and as in making this class of barrels the bung
hole is bored in a certain one of the staves prior to the setting up of the barrel the
grain of the wood in the head must bear a certain relation to the stave having the
bung-hole.
In setting up this class of barrels therefore the beads are always placed upon
the heads C of the machine in a certain position and in order to prevent them from
being turned around by the staves as the latter are fed into the machine, each of the

page_text: heads C is provided with a number of small projecting pins i which engage
with the barrel heads and prevent the same from turning-The staves are so fed
into the machine that the stave in which the bung hole is bored is in line with the
grain of the wood composing the heads and the conditions above referred to are
secured.
In Figure 11 is shown in place of the suction pipes and fan a cylinder F¹ having a
piston which may be connected by a piston rod to any suitable operating device on
the machine thus accomplishing the purpose of the suction pipes and fan, the latter
however being preferred.
Referring to Figure 2-8 is the stave feed-way preferably supported on one of the.
connecting bars (B2) of the setting up machine.
The frame of the stave feed-way has three longitudinal ribs, in the present instance
two outer ribs 9, 9, and one central rib 10. The outer ribs are of the form shown in
Figure 6, and are provided with overhanging caps, carrying a series of antifriction
rollers 11, and on the central rib 10 are a series of antifriction rollers 12, the top
surface of the rib being inclined from the inlet end 13 to the discharge end 14,
that is to say, it gradually rises in respect to the side ribs.
Adjacent to each rib is a longitudinal bar 15, one of which is shown in Figure 2,
and each bar has a series of fingers 16, which, as the bar is reciprocated, serve to
feed the staves in the direction of the arrow, Figure 2.
The stave is delivered to the feed way at the end 13 in a perfectly flat con-
dition, as shown in dotted lines Figure 6 but as the fingers gradually feed the
stave forward in the direction of the arrow, said stave is bent by the conjoint action
of the bars 9 and 10, and when the stave reaches the line 3-3 it has assumed
the condition shown in Figure 7, and the bending continues until, when the stave
reaches the line 4-4 it has assumed the position shown in Figure 8, and by the
time it reaches the line 5-5, it has assumed the condition shown in Figure 9, it
being then preferably bent a little more than is absolutely necessary for the finished
barrel. At this point it is fed into the groove C of the setting up machine, and
the hoops are placed thereon, as hereinbefore described.
In some cases longitudinal ribs or bars may be placed on each side of the centre of
the feed way to bear on the underside of the stave, as shown by dotted lines in
Figure 9, and in place of the friction rollers on the bars, a plain strip may be used,
and friction rollers may also be placed, as shown in Figure 9 on each side of the
centre of the feedway, to bear on the top of the stave, the construction of the bending
device varying with the quality and thickness of the staves to be bent.
By thus feeding the staves forward in a direction transversely to their length, and
at the same time subjecting them to a gradually increasing pressure, whereby they
are bent or curved longitudinally, said bending of the staves is effected without that
risk of straining or cracking the same which is frequently incurred in bending the
staves between dies, and time and space are economized by affecting the bending of
the staves simultaneously with the feeding of the same to the trussing or setting up
machine.
The staves may be either hot or cold, but it is preferable, in all cases, to heat the
staves prior to the bending of the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said. inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. The combination of the stave-receiving head having an annular groove into
which the staves are fed, with an antifriction surface forming the base of the groove,
and providing a bearing for the ends of the staves, substantially as herein before
described.
Second. The combination of the stave-receiving head having a stave-receiving
groove, with a ring free to turn therein and against which the ends of the staves bear
while they are being fed around the heads of the barrel.
4

page_text: Third. The combination of the stave-receiving head having an annular groove, a ring
therein, and anti-friction rollers at the rear of said ring.
Fourth. The combination of the stave-receiving head having an annular groove
therein, a bearing ring for the ends of the staves, antifriction rollers forming a
backing for said ring, and rollers forming an annular peripheral bearing for the
ring.
Fifth. The combination of the stave-receiving head having an annular groove,
the bearing therein, and a ring overlapping said bearing ring, and adapted to hold
it in place in the groove.
Sixth. The combination, in a barrel setting-up machine, of a stave-receiving head,
a hoop-driving head, a lever bearing upon the stave-receiving head and serving to
lock the same in operative position, and a rod or bar connected to said locking lever
and acted upon by the hoop-driving head on its rearward movement substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Seventh. The combination of a stave-receiving head, a hoop-driving head, a lever
bearing upon the stave-receiving head and serving to lock the same in operative
position, a rod connected to the lever and engaging with the hoop-driving head,
a spring for restoring the locking lever to its normal position when the operating
rod is released from the control of the hoop-driving-head substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Eighth. The combination of a stave-receiving head, a hoop-driving head, a lever
for locking said stave-receiving head in its operative position, rods connected to the
locking lever and to the stave-receiving head, and engaging successively with the
hoop-driving head on its backward movement, whereby the stave-receiving head is
first unlocked and then retracted substantially as herein before described.
Ninth. The combination of the stave-receiving head, the hoop-driving head, a lever
engaging with said stave-receiving head and serving to lock the same in operative
position, a rod connected to said lever and engaging with the hoop-driving head on
its backward movement, a trip plate for releasing the rod from the control of the
hoop-driving head, and a spring for restoring the locking lever to its normal position
on the release of its operating rod.
Tenth. The combination of the stave-receiving head, the hoop-driving head, a lever
engaging with the stave-receiving head and locking the same in operative position,
rods connected to said locking lever and to the stave-receiving head, and engaging
successively with the hoop-driving head as the latter is retracted, and trippers acting
successively first upon the rod of the lever and then upon the rod of the stave-
receiving head, to release them from the control of the hoop-driving head substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Eleventh. The combination, in a barrel setting-up machine, of the stave-receiving
heads, the hoop-driving heads, a cradle located between the stave-receiving heads and
pivotted to the frame of the machine, and a treadle connected to said cradle, whereby,
on depressing the treadle, the cradle is adjusted to form an inclined plane on which
the barrel can roll from the machine when released from the stave-receiving head
substantially as herein before described.
Twelfth. The combination of the stave-receiving heads of a barrel trussing or
setting-up machine, with suction or draft apparatus whereby the heads of the barrel
may be retained on the stave-receiving heads by pressure of air substantially as
herein before described.
Thirteenth. The combination of the stave-receiving heads having flanges forming
bearings for the barrel heads, with suction or draft apparatus, whereby the air may
be exhausted from the space within said flanges substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Fourteenth. The combination of the stave-receiving heads, the fan, the main draft
pipe, and branch pipes communicating with each head substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
Fifteenth. The combination of the stave-receiving heads, the draft pipes, and a
leakage valve for admitting air to the latter substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: Sixteenth. The mode described of bending staves, said mode consisting in moving
the staves forward in a direction transversely to their length, and while they are
being thus traversed, subjecting them to a gradually increasing pressure, whereby
they are bent or curved longitudinally.
Seventeenth. The combination of the stave feeders, with the outer and intermediate
longitudinal guides for the staves, said intermediate guides gradually assuming a
different plane from the outer guides, so as to bend the staves lengthwise as they are
carried forward substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated this 27th day of November 1888.