Improvements in Machines for Shaping the Edges of Staves for Casks or Barrels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 8th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1895
Germany, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Machines for Shaping the Edges of Staves for
Casks or Barrels.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Sonthampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machines for shaping the edges of staves for casks or
barrels.
In a machine constructed according to the said invention the cutter heads
suspended in the manner of pendulums are moved towards or from each other by
means of a normal pattern according as this pattern, connected by suitable trans-
mitting devices with the frames of the cutter heads, is lowered or raised by pressing
or guide rollers arranged on a chain conveying the rough staves.
The rough staves to be shaped are caused by a transporting chain with the aid
of carriers to pass between two cutter heads which according to the form of their
cutters will simply bevel the edges of the staves or provide them with a tongue and
groove. The spindles of the cutter heads actuated by suitable pulleys are
supported in frames provided with weights and suspended from a common pivot.
These frames are furnished with several holes by which they may be slid upon the
said pivot, whilst the latter is adjustably supported in the frame of the machine by
means of a screw in such a manner that the distance of the cutter heads from the
common pivot may be regulated according to exigencies. The lower ends of the
before-mentioned frames are connected by bars with cranks of shafts which carry
segment wheels at their ends. These wheels engage with racks of sliding pieces
adjustably supported in the frame of the machine by means of screws connected
with each other by a chain gear, the normal pattern which corresponds to the form
of the staves being secured to the said sliding pieces.
As soon as the stave to be shaped passes between the cutter heads one of the
pressing rollers situated on the inner side of the transporting chain strikes against
the pattern and, rolling along the same, lifts the pattern in accordance with its
curvature until the middle of the pattern is reached, whereupon the latter descends
again to the same extent. This upward and downward movement depending on
the form of the pattern is transmitted by the aforesaid sliding pieces, racks,
segment wheels, shafts and hars in the same proportion to the frames so that they
will first turn outwards and then inwards again, being assisted by their weights;
the cutter heads, besides bevelling or tonguing and grooving the edges of the staves,
giving them also the curvature which corresponds to the bulge of the cask or
barrel and depends on the pattern. Accordingly it is possible to regulate at will,
both the degree of the bevel and also the curvature of the edges of the staves, the
former object being obtained by suitably adjusting the pivot of the cutter head
frames or the sliding pieces, and the latter object by selecting a pattern, of
appropriate shape. The peculiar connection of the sliding pieces with the frames
of the cutter heads renders it possible to shape in the machine staves of different

page_text: widths for the same form of cask or barrel by means of one pattern, as the broader
staves, by reason of the greater outward movement of the cutter heads receive a
proportionately greater curvature than the narrower staves.
As the points of application of the connecting bars hereinbefore referred to may
be adjusted in radial slots of the cranks, it is also possible to obtain curvatures of
staves corresponding to different forms of casks or barrels by the aid of the same
pattern.
The chain may be prevented from sagging between the chain wheels by guide
bars or rails. The rough staves are either placed upon the transporting chain by
hand, or they are piled up in a box from which the above-mentioned carriers always
remove the lowest stave automatically. In order to shape staves of various lengths
by the same means the carriers and guide rollers may be adapted to be shifted
upon the transporting chain according to requirements and the patterns may, if
necessary, be displaced on their pivots, being provided with slots. For this purpose
the several chain links, besides having holes which serve for connecting the several
links with each other, are provided with other holes for the carriers and guide
rollers.
For enabling vaulted and at the same time bulged staves to be shaped it is
necessary to provide a special bar for guiding and supporting the transporting
chain.
Instead of causing the frames of the cutter heads to move towards or from each
other according as a pattern which corresponds to the form of the finished staves
is lowered or raised by pressing or guide rollers arranged on the said endless chain
conveying the rough staves, a rotating eccentric or cam is employed which is
adapted to support the herein described sliding pieces transmitting their upward
and downward movement with the aid of racks, segments, shafts, cranks, and
connecting rods in proper proportion to the frames of the cutter heads.
The said eccentric or cam is advantageously actuated by a chain gearing driven
through the medium of change-wheels from the main shaft of the machine. The
change-wheels are to be chosen in such a manner, that during the passage of a stave
between the cutter-heads the said eccentric or cam bas performed one revolution.
In consequence of each complete revolution of said eccentric or cam the said
sliding pieces, resting on the periphery of the latter preferably by means of an anti-
friction roller are caused to accomplish one up-and-down-stroke, so that the frames
carrying the cutter heads are first swung outwards and then under the action of
their weights inwards again whereby the edges of the staves are shaped by the
cutter heads so as to correspond to the bulge of the cask or barrel. The curvature
of the edges of the staves will thus depend upon the eccentricity of the suid
eccentric or can.
Dated this 13th day of November 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machines for Shaping the Edges of Staves for
Casks or Barrels.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 statemcat :-
This invention relates to machines for shaping the edges of staves for casks or
barrels.

page_text: Constructed accurang τυ
suspended in the manner of pendulums are moved towards or from each other by
means of a normal pattern according as this pattern, connected by suitable trans-
mitting devices with the frames of the cutter heads, is lowered or raised by pressing
or guide rollers arranged on a chain conveying the rough staves.
Instead of using a pattern for actuating the cutter heads a rotating eccentric or
cam may be employed.
In order that the invention may he readily understood I have represented the
same in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the improved machine.
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same.
Figure 3 is an horizontal section of part of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of cutters adapted to provide the
edges of the staves with a tongue and groove.
Figure 5 is a diagram showing the respective positions of the cutters and their
supporting means and
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modification of the machine.
The rough staves D to be shaped are caused, by a transporting chain a with the
aid of carriers b, to pass between two cutter heads c and c¹ which according to the
form of their cutters will simply hevel the edges of the staves as shown in Figure 2,
or provide them with a tongue and groove as seen in Figure 4. The spindles e el
of the cutter heads actuated by suitable pulleys d dare supported in frames h h
provided with weights and suspended from a common pivot g. These frames
are furnished with several holes g¹ by which they may be slid upon the said pivot g,
whilst the latter is adjustably supported by the sliding piece g² in the frame of the
machine by means of a screw i. By these means the distance of the cutter heads
from the common pivot may be regulated according to exigencies. The lower ends
of the before-mentioned frames h¹ are connected by bars k k with cranks of
the shafts mm which carry segment wheels n n' at their ends. These wheels
engage with the racks o o¹ of sliding pieces G adjustably supported in the frame of
the machine by means of screws connected with each other by a chain gear i²,
the normal pattern S which corresponds to the form of the staves being secured
to the sliding pieces G.
As soon as the stave to be shaped passes between the cutter heads c c one of the
pressing rollers a¹ situated on the inner side of the transporting chain a strikes
against the pattern S and, rolling along the same, lifts the pattern in accordance
with its curvature until the middle of the pattern is reached, whereupon the latter
descends again to the same extent. This upward and downward movement
depending on the form of the pattern is transmitted by the aforesaid sliding
pieces G, racks oo', segment wheels n', shafts mm cranks and bars k k¹ in
the same proportion to the frames so that they will first turn outwards and then
inwards again, being assisted by their weights ff; the cutter heads cc', besides
bevelling or tonguing and grooving the edges of the staves, giving them also the
curvature which corresponds to the bulge of the cask or barrel and depends on the
pattern S. Accordingly it is possible to regulate at will, both the degree of
the bevel and also the curvature of the edges of the staves, the former object
being obtained by suitably adjusting the pivot 9 of the cutter head frames or
the sliding pieces G. and the latter object by selecting a pattern S of appropriate
shape. The peculiar connection of the sliding pieces G with the frames
the cutter heads renders it possible to shape in the machine staves of different
widths for the same form of cask or barrel by means of one pattern, as the broader
staves, by reason of the greater outward movement of the cutter heads receive a
proportionately greater curvature than the narrower staves. In the diagram,
Figure 5, the positions of the respective parts for shaping a small stave are shown
in full lines, and for shaping a broad stave in dotted lines. It is obvious that on
turning the crank-arms at the same angle in the direction of the arrows, the
bars kk' shown by dotted lines will impart, in consequence of their inclined position,
of

page_text: to the frames ha relatively greater lateral motion than the bars kk' traced in
full lines, as the latter rods are not in such a favourable position with respect to
the frames h h'.
As moreover the points of application of the connecting bars kk¹ may be adjusted
in radial slots of the cranks 1, it is also possible to obtain curvatures of staves
corresponding to different forms of casks or barrels by the aid of the same
pattern S.
As
As already stated above the staves may be provided with tongues and grooves
at the edges by employing suitably shaped cutters as shown in Figure 4.
through the medium of the pattern S only pendulum oscillations are imparted to
the cutter heads the cutters themselves will always remain in front or in contact
with the edges of the staves when the latter are passing along through the machine,
as only a very little variation of the height of the cutters takes place by the said
pendulum motion. The small curve in the run of the tongue or groove caused by
the said variation of the cutter-elevation is of no importance, as it occurs in every
stave in the same relative proportion.
The chain may be prevented from sagging between the chain wheels R by guide
bars or rails T and T. The rough staves are either placed upon the transporting
chain a by hand, or they are piled up in a box from which the above-mentioned
carriers & always remove the lowest stave automatically. In order to shape staves
of various lengths by the same means the carriers and guide rollers a¹ may be
adapted to be shifted upon the transporting chain according to requirements and
the patterns may, if necessary, be displaced on their pivots, being provided with
slots s.
For this purpose the several chain links, besides having holes which serve
for connecting the several links with each other, are provided with other holes for
the carriers and guide rollers.
For enabling vaulted and at the same time bulged staves to be shaped it is
necessary to provide a special bar for guiding and supporting the transporting
chain.
Instead of causing the frames h of the cutter heads to move towards or from
each other according as a pattern S which corresponds to the form of the finished
staves is lowered or raised by pressing or guide rollers a¹ arranged on the endless
chain a conveying the rough staves D, a rotating eccentric or cam S₁ Figure 6 may
be employed which is adapted to support the sliding pieces G₁ transmitting its
upward and downward movement with the aid of racks oo', segments n n', shafts m
cranks, and connecting rods in proper proportion to the frames of the
cutter heads cc', as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of
the drawings.
112',
The said eccentric or cam S' is advantageously actuated by a chain gearing
driven through the medium of chain wheels p p from the main shaft of the
machine. The change-wheels are to be chosen in such a manner, that during
the passage of a stave between the cutter-heads, the eccentric or cam S¹ has
performed one revolution.
In consequence of each complete revolution of the eccentric or cam S¹ the sliding
pieces G', resting on the periphery of the latter preferably by means of an anti-
friction roller a² are caused to accomplish one up-and-down-stroke, so that the
frames h h carrying the cutter heads are first swung outwards and then under the
action of their weights inwards again whereby the edges of the staves are shaped
by the cutter heads so as to correspond to the bulge of the cask or barrel. The
curvature of the edges of the staves will thus depend upon the eccentricity of the
eccentric or cam S¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
-
1. A machine for shaping the edges of staves in which the cutter-shafts dd
suspended in the manner of pendulums to a common pivot y by means of suitable

page_text: frames are oscillated during the cutting operation by means of a pattern S in
such a manner that the cutters cc' are moved from and towards each other in order
to give the edges of the staves besides bevelling or tonguing and grooving also the
curvature which corresponds to the bulge of the cask or barrel, substantially as
specified.
2. In a machine for shaping stave edges of the hereindescribed type the means
for transmitting the upward and downward motion of the pattern S caused by
suitable pressing or guide rollers of the feed chain, to the frames of the cutters,
consisting of racks o o¹ connected to the said pattern by means of suitable sliding
pieces G, segment wheels n n' shafts m m¹ crank arms and connecting bars k k¹
adapted to transmit the said motions of the pattern in the same proportion and
as pendulum-oscillations to the frames of the cutters, substantially as described.
3. In a machine for shaping stave-edges of the hereindescribed type the com-
bination of a rotating eccentric or cam S¹ with the sliding piece G adapted to
transmit its upward and downward movement thus received with the aid of suitable
transmitting means to the frames of the cutters, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of August 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.