IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORKS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Taylor Martin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th October 1873.
'I, JOSEPH TAYLOR MARTIN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORKS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR,”
," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of corks of various sizes
and cork bungs from corkwood by imparting to the block of cork a
simultaneous horizontal and rotary motion across the edge of a fixed
knife blade, thereby insuring a perfectly circular and smooth cut..
An apparatus for the manufacture of corks constructed according to
this Invention consists of an oblong table of suitable dimensions, upon
which is mounted two upright guides, which carry a horizontal knife
blade capable of adjustment in its relative distance from the table.
Underneath the knife blade there is a slot or aperture cut in the table.
At each end of the table and on the top face thereof there are fitted in
suitable bearings two horizontal circular shafts, having spiral slots_or

page_text: grooves cut on their circumference to the proportion of about one
and a half turns to the foot. To the inside of each shaft there are
fixed or attached spindles or rods, which terminate in suitable chucks
or biting plates. These shafts and spindles are so arranged that
the block of corkwood to be treated is gripped or held between the
chucks on the spindle ends. The horizontal shafts are held and slide
in suitable bearings on the face of the table. A rotary motion is
imparted to the shafts by means of a pin or stud passing through the
bearings and taking into the spiral slot or groove cut in the cir-
cumference of the shafts. The outer ends of the shafts are made with
lathe centres, into which take spindles which are respectively attached
to two cross heads. These cross heads may be worked by a horizontal
shaft which passes underneath the table or on the upper face thereof.
This latter shaft is made in two pieces, each piece being attached to
half a vertical handle, so that when the two half handles are brought
together they form one suitable handle for working the apparatus. Tho
half handles are fitted with an intermediate spring, so that when the
handle is grasped the spring is compressed and the cross heads and
their respective gear brought together upon releasing the half handles
and their attendant gear separate. The cross head spindles and various
parts are fitted with suitable adjusting screws to lengthen or shorten
the distance between the chucks of the horizontal spindles holding the
corkwood.
The action is by preference imparted to the apparatus by means of a
foot lever or treadle, which is arranged with a cord passing round
suitable pulleys connected with and attached to the cross heads at the
respective ends of the table. In some instances the apparatus may be
actuated solely by the semi-handles before mentioned.
⋅
The action of the apparatus may be thus stated:-The piece of
corkwood to be treated is fixed between the chucks on the horizontal
spindles and the horizontal knife blade adjusted to the diameter of the
cork required. The semi-handles are compressed, thus firmly grasping
the corkwood. A stroke is imparted to the apparatus by the foot lever
or handle, and the block of corkwood is caused to travel horizontally,
and simultaneously rotate along the edge of the horizontal knife blade,
thereby forming a round cork with a perfectly smooth edge. Upon
releasing the semi-handles the cork drops by its own weight through
the aperture on the face of the table.

page_text: When it is required to cut taper corks the same can be accomplished
by adjusting the spindles and knife blade to suit the taper.
A mechanical knife sharpening arrangement, consisting of a suitable
stone or strop, may be attached to the spindle and caused to travel on
the face of the knife blade and in front of the corkwood; or any other
suitable sharpening arrangement may be resorted to.