Improvements connected with Cork Grinding Machinery.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 12th July, 1895-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Cork Grinding Machinery.
We, JAMES BOAG MORRISON, of Jane Street, Leith, Engineer, and JOHN
EISENHARDT HOWARD of 73 Minories, London, Manufacturer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to machines wherein " squares or "quarters" of cork
are made into the required round or approximately round shape by grinding.
In our invention the squares or quarters of cork are intermittently revolved,
whilst being ground, by means of friction mechanism.
On one end of the spindle which carries the chuck or gripper for revolving the
square of cork while being ground, is fixed two friction dises or rings of rubber,
wood or other suitable material, one being slightly larger in diameter than the
other. The larger friction disc or ring is used for revolving the squarc of cork
whilst being ground and the smaller one is used for stopping its rotation whenever
it is sufficiently ground in order to admit of the next square being picked up.
As the slide moves forward towards the grinding discs with the cork the larger
friction disc or ring comes into contact with a friction plate which is mounted on a
revolving shaft or spindle and is so feathered to it as to be capable of longitudinal
movement thereon. At the back of this revolving plate is a spiral or other spring,
or a buffer or other suitable arrangement which can be adjusted to give sufficient
pressure to ensure enough friction between the plate and friction disc to drive the
cork whilst being ground. This spring also allows the revolving plate to move
forward longitudinally the required amount as the grinding proceeds. A collar is
so fixed on the shaft in front of the revolving plate as to stop the backward
longitudinal movement of said plate at the point when it is desired to throw it out
of contact with the friction disc and thereby stop the revolutions of the cork.
To insure that the spindle carrying the cork holding grip or chuck is brought to
rest, while picking up the next "square," the smaller rubber or other friction disc
or ring is brought into contact with a spring or other suitable brake.
The friction discs or rings may be adjustable on the spindle so as to give
differential speeds.
Dated this 11th day of October 1894.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Cork Grinding Machinery.
We, JAMES BOAG MORRISON of Jane Street, Leith, Engineer, and JOHN
EISENHARDT HOWARD of 73 Minories, London, Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in machinery of the character
for which the said John Eisenhardt Howard received Letters Patent No. 3137

page_text: of 1892 viz. for grinding blocks or pieces (known in the cork trade as
" squares
or "quarters") of cork into shape (i.e. round or approximately round).
The present invention relates more particularly to improved means for inter-
mittently imparting very quick rotary motion to the cork gripping mechanism or
chucks which hold and rotate the cork at a very high speed against the abrading
surface and slowly advance same towards said abrading surface until the grinding
operation is completed and then retire from said abrading surface, open, and drop
the shaped cork and then snap hold of the fresh piece of cork to be ground-the
rotary motion of said cork gripping mechanism being stopped (suitable means such
as a self-acting brake being provided according to the present invention to quickly
effect tbis) while thus picking up the next piece of cork and then commenced again
just before the latter is presented against the abrading surface and during the time
it is held in contact therewith and so on the present improvements being hereinafter
fully explained and finally pointed out in the claims hereof.
And in order that the present invention may be easily understood and readily
carried into practice we will proceed to fully describe same with reference to the
drawings hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation facing the abrading surface of the grinding disc―
i.e. looking in the direction of the arrows y and
Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the machine looking in the direction of the arrows t
and w.
Fig. 4 is a view of the opposite side of the machine to Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a view of the opposite end of the machine to Fig. 1-i.e. looking in
the opposite direction to the arrows a y and z.
Fig. 6 shows a plan of the slide actuating cam detached from the machine-the
actuntion of the said "slide" being effected in the same manner as fully described
in the aforesaid Patent or any other equivalent or suitable manner and therefore
need not be further described hereinafter.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.
A frame or standard.
B bed or platform carried on A.
C shoot or spout down which the finished corks are dropped.
D abrading disc.
'
E axle keyed or fixed to D and by means of which the latter is revolved.
F fast and loose pulleys on axle E.
G forked bearings in which is journalled the axle E.
H turntable foundation to forked bearings G capable of movement on table B
so as to adjust the disc D at any angle desired-to form straight or taper corks.
I screw bolts for clamping H in desired position.
J cam actuating shaft and shaft from which the cork gripping chucks are
revolved.
K fast and loose pulleys on shaft J.
L driving belt operating device to throw the driving belt simultaneously on or
off the driving pulley of both F and K.
M supports fixed to B in which the shaft J is journalled.
N worm on shaft J.
Oworm wheel on cam shaft Q.
P suitable cam (shown in detail in Fig 6) for giving requisite motion to the
"slide" U-which latter carries the mechanism for seizing and presenting the cork
block to be ground against the abrading disc D.
R rocking shaft pivotted at S-one end of which is controlled by the cam P and
the other end pivotted to the slide actuating rod T.
T slide actuating rod.

page_text: U "slide" which travels in guides or on a V-shaped or dovetail guide bar or
rail V fixed or formed on the bed plate B.
W support fixed and carried on U for the spindle h of the cork gripping chuck i
which has movement imparted thereto in the direction of its axis so as to drop the
ground cork and snap hold of the next piece of cork to be ground.
X support carried on U and forked at its upper end to form double bearing or
journal for the spindle to which are keyed or fixed both the cork gripping
chuck d and friction wheel c which latter has a very quick rotatory movement.
imparted thereto intermittently (viz.: just as the slide U has moved the two said
chucks close up to the face of the abrading disc D) by coming into frictional
contact with the disc or friction wheel a fixed to or formed with a sleeve b which
latter slides on a."feather" on the shaft J its movement in one direction being
against the action of the spring while its travel in the opposite direction is limited
by the stop block or collar g fixed rigidly on the shaft J.
The strength of the spring must be such as to ensure that the frictional contact
between the disc a and the aforesaid friction wheel c is sufficient to revolve the
cork while being ground.
Y is the rest or device carrying the feed table upon which each block of cork
to be ground is laid by hand (or same may be fed thereto mechanically in any
suitable manner if desired) ready to be seized hold of by the aforesaid chucks.
Z is an adjustable gauge (fixed on and moved by the slide U) so as to ensure
each cork block being correctly placed in proper position on the aforesaid feed
table.
The chuck as the latter approaches the abrading disc D is revolved by the
friction wheel (which may be formed of any suitable material or materials
advantageously having a rubber surface or compressed paper on its periphery to
bear against the disc a) being forced against the constantly revolving friction
disc a and thereby the chuck d (and with it the cork) is very quickly revolved the
disc a being forced back (by the wheel ) on its "feather" along the shaft J against
the action of the spring as the friction wheel c is moved forward by the slide U
and consequently the spring f is compressed, and when the slide U is drawn back
as soon as the friction wheel c is drawn out of contact with the disc a (which latter
is by the spring f caused to follow the wheel e until the end of the sleeve comes
against the stop g) it ceases to revolve until the next approach to the disc D.
Just as the friction wheel c is moved out of contact with the disc a further
revolution of the chucks d and i and cork s may be quickly stopped by any suitable
means such as by a brake a suitable brake for this purpose being formed by an
upright arm or rod (not shown) fixed to the frame of the machine the upper and
free end of this arm (which is advantageously flexible or spring mounted) lying in
the path of travel of the second and smaller wheel c* rigidly fixed on so as to
revolve with the same spindle as the clutch d and wheel c so that as the latter is
being drawn back just as it (wheel c) ceases to touch the dise a the said wheel ex
comes against the said brake rod or arm (not shown) lying in its path nud
thereby the further revolution or idle running of the spindle of the chuck dis
prevented.
is the spindle axis of the second or "snapping" chuck i which is journalled in
the forked bearings formed by W and this chuck i is normally kept pressed towards
the rotated chuck d by springj Fig. 2.
k is an upright or support fixed on B and has an inclined surface (not shown) in
the head thereof interposed across the path of travel backward of the cross pin
or roller m on the spindle h so that immediately the slide U begins to move away
from the disc D the pin m begins to ride up the said inclined surface and so the
spindle and chuck i are drawn backwards away from d and the ground cork drops
out from between the chucks d and i and falls down the shoot C.
Meanwhile as the slide U continues to travel backward just as it reaches its
limit of travel backwards the pin m comes off the end of the incline (not shown)
and is free and the spring; then instantly snaps the chuck i towards the chuck (

page_text: and thus grips the next block of cork resting ready on the feed table Y. The free
end i.e. the bottom of the incline is (by a spring) kept pressed across the path of
forward travel of the pin m so that as same advances towards the disc D it will
push such free end out of its way and thereafter upon the backward movement
of m will ride up this incline as before explained.
Or the chuck i may be moved towards and away from the chuck d in any other
suitable manner.
One or both of the supports W & X may be so mounted on the slide U as to be
capable of adjustment either toward or away from one another.
The grinding disc support H in addition to having an angular adjustment to the
axial lines of chucks di is also made capable of adjustment towards and away
from the chucks di and slide U according to the size of the blocks of cork to be
ground.
s is the piece of cork being ground.
"
"
If a mechanical feed be employed then manual labour can be dispensed with
which otherwise is required in connection with this machine to feed the "
squares
or "quarters of cork onto the feed table or rest Y wbich latter is adjustable
toward and away from the abrading disc D by means of the adjusting screw t so as
to exactly or approximately centre the piece of cork ready to be seized by the
chucks d. The gauge Z serves also in this connection to permit each piece of
cork to be placed in the correct suitable position ready to be seized by the two
chucks di on the next backward movement of the slide U-the gauge Z being fixed
and carried on the slide U so that this gauge Z is moved out of the way of the
chuck d at each backward movement of the slide U.
Instead of having separate driving belts to the fast and loose pulleys F and K
respectively the whole machine may be driven by.a single main driving belt on
the fast and loose pulleys K and adding a suitable pulley (advantageously of a
large size) fixed on the shaft J opposite to the fast pulley F) the latter advan-
tageously a small pulley on the grinding disc axle E) and then a belt passing
round said large pulley on the shaft J on to the said small pulley fast on the
grinding disc axle E will thus very quickly rotate the said abrading disc or instead
of rotating the latter by belt same may be rotated by frictional driving mechanism
for instanc 'riction wheel fixed on the shaft J running. in frictional contact
fiction wheel fixed on the grinding disc axle E or with an
either wit!
intermedi
frictional
be revol
By th
motion
simplic
grea
abs
th
T
'
at right angles to the grinding disc D and in direct
the said grinding disc D whereby the latter can
efore described of imparting intermittent rotary
cork many advantages are gained particularly
ng mechanism reduced liability to get out of order
rotation of the cork and greatly reduced noise if not
said intermittent chuck driving mechanism especially during
peration rotating the cork blank.
of the machine as a whole is fully described in the aforesaid
137 of 1892 and that of the present improvements has been herein before
..et forth.
If desired any suitable means may be provided for varying the speed at which
the cork gripping chucks are intermittently revolved for instance the friction
wheel e may be arranged to slide longitudinally on a "feather" on the spindle of
said chuck d with means to fix or retain same in the desired position on said spindle
or otherwise suitably mounted so that same can be adjusted relatively to the
friction disc a i.e. towards or away from the centre of the latter and thus decrease
or increase the speed imparted to said friction wheel c and the chuck spindle
revolved thereby.
Or a change in speed may be obtained by varying the size of either the friction
wheel c or friction disc a or both, the position of these relative to one another and
to the other parts of the machine being arranged accordingly.

page_text: с
Instead of using the friction driving wheels a and c to intermittently come into
contact as aforesaid the chuck driving mechanism of said Patent No. 3137 of 1892
may be modified by simply substituting friction driving wheels (either cone friction
wheels or otherwise as desired) in place of the bevel cog wheels a and b shown in
said Patent No. 3137 of 1892 in which case such friction wheels would he held
continuously in contact with one another in a similar manner to the said bevel cog
wheels a and b (the aforesaid brake being in such case unnecessary and therefore
dispensed with) while the desired intermittent motion would be imparted to the
cork gripping chuck d by a clutch operated by the movement of the slide U such
as the clutch c described in the said Patent or in any other suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we would remark that we
make no separate claim herein to anything not described or foreshadowed in the
Provisional Specification hereof but we declare that what we claim is :-
1. In a machine for grinding corks into shape having a reciprocating slide such.
as U adapted to approach towards and recede from a suitable abrading surface in
the manner and for the purposes herein before des cribed the combination therewith
of a suitable bearing or support carried on said slide in which is journalled the
spindle of the cork gripping chuck which is to be driven intermittently, a friction
wheel fixed on said spindle and a friction disc or wheel mounted (at right angles or
thereabouts to the first named friction wheel) on a continuously revolving shaft in
such manner as always to revolve with said shaft while free to slide lengthwise
thereon a spring adapted to keep the side face of said disc pressed into the path of
advance of said first-named friction wheel and allow the latter to push the said
friction disc before it along said shaft to thus impart retary motion to the
mechanically-held cork blank while same is in contact with the abrading surface
and means to quickly stop rotation of the said cork gripping chuck instantly when
the grinding operation is complete.
2. A machine to automatically seize hold of the piece of cork (cork blank) and
then very quickly rotate same and slowly advance same to be thus ground into
shape having a reciprocating slide such as U adapted to advance towards and
recede from any suitable abrading surface in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore described suitable bearings or supports carried on said slide in which
is journalled the spindle of the cork gripping chuck d a friction wheel or wheels
such as c fixed on said spindle in combination and acting in conjunction with the
friction disc or wheel such as a free to slide lengthwise on its shaft J and adapted
to revolve in a plane at right angles to said friction wheel e and to quickly rotate
the latter when intermittently forced into contact therewith and means to quickly
stop rotation of the cork gripping chuck instantly when the grinding operation is
finished substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein before described and
illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Deted the 19th day of Jule 1895
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.