IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR Deve
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Conroy, of Boston, United States of America',
but now residing in Drummond Street, Euston Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
Deve
"
Sealed the 14th November 1862, and dated the 5th June 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Conroy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th June 1862
I, EDWARD CONROY, of Boston, United States of America, but now residing
in Drummond Street, Euston Square, in the County of Middlesex, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING CORKS, BUNGS, AND 'SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to a machine for cutting cork into narrow
strips of cork or "lengths" and for cutting each strip of cork or "length" into
pieces of suitable size (termed "quarters,") to be afterwards rounded into
finished corks by means of a separate machine. The principal feature of the
machine, whereby this preparatory operation in the manufacture of corks is
effected, consists in the employment of a knife which is made to traverse hori-
zontally on V-guides by means of a crank and connecting rod attached to and
worked by the main shaft of the machine. Underneath this traversing knife
the rough piece of cork is to be fed, and is supported by a bed and stop on

page_text: the framing of the machine. The width of the strip or "length" to be cut off
is determined by an adjustable stop, which is caused to traverse to and from the
knife by means of a tappet in order to allow the separated length to fall into
a suitable receptacle. The "lengths" to be cut into "quarters," are then
subjected to the operation of a number of revolving knives of peculiar shape
mounted upon a screwed shaft, having nuts or washers of suitable thickness
between the knives. The whole series of knives are caused to revolve with
the shaft by a feather or projecting lip. This shaft is mounted in journals on
the framing, and receives motion by gearing from the main shaft. In order to
receive the "lengths" to be "quartered," and to hold them during the action of
the knives a rocking bed is provided, and is supported in journals on the
framing of the machine immediately in front of the revolving knives. This
bed is provided with a comb front to allow the passage of the knives through
it, and receives a rocking motion from a cam on the knife shaft for the purpose
of throwing off the length which has been cut into "quarters" after the passage
of the knives. The knives used for quartering may be differently mounted
and actuated, so as to be free from the compressing action of the revolving
knives. This is effected by mounting them on one or more stud shafts secured to
a frame capable of being traversed horizontally on V-guides by means of an
excentric or crank from a shaft provided for the purpose, and the "lengths"
to be cut are fed on to and supported against the action of the knives by
means of a rocking-comb bed, which is placed in front of the reciprocating or
traversing knives. These latter as they are carried forward pass through and
divide the length of cork into quarters, and also pass into the slits made in
the comb bed to receive them, and upon the knives retiring, the comb bed is
rocked on its centres, and the quarters tipped off into a receptacle below.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Conroy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
CONROY, of Boston, United States of America, but now residing at Drummond
Street, Euston Square, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year of our. Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,

page_text: the said Edward Conroy, Her special license that I, the said Edward Conroy,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Conroy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
CUTTING CORKS, BUNGS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that 1, the said Edward Conroy, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Conroy, 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
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a machine for cutting cork into narrow strips or
"lengths," and for cutting each strip of cork or "length" into pieces of suit-
able size (termed "quarters,") which are afterwards rounded into finished
corks by means of a separate machine. The principal feature of the machine
whereby the preparatory operation in the manufacture of corks is effected,
consists in the employment of a knife, which is made to traverse horizontally
on V-guides by means of a crank and connecting rod attached to and worked
by the main shaft of the machine. Underneath this traversing knife the
rough piece of cork is to be fed, and is supported by a bed and stop on
the framing of the machine. The width of the strip or "length" to be
cut off is determined by an adjustable stop, which is caused to traverse to
and from the knife by means of a tappet in order to allow the separated
length to fall into a suitable receptacle. The "lengths" to be cut into
quarters are then subjected to the operation of a number of revolving kuives
of peculiar shape mounted upon a screwed shaft, having nuts or washers
of suitable thickness between the knives. The whole of the knives are
caused to revolve with the shaft by a feather or projecting lip. This shaft
is mounted in journals on the framing, and receives motion by gearing from
the main shaft. In order to receive the "lengths" to be "quartered," and to
hold then during the action of the knives, a rocking bed is provided, and is

page_text: supported in journals on the framing of the machine immediately in front of
the revolving knives. This bed is provided with a comb front to allow of the
passage of the knives through it, and receives, a rocking motion from a cam on
the knife shaft for the purpose of throwing off the piece of cork which has
been cut into "quarters" by the passage of the knives. The knives used for
quartering may be differently mounted and actuated so as to be free from the
compressing action of the revolving knives. This is effected by mounting
them on one or more stud shafts secured to a frame capable of being traversed
horizontally on V-guides by means of an excentric or crank from a shaft pro-
vided for the purpose, and the "lengths" to be cut are fed on to, and sup-
ported against the action of the knives by means of a rocking comb bed which
is placed in front of the reciprocating or traversing knives. These latter as
they are carried forward, pass through and divide the length of cork into
quarters, and also pass into the slits made in the comb bed to receive them,
and upon the knives retiring, the comb bed is rocked on its centres, and the
quarters are tipped off into a receptacle below.
* TE
In the accompanying Drawings I, have shewn a machine for cutting the
rough cork up into strips or "lengths," and into quarters, that is into pieces
suitable for cutting into cylindrical or. conical corks by machinery, or by hand.
Fig. 1 is plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation of, the
same; Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections upon the line 1, 2, and 3, 4, respec-
tively of Fig. 1. Upon one side of the frame A, A, of the machine V-guides
a are attached by bolts, and a saddle a is fitted to slide thereon, and carries
the steel knife b. This saddle and knife is caused to traverse horizontally by
means of the connecting rod c and crank d upon the cross shaft B*. Motion
is communicated from any prime mover to the driving pulley f by the strap h.
On the driving shaft C of the machine is a spur pinion g in gear with the spur,
wheel k on the shaft B*. Below the knife 6 is a bed i, having a turned up
end for the purpose of supporting and holding the piece of cork against the
thrust of the knife while being cut. In order to cut through the piece of
cork there is a longitudinal groove in the bed i, in and, along which the lower
point of the inclined edge of the knife b travels (as will be seen in the cross
section Fig: 4.) The cross piece ; is also cut through to allow of the passage
of the knife. The rough cork held in the band of the workman is placed
beneath the knife b, and rests upon the bed i, and is pressed up against the
stop j, the width of the strip of cork or "length" to be cut off, being deter-
mined by the stop k* seen best at Fig. 4. The action of this adjustable stop
is as follows: When the forward stroke of the knife b takes place, a pin l,
Fig. 4, projecting from a bracket on the saddle a strikes a tappet m fixed to

page_text: .
the upper end of a short spindle (capable of turning in a sleeve bolted to the
inside of the framing), and having at its lower end a camin, acting upon the
projection on the slide o. This adjustable stop' piece k* is attached by a hand
wheel and screw p. The cam n will move the slide o, and the adjusted stop
piece k to the required distance from the knife 6, to determine the width of
the strip. of cork or "length," to be cut off. On the return or backward
traverse of the knife b, the pin by striking the tappet m, moves round. the
cam piece n, when the action. of a spring on the slide o will withdraw the stop k*;
and allow the separated strip of cork or "length" to fall into any suitable
receptacle. These strips or "lengths" are now to be divided into given sizes
suitable for cylindrical or conical corks, and for. that purpose I provide a series
of knives q, made of thin steel, and of the shape shewn in Fig. 6. These are
placed upon a shaft D, with a washer r, Fig. 5, between them of the exact
width required for the description of corks to be manufactured. The whole
series of knives. are held firmly between the collar and screw nut S upon the
feathered shaft D, which may if desired be screwed throughout as shewn
at Fig. 7. The knives q have a projecting lip which fits into a groove in the
shaft as shewn in Fig. 8. A shaft thus fitted with knives is mounted in
journals-bolted to the framing "A; and is driven by bevil wheels from the cross
shaft B*. Immediately in front of this knife shaft D, and projecting slightly
under it is the comb E, Fig. 3, made of brass or wood, and attached
to the rocking frame F by screws. Upon this comb E the lengths to be cut
are to be fed, and the rocking frame F is carried by stud axles in journals on
the framing A, A, and to one of these axles is fixed the lever G, Figs. 1 and 4,
which by a link is connected with the weighted lever H, having upon it a
bowle bearing against the cam I on the knife shaft D, which at one period of
its revolution will cause the frame F to be rocked, so as to drop or throw off
the squares or quarters which have just been cut. The frame F and comb E
then returns to the horizontal position in time to receive another length of
cork to be cut by the following revolution of the knives q. Fig. 9 is a partial
sectional elevation of a modification of the machine just described; and Fig. 10
is an end view of the same. In this modification the knives 9 for dividing
the strips of cork into quarters have straight edges, and are mounted upon one
or more stud axles carried by a frame J, and are caused to move forward hori-
zontally upon V-guides on the sides of the framing A, A, (see Fig. 10.) This
motion is effected by the excentrick on the shaft D, which is driven by spur
gearing from the inain shaft C, shewn in Fig. 9. The rocking frame F and
comb E, for receiving the strip of cork to be cut, is placed below the knives,
and is supported during the cut by the wedge-shaped end of the rod N. The

page_text: frame F is allowed to drop into the dotted position shewn in Fig. 9 after the
passage of the knives by the wedge-shaped end of the rod N being drawn
back by the lever M, acted on by the cam I, as shewn in Fig. 9.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Machinery for Cutting
Corks, Bungs, and other such like Articles," and having explained the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I claim as the Invention secured to me
by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the general arrangement of parts herein set
forth, or any mere modification thereof, whereby cork may be cut up. into
lengths, quarters, or rough pieces of suitable dimensions for corks or bungs,
which are afterwards rounded and finished in a separate machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Conroy, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFatt,
66, Chancery Lane.
EDWARD CONROY. (L.S.)