Improvements in Machinery for Cutting or Shaping Corks, Bungs, and Floats.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Cutting or Shaping Corks, Bungs,
and Floats.
I, JOHN LISTON, of 12 Montieth Row, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows,
that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve and simplify the construction of
machinery for cutting or shaping corks, bungs, and floats.
In carrying out my Invention I employ firstly mechanism for cutting a sheet or
board of cork wood into strips or bars of equal width; secondly, mechanism for
dividing the strips or bars into short cork lengths, squares, or blanks; and thirdly,
mechanism for rounding the blanks. I use rotating disk-shaped knives for all the
operations; although for the last or rounding operation may in some cases use a
consolidated-emery wheel or similar grinding wheel instead of a disk knife.
In each case the disk knife or grinding wheel is fixed on a shaft which is by
preference horizontal and is driven at a considerable speed by means of a pulley and
driving belt, or in any other convenient way. In connection with each disk knife
there are placed in suitable positions, one on each side, two small circular sharpening
stones mounted so as to turn by the contact friction of the disk knife and pressed
against it by springs. Or the sharpening stones may be driven separately.
In the mechanism for the first operation the cork wood is moved by hand so as to
be cut by the disk knife, being guided by a fence which can be adjusted to suit the
width of strip or bar to be cut.
In the mechanism for the second operation the disk knife is carried by an arm
which is made to vibrate by a rotating cam, the disk knife being driven by a belt or
cord from a pulley on a shaft concentric with the axis of the vibrating arm. The
strip or bar of cork wood is moved forward at intervals to receive the descending
transverse cut of the disk knife by means of a small feed roller over which it
passes and down on which it is pressed by an upper roller. The feed roller is at
each interval turned to the extent necessary for feeding the desired length of cork
bar, by means of a small ratchet wheel on its spindle acted on by a pawl and lever
worked by a cam on the same shaft as the cam which works the vibrating arm.

page_text: The mechanism for rounding the cork blank comprises a frame or lay which
whilst holding the blank and making it rotate rapidly moves it towards the disk
knife. This Trame or lay which moves to and from the disk knife, may be
arranged either to vibrate like a loom lay or to slide horizontally in a guide or
in guides the part carrying it being in either case adjustable so that as a disk
knife wears the parts may be placed nearer its centre.
blank is held between a small chuck on the end of a rotating spindle and an outer
When being rounded the
centre which latter is movable outwards to admit the blank, inwards to grip it, and
outwards again to drop it after having been rounded, the movements of this outer
centre being effected by a rotating cam. The spindle for turning the cork blank is
driven by means of a pinion on its outer end, this pinion gearing with a toothed wheel,
th: teeth of which extend only partly round so that the spindle is not turned whilst a
blank is being placed in position. During the time that the spindle is not being turned
it is held in position by a spring pin or other device to ensure its properly gearing
again with the toothed wheel. The toothed wheel is driven in any convenient manner
from the shaft of the disk knife.
Each blank is placed in position to be taken hold of by the chuck and outer centre
by a feeder which consists of a piece carried by a stationary but adjustable bracket
and arranged so that it can turn about a vertical axis. The feeder piece is provided
with an adjustably fixed upper projection or finger, and with a lower projection or
finger which is held by a spring; and the attendant places a blank between the fingers
the lower one yielding to admit it. The feeder stands with its fingers facing outwards
when the blank is being put between the fingers; and at the proper time it makes a
half turn and carries the blank into position between the chuck and outer centre of
the reciprocating frame or lay. The feeder is made to turn as described by means of
pinion teeth on it gearing with a rack fixed to or moving with the reciprocating
frame or lay, or by any other convenient device.
The reciprocating frame or lay can be adjusted relatively to the disk knife so as to
present the cork blank in an inclined position for the purpose of its being rounded
with a taper.
For making bungs or floats the parts of the machinery are suitably enlarged; and
in the case of a float a tube made with a cutting edge or a crown saw is provided for
forming the central hole therein.
To give oval or other forins to corks, bungs, or floats, the reciprocating frame or
lay is in each case moved by a rotating cam shaped so as to give the desired form by
the combination of the frame's movement with the rotation of the blank or piece of
cork.
Dated this Twenty-first dno. of x5.
1430

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Cutting or Shaping Corks, Bungs
and Floats.
I, JOHN LISTON, of 12 Monteith Row, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve and simplify the construction of
machinery for cutting or shaping corks, bungs, and floats.
In carrying out my Invention, I employ, firstly, mechanism for entting a sheet or
board of cork wood into strips or bars of equal width; secondly, mechanism for
dividing the strips or bars into short cork lengths, squares, or blanks; and thirdly,
mechanism for rounding the blanks. I use rotating disk-shaped knives for all tho
operations; although for the last or rounding operation I may in some cases use a
consolidated-emery wheel or similar grinding wheel instead of a disk knife.
In each case the disk knife or grinding wheel is fixed on a shaft which is by
preference horizontal, and is driven at a considerable speed by means of a pulley and
driving belt, or in any other convenient way. In connection with each disk knife
there are placed in suitable positions, one on each side, two small circular sharpening
stones mounted so as to turn by the contact friction of the disk knife and pressed
against it by springs. Or the sharpening stones may be driven separately.
In the mechanism for the first operation the cork wood is moved by hand so as to
be cut by the disk knife, being guided by a fence which can be adjusted to suit the
width of strip or bar to be cut.
Mechanism for the second and third operations is shown upon three accompanying
sheets of explanatory drawings which are hereinafter referred to in particularly
describing the mechanism.
Figures, 1, and 2, on sheet, 1, of the drawings are a front elevation and a sectional
side elevation of a machine for effecting the second operation. Figure, 3, on sheet, 2,
is a sectional side elevation of a machine for effecting the third or rounding operation.
Figure, 4, on sheet, 3, is a front elevation corresponding to figure, 3, and figures, 5,
to 10, are views of details. In these drawings the same reference numerals are used
to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In the mechanism for the second operation and shown in figures, 1, and 2, the disk
knife, 15, is carried by an arm, 16, which is centered on the first-motion shaft, 17,
carried in bearings on the framing, 18, and having on it fast and loose pulleys, 19,
for a driving belt. The disk knife, 15, is fixed on one end of a short spindle, 20,
carried in a bearing at the onter end of the arm, 16, and having fixed on its other
end a pulley, 21, to be driven by a belt, 22, from a pulley, 23, on the first-motion
shaft, 17. The arm, 16, is made to vibrate by means of a lever, 24, acted on by a
cam, 25, on the first-motion shaft, 17. The strip or bar, 26, of cork wood is moved

page_text: forward on a small table, 27, at intervals to receive the descending transverse cut o
the disk knife, 15, by means of a small feed roller, 28, over which it passes and down
on which it is pressed by an upper roller, 29, held by a heavy lever, 30, centered on
the framing. The feed roller, 28, is at each interval turned to the extent necessary
for feeding the desired length of cork bar, by means of a small ratchet wheel, 31, on
its spindle, 32, which extends to the back of the machine. The ratchet wheel, 31, is
turned by a pawl lever, 33, acted on by an eccentric and strap, 34, or it might be a
cam, on the first-motion shaft, 17, the connection of the eccentric strap to the pawt
lever, 33, being adjustable by means of a screw pin and slot, so that the length of
cork blank cut may be varied or altered if required.
In
The machine for rounding the cork and shown in figures, 3, to 10, comprises a
frame, 4, the front part of which extends up in the form of a standard, 41.
bearings, 42, bolted to the lower part of the frame, 10, there is carried the main
shaft, 43, which has the disk knife, 15, fixed on its front end, and fast-and-loose
pulleys, 19, for a driving belt at its other end. The belt-shifting fork is fixed to a
horizontally sliding bar, 44, moved by means of a hand lever, 45.
the standard, 41, (the left-hand side in figure, 4) there is a long plate, 46, hereinafter
At one side of
termed the standard plate, which is fixed to the standard by bolts passing through
slots, 47, in the standard, these slots allowing of the standard plate being adjusted
vertically and fixed so that the parts carried by it may be accurately set in relation to
the top of the disk knife, 15, and so that as the diameter of the disk knife becomes
reduced by wear and grinding the said parts carried by the standard plate, 46, may
be correspondingly lowered. The lowering and raising of the standard plate, 46, is
effected by means of a handwheel, 48, and screw spindle, 49, held between collars by
a bracket, 50, at the top of the standard and tapped through a bracket, 51, formed at
the top of the plate. At the top of the standard plate, 16, there is formed or fixed a
forked bracket, 52, to which there is jointed a frame or lay consisting of a depending
tube, 53, and other parts hereinafter referred to, this frame or lay whilst holding the
cork blank and making it rotate rapidly serving to move it towards the disk knife, 15.
This frame or lay which moves to and from the disk knife, may be arranged either to
vibrate like a loom lay or to slide horizontally in a guide or in guides; in the
example shown in the drawings the frame or lay vibrates like a loom lay centered
overhead. For giving the vibrating motion to the lay, and the rotating motion
to the cork blank there extends through the tube, 53, a shaft, 54, indicated by
dotted lines, which is driven by means of a pinion, 55, at its upper end, this
pinion gearing with an intermediate pinion, 56, which is on a stud and which
gears with a pinion, 57, on the upper end of a vertical shaft, 58, carried by the
bracket, 52, and by the standard, 41. The pinion, 57, can slide on the vertical
shaft being engaged therewith by a groove and key. The vertical shaft, 58, has on
it near its lower end a wormwheel, 59, which is driven by a worm, 60, on the main
shaft, 43. Fixed on the upper end of the lay shaft, 54, there is a cam, 61, which
at a part of the rotation bears on a stationary frictional brake, 62, to equalise the
resistance and prevent backlash between the toothed wheels, the shaft, 54, making
one complete turn for each cork rounded and having less work to do at one time
than at another.
At the lower end of the lay tube, 53, there is adjustably fixed by means of a
pinching screw, 63, a tubular boss, 64, forming part of a casting or small frame, 65,
carrying various parts. A bevil wheel, 66, at the lower end of the lay shaft, 54,
gears with a bevil wheel, 67, on a horizontal shaft, 68, carried by a frame, 65,
(see figures, 5, to 8) and on this horizontal shaft, 68, there is a cam, 69, which
gives the vibrating motion to the lay by bearing on a roller, 70, carried on a
stud which is adjustable by means of a screw, 71, and is held by a stationary frame
bracket, 72, bolted to the standard, 41. The cain, 69, acts positively in moving the
lay inwards, and its return outwards is assisted by a spring, 73. placed between it and
the, bracket, 52. The cam, 69, which turns in the direction of the arrow in figure, 5, 5
is for a round cork, shaped so as in moving the lay inwards to do so very gradually
near the inner end of the movement; and the cork is made to turn more than once

page_text: whilst in contact with the disk knife which cuts to the full depth not at once but.
gradually.
The horizontal shaft, 68, has also fixed on it a partially toothed wheel, 74, the teeth
on which during about half a turn gear with a pinion, 75, on a chuck spindle, 76,.
carried by the lay frame, 65, and having at its right-hand end a chuck, 77, which
engages with the cork blank, 78. The pinion, 75, is kept in proper position for
engaging with the teeth of the wheel, 74, by a flange formed on it and which has one
part cut concavely to fit upon a rim, 79, formed on the part of the wheel, 74, having
no teeth. The wheel, 74, is placed on the horizontal shaft, 68, in such relation to the
other parts as to turn the cork blank, 78, whilst it is being carried inwards into contact
with the disk knife, 15, and so as to hold the chuck, 77, stationary during the outward
movement. The following centre or chuck, SO, is carried by an adjustable bracket, S1,.
fixed to a bar, 82, fitted to slide in the lay frame, 65, and pressed towards the left by
a spring, 83, arranged in a recess in the frame, 65. The bar, 82, bears by an anti--
friction wheel at its left hand end on the face of the wheel, 74, which has formed at a
suitable part of it a cam projection, 84, for pushing away the bar and the cbuck, 80,.
so as to release a rounded cork and allow of a fresh cork blank being placed between
the chucks.
The appliances shown in the drawings for feeding the cork blanks are a simplified
modification of what was described in my Provisional Specification. Instead of a.
moving holder into which the cork blank was to be put and which was to carry the
cork blank into the position for being gripped between the chucks, I now employ a
stationary holder from which the chucks take the cork blank. A stationary bracket, S5,
formed on or fixed to the same casting as the bracket, 72, and which is bolted to or
formed on the standard plate, 46, made with an arm, 86, having formed on it a
vertical tubular boss, 87, in which is held the shank, SS, of the feeder, this shank
being adjustable vertically and otherwise by screws, 89, 90. The feeder shank, 88. is.
made with a slotted crosshead in which the feeder, 91, is adjustable inwards and out-
wards by a screw, 92; and the feeder, 91, which is like an inverted box has jointed
within or under it two pieces, 93, 94, acted on by springs as shown separately in
figures, 9, and 10. The inner end of the feeder, 91, is shaped with a downward in-
clination, and with an upward inclination of the piece, 93, forms a right-angle cradle
for a cork blank or square; and the attendant worker places a blank or square in this
cradle whilst the previous one is being rounded. The other movable piece, 94, forms
a fence at the lefthand end of the cradle to prevent the blank or square from being
placed too far to the left; and when the lay moves outwards, the inner chuck, 77,
depresses this piece, 94, and has the blank or square pressed towards it by the outer
chuck or centre, 80, the cam, 84, acting on the latter being suitably timed for that
purpose. The movable cradle piece, 93, yields downwards when the blank or square
is carried inwards.
For keeping the cutting edge of the disk knife, 15, in an effective condition, two
small circular sharpening stones, 95, 96, are provided for acting on opposite sides.
These stones are carried loosely on spindles so as to be turned by the frictional action
of the disk knife itself and they are made to press on the disk knife by means of
springs on their spindles. The spindles of the stones, 95, 96, are fixed to holders, 97, 98,
indicated by dotted lines, in figure, 4, these holders being adjustable about vertical
axes in pieces, 99, 100, which are adjustably fixed to the stationary bracket, 85, with
which arrangement the stones can be set in what may be found to be the best positions
for acting on the disk knife. The parts cut from the corks are delivered down a
duct, 101, and the corks are delivered down another duct, 102.
The reciprocating frame or lay can be adjusted relatively to the disk knife so as to
present the cork blank or square in an inclined position for the purpose of its being
rounded with a taper. The boss, 64, on the frame piece, 65, can be turned on the lay
tube, 53, and be fixed by the pinching screw, 63.
For making bungs or floats the parts of the machinery are suitably enlarged; and
in the case of a float a tube made with a cutting edge, or a crown saw is provided for
forming the central hole therein.

page_text: To give oval or other forms to corks, bungs, or floats, the reciprocating frame or lay
is in each case moved by a rotating cam (69) shaped so as to give the desired form,
by the combination of the frame's movement, with the rotation of the blank or piece
of cork.
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 :-
1. The improved combination of parts constituting the machine for dividing bars of
cork wood into short lengths substantially as herein before described and as shown in
figures, 1, and 2, of the accompanying drawings.
2.-The improved combination of parts constituting the machine for rounding blanks
or squares to form corks bungs and floats substantially as hereinbefore described and
as shown in figures, 3, to 10, of the accompanying drawings.
3. For rounding corks bungs and floats, the combination of a rotating disk knife,
or grinding wheel, with a vibrating or reciprocating lay or frame, such frame being
provided with appliances for holding and turning the cork blank or square, the parts
being arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The arrangement of the lay parts so that they can be adjusted angularly on the
carrying tube for the purpose of giving a taper or conical form to the corks or bungs,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Nineteenth day of February 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.