Improvements in Trussing Machines for Use in Making Casks or the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1897
Camalata Onnnifination Inft 12th
Lon 1000 Accented 10th Feb
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION:
Improvements in Trussing Machines for Use in Making Casks or
the like.
I, ROBERT COLLEN, of 30, Pigott Street, Limehouse, in the County of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to trussing machines for use in making casks or the like of
different sizes and is applicable to machines either of the type known as open
trussing machines or of the type known as close trussing machines.
In a machine constructed according to this invention the hydraulic or other
pressure device for forcing the trussing hoops onto the staves is provided with a
reversible head or double cone each side of which operates on a cask or the like
of a size which may differ from that on which the other side operates. Each cone
or head is preferably formed in parts which can be opened and closed for the
introduction of the trussing hoops into the grooves therein and for their removal
therefrom.
In a vertical trussing machine in which the pressure may be applied vertically
the reversible head may be used for placing the trussing hoops
the upper end only of the cask or the like and may be pivotted to
a fork or yoke operated by a hydraulic or other pressure exerting device
at the upper part of the machine. In this arrangement a second reversible head
is not necessary as the trussing hoops to be placed on the lower end of the cask or
the like may be supported in brackets secured to the machine base and adjustable
for supporting hoops of different sizes in accordance with the size of the casks.or
the like to be trussed.
In a close trussing machine wherein the pressure may be applied horizontally
two reversible heads or cones may be used one moveable with the pressure exerting
device and the other stationary.
The reversible heads or cones may be secured in their operative positions by
pins bolts or other devices.
In trussing machines in which hydraulic pressure is applied vertically by means
of an inverted cylinder the upper end of the said cylinder may be connected with
the waste water tank and the piston may be allowed to descend by gravity through
the greater part of its down stroke during which the waste water may be drawn,
by the vacuum produced, into the cylinder so as to save the pressure water which
need be admitted only at or near the end of the stroke when the communication
between the cylinder and waste water tank is not open.
Dated this 13th day of April 1897.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trussing Machines for Use in Making Casks or
the like.
I, ROBERT COLLEN, of 30, Pigott Street, Limehouse, in the County of London,
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:―
66
39
This invention relates to trussing machines for use in making casks or the like of
different sizes and is applicable to machines either of the type known as 'open'
trussing machines or of the type known as "close" trussing machines.
In a machine constructed according to this invention the hydraulic or other
pressure device for forcing the trussing hoops on to the staves is provided with a
reversible head or double cone each side or cone of which operates on a cask of a
size differing from that on which the other side or cone operates.
6.
I will describe the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings in which
two different examples of its application are shewn. Figures 1 to 6 inclusive
shewing it applied to a vertical, or what is herein termed an open" trussing
machine and Figures 7 to 9 inclusive shewing it applied to a horizontal or what is
herein termed a close trussing machine.
"
In these drawings:
"
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front and a side elevation of the open trussing
machine, of which, the base is shewn in plan in Figure 3.
Figure 4 is a view of a portion of the apparatus shewn partly in vertical section
and partly in back elevation.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the lines 5-5 of Figures 1 and 4 with the
yoke omitted.
Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section on the lines 6-6 of Figures 1 and 4.
Figure 7 is a view of the close trussing machine shewn partly in front elevation
and partly in longitudinal section.
Figure 8 is an end elevation of the last named machine and
Figure 9 is an elevation of a detached portion of the said machine.
Like letters of reference represent like or similar parts throughout the drawings.
The two trussing machines shewn in the drawings are both represented as oper-
ated by hydraulic power but it is to be understood that the reversible head or double
cone may be applied to machines operated by any other power, the term "pressure
device" used herein being intended to apply to any means which may conveniently
be used for supplying the necessary pressure.
In the open trussing machine shewn in Figures 1 to 6 wherein the pressure
device A is situated at the upper part of the apparatus, the reversible head or double
cone B is pivotted by its trunnions b in blocks C secured to a fork or yoke A³
operated by the pressure device A. The standards or guides D D¹ restrict the
movement of the blocks C to a vertical path.
The reversible head B is internally conical at its upper and lower parts these two
cones 62 63 being of different size as shewn most clearly in Figure 6.
Each of the cones 62 63 as in other existing trussing machines is divided vertically
so that one of its parts may form a hinged door 64 which, when opened, as shewn for
example in Figure 5, gives ready access to the interior of the cone for the inser-
tion into or removal from its grooves 65, of the trussing hoops. The two doors b
are hinged to opposite sides of the head B so that each of the said doors may be
presented towards the front of the machine when the particular cone to which it
appertains, is presented downwards that is to say when it is in its operative position.
The doors are retained in their closed position by screw-bail devices 66 which

page_text: may be turned inwards against the cones to enable them to clear the yoke A² when
the head B is being reversed. The head may be locked in either of its two opera-
tive positions by means of a pin or bolt E which fits into a hole formed, half in one
of the guide blocks Cand half in the adjacent surface of the head B.
On the base plate F are provided, adjustable brackets f f for supporting the
trussing hoops which are to be fitted on to the lower ends of the staves, and, adjust-
able rings f³ against which the lower ends of the staves rest so that, as shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 1, the said staves may be supported in position for ensuring
that their upper ends will be properly engaged by the cone 62 or 63 when the head B
is lowered. By the last named operation the upper ends of the staves are con-
tracted or drawn together and the two trussing hoops in the grooves are passed
over them to hold them in that position. When the head is in its lowered position
the door 6, of the cone 63 or 63 then in operation, is opened, and the bracket f, on
the base plate F is swung forward, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, so as to
allow the cask to be removed, after which, other trussing hoops are placed in
position, the door is closed, the head B is raised and a fresh batch of staves is
placed in position ready for a repetition of the before described operation.
The cask after being partly trussed as previously described, has the trussing
completed in the close trussing machine shewn in Figures 7 and 8 which comprises
two reversible heads B2 B3 each of substantially similar construction to the head B
previously described excepting that in this machine the doors b are not provided.
The head B is caused to travel horizontally along the machine by the pressure
device A but the head B3 has no such motion, this head being pivotted in the
ends of the two rigid guide frames D.
The heads B2 B3 are each provided with a number of hinged thrust pieces 67 68
which, when in their operative positions, project, the thrust pieces 67 beyond the
edges of the cones 62 63 and the thrust pieces 68 through openings in the said cones.
In the interior of the heads are recesses for the reception of hoops or rings to be
forced on to the opposite ends of the cask being made. The partly trussed cask when
introduced into the machine is placed between the two heads B2 B3 (in which have
been previously inserted two head hoops) and supported on the lowermost of the
thrust pieces which may themselves then be supported by blocks; all the other
thrust pieces are then placed in their operative positions and afterwards the
head B is advanced so that the front ends of the said thrust pieces press against the
bulge hoops (previously applied to the cask in the open trussing machine) and force
them into position along the staves. The head B2 is then withdrawn slightly and
the thrust pieces 67 of both of the heads B2 B3 are moved outwards into their
inoperative positions and the thrust pieces 68 are turned into their operative posi-
tions so as to cause them to engage with the quarter hoops and force the said hoops
into position when the head B is next moved forward; after this, the head B² is
again withdrawn and the thrust pieces 68 are moved into their inoperative positions.
The staves are thus contracted or drawn close together at their ends so that, by the
next forward movement of the head B2, the ends of the staves will enter the head
hoops placed in the heads B2 B3 which hoops being thus forced on to the ends of the
staves, the trussing is completed. The head B³ is then withdrawn and the trussed
cask removed from the machine.
moved
The head B2 is connected to the pressure device A by means of a cupped disc G
and bolts g, and when it is desired to reverse the said head the latter
slightly forward by the pressure device A, and then brought to rest, the bolts g
O are then removed and the pressure device moved slightly backwards so as to leave
room for the turning of the head B2; after this latter operation has been effected the
pressure device is again moved up to the head B2 and the said head is secured to
the disc G by the bolts g the disc G as shewn in Figure 9 being provided with two
sets of bolt holes g² g³ respectively to correspond with the two different sizes of the
5 cones 62 63.
The reversal of the head B Figures 1 to 6 and of the head B³ Figures 7 and 8

page_text: may be readily effected by withdrawing the pin or bolt E and then turning the
head and afterwards replacing the pin or bolt E.
Hitherto, so far as I am aware, all open-trussing machines wherein the staves
are forced together by means of cones and wherein the pressure for effecting this
bas been applied in a vertical direction, have each been provided with a table
or platform whereon the loose staves have been supported, which table is raised so as
to force the upper ends of the said staves into a stationary cone situated at the upper
part of the machine. This has proved to be a very unsatisfactory arrangement
because of the necessity for the attendant ascending to the upper part of the
machine to release the partly-trussed cask from the cone which, particularly in the
case of large casks, is a difficult and dangerous operation owing to the awkward
position in which the attendant has to effect it, the said attendant standing either on
a ladder or on the table from which he may readily fall if overbalanced by the
weight of the cask; moreover with these machines the attendant frequently stands
on the table when the latter is being raised and this results in an unnecessary
consumption of the pressure medium.
As shewn in Figures 1 and 2 I overcome the above mentioned difficulties and
reduce to a minimum the consumption of the pressure water, (which is the pressure
medium I prefer to employ) by placing the hydraulic pressure device A at the
upper part of the machine and so arranging the connections that the pressure
water is-admitted to the cylinder through only a very short portion of the piston's
stroke..
The two ends of the cylinder A are connected by pipes h h² respectively, with the
ports Figure 2 of a valve I which is constructed preferably like an ordinary
D-slide valve the moveable valve of which may be operated to throw either of the
said ports into communication either with the inlet ³ connected with the pressure-
supply apparatus, or with the exhaust which is connected with a tank J supported
on the machine frame. The valve I may be operated through a link, a lever ³,
pivotted in a standard 27, a rod 28, and a hand lever pivotted to the before-
mentioned standard or guide D¹. The rod 28 passes through a bracket c secured to
the block C which slides in the guide D', and on the rod 8 is provided an adjustable
collar 10 with which the bracket c engages, and thereby cuts off the supply of
pressure water, when the cone B has ascended sufficiently to admit of the casks
being inserted into, or removed from the machine; the collar 10 is adjusted on the
rod to suit the different height of the casks to be operated upon so that the
pressure-water may not be wasted by employing it for raising the cone beyond
the necessary height.
To the before mentioned pipe h is connected a pipe h³ which extends down to near
the bottom of the tank J at which part it is provided with a suction valve h
which closes when exposed to the influence of the pressure-water, that is to say,
when the pipe h is in communication with the supply pipe ; the valve h* opens
when the communication between the pipes h and is broken and the communica-
tion between the pipes he and is established so that the cone B and the parts
directly connected therewith may descend by gravity, the water, during this opera-
tion, passing from the tank J through the pipes h³ and h into the upper end of the
cylinder and from the lower end of the cylinder into the tank by way of the pipes h²
and . When the cone B has descended to the part of its travel at which it is
required to force the staves together, the attendant raises the hand lever and
thereby allows the pressure-water to enter the upper part of the cylinder to enable
the cone to complete the short remaining portion of its downward stroke.
At its upper part the tank J has connected to it a pipe j which may conduct the
water which overflows from the said tank, back to the waste water tank from which
the pumps or other pressure generating devices draw their supply. The tank J also
has an air inlet at to prevent the formation of vacuum.
To prevent any water which may leak through the stuffing-box a of, the
cylinder A, from descending on to the casks I provide the yoke A2 with a cup a²

page_text: connected a pipe a³ which conducts the said water to the side of the
machine where it may be delivered into any desired receptacle.
Although I have shewn the tank J at the side of the cylinder A which is the
most suitable position for it, I may arrange it either higher or lower than the said
cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A trussing machine capable of trussing casks of different sizes substantially
as herein before described.
2. A trussing machine having at its upper part a vertically moveable stave-
compressing or contracting cone substantially as hereinbefore described with refer-
ence to the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination with a trussing machine of a reversible head or reversible
cones substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
4. In a trussing machine the combination with a vertically moveable cone at the
upper part of the machine, of an inverted hydraulic cylinder having a piston in
operative connection with the cone substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
5. In a trussing machine the combination with an inverted hydraulic cylinder of
a tank, a pipe connecting the cylinder exhaust with the tank and a pipe connected
with the upper end of the cylinder and dipping or leading into the tank and pro-
vided with a valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
6. In a trussing machine having an inverted cylinder the combination with the
piston rod of the said cylinder, of a cup such as a² and a pipe connected to the cup
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
Irawings.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the trussing machine
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 (inclusive)
of the accompanying drawings.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the trussing machine
ubstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 7, 8 and 9 of
he accompanying drawings.
T
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.