IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Schreiber, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Cork Cutter, and Philip Passavant, Merchant, of the same
Place, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Schreiber
and Philip Passavant at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 17th September 1873.
We, WILLIAM SCHREIBER, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Cork Cutter, and PHILIP PASSAVANT, Merchant, of the same Place, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CORKS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to apparatus for the making of corks, and

page_text: consists of two knives fixed vertically upon a table, to which is imparted
a reciprocating motion in a horizontal plane. This motion is obtained
by means of a crank and connecting rod. Upon the crank shaft is a
pinion working into a second motion shaft, upon which is a pulley,
which by means of cords or straps is made to work two leather-covered
rollers immediately behind the two knives, these rollers revolving upon
shaft parallel to the knives, act as sharpeners, and are carried by fixings
attached to the bed of the machine, which are capable of adjustment.
These rollers revolve slowly in one position, which the reciprocating
motion of the table brings every portion of the back of the knives
(knives) within the stroke of the crank into contact with the rollers.
The pieces of cork are prepared as for hand cutting, and centered in
front of the knives by means of a spindle carried by two upright
bearings. On one end of this spindle is a steel button of the size of the
cork when cut. At the other end of the spindle is a handle, which
enables the person working the machine to revolve the cork, and at the
same time to press the cork against a corresponding button working in
the same centres as the spindle. The piece of cork is held in its position
by the pressure of the cork cutter, and also by small pins in the two
buttons, which compels the cork to revolve with the spindle, but does
not in any way damage it.
The arrangement for cutting is one and the same at both knives.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Schreiber and Philip Passavant in the.
Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
SCHREIBER, Cork Cutter, and PHILIP PASSAVANT, Merchant, both of 30
Bradford, in the County of York, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the.
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said William Shrieber and
Philip Passavant, Her special licence that we, the said William Shrieber
and Philip Passavant, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said William Shrieber and Philip Passavant, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with 1
and no others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
CORKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William
Schrieber and Philip Passavant, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and.
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
.
.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a plan of the machine for two cutters; Fig. 2 is an clevation
of the same; Figs. 3 and 4 are sections.
A, A, A, in Fig. 1, is the crank shaft, to which motion is applied either
by power or hand, upon which is fixed a fly wheel B. The crank shaft
and fly wheel are carried by pedestals, two of which C, C 1, are fixed upon
the cast-iron framework W. One other pedestal is required at C 2 in
order to carry end of shaft. This may be fixed to suit the convenience
of the situation. The crank D imparts a reciprocating motion to the
horizontal table E, E, working in the V slides shewn in section in Fig. 4
by means of a connecting rod F. Upon the table E are fixed the
knives K1 and K 2, by means of thumb screws and preparation cast to
the table, shewn at T, T, T, in Fig. 2, and T, T, in Fig. 4.
In front of these knives is an arrangement for fixing the cork for
cutting G1 and G2. The cork is placed between the pointed steel discs,
and which may be replaced by others of various sizes to suit the diameter
of cork required. The cutter pulls back the spindle G 1, and places the
cork in its position. A spiral spring L1 attached to the spindle between a
the fixing M and loose washers N presses the points on the discs H
and H 1 into the cork, and thus holds it in position, whilst by one turn of
the handle I the cork is cut the diameter of the respective discs. This
process can be performed on both sides of crank shaft by putting on
the same another crank, and duplicating the framework, knife table, and 2
other arrangements herein described. A. machine for four cutters would
then be made on our improved principle of cutting.
The knives are kept sharp by two leather rollers O, O, fixed upon
shafts P1 and P 2, carried by suitable bearings and fixings, receiving
motion from the crank shaft by means of pulleys P 3, P 4, and cords to a
cross shaft Q. P1 is driven by worm and pinion at R. P1 drives P 2
at S by means of pulleys P 5, P 6, and cord.
When larger or smaller corks are required to be cut the plate X and

page_text: Y, Y, Y, Y, working through nuts Z, Z, cast to the under side of plate.
This plate works forward or backward in V slides, as shewn in Fig. 2.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Shreiber and Philip
Passavant, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth
day of March, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
PHILIP PASSAVANT.
(L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said William Schreiber and
Philip Passavant in the pre-
sence of
JOHN WAUGH,
Civil Engineer & Patent Agent,
Bradford.