IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF CASKS, BARRELS, AND SUCH LIKE VESSELS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH MANUFACTURE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE
OF CASKS, BARRELS, AND SUCH LIKE VESSELS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH MANUFACTURE."A communication
from abroad by Jean de Lihatcheff, of Yaroslawl, in the Empire of
Russia.
Sealed the 11th January 1860, and dated the 6th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th October 1859..
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE
OF CASKS, BARRELS, AND SUCH LIKE VESSELS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to various improvements in the manufacture of casks
and barrels, and such like vessels, whereby the following advantages are
obtained, viz., 1st, the various operations required may be performed by un-
skilled workmen; 2nd, the parts forming the cask or barrel are caused to unite

page_text: with perfect regularity and solidity; 3rd, the required form, size, and capacity
of the cask may be accurately arrived at; 4th, great economy of time and
labor, and consequently diminution in price is effected; 5th, staves may be
obtained of any required thickness, and the casks manufactured from them will
be so perfect that they may be used for some time without hoops, until the
dryness of the wood necessitates their employment.
The straight strips of wood intended to form the staves after being cut to
the required size are carried to a machine, consisting of a rectangular frame,
carrying planes or cutting tools, underneath which is another frame or bed to
receive the strips of wood to be operated upon; this bed or frame is so
adjusted as to be capable of being raised with any required degree of pressure
against the edges of the cutting tools, by means of excentrics worked by a
winch handle and suitable gearing. The cutting edges of the tools are alter-
nately of a convex and concave form, so that when one side or face of a stavo
has been operated upon and reduced to the required (say) concave form, it
may be submitted to the next cutter, and its convex face operated upon, the
staves being set in compartments, having divisions of a height corresponding
to their required thickness. After having been reduced to the required curved
form transversely, the staves are next submitted to another machine, in order
to be tapered and curved longitudinally; this machine consists of a moveable
frame, having compartments for the reception of the staves to be operated
upon, the divisions between them having the taper required to be given to the
This frame is caused by a screwed rod to move under a reciprocating
saw with which the stave frame is brought into contact, and which saw will cut
away the staves to the requisite taper form... When one edge of the staves has
been operated upon, they are turned round, and the opposite edge treated in
like manner. In order to give the staves the required curve longitudinally,
they are submitted to powerful pressure by means of two screws, the ex-
tremities of which bear against the middle of the staves and compress them
against the side of the machine, which will give them the required curve.
staves.
In order to form the heads of the casks, the square piece of wood intended
to form the head, after being cut to the required thickness, is placed in a
machine, for the purpose of being cut to the desired form; this machine con-
sists of a bed carrying an arched standard or saddle piece, having a bearing in
its centre for a vertical shaft driven by a pulley; this shaft carries four hori-
zontal arms, carrying at their extremities the cutting tools for reducing the
piece of wood to the required shape. These four cutting tools are all of
different shapes, and consequently as they are actuated on motion being com-
municated to the vertical shaft carrying them, they will severally perform

page_text: distinct operations; thus one of them will form the contour or outer circum-
ference of the head, another will cut away a circular portion, thus forming a
rebate, which enters the notches formed inside the ends of the staves, whilst
the two other cutters bevil off or smooth down the inclined edge of the head.
It will be understood that any required number of cutters may be employed,
The staves and heads being thus formed, the cask may be put together, the
heads being of such a form that their outsides shall be flush with the ends of
the staves, which will protect the casks from injury, as the head will receive a
portion of any blow to which the cask may be exposed, instead of such blow
coming upon the ends of the staves, as is now the case.
The cask thus formed will be found by reason of the perfect fitting of the
parts together, to be sufficiently secure without any fastening; but for greater
security, nails may be driven in at the heads and covered with hoops; another
hoop may also be applied at the centre.
It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the appa-
ratus, for instance, an ordinary lathe or rotary cutting tool might be employed
for finishing the heads after being cut to shape by a saw; rotary cutting tools
might also be employed instead of cutting tools acting as planes, for producing
the transverse curve in the staves; hand planes might also be employed with
advantage instead of a reciprocating saw for tapering the staves, especially for
small work.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, 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 William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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

page_text: and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF
CASKS, BARRELS, AND SUCH LIKE VESSELS, AND IN THE MACHINERY. OR APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH MANUFACTURE," being a communication from abroad
by Jean de Lihatcheff, of Yaroslawl, in the Empire of Russia, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said William Edward Newton, 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
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
By the employment of the improved construction of casks, and the ma-
chinery or apparatus employed in such manufacture, and which form the
subject of the present Invention, the following advantages are obtained (vizt.),
first, any workman although not acquainted with the manufacture of casks
and such like vessels, is enabled to carry it on with great perfection. Second,
the joints and notches fit with regularity, nicety, and strength. Third, the
form, calibre, and measure or capacity requisite for the cask or other vessel
are exactly obtained. Fourth, great economy of time and labor are effected,
and consequently considerable diminution in the cost of the manufactured
articles. Fifth, staves are produced varying in thickness as desired, and casks
so well made that they may, if required, be used without hoops until the dry-
ness of the wood renders them requisite.
The various mechanical arrangements constituting part of the present
Invention, and for effecting the desired objects, are represented in the accom-
panying Drawings, drawn to a scale of one-tenth the real size, and may be
divided into three parts, which are intended. for performing three distinct
operations (viz.,) I., the preparation of the staves; II.; the formation of the
joints, and III,, the cutting of the notches and heads and their adjustment.
Sheet I., represents the machine for preparing the staves. Fig. 1, being a
longitudinal sectional elevation; Fig. 2 a horizontal plan of the same, the
upper part of the framing (shewn at Fig. 5) being removed; Fig. 3 is an end
elevation; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same taken in the line 1, 2, of

page_text: Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detached view of tlie frame for carrying the staves in'
course of manufacture and presenting them to the planing tools; Fig. 6'
shews the tool carrier in front elevation, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same.
A is the main framing of the machine, which is provided with a rebate a,
which receives the fixed frame B, shewn detached in plan at Fig. 5. This
frame also rests at various parts of its length upon four series of excentrics b,
mounted upon shafts C, which turn in bearings set along. the framing, and sup-
ported at their middle by brackets c, carried by a traverse running across the
framing A. The shafts C also carry at one of their extremities a pinion d,
having helicoidal or worm teeth, which take constantly into a portion of a
worm or endless screw e (see Figs. 3) set upon a transverse shaft D, that turns.
in bearings at that end of the machine. This shaft D is worked by hand by
means of a winch handle f, for the purpose to be presently explained, and is
beld in any desired position by means of a click f. At the lower part or
under side of the frame B are secured metallic bands g, for the purpose of
protecting the wood against the friction of the cams or excentrics b. Towards
the upper part the longitudinal side traverses of the framing A are provided
throughout their length with a rectangular groove. on each side for the recep-
tion of the shoulder i of the cutter' carrier E (Figs. 6 and 7), and in which
grooves the cutter carrier is capable of moving backwards and forwards. This
cutter carrier is jointed to a connecting rod h (Fig. 7), which is worked by a
steam engine,' or other prime mover, and gives it the necessary backward and
forward movement over the work. The planks of wood to 'be fashioned into
staves are first cut to a determined size and set in the compartments m of the
frame B, by which they are presented with great exactness under their
respective tools or planes G, which are of the same width as the staves to be
produced. These latter are mounted and adjusted for this purpose at equal
calculated distances in the guide piece E, in the same manner as in an
ordinary plane. In order to keep the planks firmly in position, they are
forcibly pressed against points in a fixed iron traverse ³, set in the upper part
of the frame, which is provided with a similar traverse " at the other end, but
which is moveable, and is mounted on a hinge'o, and which holds the planks
firmly at the opposite end. This traverse is afterwards shut in by a rectan-
gular piece of wood k of the requisite dimensions for forming the other end of
and completing, the outer framing of the machine, or instead of the piece k,
any other contrivance for effecting the purpose may be employed, such, for
instance, as a pressing screw at the end opposite to that of the hinged traverse.
The frame B having been thus set in its place, it is only necessary to put the
tool carrier E in'its place, and then to bring it into communication with the

page_text: driving shaft, by which a rectilinear reciprocating movement will be imparted
to it within a certain length, according to the length of the frame. The
attendant in charge of the machine has now only to work the handle f at the
proper time, by which means the excentrics 6 will be acted upon, and be
caused to raise the frame B in a differential manner, so as to bring the cutting
tools G continually into contact with the staves to be fashioned. The thick-
ness of the staves will, of course, be determined by the depth of the compart-
ments m, which receive them. In fact, the action of the cutting tools ceases
as soon as the upper surface of the frame B comes in contact with the under
part of the tool carrier. Now, if the compartments m have a greater depth
for a given thickness of rough plank to be operated upon, this contact will
take place after a shorter time; the contrary will be the case for a less depth.
The thickness of the staves will therefore depend solely upon the depth above
mentioned, and as all these depths are equal, it follows that all the staves
manufactured by the machine will be of the same thickness. It will therefore
only be necessary to have additional frames B, having the dimensions of the
parts m modified, in order to obtain staves of any required thickness. Or, a
single frame might be employed having movable compartments, which might
be set to the required height by means of adjusting screws underneath. It
will be observed that some of the cutting tools G are of a convex form at their
cutting edges, whilst the others G₁ are of the opposite or concave shape. The
object of this arrangement is to give the staves the required uniform curve
upon both sides, the degree of which curve consequently depends only upon
the shape of the cutting tools; these may, therefore, easily be arranged so that
each tool shall form a segment of the circle forming the barrel. Thus, for
instance, supposing the cask or barrel be required to have sixteen staves, the
arc of the circle formed by each stave will be exactly one-sixteenth of that
circumference.
From the foregoing it will be seen that after having been operated upon by
the convex cutters G, the staves pass under and are submitted to the action
of the concave cutters G¹, in order that their other face may be reduced to the
required form. The staves are then submitted to the second operation, the
machinery for effecting which is represented in Sheet II. of the Drawings.
After the operations above described, the preparation of the joints or edges
of the staves is the next process or operation required. This operation has
for its object to give to the staves at their sides, first, such an inclination that
on being put together they shall present lines running truly towards the centre,
which inclination is variable according to the number or breadth of the staves
employed in the formation of the cask. Second, such a convex curve that

page_text: each of the points of their length shall be a segment of a different circle in
diameter of the circle passing through the following point, which diameters
regularly increase from the extremities towards the middle of the cask so as
to give it the appearance of two trunks, more or less conical, united at,
their bases.
These objects are attained by means of the apparatus represented in
Sheet II: of the Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation taken through
the middle. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section
taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the mechanism
which connects and works the screws that give the necessary curve to the
staves. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the mechanism employed for cutting the
pieces flush, that is to say, for making the joints in such a manner that
the staves shall be exactly of the required breadth.
Figs. 6 and 6° are a front view and transverse section of a stave manufactured
according to this Invention, the dotted lines shewing the parts of the rough
plank which have been removed by means of the improved machinery.
Fig. 7 represents on a smaller scale in vertical section a complete cask,
manufactured according to this Invention. The upper part of the framing A,
(Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is provided throughout its whole length with a rebate or
guide groove a cut obliquely, which receives the moveable frame B that carries
the staves that are to be submitted to the second operation. The movement
of the frame B is effected by the hand wheel b (Figs. 1 and 2) keyed to the
extremity of a long screwed rod C, which passes through a female screw c in
the base of the said frame, and is fixed at its opposite end to a traverse C¹
of the framing. The staves e, (Figs. 2 and 3) are placed upright upon
the bottom of the frame, and are separated from each other by bands of iron d
on a level with the plane of the cut of the saw E. These metallic bands have
the curve which is required to be given to the staves, and which necessarily
varies according to the diameter of the cask to be manufactured. The frame
is afterwards closed by the moveable piece B', and the staves are submitted to
pressure and clamped on that side in order to bend them by means of screws D,
working in the fixed side of the frame. These screws are operated by means
of a winch handle 6' on the end of one of them. In order to communicate to
the second screw a similar movement and action parallel to the first each of
these pressing screws is provided at its extremity with a toothed pinion f, over
which passes an endless chain 9 (see Fig. 4). with which it forms a kind of
gearing. The pressure is put on until the staves have taken the curve of the
metallic bands d. When this has been done the frame B may be moved
forward against the horizontal saw E, which must cut the staves uniformly and

page_text: form the joints. The arms of this saw, which is mounted after the manner of
an ordinary saw and just comes in contact with the surface of the frame, are
connected by an iron rod h, the extremities of which are squared and pass
through brackets F attached to the standards, and in which the said rod has a
free reciprocating rectilinear movement. The rod h is hinged to the connecting
rod G of a crank P, driven by any motive engine, and which thus communicates
to the saw E a backward and forward movement between the brackets F.
When the frame B has arrived gradually at the end of its course, by means
of the handle b, it is brought back to its first position by turning the handle in the
opposite direction. It is then only necessary to unscrew the screws D, in order
to open the frame.. The staves e may then be turned to the opposite side, and
the same operation may then be repeated.
In order to determine the exact width of the staves, a strip of metal e¹,
(Figs. 2 and 3) is applied like a stave at the back or bottom of the frame,
and a portion of the extremity of this strip of metal is prolonged in the form
of a tongue to the outside of the front end of the frame. This tongue is
introduced into an opening or slot in a lever H, having its fulcrum at k, and
worked by a handle at the other end, as shewn at Fig. 5. It will therefore
be understood, that on raising the end H of this lever by means of the handle,
the strip of metal e¹ will be raised to the same extent. A graduated dial v
may be made to indicate the height to which it should be raised, in order to
bring the staves e exactly to the same level, so as to give them a definite width
corresponding to a certain diameter of cask, or to a cask formed of a certain
number of staves.
It may be here remarked, that this method of manufacture is equally well
adapted to staves which have been made by the ordinary method, as they may
by this means be thus made all of equal size. After having been submitted to
this last operation, the staves have a double curve, and their sides are inclined to
the inside, as represented in Figs. 6 and 6ª, which form is due to their peculiar
position in the moveable frame B, by which they were presented to the saw E.
The machinery for forming the heads of the casks is represented in Sheet I.
of the Drawings, Fig. 8 being an elevation partly in section, and Fig. 9 a plán
view of the same. A is the foundation plate of the machine, upon which is
firmly mounted a strong cast-iron standard B, at the top of which is an opening
or slot, serving as a stuffing box for a vertical rod C; this rod rests at its lower
extremity upon a kind of step piece or block a, the base of which is armed
with points, which take into the piece of wood D, to be operated upon. This
piece D having been cut to 'the required size and thickness, is laid upon the
foundation plate A, care being taken that it be of such size that a head of the

page_text: requisite diameter can be cut out of it. The shaft C is provided with a long
key or feather b, which serves to fasten a sleeve shaft E mounted thereon, and
which, when rotary motion is given to the pulley c from any first mover by
means of a driving band, carries the shaft C round along with it. Below this
pulley, which is constructed in one piece with the shaft E, are four arms F,
set at right angles to each other, near the extremities of which, or at any
required point, are adjusted by means of set screws, the tool carriers for
holding the cutters by which the head is to be cut to the required size.
The dotted lines in Fig. 9 shew the form of the piece of wood before it
has been operated. upon, and. consequently the parts of the wood which
are removed in order to form the head. The necessary pressure is given to
the hollow shaft. E, and consequently to the cutting tools d during their
action, by means of a long lever H, jointed at one end to the standard B, and
to which is hinged a forked lever f, embracing the top of the standard and
linked below to a collar g. This collar is set in an annular groove in the sleeve
shaft E, by which means it embraces this shaft without interfering with its
rotary motion, and by this means communicates to the tools & the amount of
pressure put upon the work D by the lever H. The four cutting tools d are
formed each with a cutting edge of a different bevil, and consequently each of
them performs a distinct operation upon the work. Thus one tool cuts or
forms the contour or outer circumference of the head, another cuts out a
rebate, which is to enter the notches inside the staves at their extremities; the
two other cutters form and finish the circumference of the required bevil. It
will be understood, that if considered desirable, the number. of arms F may be
doubled and other cutters added.
From the foregoing description of the machinery for cutting and preparing
the staves and heads of casks, barrels, and such like articles, it will be under-
stood that the casks are constructed in a novel and peculiar manner, whereby
their strength is considerably increased.
The heads of the casks are formed (as above mentioned) with a rebate
which fits into the notched ends of the staves, so that when the cask is put
together the outer surface of the head will be flush with the ends of the staves,
which will thereby be protected from the effects of violence. The staves are
secured to the head by means of pins or nails, which are driven through the
staves into the head. The several parts may, if desired, be still further secured
by means of hoops; but by means of the improved machinery before described,
the joints or edges of the staves are made with such accuracy and exactness
that when put together they will fit so well as not to require hooping in the
first instance to form a complete and water-tight cask.

page_text: After the various operations of cutting and preparing the staves and heads
of the casks, the several parts may be very quickly put together by inverting
the rebate of the head into the notches of the staves as shewn at Fig. 7,
Sheet II. It will be seen that the outside surface of the head comes flush
with the ends of the staves, and thus these latter are protected from the effects
of violence. Casks constructed in this manner will therefore last much longer
than those made according to the ordinary method. When the several parts
are thus put together the cask might be made to serve without any further
fastening by reason of the perfect joining and firm attachment of the staves,
resulting from the exact mode of fitting and preparing the joints, and forming
the latter in the direction of the radii of circles of which the contour of the
cask forms the circumferences; for greater security, however, it is advisable to
drive nails through the staves into the heads as shewn in Fig. 7. One or two
hoops may also be added; for instance, one may be adapted to each end of the
cask in order to cover the nails, and another may be adapted to the middle
when this shall seem desirable in consequence of the dryness of the wood. The
notches may be cut in the staves by the ordinary means.
I would bere remark that although I have shewn and described a peculiar
arrangement of mechanism for cutting or forming the head, I reserve to myself
the following modifications, viz., the employmment of an ordinary lathe instead
of the machine or apparatus represented at Figs. 8 and 9, Sheet I, for the
manufacture of the improved heads, the work having been first cut to the
required form by an ordinary saw. Instead of the planing tools and machine
above described for producing the required curve on the two faces of the stave,
the desired object may be effected by the employment of the rotary cutting
tools shewn at Fig. 9, Sheet II. For this purpose, two of the cutters are
made of a convex form as shewn at Fig. 9, and the others are made of a
concave form as represented at Fig. 9. Instead of a saw for operating upon
the edges of the staves when they have been bent in the apparatus for that
purpose as above described, the edges may be cut and prepared by means
of a hand plane, this would be advantageous, and would render the apparatus
less complicated for the manufacture of small casks, as the bending apparatus
would be the only apparatus employed, the employment of the saw being more
convenient for those of large dimensions. When a hand plane is used for the
purpose, the lower sides of the plane must project slightly beyond the plane
iron in order that this latter may not touch the surface of the table when it
has arrived at the end of its work.
Any motive power may also be employed instead of steam for working the
machinery.

page_text: Having now described this Invention of improvements in the construction
and manufacture of casks, barrels, and such like vessels, and in the machinery
or apparatus to be employed for such manufacture, and having explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I wish it to be understood that what I claim under the above
in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly, the method of constructing or manufacturing casks, barrels, or such
like vessels as above shewn and described, in place of the manual or partially
mechanical operations hitherto employed in the manufacture of casks, and
similar vessels.
Secondly, I claim the machinery or apparatus above shewn and described,
or any mere modification thereof for effecting the required operations.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)