IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND SHAPING CORK
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Anton Seithen and Joseph H.
Lichtenstein at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 12th January 1855.
We, ANTON SEITHEN, of Coblenz, in Prussia, Cork Manufacturer, & JOSEPH
H. LICHTENSTEIN, of Berlin, in Prussia, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND
SHAPING CORK" to be as follows:
Our improvements consist, firstly, in a machine for cutting pieces of cork
to the required lengths for forming stoppers. This machine is composed of.
a horizontal spindle, placed in bearings, and driven by hand or power, upon
each end of which is fixed a circular knife, against which the pieces of cork.
are pressed, either by hand or by means of a slide, and thus cut to the
required lengths.
Secondly, in a machine for giving the pieces of cork cut by the above-
mentioned machine, or otherwise, the desired shape suitable for stoppers. This
machine consists of an upright shaft or spindle, resting in a socket at foot and
in a bearing above, on which are fixed two or more arms with frames attached
at the ends, to which are fixed blades or knives of the shape of a segment of a
circle. Upon a circular table within reach of these knives are placed any con-
venient number of adjustable stands or bearings, which are provided with
spindles or centres, having disks at the ends facing each other armed with
points, between which the pieces of cork to be operated upon are placed and

page_text: held tight. The piece of cork thus held between the two spindles is caused to
revolve round its axis by suitable machinery. The distance of the pieces of
cork from the circular table is so adjusted, that when the cork is finished, the
under part of the knife which is flat shall be on a level with the top of the
cork. As each cork is to be completed during the time the knife or a portion
of the knife passes over it, the upright spindle is so connected with the spindles
carrying the cork that the latter shall make one complete revolution whilst
the knife performs its cut. It is evident that by adjusting the stands carrying
the cork accordingly, various sizes of stoppers can be cut on the same machine
during one revolution of the arm or arms which carries the knife or knives. In
order that the knives may be constantly kept sharp, they are at each revolution
made to pass between a pair of small revolving grindstones fixed on the
circular table in suitable bearings. This machine may also be so modified as
to admit of the use of blades or knives in the form of cylindrical segments.
Thirdly, in a machine or apparatus for grinding off the flat ends of the
stoppers instead of cutting them, as heretofore. This apparatus consists of a
horizontal grindstone, composed of segments bound together by iron bands or
otherwise, and revolving on a spindle. In order to finish the ends of the
stoppers, it is sufficient to press them for an instant very slightly upon the
revolving grindstone. Upon this kind of grindstone we also grind pieces of
cork which by themselves are too small to form stoppers of a required size,
and we afterwards join two or more such pieces together by cement, to form.
one stopper.
The circular blades or knives, described as our second improvement, are.
also applicable to cutting cork veneers; in that case the cork intended for
veneers may be placed on adjustable slides and brought into contact with the
blades or knives.