Improvements in Machinery for Use in Making Heads of Casks and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Use in Making Heads of Casks
and the like.
I, ALEXANDER DUNBAR, of 105 Newsham Drive, Newsham Park, West Derby,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancastor, Barrister at Law, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery for use in making heads of
casks and the like. Two rotatory face plates, placed opposite each other a little
distance apart and provided with cutting tools are mounted on shafts so arranged that
by actuating a hand lever they may be made to approach or recede from one another.
The shafts work in suitable pedestals provided on a foundation or bed plate which
may be supported on frames or legs.
The shafts are made hollow and each has a central spindle passing through it, thus
a clamp is formed for holding the material to be operated upon in position whilst the
cutting tools are in action.
The remote ends of the before mentioned hollow shafts rotate in bushes able to slide
in pedestals, and having recesses or grooves turned in them; there are corresponding
projections formed on the shafts to enter the said recesses or grooves, thus forming
thrust bearings. These bushes are made in two halves to fit on to the spindles, and
are provided with arms or projections to which levers are attached.
These levers are so arranged that their upper ends take on to the arms of the
sliding bushes, whilst their lower ends extend below through the bed plate, and are
pivotted to radius rods placed at certain angles. The fulcra of the levers are between
their extremities and may conveniently be in the bed plate.
The other ends of the radius rods are pivotted to short links so guided by means of
other rods I will call guide rods that the centre of connection of the two rods shall
travel in a vertical and straight line. One of the guide rods may conveniently be
connected to a rocking shaft provided with a suitable hand lever so as to forin a
lifting bar.
By suitably arranging the lengths and centres of the radius rods the two face

page_text: plates can be caused to approach one another during a portion of the stroke of the
hand lever, whereas during the remainder of the stroke one of the face plates will
continuo to advance whilst the other recedes.
Thus in cutting, say for example a head for a cask or keg out of a single piece, the
cutting tools which may be rotating in opposite directions will not come into contact
with each other whilst the wood is being cut through.
The central spindles passing through the hollow shafts are arranged at their inner
ends to take discs of different diameters according to the size of head to be cut.
One of their faces may be provided with elastic packing such as india-rubber, to allow
for inequalities of the material and to get a better grip. One of their remoto ends is
provided with regulating nuts, whilst the remote end of the other is pivotted to a foot
lever placed conveniently for the operator so that when it is pressed down the work
will be held and when released the lever will spring up and allow the cut head to be
pushed out from between the tools which may be kept constantly rotating.
Different shapes of tools may be employed, thus when making heads for barrels,
chamfered on each side two or more tools may be employed for cutting the chamfer
and the same number of tools for cutting through the wood.
The face plates may have a number of slot holes formed therein and tapered. Into
these slot holes tapered tool holders take, they being so arranged that by tightening a
screw threaded nut they will be caused to nip a tool simultaneously making fast the
tool holder in the face plate.
A suitable rest or support may be provided between the face plates for say the
wood to be operated on to slide; it is capable of adjustment to suit different sizes and
may also be provided with side guides and guards.
A clamping apparatus may also be provided when heads of large size are to be
formed which may be made from two or more boards.
In some cases it may be advantageous instead of using the radius rods and parallel
motion above described to have guides so shaped as to enable the required motion to
be given to the face plates.
Apparatus such as referred to may be constructed in modified forms for circular
articles or discs of different materials, and for cutting heads for small kegs a gauging
apparatus may be employed without departure from the essential features of my
invention.
Dated this 12th day of Tonuar 1987
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per C. E. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I
Improvements in Machinery for Use in Making Heads of Casks
and the like.
I, ALEXANDER DUNBAR, of 105 Newsham Drive, Newsham Park, West Derby,
Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Barrister at Law, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery for use in making heads of
casks and the like. Two rotary face plates, placed opposite each othor a little distanco
apart, and designed to carry cutting or operating tools, are mounted or formed on
shafts so arranged that by actuating a hand lever they may be made to approach or
recede from one another.
The shafts work in suitable pedestals on a foundation or bed plate which may be
supported on frames or legs.
The shafts are hollow and cach has a central spindle passing through it, a clamp
being thus formed for holding the material to be operated upon in position whilst the
cutting or operating tools are in action.
The remote ends of the hollow shafts rotate in bushes which are able to slide in
pedestals, and which have recesses or grooves turned in them; corresponding
projections are formed on the shafts that enter the said recesses or grooves, thus
forming thrust bearings.
The bushes are made in two halves to fit on to the spindles and are provided with
pivots or projections to which levers are attached.
These levers are so arranged that their upper ends take onto the projections of the
sliding bushes, whilst their lower ends extend below through the bed plate, and are
pivotted to radius rods placed at certain angles.
The fulcra of the levers are between their extremities and may conveniently be in
the hed plate.
The other ends of the radius rods are pivotted to short links so guided by means of
other rods I will call guide rods, that the centre of connection of the two rods shall
travel in a vertical straight line. One of the guide rods may conveniently be
connected to a rocking shaft provided with a suitable hand lever so as to form a
lifting bar.
By suitably arranging the lengths and centres of the radius rods the two face
plates can be caused to approach one another during a portion of the stroke of the
hand lever, whilst during the remainder of the stroke one of the face plates will
continue to advance whilst the other recedes.
Thus in cutting, say for example a head for a cask from a single piece, the cutting
tools which may be rotating in opposite directions will not come into contact with
each other whilst the wood is being cut through.
The inner ends of the spindles that pass through the hollow shafts are capable of
holding discs of different diameters. One of their holding faces may be provided
with elastic material such as india rubber, to allow for inequalities on the surface of
the material and to enable it to be firmly gripped.
The outer end of one central spindle is provided with regulating nuts and the outer
end of the other is pivotted to a foot lever so placed as to be conveniently operated by
the attendant, so that when such foot lever is pressed down the work will be firmly
held and when the lever is released it will spring up and allow the material under
operation to be readily pushed out from between the tools which may be constantly
rotating.

page_text: Tools of different shapes may be employed; for example when making barrel heads
chamfered on each side two or more tools may be employed for cutting the chamfer
and the same number of tools for cutting through the wood.
The face plates may be formed with a number of tapered slot holes for the reception
of tool holders, the arrangement being such that on a screw threaded nut being
tightened the tool holder will be caused to grip a tool and at the same time will itself
be made fast in the face plato.
A suitable rest or support may be provided between the face plates for the material
to be operated on to slide; it is capable of adjustment to suit different sizos and may
also bo provided with side guides and guards.
A clamping apparatus may also be provided when heads of large size are to be
formed of two or more boards. In some cases it may be advantageous instead of
using the radius rods and parallel motion above referred to, to have guides, or cams,
so shaped and arranged as to give the required motion to the face plates and clamping
spindle.
Referring to the accompanying illustrative drawings; Fig. 1. is a side elevation of
a machine according to this invention Fig. 2. is an end elevation thereof and Fig. 3.
is a sectional plan taken on the centre line of spindles. Fig. 4. shews to a larger
scale one form of tool and tool holder in section. Fig. 5 is an end view of the
same and Fig. 6. is another view similar to Fig. 4. but taken at right angles.
For the sake of clearness the guides and fences are omitted from the drawings.
A. and B. are two face plates placed opposite to and in a direct line with one
another. These face plates are mounted on the hollow shafts C. and D. respectively
which work in pedestals E. E. fixed to a base plate F. carried on frames or legs G. G.
Rotary motion which may be in opposite directions is communicated to the face
plates by means of suitable driving pulleys C¹ D¹ secured to or formed upon the
shafts C. D.
The outer ends of the shafts work in bushes H. H. which are guided in
pedestals J. J. also secured to the base plate F. Each bush H. is bored to two
different sizes in such manner that projecting rings or collars are formed which
'correspond with and take into recesses in the shaft C or D. thus forming thrust
bearings for communicating a sliding motion to the face plates. Each of the
bushes H. H. is made in two halves to fit over its shaft, and is provided with
studs or pivots H'H' onto which the side levers K. K. or L L. take, as shewn in
Figs. 1. & 3. at their upper ends the levers K. K. and L. L. are provided with slotted
holes into which the studs or pivots H'H' take.
The lower ends of these levers extend through and below the bed plate F. and
are pivotted to the radius rods K' L' placed at certain angles as shewn in Fig. 1.
The fulcra K and L2 of the side levers K. K. and L. Ľ. work in the bed plate F.
but at different distances from the studs or pivots H¹ H' and the levers, K. K. differ
both in length and in the disposition of their fulcra from the levers L. L. the
arrangement being such that with a simultaneous movement of the radius rods K' L'
the two face plates A. and B. will be caused to travel at different speeds as will
be hereinafter fully explained.
The other ends of the radius rods K' L' are pivotted together in the centro of a
short link M. Figs. 1. and 2.
This link has also pivotted to it at its upper end N a guide or radius rod N.
and to its lower end 02 another. radius rod O. is pivotted. The radius rods N.
and O. are of the same length or distance between their centres, they are pivotted
in a suitable manner at N₁ O¹ on the side frames or legs G. G. of the machine
as shewn.
The difference in the height of the centres N¹ and O' is the same as the distance
between the centres N2 and O2 of the links M.
The guide or radius rod O. acts as a lifting lever; it is connected to a rocking
shaft O provided with a suitable hand lever P. whereby the link M. may be raised
or lowered in a straight or vertical line, thus causing the radius rods and side levers
to move into the positions illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

page_text: The lengths of the side levers K. K. and L. L. and the positions of their fulcra K
and I are such that when the link M. is raised as indicated by the dotted centre
lines the radius rod K' will be level, that is to say it, will have given the greatest
possible amount of travel to the side levers K. K. whilst the radius rod L' will have
passed its central position and have caused the lower ends of side levers L. L. to
make a portion of their forward stroke (i.e. towards the centre of the machine) thereby
drawing the face plate B. away from the face plate A. which at this point is
stationary. Thus it will be understood that during one portion of the travel of
the link M. the two face plates A. and B. will advance towards each other, and
during another portion of its travel the face plate B. will be receding at a greater
speed than the face plate A. which latter will be still advancing. By this arrange-
ment the cutting tools in the face plates cannot come in contact with each other,
but they are nevertheless able to cut quite through the hoard or other material held
between them.
To hold the material in position to be operated upon by the tools, central or
clamping spindles Q.Qare provided passing through the hollow shafts, C. D..
respectively.
They are furnished at their inner ends with discs, which may as shown be screw
threaded to receive correspondingly screw threaded discs of various diameters to suit
the different sizes of heads to be cut. One of these discs is faced with thin elastic
material Q such as a ring of india rubber to allow for inequalities in the material to
be cut, and enable the material to be firmly gripped. The outer ends of these central
clamping spindles are provided with regulating nuts as shewn in Figs. 1. & 3.
The clamping spindle Q is held in position by the fixed cross bar R. Figs. 1. & 3.
whilst the clamping spindle Q is provided with a joint piece S. Figs. 1. 2. and 3. into
which a forked foot lever S¹ takes. The lever S' is pivotted at S and is provided
with a foot plate S³ conveniently arranged for the operator in such a manner that
when the foot lever is pressed down the material to be cut will be tightly gripped
whilst the tools are in operation. As soon as the foot plate S is released the
clamping spindle Q. will be drawn back by the spring S* and allow the cut head to
fall or to be pushed out.
In a machine such as described above a variety of differently shaped tool holders
may be employed according to the class of head or disc to be cut, thus, for example
slotted tapered holes may be formed in the face plates A. B. the wider ends being
towards the inside. Into these tapered holes suitably tapered steel tool holders T
take, Figs. 2. 4. 5. & 6. their inner or smaller ends being fitted with nuts T¹ having
fine threaded screws.
The tapered part of these tool holders fitting inside the face plates is formed with
slots T Fig. 5. so that on tightening the nut T of any tool holder it will be drawn
firmly into the slot hole in the face plate, thus compressing the two sides of the tool-
holder together and causing it to grip the circular or other suitably shaped tool
passing directly therethrough, thus simultaneously making fast the tool and tool holder
in the required position.
The tools made from round steel may be ground to various shapes for cutting or
bevelling heads as may be required.
For cutting discs which are not required to be bevelled, segments of cylindrical
saws employed as the cutting tools; and chamfering tools may be employed for
cutting bevelled heads according to requirements. I find it advantageous generally
to provide two or four tools in each face plate, two square nosed tools for cutting
through the wood and two for cutting the chamfer.
The number of tools will howover depend on the speed of the machine and on the
material under treatment.
•
Apparatus in accordance with my invention may be modified to suit the various
classes of articles to be produced. Thus in some cases it is advantageous to provide
adjustable guides, guards, or fences (not shewn in the drawings) to guide the boards
centrally between the face plates, they may conveniently be fixed to a bench placed
close to the machine.

page_text: A clamping arrangement (also not shown) may sometimes be employed when
cutting large heads for holding together two or more boards not dowelled or otherwise
secured to one another.
A gauging slide may be provided when cutting small heads from single boards for
kegs or the like.
Instead of employing a link and radius rods as above described for communicating
sliding motion to the face plates, I may substitute a shaft below the base plate, with
suitably shaped cams that will when the shaft is rotated cause the levers and face
plate to advance towards each other and that one may advance at the same time as the
other receds for the purpose hereinbefore mentioned also I may dispense with the foot
lever for clamping and substitute another cam on the driving shaft for giving this
motion, so that the machine may be automatic in action.
The cam shaft in such a case may conveniently be driven from the counter shaft
employed for driving the face plates by a belt, driving on a friction pulley so that
the attendant may immediately stop the motion of bringing up the face plates
and clamping spindles, whilst the face plates still continue to revolve in opposite
directions.
For making some classes of heads the axis of the face plates can advantageously
be vertical, the board or pieces to form the head being then laid flat on a suitable
base plate or table, then the face plates will have a vertical movement in lieu of the
horizontal movement above described.
:-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
In machines for use in making heads of casks and the like.
1. The arrangement for carrying the cutting or operating tools of two face plates
so mounted as to be capable of rotation about a common axis as also of movement
towards and from each other as required substantially as described.
2. In conjunction with rotary face plates for carrying cutting or operating tools, as
referred to in the preceding claim the central clamp for holding the material to be
operated upon substantially as described.
3. For imparting the backward and forward movements to the rotating face plates
for carrying the cutting or operating tools the motion comprising radius rods and
levers arranged and operating substantially as described.
4. The combination of rotary face plates for carrying cutting or operating tools
central clamp for holding the material to be operated upon and the motion comprising
radius rods and levers whereby the clamp is actuated at the required times substantially
as described.
5. For securing cylindrical tools in the rotary face plates the use of tapered.
tool holders held in place by nuts and constructed substantially as described and
illustrated.
6. Providing the shafts of the rotary discs with thrust bearings of the kind described
having pivots or projections on to which take the levers for giving to the said face
plates the necessary reciprocating rectilinear movements as set forth.
7. I also claim my improved machine. for use in making heads of casks and the like
constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings hereto annoxed.
1007
DRICA
ATT rua
Witness,
F. M. C. SCOTT,
89, Victoria Street,
Liverpool.
130033A
1007
LOOT
ALEXANDER DUNBAR.