OR IMPROVED MEANS OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND JOINING STRIPS OF CANE OR WOOD FOR CRICKET BAT HANDLES OR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frank Kingston at the Office
-
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
September 1873.
I, FRANK KINGSTON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED
MEANS OF AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SHAPING AND JOINING STRIPS OF
CANE OR WOOD FOR CRICKET BAT HANDLES OR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows
(that is to say):— .
This Invention relates to improvements in shaping and joining strips
of cane or wood for cricket bat handles and other purposes.
The nature of my.Invention is as follows:-The cane handles used for
cricket bats are made up of a combination of small canes shaped as nearly
as possible rectangular and united by being glued. Hitherto both the
shaping and gluing have been effected by hand labour, and the
object of the present Invention is to accomplish both processes by
machinary or apparatus in a much more expeditions and effecient
manner than has hitherto been achieved.

page_text: According to my Invention the canes to be squared are fed in between
two small toothed wheels supported in a vertical position and placed
sufficiently near to one another to bite the cane and thus carry it
forward as they revolve. The cane thus advanced is acted upon at its
extremity by a guide which directs it between two cutting knives fixed
horizontal and of such distance apart that they will cut off the top and
bottom curved surfaces of the cane as it is passed through between them.
A short distance behind these horizontal knives are fixed two vertical
knives of about a like distance apart, and these as the cane is forced
through between them take off the two side curved surfaces, thus
forming the cane into as nearly as possible a square. After passing
through the vertical knives as just described the cane is taken hold
of by two vertical rollers covered with india-rubber which guide it along
and also bite sufficiently to help it through the cutters. The rollers and
knives are made capable of adjustment relative to one another so as to
adapt them to act on different sized canes.
Motion may be imparted to the toothed wheels by either hand or
steam power, but it has been found advisable in either case to provide a
fly wheel to ensure a steady motion. When the apparatus is covered in
proper outlets are provided for the horizontal and vertical cuttings from
the canes to pass freely away.
In forming bat handles of the canes thus squared it is usual to combine
twenty-five of them in a square, or five rows of five each, the large square
thus formed being afterwards shaped as required. In gluing these
together there are several points of great importance to be.observed.
Firstly. Two much moisture must not be imparted to the canes.
Secondly. They must be put together with sufficient rapidity to
prevent the glue chilling.
And, Thirdly. Any excess of glue beyond what is actually required to
cause the several canes to adhere firmly together must be expelled from
the joints when the canes are pressed tightly together and must not be
forced into the pores of the cane. If any of these points be neglected
the result will be that the canes will not be bound together with
sufficient strength for the purpose required.
According to my Invention I proceed as follows:-I take an ordinary
glue pot and form right through both water space and clue cun a

page_text: horizontal channel of such width and depth that five of the above canes
may be passed through side by side. This channel is closed to the water
but is perforated on its upper and under sides where it passes through the
glue cup. By this means the glue is caused to enter the said channel but
is prevented running out at the ends by spring doors, one opening into the
channel and the other opening outwards. The pot having been charged
with glue five canes are taken and side by side together passed rapidly
through the said channel entering the same by the lid opening inwards.
In this passage they are covered with glue on all their sides, and thus
coated are immediately passed endways into a horizontal rectangular
passage enclosed top and bottom and both sides. This passage is of
about the length of the canes and of sufficient height and width to take
in the five rows thereof loosely and easily. The first row of canes having
been deposited therein, a second row are passed through the glue pot and
then placed in the said passage over the first row, and so on until the
five rows of canes or twenty-five in all are deposited therein. The end
of a ram is then brought to bear on the ends of the canes and they are
thereby forced from the said passage into another of similar form com-
municating at the opposite end of the first passage to that at which the
ram enters, but of such smaller dimensions that the canes are closely
pressed together in being forced therein, the entrance thereto gradually
tapering from the size of the first and larger passage. By this means
one end of the canes are first pressed closely together, the opposite ends
thereof being allowed to expand to the size of the larger passage,
and thus any excess of glue between the different canes is squeezed
out at their spread back ends as they are forced forward instead of
being pressed into the pores of the canes. The canes thus united
have only to dry to be ready for use, when they will be found to adhere
with great strength. The said ram by which the canes are forced
forward may be worked by rack and pinion or other suitable means.
Strips of cane or wood thus united may also be used for various useful
purposes, such for example as springs or washing & wringing machines
and other purposes.