IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CORKS
Year: 1841

page_text: LACHENAL'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Louis
LACHENAL of Fitchfield Street, Soho, Mechanic, and ANTOINE VIEYRES,
Watchmaker, of Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fourth day of September, in the fifth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Louis Lachenal and Antoine Vieyres, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that we, the said Louis Lachenal and Antoine Vieyres,
our exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Louis Lachelan
and Antoine Vieyros, our exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of.
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CORKS;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that we, the said Louis Lachenal
and Antoine Vieyres, or one of us, should cause a particular description of the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Louis Lachenal and Antoine Vicyres, do hereby declare that the nature of
our Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon that is to say:
Tuny described and ascertame
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon that is to say:
The Invention relates,-
First, to a mode of combining mechanical parts into a machine for
cutting cork into parallelograms, to be subsequently shaped into corks for
bottles.
And, secondly, the Invention relates to a mode of arranging and combining
mechanical parts into a machine for shaping pieces of cork, by cutting them
into suitable forms for corks for bottles.
And in order that our Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS MARKED A.
These Drawings show machinery for cutting cork into suitable blocks or
parallelograms to be afterwards shaped into corks for bottles. This machine
is so arranged that it is capable of self-adjustment, depending on the thickness
of cork, and in such manner that, whatever be the thickness of cork fed into
the machine, the portion cut off will be squared to that thickness. The
nature of the various views shown by these Drawings being written thereon,
it will not be necessary to repeat the same here; it will only be desirable to
remark, that the same letters of reference indicate similar parts wherever they
occur in the different Figures of the Drawings. a, a, is the framing of the
machine; is an upright axis, receiving motion from a steam engine or other
power, by the drum c; on the axis 6 is affixed the cog wheel d, which takes
into and drives the cog wheel e, which takes into and drives the cog wheel f;
the cog wheelf making four revolutions to one of the wheel d. On the axis
of the wheelf is affixed the crank g, to which the connecting rod his
attached by a pin joint, as is shown, the other end of the connecting rod being
attached to the under part of the slide i, i, which moves on the guides j, j;
and on either side of the guide, the two parts of the slide i, being connected
together on the under sides by two bent pieces i', which are connected together
by a bar, with a slit in it to adjust the position of the pin, by which the end
of the connecting rod h is attached to the bar of the slide i. The slide i, i,
carries the following apparatus:- is a plate aflixed to the slide i, and to this
plate a lever is applied, moving on an axis at the point 7, such lever

page_text: being at all times pressed on by the spring ; and m is an adjusting screw,
which regulates the position to which the lever can be forced by that spring.
On the other end of the lever is a truck or roller n moving on an axis,
and such roller n coming against the inclined plane o, as the block of cork
is carried toward the rotatory cutter, hercafter explained, the lever k
will be forced back, and in the return movement to the slido i, as the
roller n on the end of the lever passes down the inclined planc o, the
spring will force the lever k to move, and by means of the finger p (which
is serated at its lower edge) it will press forward the block of cork in
a suitable manner to place it in a position to cut off a portion thereof, as
hereafter explained. The finger p is attached by pin joints to the lever k, as
is shown, the pin joints allowing play. 9 are the guides, between which a
block of cork of a width equal to the length of the intended corks to be made
therefrom is placed, and in the movement of the machine such block will be
progressively forced up by the finger p on the lever k, and successive portions
will be cut off; and such is the arrangement, that in proportion to the
thickness of the block of cork at any moment, so will be the quantity fed in
and cut off at one time; the squaring instrument or guage, hereafter explained,
accomodating itself to the changing thickness of the blocks of cork fed into
the machine; and, in all cases, the portion cut off will be of a width nearly
equal to the depth or thickness of that part of the block of cork, the depth
being at all times kept to somewhat larger dimensions than the width, owing
to the circumstance of the crust or bark requiring to be pared or cut off
from the upper and under surfaces of each piece of cork cut off; and
according to the width cut off at any one time, so will be the effect
of the two knives which remove the upper and under surfaces of the
portion cut off by the first knife from the block, because the depth of the
piece cut off will be the guage which controls the distances the two knives
which remove the upper and under surfaces will, in cutting such piece, be kept
apart; heuce, when a portion of cork has passed the three knives, the piece
produced will be correctly squared, and waste will be avoided: for, notwith-
standing a block of cork may materially vary in its thickness at the different
parts thereof, the piece cut off at any time will be found to be of as large
dimensions as the thickness of the block will at that particular moment allow.
9 is a rotatory cutter or knife affixed on the axis q', which turns in bearings
at q, and it receives motion from a steam engine or other power by an endless
strap acting on the drum r. This knife cuts off a portion of the cork from
the block, and the portion cut off is then carried forward and again cut at the
upper and under surfaces by two other rotatory cutters hereafter explained;

page_text: but we will first describe the means of guaging the width of the piece to be
cut off, which, as before stated, depends for the time being on the thickness
the block of bark happens to be at the part where it is to be cut from, allow-
ance being made for the thickness of the bark or crust, which is to be after-
wards removed from the upper and under surfaces of the portion when cut off
the block. s is a lever moving on an axis at t, this lever being prevented
falling too far by the stop screw v. At the lower end of this lever s tho
guage plate u is affixed, but capable of adjustment, and the end of the block
of cork will be pushed forward by the finger on the lever by the spring
acting against that lever till the quantity fed in will be nearly equal to the
thickness of the cork, when, owing to the peculiar arrangement of the levers,
and the guage plate u, the spring against the lever & will force it no further:
and this will be the case notwithstanding the varying thickness of the block
and consequent difference of size or width required to be cut off at different
times. The block of cork being fed in and guaged, it will be drawn towards
the cutter or rotatory knife q* by the slides i, i, and parts connected therewith,
which will cut off the guaged quantity, and the same will be forced and slided
under the inclined plate w, which is attached to the connecting bar æ, which
is attached at its ends to links a, a, by pin joints, the link a moving on the
axes or points at ³, the link a being attached by a pin joint to the bearing
on the axis of the cutter 9*. The connecting bar a embraces and enters
into a groove in the nave of the upper rotatory knife y; such nave or boss of the
knife y sliding on the axis z, yet turning with it; hence, according as the piece
of cork is more or less thick so will be the width apart of the rotatory knives y
and y; the lower knife y' being affixed on the axis at such a height above
the surface of the bed plate of the machine that there will be just a thickness
taken off the under side of the picce of cork sufficient to remove the outer
surface, and the upper knife will cut off a like quantity from the upper surface
of the piece of cork. The plate w is attached to the bar by means of short
stems which pass through holes formed in the bar. Such stems are affixed to
the plate w, and they have screws on their upper ends on which screw nuts
are placed to adjust the position of the plate w, and there is a spring between
the plate w and bar ; hence the thickness of the piece of cork under the
plate w, when it comes up to the knives, will set the knives apart to the proper
distance. The axis of the cutters y, y' turns on the points 2, 3, as is shewn,
and motion is communicated to that axis by an endless band from a steam
engine or other power. The piece of cork cut off having been forced under
the bar a by the slide i, i, one of the four teeth on the wheel a ou the axis b
will force forward the piece of cork between the cutters y, y', and thence

page_text: between the guide plates B, C; the guide plates C passing between the
cutters y, y', as is shown by dotted lines. D, D, are four circular rubbers, the
axis of each of which is mounted on a spring E, which bears the face of the
rubber against the edge of its knife, there being two rubbers to each knife or
cutter, one to the under and the other to the upper surface of the cutting
elge; and such rubbers are of copper or other suitable material, and their
rubbing surfaces are prepared by having the fine powder of diamond beaten
in by hammering the surfaces when that powder is placed thereon: by this
means the cutting edges of the knives are constantly maintained; and there
are two similar rubbors applied to the rotatory cutter or knife q*.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS MARKED B.
These Drawings show various views of machinery, arranged and combined
according to the second part of the Invention for shaping cork, by cutting the
same into suitable forms for corks of bottles. The nature of each Figure being
written on the Drawings, the same will not be required to be repeated here.
And it is only desirable to remark, that the same letters of reference indicate
similar parts in each of the Figures. a, a, is the bed plate of the machine,
which is to be carried by a suitable frame or bench, which is not shown in the
Drawings. b, b, are guides similar to the bed of a lathe, and it may be desir-
able here to call attention to the circumstance of there being in fact two
machines, each having similar parts, so that two corks are shaped at the same
time. It will not, therefore, be necessary to repeat the description of the
various parts, but simply to explain the nature of the same, as if there were
but one machine. And, in order to the various parts of the machinery being
seen in the Drawings, it will be found that some of the parts in some cases are
left out of one of the machines, in order that parts which could not other-
wise be clearly seen if the two machines were both shown complete, may be
more readily traced. The workman, therefore, in reading this Specification,
will not expect all the mechanical parts herein described to appear in each of
the two machines, which are worked together on the same bed plate a, a, but,
when he cannot find the parts clearly shown in one machine, ho will by
examining the other machine find such parts more clearly defined. On the
two guides b, b, a carriage c, c, slides; this carriage consists of the two end
castings or checks c, c, the nature of which is clearly shown in the Drawings,
which are combined together by means of the four bars (1), (1), and
screws (2). (2), there being sluts (3), (3), in the bars (1), in order to adjust
the distance apart of the two cheeks c, c, of the sliding carriage; such adjusting
of the two checks boing with a view to accommodate the carriages c, receiving

page_text: a longer or shorter length of cork, as will readily be understood when the
apparatus for holding the cork and other working parts in connection with
the carriage c, c, are fully described. d is a connecting rod, by means of which
the carriage c, c, and parts working therewith, are moved to and fro. This
connecting rod d is affixed at one end to the cross head e, as is shown, the cross
head e having a friction roller or truck at each end, which move in guides f,f;
and motion is communicated to the cross head e by means of a connecting
rod g, attached by a pin joint to the cross head; such connecting rod g receiv-
ing notion from a crank of a steam engine shaft or other convenient means,
so as to cause the cross head to move to and fro to the extent indicated by
dotted lines in the Drawings. Upon the connecting rod d is the screw
coupling &, such screw coupling consisting of two halves fastened together by
screws, as is shewn, so that when it is screwed to the length required the two
parts of the coupling will be screwed tightly together, so as to affix it upon
the connecting rod d. The connecting rod d is affixed to the plate h, which is
affixed by screws (4) to the two bars i, i, the heads of such screws having
ratchet teeth formed therein, in order that when screwed up they may be
retained from turning by the stops (5), which have slots formed therein, and
such stops are affixed by screws, as is shown, to the bars i, i, and the plate h is
retained in its correct position in sliding to and fro by means of the connecting
rod d sliding through holes (6) formed in the checks c of the sliding carriage;
and in addition thereto the place h has a projecting rod h' affixed thereto,
which slides in holes (7), also formed in the two plates of the check c, as is
clearly shown in the Drawing. To the other ends of the bars i, i, is affixed
the cheek or end j, by means of the screws (8), (8), which pass through slots
formed in the bars i, i; hence the correct position of the end or check j can be
obtained; and the screw heads (8) having ratchet teeth formed thereon, the
same may be held secure from turning (when once screwed up) by means of
the stops (9), (9), which is fixed by screws to the end or chcek j, as is shown.
The end or cheek ; moves on a projecting pin k affixed to one end of the
carriage c, as is shown; and in order to case the parts or prevent shocks when
they come together in their working, there are springs or elastic surfaces (10),
introduced between the surface of the cheek cand the surface of the
cheek j, and also between the other check c and the screw coupling d
of the connecting rod d, as is clearly shown. The end or check j carries a
set screw (11) at its upper part; this set screw (11) causes the cork holder
hereafter explained to move longitudinally in its bearing in order to
hold the cork, and such screw (11) will cause the holders to securely
hold the cork which is being cut, so long as the act of cutting is being

page_text: performed.
On the upper surface of one of the cheeks c is affixed the
bearings 1, 1, of one of the rotatory cork holders m. This cork holder consists
of the stem m, which does not turn in its bearings 1, 1, and there is a coiled
spring m', which, resting against a collar formed on the stem m, and against
the surface of one of the bearings 1, causes the stem at all times to be pressed
towards the other cork holder; but such spring ma' does not force up the stem
m of this holder to the extent required to take hold of a portion of cork fed
into the machine, that additional movement lengthwise of the stem m of the
holder being performed, as before explained, by the set screw (11) coming
against the end of the stem m of the holder, as will be hereafter fully ex-
plained. In order to prevent the stem m of this roller turning in its
bearings 1, there is a plate n affixed thereto, having a projecting pin n' affixed
thereto, which slides in a hole formed in the metal of one of the bearings 1 of
the stem m, as is shewn, and on the plate n is also affixed a projecting stud or
finger o, by means of which what we call the cork receiver, is moved out of
the way when the portion of cork fed into the machine has been taken by the
holders all which will be fully described hereafter. The cork holder on the
stem m consists of the revolving collar m³, which has a series of points fixed
on its face; such collar m³ revolves freely on one end of the stem m. The
points on the face of the revolving collar m² pass through holes in a plate
m", which is forced forward by the collar m', by means of four short stems
affixed to the plate m³, and the collar m³ is acted on by the coiled spring m*,
which has at all times a tendency to push the surface of the plate m" beyond
the ends of the points, and hence will push off the cork from the points
when the stem m is released from the pressure of the screw (11). And
it will readily be understood, that when the cork is held at one end by means
of the points in the collar m²,. the cork can be turned round by the other
holder, in consequence of the collar m² turning freely on the stem m, as has been
above described. On the other cheek c of the sliding carriage c, c, the bearings
p. p, of the other cork holder are affixed, as is shown. In these bearings p, p,
one end of the shaft or axis q turns, the other end of the axis or shaft q turning
in a bearing r, such bearing r being capable of sliding in the opening r¹ of the
upright framing; the object of which sliding is that the shaft or axis q, being
slightly inclined from the edge of the knife in the bearings p, p, as the axis or
shaft g slides through and turns in the bearing r, that bearing slides in a
direction towards the centre of the bed plate. In the bearing r is formed a
gap or slit, to receive the spiral projecting surface (which passes spirally
around the shaft or axis q, and is affixed thereto); consequently, as the axis q
slides through the bearing the axis will be turned round by the spiral pro-

page_text: jection ', and it will be seen that at the end of the spiral projection nearest
the bearing such projection is for a short length straight; the object of which
is, that the required movement of the parts shall have taken place to bring the
portion of cork to be cut into a proper position in respect to the edge of the
knife, hereafter explained, before the axis or shaft 2 begins to turn, and the
spiral q'causes the axis or shaft 7 to make somewhat more than a complete
revolution during the cutting of a cork. ,, are two friction wheels or
rollers within the gap or slit of the bearing r, such friction rollers working
against the spiral projection q', as is shown. On the other end of the shaft or
axis q is applied the other cork holder, consisting of a similar plate m³, with
flat points for holding the other end of a portion of cork; but in this case the
plate m³ does not turn on its axis, but is affixed to the axis or shaft and
turus with it. m³ is a similar plate to that above described, but having
notches round its edge for the passage of the flat points; such plato m³ being
forced forward by a collar m, by means of short stems, as before explained,
and it is pressed with a tendency to force the cork off the points when per-
mitted so to do. s is the knife by which the cutting is performed, when the
portions of cork are successively carried against the edge of such knife, the
knife being stationary, s being the blade of the knife, the edge of which is
capable of being adjusted to the proper position by means of the screws (12),
(12), which pass through the knife holder t into the plate v above the blade
or knife s; there being slots in the blade or knife for the passage of such screws,
and to allow the knife to be set up by means of the screws u, the shoulders of
which press against the back edge of the blade or knife. The knife holder
moves on axes w, so as to allow of the blade or knife to be thrown back to
allow of its being removed, replaced, and adjusted, and when correct the knife
is held secure by means of the revolving inclined plate & coming into the pro-
jecting hook y, on the under surface of the knife holder t, as is shown; the
axis of such revolving inclined plate being carried by the plate, which is
affixed on standards to the bed plate a, a, of the machine, there being adjusting
screws (13), (13), through the plate, to adjust the height of the knife holder
t from the plate z, as is shown. The knifes is kept constantly sharp by means
of the revolving rubbers' A; these rubbers are of copper, the rubbing surfaces
being prepared with diamond powder, which is driven into the copper by hamı-
mering. These rubbers move on axes in such manner as to sharpen the upper
end under surfaces of the blade or knife s. The rubber A, which. sharpens
applied to the bearing of the
the upper surface of the edge of the knife s, is
cork holler. B, is an upright plate affixed; as is shown, to the bearing
7. on the cheek c, by means of screws; there being slits in the plate

page_text: B to allow of adjustment in affixing it to the bearing 1, the shape of the plate
B is clearly shown, and it carries the bearing C of the axis D of the rotatory
rubber A, as is shown; the upper end of the axis D of the rubber having a
serew formed thereon, on to which is screwed a nut, which controls and
adjusts the position of the rubber, which it will be seen stands obliquely,
the axis being held in an inclined direction, and the axis is at all times
pressed downwards by the spring D'. By this arrangement the under surface
of the rubber A (having its surface covered with fine powder of the diamond,
driven into the metal of which it is composed (by hammering), will, in passing
to and fro above the cutting edge of the knife, cause the cutting edge to
be constantly sharpened. The under surface of the cutting edge of the
knife is kept sharpened by the other rubber A, the upper surface of which is
prepared with diamond powder, as above mentioned, and this rubber A is
applied to the bearing p on the other cheek c, of the sliding carriage c, c, in
the following manner:-E is a plate having slits or slots formed therein,
through which the screws (14) pass, and affix it to the bearing p, and on the
plate E is affixed another plate F (with a curved slot therein) by a screw (15).
In the plate F is affixed the stem G, which passes through the plate F, so
that one end passes a short distance into a hole in the plate E, and in adjusting
will turn therein; hence by the slots in the plates E and F, and the circum-
stance of the stem G moving with the plate F, and in a hole in the plate E
a very nice adjustment may be obtained to the parts. The stom G has
affixed thereto the stem II, which stem II can slide and be turned in the
socket formed at the end of the stem G, and when properly set the stem H
may be made fast in the socket G, by means of the set screws (15). This
rubber A moves on an axis affixed to and carried by the plate I, such plate
having a projection at its under surface, which enters between the two side
plates (16), affixed to the projecting plate (17), affixed to the upper end of
the stem H, and a pin or axis is passed through the two side plates (16), and
through the projection at the under side of the plate I; and it will be seen
that the spring J, affixed to the plate (17), presses on the upper surface of
the plate I, and the position to which it is allowed to press it to is regulated
by means of the set screw (18); and, owing to the hole formed in the projection
at the under side of the plate I allowing of play, this rubber A will have
considerable freedom of inclination from side to side, as well as the inclination
to which it is set, so as to act on the under surface of the cutting edge of the
knife s, and thus will that edge be kept sharp. On the end of the knife is
applied a friction roller K, as is shown, the object of which is to press the

page_text: rubber A, now under description, down, so that the corner of the kmile in its
passing back may pass over the rubber.
Wo will now describe how the pieces of cork are fed into the machine.
L is a square pipe ascending to a considerable height above the machine
(about ten feet); the lower end of such pipe is connected, as is shown, to the
bent plate M, so as to allow that pipe to move to and fro with the working
parts of the machine. At the upper end of the pipo a constant supply of
pieces of cork of the proper size are to be introduced, which sliding freely
down the pipe will supply the machine with pieces (or parallelograms) of
cork of the size to which the parts of the machinery are adjusted to receive,
and the supply of the machine will be regulated by means of the wheel N,
which has several divisions, each to receive a piece of cork; this wheel is
placed on the axis O, on which it is capable of sliding, but it turns with the
axis, owing to there being a projection or feather aflixed on the axis O. The
axis turns in bearings P, which are capable of adjustment in the openings of
the uprights Q, affixed to the guides b, b, as is shown. R, R, are fingers
affixed to the carriage c, c, which enter into grooves at their upper ends,
formed in the projecting nave of the wheel N, as is shown; hence when tho
carriage c, c, is moved to and fro, the wheel N will slide on its axis; and in
order at the proper time to turn the wheel N round one space, so as to bring
a fresh piece of cork between the cork holders m³, on the axis of the wheel
N is affixed a wheel R', with as many projecting studs as there are divisions
in the wheel N, and, by means of the inclined finger S, hinged to the end of
the carriage c, c, the wheel R, and consequently the wheel N, will be turned
round each time the carriage c, c, moves back, such curved finger S being
held to its position by means of the spring S'; and the pieces of cork as they
arc delivered from the wheel N will be received into the receiver T, which
consists of two plates T', at right angles to each other, each plate having a
spring the spring Ts being affixed to one of the plates T by a screw at
(19), the object of which is, that as corks require to be formed conical, and
consequently require that the centre of the holder m², which is carried by the
bearings 1, should be above the centre of the other holder, and also that the
holder m², which is carried by the bearings 1, should be nearer the edge of
the knife than the centre of the other holder; the using of such spring plates
will allow of the "receiver" T passing away by the end of the spring opposite
where it is fastened giving way, and the degree of the taper of the cork to
be produced will regulate the placing of the holder m², carried by the
bearings in respect of the other holder m²; and there is an adjusting nut

page_text: (20) on a screw affixed at the under side of the spring plate T* to adjust the
spring plate to that taper. The spring plate Ts is a compound spring, as is
shown, consisting of the spring T, which is affixed to its plate T₁, and of the.
spring plate T, which is affixed to the spring plate T, and each spring plate
has a screw affixed thereto, which passes through a hole formed in the plate T',
and there are adjusting screw nuts which regulate the position of the
spring T, T, to cause them to stand in such a position as to receive the cork
correctly. The plates T' are carried by the plate T, are carried by the plate T,
which is affixed to the plate h by a scrow, thero being a slot formed in the
plate T, and by which the correct placing and affixing of the plate T may be
adjusted. The receiver T coming under the wheel N on the return movement
of the carriage c, c, receives a piece of cork on the springs on the surfaces T',
and holds it in a position for the cork holders m² to take it, which is accom-
plished by the movement of the connecting rod d, and parts connected there-
with, moving the screw (11) against the end of the stem m of the cork holder,
which causes it to push the cork against the other holder m³, and by such
means the points in the holders m³ will pass beyond their plates, and enter the
ends of the piece of cork, and so hold it fast; and the continued movement of
the machine will, by the finger or projection o, force the receiver out of the
way, and the cork will be conducted against the knife, and be cut. And in
order to force the cork off the receiver T, when the cut has been completed,
there is a sliding bolt V in the receiver T, which has a spring tending to force
it upwards, when permitted by the withdrawal of the spring bolt U, the nature
of which is clearly shown in the Drawings; and such spring bolt will be
released immediately the connecting rod & begins to make its return move-
ment, owing to the end of the set screw at the end of the spring bolt U
coming against a projection on the side of the bearing on the check c of the
carriage c, c, and the sliding bolt V will be again drawn down by the pro-
jecting stud V coming under the projecting inclined plane W, affixed to the
plate ; and the sliding bolt V being so drawn downwards will be retained by
means of the spring bolt U till again released by the return movement of the
parts. The machinery shown is suitable for cutting corks of the various sizes
used in wine bottles; but it will be evident that the machinery will be varied
in its parts when for cutting corks of larger or smaller diameter than that
within the range of the machinery shown.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the mode of per-
forming the same, we make no claim to the separate parts thereof, nor do we
confine ourselves to the precise details, so long as the peculiar character of the
improvements, or some of them, be retained.