apparatus
Year: 1886

page_text: I CHARLES HEWITT of Swanscombe in the County of Kent Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in machinery and apparatus for
trussing casks.
It is usual at present in trussing casks to use trussing cones; the cones have
recesses in them in which heavy iron hoops (the truss hoops) are lodged. The
staves for the cask having been set up in order on a table are then lifted by the
table towards the hoops and the cone gathers the staves into them..
The truss hoops at present employed are made from metal rectangular in section
and the hoops are themselves coned to adapt them to the taper of the cask.
Now according to my invention I use truss hoops which are made of round iron
and the grooves in the trussing cone are so proportioned that the hoops project so
that as the trussing table rises the staves come to bear on the inner surfaces of
the hoops.
°
The curved sectional form of the hoop permits the staves to pass freely and
hoops of somewhat different sizes may be used in the same groove so that the
dimensions of the cask may be accurately suited.
Another improvement also which I make in the trussing cone adapts it for use
in trussing casks of different sizes whereas at present it is usual to change the
trussing cone when a cask of a different size is to be trussed.
In place of doing this I employ a deeper cone and provide additional grooves
in it some of which are out of use whilst others are being employed.
In order that the staves may pass freely by the grooves which are out of use and
which contain no truss hoops I make the upper side of each groove inclined so that
the staves coming into contact with it may be diverted inwards towards the centre
and may pass the grooves freely. Hoops of half round iron may be employed but
less conveniently.
These arrangements present many advantages amongst which are the following:
the hoops are lighter cheaper and easier to make; the hoops at present employed
require to be coned and turned in a lathe whereas my improved round metal hoops
only require to be welded up.

page_text: The hoops being lighter are also easier to use, and further they are less liable to
get out of order because the part of the hoop which comes into contact with the
staves is within where it is little likely to be exposed to violence. In consequence
of the narrow bearing they take upon the staves they produce neater work.
Less power is required in trussing on account of the reduction in friction arising
from the rounded inner surface of the hoop projecting from the inner surface of
the cone.
Different sizes of casks can be trussed in consequence of additional grooves being
provided and also because to some extent different sizes of round iron hoops can be
employed in the same groove.

page_text: I, CHARLES HEWITT of Swanscombe in the County of Kent 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 has for its object improvements in machinery and apparatus for
trussing casks.
It is usual at present in trussing casks to use trussing cones, the cones have
recesses in them in which heavy iron hoops. (the truss hoops) are lodged. The
staves for the cask having been set up in order on a table are then lifted by the
table towards the hoops and the cone gathers the staves into them.
The truss hoops at present employed are made from metal rectangular in section
and the hoops are themselves coned to adapt them to the taper of the cask.
Now according to my invention I use truss hoops which are made of round iron
and the grooves in the trussing cone are so proportioned that the hoops project so
that as the trussing table rises the staves come to bear on the inner surfaces of
the hoops.
The curved sectional form of the hoop permits the staves to pass freely.
Another improvement also which I make in the trussing cone adapts it for use
in trussing casks of different sizes whereas at present it is usual to change the
trussing cone when a cask of a different size is to be trussed.
In place of doing this I employ a deeper cone and provide additional grooves
in it some of which are out of use whilst others are being employed.
In order that the staves may pass freely by the grooves which are out of use and
which contain no truss hoops I make the upper side of each groove inclined so that
the staves coming into contact with it may be diverted inwards towards the centre
and may pass the grooves freely.
These arrangements present many advantages amongst which are the following:
the hoops are lighter cheaper and easier to make; the hoops at present employed
require to be coned and turned in a lathe whereas my improved round metal hoops
only require to be welded up.
The hoops being lighter are also easier to use, and further they are less liable to
get out of order because the part of the hoop which comes into contact with the
staves is within where it is little likely to be exposed to violence. In consequence
of the narrow bearing they take upon the staves they produce neater work.
Less power is required in trussing on account of the reduction in friction arising
from the rounded inner surface of the hoop projecting from the inner surface of
the cone.
Different sizes of casks can be trussed in consequence of additional grooves being
provided.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Figure 3 is a sectional plan and figure 4 shows full size a section of one of the
round trussing hoops and the outline of the groove in the trussing cone in which
the hoop lies.
""
a. a. is the table of the machine; b. b. are the staves set up upon it in loose
temporary or raising hoops c. c. The staves thus arranged are called the "raise
The staves are set up cold, fired over cressets or suitable fire holders and then
brought to the machine. The table a can be raised by an hydraulic press or
otherwise and as it rises it is guided by the columns d. d. These columns also
serve to carry the trussing cone which is made in two parts e' e. The part e¹ is
able to open out from the part e as it can turn freely about one of the columns d.
The other column carries a clip f which also can turn about the column so that the
two parts e¹e can be closed together and then locked by the aid of the clip which
is provided with a tightening screw f' as shown.
g. g. are the truss hoops they are placed in the cone before the parts are shut
together.
In trussing a cask the table is set in motion and the upper ends of the staves
enter the cone, (the upper temporary hoop c, having just previously been removed)
and they are drawn together by the cone into the truss hoops g. Nuts h. h. on the
screw columns d stop the rise of the table.at the proper place. The bell is then
opened and the cask removed. The other end is trussed in a similar manner.
"
a¹ is a rim on the table to confine the staves at their lower ends during the first
operation, a³ is a projection to centre the cask in the second operation of trussing.
Sometimes I do not provide a groove in the cone for the largest truss hoop
called the "pitch-hoop" but only for the upper hoops called the "quarter hoop
and the "head hoop In this case I drop the pitch hoop loosely over the "raise
and so make the cone that the shoulder of the bell catches the pitch hoop and
forces it down to its place.
"
"
As will be seen I make the cone deeper than usual and I provide in it more than
one series of grooves that is to say more grooves than are required at any one
time. This I do as already stated in order that the cone may be available for
different sizes of casks; the grooves to be employed in each case being suitably
selected The form which I give to these grooves so that the upper ends of the
staves may pass freely when there is no hoop in the groove is clearly shown by
Figure 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The use in trussing casks of truss hoops of round iron and a trussing cone
adapted to receive such hoops substantially as described.
2. The use in trussing casks of a deep trussing cone with more than one series
of grooves and with the upper side of each groove inclined to enable the staves to
pass them so that by suitably selecting the grooves casks of different sizes inay be
trussed without changing the trussing cone substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of October 1886.