IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BARRELS OR CASKS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Myers, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America now of 8, Southampton Buildings London for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BARRELS OR CASKS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Myers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1883.
FREDERICK MYERS, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, now of 8 Southampton Buildings London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BARRELS OR CASKS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
"
My invention relates to the manufacture of barrels or casks, and to machinery or
apparatus therefor.
The said invention comprises an improved method of, and means for, automati-
cally bulging the staves to the desired shape while they are being fed to, and
before they reach, stave-supporting or retaining discs which I employ in place of
the ordinary barrel-former; mechanism for feeding the staves to the said retaining
discs; mechanism for withdrawing the said stave-supporting or retaining discs by
hand or otherwise to allow the barrel or cask, when formed, to be removed from
the machine either automatically or otherwise; sliding truss-hoop carriers, and
mechanism for moving the said carriers forward to place the truss-hoops on the
barrel and press the same firmly thereon to bring the staves into close contact
with one another, and to then withdraw the said carriers leaving the truss-hoops
upon the barrel to allow the same to be removed from the machine and the
ordinary hoops to be placed thereon; also clastic cushions between the said truss-
hoops and their carriers to allow the said hoops to yield in case of any difference
in the external diameter of the barrels, said hoops being of a given internal
diameter; the said invention also comprises an improved machine for cutting the
staves to the required length; bevelling and grooving the same; and various
details of construction, all as hereinafter set forth.

page_text: In the manufacture of barrels or casks as heretofore practised, a collapsible
barrel-former is employed around which the required number of staves are placed
by means of suitable feeding mechanism, the staves being bulged to the desired
shape by being pressed down upon the barrel former after they are received by the
same, and the said barrel-former must be collapsed to allow the barrel to be
removed therefrom.
But according to my improved method of manufacturing the barrels or casks,
the staves are bulged to the required shape while they are being fed to the
aforesaid stave-supporting or retaining dises so that when a stave reaches the said
dises it has the desired bulge and is beld or retained between the said discs by its
own elastic force, and when a sufficient number of staves have been fed to the said
discs a barrel is thus formed thereon.
I provide the following means for automatically bulging the staves and feeding
the same to the retaining discs, that is to say, I attach to the frame of the machine
a hopper capable of receiving a sufficient number of staves to form a barrel or cask
of the required dimensions. This hopper may consist of two brackets provided
with recesses for receiving the ends of the staves. It is fixed to a frame which is
pivotted upon a shaft or shafts carried in suitable bearings, and is suspended at
the desired position in any suitable manner. If desired this hopper may be
dispensed with and the staves be placed in front of the feed-bar by hand. The
said pivotted frame is raised by inclined planes or other suitable means when the
truss-hoop carriers hereinafter described are advanced to place the truss-hoops on
the cask or barrel. Immediately below the said hopper, I arrange a feed-bar
which is adapted to slide to and fro upon suitable guides attached to, or forming a
part of, the said pivotted frame. This feed-bar is preferably formed at its front
edge so as to correspond with the shape of the curved sides of the staves. To
provide for effecting the reciprocating movement of the said feed-bar it is coupled
by means of a connecting rod to a crank-pin adjustably fixed in a crank carried by
a shaft in axial line with the shafts carrying the said pivotted frame. Rotary
motion is imparted to this shaft by means of a belt and pulley in any suitable
manner. At each end of the said hopper I attach to the pivotted frame a guide-
bar extending horizontally from the hopper towards the retaining discs. Between
these guide-bars the staves are forced transversely as they are fed towards the
retaining discs, and the said guide-bars are inclined towards each other in such a
manner that the stave is gradually caused to bulge upward as it is moved forward
between the said inclined guide-bars by the feeding mechanism. The said guide-
bars extend nearly as far as the vertical plane passing through the axis of the
supporting or retaining discs.
My improved stave supporting or retaining discs are each made with a flange
projecting at right angles thereto; or nearly so, and are free to rotate upon, and
independently of, shafts carried in suitable bearings, or the said shafts may be
arranged to rotate with the said discs; the intermittent rotation of the said discs
is caused, as required, by the feeding of the staves thereto; these discs are placed
opposite one another at such a distance apart that, when a stave has been bulged
and inserted between them, the ends of the stave will, by reason of their elastic
force, bear against the rims of the said discs. In order that these discs may be
simultaneously withdrawn when necessary, I provide a lever which is suitably
pivotted to the frame of the machine; one arm of this lever is connected to one of
the shafts of the retaining discs, which shafts are capable of axial movement in
their bearings. To the long arm of the said lever is coupled one end of a con-
necting rod, the other end of which is connected to a second lever for operating
the other of the said shafts. This second lever is also pivotted to the frame of the
machine. In some cases I arrange an inclined plate or platform below the said
retaining discs so that, when the barrel is released it will roll down the said inclined
platform out of the machine.
The truss-hoop carriers are each composed of an annular frame having projecting
pieces at its periphery for holding an elastic cushion, such as a ring of india-rubber,

page_text: and within these projections I place the truss-hoop. To each of the said annular
frames I attach two sliding or guide blocks provided with grooves and arranged
to slide to and fro on guide-pieces attached to the frame of the machine. Each of
the sliding blocks on one of the said truss-hoop carriers is coupled to one end of an
excentric rod having a strap at its other end encircling an excentric fixed on the
main shaft. A toothed wheel is mounted on this shaft and geared with a toothed
pinion upon an intermediate shaft which is provided with a pulley to receive a belt
for transmitting rotary motion thereto. A disc-crank is fixed on one end of the
main shaft and one end of a connecting rod is coupled to the crank pin thereof.
The other end of this connecting rod is coupled to a pin or stud fixed in the end of
a lever or arm keyed on a rock-shaft carried in suitable bearings at the opposite
end of the machine. Two other levers are fixed on this rock shaft, and the ends
of these levers are provided with pins or studs to each of which is coupled one
end of a short connecting rod; the other ends of these connecting rods are coupled
to the sliding blocks attached to the other truss-hoop carrier. The said truss hoop
carriers will therefore be operated simultaneously by means of the aforesaid main
and intermediate shafts.
The aforesaid disc crank is sometimes made in the form of a cam which is
arranged to bear upon a lever connected in any suitable manner with the said
pivotted frame so that it will raise the said frame above the truss-hoop carriers to
allow the same to be moved forward.
In order that the said truss-hoop carriers may be operated when necessary I
mount the said toothed wheel loosely upon the main shaft and combine therewith
a positive stop clutch or device whereby the said wheel can be temporarily engaged
with a gib on the main shaft so as to cause the said shaft to make one revolution,
and will then be disengaged from the said gib. I sometimes use a device similar
to that described in the Specification of former Letters Patent dated 1st September
A.D. 1880, No 3555, that is to say, I provide the said toothed wheel with studs
projecting inwardly from its hub. With these studs engages a gib or clutch which
slides in a groove in the main shaft and is secured in position by a hub, collar, or
ring firmly fixed upon the same, and having a groove corresponding to that in the
said shaft. The said gib or clutch is forced between the studs on the hub of the
gear-wheel by a spring, which acts upon the projection on the gib, and enters a
socket in the hub. Motion is communicated to the said shaft only when the gib
is engaged with the studs, and when it is disengaged the said shaft remains
stationary. The said gib is disengaged from the studs by the bevelled end of a
lever being forced between the projection on the end of the gib and the said collar.
As the main shaft revolves, and when the said lever is in its normal position, the
bevelled end of the same holds the gib back and disengages it from the studs on
the wheel so that the latter revolves loosely upon the shaft without turning the
same. When, however, the bevelled end of this lever is raised from between the
projection and the hub, that is to say, when it is disengaged from the clutch or
gib, the latter is forced between the studs on the hub of the toothed wheel by the
aforesaid spring, and motion is communicated to the shaft. The bevelled end of
the lever is raised by a treadle combined with one arm of the said lever by a rod.
This treadle consists of a rod so bent as to pass around the frame and form a foot-
piece. This treadle rod is held by set screws in sockets or arms extending from
the rod having bearings in the foot of the side frames. By depressing this treadle
by the foot, the rod, and consequently the arm of the lever to which it is attached,
are drawn down, and the bevelled end of the lever is disengaged from the gib or
clutch, which, by the force of the spring is engaged with the studs; when the said
treadle is released the force of the spring attached to the side of the frame and to
the said treadle raises the foot-piece to its original position and engages the
bevelled end of the lever with the gib or clutch, and withdraws the latter from
engagement with the pins or studs upon the wheel
My improved machine for cutting the staves to the required length and forming
the bevels and grooves for constituting the chime, is constructed as follows, that is

page_text: to say I provide a suitable frame, upon which I fix a hopper capable of receiving
a number of staves. This hopper is formed with a slot or aperture at its lower
front end to permit one stave at a time to be pushed therefrom, and I provide a
feed-bar having two arms which pass under the said hopper and are of nearly the
saine thickness as one of the staves. This feed-bar is capable of sliding to and
fro upon guides fixed to, or forming part of, the frame, and one end of a connecting
rod is coupled to the said feed bar, the other end being coupled to a crank on a
shaft to which motion is imparted by means of belts and pulleys from an
intermediate shaft driven by any suitable means. Two spring arms are fixed to
the front part of the hopper in such a manner that they will permit a stave to be
thrust beneath them, and will hold the same down upon the table or frame. Two
lateral spring arms are also fitted to the front of the hopper so that they will act
as guides for the ends of the staves. I also provide a shaft, to which motion is
imparted by means of belts and pulleys from the said intermediate shaft, and I fix
thereon two circular saws and two rotary cutters, in such a position that, as a
stave is thrust from the hopper by the said feed-bar, it is cut to the desired
length by the said saws and the bevels and grooves are formed by the said
cutters.
To adapt the said machine to cut staves of different lengths I form the hopper in
two parts adjustable relatively to each other, and I make the saws and cutters
adjustable on the said shaft.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Myers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th July 1883.
FREDERICK MYERS, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, now of 8 Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BARRELS OR CASKS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR
"
My invention relates to the manufacture of barrels or casks, and to machinery
or apparatus therefor.
The said invention comprises improved means for automatically bulging the
staves to the desired shape while they are being fed to, and before they reach, the
stave-supporting or retaining discs which I employ in place of the ordinary barrel-
former; mechanism for feeding the staves to the said retaining discs and
intermittently operating the latter; mechanism for withdrawing the said stave-
supporting or retaining discs by hand or otherwise to allow the barrel or cask,
when formed, to be removed from the machine either automatically or otherwise;
sliding truss-hoop carriers, and mechanism for moving the said carriers forward to
place the truss-hoop on the barrel and press the same firmly thereon to bring the
staves into close contact with one another, and to then withdraw the said carriers,
leaving the truss-hoops upon the barrel, so that the same may be removed from the
machine, which truss-hoops remain on the barrel until the ordinary hoops are
placed thereon; elastic cushions between the said truss-hoops and their carriers to
allow the said hoops to yield in case of any difference in the external diameter of
the barrels; an improved machine for cutting the staves to the required length,
bevelling and grooving the same; and various details of construction, all as
hereinafter set forth.
According to my improved method of manufacturing barrels or casks, the
staves, which are of equal length, are bulged alike to the required shape while
they are being fed to the aforesaid stave-supporting or retaining discs and are held
or retained between the said discs by their own elasticity, and a sufficient number
of staves is fed to the said discs to form a barrel thereon.
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated barrel making machinery
constructed in accordance with my said invention.
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a machine for forming the barrels or casks,
parts of the said machine being shown in horizontal section.
Figure 2 is a section of the same on the line xx, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front elevation thereof, with some of the parts removed.
Figure 4 is a plan or top view, partly in section, of a machine for cutting the
staves to the desired length, bevelling the ends of the same, and forming the
grooves therein, and
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawings.
In Figures 1, 2 and 3, A represents the base-plate of the machine for forming the
barrels or casks, B, B are standards fixed to the said base-plate and having bearings
at their upper ends for the shafts C, C*, which carry the stave-supporting or
retaining discs D, D*. These discs are free to rotate upon the said shafts and
are so arranged that, when the machine is operating, they are rotated inter-
mittently as each stave is fed to them and not continuously as in the machines
heretofore constructed. E, E are standards fixed to the base-plate A and having
bearings at their upper ends for the shaft F. This shaft forms a pivot for the
frame G which also turns upon the pivot or pin F' fixed in the standard E', on

page_text: the same axial. line as the shaft F.
The brackets H are fixed to, or formed
integrally with, the pivotted frame G and are made with recesses for receiving
the ends of the staves I so that they constitute a kind of hopper capable of
receiving a sufficient number of staves to form a barrel or cask of the required
dimensions.
manner,
The free end of the frame G is suspended at the desired position in the following
that is to say, the said frame is provided with a curved cross-bar G₁ having
at its centre an eye G2 to which is attached one end of the rod or link J, the other
end thereof being coupled to one arm of a lever K. This lever is pivotted to a
bracket K¹ which may be secured to any suitable part of the building in which the
machine is placed. The other arm of this lever is connected with the lever J2 by
the link J. This link is adjustably attached to the lever J2 by means of a bolt
passing through a slot in the end of the said lever, as shown.
The lever J is pivotted upon a pin or stud J³ fixed in the bracket J' which is
secured to the frame of the machine, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. This lever J2
is arranged to be acted upon by a cam as hereinafter described.
L is a pusher or feed-bar which is formed with guide-shoes L' adapted to slide to
and fro upon the guides G³ forming a part of the pivotted frame G. The feed-bar L
is preferably curved at its front edge, as shown, so as to correspond with the shape
of the curved sides of the staves. Reciprocating movement is imparted to the said
feed-bar by the following means, that is to say, one end of the connecting rod M is
coupled to the said feed-bar and the other end is fitted upon the crank-pin N
which is adjustably secured in a slot in the crank N' keyed on the shaft F, to
which rotary motion is imparted, by means of a belt passing around the pulley F³,
from any suitable motor.
The frame G has two guides G extending horizontally from the brackets H
towards the retaining discs D, D*, to guide the staves and bulge the same as they
are being fed to the said discs. The brackets H are each formed with a slot at H¹
as shown in Figure 2, to allow one stave at a time to be thrust forward therefrom
by the feed-bar L, and the guides G4 are so constructed that the distance between
their vertical sides G³ diminishes towards their front ends and each stave is thereby
gradually caused to bulge upward as it is forced between the said guide-bars by
the feeding mechanism, the ends of the staves being held down by the flanges G of
the said guides. The frame G has a projecting piece G7, which is inclined so that
it will raise the stave at the centre, as the same is being fed to the retaining discs,
and thus give it the requisite curve.-The guides G extend nearly as far as the
vertical plane passing through the axis of the stave supporting or retaining
discs D, D*, therefore one side of the stave arrives between the rims of the said
discs before the other side leaves the said guides. These discs are placed opposite
one another at such a distance apart that, when a stave has been bulged and
inserted between them as above described, the ends of the stave will, by reason of
its elasticity, bear against the rims of the said discs and the stave will thus be
retained in its proper position. The intermittent rotation of the said discs is
caused, as required, by the feeding of the staves thereto, that is to say, when a
stave is thrust forward by the pusher or feed-bar L and bears upon the rims of the
In order to prevent
ɛaid discs, the latter are thereby caused to partially rotate.
any further movement of the discs until a second stave is thrust forward against
the first stave, the spring-arms H³, H³ are provided, which arms serve as brakes.
These arms are fixed to the frame of the machine as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
P, P* are the truss-hoop carriers, each of which is composed of an annular frame
having projecting pieces P' at its periphery, and an elastic cushion or ring P2 of
india-rubber or other suitable material is placed within the said projecting pieces
to allow the truss-hoop to yield as above stated.
The truss-hoop Q is inserted within, and supported by, the projecting pieces P₁
as shown in Figure 1. Guide-shoes P³ are fixed to the said annular frames and are
provided with V-shaped grooves and arranged to slide to and fro on the guides R
forming part of the frame of the machine and serving to support the said truss-hoop

page_text: carriers. Each of the guide-shoes P³ on the annular frame P is provided with two
Jugs carrying a pin to which is coupled one end of an excentric rod S the other end
of which has a strap S¹ encircling an excentric S² fixed on the main shaft T. This
shaft is carried in the bearings T' at the upper ends of the standards T. A toothed
wheel U is mounted on this shaft and geared with a toothed pinion V upon the
intermediate shaft W, which is provided with a pulley W₁ to receive a belt for
transmitting rotary motion thereto from a shaft driven by any suitable motor.
A cam X is fixed on one end of the main shaft, and one end of the connecting
rod Y is coupled to the pin X' which is fixed excentrically in the cam X to form a
crank. The other end of the connecting rod Y is coupled to a pin or stud Y¹ fixed
in the end of a lever or arm Z keyed on the rock-shaft Z' which is carried in the
bearings Z. Two levers a are also fixed on this rock-shaft and the ends of these
levers are each provided with a pin or stud a¹ to which is coupled one end of a
short connecting rod b, the other end of the said connecting rod being coupled to a
pin carried by two lugs on one of the guide-shoes P³ on the annular frame P*.
The said truss-hoop carriers will therefore be operated simultaneously when motion
is imparted to the main shaft T.
In order that the said truss-hoop carriers may be operated only when necessary,
I make the toothed wheel U free to rotate independently of the main shaft except
when engaged therewith as hereinafter described. In combination with the
wheel U, I provide a positive stop clutch or device whereby the said wheel can be
temporarily engaged with a gib on the main shaft, so as to cause the said shaft to
make one revolution, and will then be automatically disengaged from the said gib.
I sometimes use a device similar to that described in the specification of former
Letters Patent dated 1st September A.D 1880, No 3555, that is to say, I provide
the said toothed wheel with studs c projecting from its hub. With these studs a
gib d is adapted to engage, which gib slides in a groove in the main shaft and is
secured in position by a collar or ring d firmly fixed upon the said shaft, and
having a groove corresponding to that in the shaft. The said gib is forced into the
path of the studs c on the hub of the gear-wheel U by a spring d² which acts upon
the projection d³ of the gib, and enters a recess or socket in the collar d'. Motion
is communicated to the main shaft T only when the gib is engaged with one of the
studs c, and when it is disengaged the said shaft remains stationary. The said gib
is disengaged from the studs by means of the bevelled end e of the lever c¹ which
is forced between the projection d' on the end of the gib and the collar d' when
the shaft T has made one revolution. When the lever e¹ is in its normal position,
the bevelled end of the same holds the gib back and disengaged from the studs on
the wheel U, as shown, so that the latter revolves loosely upon the shaft T without
turning the same. When, however, the bevelled end of this lever is withdrawn from
between the projection d' and the collar d', that is to say, when it is disengaged
from the gib, the latter is forced into the path of the studs c on the hub of the
toothed wheel U by the spring and motion is communicated to the shaft T.
The bevelled end of the lever e' is raised by means of a treadle connected with one
arm of the said lever by a link. The said treadle (not shown in the drawings)
consists of a rod so bent as to pass around the frame and form a foot-piece. This
treadle-rod is held by set-screws in sockets or arms extending from a rod having
bearings in the foot of the side frames. On depressing the said treadle by the foot,
the said rod, and consequently the arm of the lever, to which it is attached, are
drawn down, and the bevelled end of the lever is disengaged from the gib, which,
by the force of the spring, is then caused to engage with the studs c; when the
said treadle is released, the force of a spring attached to the side of the frame and
to the said treadle raises the foot-piece to its original position and causes the
bevelled end of the lever to engage with the gib, thereby withdrawing the latter
from engagement with the pins or studs c upon the wheel U.
When the main shaft T is engaged with the toothed wheel U as above described
and commences to rotate, the cam X acts upon the lever J2 and thereby raises the
pivotted frame G to allow the truss-hoop-carriers to be moved forward to press the

page_text: truss-hoops upon the barrel or cask, and, after the said carriers have been moved
back ward, the said cam allows the pivotted frame to descend by its own weight.
If desired, the said pivotted frame can be raised, when necessary, by means of
inclined planes on the guide-shoes P³ acting upon friction-rollers carried by
brackets on the underside of the pivotted frame.
In order that the stave-supporting or retaining discs D, D* may be simulta-
neously withdrawn when necessary, the lever g pivotted to the standard g' fixed
to the frame of the machine as shown in Figure 2; one arm of this lever is
connected to the shaft C of the retaining disc D; the arm g² of the said lever is
coupled to one end of the connecting rod h, the other end of which is coupled to
the lever i for operating the shaft C* of the retaining disc D*. The lever g is
arranged to be operated by hand, but if desired,.it may be arranged to be operated
automatically in any suitable manner. The lever is pivotted to a standard fixed
to the fiame of the machine in a similar manner to the lever g.
In some cases I arrange an inclined plate or platform k below the said retaining
discs as shown in Figure 2, so that, when the barrel is released, it will roll down
the said inclined platform out of the machine.
My improved machine for cutting the staves to the required length, bevelling
the same, and forming the grooves therein, is shown in Figures 4 and 5, and is
constructed as follows, that is to say is the frame of the machine, ¹ is a table
or plate mounted thereon, upon which table or plate are fixed two brackets m
forming a hopper capable of receiving a number of staves. These brackets are
formed with slots or apertures at their lower front ends to permit the passage of
one stave at a time, which stave is thrust from the hopper by the feed-bar n which
has two arms n¹³, arranged to pass through the said slots or apertures, and of nearly
the same thickness as one of the staves. This feed-bar is. provided with guide-
shoes n² arranged to slide to and fro upon the guides 2 fixed to, or forming part
of, the table or plate . o is a connecting rod, one end of which is coupled to the
feed-bar and the other end to the crank p on the shaft p' to which motion is
imparted, by means of the belt p² and pulleys p³, p, from the intermediate shaft q
which is driven by any suitable motor. Two spring arms are fixed to the front
part of the brackets m in such a manner that they will permit a stave to be thrust
beneath them, and will hold the same down upon the table or plate ¹. Two lateral
spring arms 8 are also secured to the front of the brackets m so that they will act
as guides for the ends of the staves. The shaft t is carried in suitable bearings
beneath the table or plate and motion is imparted to it, by means of the belt t
and pulleys t2, 3, from the intermediate shaft q. Two circular saws u and two
rotary cutters v are adjustably fixed on the said shaft t in such a position that, as
a stave is thrust from the hopper by the said feed-bar, it is cut to the desired
length by the saws u, and the bevels and grooves are formed by the cutters v.
To adapt the said machine to cut staves of different lengths, the brackets m are
made adjustable on the table or plate , relatively to each other; for this purpose,
the said brackets are provided with slots m' through which pass the studs or
bolts m², which are screw-threaded to receive the thumb-nuts m³ for securing the
said brackets.
The saws and cutters can be adjusted on the said shaft t by screwing back the
nutsy and shifting the collars 2.
Having thus fully described the said invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim :-
First In a barrel-forming machine, the combination of the pusher or feed-bar
for supplying the staves, the inclined or converging guides between which the
staves are thrust by the said pusher and whereby the said staves are bulged, and
the stave-supporting and retaining discs, (with or without the brakes or spring
arms), all substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second-In a barrel-forming machine, the employment of stave supporting and
retaining discs intermittently operated by the feeding of the staves thereto, as, and
for the purpose, specified.

page_text: Third The stave supporting and retaining discs mounted upon shafts and so
arranged opposite each other that the staves, when bulged and inserted between
the said discs, will be retained between them by their own elasticity, and arranged
in combination with the devices for adjusting the said discs to receive the staves
and to release the barrel when formed, substantially as set forth.
Fourth In a barrel-forming machine, the combination, with the stave supporting
and retaining discs, of the truss-hoop-carriers, and the means whereby the said
carriers are connected with the driving shaft and are simultaneously operated when
the said shaft is rotated, all substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fifth In a barrel-forming inachine, the truss-hoop carriers provided with
cushions consisting of the elastic rings arranged within the flanges or projections of
the said carriers, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Sixth In a barrel-forming machine, the combination, with the stave supporting
and retaining discs, and the truss-hoop carriers, of the mechanism for feeding or
delivering the staves to the said discs, arranged on a movable frame provided with
means for raising it when the required number of staves for a barrel has been
supplied, to allow the truss-hoop carriers to move forward and apply the truss-
hoops, all substantially as described.
Seventh. The combination, with the stave supporting and retaining discs, the
truss-hoop-carriers and the bulging guides, of the pusher or feed-bar mounted on
the vertically adjustable frame having means for automatically raising it when the
requisite number of staves has been supplied, substantially as, and for the purpose,
specified.
Eighth The improved barrel-forming machine consisting of the parts constructed
and arranged substantially as above described and as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3
of the accompanying drawings and operating as set forth.
Ninth. In a machine for cutting and bevelling the staves and forming the grooves
therein, the brackets m provided with the spring-arms r, s, and adjustably attached
to the plate or table, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Tenth. The improved machine for cutting the staves to the required length,
bevelling the same, and forming the grooves therein, consisting of the parts con-
structed and arranged substantially as above described and as shown in Figures 4
and 5 of the drawings and operating as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Frederick Myers have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty fifth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.