IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING, SHAPING, AND PREPARING WILLOW TWIGS AND CANE
Year: 1878

page_text: .
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th April 1878. A
communication from Adolph Moritz, residing at Sewherin, in the Empire of
Germany.
FRIEDRICH HERMANN FELIX ENGEL, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, in the
City of Hamburg, Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING,
SHAPING, AND PREPARING WILLOW TWIGS AND CANE." (A communication from
Adolph Moritz, residing at Schwerin, in the Empire of Germany.)
The purpose of this machine is mainly to peel or "bark," split, shape, and divide
willow twigs and cane; but constructed on a larger scale it can also be applied for
the manufacture of hoops for casks and barrels.
The machine can be constructed in such a manner that the introduction of the
willow twigs, cane, or other similar material for the purpose of shaping is executed
from one side, and for the purpose of splitting from the other side; but, according
to circumstances, the machine can be constructed to execute both operations from
one side.
The apparatus for peeling or barking the twigs does not form a part of the
machine directly, but it is attached to the frame of the latter when it is to be used.
The machine consists of two upright brackets connected to each other by means
of a cross frame, forming at same time the level or table used for the introduction
of the material; to this level, at same time, the cutting tools are attached.
The feeding is executed by means of rollers fastened to shafts, and connected to
each other by gearing, and worked by means of a handle fastened to the end of a
shaft connected to the roller axles by means of a spur wheel. The upper-roller axle
can be pressed down against the lower one more or less through screws or spiral
springs.
The apparatus for peeling or barking the twig is attached to one of the brackets
of the machine, and consists of two pieces of iron, each having an opening of the
shape of a right angle, and placed in reversed direction one aside the other. One of
these angle pieces is fastened to the frame of the apparatus, while the other one can

page_text: be moved up and down either by hand or by means of a treadle. The willowtwig
is brought between the two angles far enough to allow the rollers of the machine to
get hold of it at one end, and these rollers draw the twig through the apparatus,
while at same time the angles are pressed towards each other by hand or foot
pressure, and the sharp edges of the angles strip the bark off from the passing-
through twig. The upper angle piece can also be dispensed with, and the upper
pressure be executed by one of the rollers covered with india-rubber for this
purpose.
For splitting twigs or cane the same are introduced between the rollers of the
machine and drawn through a cutting tool, splitting the same in three or four parts,
as desired. According to the diameter of the twig or cane the upper roller is auto-
matically lifted or lowered; and the cutting tool is forced to guide constantly in the
centre. The divided parts of the twigs are then passed through a second pair of
rollers, of which the lower one is grooved. At one side of these rollers a horizontal
knife is fastened, and the round part of the twig is placed in the frame, while the
other splitted face is shaped by the knife to the desired thickness. For cutting
these shaped parts into slips or strips of equal breadth a third pair of rollers forming
part of the machine are used. The lower roller is of plain surface, while the upper
consists of a number of circular discs with knife-like. periphery placed apart by
means of small discs, according to the desired breadth of the slips.
While passing
through these rollers the shaped parts of the twigs are cut into slips or strips of a
breadth corresponding to the distance of the circular knives.
The before-described machine can also be used for the manufacture of hoops for
casks or barrels, but in this case all parts of the same must be constructed of greater
strength.
"