Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Casks, Barrels, Box-barrels or Packages, and such like Articles, and in the Mechanism or Appliances therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Casks, Barrels,
Box-barrels or Packages, and such like Articles, and in the
Mechanism or Appliances therefor.
I, SAMUEL WRIGHT, of 96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to improvements in and relating to the manufacture
of casks, barrels, box-barrels or packages and such like articles, and in the
mechanism or appliances therefor; and comprises new or improved constructions or
arrangements and combinations of mechanism and appliances for setting up, gathering,
or compressing the staves together, and putting on the upper temporary truss
hoops on the barrels or box-barrels; the heating of the staves, and the stamping or
branding of the heads of barrels or box-barrels.
The nature and novelty of my improvements consist all as follows:-Under one
construction or arrangement and combination of the parts, my new or improved
stave setting up or gathering and compressing mechanism consists of an open vertical
frame-work of four standards having secured on their lower ends a conoidal com-
pressor formed of sections or segments of plate or sheet metal, so that the whole
of the sections form an open conoidal metallic casing working into each other by
pins and moving slotted holes in the segments, made approximately to the shape of
the barrel or box-barrel, that is, round for round casks, oval for oval casks, and
approximately rectangular with rounded corners, for square or rectangular barrel
cases, thus enabling the same mechanism to answer for gathering and compressing
various sizes and shapes of barrels or box-barrels. The standards of these movable
sections are secured at their upper ends to slide rack bars or plates, the two opposite
bars working parallel to each other at right angles to those of the other two
standards, in a different plane close over each other. These rack bars project inwards,
and their teeth gear into or mesh with a single spur wheel, or a spur wheel to each
pair of rack bars mounted on a vertical hand spindle passing through a horizontal
table or disc in the centre of the top framework carrying the whole; or screws on
lateral spindles might be made to work into the pinions of the rack bars, and hold

page_text: them in position as well as actuate them. When the hand spur wheel, or wheels
is rotated, the racks are moved inwards or outwards respectively according to the
direction of rotation to move the lower plate sections together to suit any size of
barrel or case, or they may be made to draw the staves together, and release them
again after putting on the truss hoop, all as will hereinafter be explained. This stave
setting or bending up machine would be attached at its upper end to raising,
lowering, and swinging mechanism hereinafter described. The staves after being
jointed would first all be built up on end to form a barrel or package, on a level
bed plate within their lower trussing ring or rings, and their flare or radiating
standing rings or frames, with a small gas or other stove erected on the bed-plate in
the centre within them so as to heat the inside of the staves before they are bent, or
pressed in by the sectional compressors before described and the upper truss hoop
pressed on. The upper truss hoop is inserted in a groove or checks formed to carry
it on the inner surface of the vertical standards above the conoidal sectional plates, so
that when the latter are pressed down to compress the upper ends of the staves, this
hoop would encircle and retain the staves in their closed position; ready for raising
and removing the compressing sectional frame. This sectional frame is carried by
its upper disc and central boss on the lower end of a connecting rod, having its upper
end preferably carried on a strong powerful beam lever fulcrummed so as to swivel
on a strong vertical standard projecting up from the bed-plate, and balanced by a
counter-weight on the other end of the lover beyond the standard. When the staves
were all erected as described, and heated for a short time by the stove, this lever
would be swivelled so as to bring the sectional conoidal presser over the upper flare
ends of the staves, and the lever would be brought down by hand with sufficient force
to compress the staves and insert the upper truss hoop over the ends of the staves as
described, when the lever could be raised to remove the pressing sections, and have
fresh staves set up on the plate round the stove again. An improved form of heating
stove preferred, the heat of which could be regulated to any temperature desired,
would consist of a cylindrical gas stove, rather lower than the height of the staves of
the barrels to be heated, with Bunsen burner or jet rings at various heights within
the stove, having a gas conveying pipe up the centre, with controlling taps to regulate
the supply of gas to each or any number of rings, and the stove would preferably be
close on its outer circumference to get highly heated and heat the staves by radiation.
The top of the stove would be fitted with a loose lid made removable, so as to be able
to insert a stamping or branding plate with the letters or brand cast on its under
surface which would thus get highly heated or red hot over the stove and burners.
This branding plate would be connected to the lower end of a connecting rod, the
upper end of which would be connected to the said swivelling beam lever in place of
the compressor, or a similar lever mounted on the same standard, so as to swivel it off
the stove on to the ends of the finished casks to brand them, one, two or more at a
time or with the same heating, and then replace it over the stove to be reheated and
brand others in the same manner, around the swivelling standard. Or otherwise the
cask heads may be branded in this manner on a table or platform before being inserted
on to the ends or chimes of the casks.
Dated this 29th day of February 1888

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Casks, Barrels,
Box-barrels or Packages, and such like Articles, and in the
Mechanism or Appliances therefor.
I, SAMUEL WRIGHT, of 96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention has reference to improvements in and relating to the manufacture of
casks, barrels, box-barrels, or packages, and such like articles, and in the mechanism
or appliances therefor; and comprises new or improved combinations of mechanism
and appliances for setting up, gathering, or compressing the staves together, and
putting on the upper temporary truss hoops on the barrels or box-barrels; the
heating of the staves, and the stamping or branding of the heads of barrels or box-
barrels.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
an explanatory sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figure 1 is an elevation,
partly in section, of my new or improved portable mechanism for setting up or
gathering and compressing the staves into the shape of a barrel or box barrel;
and Figure 2 is a plan as taken on the line 1- 1 of Figure 1, with the top
cover Dremoved. While Figure 3 represents an elevation, partly in section, showing
the arrangement of gas stoves for heating the staves when set up, and for heating tho
branding stamp H and also showing the compressing portable sectional frame B, B1,
and arrangement of swivelling lever F and counterweights for operating same, to a
smaller scale than in Figures 1 and 2, and showing the swivelling lever H2, for
actuating the branding stamp H.
---
Referring to these Drawings:-The nature and novelty of my improvements consist
all as follows:-Under one construction, or arrangement and combination of the
parts, shown in these Drawings, my new or improved stave setting up or gathering
and compressing mechanism consists of a portable open vertical framework of four
standards A, A, and A', A', having secured by flanges a at their lower ends a conoidal
compressor formed of sections or segments B, B, B', B', of plate or sheet metal, so
that the whole of the sections form an open conoidal metallic casing overlapping and
working over each other at their ends B" with pins and moving slotted holes at B2,
in the segments B, B, and B', B', made approximately to the shape in plan of the
barrel or box-barrel, that is round for round casks, oval for oval casks, and approxi-
mately rectangular, with rounded corners, for square or rectangular barrel cases, as
shown respectively in Figures 4, 5, and 6, thus enabling the same mechanism with
different shaped conidal sections B, BI, to answer for gathering and compressing
various sizes and shapes of barrels or box-barrels. The standards A, A, and A', A¹,
of these movable sections B, B, B1, B2, are secured at their upper ends a¹ to slide
rack bars or plates C, C, and C, C', the two opposite bars C, C, working parallel to
each other at right angles to those C, C, of the other two standards, in a different

page_text: plane close over each other. These rack bars C, and C, project inwards, and their
teeth c gear into or mesh with a single spur wheel c¹, or a spur wheel c² to each pair
of rack bars C, C, and C, C³, mounted on a vertical spindle C, passing through the
boss D¹ of the horizontal cross armed frame D, carrying the whole, and forming slide
guides for the reciprocating arms C, C¹, with retaining covers D¹¹. On the lower
end of this spindle C, a screw wheel d, is mounted, which is rotated by a worm
wheel d¹, on a horizontal shaft d² carried in bearing blocks D², attached to the under
side of the frame D and actuated by a crank hand lever, which would be mounted on
the end at d³, so as to rotate the spur wheel c¹ through the screw and screw
wheel d¹, d, and move the rack bars Ĉ to C¹ and sectional frame B, and B¹, inwards
or outwards to gather and compress the staves to the size of the barrel or box-barrel
desired. Thus when the spindle & is turned by hand and rotated, the racks C, and C¹,
are moved inwards or outwards respectively according to the direction of rotation, to
move the lower plate sections B, and B¹, together to suit any size of barrel or case, to
draw the upper ends Z' of the staves Z together radially and release them again after
putting on the truss hoop Y, all as will hereinafter be explained. This portable stave
setting or bending up mechanism or machine is attached at its upper end to raising,
lowering, and swinging mechanism hereinafter described. The staves Z, after being
jointed, are first all built up on end to form a barrel or package, on a level bed
plato z, within their lower trussing ring or rings y, y', and their upper flare or
radiating standing rings y² and standard frames y3 with a small gas stove E, or it
might be other stove, erected on the bed-plate z in the centre within them, so as to
heat the inside of the staves Z, before they are bent, or pressed in by the sectional
inclined compressors B, and B', before described, and have the upper truss hoop Y
pressed on. The flare hoop y is carried on the clamps y₁, secured on the shifting
pillar frames y fastened by screw nuts below the plate z. The upper truss hoop Y,
is inserted in a groove or checks formed to carry it at A2, on the inner surface of the
vertical standards A, A, and A', A', above the conoidal sectional plates B and B', so
that when the latter are pressed down to compress the upper ends 7, of the staves Z,
this hoop would encircle and retain the staves Z in their closed position, as shown
dotted-in Y, Y, in Figure 3; ready for raising and removing the compressing
sectional frame, which when the sections were expanded, would leave the hoop Y, on
the staves. This sectional frame B and B', is carried by brackets D³, secured on its
upper disc or cover D", shown in Figures 1 and 3, but removed in Figure 2, the
upper end of the side brackets D³, being carried by a swivel joint pin C³, on a strong
powerful beam lever F fulcrumed at F in a swivel ring, (so as to swivel on a strong
vertical standard G, projecting up from the foundation) and balanced by an adjustable
„counterweight f, attached to a chain 1, passed over the grooved pulleys f³, on the
swivelling crosshead at the top of the standard G, and attached to a hook f³, at
the joint ³, on the beam lever F. When the staves Z are all erected as described,
and heated for a short time by the stove E, this lever F would be swivelled so as to
bring the sectional conoidal presser B and B¹, over the upper flare ends Z of
the staves Z, and the lever F, would be brought down by hand with sufficient force
to compress the staves Z and insert the upper truss hoop Y over the ends Z', of the
staves Z, as described, and as indicated particularly in Figure 3, when the lever F,
could be raised to remove the pressing sections B, and B', and have fresh staves Z,
set up on the plate z, round the stove E again. Or these staves Z, so set up and
heated in their rings y, y², may be removed to another ring plate under the lever and
sectional drawing in plates B, B', so that the staves could be put together while
others are being compressed and temporarily trussed ready for being placed in the
proper trussing and chiming machine. The improved form of heating stove E
preferred, the heat of which could be regulated to any temperature desired, consists
of a cylindrical gas stove E rather lower than the height 2, of the staves Z, of the
barrels to be heated, with Bunsen burners and taps e, e', projecting up from the gas
ring, shown more particularly in Figures 3, and 4, supplied from the main gas
pipe and tap E; Figure 4 being a section taken on the line 2---2 in Figure 3.
The top of the stove E is fitted with a recess and loose lid at E2, made removable, so

page_text: as to be able to insert a stamping or branding plate or block H with the letters or
brand formed or cast on its under surface, which would thus get highly heated or red
hot over the stove E, and burners e¹, but preferably heated by a special Bunsen
burner or ring of burners at e³ near the top of the stove, fitted on a separate gas
pipe el, with regulating tap ell for the purpose. This branding plate H is connected
by links H¹, to a light swivelling beam hand lever H². This beam lever H², is
fulcrumed to a swivelling ring at H³, on the vertical standard G, and counterbalanced
by a chain and weight,, passed over a swivelling pulley and ring ³, mounted
near the top of the standard G, all so as to swivel the branding plate H by the
lever H2 on to or off the top E³, of the stove E and on to the ends of the finished
casks to brand them, one, two or more at a time, or with the same heating, and then
replace it over the stove E to be reheated and brand others in the same manner,
around the standard G. Or otherwise the cask heads may be branded in this manner
on a table or platform before being inserted on to the ends or chimes of the
cask. The swivelling joints F1, f", and H³, 2, of these swivelling levers F and H²,
are carried at any desired height on the standard G by rings F2 and H" secured by
pinching screws.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The setting up or gathering and compressing of staves into the shape of
casks or barrels, and box-barrels or packages, for temporarily trussing them by means
of a compressor or open conoidal metallic casing formed or constructed of movable
expanding and contracting sections or segments B, B1, of plate or sheet metal, with
actuating fittings, substantially as and in the manner herein described in reference to
and shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In mechanism for the gathering and compressing of staves into the shape
of casks or barrels and box-barrels or packages, the moving inwards or outwards of
the sectional or segmental plates or sheets B, B1, by means of slide rack bars or
plates C, C, gearing into a spur wheel or wheels c', substantially as and in the
manner herein described, in reference to and shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2
of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In mechanism for gathering and compressing staves into the shape of casks
or barrels, and box-barrels or packages, the raising, lowering, and swivelling of the
compressing sectional frame B, B', by a beam lever F fulcrumed and swivelled on a
vertical standard G, and balanced by a counterweight, substantially as and in the
manner herein described, in reference to and shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth. The heating of the staves Z for the manufacture of casks or barrels and
box-barrels or packages in their flare ring frames, to y3 by means of a gas stove E
with Bunsen burners e to e³, having a loose removable top at E, for inserting a
stamping or branding plate H with the letters or brand cast on its under surface, said
branding plate being carried by a swivelling hand lever H2 fulcrumed on a vertical.
standard G and balanced by a counterweight, for branding or stamping cask heads
or ends, substantially as and in the manner herein described in reference to and shown
in Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
n with Nawamba 1000