AN IMPROVED COOPER'S CLAMP OR VICE FOR HOLDING BARREL STAVES WHILST IN COURSE OF FORMATION
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bintliff, junior, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COOPER'S CLAMP
OR VICE FOR HOLDING BARREL STAVES WHILST IN COURSE OF FORMATION."
Sealed the 7th June 1878, and dated the 15th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bintliff at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February 1878.
THOMAS BINTLIFF, junior, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster.
"AN IMPROVED COOPER'S CLAMP OR VICE FOR HOLDING BARREL STAVES WHILST IN
COURSE OF FORMATION."
The object of this Invention is the construction of a simple and efficient clamp or
vice for use by coopers in securely holding the wood whilst being formed into
staves for barrel making, and whereby the necessity of pressing upon a foot treadle
as hitherto is obviated.
In performing my Invention I mount a pair of eccentrics or cams upon studs
secured to a metallic plate, one of such eccentrics or cams being parallel with and
the other at right angles to the plate; and by the application of a spring I give
each of these eccentrics or cams a constant tendency to press against a fixed point
or stud, and I serrate or burr their edges or peripheries to increase their capabilities
for gripping.
The action of this clamp or vice is as follows:-The piece of wood to be formed
into a stave is passed between the plate itself and the right-angled eccentric or cam,
which turn partially upon its axis meanwhile, and such wood is so held securely
whilst its inner or outer surface is cut to the desired form, and such stave is passed
between the parallel eccentric or cam and an adjustable bracket upon the plate
herein-before mentioned, and held in a similar manner whilst its edges are formed.
It will be readily apparent that owing to the eccentrics or cams being mounted.

page_text: upon axes that they turn readily in one direction to allow the wood to be passed
in, and that such wood is firmly gripped and prevented being withdrawn again,
except at the will of the operator, owing to the action of the eccentrics or cams.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Bintliff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th August
1878.
THOMAS BINTLIFF, junior, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster..
"AN IMPROVED COOPER'S CLAMP OR VICE FOR HOLDING BARREL STAVES WHILST. IN
COURSE OF FORMATION."
The object of this Invention is the construction of a simple and efficient clamp
or vice for use by coopers for securely holding the wood whilst being formed into
staves for barrel making, and whereby the necessity of pressing upon a foot treddle
as hitherto is obviated.
And in order that this my said Invention may be the more readily understood
and carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed a Drawing illustrative of
the same, reference being had to the figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
Fig. 1 is a front view; Fig. 2, an end sectional view; and Fig. 3, an inverted
plan of my improved coopers clamp or vice, drawn to a scale of about half size.
In all the views A is a cast-iron plate, secured to the bench B by coach screws,
or in any other convenient manner; C is an eccentric or cam with a serrated or
burred edge, as illustrated, and mounted upon a stud D, this stud being adjustable in
a slot formed in the bracket E and secured in position by a nut F. A constant
tendency is given to this cam to turn in the direction of the arrow by the curled
spring G, one extremity of such spring being secured to the base of the stud D, and
the other connected to a pin H projecting from the side of the cam.
I is a
similar eccentric or cam to the one marked C, herein-before described, but mounted
at right angles therewith upon a fixed stud J. This cam I has a constant tendency
imparted to it to turn in the direction of the arrow and to press up against the
fixed point or stud K by the action of the spring L, which is secured at one
extremity to the bracket E and has its outer extremity pressing against the pin L'
projecting from the side of the cam I. M is a bracket secured to the plate A by
a pair of screw bolts N passing through slots, so as to render such bracket adjustable
in its distance from the edge of the cain I according to the thickness of barrel stave
required. is an adjustable bar branching from each extremity of the plate A,
and designed to act as a support for the crutch P, upon which the piece of wood Q
rests whilst in course of formation into a barrel stave.
The action and mode of using this cooper's clamp or vice may be described as
follows: If the piece of wood Q to be formed into a barrel stave is required to be
secured in the clamp whilst its inner or outer surface is cut to the desired form it
is passed between the lower stationary surface of the plate A and the periphery or

page_text: serrated edge of the cam C (as seen in Fig. 2), so causing such cam to turn partially
upon its axis in proportion to the thickness of the wood. The action of the
spring G will now cause the cam to effectually grip the piece of wood so introduced
and prevent the same being withdrawn again in the direction of the arrow except
at the will of the operator, any attempt to otherwise withdraw such wood only
serving to wedge it faster between the cam C and the under surface of the plate A.
It will be observed that the piece of wood Q whilst held in the clamp as aforesaid
also rests upon the crutch P. If however it is desired to cut the edges of such
stave the same must be passed between the cam I and the adjustable bracket M,
as seen in Fig. 3, when a similar gripping action to that herein-before described
takes place, and to such stave is held in an equally effective manner for its edges
to be operated upon.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim,―
1st. The combination and arrangement of mechanism constituting a cooper's
clamp or vice, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated.
2nd. The use and application of the spring eccentrics or cams when mounted
and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Bintliff, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 14th day of August, A.D. 1878.