MACHINERY FOR THE CUTTING OF SHIVES, BUNGS. CORKS, SPILES, AND VENT OR OTHER PEGS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Redrup, of the Loughborough Brewery.
Loughborough, in the County of Leicester. Brewer, for the Invention of
"MACHINERY FOR THE CUTTING OF SHIVES, BUNGS. CORKS, SPILES, AND VENT
OR OTHER PEGS."
Sealed the 23rd December 1859, and dated the 24th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Redrup at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
June 1859.
I. GEORGE REDRUP, of the Loughborough Brewery, Loughborough, in the
County of Leicester, Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "MACHINERY FOR THE CUTTING OF SHIVES, BUNGS, CORKS, SPILES, AND
VENT OR OTHER PEOS," to be as follows:-
Heretofore, shives, bangs, and other similar articles have been made in the
ordinary way hitherto known and practised, that is to say, they have been cut
out in the rough nearly the required size, and then placed in a lathe and
turned the actual size required, altogether a slow process, occupying much
time to perform but little work. whereas, this my Invention of machinery for
the cutting of wooden shives, bungs, corks. spiles, and vent or other pegs, is
so constructed that I can turn out a much larger quantity of work in a given
time with greater accuracy and at less cost. According to this my Invention,
I use an arrangement of cutters with a presser plate attached to two spindles,
one working within the other, the inner spindle carries the presser plate, and
[Price 8d.]

page_text: the outer one carries the cutters. The spindles are raised or lowered by
means of levers. motion being imparted to them by a belt passing round the
outer pulley, which also passes round two other pulleys. This arrangement I
use for cutting shives. bungs, or corks. For shaping and cutting spiles and
vent or other pegs, 1 attach to each of the two last named pulleys a tube and
cutter, and a knife for cutting off the same.
I propose to adapt a similar arrangement of machinery to a lathe, for per-
forming similar operations to those above named.
SPECIFICATION
in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Redrup in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. GEORGE
REDRUP, of the Loughborough Brewery, Loughborough. in the County of
Leicester. Brewer. send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine. in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me.
the said George Redrup. Her special licence that 1, the said George
Redrup, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I.
the said George Redrup, my executors. administrators. and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise. and vend. within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man. an Invention for
"MACHINERY FOR THE CUTTING OF SHIVES, BUNGS, CORKS, SPILES, AND VENT OR
OTHER PEGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I. the said George
Redrup, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1. the said George Redrup. do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention. and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-

page_text: ing statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:--
lleretofore, shives, bungs, and other similar articles manufactured in the
ordinary way hitherto known and practised. have been cut out in the rough
nearly of the required size, and then placed in a lathe and turned to the actual
size required, which is altogether a slow process. occupying much time to
perform comparatively but little work, whereas this my Invention relates to
improved machinery for the cutting of bungs, corks, wooden shives, spiles, and
vent or other pegs, my said improved machinery being constructed in such
manner as to afford the means of turning out a much larger quantity of work
in a given time with greater accuracy and at less cost. According to this my
said Invention, I use an arrangement of cutters with a presser plate attached
to two spindles, one working within the other, the inner spindle carries the
presser plate, and the outer one carries the cutters. The spindles are raised
or lowered by means of levers, motion being imparted to the outer spindle by
a belt passing round it, and also passing round two other pullies. This arrange-
ment nse for cutting shives, bungs, or corks. For shaping and cutting
spiles, and vent or other pegs, I attach to each of the two last-named pullies
a tube and cutter, and a knife for cutting off the same.
I propose to adapt a similar arrangement of machinery to a lathe for per-
forming similar operations to those above named.
I now proceed to explain my Invention more particularly, and the mode in
which the same may be carried into effect, with reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. Sheet 1, is a left hand side view of the first modification or
arrangement of machinery constructed according to my Invention, and con-
sisting of a vertical machine: Figure 2 is a front view of the same. Sheet 2
represents several parts of the machine represented in full size. The whole of
the Figures where not drawn of the full size are one quarter the full size.
The corresponding parts in Sheets 1 and 2 being lettered alike, the following
description will apply to each:
DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL PARTS.
A. A. Figures 1 and 2. represent two cast-iron standards supporting a table
B; the standards are connected near-the-bottom by a tie rod C. On the top
of the table is secured a bracket D. which carries brasses E. in which the
outer spindle F revolves; this spindle is free to slide vertically, and the length

page_text: it slides is governed by a collar G held by a set screw. The spindle has a
groove cut in it part of its length, in which the ends of one or two set screws
in the pulley H, placed between the brasses, are free to move up or down.
The spindle is caused to revolve by means of a belt passing round the pulley,
and under the two pullies 1. and round a pulley on a main shaft; near the
upper end of the spindle F is shrunk a brass collar J, which is free to revolve
in and is embraced by a strap collar K, on which are two pins, which lie in a
slot in either prong of a forked lever L, the other end of the lever is embraced
by the upper ends of two rods 1' held together by a pin and nut, the lower
ends of the rods being connected in a similar manner to the short end of a
lever M working on a pin in a bracket screwed to the under side of the table;
the other end of the lever is furnished with a handle, which, on being pressed
down, will cause the outer spindle to be lowered. The spindle has secured to
it, at the lower end, a boss N carrying one, two, or three cutter blades N¹
held in their places by set screws passing through a ring N. The spindle is
hollow, and a longer spindle O is passed through it, which spindle O is pro-
vided at the lower end with a presser plate or point 0, the point being
used when a wooden shive or bung is to be cut, and the presser plate when a
cork bung is to be cut; the upper end of the spindle O has a slot in it. in
which lies one end of a lever P working on a pin passed through a forked arm
screwed to the top of the main bracket D, the other end of the lever is
attached to rods, in a similar manner to the lever above described. and the
lower ends are connected to a lever working on the standard tie rod C, the
lever being moved by the foot, and causing the point or presser plate to be
depressed as required. The lever is provided with a weight placed between
the end of the lever, embraced by the rods and the centre C, on which it turns,
a hent rod is attached to the lever in front of the axle C. which rod passes up
through the centre of the wood block C. upon which the wood to be cut into
bungs is placed, the rod (on being pressed up by the weight will force off
the bung when cut. The wood block C has two screws passed through from
the under side. having their ends filed to a chisel point, which entering into
the wood to be cut. prevents it from turning round with the knives. Sheet 2.
Figure 3, presents a plan. looking from underneath the boss N and ring N
and spindle F, are shewn in section the full size. Figure 4 is a top view of
the boss N. shewing the portions filed away to receive the cutters. The cutter
knives Nos. 1 and 2 cut two rings a short distance from each other, and No. 3,
which has a chisel-shaped point at the bottom, clears out the wood between
the two rings. In cutting out cork bungs, I use curved knives or cutters of
the shape represented in Figures 6, which is a side view and a top view of the

page_text: said cutter the full size. Figure 5 represents a view of the spindle 0. spindle
F. boss N, ring N, collar N. and plate N'. which are used for the cutting of
cork bungs. Between the collar and plate are placed slips of oil stone, held in
their places as shewn. The use of the oil stone is to keep the edges of the
cutters constantly sharp and free from cork dust, the cutters passing close over
the stones each time they are raised for a fresh cut. The whole of the parts
in this view are shewn in section of the full size. Instead of invariably using
oil stone to renew the edge on the knives. I should sometimes prefer using a
ring of leather or wood. or a composition of emery with india-rubber. guita
percha, or any other convenient substance for that purpose. Figure 7 repre-
sents the lower portion of the spindle O. to which is secured by a set screw a
presser plate N. which sometimes use instead of the point of the spindle O.
Figure 8 represents a sectional view of one of the pullies 1, on the outer pipe
of which is chased a screw thread to receive a brass cap P which has a conical
hole drilled in its centre. a portion of the cap being cut away, and a cutter
plate held securely in its place by a set screw, and having its cutting edge
inclined to correspond to the bevel of the hole in the cap: at the bottom of the
hole is a pin at the end of a spring. This cap and cutter are used for cutting
spile and vent pegs: on a thin rod of wood being pressed into the hole by hand,
The cutter plate will speedily reduce it to a proper shape; when the wood has
arrived at the bottom of the hole, the knife R is depressed by hand. a spile
peg will be cut off, and the spring at the bottom of the cap will force out the
perfect peg, the cutter being then ready to cut another peg.
In Sheet 3. Figure 11 represents a front view, and Figure 12 a plan of a
second modification of the machine adapted to work horizontally in a similar
manner to a lathe. The several parts, and the movements in this machine for
the most part correspond to those represented in the preceding Figure, except-
ing that the arrangement is an horizontal instead of a vertical one. The outer
spindle which carries the cutters, is moved towards and from the wood to be
cut by a hand lever B, hinged to a bracket screwed to the right hand standard
cast on the bed plate A, the lever is bent where it passes over the outer spindle
and has a strap screwed to it, which passes under the spindle, the strap and
lever embracing loosely a collar C, two pins in the collar pass through slotted
holes in the lever and strap, the collar C surrounds a boss D, keyed on the
outer spindle. The inner spindle E is thicker at one end, and is slotted to allow
the point of the lever F to enter, by which means it is moved to or from its
work. The lever F is continued under the bed plate up to and beyond a
slotted lever G, a pin in the lever F takes into the slot in the lever G, thereby
causing the lever G connected to the rod H, when the knives are drawn away

page_text: from the cut wood by a handle A. to force the cut bang off the points of the
screws in the wood block C, which is supported by a bracket cast with the
bed plate to which the pressure of the inner tube moved by the weighted lever
F had caused it to stick. the lever being raised, and the inner spindle being
moved off, the wood by means of a bent arm 1 screwed to the lever F. and
bearing upon the hand lever A, as shewn in Figure 12.
Figure 13 represents the ends of the inner and outer spindles with the boss
and ring which carry the cutters, a set screw passes through the ring and boss
to hold the boss fast on the spindle. Figure 14 represents a side view of the
same, partly in section, of the full size. The two bung and cork cutting
machines above described, I use when cutting bungs, &c. from narrow or
small pieces of wood or cork but when cutting from large sheets of cork or
planks of wood, I use a third modification of machinery constructed according
to this my Invention, which is represented on Sheet 4, Figure 15 being a front
view in section, and Figure 16 a plan of the same; this modification consists
in arranging a number of cutter spindles together. by which means but a very
small portion of the material to be cut is wasted. In this arrangement there
are nine sets of spindles, which will cut out one two-inch bung. four 24-inch
bungs, and four three-inch bungs from a board 10 inches square, and of any
thickness under 2 inches. The various parts are similar to the last described
machine. but with the following additions: On the left of the bracket carrying
the wood block. C is a standard with three holes bored in it, in which the
rod H. moved by the levers F and G. and two pins and are free to slide,
the rod and pins are screwed into a presser plate C, in which are secured six
other pins, the whole nine ranging with the centres of the nine inner spindles.
Figure 17 is a front view of the presser C and standard. In this machine the
spindles are made longer, and instead of the brackets carrying the brasses.
there are two standards having bosses cast on each side, between which, on the
outer spindles. are placed spur wheels gearing into each other as follows:-
On the centre spindle is a wheel gearing into four similar wheels on the spindles,
.which cut three-inch bungs, the four being turned by the revolution of the
centre spindle, on the top and bottom spindles, besides the wheels above men-
tioned, is placed a spur wheel of larger size, which gears into similar wheels on
the four spindles, which cut 2 inch bangs. This arrangement is fully shewn
in outline in Figure 18. All the outer spindles are moved to and from the wood
to be cut by the hand lever B. which is bent to pass over the three middle
spindles, a plate passing under them being screwed to it, the hinged end of the
lever working on a pin in a standard B', screwed to the bed plate A. The
hand lever B and plate which pass freely round the outer spindles, also loosely

page_text: embrace a boss B³, keyed to the centre spindle. Figure 20 is a front view of
this arrangement. The other eight outer spindles are moved to and fro by
means of collars gearing into each other, as shewn in Figure 19, each collar being
secured on an outer spindle. The inner and outer centre spindles are a little
longer than the others. and the outer one has a fast and a loose pulley on it, each
of the centre inner spindles are prolonged through and secured in a second
presser plate C'; they are also passed through and are free to slide in a
standard at the right hand of the machine. The standard has two labs at its
lower end, which carry a pin, on which works the weighted lever F. which
moves the nine inner spindles like the lever described in the last machine. All
the inner spindles are secured to a presser plate C, which is of the same shape as
the plate C. but with the addition of a boss, against which the loose pulley
runs. For cutting out bungs from a board inches square, use a number
of cutter spindles, arranged to cut a two-inch bung in the centre, four 3-inch
bungs round it, and four 2-inch bungs at the corners, and for a 12-inch
board cutters and spindles arranged to cut a four-inch bung in the centre, four
3-inch bungs round it, and four 3-inch bungs at the corners.
I do not confine myself. however, entirely to the above arrangement, but
change the size of the cutter bosses for any less sized bungs, so that they may
be cut out from the board with as little waste as possible. I also make use of
a lathe for cutting out bungs and corks, which I use in the following manner:
I screw a cutter boss, in which one or more cutters are secured by a collar,
and screws. as before described. to the mandril of a lathe and I place the
wood to be cut upon a presser plate and block, secured to a pin sliding in the
puppet head opposite the mandril, and advance the wood to be cut towards
the knives by a screw working in the puppet head, the wood being held to the
presser plate by a spindle sliding through the centre of the mandril, and held
to its work by a weighted lever or spring. In fitting the cutters to the bosses
care must be taken that a flat side of the cutter does not press upon the sides
of the wood when cut, as the friction would produce so great a heat that the
temper of the cutters would be spoiled; whereas if only the cutting edge touch
the wood, the cutters or knives will be kept perfectly cool and sharp for a.
considerable time.
Instead of cutting off the spile or vent pegs when shaped by means of a
knife, I sometimes prefer using an arrangement of a spile cutter and small
circular saw attached to one end of a short shaft, supported by a standard, the
other end of the shaft having a fast and loose pulley upon it, as shewn in
Figure 21. which is a side view of the apparatus. A being the cutter cap;
B. the saw; and C. a stop, upon which the peg rests to be cut off. This

page_text: apparatus being complete in itself, may be secured to a bench under a pulley
on a main shaft, and is used instead of a knife and cutter shewn in front view
at Figure 9, and the knife at section at Figure 10.
And haying now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that although I have herein, in
explaining my several arrangements or modifications of machinery, described
the various parts or details-thereof, 1,do, not claim any of such parts considered
suparately or singly and apart from the combination and arrangement thereof,
-in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth and I declare that what
I claim is the arrangement and combination of machinery for cutting shives,
bungs, corks, spiles, and vent or other, pegs, constructed and operating in
the manner herein-before described and represented in the accompanying
Drawings.
f
1
In witness whereof, I, the said George Redrup, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December. in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness;
GEO. JON. ROBINSON. Patent Agent.
Nottingham.
GEORGE REDRUP. (..S.)