AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WIRING CORKS IN BOTTLES
Year: 1885

page_text: TIMOTHY LYDON Engineer, FRANCIS LYDON Blacksmith and LAWRENCE LYDON
Blacksmith all of Whitehall, Galway, Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of our
said invention for AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WIRING CORKS IN BOTTLES, to be
as follows
Calledling
Our said invention has for its object the wiring of bottles automatically and to
prevent accidents from the bursting of bottles It consists of a number of cains or
slotted slides and two shafts attached to a horizontal bed or table Portion of one
of said shafts is square, remainder being round To square end is attached a whe
cutter, a vice and a wire holder also a reel for holding wire Said shaft is supported
by one fixed bearing and one movable bearing The other shaft is a hollow one to
the interior of which a tongs is fitted To the above slides a wire puller, wire
collector and a tongs closer are attached Beneath said bed or table are erected a
shaft in line with above shafts, a bottle elevator and a bottle feeding device Said
hollow shaft is supported on said bed or table by two fixed bearings
The said slides and shafts are parallel to length of said table The said Shafts on
table are in line and nearly meet in centre of said table There is a pinion fitted
on each of said shafts
To the square end of said round and square shaft (end near centre of table) is
fitted a round block said round block having a square hole through it said square
hole being fitted to square end of said shaft so that said round block can slide
towards and from centre of said table on said square end of shaft
A Journey
or groove 18 turned on said block to work in said movable bearing, said movable
bearing is attached to a double slide (by means of two bar springs) which works
towards and from centre of said table Said double slide consists of two slides
which work in guides placed on the two sides of said table and parallel to said
square and round shaft, said double slide is actuated by a rod, said rod being attached
to a cam or slotted slide, said cau slide works at right angles to said rod and also
to said double slide, said rod is attached to cam slide by means of a gudgeon
In the ends of said double slide (ends near centre of table) two cams or slots are
cut and to said cams or slots are attached (by means of gudgeons) two wire collectors
There is also a crank attached to one of said ends of double slide, said crank carries
or supports and actuates a tonga closer

page_text: In the said square end of shaft two slots are cut (one slot vertically to said bed
or table and the other slot horizontally to said bed or table) To the said vertical
slot is fitted a lever, and to said lever is attached the top knife of a wire cutter and
the top jaw of a vice the under knife and jaw of vice being formed by a plate
which is placed horizontally across square end of shaft, said plate has a slot cut in
it, through which the knife passes in cutting the wire
Said lever is hung in
vertical slot by means of a rivet in square end of shaft, said rivet is behind and
also below said vertical slot There is also a trigger fitted in said vertical slot,
Baid trigger is under the above lever, and said trigger in conjuction with the under-
neath edge of slot in said plate forming a wire holder
In the above lever a horizontal slot is cut and to said slot is fitted a cross bar,
said cross bar being also fitted to horizontal slot in square end of shaft said cross
bar is bolted to face of round block which works on square end of shaft At the
end of square end of said shaft two guides are fitted, said guides being wider apart
outside wire cutter than inside wire cutter To the above shaft is also attached a
reel which has a quantity of wire rolled doubly on it or by its bight. The two
ends of said wire are carried to wire cutter by means of a number of eyebolts
(attached to said shaft) which serve as guides for wire and which also keep wire in
proper position.
A pinion is also fitted on round portion of said shaft.
The hollow shaft consists of a tube which is supported by two fixed bearings
attached to sand bed or table. Said hollow shaft bas aacross.bar or bolt fitted
diametrically across it and vertically to said bed or table In said hollow shaft a
tongs is fitted the said cross bar going between the reins of said tongs In the jaws
of said tongs two movable pins are fitted, (sud jaws being at end of tongs near
centre of said bed or table) the other end of tongs is attached to a rod, said rod
being in line and behind hollow shaft, said rod is attached to a cam or slotted slide
(by means of a gudgeon) said cam slide works at right angles to said rod and also
to said hollow shaft. The said 1od causes tongs to move towards and from centre
of table To said rod is also attached a double slide (which works in guides)
Said double slide consists of two slides which are placed one on each side of table
and parallel to said hollow shaft In each end of said double slide a cam or slot is
cut, part of said cams or slots being parallel to said hollow shaft the remainder of
said cams or slots being inclined to centre of table A wire puller is attached to
each of said cams or slots (by means of a gudgeon) Said wire pullers consist of
two rods having ends (at centre of table or inside ends) cranked upwards Said
wie pullers works in to and out from centre of said bed or table and at right
angles to said tongs
Underneath said bed or table is a lever actuated by a crank shaft or other
suitable device, said lever is attached to a bottle elevator which it also actuates, to
said lever 18 also attached a vertical rod which passes up through said bed or table
To the top of said vertical rod is attached a device for causing said we pullers to
let go wires and at the same time to press wires together when said 'wires are
around neck of bottle
There is also a revolving table erected beneath said bed or table, said revolving
table having a number of pockets for holding bottles
Said invention is actuated in the following manner
The two ends of the wire are carried through the eyebolts or guides and laid on
plate with slot (horizontal plate in square end of shaft) Then the double slide to
which the movable bearing is attached is caused to move towards centre of table
(being actuated by cain or slotted slide) which causes the movable bearing to also
move towards centie of table, the said movable bearing carrying the said round
block with cross bar attached to it, also towards centre of table, said cross bar in
travelling with movable bearing causes the lover which carries the top knife of wire
cutter and Jaw of vice to descend, the said knife in its descent strikes the above
trigger which causes said trigger to descend from said plate with slot and said knife
at the same time cuts and forces wire through said alot in said plate The said

page_text: movable bearing in its forward movement also causes the said trigger to move
alightly forward by striking a catch or stop in said trigger
When the above double slide moves back from centre of table the said cross bar
causes lever to ascend said lever carrying the top knife of wie cutter and jaw of
vice, and the said movable bearing carries back at the same time the said trigger,
the said trigger is also forced upwards at the same time by a spring and the said
trigger un conjunction with the underneath edge of slot in said plate catches the
two ends of wire which the top knife of wire cutter forced through slot in said plate
and holds them firmly in position for said tongs The said tongs is then forced
towards the said wires by the rod to which it is attached, said rod being actuated
by the cam or slotted slide, the two movable pins in Jaws of said tongs are forced
to the inside of said Jaws of tongs and behind the said wires by coming in contact
with the two guides that are fitted in square end of said square and round shaft
At the same time that the tongs is forced towards wues the two said wire pullers
are forced inwards and at right angles to said tongs, said wire pullers being actuated
by the cams or slots that are in ends of double slide that is attached to rod which
actuates said tongs Then the above 1od and double slide are forced back (from
centre of table) which causes tongs also to travel back and in doing so the two
movable pins in jaws of said tongs (said pins being behind said wires) takes hold of
the two wires and in travelling back causes the wire to unroll off reel thereby
causing two wires to extend from tongs to reel and also two wires (continuation of
above wires) to extend from tongs to wire holder
The wires from tongs to wire holder being underneath the wires from tongs to
reel
At the same time the two wire pullers are caused to travel outwards and in doing
so the cranked portions of said wire pullers catches the two bottom wires and
draws them sufficiently outwards to allow the neck of a bottle to go between them.
At the same time the neck of the bottle to be wired is forced through table from
its pocket in evolving table by said bottle elevatoi, and in so doing the neck of
said bottle passes between the two wires that are held by said wire pullers and at
the same time the cork in said bottle comes in contact with the top wires and
forces them slightly upwards At the same time that bottle is being elevated
through table the device that is attached to vertical rod descends and strikes said
wire pullers causing said wire pullers to let go the said two bottom wires which
then lie on neck of bottle and the said device at the same time presses the two top
wires (which lie on top of cork) down to meet the two bottom wires At this
moment the lever which carries the top knife of wire cutter and top jaw of vice is
caused to descend (as before described) and in doing so the wire cutter cuts the
now four wires (and also forces the two ends coming from reel through alot in
plate) and the top jaw of vice in conjunction with top of said plate holds the four
ends of wires (that are about neck and cork of bottle) brmly, the said wire closers
at the same time forces the bottom wires together, said wire closers being actuated
by the cams or slots in ends of said double slides. The tongs closer is also caused
to travel towards Jaws of said tongs (at the same time) by the crank which 18
attached to one end of double slide, said tongs closer in travelling towards Jaws of
toLs forces Jaws together so as to firmly hold the wires and at the said time the
closing of said jaws forces the movable pins to the outside of said Jaws
The wires
are now firmly held by said jaw of vice and said plate with slot at one side of neck
of bottle, the wires at the other side of neck of bottle being held by tongs
The two shafts are now caused to revolve by means of the pinions staked on
them, said pinions being actuated by wheels staked on shaft placed beneath said
bed or table, said wheels being actuated by palls and ratchets or other suitable
device, said palls and ratchets being actuated by crankshaft or other suitable device
The tongs in hollow shaft is caused to revolve with said hollow shaft by the
cross bar or bolt that goes across hollow shaft and between the reins of said tongs,
The revolving of said shafts twisting the wires together on neck of said bottle.
The top knife of wire cutter and top jaw of vice is then caused to ascend and at

page_text: the same time the tongs closer moves back from Jaws of said tongs and allows said
Jaws of tongs to open apart, thereby allowing the bottle to drop into its pocket in
revolving table, said revolving table is then caused to revolve and in doing so
carries away the wired bottle and at the same time carries another bottle over
bottle elevator The Band revolving table is actuated by pall and ratchet or other
suitable device
Said pall and ratchet being actuated by a crank shaft or other suitable device
The moment the top knife of wire cutter and jaw of vice ascends from plate
with slot the said trigger in conjuction with bottom edge of slot in plate again
catches the two ends of wire.
All the parts of said machine are now ready to operate again as herein described
With this machine the attendant has merely to place bottles in pockets of
revolving table and take them out of said pockets when wired, and also to put
neel of wire on shaft when required The only limit to the speed of this machine
being the workers dexterity and quickness
TIMOTHY LYDON
FRANCIS LYDON
LAWRENCE LYDON.

page_text: FRANCIS LYDON Whitehall Galway Ireland, Blacksmith, TIMOTHY LYDON
Whitehall Galway Ireland, Engineer, LAWRENCE LYDON Whitehall Galway
Ireland, Blacksmith, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WIRING CORKS IN BOTTLES and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement
17
The object of this invention is to construct a machine for placing wires on top of
corks in bottles and at the same time to place wires around neck of said bottles
also to twist said wires so as to keep corks in their positions in said bottles
Said invention consists of a bed plate or table on which are a number of shafts
supported by bearing supports, there are also a number of slides which work 10
guides said guides being attached to said bed plate or table in said guides are a
number of cam slots The said slides are actuated by means of cams (or by cams
or eccentrics) Working in guides which are attached to said bed plate or table are
two wire collectors and two wire pullers To one of the above shafts is attached a
tongs and to another of said shafts is attached a device for holding wires and
cutting said wires, also a sliding device for actuating said wire cutter and wire
holder,
Underneath said bed plate or table is a revolving table for feeding bottles to be
wired
The construction of said machine will be easily understood by reference to the
accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of complete Machine.
Fig 2 18 a general plan of machine (without top shaft)
Fig 3 18 plan of shaft showing roll of wire, sliding device for actuating wire
cutter and wire holder, also tongs wire collectors and wire drawers, also position of
wire when ready for reception of neck of bottle
Fig 4 is a section of sliding device which actuates wire cutter and wire holder,
and also section of shaft on line a a. (Fig 2)
Fig 5 18 a section of sliding device, shaft (wire cutters and wire holders) on
Line 6 b. (Fig 2)
Fig 6. is plan of tongs.
Fig. 7 18 elevation of tongs.
Fig 8 18 plan of wire cutter,
Fig 9 is elevation of wire cutter
Fig 10 is plan of wire holder
Fig 11 is elevation of wire holder
Fig 12 is plan of cam for actuating bottle lifter
Fig. 13 18 plan of cam which actuates shafts for twisting wires.
Fig 14 18 plan of plate which in conjunction with the wire cutter and wire
holder, cuts and holds wire in position.

page_text: 1
On the said bed plate or table A are the pedestals B B C C D and E E for
the journal bearings of the shafts F G H and I (Figs 1 and 2)
Staked on the shaft F are the fast and loose pulleys K and L also the cams M
N O and P
On the shaft G are staked the two spur wheels Q and Q¹ and also the ratchet
wheel R On the said shaft H is staked the pinion S, there is also attached to said
shaft H the reel of wire T, the wire cutter Ū and on the said shaft H is also the
sliding device V also wire holder G and plate H¹ (Figs 5 and 14)
On the shaft I is the pinion St, there is also attached to said shaft I the tongs W
and on the said tongs W is the tongs closer X In shaft I is cut a longitudinal slot
to which a pin is fitted and the said pin is attached to the said pinion S¹, said slot
in the said shaft I allowing said shift I to move backwards and forwards in said
pinion S¹
Said pin also causing the shaft I to revolve when required
On the said table A are the slides Y and Z said slides work in guides c.c
and d d In said slides Y and Z are the cam slots C₁ and D¹ which actuate the
wire closers E¹ and the wire pullers F¹, there is also attached to slide Y the two
levers L which actuate the tongs closer X 'The tongs closer X being forced
towards Jaws of said tongs W by means of the levers L¹ which are attached to the
said slide Y
Underneath the said bed plate or table A. 18 the revolving table A1 (in which are
the pockets B³) and the ratchet B₁ also the rod C³ for elevating the said bottle
pockets B³ Ratchet B being actuated by the slide Z
When this machine is in operation the reel. T is filled with wire, said wire being
wound doubly on said reel T (or by its bight) The two ends of said wire g
(Figs 3 and 5) being carried through the eyebolts or guides ee (Figs
and,5)
and also carried under wire cutter U (Figs 1 2.3 and 5) and laid on plate. H¹
(Figs 5 and 14)
t
Then the cam M actuates the slide Y said slide Y actuating the sliding device V
said sliding device V causing the wire cutter U to descend and cut wire g (Fig 5)
and at the same time forces wire through slot f in plate H (Fig 14), the wire
holder G¹ is also forced forward by the sliding device V which allows said wire to
go between the wire holder G¹ and the back edge of slot fin plate H¹ (Fig.14)
Then the cam M causes the slide Y to return and in doing so causes the sliding
device V to also travel back which movement allows the wire cutter U to ascend
and at the same time the wire bolder G' is forced back and in conjunction with
edge of slot fin plate H¹ (Fig 14) catches and holds wire in position (as shown in
Fig 5) for tongs W At this moment the cam N actuates the, slide Z said slide Z
causing the shaft I to travel towards the centre of table A said shaft I also causing
the tongs W to travel to and inside the, wires g (Fig 5) In the said tongs W are
fitted the two pins h h (Figs 2 3 & 6) said pins hh are held in position, by
springs, said springs allowing said pins h h to travel in Jaws of said tongs W
'When the said tongs W is being forced inside the said wires. g the said pins h h
strike against the inside of the inclined jaws kk (Figs and 3) said, jaws k k
forcing the said pins h h behind the said wires g and at the same time the wire
carriers F are also caused to travel towards centre of table by, the cam slot D'
(The said wire carriers are cranked up at the end nearest centre of table) Then
the cam N causes the slide Z to travel outwards, said, slide Z actuating the shaft I
and the tongs W Said tongs W carrying now with, it four warest (two, on each
pin h h) at the proper moment the cam slots D₁ causes, the wire carriers(F¹ to also
travel outwards and in doing so the said wire carriers F1 catches, the two bottom
wires and at this moment the slide Y is actuated by means of cam.M.said slide Y
causing the wine closers E¹ to travel towards centre of table, the inward movement
of wire closers (or collectors) E' in conjunction with the outward movement of wire
carriers F¹ leaving the wires in position g¹ and g² as shown, in, Eig, 3 At the same
time the cam O (Figs 1 2,and 13) causes the rod C³ (Fig 1), to elevate the bottle
in pocket B³ (Fig 1) through, the hole G₁(Eg 2) The said bottle, in doing so

page_text: catches and carries the wires'g' a required space upwards at this moment the wire
carriers are forced from under bottom wires by means of springs, the tongs
closer X is also at the same time forced towards Jaws of said tongs W by means
of the levers L¹ said levers L¹ being actuated by the slide Y in its forward move-
ment The said tongs closer X closing jaws of said tongs W on the wires g¹ and g³
(Fig 3) and hold the said wires firmly between jaws (The closing of said tongs W
also forces the said pins h to the outside of jaws of said tongs W so as to be
again ready at the proper time to carry out wires)
At the same time the wire cutter U is forced to descend and in doing so cuts and
holds the said wires, the forward movement of the said slide Y also causing (by
means of the sliding device V) the wire holder G¹ (Fig 5) to move forward from
the wires
The four wires are now held by means of the end R' of wire cutter U
(Fig 5) and plate H (Figs 5 and 14) and also by the tongs W Two of 'the said
wires g being laid across cork in bottle and the other two wires g¹ being around
neck of bottle and under shoulder of neck of bottle The wires are now in a
position to be twisted at the neck of bottle
At this moment the spur wheels Q1 and Q on the shaft G (Fig 1) are actuated
by means of the ratchet wheel R said ratchet wheel R being actuated by the cam P
(Figs 12/and 13) said 'cam P being actuated by the shaft F (Figs 1 and 2)
Cam P being attached to ratchet wheel R by the rod P¹ (Fig 1)
Said spur wheels Q and Q actuating the pinions S¹ and S (Figs 1 and 2) which
action causes the shafts I and H (Fig 2) to revolve and at the same time to twist
the wires at neck of bottle Immediately that the wires are twisted at neck of
bottle the cam M causes the slide Y to travel backwards thereby causing the
sliding device V to also travel back said travelling back of sliding device V causing
the wire cutter U to ascend and leave wires in position for wire holder G¹ to catch
and in conjunction with the edge of slot fin plate H' (Fig 14) to hold them firmly
in position for tongs W At the same time the wire collectors E¹ are forced
outwards and by the same movement of the slide Y the tongs closer X is forced
back from jaws of tongs W by the levers L' The machine is now again ready
to re-commence wiring. The bottle now drops and is removed by revolving
table A.
Referring to Fig 4 which is a section of sliding V and shaft H on line a a
(Fig 2) shows the space M¹ in which works the wire cutter U (Figs 1 2 3 and 5)
and wire holder G¹
Referring to Fig 5 which is a section of sliding device V wire cutter U, plate H
and also the shaft H on line bb Fig 2 The wire g is also shown carried through
the eyebolts or guides e e and caught by the wire holder G' and edge of slot fin
plate H (Fig 14) The wire cutter U is hung on pin N₁ said pin N¹ being fixed
or attached to shaft H The pin O is attached to the sliding device V The
aliding device V in its forward and backward movement causes the pin O' to travel
in the grooves P1 and P' thereby causing the wire cutter U to descend or ascend
R¹, R' are two stops in wire holder G¹ which strike against the sliding device V in
its movements forward and backward thereby causing the wire holder to be carried
forward and backward The end R of the wire cutter U acts as wire holder in
conjunction with top of plate H¹
Referring to Fig 6 (plan of tongs) h h are the two pins which carry wires from
wire holder said pins are held in Jaws of said tongs W by means of springs inserted
in said jaws of tongs W
Figs 10 and 11 represent plan and elevation of wire holder G¹ and also shows
slot in said wire holder G¹ for allowing short pieces of wire that are cut off to drop
through and fall to floor
Figs 12 and 13 are the cams O and P said cams are grooved on both sides of
faces so as to allow a forked rod to work in them as shown in Fig 1 (C³).
Fig 14 is plate H¹ (Fig 5) which in conjunction with wire cutter U forms a
second blade and also the top side of which in conjunction with underneath side of

page_text: end R of wire cutter U forms a wire holder The inside edge of slot fin con-
Junction with wire holder G' (Figs. 5 10 and 11) also form a wire holder when
wires are in position for tongs W.
The said plate H is held in its position in shaft H by means of the cotter S¹
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim 18
1. The machine as shown in Figs 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings, acting and
arranged in the manner described
2 The combination of the sliding device with the wire cutter and wire holder
3 The combination of the shaft with tongs and of the tongs closer
4 The combination of revolving table, bottle elevator and ratchet
5 The combination of parts for twisting wires