the Manufacture of Barrels and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: the Manufacture of Barrels and the like.
I. JAMES HAWLEY, of Carruthers Street, Vauxhall Road, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:--
This invention relates to machinery or apparatus for setting up staves which may
be heavy and vary in thickness into barrel form. Such apparatus comprises an
arrangement by which the staves to form a barrel are set up in the form of a frustum
of a cone and means for afterwards causing a suspended weight or drop hammer to
fall on to the upper ends of the set up staves in such manner as to drive the staves
tightly against and further through the raising or trussing hoops surrounding their
lower ends the arrangement being such that the staves, although they may be of
unequal thickness, will be quickly gauged within the trussing hoops, and that without
the use of hammers operated by hand as heretofore employed. In one arrangement
of setting up mechanism according to this invention there is a vertical base or
pedestal whose upper end carries a plate to which are attached a number of anti-
friction rollers-On these rollers another plate or disc (hereinafter called a carrier
plate) revolves around a central shaft which can slide inside the base or pedestal as
hereinafter more fully referred to-The carrier plate has a number of arms or jaws
(after the manner of a jawed face plate) capable of moving closer to or further away
from the axis or centre. These arms or jaws have a number of loose dogs or pro-
jections that are capable of being moved up or down as required. On these dogs or
projections one or more raising or trussing hoops rest, the arms or jaws being
previously set to suit the diameters of the boops.
One of the arms or jaws may be provided with a suitable catch against which the
first stave rests and is pressed whilst the remainder are being fed into the raising or
trussing hoops.
The central spindle or axis is provided with a loose circular disc or plate on which
the lower ends of the set up staves rest.

page_text: The central spindle is capable of revolving and of having a sliding motion imparted
to it it may be by links attached to a hand or foot lever according to the size of the
machine and a catch or detent is so arranged that when the central shaft and circular
disc are raised they may be retained in such position until released.
The central spindle and circular disc having been forced upwards the staves are
placed within the trussing hoop or hoops their ends resting on the disc.
After the last stave has been tightly forced in (thus gauging the staves for a given
size according to the diameter of the hoops) the central spindle and disc are moved
down clear of the ends of the staves. The suspended weight or drop hammer is then
allowed to fall for the purpose above referred to.
The face of the suspended weight or hammer is of sufficient diameter to cover and
catch on the upper ends of the set up staves and drive the staves downwards a little
further through the trussing hoops. Suitable means are employed for actuating the
weight or drop hammer. Thus according to one arrangement the weight is connected
to one end of a rope or chain carried over a suitably fixed guide pulley whilst its
other end is secured to a lever that can be actuated in various ways in such manner
as to raise the hammer, and at the proper time allow it to suddenly drop. One method
of actuating the lever is as follows;-one end is so situated that a pin projecting
from a revolving crank disc engages with the lever during one portion of the
revolution of the disc and moves it so as to raise the hammer while during another
portion of its stroke the crank pin will slide off and release the lever quickly and thus
allow the hammer to drop.
The shaft on which the crank disc revolves is provided with a convenient clutch
arrangement such that whilst the shaft continues to revolve the crank dise may be
disconnected just before the hammer has been drawn up to its highest position and
that by moving a lever connected to the clutch gearing it may be again put into gear
and make one complete revolution and then he automatically stopped until the haminer
is to be allowed to fall on to the top of the set up staves.
The crank pin and lever or equivalent mechanism may be arranged to slide so as
to vary the amount of drop given to the hammer to suit different classes of staves as
required.
It will be understood the hammer falls on to the ends of the set up staves with
considerable force and drives the staves further through the raising or trussing hoops
after which the partially trussed staves may be removed from the machine ready
for firing.
By employing apparatus according to my invention staves may be quickly gauged
in the hoops and evenly set up on the outside notwithstanding their inequalities in
thickness and thick and unyielding staves which have previously been cut out to
uniform length may be rapidly driven into the hoops and held tightly together without
using a hand hammer to drive them down as is now usual. It is obvious that the
details of my invention may be modified and varied to suit particular application
without departure from its distinctive features.
400

page_text: Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Setting up Staves in
the Manufacture of Barrels and the like.
I, JAMES HAWLEY of Carruthers Street, Vauxhall Road, Liverpool, in the county
of Lancaster, 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 machinery or apparatus for setting up staves, which may
be heavy and vary in thickness, into barrel form. Such apparatus comprises an
arrangement by which the staves to form a barrel are set up in the form of a frustum
of a cone and means for afterwards causing a suspended weight or drop hammer made
in the form of a cone to lower or fall on to the upper ends of the set up staves in such
manner as to drive the staves tightly against the raising or trussing hoops surrounding
their ends, the arrangement being such that the staves although they may be of
unequal thickness, will be quickly gauged within the trussing hoops and that without
the use of hammers operated by hand as heretofore employed. In one arrangement
of setting up mechanism according to this invention there is a vertical base or pedestal
whose upper end carries a plate to which are attached a number of anti-friction rollers.
On these rollers another plate or disc (hereinafter called a carrier plate) revolves
around a central shaft which revolves inside the base or pedestal as hereinafter more
fully referred to. The carrier plate has a number of arms or jaws (after the manner
of a jawed face plate) capable of moving closer to or further away from the axis or
centre. These arms or jaws have a number of loose dogs or projections that are
capable of being moved up or down as required. On these dogs or projections one or
more raising or trussing boops rest the arms or jaws being previously set to suit the
diameter of the boops.
One of the arms or jaws may be provided with a suitable catch against which the
first stave rests and is pressed whilst the remainder are being fed into the raising or
trussing hoops.
The central spindle or axis may be provided when certain classes of barrels are
being treated with a loose circular disc or plate on which the lower ends of the set up
staves rest.
The central spindle is capable of revolving and of having a sliding motion imparted
to it, it may be by link attached to a band or foot lever according to the size of the
machine, and a catch or detent is so arranged that when the central shaft and circular
disc are raised they may be retained in such position until released.
The central spindle and circular disc having been forced upwards the staves are
placed within the trussing hoop or hoops their ends resting on the disc.
After the last stave has been tightly forced in (thus guaging the staves for å given
size according to the diameter of the hoops) the centre spindle and disc are moved
down clear of the ends of the staves. The suspended weighted cone or gatherer is:
then allowed to fall or is lowered for the purpose above referred to.
+
•

page_text: '
The open mouth of the suspended weighted cone or gatherer is of sufficient diameter
to encircle and catch on the upper ends of the set up staves and gather in or truss
their upper ends.
Suitable means are employed for actuating the weighted cone or gatherer.
Thus according to one arrangement the weight is connected to one end of a rope or
chain carried over a suitably fixed guide pulley whilst its other end is secured to a
lever that can be actuated in various ways in such manner as to raise the weighted
cone or gatherer and at the proper time allow it to suddenly drop. One, method of
actuating the lever is as follows; one end is so situated that a pin projecting from
a revolving crank disc engages with the lever during one portion of the revolution
of the disc and moves it so as to raise the weighted cone or gatherer while during
another portion of its stroke the crank pin will slide off and release the lever
quickly and thus allow it to drop on the cone or gatherer it may be attached by a
connecting rod to the before mentioned crank pin.
The shaft on which the crank disc revolves is provided with a convenient clutch
arrangement such that whilst the shaft continues to revolve the crank disc may be
disconnected just before the hammer has been drawn up to its highest position and
that by moving a lever connected to the clutch gearing it may be again put into
gear and make one complete revolution and then be automatically stopped until the
weighted cone or gatherer is to be allowed to fall onto the top of the set up staves.
The crank pin and lever or equivalont mechanism may be arranged to slide so as to
vary the amount of drop given to the weighted cone or gatherer to suit different
classes of staves as required.
By employing apparatus according to my invention staves may be quickly gauged
in the hoops and evenly set up on the outside notwithstanding their unequalities in
thickness and the thick and unyielding staves which have previously been cut out to
uniform length may be rapidly trussed and held tightly together without using a
hand hammer to drive them down as is now usual.
Referring to the accompanying two sheets of drawings:
Fig. 1. shews a portion of a setting up form in section for one class of staves
according to my invention, the framework & driving gear being similar to that
illustrated in Fig. 2, which shews a sectional elevation of a modified form suitable for
setting up gauging and partially trussing old staves such as shooks that have previously
been made into barrel form.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the head gear only taken at right angles to Fig. 2.
Fig. 4. is a plan or top view of same.
Fig. 5. is a sectional plan looking down on the revolving table, trussing or gauging
hoops, &c.
Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the drawings.
Two modifications of setting up and gauging apparatus are illustrated slightly
varying in detail to suit different classes of staves for example.
The arrangement illustrated in fig. 1. is suitable for setting up gauging & partially
trussing new staves, whilst in the arrangement fully illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 the
apparatus is specially designed to deal with bent staves such as shooks i.e. staves that
have previously been made into barrels & afterwards knocked down.
I have found in practice that an elastic inner support must be inserted to prevent
the curved or old staves from falling inwards if set up at a convenient angle for
gathering their upper or open ends together by a drop hainmer or gatherer.
In Fig. 1. the ends of the set up staves do not rest on the upper side of a carrier
plate as illustrated in Fig. 2. but are supported whilst been gauged and set up by a
sliding plate that may be lowered before the drop hammer or gathering cone is
lowered or forced down as hereafter explained.
In Fig. 1. only the main portion of this arrangement is illustrated, the driving gear
being similar to that illustrated in Figs. 2. to 5.
A. is a base or foundation plate on which the apparatus is fixed. B, is a vertical
pedestal provided with antifriction rollers C, C, arranged in two forms as shewn in
Figs. 1. & 2, that support or guide a circular carrier plate D. This plate according to

page_text: either modification carries four (or more according to size of machine) arnis or jaws E. E
sliding in dovetailed slot holes and provided with adjusting bolts, so that they may be
moved closer to or further from the centre of the carrier plate to suit the size of
raising or gauging hoops G, G¹.
In Fig. 1. a carrier plate F capable of being raised or lowered is provided, on which
the ends of the staves whilst being set up & gauged rest. It is moved by the foot
lever F, and may be retained in any position by a catch not shewn taking on the longer
arm thereof.
In this arrangement which is designed for new straight staves no central or inner
support is necessary as the staves will remain at a convenient angle to suit their open
ends being gathered in as hereafter explained, but when the machine is employed for
setting up & gauging curved or old staves it is necessary to press their inner surfaces
outwards sufficiently to retain them against and inside the raising or gauging
hoops G, G¹.
To overcome this difficulty I employ a number of hinged arms H, H in this case,
for example, eighteen. They are each pivotted to a central disc J, Fig. 2, provided
with a loose cap and taking on a vertical spindle J Fig. 2.
Each of the arms are formed with two bent steel springs J2 J2 secured to their outer
ends. The central disc J is capable of being raised or lowered on the central spindle J',
and retained in the required position by a pin or spring latch the point of which takes
into holes provided in the central spindle J to receive it.
When hoops G, G₁ of the required size have been placed within the arms or
jaws E, E, and rest on bolt heads E¹ E¹ taking in slotted holes provided therein, the
central discs J, Figs. 2 & 5 is raised or lowered according to the thickness of staves
under treatment so far that the curved springs J2 J2 may press against the insides of
both thick or thin staves, or of staves that inay' be warped or twisted, sufficiently to
retain the outer sides of the said staves against the hoops G, G¹.
This method gives more even gauging than that produced by employing an unyielding
ring or cone placed concentric with the outside raising hoops G, G¹.
After the staves have been set up in the shape of a frustum of a cone or truncated
cone according to the class of staves under treatment it is advantageous with new
straight staves to drive them still further through the raising or gauging hoops G, G¹
by first supporting their lower ends on the before mentioned plate F, and then driving
them down after it has been lowered as before described.
When dealing with old curved staves or shooks it is not necessary as their lower ends
are sufficiently held together when their open ends are trussed by dropping down or
lowering the before mentioned drop hammer which may be made in the form of a
cone K, having an open mouth sufficiently large to encircle the largest diameter the
set up staves take.
The cone shaped drop hammer K, provided with brackets for securing it to a
crossbar L, which also carries slides Ĺ¹ L taking on and guided by the vertical rods
or supports M, M.
The cone K is made about the same diameter at its smaller end as the lower raising
or gauging hoop G and is provided with a similar trussing hoop G placed inside
and retained there by two sliding spring latches K¹ withdrawn by curved hand
levers K Fig. 2.
The crossbar L, and cone K, may be suspended as previously described or for some
classes of staves by the connecting rod N, pivotted at one end to the regulating
joint P, and its upper end to the crank pin Q, in the toothed disc wheel Q' represented
by dotted circles in Fig. 3.
The crank wheel Q₁ is driven by a toothed pinion Q² secured to the shaft R,
carried in bearings as shewn in Figs. 2. 3 & 4. The shaft is provided with a pulley R¹
rotating loosely on the shaft & guided endwise by collars.
One side of the pulley R' is made to form one side of a friction coupling, gearing
with this, a sliding coupling R2 taking on a fixed key in the shaft R, is moved end-
wise by a lever (not shewn) in one direction into gear with the rotating pulley R',
and when moved in the opposite direction its opposite end comes into gear with

page_text: a friction disc or brake formed with the pedestal S, as shewn in Fig. 2, so that
the gathering cone may be instantly stopped.
In a machine for gauging and setting up some classes of staves for the manufacture of
keys or small barrels the connecting rod N, may be dispensed with and the drop
hammer er cone K, and cross bar L, be made heavy and drop suddenly down onto the
staves as previously described.
It will be understood that after the staves have been set up (i.e. straight or' curved
one) the drop hammer or cone K, is either lowered or dropped over the open ends
of the stave with sufficient force to bring their ends together and drive the trussing
hoops G2 partially down, where it is left when the spring latches K' K' are opened
and the cone K, raised.
The partially trussed barrel rim is then lifted out from between the arms or jaws E E,
the hinged arms H, H, and bent springs J2 J2 lift up as indicated by the dotted circles
in Fig. 2. to allow the rim to be drawn off.
The length of the stroke or drop of cone K will vary with staves of different
classes and weight of head.
By this arrangement the machine can be quickly changed to suit a barrel of a
different size by disconnecting the cone K from the cross bar L and slides L' L¹
also moving the arms E E and substituting a larger or smaller disc J and arms H H.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed what I claim in a machine
for setting up and guaging staves for barrels or the like is :-
1. A revolving plate carrying staves held together in gauging hoops in combination
with a drop hammer or gathering in cone raised and lowered by a connecting rod, rope
or chain substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
2. A revolving carrier plate provided with adjustable arms or jaws carrying hoops
in combination with a central elastic form or expander substantially as described.
3. An inner elastic form or expander composed of a number of hinged arms pivotted
to a moveable disc, each arm being provided with curved springs in combination with
concentrically arranged gauging or raising hoops substantially as described and for the
purpose specified.
4. I also claim, the improved apparatus for setting-up staves constructed arranged
and operating substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Doted this 20th day of December 1800
J. HAWLEY,
Per L. W.
3