Improvements in and relating to Stave Jointing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Stave Jointing Machines.
We, JAMES PLEUKHARP and WILLIAM KELSEY LIGGETT, Citizens of the
United States of America, residing respectively at No. 80 West Third Avenue,
and No. 178 East Town Street, in the City of Columbus, County of Franklin,
and State of Ohio, one of the United States of America, Manufacturers, 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 stave jointing machines specially designed for jointing
the standard staves set forth in the British Patent Specification No. 7341 of 1891,
and as an improvement in this class of machinery; and aims to secure a con-
tinuous feed of the blanks which form the elements of the barrel, between the
saws or cutters, and at the same time give to the said blanks the proper shape
which they would assume when set up and bound together to form the barrel.
The improvement consists of the novel features and the peculiar construction
and combination of the parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and
claimed and which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which―
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stave jointing machine embodying our inven-
tion, the forward portion of the hopper and feeder being broken away.
Figure 2 is a reverse side view of the machine, the middle portion of the hopper
and feeder being broken away.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine, parts being broken away for the
sake of clearness.
Figure 4 is a cross section of the upper portion of the machine on the line X-X
of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrow.
Figure 5 shows respectively a side elevation and top plan view of a portion of
the upper former and carrier, parts being broken away to show the relative
arrangement of the elements.
Figure 6 shows respectively a side elevation and top plan view of a portion of
the lower former and carrier, parts being broken away in the plan view to show
the relative arrangement of the links and coupling pins.
Figure 7 is a cross section of the entire machine on the line X-X of Figure 3,
looking in the direction of the arrow, showing the preferred form of stave, which
is straight on the inner face between its edges, in place between the formers.
The frame A, which may be of any approved form of construction, is preferably
composed of corner posts and side and end bars in the usual manner. The bed
plate C for supporting the jointing devices, is mounted on the side bars of the
frame and is provided with suitable bearings in which are mounted the saw
arbors B and the smoothing cutters D, set to make the proper angles on the
staves. The shaft E provided with pulleys e is journalled in brackets E' at one
end of the frame A and receives motion from a suitable source of power by
means of the endless belt E². The saws B' are driven by means of the endless
belts b, b, which pass over suitable pulleys on the saw arbors, and over the pulleys e
on the shaft E. The smoothing cutters D of any approved form of construction,
are provided, to remove any splinters or other roughness on the edges of the staves
that might be occasioned by the saws.
The hopper F at the receiving end of the machine is suitably constructed to
receive the pile of blanks e* which have already been evened, and has a delivery
slot f, at its lower end through which the blanks are carried to the jointing devices.

page_text: The spring it is preferred to provide two, one on each side of the feeder, as
shown in Figure 3-is secured to the end of the hopper and serves to prevent
more than one stave at a time being carried forward to the jointing devices.
The slot being wide, spring f' serves to hold the stave blank down close against
the feeder and prevents any loose flopping movement thereof. The feeder is an
endless chain G, which passes around suitable pulleys or sprocket wheels at the
ends of the hopper, and which is provided at proper intervals with projection g
the purpose of which is to engage with the end of the blank at the bottom of the
pile and carry the same forward to the travelling formers. One of the shafts
supporting the carrier G is extended and provided with sprocket wheel g₁ which
receives its motion from shaft H by means of the sprocket chain g² which passes
around sprocket wheel g' and a corresponding sprocket wheel on the shaft H.
The travelling formers I and J are constructed to give the proper shape to
the blanks both in length and cross sectional area, which shape corresponds to that
which the stave will assume when it is in place and forms an element of the
completed barrel. The sole purpose of the formers is to give the proper shape to
the blanks during the process of jointing, and that the latter may be continuous,
the said formers are made to travel. In as much as one former is the complement
of the other and the blanks are firmly held between them, the said formers must
travel in the same direction and at a uniform speed. For simplicity and economy
of construction and operation the formers are constructed after the fashion of
endless chains and are composed of a series of links which are coupled
together. The lower former, shown most clearly in Figure 6, is composed
of a series of links which are connected by cross bars or pins upon which
are mounted rollers to relieve friction. Each chain is composed of a series
of formers; the link connecting the formers of the lower chain is provided with
a projection which extends up and forms an index to ensure the proper position
of the stave blanks between the travelling formers and assist the formers in
carrying the said blanks forward in a positive manner. The links of the lower
former increase in height from the ends to a medial point between the said ends,
giving the former a convex outline in side elevation. The links are so constructed
that the curved outline is continuous. The bed supports the upper portion of
the former J against the pressure of the former I, and is equal in width to the
length of the rollers between the links, so that the latter will embrace the edges
of the said bed and maintain the said former in a fixed relative position. The
endless chain former J is supported at its ends by pulleys J' and J³, the latter
being adjustable to take up wear and keep the said chain taut. The transverse
shafts K and L are geared together at one end by the pinion ¹ on shaft K
meshing with the gear wheel on the shaft L. The pulley J¹ is mounted on
shaft L. The shaft K is provided on its opposite end with sprocket wheel k
which is driven from shaft M by means of the sprocket chain m³ which passes
around the sprocket wheel m¹ on shaft M and sprocket wheel k. The shaft M
receives motion from shaft E through endless belt N which passes over pulley m
and around pulley e³ on shaft E. This belt N passes around idler n and over
pulley o, on the crank arm o¹ at one end of the shaft O, the other end of the said
shaft being provided with a corresponding arm o² to which is attached lever o³,
the latter having notches of, which engage with stop of and hold the said lever o
and pulley o in the desired position so as to maintain the proper degree of tension
on the said belt N.
The upper chain I is composed of a series of connected formers, the links of
which gradually diminish in height from the ends to the middle of the said formers
proportionate to the increase in height of the corresponding links of the lower
former, so as to obtain a uniform space between the complementary formers for
the reception of the blanks.
The cross bars or pins which couple the links of the former I are extended, and
the extended ends are provided with rollers i which engage with the parts of the

page_text: pulleys 1 and 1* which support the chain former I at its ends. The cross pieces ¿¹
between the members of a link of the chain and arranged at intervals in the length
of said chain, are concaved in the center and flare gradually towards their ends, the
purpose being to conform to the curvature of the outer surface of the stave blanks
in cross section, see Figures 4 and 7. The frame P which sustains the upward
pressure on the lower portion of the former I by reason of the rollers i travelling
on the lower edge of the said frame, and which supports the said former and
pulleys I and I, is mounted at its ends upon the reduced portions of standards Q,
which project up from the frame A. The shoulders at the base of the reduced
portions of said standards limit the downward movement of the said frame P, the
said frame being adapted to move upward to allow for any variation in the thickness
of the stave blanks against the tension of the springs 7 which are confined between
the upper side of the frame P and nuts q' on the upper ends of the said standards Q.
The nuts q' are adjustable to regulate the tension on the said springs q. The
shaft R having sprocket wheel on one end, receives motion from the said belt or
sprocket chain m² and its other end is provided with pinion which is in mesh with
the gear wheels s on the shaft S on which the pulley I' is mounted. The frame P
is open and the links of former I are constructed to come between the open sides
thereof, Figure 7. The rollers i are preferably flanged at their inner ends as shown
most clearly in Figure 7, and these flanges engage with the inner faces of the sides
of the frame P and hold the said former I in a fixed relative position.
The sprocket chain m² passes around the sprocket wheels k and and through
the mechanism hereinbefore described imparts motion to the two formers I and J,
and passes around sprocket wheel h¹ on shaft H, and through the instrumentality of
the aforesaid mechanism, actuates the feeder G.
The parts being set in motion in the manner aforesaid, and the stave blanks ex
being placed in the hopper, they are fed one at a time between the formers I and J
by means of which they are given the proper shape and carried forward between
the saws B and the smoothing cutters D. The blanks are carried forward one
after the other end to end except for the projection ; which comes between the
contiguous ends of the two stave blanks. The operation is continuous and
practically automatic, because the staves are automatically fed from the hopper to
the forners, are shaped by the latter and carried by them to the jointing cutters
and delivered by the said formers at the rear end of the machiné after the process
of jointing.
The machine is equally well adapted for staves whether the inner face is straight
or curved between the edges.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In a stave jointing machine, the combination of complementary endless
chain formers, each former of the lower chain having a continuous convex out-
line, and having a projection, the links composing the upper chain formers
being connected by pins which have their ends projected beyond the sides of
the links, rollers mounted on the projecting ends of the said pins, and beds to
support the opposing portions of the chain formers against the tension of the
blanks, the upper bed having portions to embrace the sides of the upper chain
former and receive the stress of the said rollers, substantially as described.
2. In a stave jointing machine, the combination of endless formers, and jointing
cutters, of a bed j' located between the side bars of the links comprising the
lower former, and a bed comprising side bars P to embrace the upper former,
substantially as described.
3. In a stave jointing machine, the combination with the jointing cutters, of
endless chain formers to shape the stave blanks and carry them between the
jointing cutters, a frame carrying one of the formers, standards for supporting

page_text: the said frame and provided with stops to limit the movement of the said frame
in one direction, springs to hold the frame yieldingly against the said stops, and
nuts for adjusting the tension of the said springs, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of August 1893
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.