Improvement in Barrel Making Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Barrel Making Machines.
1 GEORGE BARKER of 77 Colmore Row Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention as com-
municated to me from abroad by William Thomas Vale of the City of Toronto
in the County of York in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Gentleman 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 certain improvements upon a machine fully described in
Patent granted to Alfred Julius Boult as a communication from William Thomas
Vale on the 5th October 1886 under No. 12658.
The object of the present invention is firstly-to arrange the barrel-former so
that a properly formed bulge can be made secondly-to simplify the mechanism by
which the movable half rings are operated; thirdly-to simplify the mechanism by
which the cutter heads are adjusted; fourthly to provide means for making barrels
of different sizes upon the same machines fifthly-
-to provide means for preventing
the former collapsing too quickly, and sixthly-to provide means for regulating the
position of the staves. And it consists essentially-firstly of two detachable rings
placed upon the former at about equal distances between the centre and each end
of the barrel former; secondly of simple mechanism arranged to connect the
movable half rings to the rocking frame on which the forming roller shaft is carried,
so that the movement of the rocking frame shall adjust the said half rings; thirdly,
of simple mechanism by which the spindle of the cutter head is longitudinally
adjusted by a simple lever; fourthly of providing detachable packing for the
inovable half rings; fifthly of providing arms extending from the movable sleeve to
sections of the collapsible former and sixthly of providing movable stops to regulate
the end position of the staves and to hold the first stave stationary while the other
staves are fed into the machine.
Figure 1 is an end view of the machine.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of my improved former.
Figure 3 is a view of the portion of the machine showing the cutter head and its
adjusting mechanism.
Figure 4 is a section through line.. y. Figure 1.
On reference to Figure 2 it will be noticed that I place detachable rings A on
the former B these rings being located substantially in the centre of the space
between the centre of the former and its end so that the forming rollers C (see
Figure 3) shall come in contact with the staves immediately outside of the said
rings A by which way a beautiful curved bulge is secured. D represents a rocking
frame which would be rocked by hand & on which the shaft E carrying the
rollers, C. is journaled. This rocking frame is connected to one of the movable
half rings F by means of the pivoted link G. The other adjustable ring H is
connected to a pivoted lever I by a pivoted link J. The spring K is connected at
one end to the rocking frame D and at its other end to the pivot pin a of the
lever I or to any convenient point in the frame of the machine. This spring is
intended to assist in supporting the rocking frame D so that it may be easily moved
by the operator of the machine. L represents two rods one of which is connected
to the rocking frame D and the other to the bottom of the lever I the two rods
being connected together by a right and left hand screw nut M. This nut permits
the lengthening or shortening of the rods L so as to regulate the movement of the
adjustable ring H.
It will of course be understood that although I refer to a single set of the parts
specified, the set is duplicated at the opposite end of the machine.

page_text: On reference to Figure 3 it will be observed that the cutter head N is connected
to a spindle O which is suitably journaled in a journal box P connected to the
rocking frame D. Q is a bar held by suitable straps R on the journal box P.
S is a grooved pulley fixed to the spindle O and connected to the bar Q by the
half ring T which is provided with pins to fit into the groove in the pulley S
thereby forming a connection between the bar Q and the spindle O without inter-
fering with the satisfactory revolving motion of the said spindle. U is a hand lever
suitably pivoted on the quadrant Vand connected to the bar Q by a pin b. The
lever U is also provided with a pin to fit into one of the holes made in the
quadrant V. Owing to the connection between this lever and the bar Q which
latter bar is connected to the spindle O, as described the said spindle may be
longitudinally adjusted by the simple movement of the lever U and held in any
desired position by locking the lever to the quadrant as described.
W represents spring catches by which the rocking frame D is locked to the
ring H when the machine is in operation X represents a shaft provided with
suitable bevelled pinions to connect with the vertical screw spindles Y which are
connected to the boxes to which the spindle E is journaled. In consequence of this
connection the revolving of the shaft X will cause the spindle E to be vertically
adjusted either up or down as may be required.
On reference to Figure 1 it will be noticed that each of the movable half
rings H and F have half rings z detachably connected to them. Any number of
these packing rings may be arranged so that the diameter of the movable half rings
may be increased or decreased as required to suit the particular size of the heads of
the barrels it is intended to make on the machine. These half rings H and F have
dove tailed guide ways & blocks formed on them or connected to them, which slide
on dove tail guides formed on the frame of the machine. On reference to Figure 2
it will be noticed that in addition to the arms y employed for supporting the
collapsible former B and which are described in the Patent hereinbefore referred to
I employ the arms r which are pivoted on the movable sleeve w at one end and at
its other end each is connected to one of the collapsible section of the former B.
The end of each arme which is connected to the section of the collapsible former
is set substantially parallel with the shaft of the said former and an elongated slot
is made in the said end to fit onto a pin or bolt connected to the particular
section of the said former. When these sections are collapsed as described in the
Patent hereinbefore referred to the motion of the sleeve w would cause the end of
each of the arms a to move on the pin connecting it to the section being collapsed
thereby preventing the said section collapsing too quickly.
I may mention here that in the collapsible former described in the Patent herein-
before referred to the collapsing sections sometimes fell away so quickly as to leave
the stave unsupported before they had all been compressed together. In con-
sequence of this the staves would all fall apart and they would have to be rearranged
before the barrel could be produced. By providing means for preventing this
sudden collapse sufficient time is given to permit all the staves to be compressed
together before their support is entirely removed.
On reference to Figure 3 the pivotted end stop will be noticed. This stop
adjustable and before the machine is put in operation is set upon its pivot so that
the staves butted against it will be in their proper position. An adjustable back
stop is provided to butt against the back of the stop v to hold it in the proper
position for use see Figures 1 and 3. In the same figure the pivoted arms u will be
observed. These arms are connected together by a rod t and are pivoted on the
frame of the machine. The inner end of each arm has a hook end s. When the
machine is put in operation the arms u are tilted on their pivot so as to bring
the ends close to the former B. These hook ends form stops which arrest the
motion of the first stave put in the machine, holding the said stave stationary while
the other staves are fed in and forced against it. In this way all the staves are
forced into close contact with each other.
In order to securely lock the movable half rings H and F. I pivot a notched

page_text: bar 1 on one half ring and attach a pin 2 to the other. When the half rings are
brought together the pin 2 enters the notch in the bar 1 and securely locks the
half rings (see Figure 1). When it is desired to release the half rings the end of
the bar 1 is raised and the said half rings are then free to be moved.
Only one bar is shown but if desired one may be placed at each end of the
forming apparatus and their outer ends connected by a rod so that they may be
operated together.
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.
1st. A barrel former having rings A detachably connected to it on each side of
its centre substantially as shown and described.
2nd. The rocking frame D connected to the movable half ring F by the pivoted
link G in combination with rods L jointed together by the nut M and con-
nected at one end to the frame D and at its other end to the lever I which is
connected to the adjustable ring H substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3rd. The spindle O journalled in the box P and carrying the cutter head N and
grooved pulley S in combination with the longitudinally adjustable bar half
ring T connected to the grooved pulley S as described the hand lever U pivoted on
the quadrant V and connected to the bar Q substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
4th. In a barrel machine the combination with the movable half rings of packing
rings detachably connected to the said half rings substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
5th. In a barrel machine the arms a pivoted on the movable sleeve each arm
having a slot in it to fit onto a pin on one of the sections of the collapsible former
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6th. In a barrel machine an adjustable end stop v pivoted on the shaft E in com-
bination with the adjustable stop adapted to hold the said stop v in position
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
7th. In a barrel machine a lever 1 pivotted on one half ring and adapted to
engage with a pin 2 on the opposite half ring substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
8th. In a barrel machine the combination of the arms u pivoted on the frame of
the machine and connected together by the rod t each arm having a hooked end s
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 2nd September 1891.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.