IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CASKS AND OTHER WOODEN VESSELS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robertson, of Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Cooper, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CASKS AND OTHER WOODEN
VESSELS."
Sealed the 13th January 1853, and dated the 15th November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robertson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his l'etition,
on the 15th November 1852.
I, JAMES ROBERTSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Cooper, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CASKS AND OTHER WOODEN
VESSELS" to be as follows:-
The rough staves are first steamed in the usual way, to cause
pliability; and then, in order that the irregularities or bends in the
wood may be nullified or counteracted, the stave is screwed up by
its flat side against a fixed bearing surface or rollers, so that, when

page_text: At
passed into the sawing machine, the wood may be accurately cut,
a self-acting arrangement being employed in connection with these
retaining or flattening screws, for the purpose of slackening off the
holding details as each approaches to the cutting edge. At the
same time, a series of cutters is arranged to work on the opposite
side of the stave, for the purpose of dressing that surface to the
form required. The staves so prepared are then conveyed to a
second machine, and held flat down by screws on a traversing table
moving in the line of curve intended to be given to the edges of
the staves; as the stave moves forward, it is first sawn on the edge
by a circular saw, to take off the "over wood;" and it then comes
against a set of rotatory cutters to form the required curve.
the same time a set of cutters work over the top of the stave on its
flat surface, for shaping such surface as required. Then, when this
flat side and one edge have been so shaped, the stave is reversed,
and the other side and edge are similarly treated. Several staves
may be simultaneously worked in this way; and the staves so
prepared, or indeed in their rough state, may be planed or shaped
off evenly by passing them upon or over a table beneath a
roller or pressing guide which shall act upon the stave so as to
flatten down its irregularities; whilst a rotatory or other cutter is
set to work above the stave surface, immediately that the stave
emerges from its pressing roller, and whilst still flattened down by
such roller. When the staves are piled together, or when the
"cask is raised," the upper ends of the staves being surrounded by
a hoop, the mass of staves is put into a press, to compress the bilge
of the cask, and bring together the bottom or opposite loose ends of
the staves. This supersedes a large amount of manual labor; and
the cask so prepared is then conveyed to a trussing machine, as
already patented by Mr. Robertson (July 29, 1848), and the cask
is thus completed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said James Robertson in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 14th May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES ROBERTSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Cooper, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Robertson, Her special
licence that I, the said James Robertson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Robertson,
iny executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CASKS AND OTHER
WOODEN VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Robertson, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Robertson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures inarked
thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to various arrangements of machinery,
apparatus, or means for cutting, dressing, and preparing the staves

page_text: or loose pieces of casks, and other wooden vessels, as well as for
building or connecting the same together, to form the intended
casks or vessels. According to these improvements, the rough
staves are first steamed in the usual way, to cause pliability; and
then, in order that the irregularities or bends in the wood may be
nullified or counteracted, the stave is screwed up by its flat side
against a fixed bearing surface, or against rollers; so that, when
passed into the sawing machine, the wood may be accurately cut, a
self-acting arrangement being employed in connection with these
retaining or flattening screws, for the purpose of slackening off
these holding details as each approaches to the cutting edge. At
the same time, a series of cutters is arranged to work on the exposed
side of the stave, for the purpose of dressing that surface to the
form required. The staves so prepared are then conveyed to a
second machine, where they are held flat down by screws on a
traversing table, moving in the line of curve intended to be given
to the edges of the staves. As the stave moves forward, it is first
sawn on the edge by a circular saw, to take off the "over wood" to
the required curve, and it then comes against a set of rotatory
cutters, to finish the surface. At the same time, a set of cutters
work over the top of the stave on its flat surface, for shaping such
surface as required. Then, when this flat side and one edge have
been so shaped, the stave is reversed, and the other side and edge
are similarly treated. Several staves may be simultaneously worked
in this way; and the staves so prepared, or indeed in their rough
state, may be planed or shaped off evenly by passing them upon or
over a table, beneath a roller or pressing guide, which shall act
upon the stave so as to flatten down its irregularities; whilst a
rotatory or other cutter is set to work above the stave surface
immediately that the stave emerges from its pressing roller, and
whilst still flattened down by such roller. When the staves are
piled together, or when the "cask is raised," the upper ends of the
staves being surrounded by a hoop, the mass of staves is put into a
press, to compress the bilge of the cask, and bring together the
bottom or opposite loose ends of the staves.
This supersedes a

page_text: large amount of manual labour; and the cask so prepared is then
conveyed to a trussing machine, as already patented by me in the
year 1848, and the cask is thus completed.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1, of my Drawings, is a longitudinal cleva-
tion of the machine which I employ for the primary reduction
of the staves or blanks, after the steaming process. Figure 2,
is a plan of the same corresponding. Figure 3, is a transverse
sectional elevation of the machine, shewing the edge view of the
saw and the driving gear. Figure 4, is an end elevation of the
framing and driving gear for traversing the stave, which details
are removed in the view, Figure 3. The machine consists of
the two long parallel standards A, bolted down to the floor,
and connected transversely by tie rods and end plates, to form
a rectangular frame. The upper inner edge of each of these
standards is formed with a planed V projection B, from end to
end, to receive the traversing V grooved pulleys C, which run
loose on stud pins in the traversing frame D, and serve to carry
such franc. This frame consists of a single casting of two long
side pieces, strengthened and connected by elevated arch pieces E,
contrived to allow the saw to clear them; and it has a long plane
vertical surface F, on one side, to receive the rough blank G, to
be reduced, the blank being further supported and adjusted to the
proper height and level by a bottom angular ledge H. The blank
is entered up against this face, and it is held firmly in contact with
it by the lateral pressure of the short wooden blocks I, which are
forced up by the screwed spindles J. These spindles have socket
ends to hold the blocks I, and their screwed ends are passed
through collar nuts, set in the side of the frame D, such nuts
having each fast upon their outer ends a spur wheel K, fitted
with a winch handle I. By these arrangements, the workman
can quickly set up a stave blank, by laying it to its face F, and
turning the handles L, to screw up the holding blocks. Each end
of the frame D, has a central stud pin M, bolted to it, to receive
the two end links respectively of the long traversing pitch chain
N, by which the frame or blank holder is actuated. This chain is

page_text: This
passed at one end over a chain pulley O, fast on the overhanging
end of a short transverse shaft P, carried in bearings in the two
brackets Q, bolted to an end cross piece R, which itself is bolted
to the main standards. This shaft P, is the driving shaft of the
traverse apparatus, and is actuated by the fast and loose pulleys S,
set upon it. At the other end of the machine the chain is passed
round a similar pulley T, on the cross shaft U, carried in end
bracket bearings V. In this way, one end of the chain being
attached to the front end of the frame D, passes along as shewn by
the direction of the arrows, and descends over the pulley O, rc-
turning in the reverse direction beneath, in the space between the
two side standards, and passing up round the other or carrying
pulley T, being finally fastened at this end to its corresponding
pin M, in the frame D. The stave is sawn as required by the
circular saw W, set on the overhanging end of the cross shaft X,
carried in the end bearings Y, in the adjustable bracket Z, the
shaft being driven by the fast and loose band pulleys a.
bracket has an expanded dove-tailed base, fitting to a corresponding
dove-tail on the beam b, set on the standards c; and at d, is a
projecting hand wheel on a screw spindle, arranged to work the
bracket Z, in or out, to set the saw to the required depth of cut in the
blank. At e, is an arched or curved clearing wedge, covering over
the saw on that side, and acting as the opener for taking off the
objectionable frictional contact of the wood as the saw enters.
When this machine is in operation, the saw W, revolves con-
tinuously at a high rate; and when a blank is to be cut, its carrying
frame D, is traversed to the end of the machine, to the position in
which I have drawn it. The workman then adjusts the blank, in
the manner which I have described; and the shaft P, being set in
motion, the chain pulley O, thereon winds up the chain N, and
thus draws the blank up against the revolving saw. As the saw
enters the wood, each of the holding flattened screws J, is slackened
off successively by its spur wheel K, coming into gear with the
fixed toothed rack f, set outside one of the main standards. The
first wheel K', of the series is shewn in Figures 1, and 2, as having

page_text: just entered into gear with the rack; so that, whilst that screw has
held down the wood quite flat until close up to the cutting action,
it is screwed back and released from its retaining pressure, to admit
the saw to pass casily through. Each screw is thus successively
slackened off as it approaches the cut, or this slackening off may be
effected by hand. The sawn edge then comes in contact with the
rotatory cutting disc g. This disc is fast on the cross shaft h,
carried in the bearings i, in the stationary bracket j, on the floor.
It is driven by the fast and loose band pulleys &, and contains a
series of adjustable cutters l, of the usual kind, which smooth off
the sawn surface of the stave as the latter comes up to the point of
cut. This completes the process as regards this machine, the other
surface of the stave being similarly dressed, as may be required.
The
Figure 1, on Sheet 2, of iny Drawings, is a longitudinal elevation
of the next machine in my series. Figure 2, is a transverse section,
and Figure 3, is a corresponding plan of the same machine.
framing of this machine consists of a single long, curved, or seg-
mental table A, slotted down the centre, and supported on the
two end standards B, on the floor. Upon this segmental table is
set the traversing carriage C, which has four supporting pulleys
D, set on stud centres, to run upon projecting rail ribs, on the
upper surface of the table. These pulleys are carried in the four
side brackets E, bolted to the table, and serving also to carry the
four bottom pulleys F, bearing against railstrips on the lower side
of the edge flanges of the table, as well as four other horizontal
pulley's G, bearing against the external parallel edges of the table
flanges. By this arrangement, the carriage C, is accurately guided
upon its table, both vertically and horizontally. The partially
prepared staves H, are now laid several together upon the surface
of the table C, being firmly held down thereon by the hand wheel
screws I, working through bracket nuts J, bolted to the carriage
surface. The circular saw K, for taking off the "over wood" from
the stave edges, is driven by the pulleys L, being arranged in a
manner precisely similar to the saw which I have already described
herein, provision being made for setting the saw up to its cut by

page_text: the hand wheel M, actuating a traverse screw arrangement. As
this saw revolves at the required speed, the pile of blanks is
traversed up against it by hand, or in any other convenient way;
and the rough edges of the staves are thus taken off to the curve of
the table A, which coincides with that intended to be given to the
staves. After leaving the saw, the sawn surfaces of the staves are
immediately submitted to the action of the rotatory disc cutters
N, driven at a high velocity by the band pulleys O, being carried
on a separate standard P, on the same general construction as the
details of the same kind already described in reference to Sheet 1,
of my Drawings. This completes the shaping of the "gored"
staves on one edge. And, whilst this action is going on, a second
disc cutter, which I have not represented in my Drawings, may be
arranged to shape the upper flat surface of the exposed stave.
This contrivance, which is only conveniently applicable when a
single stave is treated at once, is to be carried into effect by
disposing a separate standard alongside the machine, to carry a
vertical spindle, having upon it a horizontal cutting disc. When
one edge and the top have thus been treated, the stave is released
and reversed, and the opposite surfaces are then similarly shaped;
and this completes the process. The essential advantage of this
arrangement of holding down screws, is that whatever twist may be
in the staves is taken out of them for the time being, whilst the
cutting action proceeds, so that an accurate plane surface is secured
quite irrespective of such twist, and the pieces then return to their
shape on being released.
Figure 1, on Sheet 3, is a longitudinal elevation of the next
machine in my series. Figure 2, is a corresponding sectional
clevation of the same; and Figure 3, is an end elevation of the
machine. It consists of a long open table A, carried on three
standards B, standing up from the floor, and having end brackets
C, to carry the pitch chain pulleys D, E. On this table is the
carriage F, for the rough or partially finished stave G. This
carriage is formed with parallel bottom edges, fitting to corre-
sponding V grooves on the table surface. At each end of the carriage

page_text: is a stud H, for connection to the two ends respectively of the pitch
chain I, which is passed from beneath the table up over the pulleys
D, E. One of the pulleys, as D, is set upon a cross shaft J, and
this shaft has upon it the fast and loose band pulleys K, by which
the chain is made to traverse as required. At the centre of the
table, and on each side thereof, is bolted a curved bracket piece L,
standing up to carry the holding down apparatus of the stave.
Each bracket piece is slotted vertically in two places, to receive the
bearings for the two pressing holding down rollers M. These
rollers are pressed hard down upon the stave by the weights N,
hung to levers turning on stud centres O, carried on the tops of
the side brackets J.; links P, being jointed to these levers, and passed
downwards to the roller bearings. The cross pieces Q, fast between
the brackets L, are the holders for the cutters or planes R, which
are regulated by overhead screws in the usual manner. The
stave G, is purposely represented as a distorted piece of wood, in
order to shew the value of this arrangement. In the Figures the
two cutters, a rougher and finisher, respectively, have just com-
menced to act upon the stave, which is held down just at the points
of cutting by the rollers being set just before the cutting edges.
At S, on each side of the carriage F, is a long lever set on a stud
centre T, in the carriage. The opposite ends of these parallel levers
are pierced to receive a cross stud or holder U, from the longitudinal
centre of which a spring spindle V, passes down through a bottoin
guide eye in the chain stud H. The helix upon this spindle acts
by compression between the bottom stud H, and the upper stud or
cross-piece U.
This cross-piece has along its upper edge a flange
piece W, to bear upon the end X, of the stave. The two side
brackets L, also carry a stud roller V, one on each side, to bear
upon the upper edges of the levers S, and thus keep these levers
down as the stave is traversed, in correspondence with the bearing
down of the stave itself upon the carriage surface. These rollers
thus work downwards against the upward pressure of the helix V,
so that each part of the stave, however unequal it may be, is evenly
adjusted to the cutting action as the operation proceeds. Rotatory

page_text: cutters are obviously applicable also to this system of reducing,
instead of the plane cutters which I have represented. By this
arrangement the most distorted staves are easily worked to an even
finish. The surface of the carriage F, may also be formed to any
required figure or shape for the purpose of cutting the exposed side of
the stave to any desired figure. I may also remark, in reference to
Sheet 1, of my Drawings, that instead of having the surface F,
against which the stave is pressed in cutting shaped to an even
plane, such surface may be curved or formed to any peculiar
contour, so that each portion of the wood being held down to such
surface, the cut on the exposed side will be in the same line as that
against which the stave is pressed.
Figure 1, on Sheet 4, of my Drawings, is a front elevation of the
pressure apparatus which I employ for forming the staves into a
completed cask. Figure 2, is a corresponding elevation of the
machine at right angles to Figure 1. Figure 3, is a plan of the
top frame of the press, and Figure 4, is a horizontal section of the
press frame, showing the staves as in the act of being built up.
The required set of staves A, are piled up in the usual way, with
their upper ends encircled by the hoop B, the whole being set on
the moving table C, of a hydrostatic press. The fixed pressing top
of the press frame carries four vertical pressure rods D, adjustable
radially to suit various sizes of casks in the slots E, in the top plate.
The lower ends of the rods D, cach carry a clamp piece F, curved
segmentally, and partially embracing the staves, and contrived to
push forward a strong hoop G, so as to compress the bilge, the
proper binding hoops B, H, being passed upon the upper end of the
cask. Then, when the table C, is elevated by pumping in the usual
way, the combined staves are traversed through the compressing
ring G, so as to bring the opposite free ends of the staves closer
together. The cask so compressed is then removed with the
ring G, still round it, and taken to the "trussing" machine for
completion. Instead of this arrangement, the clamps F, may be
attached to the upper ends of stationary standards I, standing up
from the fixed base plate J, of the press, so that, as the cask is

page_text: elevated by the pumping action, the standards I, hold back the
hoop G, as before. These standards may be rendered adjustable
by adapting them to radial slots K, in the table of the base plate.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be
used or carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do
not confine or restrict myself to the precise details which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main
features of my Invention. But what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to ine by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is-
First, the general arrangements and construction of machinery,
apparatus, or means to be used for the manufacture of casks and
wooden vessels as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of cutting or reducing cask and
vessel staves, wherein such staves are held flat down until close up
to the saw or cutting point, and then gradually released to allow
the cutting to proceed.
Third, the system or mode of cutting staves to form, by com-
pressing the same against a bearing surface of the form required.
Fourth, the arrangement of stave cutting machines, wherein saw
and cutting finishing actions are combined to work in sequence
together.
Fifth, the system or mode of screwing or holding down staves,
especially twisted or distorted staves, and retaining the same in a
flat plane whilst being acted upon by the cutting process.
Sixth, the system or mode of holding down and guiding or
adjusting staves, especially curved or distorted staves, by means of
pressing rollers or holding surfaces, acting immediately in front of
the cutting edge, as more particularly described in reference to
Sheet 3, of my Drawings.
Seventh, the application and use of external presses and side
levers for directing the adjustment of the staves, as described in
reference to Sheet 3, of my Drawings.

page_text: Eighth, the system or mode of compressing, or binding, or
gathering together the staves of casks by means of hydrostatic
pressure.
Ninth, the system or mode of gathering and compressing together
the staves of casks by means of a traversing pressure ring.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Robertson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.