IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING CORKS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1857

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Amos Pierce Chamberlain
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, and
Declaration, on the 20th August 1857, pursuant to the 9th section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AMOS PIERCE
CHAMBERLAIN, of No. 19, Rue Royale, Paris, Gentleman, do hereby declare
that the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING
CORKS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say :-
I claim as my Invention the machinery for cutting the cork wood into
square blocks, as represented in Plan N° 1. First, letters a, in Figures 1, 2,
and 3, represent the table or frame upon which is placed the support b, in
which support the shaft or axletree C is placed, surrounded by the usual
casing of composition to permit the shaft C to revolve very fast without
heating (say 2,000 times per minute), being confined in its place by bolts or
screws in any well-known manner. On each end of the shaft C is fixed, by

page_text: means of screws, a large circular knife d, (I give 16 inches as the best size
for the knife, but do not fix the Patent at that particular size, for it may
be either larger or smaller and perform the same work as well,) 16 inches
in width or 8 inches from the centre to the edge, and about an inch in
thickness at the centre. This knife is perfectly flat on the outside, that is, the
side next you as you approach the table on either side of Figures 1, 2, and 3;
the inside, that is, the side next the pulley E, is bevilled from the point
where the knife is fixed to the head of the shaft, to the edge in fact, thus
forming the edge. The carriage F is so arranged as to pass near the lower
part of the knife d, allowing sufficient space only for the edge of the knife to
pass between the carriage F and the guide G; this guide is moveable, so as to
suit any desired size of cork wanted; the plank of cork wood remains on the
carriage and the piece passes behind the knife, or on that side next to the
guide G. On the under side of the carriage F is fixed a tongue, which runs
in a groove on the table, keeping it (the carriage) always in the same place,
as it goes either forward or back. The plank of cork wood may be placed
either lengthwise or crosswise of the grain of the wood to the knife, as may be
best suited to the kind of wood being cut, always at the discretion of the
person placing the wood to the machine. The best means of placing the
wood to the machine is lengthwise of the grain of the wood, with the outside
of the plank or bark down; first, straighten the piece, cutting off as little
as possible (with the same revolving knife), then present the piece so-dressed
to the guide, after having drawn the carriage back until the head of it is
within a line with the first part of the knife, better understood by referring
to Figure 3 of Plan N° 1. The arrow indicates the way the knife turns,
and is the side of the knife spoken of above as the first. The head of the
carriage H should be on a line with that end of the guide G to which
the arrow points before the carriage with the wood is advanced to the knife,
which is done by a light pressure of the hand; the right hand is always on the
piece of wood being cut, and the left hand on the head of the carriage H,
while the person working this part of the machine is directly in front of the
knife. After the plank has been thus cut into strips or bands, it is sometimes
necessary on account on account of the uneveness of the inside of the wood,
to dress or plane off a little of that roughness; I have prepared for that also
a manner of presenting the band to another circular knife, made exactly like
the one above described, and is on the other end of the same shaft, which
is also described above. The carriage, letter I-in Figure 2, Plan N° 1, is
placed on the table, and arranged like the carriage F, described above, with
the exceptional guide K, which is made to press the band firmly against tho

page_text: fixed gnide L, which is very close to the edge of the knife, leaving room only
for a very small shaving to pass behind the knife; the spiral springs m are so
arranged as to press the band against the fixed guide L. The handle n to
the guide k is to be used for every band or piece put in to be planed of its
roughness. The person working at this side of the machine will stand also
in the centre opposite the knife, and will pull the handle of the springs which,
opens the guide ke, so as to let the band or piece be dropped in between the
two guides L and k. The carriage must be drawn back always so as to bring
the guide k alongside of the guide L before the piece is put in, and then
when the carriage is advanced so as to have the piece touch the revolving
knife, it will at once pass to the other end of the table, and discharge the
piece so dressed or planed. There are a great number of teeth or points,
so set in the inside of the guide k as to prevent the piece of cork wood (being
planed) from slipping, and a stop is so arranged as to prevent the iron. teeth
or points from touching the knife. By arranging the guide L to the desired
distance; I can cut cork soles for shoes any thickness required.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 represent the same form of table and supports with all
the fastenings and arrangements for the shafts or axletrees, as are described
in Figures 1, 2, and 3; the 'pulleys may be the same, depending upon the
kind of transmission to get the required speed. In Figure 5 is represented
a carriage exactly like the one just described in Figure 2, with the exception
that there are no teeth or points fixed in it, and the guide o is attached to the
carriage and inoves with it. The guide o is at such a distance from the knife
as to allow the piece to pass behind the knife, or on that side next the pulley.
The use of this (last operation) is to cut off the outside of the piece of plank
or bark, which is usually very rough, full of grit, and when cut into the cork
it will damage it and render it of less price, but when it is thus cut off, as
perfect a piece of cork is produced as can be by hand labour, and much
faster. In Figures 4, 5, and 6 are represented also another carriage P,
which is made and mounted in the same manner as the others, and like the
last, the carriage and guide move together. The guide R is made immoveable
at the end Y, while at the middle of the carriage, and on the side next the
pulley, is fixed a spring T, so as to let the end of a band of cork wood which
is touching the guide R pass behind the knife when it is cut off. This last
operation or movement of carriage and guide is to cut off the blocks in
uniform lengths after the preceding parts of the machinery have respectively
cut the plank of cork wood or bark into strips or bands, and after planing
or dressing the inside of the same and then cutting off the crust or outside
surface of the wood. The knife used to cut off the proper lengths bas a

page_text: bevel on both sides alike, in all other respects it is the same; it will be
observed, that in all cases the carriage is placed so far below the shaft or axle-
tree, that the cork wood in being cut is placed under the knife, and not at the
side or centre level of the shaft, as is the case when saws are used.
This system of knife and carriage is also applicable for cutting india-rubber,
caoutchouc, paper, and other substances. The knives are turned by means of
a strap or leather band, or any other well-known manner for giving a fast
motion; the strap or band is attached around the pulley.
And I claim as my Invention also the machinery represented in Plan N° 2,
for cutting the square blocks into corks, after the machinery in Plan N° 1 has
prepared the square blocks of cork, in any size or length required (or when
the square blocks are prepared or finished in any other manner). Figure
N° 1 represents a side view of the machine for cutting the corks round ;
Figure 2 represents a top or surface view of the same; Figure 3, an end view;
and Figure 4; a cross sectional view, the + is at the head and at the foot
of the machine. Letter a, in Figures 1 and 3, represent a crank or handle
for turning the machine, but when steam, water, or horse power is used, I
substitute a common pulley, to which may be attached a band in the usual
manner; this crank or pulley is attached to the driving shaft b, which is sup-
ported by caps and bolts to the legs of the table. C is the table, and D the
legs; on the left-hand end of the shaft bis put an arm E, to the wrist of
which is fixed a connecting rod F which runs the length of the machine, and
is attached to a wrist on the end of the arm G, which arm G is attached to
the shaft H; in the middle of shaft H is fixed another arm or rocking beam I,
which is connected with the carriage K by means of the connecting rod L;
the carriage moves back and forth on the round slides m; on the left side, or the
side of the machine with the long connecting rod F, is a chain O so attached
to the carriage, and then passing around the pulleys (with teeth or points to
fit into the links of the chain) at each end of the machine, so that at every
passage of the carriage from one end of the machine to the other there will be
given a turning motion to the square piece of cork wood which is held between
the two rods P (a pair of which is on each side of the machine), where they
come sufficiently near together at the centre of the machine, where the box
Q permits the square blocks to drop into the popet R, which is perfectly per-
pendicular, and the centre on a perpendicular line with the ends of the rods P,
which (heads of the rods) may be made of different sizes so as to fit any
diameter of cork wanted; the popet R may be so adjusted by the thumb screw
in the end of the lifting bar S as to fit any size of cork wanted, lowering for
large and raising the thumb screw for small corks at pleasure. The lifting

page_text: bar S is lifted by means of a cam T, to be seen in Figures 4 and 1; when one
cam is lifting a popet, the other is going down, these cams are so arranged
and move with such regularity that each popet (on its respective side) supplies
the machine with square blocks at regular intervals. On each side of the
carriage is a long straight knife so adjusted as to cut a cork round at each
passage of the carriage from one end of the machine to the other in alternate
succession; for example, as the carriage goes from + to, a cork is cut on
the right side, or the side next you in Figure 1, Plan N° 2, and as the carriage
returns from to + another cork is made on the opposite side, or the side of
the chain; the knives in this carriage are rounded at each end, and flat on the
side next the cork, and bevelled on the outside or side next the chip. These
knives may be placed to the cork with the edge down, as in Figure 4, left side,
or N° 1; or may be placed with the edge of the knife turned with the edge to
the side, as in Figure 4, right side, N° 2; in case the knife is turned as in N° 2
the chips will fall outside of the machine in a basket by themselves, and the
corks by themselves in a basket under the table; this is the best manner (to
place the knife) when cutting corks of the ordinary size for ale, porter, and
all small corks; but for large corks, I find that to put the edge down is perhaps
the best, but in all cases both knives must be arranged alike.in each machine,
that is, both edges down or both turned out. In Figure 4 may be seen on each
box that lets the square blocks down to the popet R, at a time the outside
upper corner of the popit lifts the spring V, and lets one block drop out, and
as the popit descends the spring V descends and presses the finger into the box
to prevent not more than one block falling at a time; the boxes are both alike,
and so are the springs and fingers, but they can be arranged so as to permit a
block of one size to descend on one side, and a block of another size on the
other, and the knives may be adjusted so as to cut a large cork on one side and
a small one on the other. There is another cam to be seen in Figure 1, at the
end on the shaft b, which causes one of each pair of rods P at the end +
to advance, and seize the square block when the poppit R has lifted it to the
right place; this cam revolves on the horizontal part of the elbow W, which is
fixed to a shaft X, so that as the large part of the cam here spoken of is down
on the lower or horizontal part of the elbow w, the upper or perpendicular
part of the elbow w will advance the end of the rod P at the proper
time to seize the square piece of wood to be, made into a cork; and imme-
diately the cork is finished the small part of the cam referred to above will
have turned down on the horizontal part of the elbow w, leaving the + end
of the rods or rails P at liberty to spring back for the finished cork to drop
out, and a new piece to be lifted to the proper place by the popit R; to be

page_text: sure that the end of the rod or rods P will retire at the proper time, I
have placed a spring Y at this end of, and so arranged upon the table as to
cause the rod to go back instantly and there remain until again advanced by
the cam on the elbow; the cam and spring are alike on each elbow and rod,
with the exception that the cam is reversed one from the other to give alter-
nate motion's forward and back on each of the + ends of the rod P; on the
upper or perpendicular end of the elbow w may be seen a thumb screw, which
is to regulate the distance between the heads of the rods in the centre of the
table, or in other words, to arrange the rods to the lengths of the square blocks
already prepared to be cut into corks; under the machine, and on the shaft b,
is one of a pair of bevilled cog wheels, which runs in another of the same
size and bevil on the shaft Z. Upon the shaft Z is fixed the cam Y'; on the
end of the machine may be seen another pair of bevelled cog wheels, which
are of the exact same size of the pair under the table, and having the same
number of revolutions per minute, that is, the connection between the driving
shaft and the carriage k, which carries the knife at the other cog wheel to
be seen at each end of the machine, three in number at each end, which turn
the cork around as the knife passes. As the shaft bis turned around by the.
crank or pulley a, the other end of the same shaft having turned at the same
time, and one end of the connecting rod F being fastened to the wrist of the
arm E, while the other end of the same connecting rod is fastened to the
rocking arm G on the end of the shaft H, and then on the middle of the shaft
His fastened the arm I, to the top of-which is fixed the connecting rod L,
one end of which is attached to the carriage, then the chain O being also
attached to the carriage, and passing around the pulleys near each end of the
table, and as the pulley for the chain is attached to the same shaft as one of
the bevelled cog wheels at end of the table, the chain turning the pulley.
turns also the bevilled cog wheels which runs in the other bevelled cog wheel
at the same end of the machine, and fastened on rod P at the same side
of the machine and on the same particular rod P, and near to it is fixed
another wheel with cogs, but not at all bevelled, there are six of these wheels
of the same exact size, all the six having the same number of cogs, and same
diameter, one is made wider than the other five, and is placed on the end of
a long rod X, X, this long rod transmits the revolutions from the end of the
machine to the +end; the rods P are not connected in the middle (for the
square block is to be received in between the two inside or middle ends to be
turned around while the knife is passing), the rod P. having two cog wheels
on the same end, one a bevelled wheel, the other is not, and connects directly
with the cog wheel of the same size, and on the same end of the rod X, X,

page_text: while the third wheel of the same size is on the other rod P at the same end
of the machine; now the long rod X, X, turns the wheels at the other end of
the machine, giving the same exact revolution to each rod at each end of the
machine; thereby holding and turning the square block alike at all times; the
box Qmay be made of sheet iron, brass, copper, zinc, or any other like
material; the top of the box is open all the length, except where the spring V
is fastened by means of a small piece of iron or brass crosswise of, and on top
of the box; the box is so arranged that it can be made large or small, as may
be required, according to the length of cork wanted; the square blocks are
put crosswise in the top of the box, and allowed to slide down to the finger,
which is lifted by the out edge of the poppit R, acting on the lower end of
the spring V, when it (the square block) is at once properly placed in the
poppit R, and lifted to the heads of the rods P, and is immediately cut into a
perfect cork. To make the cork conic or pointed, it is only necessary to move
the supports of the rods P, which at one end of the machine are cast in one
solid piece, but at the centre of the table the supports are cast in separate
pieces, the supports of the slides m are also cast in separate pieces; these
are not to be moved at all, but remain fixed. To make the conic cork, I
move the ends or supports of the rods P at the end of the table to the
right, or away from from the chain, and to the end of the supports and rods
to the left or towards the chain; this movement of the supports is made easy
on account of the holes for the bolts through the cast-iron supports of the
rods P being made oblong expressly for this purpose. The table is made of
cast iron in one piece, the legs are of the same material with braces from the
legs to the under side of the table; the carriage k is of cast iron also; in fact,
all the supports, arms, and connecting rods are of cast iron, all the shafts are
made of wrought iron, while the rods P are made of cast steel. There is a
spring attached to the casing of the popit R, and fastened on the inside or side
towards the centre of the table, and so curved that when the popit is down, it
will cover the top of the popit, and thus prevent the cork from again dropping
into the popit; but when the popit is up, the spring is elongated, and remains
out of the way. The cog wheels are made of brass (but may be made of iron,
or any other suitable substance), and are uniform in size, with the exception
that the bevelled wheels are the largest, and give a faster motion to the others
which turn the cork around more than once, and thus prevents the knife from
leaving any mark on the cork. The pulleys for the chain also help to turn the
cork around faster or slower, according as the pulleys are large or small. To
make a large cork the knife must be removed farther from the centre of the
rods P than when cutting a small cork; to adjust these knives properly and

page_text: at pleasure, I have arranged two screws at each end of each knife, which may
be seen by referring to the carriage in Figures 2 and 4 of Plan N° 2.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood, that I do not claim any
of the mechanical parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details, but
what I claim is,―
First, the combination of parts herein described for cutting cork and other
substances.
And, secondly, I claim the combination of machinery for cutting corks, as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Amos Pierce Chamberlain, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
T. BASSET,
14, Boulevard Montmartre.
A. P. CHAMBERLAIN. (L.S.)