Improvements in Machinery for Shaping Wood to form Heads for Casks or Barrels.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th July, 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Shaping Wood to form Heads for
Casks or Barrels.
I, JAMES CRAIG, of 39 Baker Street, Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Cooper and Stave Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to machinery which is to some extent of the kind described
in the Specification of Patent No. 8512 of 1887, granted to Robert Cooper and myself ;
and my present object is to further improve such machinery.
In carrying out my invention I employ a large circular table on which the sets of
boards to form cask heads are placed when such heads are not to be bevilled, and this
table is moved round step by step between each shaping operation, the boards being
placed on the table at a part which is at the time away from the cutting machine, and
the shaped heads being removed after being carried away from the machine by the
turning of the table. When the cask heads have to be bevilled a different table is
used for carrying the boards and presenting them to the action of the cutters, this
table being arranged for carrying two sets of boards, and having a horizontal oscillatory
movement for bringing eich part alternately to the operating position.
The clamping and cutting parts of the machine are carried by a massive cast iron
frame standard shaped with overhanging parts, which in suitable bearings carry a
tubular vertical shaft having fixed at its lower end a disk or wheel-like frame provided
with adjustable cutter holders. Through the tubular shaft there passes a shaft having
a clamping plate fixed at its lower end, whilst at the upper end there is fitted to it a
crosshead to which weight is applied to give clamping pressure. The two shafts are
raised and lowered by means of a forked lever jointed to a loose collar fitted between
collars on the tubular shaft. The loose collar acts on the central shaft by means of
two vertical pins fixed to the crosshead of the central shaft and moving in holes in
the loose collar, the pins being provided with adjustable screw nuts up against which
the loose collar bears when it is raised by the lever. Weight is applied by means of
two ropes or chains fastened to the loose collar and passing over pulleys fitted to the
crosshead of the central shaft. When a set of boards are in position in the machine
the central shaft and clamping plate descend and clamp them down upon a plate on
the upper end of a vertical shaft held in Jower projecting parts of the frame standard.
The tubular shaft is driven continuously by means of a pulley on it and a belt, and
when it is lowered by means of the lever it allows the central shaft and clamping
plate to descend and clamp and securely hold the boards; but the shaping cutters do
not come into action until after the boards are clamped, the tubular shaft descending
further than the central shaft to bring the cutters into action. The lever for moving
the tubular shaft is actuated automatically by means of a rod connecting it to a crank
pin on a worm wheel driven at a suitable speed by means of a worm.
When the under edge of a cask head is to be bevilled this is effected by cutters
on a disk fast on a lower tubular shaft which is driven by means of a pulley and
belt, and rotates on the lower vertical shaft which has at its upper end the under
plate down against which the boards are clamped. The lower tubular shaft is raised to
bring the under cutters into action by means of a treadle; and when the under
cutters are used the parts driving the worm for moving the upper lever are thrown
out of gear by a cam or tappet arranged so as to leave the upper cutters raised inst
out of action but with the clamping plate still down.
Dated thin Thintinth day of October 1880
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE.SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Shaping Wood to form Heads for
Casks or Barrels.
I, JAMES CRAIG, of 39 Baker Street, Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Cooper and Stave Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to machinery which is to some extent of the kind described
in the Specification of Patent No. 8512 of 1887, granted to Robert Cooper and myself;
and my present object is to further improve such machinery.
In carrying out my invention I employ a large circular table on which the sets of.
boards to form cask heads are placed, and this table is moved round step by step
between each shaping operation, the boards being placed on the table at a part
which is at the time away from the cutting machine, and the shaped heads being
removed after being carried away from the machine by the turning of the table.
The table and cutting machinery are shown on two accompanying sheets of explanatory
drawings, Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, being a plan, whilst Figure, 2, on sheet, 2, is a
vertical section drawn to a larger scale than Figure, 1, and showing the improved
cutting machinery with a part only of the table. Figure, 3, is a vertical section as
at right angles to Figure, 2, and showing some details not seen in that figure. In
these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
The table is a horizontal wheel-like frame, 4, 5, centered upon a vertical standard
and pivot, 6, and also carried by a number of small wheels, 7, Figure, 2, which run
on a circular rail, S. The table top is formed by a number of boards, 9, fixed on the
table frame, 4, 5; and on each of these boards, 9, there is fixed a circular block, 10,
on which is placed a set of boards to form a cask head. Each block, 10, is
strengthened by a metal ring, 11, provided with points which assist in holding the
boards whilst being cut. The table is turned a step between each cutting operation
by means of a ratchet wheel fixed on the underside of its centre and indicated by
dotted lines in Figure, 1, this ratchet wheel being acted on by a pawl lever, 12.
connected by a rod 13, to a rotating crank, 14, driven as hereinafter explained. At
each movement the table is stopped by a bellcrank catch, 15, which engages with
projections, 16, on the outer edge of the table frame, 5, and which is moved out of
the way when the table is about to be turned, by the action of the rod, 13, on a pin
projecting from its horizontal arm.
The clamping and cutting parts of the machine are carried by a massive cast iron
frame standard, 17, shaped with overhanging parts, 18, which in suitable bearings
carry a tubular vertical shaft, 19, having fixed at its lower end a disk or wheel-like
frame, 20, provided with adjustable cutter holders, 21. Through the tubular shaft, 19,
there passes a shaft, 22, having a clamping plate, 23, fixed at its lower end, whilst at
the upper end there is fitted to it a crosshead, 24, to which weight is applied to give
clamping pressure. The two shafts, 19, 22, are raised and lowered by means of a
forked lever, 25, jointed to a loose collar, 26, fitted between collars, 27, on the tubular
shaft, 19. The loose collar, 26, acts on the central shaft, 22, by means of two vertical
pins, 28, fixed to the crosshead, 24, of the central shaft, and moving in holes in the
loose collar, the pins, 28, being provided with adjustable screw nuts, 29, up against
which the loose collar, 26, bears when it is raised by the lever, 25. Weight is applied
by means of two ropes or chains, 30, fastened to the loose collar, 26, and passing over
pulleys, 31, fitted to the crosshead, 24, of the central shaft, 22, to weights, 32.
When a set of boards is in position in the machine the central shaft, 22, and clamping
plate, 23, descend and clamp them down upon a plate, 33, fixed on a part, 34, of the
frame standard, 17, this part extending inwards to hold the plate, 33, concentrically
below the shaft, 22.
The tubular shaft, 19, is driven continuously by means of a pulley, 35, on it, and

page_text: a belt, 36; and when it is lowered by means of the lever, 25, it allows the central
shaft, 22, and clamping plate, 23, to descend and clamp and securely hold the boards;
but the shaping cutters, 37, do not come into action until after the boards aro
clamped, the tubular shaft, 19, descending further than the central shaft, 22, to bring
the cutters into action on the boards. As formerly a wire cage, 38, which moves up
and down with the contral shaft, 22, forms an enclosure round the cutters and
prevents the chips from flying from the machine. In Figure, 2, a cask head, 39, is
shown as having been cut and the superfluous parts the boards removed.
The lever, 25, for raising and lowering the tubular shaft, 19, is actuated auto-
matically by means of a rod, 40, connecting it, through a link, 41, to a crank
pin, 42, on a wormwheel, 43, driven at a suitable. speed by means of a worm, 44, on
a shaft, 45, having on it fast and loose pulleys, 46, for a driving belt. The link, 41,
is introduced between the rod, 40, and crank pin, 42, in order to modify the motion
imparted to the lever, 25, the link being, for this purpose, provided with an anti-
friction roller which moves in contact with a stationary cam guide, 47, the effect of
which is by moving the rod, 40, to the side to retard the downward movement of
the shaft, 19, when the cutters are acting on the boards. Instead of the cam
guide, 47, the joint of the rod, 40, and link, 41, might be jointed to a radius rod
centered on a suitable fixed point. The crank, 14, by means of which the table is
moved round is on the shaft of the wormwheel, 43.
Having, now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with cask-head cutting machinery of a circular table for carrying
a number of sets of boards, and to be turned step by step, the parts being arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described.
2. The improved combination mechanism for clamping and cutting boards to form
heads for casks or barreis substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
3. Combining with the clamping and cutting mechanism and the table, automatic
mechanism for moving the former into and out of action and for turning the latter
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of July 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.