IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CASKS OR BARRELS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hadfield, of Carlisle, in the County of
Cumberland, Varnish Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CASKS OR BARRELS."
Sealed the 22nd November 1859, and dated the 27th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hadfield at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th May 1859.
I, GEORGE HADFIELD, of Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland, Varnish
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CASKS OR BARRELS," to
be as follows:--
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel mode of shaping the staves to form
casks or barrels, the object being to simplify the operation of cutting the same,.
and also to ensure a good fit when the staves are put together. To this end
I cut out the staves for a given size of barrel as equal segments of the same
circle, and in general, no matter what the size of the barrel, I adopt the same
system. Thus all staves cut to the same radius will be sure to fit, the bevil of
each being the same. The staves, whether bent or straight, I form with a
maximum thickness at the middle decreasing towards the ends. This I effect
by applying the wood to be converted into staves to a novel construction of
machine which will give the taper form by two cuts, as will be presently

page_text: explained, and in the same machine the bevilled sides or edges are also formed.
The machine may be described as a circular saw working vertically through a
slot in a table inclined to such an angle as will ensure the required bevil for
the sides of the staves; on this inclined table is fitted an adjustable guide bar
the face of which is set at the same angle to the table as the plane of the saw,
but in a line parallel with the saw face. This bar may be moved nearer to or
further from the saw according to the width of stave required to be cut. The
opposite edges or sides of the stave are presented alternately to the saw, and
the guide bar gauges their width. On the opposite side of the saw is another
adjustable guide bar set at an angle to the saw face for the purpose of guiding
the stave so that its face shall be tapered from the extremity to about the
middle of the stave. When one cut has been made the stave is turned, and the
other end similarly presented to the saw. In order to admit of a greater, or less
number of staves being used to form a cask, it is only necessary to change the
angle of inclination of the inclined table. When bent staves are required to
be used, I secure them on a curved frame by clamping their ends, and while in
this constrained position submit them to the machine for bevilling their sides
or edges. For the purpose of forming the dowel holes in the pieces that are
to form the heads of the casks, I fit a boring bit or auger on to the end of the
saw spindle and mount a table under the tool to carry the work; this table, by
means of inclines on its under surface, I cause to rise and fall as required,
adjusting its height by a regulating screw. To facilitate the finishing of the
barrel, provide the turning lathe, used with an expanding chuck having
radial arms to receive the barrel. By means of snail cams I drive out the
radial arms that they may bear tightly against the inner face of the barrel,
and hold it securely while under the turning operation. When thus mounted
in the lathe, the grooves for receiving the heads may be readily turned in the
inner face of the staves.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Hadfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30
26th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HADFIELD, of Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland, Varnish Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 33
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Hadfield, Her special license that I, the said George
Hadfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said George Hadfield, my executors, administrators, and 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,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CASKS OR BARRELS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Hadfield, 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 George Hadfield, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel mode of shaping the staves of casks
or barrels, by means of which I am enabled to ensure good sound joints when
the staves are put together to form cylindrical casks. The staves I cut out
for a given size of barrel as equal segments of the same circle, and in general,
no matter what the size of the barrel, I adopt the same system, thereby insuring
a uniformity of bevil at the edges. The staves thus prepared, whether they be
bent or straight, I form with a maximum thickness at the middle, decreasing
towards the ends. This I effect by applying the wood to be converted into
staves to a novel construction of machine which will give the taper form by
two cuts as will be presently explained, and in the same machine I also. bevil
the sides or edges.
In the accompanying Drawing Figures I shew in plan, edge, and end views,
my improved stave, which is applicable to the construction of casks with a
cylindrical interior. By the use of this form of stave, the outside taper
requisite for ensuring the proper grip of the metal binding hoops will be given
to the ends of the cask.
The second part of the Invention relates to the construction of a machine
which will bevil the edges of the staves, whether they be straight or curved;

page_text: taper the ends, bore the dowel holes in the pieces which are to form the heads,
and otherwise facilitate the manufacture of the cask; Figure 2 is a side view,
Figure 3, an end view, and Figure 4, a plan view of the improved machine.
, a, is the main framing, carrying a table b; below this table, and working in
suitable bearings carried by the frame a, is a driving shaft c, to which is keyed
a circular saw d, and on which the fast and loose pullies e, e, are also mounted,
the table being slotted to allow of the saw and the pullies projecting upwards
through it. Upon the table an inclined table f is placed, the same being
firmly bolted thereto; the plane of this table is set at an angle to the vertical.
saw d, corresponding to the bevil required for the sides of the staves. On this
inclined table (which is also slotted to allow of the saw projecting through it)
is fitted an adjustable guide bar g, the face of which is set at the same angle.
to the table as that is to the plane of the saw, but in a line parallel with the
saw face; this bar is connected to the inclined table by a pair of arms h, one
of which is formed with a sector for the purpose of clamping the bar when
adjusted to the required position; the bar g, which gauges the width of the
staves, may be moved nearer to or further from the saw according to the width
of stave required to be cut. In order to cut the edges to the proper bevil, it is
only necessary to present the opposite edges or sides of the stave alternately to
the rotating saw. On the opposite side of the saw another adjustable guide
bar i. i, is situated; the slotted arms of this bar are bolted to an adjustable
bed k, which is capable of receiving an endway motion on the V guide of the
inclined table. The bar i, i, is set up at an angle to the saw face for the purpose
of guiding the stave, so that its face shall be tapered from the extremity to
about the middle of the stave; to effect this the stave is moved forward upon
one edge between the guide and the saw, and the latter will quickly cut off so
much of the stave as comes within the plane of its rotation. When one cut
has been made, the stave is turned and the other end is similarly presented to.
be acted upon by the saw; Figures 4 and 4b, shew in plan view and cross
section a modified arrangement of the means for securing the bar i to the
inclined table. In order to admit of a greater or less number of staves being
used to form a cask, it is only necessary to change the angle of inclination of
the inclined table. When bent staves are required to be used to form a
barrel, I secure them on a curved former by clamping their ends, and while in
this constrained position submit them to the machine for bevilling their sides or
edges. For the purpose of forming the dowel holes in the pieces that are to.
form the heads of the casks, I fit a boring bit or auger l, on to the end of the
saw spindle c, and mount a table under the tool as at m, which is carried by
brackets n, n, bolted to the framing a for supporting the work. This table, by

page_text: means of inclines o, o, on its under surface (see Figure 2), I cause to rise and
fall as required, adjusting its height by a regulating screw p, which passes
through a lug attached to the table, and enters a tapped hole in one of
the brackets n. To facilitate the finishing of the barrel, I provide the turning
lathe used for this purpose with an expanding chuck which is shewn in side
view at Figure 5, and in eud view at Figure 6; this chuck consists of a pair
of snail cams r, r, keyed to the mandrils at proper distances apart, and
between these are mounted on the mandril s a pair of discs grooved radially
to receive radial arms t, t, for receiving the barrel to be finished. These
grooved discs are bolted together by rods u, u, and when turned on their axis
will move round simultaneously. The inner ends of the radial arms tabut
against the snail cams, and they are held in the disc grooves by bolts passing
through slots in the discs, or otherwise as thought convenient. By means of
the snail cams r, I drive out the radial arms that they may bear tightly
against the inner face of the barrel (which has been placed over the chuck),
and hold it securely while under the turning operation; when thus mounted
in the lathe, the grooves for receiving the heads may be readily turned in the
inner face of the barrel.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of improvements in the
mode of and apparatus for forming casks or barrels, and explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,―
First, the construction of casks or barrels, whether having a cylindrical
interior or contracting towards the heads, of staves tapering in their longitu-
dinal section, and bevilled at their edges in the manner and for the purpose
above described.
Secondly, I claim the arrangement of mechanism as herein described for
shaping such staves, and otherwise facilitating the manufacture of casks
and barrels.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hadfield, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
GEORGE HADFIELD. (L.S.)