A Process and Machine for Bending Walking Sticks, and other similar Articles of Wood.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1894-Accepted. 7th July, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Process and Machine for Bending Walking Sticks, and other
similar Articles of Wood.
I, ALFRED ROSENTHAL, of No. 6 Árpád Uteza, Budapest, in the Empire of
Austro-Hungary, 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 :-
This invention relates to a machine whereby the ends of walking and umbrella
sticks, and of other similar wooden articles, may have any desirable form or
appearance imparted to them.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete machine, and Figure 2 a sectional
elevation thereof.
Figures 3 to 5 are detail views, which I will hereinafter more fully describe.
Upon a shaft a, revolvably arranged in the machine (Figures 1 and 2) there are
mounted a series of curving or bending rollers in juxta position, shown in enlarged
detail in Figures 3 to 5.
According as the ends of the articles to be operated on are to receive an arc-
shaped curve, or are to be bent at right angles, the peripheries of the said curving
rollers 62, 63, Figures 3, 4 and 5, have respectively a circular or rectangular
outline; and according to the thickness of the stick S, to be bent or curved, the
outer surfaces of the said rollers have more or less deep semi-circular grooves
formed in them. Each roller consists of two halves b', 62 capable of being disjointed
and moved some distance apart (see more especially Figures 1 and 4) by the
unscrewing of the nut for the withdrawal of the sticks. Each half is provided
with a clamp c, which, when the stick to be bent is in position and the two roller
halves are moved close together, is placed over the stick.
There are as many half rollers mounted upon the shaft a, (Figure 1) as are
necessary to bend or curve a given number of sticks at the same time.
Before the bending of the sticks is proceeded with, the shaft a, is so turned that
the clamps c, take up their position at the top (Figure 2). The end of the stick is
then passed under the pressure roller d, and inserted into the opening formed jointly
by the clamp and the groove of the half rollers 61, 62, (Figure 2). From under the
said pressure roller d, the stick extends to a slide e, in which as many apertures
(Figure 1) are provided, as there are sticks to be bent at the same time, it being
connected with the shaft a, by a chain wheel and a chain l. The speed of the
drawing or dragging motion which this slide performs, corresponds to the reduction
of the length of the stick, that is to result from the bending or curving operation.
Slow rotary motion is imparted to the shaft a, in the well known manner by means
of a worm and worn, wheel gearing, whereby the sticks, placed in position for
bending, are compelled to follow the peripheral motion of the bending rollers 6162,
and, consequently, to shape themselves under pressure, in accordance with the round
or square outlines of their peripheries. The hollowed grooved clamps remain on
the crook of the bent stick until it becomes cool or until the drying in the hot air
chamber has contracted its fibre to such a degree that its elasticity has been neutralized.
The sticks are prevented from receding, or slipping out of the openings holding
them, by the slide e, while any upward displacement of the same is obviated by the
pressure roller d. The slide e is covered by a transverse cover of wood or iron
working in hinges on one end and fastened down on the other-for securing the

page_text: STICKS position. The pressure roller d, which is adjustable both vertically and
backwards and forwards, also serves, if desired, to provide canes and the like with
double curves.
The shaft a, is hollow, and from its inner space a', radial channels a², extend
through the rollers 61 62. During the bending operation a heating medium, such as
steam, hot air, etc., is caused to circulate in the said hollow shaft, and radial
channels, so that the portion of the stick, which is being bent or curved, is
continuously heated thereby.
Over the complete roller mechanism a, b, 62, and d, and the slide or carriage e
(Figure 1) is placed a steam-tight casing or hood, the object of which is to prevent
the heating medium from escaping.
Owing to this arrangement, not only is it possible to maintain the article, which
is being worked in the machine at a suitable (either uniform, or gradually rising)
temperature, but as a further result, the heating fluid (steam etc.) is hindered from
filling the workroom and inconveniencing the attendants. The steam etc. is
conveyed into the bore a¹, of the shaft through the pipe l, which is fitted thereto
externally.
When it is desired to bend the stick, or the like, at an angle (Figure 3, 61,) an
iron or steel sleeve (or curved plate) f, is inserted, when the bending operation is
completed, the said sleeve is firmly secured to the bent portion of the stick by
means of suitable clamps, or tied thereon with wire, so that the bent article cannot
of its own accord become straight again; the attachment being retained until the
fibres of the wood, by cooling down, acquire sufficient rigidity or stiffness to remain
in the bent condition. A. sufficient number of such sleeves f, should be kept in
store, and near at hand, so that they may be readily exchanged, if required, as the
machine is fed with fresh batches of sticks to be curved or bent.
In curving around the circular rollers 61, 62, the curved portions of the sticks are,
immediately after undergoing the operation, compressed by means of a clamp k,
moved up against them from outside; and they are retained in that position until
the curved sticks become sufficiently stiff to continue in the curved shape of their
own accord.
After having thus applied the clamps, the curved or arc-shaped sticks are
removed from the machine, for which purpose the roller sections or halves are
moved apart.
For bending at right angles (Figure 3, 6',) the rollers are made each in a single
piece, as in that case each retaining piece or sleeve f, together with the corre-
sponding bent stick, may be withdrawn by a downward movement at right angles
to the shaft a.
The said shaft a, with the bending or curving rollers 61, 62, mounted thereon, the
sliding check e, and the chain l, are so combined, that when the bending or curving,
of a series of sticks has been completed, those parts may be bodily disengaged or
thrown out of gear, and drawn up to the front; and, in their stead, another
complete mechanism, consisting of the identical parts, and supplied with a fresh
series or batch of sticks to be bent, may be inserted and thrown into gear; for
which purpose the steam jacket or hood g, has sliding doors h, with handles fitted
in it, as illustrated in Figure 2.
By such means the machine is enabled to operate continuously, since, while it is
bending one batch or supply of sticks, the batch which has been operated upon
immediately before is collected from the detached apparatus and a fresh batch
arranged in position to undergo the bending operation in its turn.
The advantages resulting from the present invention, and owing to which it.
constitutes a remarkable improvement on the old laborious, and rudimentary
method of bending sticks and the like by hand, may be summarized under the
following seven items.
1. Increased precision and, if required, adjustability of the strain to which the
wood-fibres are subjected during the bending operation (which strain it may be
desired to produce more or less slowly or rapidly).

page_text: 2. The facility of maintaining the wood at a constant temperature during the
bending operation.
3. Protection of the wood from cracking and breaking up into splinters.
4. The possibility of bending hard and tough wood, such as it has hitherto been
deemed practically impossible to bend.
5. A saving in the cost of the bending, and consequently in the cost of the
manufacture of bent articles of wood, on a large scale.
6. The prevention of any burning or flattening of the bent portions or hooks,
and of the formation of depressions at the parts where pressure has been applied;
and
7. The possibility of bending sticks which retain the bark of the natural wood,
without injuring, or materially altering the appearance of, the bark.
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 simultaneous bending or curving of any number of sticks by machinery,
for which purpose suitable rollers 61, 62 are set in rotary motion, such rollers being
provided with clamps c, adapted to surround or grasp the end of a stick that is to
be bent, and to receive rotary motion from a hollow shaft a, the hollow interior or
bore a', of which communicates with ports or channels a², provided in the said
rollers; so that the requisite heating medium may be conducted through the said
hollow shaft and rollers while they are in motion.
2. To facilitate the performance of the process referred to in the first claim, the
clamping of the opposite end of each stick in a sliding piece e, which is carried
along with the stick, during the bending operation, a distance corresponding to the
reduction of the length of the stick which is to result from bending.
3. In the machine referred to in the first claim, the arrangement of pressure
rollers d.
Dated this 7th dow of W1004
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buidings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.