AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING WOOD FOR THE HANDLES OF WALKING STICKS, UMBRELLA AND PARASOL STICKS, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Dangerfield, of Chalford, in the County of
Gloucester, Umbrella and Parasol Stick Manufacturer, for the Invention
of AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING WOOD FOR THE
HANDLES OF WALKING STICKS, UMBRELLA AND PARASOL STICKS, AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 12th July 1864, and dated the 5th March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Dangerfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th March 1864.
I, WILLIAM DANGERFIELD, of Chalford, in the County of Gloucester,
Umbrella and Parasol Stick Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING
WOOD FOR THE HANDLES OF WALKING STICKS, UMBRELLA AND PARASOL STICKS, AND
OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of "an improved mode of bending wood" has for its object to
bend into a book shape the ends of sticks or small pieces of timber suitable
for walking sticks, parasol or umbrella sticks, and various other articles in
which bent forms of wood are required.
The Invention consists principally in a novel mode of applying heat to the
wood for the purpose of softening the same, and in bending down the stick and
securing it in place by means of clamps and a flexible piece of metal.

page_text: In carrying out my Invention I find it convenient to soften the ends (which
are to be bent) by placing them in moist sand, which may be heated if required;
after remaining in the sand for some time the sticks may be removed to the
bending apparatus in which the extreme end of the part which is to be bent
is to be held securely in a clamp and the stick is then drawn down or
bent over a tube of suitable diameter according to the size of the hook or
curve to be produced. Inside this tube is introduced the jet of a gas burner
whereby the tube is heated and communicates heat to the stick which is bent
round it. The stick is kept in this position by means of a band of steel which
is bent over the stick and is secured to the shaft by means of a suitable
clamp. Heat is to be applied externally to the stick by causing a jet of ignited
gas to play upon the bent piece of steel which covers the hooked part of the
stick. It will of course be understood that the particular form of the curve to
be given to the wood will necessarily require the form of the apparatus to be
modified to correspond to such curve; for instance, instead of a tube heated
internally by gas as above mentioned a hollow chamber of suitable shape may
be used as the former, and may be heated by gas or charcoal, and in place of
the flexible band a solid piece of suitable form may be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Dangerfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DANGERFIELD, of Chalford, in the County of Gloucester, Umbrella and Parasol
Stick Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Dangerfield, Her special license that I, the said William
Dangerfield, my exécutors, administrators, and assigns, or. such others as
I; 'the said 'William Dangerfield, 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 "AN

page_text: IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING WOOD FOR THE HANDLES OF
WALKING STICKS, UMBRELLA AND PARASOL STICKS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Dangerfield, by an instru-
ment 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
Offico within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Dangerfield, 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 markeil thereon (that is to say):
-
My Invention of "an improved mode of bending wood has for its object to
bend into a curved or hook shape the ends of sticks and canes suitable for
walking sticks, parasol or umbrella sticks, and various other articles in which
bent forms of wood are required.
The Invention consists principally in a novel mode of applying heat to the
wood for the purpose of softening its fibres and then bending down the stick
and securing it in place by means of a clamp and a flexible piece of metal.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a side clevation, and Fig. 2 is a
plan view of the apparatus.; Figures 3 and 4 are detached views in vertical
and horizontal section of the hollow or tubular mandril around which the
sticks are bent, and shewing more particularly the manner of heating the
saine.
In carrying out my Invention, I find it convenient to soften the ends of the
sticks (which are to be bent) by placing them in moist sand, which may be
heated if required. After remaining in the sand for a suitable time the sticks
are to be removed to the bending apparatus shown in the Drawing. That
end of the stick which is to be bent to form the handle is to be held securely
in the jaws of a clamp or vice a, a, and the extremity of the stick b is then
drawn round or bent over a tube or hollow mandril c provided with an annular
half-round recess. The diameter of this mandril should correspond with the
hook or curve the stick is intended to receive and the groove should be of a
size to suit the diameter of the stick. Inside this tube or hollow mandril a
gas jet or burner d is introduced for imparting heat to the tube or mandril,
which heat is transmitted to the stick from its being drawn into close contact
therewith. The stick is kept in this position by means of a band of steel 6
which is bent over the stick to retain it in a bent position. This steel band is

page_text: held in the vice in contact with the stick to be bent, as shown at Fig. 2, and it
is fitted at one end with a handle for operating it, and at the other with a stud
for carrying a catch or hook g which drops over the handle of the steel band
when the same is lapped round the mandril, and thereby retains it together
with the bent end of the stick b, in the curved position. Heat may be applied
externally to the stick, if thought desirable, by causing a jet of ignited gas to
play upon the steel band e.
As an obvious modification of the above-described apparatus a hollow
chamber of suitable shape may be used as the "former" and heated by
gas as described, and in place of the flexible band e a solid piece or block of
metal of suitable form may be applied to the outside of the curved stick
and heated from the outside in any convenient manner. When the end or
handle of the stick has remained sufficiently long in this -bent position to
receive a permanent "set" it is released from the apparatus and the operation
may be repeated.
Having now described my Invention of "An Improved Mode of and
Apparatus for Bending Wood for the Handles of Walking Sticks, Unibrella
and. Parasol Sticks, and other Purposes," and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim the application of a flame of gas or other
combustible fluid or liquid as described for softening the fibres of the wood
while being bent in combination with a clamping apparatus for securing the
wood in its bent form until the fibres are set so that the hook may remain
permanent as herein 'set forth:
In witness whereof, I, the said William Dangerfield, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four. .
T
DANGERFIELD.