Improvements in the Manufacture of Wooden Tubes, Barrels, Vessels. and other Hollow Articles Out of Veneers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1893—Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Wooden Tubes, Barrels, Vessels.
and other Hollow Articles Out of Veneers.
I, CARL WITTKOWSKY, of 11, Horn Strasse, Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia,
German Empire, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to wooden tubes, barrels, vessels and similar articles, which
are composed of several layers of veneer, and my improvements in such tubes or
barrels relate, first, to the arrangement of the veneers to each other, second, to the
manner of bringing the united veneers into the circular or cylindrical shape of a
tube, barrel or vessel, and, third, to a press for finally connecting the opposite
oblique edges of the bent, but unfinished article.
I compose my improved tube, barrel or vessel, of two or more layers of veneer,
the grains of which are crossing each other in such a manner, that the grains of the
outer layer extend in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tube,
barrel or vessel, whilst the grain of the remaining layer or layers is parallel to the
said axis, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which a is the inner and a¹ the middle layer
of a threefold veneering plate, the grains of both the said layers being parallel with
the longitudinal axis of the tube or barrel, whilst a² is the outer layer with its grain
normal to those of the other two.
It has been found, that tubes or barrels made after the older construction
(Fig. 3), in which the grains of the outer layer ran parallel to the longitudinal axis,
lost a great deal of their capacity of resistance, when they became very dry, said
decrease in resistance owing mainly to the outer veneer easily getting cracks and
clefts. This, again, was due to the forcible bending round of the veneers after they
were united by a glue, and dried, the more, as the material was easily lacerable in
the direction of the grain. By arranging the layers of the veneer now in the
manner described in the foregoing paragraph, the occurrence of clefts and cracks,
and the drawbacks resulting therefrom, are entirely prevented, and the capacity of
resistance of such tube or barrel is constantly kept in its original strength.
It has been found, further, that, when arranging the veneers after my improved
method, it is not necessary to bend the same entirely into the final circular or
cylindrical shape; this final formation will arise if the veneers are bent to but one
fifth of a complete circle, that is to say, not after they are united by the glue or
other water-tight cementing-medium, but whilst this union takes place, so that the
united veneers, when dried, form a curve. When taken out of the press and left
alone, the veneering-plate begins to curve further, until it has got the formation
shown in Fig. 2.
In order to complete the tube, barrel or vessel, it is, first of all, necessary to unite
the two opposite sloping edges 6 61, Fig. 2; this is also done by means of a water-
tight cementing-medium, and by aid of a press; the line of connection is afterwards
covered with a strip c, Fig. 1, of veneer.
As the edges 6 6 of the veneer-plate nearly touch each other, before the latter is
brought on to the press, and as it is of highest importance for the capacity of
resistance of the tube or barrel, that the said edges are not moved from each other
whilst bringing the unfinished article between the two press-pieces, it becomes
necessary to employ a press of special construction. The press, which I prefer to
use, is shown in Figs. 4 & 5 of the drawings.
The said press is characterised by the arrangement of a movable holder or support
for the one end of the stationary or fixed receiving-piece d. Said part d is held at
one side by the frame-rod e and at the other side by the hoop f, which latter is

page_text: pivotted at g to the foot h¹ of a screwed spindle h. This spindle extends upwards
through the frame-head i, which is held by rod e, as well as by the stays k.
Spindle is provided, above the corresponding part of head i, with a nut to
which is fixed à hand-wheel for raising or lowering the said hoop f
The movable press-piece m held by the screwed spindle n is guided by rod e and
by hoopf, and may be moved up or down by means of the handles o fixed to the
fly-wheel p.
.
If, now, hoop f is lowered by spindle h and nut, it may be swung off the
receiving-piece d, so that an entrance is established between the parts d and m. The
unfinished tube or barrel 9 may be shoved then on to the part d, as indicated by
dotted lines in Fig. 4, when hoop f will be swung downwards again so as to grasp
part d, and will be lifted then as much as necessary to fully support or hold said
part d. Finally press-piece m is lowered, so as to press on the tube or barrel, and
to compress the edges 6 and 6', until the latter are firmly connected by the water-
tight glue, as well as by the strip c laid over the line of connection.
I wish it to be understood, that I do not confine myself to the use of a hoop, as f,
but that I may employ in lieu thereof also a movable or removable support or
standard, arranged on, or held by, the base r. I prefer, however, to use a hoop,
and to provide besides a third holder, consisting in the draw-rod, bolt or braces,
Fig. 4, by means of which the receiving-piece d is held in proper height, when
hoop fis swung outwards.
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. A wooden tube consisting of two or more crossed plates of veneer, united by
a watertight cementing-medium, the grain of the outer layer running around the tube,
for the purpose as described.
2. A wooden vessel, the mantle of which consists of two or more crossed plates of
veneer, united by a watertight cementing-medium, the grain of the outer layer
running around the mantle, for the purpose as described.
3. A wooden barrel, the mantle of which consists of two or more crossed plates
of veneer, united by a watertight cementing-medium, the grain of the outer layer
running around the barrel, for the purpose as described.
4. A wooden hollow article, the mantle of which consists of two or more plates of
veneer united by a watertight cementing-medium in a curved condition, the grain
of the outer layer running around the mantle of the article, for the purpose as
described.
5. A wooden hollow article, the mantle of which consists of two or more plates of
veneer united by a watertight cementing-medium between curved press-pièces, the
grain of the outer layer running around the mantle of the article, for the purpose as
described.
6. A wooden hollow article, the mantle of which consists of two or more plates of
veneer, the grain of the outer layer running around the mantle of the article, and
the layers as well as their opposite edges being united by a watertight cementing-
medium, for the purpose as described.
7. A wooden hollow article, the mantle of which consists of two or more plates of
veneer, the grain of the outer layer running around the mantle of the article, and
the layers as well as their opposite edges being united by a watertight cementing-
medium, and the line of junction being covered by strip of wood, fixed thereto, for
the purpose as described.
8. A wooden hollow article, the mantle of which consists of two or more plates of
veneer, the grain of the outer layer running around the mantle of the article, and
the layers as well as their opposite edges being united by a watertight cementing-
medium, the parts of junction being exposed to pressure between a movable
press-piece m and a fixed press-piece d, the latter being held by a fixed holder or
support e and a movable holder or support f, for the purpose as described.

page_text: 9. A wooden hollow article, the mantle of which consists of two or more plates of
veneer, the grain of the outer layer running around the mantle of the article, and
the layers as well as their opposite edges being united by a watertight cementing-
medium, the parts of junction being exposed to pressure between a movable
press-piece m and a fixed press-piece d, the latter being held at one side by a
frame-standard e and draw-rod s, and at the other side by a movable hoop f,
suspended from frame-head i by a screwed spindle h, for the purpose
described.
D
000
as
CARL WITTKOWSKY,
By Geo. H. Rayner,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.