An Improved Branding Machine.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left 7th Jan 1806 Accented 8th Feb 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Branding Machine.
JAMES INGLE 223 New Kent Road S.E. Brewer's Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:
That my invention applies to the branding of names numbers indications or
brands on casks boxes cases or any articles of wood.
Having long seen and experienced the defects and disadvantages of the old
system of branding hitherto in use, I was induced to turn my attention to a
possible improvement which I claim to have discovered and which I can prove is
better than anything yet introduced or patented.
The said machine consists of a cast iron table or platform with a strong iron
column either solid or hollow rising from one side to the height of 6 feet more or
less. To the top of this column is attached a heavy cast iron box or frame to
slide up & down the column made so as to contain the neccessary branding type for
forming the required names numbers indications or brands on the casks cases or
other things to be branded. There is also a rising table under so that the machine
will brand a flat piece of wood or take in a large case or barrel and an ingenious
arrangement of the type or brands each one acting seperately and automatically
worked by a spiral spring bringing back each brand to its normal position and
clear of the work after the branding operations are completed. The said brands
are worked from above with a lever arm or screw which by the aid of a pressure
plate can be made to operate or form a complete word or name at one operation or
any single letter or figure may be brought into action or may be placed out of use
if not required.
The advance or withdrawal of the said cast iron box or frame from the work to
be branded may be effected or worked by toothed gearing or by cams or levers or
by a long screw working in the before mentioned hollow column or any suitable
mechanism.
My intention for heating the said brands or type is to fit my machine with
seperate atmospheric gas burners or other heating agent working from both ends
or sides of the top movable head or type frame so that the 2 flames meet in the
centre, thus ensuring the whole series of type required being uniformly heated and
secureing a clear impression of each of the type on the article to be branded. The
3 great advantages I claim for my machine are as follows 1st Simplicity of
construction with little or nothing to get out of order 2nd Work done by it is much
better & clearer 3rd The great economy effected by its use.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1895.
I, JAMES INGLE, of 223 New Kent Road, S.E. Brewer's Engineer, do hereby
10 declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to machines for branding names, numbers, brands or other

page_text: indications on casks, boxes, cases or any articles of wood or other easily com-
bustible material, and has for its object the arrangement and construction of a
machine, whereby, 1stly, the branding can be effected by a small amount of
pressure, with great facility direct on the case, or box, or head of the cask, without
the necessity of removing the part to be branded from the case, box or cask of
which it forms a part; 2ndly the operator can readily see the operation of branding
as it progresses, and can correct any fault or deficiency in the branding, without
removal of the part receiving the impression from the machine; 3rdly, the branding
can be effected in a perfect and distinct manner upon surfaces that are uneven or
are not in a plane, 4thly the amount of heat required to effect the branding is very
small and under perfect control, and 5thly any combination of letters figures or
other devices can be readily effected with great facility and dispatch.
In branding machines at present in use it has been customary to brand the devices
or marks from a forme usually cast or formed in one piece and to effect the
branding of the whole simultaneously, requiring considerable heat and great pressure.
In such case it has been impossible to brand the head of a cask, while held therein,
as the necessary pressure to be applied would force the head within the cask, and
similarly with boxes the pressure was sufficient to deform the side receiving the
impression, and preventing the surface of the box lying in the plane of the
branding tool thus producing uneven and indistinct branding, which cannot be
noticed until the part is withdrawn from the press or machine, and if it is desired
to replace the part to produce a further impression great difficulty is experienced
in registering the part on the type.
My invention entirely obviates these disadvantages and consists of a series of
movable type adapted to be heated and means adapted to be heated and means
adapted to operate the type separately or in a series as desired.
The part carrying the type may be made adjustable in position in relation to the
platform upon which the article to be branded is placed.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I will now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the accompanying drawing, reference being had to
the letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like parts in the
various figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a branding machine made according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the same on the lines A. B. of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the machine.
Figure 4 is a detail part sectional view of a branding stamp, and
Figure 5 shows a series of stamps adapted to be heated by a ring burner.
To carry my invention into effect I arrange upon a suitable base A a support
or column B adapted to carry (preferably in an adjustable manner) a head C
adapted to receive a series of branding stamps D in one or more rows or in any
other desirable disposition. These stamps D are so arranged as to be capable of a
vertical movement to bring them in contact with the article to be branded. To
effect this I arrange at the upper part of each stamp D a stem E screwed into the
stamp and cn this stem I dispose a washer F and a spiral or other spring G between
the head of the stem E and the washer F. The washer F is arranged to engage with
the head C to prevent the stamp D from falling through the orifice in the head C,
but to permit the stamp D to be pressed downward against the pressure of the
spring G, which latter returns the stamp D to its normal or upper position when
the downward pressure is removed. To effect the downward movement of the
stamps DI arrange a pressing device such as a lever H pivotted to a support I,
which latter is mounted on the head C so as to turn about a vertical axis. On
lever H an adjustable contact block J of about the width of the head of the stem of
one of the stamps is arranged to slide thereon and is retained in place by a spring K
or screw K' or by both. By such an arrangement the contact block J can be
brought over any particular stamp D that is desired to operate. A number of
vertical guides L'are arranged on the bead C upon which are disposed bars or

page_text: plates M adapted to slide thereon, so that a row of stamps D can be operated at
one time, and are easily removable from the guides when any particular stamp is
to be operated. In the case of stamps carrying figures, I prefer to allow a certain
amount of dead play laterally in the slot or orifice holding them, and I fit a
bridle N embracing the series of stamps and provide a lever O or other means for
moving the stamps laterally. By this means I can brand articles consecutively by
moving the stamps sidewards until the particular figure is over the proper place for
making the impression. The head C is made adjustable in relation to the base A
by any suitable means such as a screw P and hand wheel Q the screw engaging
with a nut R forming part of or attached to the head C.
In order to heat the stamp D I arrange a hole S through each stamp D and an
atmospheric gas burner T is disposed at the end of each row of stamps so as to
allow the flame to pass through the said holes, thus heating the stamps near the
operative or branding ends, this is shown in Figures 2 and 3.
Or I may arrange a ring burner T adapted to enclose each series of stamps so as
to heat them from the outside as shown in Fig. 5.
To operate my machine the cask or box is placed upon the base A under the
head C, the burners having been lighted and the stamps heated. The lever is
brought down and the contact block J is adjusted over a row of stamps so as to
bear upon their plate M.or alternatively over any particular stamp after having
first lifted off the plate M. The lever is now depressed and the stamps D forced
down upon the surface to be branded, the heated stamps burning the material of
the cask or box and producing the impression.
When it is thought sufficient effect has been produced the lever is lifted, the
spiral springs returning the stamps to their normal position, when the impression
can be seen, and if unsatisfactory the stamps can be applied as a whole or any
particular one can be applied again by removing the plate M.
When one row of marks or brands has been finished the lever is adjusted to the
next row and is operated in a similar manner to that herein before described.
In the case of numbering consecutively the stamps held in the bridle can be
moved sidewards so that any particular stamp can be brought over its proper
place.
I may if desirable arrange the gas burner to be moved with the stamps
particularly in the case of a ring burner fitted to the numbering stamps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is:-
1st. A branding machine consisting of a base supporting a head, a series of
independent stamps arranged to slide in the said head, means for moving the said
stamps and a device adapted to heat the stamp ends.
2nd. In a branding machine a base, a support on said base a head adjustably
carried on said support, a series of independent stamps adapted to slide in said
head and means for operating said stamps.
3rd. In a branding machine independent stamps each having a spring adapted to
retain the stamp in normal position and means for operating the stamps in opposition
to the spring pressure, substantially as described.
4th. In a branding machine a head, adapted to slidingly carry stamps, stamps
fitted with supporting spring in combination with a lever pivotted and supported
and adapted with means to operate any one stamp of the series substantially as
described.
5th. In a branding machine a series of independent stamps, a bridge plate
adapted to bear on the end of stamps forming a special group and means for
operating the group of stamps simultaneously through the bridge plate substantially
as described.
6th. In a branding machine a series of stamps adapted to move in a body in a

page_text: lateral direction, a bridle embracing said stamps in combination with means for
moving said bridle substantially as and for the purposes described.
7th. The arrangement and construction of a branding machine substantially as
described and illustrated in and by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of January 1896.
FELL & WILDING,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.