Improvements in the Manufacture of Barrels or Casks.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th July, 1889-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Barrels or Casks.
I, GUSTAV ADOLPH ONCKEN, of Chicago, Illinois United States of America but at
present residing in Berlin in the Empire of Germany, Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of barrels or casks made from one con-
tinuous board, instead of single staves, the said board being cut from a rotating
cylindrical block or log of wood.
For this reason the continuous board, which is as broad as the length of the cask
requires, when leaving the cutting machine is preferably conducted to machinery,
which is adapted to cut out wedge-shaped pieces on both sides of the board, or this
may be done in any other convenient manner, so that the interstices of one edge will
come opposite the solid part of the other edge. The shape of these so scalloped
boards varies according to the convexity to be given to the cask or barrel.
The board is then rolled up according to the diameter of the finished cask, so that
its two ends meet one another. It is then dried in this form, after which the cask is
drawn in at the chimes so that the edges of the scallops on both sides of the board
shall fit closely against each other, when the said cask is hooped.
The chimes or crozings and bevellings are cut in the interior of the cask and the
heads, previously prepared, are put in as is commonly done.
The barrel or cask constructed as above described is easier kept tight in con-
sequence of the reduced number of joints, and the wood being in its natural grain
the cask is much stronger than that made of single staves; moreover for the reason
that the joints are alternately arranged opposite one another the steadiness of the cask
is considerably increased.
I wish it however, clearly understood that these casks can be made of several
boards forming the circumference instead of only one as above described, or of two or
more layers of veneer; in the latter case it would be advisable to arrange the joints
of the several veneers so that they will not meet or come opposite those of the under-
lying layers of wood.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Barrels or Casks.
I, GUSTAV ADOLPH ONCKEN of Chicago, Illinois United States of America but at
present residing in Berlin Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of barrels or casks made from one con-
tinuous board, instead of from single staves, the said board being cut from a rotating
cylindrical block or log of wood.
For this reason the continuous board which is as broad as the length of the cask
required when leaving the cutting-machine is preferably conducted to machinery,
which is adapted to cut out wedge-shaped pieces on both sides of the board, or this
may be done in any other convenient manner so that the interstices of one edge will
come opposite the solid part of the other edge. The shape of these so scalloped boards
varies according to the convexity to be given to the cask or barrel.
The board is then rolled up according to the diameter of the finished cask so that

page_text: its two ends meet one another. It is then dried in this form, if required, after which
the cask being drawn in at the chimes so that the edges of the scallops on both sides
of the board shall fit closely against each other, when the said cask is hooped, or it is
preliminary provided with auxiliary hoops and then dried or burnt by the aid of fire
or hot air from inside.
The chamfering and crozing may be executed while the board is cut from the log,
or before or after the board is rolled up to form a cask and the heads, previously
prepared, are then put in as is commonly done.
In carrying my said invention into practice I preferably make use of the machinery
and appliances illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a double-acting machine employed to cut out
the wedge-shaped pieces successively on both sides of the board.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line H, H of Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sections of a knife or die and its support.
Figure 5 is a top view of the matrix or bottom die adapted for this machine and
Figures 6 and 6ª are cross-sections through the board showing a wedge-shaped
intersection of the bent board in the state while being cut on the machine and when
stretched plain, respectively.
Figure 7 is a plan of the unrolled board provided with interstices for forming a
cask.
Figure 8 shows this board rolled up cylindrically according to the diameter of the
barrel.
Figure 9 is a front view and,
Figure 10 a side elevation partly in vertical section of a furnace and its appliances
used to dry the cask drawn in at the chimes and preliminary hooped and,
Figure 11 shows the finished barrel ready for use.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Either a board of determined length or a continuous board, as coming from a
machine, which cuts the board from a rotating log or block of wood, is conducted into
the machine figures 1 and 2 in which provision has been made for cutting out the
said wedge-shaped pieces of the board in such a manner, that the edges of the
scalloped part of the board will obtain such a slope, that the joints of the cask when
being hooped are exactly in the direction of the radius of the barrel.
For this reason the board, while being kept beneath the cutting dic, is forced to
bend, so that its convex face is first exposed to the action of the cutting die. Thereby
the grain of the wood on the under side of the board is pressed together, while on the
upper side the structure is stretched in such a manner, that the faces of the interstices
cut by the die will diverge at the under face of the board when the latter is stretched,
as will be illustrated by Figure 6 of the drawings.
A A¹ is the frame of the machine carrying the horizontal driving shaft a from
which motion is transmitted preferably by means of chain-wheels b and c and a chain c¹,
to the upper shaft & provided with two cranks f and g and carrying a fly-wheel e. To
these two cranks and g arranged at an angle of 180 degrees to each other, are con-
nected the die-supports k and I, by means of connecting-rods h and i.
These die-supports and are guided perpendicularly in the traverse m and moved
in opposite direction to each other, so that the one attains its highest position when
the other arrives at its lowest point and vice versa. This motion is necessary in order
.to cut out the wedge shaped pieces alternately on one edge and then on the other
edge of the board, which is advanced at regular intervals, so that the interstices of
one edge of the board will always come opposite to the solid part of the other edge.
The dies attached to the die-supports and are not only wedge-shaped according
to the form of the interstices and hollow ground in the direction of their longitudinal
axis, but both their cutting edges retire at the centre (at 1) towards the ends 2 of
the die so as to obtain a better cutting effect (Figures 3 and 4).
The board is advanced at regular intervals by means of the two sets of feeding
rollers 7,
and s,
upon which motion is transmitted by the aid of the friction
clutch, or segment n mounted on a disc n of the shaft a and periodically meshing

page_text: with the friction wheel o of a shaft p. This shaft p carries at its opposite end a
pinion p which meshes with the two gears g and q¹ mounted respectively on the
shafts of the lower feeding rollers and s.
At every revolution of the driving shaft a the friction wheel o is turned according
to the length of the arc of the replaceable friction-segment n¹, and thus the board is
moved correspondingly between said rollers and lands and s', which are pressed
together and adjusted by set screws and respectively acting upon the bearings of
the rollers by means of spring or India-rubber buffers.
While the board is moved forward a certain distance at every revolution of the
driving shaft a the shaft d only needs to make half a revolution during the same time,
so as to cause one of the dies only to descend at every forward movement of the
board.
The diameters of the chain wheels b and c are therefore determined so as to regulate
the speed of the shaft d within the said proportions.
Between the two sets of rollers and s, s¹ is arranged the support t for the
reception of the two matrices or bottom dies 2 in the dove tail grooves t¹. The upper
faces of these bottom-dies t² are conves and somewhat elevated, compared with the
table and the feeding rollers, for the purpose, of bending the board while it is
scalloped as set forth, and in order that the board may at the same time be kept rigid,
the two guide blocks u and u are arranged at both sides of the bottom-dies and in
front of the feeding-rollers r, and s, s¹.
The board is then rolled up, drawn in at the chimes and preliminary hooped to
form a bulged cask as desired, which is then exposed to a fire or a draught of hot air
for drying. For this purpose I preferably make use of a furnace (Figures 9
and 10) from which the gases of combustion or heated air are drawn through a
number of casks, arranged end to end one after the other, by means of an exhauster w
placed at the end of a support carrying the barrels. The so arranged casks forming
a continuous tube through which the hot air is drawn under intermediation of the
funnel kept in place by the side-beams wo² of the said support, whereby the casks
are successively dried from inside.
and
With this support I preferably combine a device for conveying the casks consisting
of an endless belt, which is guided by rollers journalled in the jacks
actuated by the hand wheels 2. On turning the latter all the casks, which are guided
between the side beams a, a, and ³, are caused to travel towards the furnace v,
after the cask next to the latter is removed and instead of which a newly hooped cask
is placed at the other end of the support in front of the funnel w¹, so that a con-
tinuous draught of hot air and drying of casks is effected.
By this arrangement the barrels or casks are dried very slowly and become exposed
gradually to higher temperatures, so that not only are the gases of combustion
advantageously utilized, but the barrels will not need any further burning but are
now ready to have the heads put on after the crozing and chamfering is performed
and to be finally hooped in the usual way.
The barrels constructed as above described and shown in Figure 11 are easier kept
tight in consequence of the reduced number of joints and the wood being in its
natural grain the casks are much stronger than those made of single staves;
moreover for the reason that the joints are alternately arranged opposite one
another the steadiness of the barrel is considerably increased.
I wish it however clearly understood that these casks can be made of several
boards forming the circumference instead of only one as above described, or of two or
more layers of veneer; in the latter case it would be advisable to arrange the joints
of the several veneers so that they do not meet or come opposite those of the under-
lying layers of wood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
T:
The mathod of nondusino kaunato or corks from a continuans hoard or caroral

page_text: layers of veneer cut from a rotating block or log of wood, by cutting out wedge-
shaped pieces on both sides of the board in such a manner, that the interstices of one
edge will come opposite the solid part of the other edge, then rolling up the board to
the diameter of the finished cask, drawing in at the chimes, drying, hooping crozing
and chamfering the cask, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Second. A machine for cutting out wedge-shaped pieces alternately on both edges
of a board for producing barreis or casks consisting of two alternately actuated
cutting-dies in combination with one or more pairs of step by step agitated feeding
rollers, a pair of bottom dies or matrices t² and guide-blocks u, all substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Third. In a machine for cutting out wedge-shaped pieces alternately on both edges
of a continuous board for producing barrels or casks by means of reciprocating
cutting dies a convex bottom-die and a support sloping from the elevated upper face
of the said bottom-die towards the feeding rollers, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. In a machine for cutting out wedge-shaped pieces alternately on both
edges of a continuous board for producing barrels or casks the combination of the
feeding rollers and s, wheels q, q', pinion p on the shaft p', friction-wheel o and a
friction-segment n¹ secured to the driving shaft, all substantially as, and for the
purpose set forth.
Fifth. In combination with a furnace an exhauster w and a support for carrying
and conveying barrels or casks placed end to end to form a continuous tube for con-
ducting the gases of combustion and hot air from the furnace to the exhauster,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 18th day of July 1889
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.