NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PARTIALLY PREPARING WOOD STAVES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CASKS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Thornley and Thomas Buxton, of Burton-
upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford, Engineers, for the Invention
of "NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PARTIALLY PREPARING WOOD STAVES
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CASKS."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Thornley and
Thomas Buxton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition and Declaration, on the 18th January 1875,
pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act,
1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
THORNLEY and THOMAS BUXTON, of Burton-upon-Trent, in the County
of Stafford, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR PARTIALLY PREPARING WOOD STAVES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
CASKS," and have petitioned Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria
to grant unto us, our executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that we
are the first and true Inventors thereof, and that the same is not in

page_text: use by any other person or persons to the best of our knowledge and
belief.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Thornley and Thomas
Buxton, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is the production of an improved
arrangement or combination of machinery for partially and uniformly
preparing wood, or timber staves for the manufacture of casks of any
desired shape and size.
In order that our said Invention may be more easily and more fully
understood and be more readily performed, we now proceed to explain
the same with the aid of the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings,
which form part of this Specification, referrence being made thereto by
the numerals and letters marked thereon, and which reference applies to
each Figure of the said Drawings where the same index numerals and
letters appear.
Sheet A, the Figures on which are drawn to a scale of one-eighth the
full size. Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved machinery;
Figure 2 is a horizontal plan of the same.
Sheet B, Figure 3 on which is drawn to a scale of one-eighth the full
size, and Figures 4 and 5 to a scale of one-fourth the full size.-Figure 3
is a transverse section of the same machinery on the line A, B, Figures 1
and 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section on part of the line
C, D, Figure 2, shewing the cutters and binding levers; Figure 5 is a
plan shewing the said binding levers.
Our said improved machinery is mounted in suitable and efficient
framing, as shewn in the Drawings, and may be driven with or by steam
or other efficient motive power properly connected with the driving
shaft a, which is formed or fitted with the requisite pullics a¹, a², a³, for
imparting motion, in conjunction with driving bands, to the cutter
spindles b, b', and also for driving the countershaft 63 which actuates
the feed gear. The cutter spindle b¹ is operated through the intermediate
shaft a On the shaft is fitted a toothed and bevilled pinion c, the
teeth of which work in the teeth of a larger bevil wheel c¹, and thereby
operate it. The said wheel c¹ is secured to or upon the shaft d, on which
shaft d is formed or fitted the worm d¹, so shaped and placed as to gear

page_text: in and operate the worm wheel e. This wheel e is keyed on to the cam
shaft e¹: On the shaft e¹ is also fitted the chain wheelf for carrying or
giving motion to the endless chain ƒ³, which chain f¹ with the aid of the
metal blocks or dogs fitted thereon passes the staves y between and
beyond the rotary cutters h, h. These cutters are of the usual kind for
this description of work.
Staves for casks are usually formed thinnest in the middle of their
length, and with increasing thickness towards each end thereof. This
we accomplish by gradually lowering and elevating the upper or
hollowing cutters ', whilst operating on the staves, by means of the
cams on the shaft e¹ operating the framing j, in the upper part of
which framing the said cutters / are mounted and move up and down
with it.
The lower or "backing" cutters are similar to those already in use
for backing" staves.
In operating our said improved machinery, the staves g to be prepared
are in. succession placed on the table or framing k, as shewn in red at s
in Figures 1 and 2, when each stave is caught by one of the moving
dogs 2 and passed forward between the cutters h, ', which shape it
during its passage towards the opposite end of the table. The lower or
"backing"-cutters are made in two parts, and the cutter block /² is
turned or formed cylindrical, thus leaving a channel or space ³ for the
feed chain f¹ to pass through without touching the cutter or the cutter
block, see Figures 3 and 4. The said staves g are kept true in their
course by the guide springs and the weighted levers m and n, the said
guide springs pressing against the edges of the staves, and the said
levers upon the upper side thereof, one in front and the other in the rear
of the cutters.
By varying the distance between the dogs f2 on the feed chain f¹, and
mounting a chain wheel to suit the same, staves of any length can be
prepared by our machinery. One revolution of the chain wheel moves
the chain f¹ an exactly equal distance to that at which the dogs f* are
fixed apart.
By altering the curves of the edges of the cutters, staves can be formed
to suit any circumference of cask.
By our improved machinery staves can be prepared of one uniform
thickness at their respective relative parts, even when they are twisted

page_text: or otherwise misshapen. This will effect a saving in the labour of
trussing, prevent breakage of staves, and aid materially in making casks
of a uniform capacity with an even inside surface.
When a stave is bent downwards at its ends the weighted levers m, n,
keep the middle of such stave down upon the projection or raised bed p,
and when a stave is bent upwards at its ends the said levers will keep
the part of the stave being operated on down upon the said raised bed p,
and thus make all the staves alike.
In the case of twisted staves the lever m, having a wide bearing upon
the stave, see X, Figures 4 and 5, will keep such stave flat down upon
the raised bed while being operated upon, and the bent lever n having
a narrow bearing upon the stave will allow the stave to twist as it passes
from and beyond the cutters.
We estimate the cost of thus partially preparing staves by our
improved machinery at less than one-fourth the present cost thereof.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the method of performing the same, we claim as our
Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-.
Firstly. The method of dressing or preparing (called "hollowing" and
backing") wood staves for casks on both sides thereof at one and the
same time.
66
Secondly. The method of so dressing bent, twisted, or other misshapen
staves.
And, Thirdly. The method of lowering and raising the upper or
"hollowing" cutters for dressing or preparing staves to a gradually
varying thickness, all substantially as herein described and shewn in the
Drawings.
'
In witness whereof, we, the said George Thornley and Thomas
Buxton, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth
day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-five.