IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND SHAPING CORK
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME OR BE MADE
KNOWN, I, RICHARD PARRIS, of Long Acre, in the County of Middlesex,
Modeller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the fifteenth year of Her
said Majesty's reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-two, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Parris, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Richard
Parris, my exors, admors, or assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Parris, my exors, admors, or assigns, should from time to time and at all
times agree with, and no others, during the term of years therein expressed
(to wit, fourteen years), as pursuant to the Statute in that case made and
provided, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
Her said Majesty's Kingdom of England, Her Dominion of Wales, in the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney,
Sark, and Man, as also in Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING
AND SHAPING CORK;" and whereas in the Royal Letters Patent herein-before
mentioned is contained a clause providing that I, the said Richard Parris,
shall, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, cause a

page_text: particular description of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is performed, made, or carried into practical effect, to be enrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said herein in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by, reference being had thereto, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Parris, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention of
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Cutting and Shaping Cork
is fully described, set forth, and illustrated in and by the following description
or Specification thereof, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of Draw-
ings annexed unto this my Specification, and that by reference to the Figures
in the said Drawing, in connexion with the description, a full and complete
knowledge of my Invention, and the means of carrying the same into practical
effect, may be clearly and easily obtained.
Before proceeding to the description of my machine or apparatus, I would
observe, that the process in most general use for cutting corks, bungs, or other
articles composed of cork, is in a manual and well-known operation, and
although machinery or apparatus of various kinds have from to time been
produced and tried for this purpose, and been the subject of Patents, such
apparatus or machinery has been comparatively little used, and far from suffi-
cient for the purpose to which it was sought to adopt such machinery or
apparatus.
The subject of the present Patent is, a new combination of parts constituting
a machine to effect the purpose of cutting, rounding, or otherwise shaping
pieces of cork, such pieces, when so cut, rounded, or shaped, being intended
for stopping or filling the necks of bottles, stopping barrels or casks, for
the wadding of fire-arms, and also for the various other useful purposes to
which cork, when properly cut and shaped, is applicable.
And this Invention, secondly, consists of a new description of cork cutters,
which may be used in lieu of ordinary cutters, either in my improved machine
herein-after described, or any other suitable machine in which the same can be
mounted.
These new cutters I make toothed or saw, and if used in my improved
machine they must be made of a circular form, and when used in that machine
they may either be fixed in a horizontal or vertical position, according to the
construction of the machine.
The cutters, where shewn in the Figures, except Figure 12, are placed in a
horizontal position, and I do not consider it necessary to describe or illustrate

page_text: in detail the various alterations that would be requisite in the various parts of
the apparatus for the purpose of making the machine where vertical cutters
might be used, because engineers or persons acquainted with mechanical arrange-
ments, and usually employed therein, will be able to make such alterations from
the particulars here given, should such vertical cutters be preferred or required.
I shall contine myself to a full description of the construction of my machine,
upon
the principle and with the mechanical arrangements with which I con-
sider it will be found most desirable to use it, except, however, that at,
Figure 12 in the Drawing I have shewn a cutter working in a vertical position,
with cork holders on each side thereof, which Figure 12 will be found fully.
herein-after described.
In referring to the Drawing hereunto annexed, it is to be observed, that
similar letters will be found to denote similar parts, wherever such parts appear
on the various diagrams in Figures 1 to 12 inclusive. And I would here
remark, that the principal portions of my machinery or apparatus is composed.
of cast iron; brass, gun, and other metal are, however, employed, as denoted
partially by the colouring of the diagrams in the Drawing.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the cork-cutting machine. Figure 2, a top
plan thereof. Figure 3, a transverse and vertical section of the machine,
taken through the a, b, at Figure 2. Figure 4, an horizontal section, taken
through the line c, d, at Figure 1.
Figures 5 and 6 are views of parts of various plain and toothed cutters, to
be used as preferred in this machine.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, are several views of holders for the pieces of
cork, drawn on a larger scale than the diagrams 1 to 4, for the better under-
standing thereof.
Figure 12 is a portion of the apparatus, where a cutter is shewn as working
in a vertical position, with holders on cach side of the cutter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OR DIAGRAMS IN THE DRAWING, MARKED
1 TO 12 INCLUSIVE.
In all these diagrams, where the letter A is seen, it serves to denote the main
driving shaft of the machine, which being put in motion by a prime mover
causes all the other parts to perform their several duties, and is itself connected
with the prime mover by an endless band or other suitable gearing. B is the
cutter, seen at Figures 1, 2, and 3, and is fixed and secured at right angles
upon the main driving shaft being acted upon and moved thereby. C is a
rigger, fixed in the main driving shaft. D, another rigger, connected to C by
a.band. On the spindle of D is fixed an endless screw E (best seen in the

page_text: Drawing at Figure 3), which endless screw puts in motion the spur wheel F,
fixed on a spindle, and upon the same spindle the bevil wheels G and H are
also fixed; the bevil wheel G communicates its motion to another bevil wheel I
fixed on a spindle, and on the same spindle is seen another bevil wheel K,
which communicates motion to a series of bevil gearing revolving around each
side of the machine, which by its rotation imparts motion to a series of bevil
wheels L, L, fixed upon short spindles; upon the end of these spindles a joint,
technically termed a "Hook's joint," is fixed, and thus motion is imparted to
the bevil wheels M, M, M, causing the pieces of cork (when the apparatus
is fed therewith) to rotate in a circular or other required manner, according to
description of bevil wheels used. Referring back to the bevil wheel H, it is
found giving motion to another bevil wheel upon the shaft of which
a cam P, of the form as shewn at the Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, is fixed, which
moves therewith, and causes the series of levers Q to move up and down. To
the ends of these levers the vertical rods R are attached, at the upper ends
of which they are connected to the holders at S by the joint (which holders are
seen at Figures 1, 2, and 3, and 7 to 12, and these are sometimes furnished
with a piece of cork cut and made to fit into a socket or cup in the holder,
projecting in the manner of a flange over the metal edge thereof), and which
moves the holder forward to bring the cork with which it is charged in contact
with the cutter B to be operated upon, and backwards to release the finished
cork, and receive another piece thereof out of the hopper T, which operation
of receiving or picking up the pieces of cork by the holders and releasing them
after they are cut into the desired shape or form, is more particularly illustrated
by Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, and may be described as follows:-e is a cast-
iron frame, working in a slide ƒ (seen best at Figure 7), on the back of which
is a pin g, which fits in a socket h under the top of the frame, and which can
be fixed by means of the screw i (Figure 8), and altered to any required angle;
and to suit the greater or less tapering of the corks to be cut, the slide has
also a set screw h serving to raise or depress the frame e, and so regulating the
diameter of the cork to be cut as may be desired. Within the frame e is
another frame working upon the centres m, m, and this frame can be drawn
away from and pushed back to the cutter B by the joint at S, assisted by the
rods R connected with the cam P. On the frame is worked a jointed lever n,
and this lever works on a screw as a fulcrum, and at the lower end of this
lever is another jointed lever with a friction roller, running in the end, and
brought in contact with the inclined plane o (said plane being cast or other-
wise securely fixed on the frame e), by means of the rods R and levers being
moved by the cam P, when the said cam P comes in contact with the lever Q

page_text: (at one end of which lever is a roller running into the groove of the cam) at
the ascending inclined part of the cam; it causes one of the levers to rise,
which action depresses that end of the lever to which the rod R is connected
and draws down the frame at an angle of 45 degrees, but immediately
the friction roller on the short jointed lever comes in contact with the
inclined plane O, and during its progress up the same it forces the
jointed lever n against the bevil wheel M (fixed on the spindle p by means
of a set screw) which draws back the button 9 (which has two or more
points or pins on its inner surface if used with plain cutters, but is faced
with cork when worked with tooth cutters) until the frame e is drawn
down to the hopper T; when it reaches it the friction roller on the lever n has
passed over the inclined plane O, and slips off the end, which causes the lever n
to be brought back by means of the spiral spring r on the spindle p, which
brings the button 7 in contact with the piece of cork at the bottom of the
hopper T, which piece of cork has slidden down by its gravity, and immediately
the button clips it fast; it there remains, and is kept in its position by the
jointed weight X until the cam P has made half a revolution, when the
descending inclined part of the cam comes in contact with the roller at the
end of the lever Q, and depresses it, forcing up the rod R and the frame by
the joint S, and brings it in contact with the revolving cutter B, and throwing
the bevil wheels at the end of the spindle into gear, which immediately
commences revolving, causing the cork to turn round against the revolving
cutter until it is cut to the required shape; it there remains until the cam has
made the other half revolution, when the frame is again pulled down, and
the cork being released immediately drops and is removed, each holder
following in succession picking up the square pieces from the hoppers, pushed
up against the cuttter, cut, then released, and carried away. When the cork
is fixed between the buttons q it is prevented from dropping out when the
lever n is thrown back again over the inclined plane O by the small jointed
lever turning back, as shewn more fully in Figure 11, and the friction roller
running back without forcing the back n from its fixed position; immediately
it has descended to the end of the incline, the small wire spring S brings it
back to its original position.
I have shewn in Figures 5 and 6 portions of serrated or saw-edged cutters;
the blades of these cutters may be made either circular or straight, and their
edges may be variously indented as practice may point out to be preferable;
but however such edges may be formed; so that they be not smooth, I consider
they will be of my Invention when applied to cutting cork, whether used
mounted in my machine or otherwise. The pieces of cork are cut from the

page_text: sheet in the usual manner by hand or by a cutter similar to those shewn in
Figures 5 and 6 attached to suitable machinery. The hoppers T are supplied
by hand with oblong or other shaped pieces of cork as required, cut by this
machine or otherwise, but when so cut by the machine their holders and their
appurtenances are removed, and a flat plate substituted, against which the sheet
of cork is fixed and pressed against the cutter during the operation.
Figure 12 shows an arrangement of parts by which modification corks may
be cut by a cutter placed in a vertical instead of a horizontal position. The
alteration required in the machine I have fully described and illustrated as
used for cutting cork with cutters placed in a horizontal position, in order
to cut the corks by cutters placed in a vertical position, is as follows:- For a
machine to cut cork with my cutters placed vertically, the frame should be
made with a horizontal top, in which is provided a slot for the cutter to work
through; the cutter is fixed at right angles with and upon a horizontal driving
shaft running under the top and at a sufficient distance to allow the edge of
the cutter to be at the same height as the centre of the holder; upon the
driving shaft a rigger is fixed, which is connected by a band with another
rigger, the said rigger to be fixed upon a spindle, and upon which spindle an
endless screw is cut, which screw gears into a spur wheel also fixed upon a
spindle, and upon the opposite end of which a bevel wheel is fixed working
into another bevel wheel fixed upon a spindle, and upon the latter spindle a
cam is secured in order to work a lever, which is connected to a half beam,
up and down, and at the centre of the half beam mentioned a connected rod
is attached, by means of which it is connected to another half beam, and upon
the end of the last-named half beam is secured a connecting rod by means
whereof a beam is worked, and on each end of said beam are connecting
rods which work the cork holders alternately backwards and forwards; the
last-mentioned connecting rods and the cork holders are similar to those
shown in the Drawing.
Having now described the nature of my Improved Machine or Apparatus
for Cutting and Shaping Cork, and the functions and working of the several
parts thereof, I desire it to be distinctly understood that the construction may
be varied, as when a small machine for cutting fewer corks in a given time is
required, then the cutter placed in a vertical position may be used with advantage
and economy, and such and similar variations in the construction of parts may
be made without in any way departing from the true principle and nses of
my Invention. But what I do claim as of my particular Invention is,-
Firstly, I claim the combination of parts of machinery forming a machine
or apparatus for cutting and shaping cork, as herein-before described and

page_text: illustrated in the annexed Drawing by and at the Figures or Diagrams 1 to 11
inclusive.
Secondly, I claim the use of cutters placed vertically for cutting and
shaping cork, as herein-before described, and (in so far as regards the holders
and the position of the cutter illustrated in the annexed Drawing at
Figure 12.
Thirdly, I claim the employment of toothed or rough-edged cutters (as
herein-before described), and parts of several of which are shewn by way of
illustration in the Drawing, for the purpose of cutting and shaping cork.
Fourthly, I claim the use of the holders by which the pieces of cork to be
cut or shaped are held while the cutter performs the operation of cutting,
as herein-before described and shown in position at Figures 1, 2, 3, and 12 in
the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Parris, have to this my Speci-
fication of my Invention of "Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus
for Cutting and Shaping Cork," set my hand and seal, this Second day
of Sentember One thousand eight hundred and fifty twe