IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE APPLICATION OF HOOPS TO WOOD CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS FORMED OF STAVES OF WOOD
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Charles Hooman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th March 1883.
THOMAS CHARLES HOOMAN of N° 69 King William Street in the City of
London, Cooper "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE APPLICATION
OF HOOPS TO WOOD CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS FORMED OF STAVES OF WOOD."
In the manufacture of wood casks, the respective staves are formed broader in
the middle of their length than towards their ends and it is usual to hold together
temporarily those to form a cask by a Truss hoop.
Then first one end of the series is drawn together by the temporary application
of Truss hoops thereto, and then the other end of the series, and when the desired
form is obtained to the series the permanent hoops are applied and these temporary
or Truss hoops are removed.
Apparatus has also been employed to assist the application of these Truss hoops.
This apparatus consists of a strong open compressing case somewhat of a conical
form in the interior thereof or of form corresponding somewhat to that of the ends
of the intended cask. These compressing cases are formed in parts to open on
hinges and be securely held together by suitable fastenings when closed. They
are also formed with grooves around their inner surface to receive the Truss hoops,
and in the formation of a cask one end of the series of staves is forced up the
compressing case into the Truss hoops and when this has been properly effected
with regard to one end the other end of the series of staves is acted upon in like
manner. When the Truss hoops have been thus applied to both ends of a series
of staves the permanent hoops are applied in the usual way and the Truss or
Temporary hoops are removed.
The object of my invention is to simplify and thereby cheapen this process, by
at once applying the permanent hoops to the staves, without the necessity for the
use of truss hoops, except one for holding the series of staves whilst the ends
thereof are being brought together.
In carrying out my Improvements the grooves in this compressing case are
formed to receive and hold the permanent hoops with facility for at once applying
them to the staves as their ends are drawn together within the hoops.

page_text: For this purpose the edges of these grooves are formed with, or so as to receive
inclined flanges or bolding pieces, aided by springs if desired, adapted to retain
the hoops in correct position for passing on to the staves and also to prevent the
ends of the staves from acting on the hoops to disarrange them.-The object of
these flanges or holding pieces is to facilitate the correct passage of the staves into
the permanent hoops.
In operating with the apparatus the “jointed” staves are placed to rest at one
end in a hoop on a lifting table or carrier which is caused to rise or fall or move
to or from the compressing case by screw or other means or be operated by
hydraulic or other suitable power, and the opposite end is forced into the com-
pressing case to receive as described the permanent hoops on that end.
When the operation is complete on one end of the staves of a cask the com-
pressing case is opened to release that end of the cask,-the table is lowered and
then the opposite ends of the staves are similarly operated upon and the cask is
thereby completely hooped without the use of Truss hoops for aiding in giving
form to the ends of the cask.
The permanent hoops may be formed of wood or metal in the usual way and
may be splayed if desired.
This method of applying the permanent hoops to the ends of wood casks is also
applicable in the application of hoops to other vessels formed of staves of wood.