AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND COUNTING CORKS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND COUNTING
CORKS." A communication from abroad by Gustaf Emil Boëthius, of
Stockholm, Sweden.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th August 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR
MARKING AND COUNTING CORKS." [A communication from abroad by Gustaf
Emil Boëthius, of Stockholm, Sweden.]
This Invention relates to an improved machine or apparatus for stamping or
impressing names, signs, or marks upon the ends of corks, and comprises
mechanism for automatically counting or registering the number of the corks so
stamped or impressed.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide two stamps or dies, on the
ends of which are engraved the names, signs, or marks designed to be reproduced
upon the corks. Each of these dies is secured to the end of a separate horizontal
shaft by means of screws, and in such a manner that the two outer or engraved
ends of the said dies face each other. The shafts are supported in bifurcated
standards bolted to the bed plate of the apparatus. A driving shaft is supported
in bearings upon the same standards, and carries at one end a pulley designed to
receive a belt or strap imparting motion to the same. Upon the said driving shaft
I provide two cams, which at certain times act upon friction rollers upon the die
shafts, forcing the latter to recede in a direction away from each other. I also
provide spiral springs in connection with the said die shafts, arranged in such
manner that when the friction rollers are not acted upon by the cams the said.
shafts are kept pressed towards each other.

page_text: For holding and presenting the corks in the proper position for their ends to be
stamped or impressed, I provide a revolving holder, which is provided with six
apertures, each of which receives and holds a cork. The said holder has imparted
to it one sixth part of an entire revolution at each stroke of the machine by
means of a toothed portion of a wheel keyed upon the driving shaft, which toothed
portion engages with toothed portions upon the periphery of the said revolving
holder, and at every movement a different cork is brought thereby between the dies or
stamps and receives the impressions. The said wheel on the driving shaft has four
teeth occupying about one fourth of its periphery, the remaining three fourths
being plain and the toothed and plain portions upon the holder are so alternated
and arranged that when the holder has rotated to the extent of one sixth part of
its circumference the teeth of the wheel arrive at a plain portion, and the rotation
of the holder consequently ceases until the teeth of the wheel again reach a
toothed portion.
The feeding of the corks to the revolving holder form a hopper at the upper
part of the apparatus is effected as follows, that is to say:-I provide a tube divided
into three parts, two of which form, by means of hinges, movable covers permitting
the diamter of the tube to be varied according to the diameter of the corks. A
surrounding spring keeps the parts together, and a screw enables the same to be
separated as may be desired. A piece at the lower end of the tube serves to
adjust the same to suit corks of different length. In order that the corks may not
fall through the apertures in the holder a plate is provided upon the same, being
screwed to the spindle of the said holder. This plate extends slightly above the
stamps or dies, so that it does not cover the cork at the parts to be impressed or
marked. At the lower part of the hopper two milled rollers are provided, and are
caused by suitable connections to revolve in an opposite direction to that in which
the corks travel, so that the latter are thereby prevented from getting into a wrong
position in front of the tube or from causing the feeding to be arrested. To
provide means for accurately adjusting the distance between one of the rollers and
the tube, and upon which the regular feeding of the corks depends, the said roller
works in an adjustable frame, which by means of a wheel and screw may be raised
or lowered. The said frame is secured or fastened by thumb-screws. The dies or
stamps are heated by lamps placed beneath the same, and the corks, as they are
stamped or impressed, fall into a suitable receptacle.
The registration or counting of the corks stamped or impressed is effected
automatically by the following mechanism, that is to say-I provide a number of
discs, which are placed side by side, each disc (excepting the first one) being
provided with a ratchet wheel having ten teeth, which are acted upon by a pawl
upon the adjacent disc, that is to say, the pawl for operating the second disc is upon
the first one, and so on. Each disc has upon its periphery the numbers from 0 to 9.
The pawls are pivotted, and each is provided with a spring which prevents the
pawl from falling between the teeth of the ratchet wheel, but cams are arranged
upon the spindle which carries the discs, and a projection upon the cam engages at
certain times with a curved extension of the pawl, which extension, so long as it is
under the influence of the cam, engages with the wheel and causes it to rotate,
that is to say, the cam operates for a sufficient length of time to cause the disc to
rotate one tenth part of an entire revolution. The first disc has upon its outer side
ten pins placed in a circle, and these pins are the means whereby the motion of the
machine is communicated to the discs. A pin or stud comes in contact at each
revolution of the driving shaft with one of the said pins, and thereby the first disc
is caused to turn one tenth of a complete revolution; and when this disc has made a
complete revolution the aforesaid curved extension meets the projection on the
cam, and is thus pressed between the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and thus the
Becond disc is rotated one tenth os its circumference, and in like manner the
movement is communicated to the other discs as the work proceeds. With six
discs 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, corks can be registered or counted, and then the indication
commences again at zero.

page_text: The pin or stud for operating the discs is so arranged that should a cork be
missed in the stamping this pin will not operate the said discs. The arrangement
is as follows, viz.-The said pin is fixed upon a ring movable upon a pivot, and is
pressed by a spring against the counting apparatus. On the opposite side of the
ring there is another pin or stud, and on the die shaft there is a ring with an
inclined plane, against which the said second pin strikes. If a cork is missed the dies
approach each other as much as the cams permit, and the inclined plane ring will
act upon the other ring so that the pin designed to operate the discs is lifted and
passes over the pins on the disc instead of operating the same.
To keep the discs in position I provide disc brakes fixed on springs, one for
each disc. These brakes are arranged on the driving shaft and fall into depressions
in the discs. The brake discs have each a piece cut out on their periphery to
provide for the turning of the discs. The brakes are connected by a screw
arrangement.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Soal Patent Office on the
11th February 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Company, Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS
FOR MARKING AND COUNTING CORKS." A communication from abroad by Gustaf
Emil Boethius, of Stockholm, Sweden.
This Invention relates to an improved machine or apparatus for stamping or
impressing names, signs, or marks upon the ends of corks, and comprises mechanism
for automatically counting or registering the number of the corks so stamped or
impressed.
The machine consists essentially of the following parts:-A hopper into which
the corks to be marked are thrown; a tube descending therefrom having adjustable
expansible covers and appliances so as to be adapted for corks of various sizes,
adjustable rollers for ensuring the proper entry of the corks from the hopper into
the tube, a periodically revolved holder which receives the corks from the tube
and delivers them one by one between the ends of two horizontal sliding stamps,
and a counting or registering appliance with means for preventing registration of
corks that may have missed being stamped.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a front elevation of a machine
constructed according to this Invention. Figure 2 is a side elevation of same, but
with the main driving pulley removed; and Figure 3 is a plan section through the
centres of the spindles; Figures 4 to 8, are full size views of the counter or
registering apparatus; Figure 4, being a front view; Figure 5, plan; Figure 6, side
view; Figure 7, side view of a disc; and Figure 8, a vertical section through
some of the discs; Figures 9, 10, and 11, are respectively plan, end view, and section
of the cork feed tube; Figure 12 is a vertical section through the hopper and feed
rollers; Figures 13, 14, and 15, are views representing the revolving cork-holder
with its driving pinion.
A, A', are two stamps or dies, on the ends of which are engraved the names,
signs, or marks designed to be reproduced upon the corks; each of these dies is
secured to the end of a separate horizontal shaft a and a³ respectively by means
of screws, and in such manner that the two outer or engraved ends of the said
dies face each other. The shafts a and a¹ are supported in bifurcated standards
a³, a³, bolted to the bed plate of the apparatus; B is the driving shaft which is
supported in bearings upon the same standards a³ and a³ respectively, and carries
at one end a pulley C designed to receive a belt or strap for imparting motion to
the same. Upon the said driving shaft B are fixed two surface cams b and 6',
which at certain times act upon friction rollera cand c' upon the die shafts a and a¹
respectively, forcing the latter to recede from each other; d and d' are helical or
"spiral" springs in connection with the said die shafts arranged in such manner
that when the friction rollers c, c¹, are not acted upon by the cams b, b¹, the said
shafts a and a¹ are kept pressed towards each other.
For holding and presenting the corks in the proper position for their ends to be
stamped or impressed, a revolving holder E is arranged, which is furnished with
six apertures e¹ to e, each of which receives and holds a cork; the said holder has
imparted to it one sixth part of an entire revolution at each stroke of the machine
by means of a toothed portion of a pinion wheel F keyed upon the driving shaft B,
which toothed portion engages with toothed portions g upon the periphery of the
said revolving holder E, and at every movement a different cork is brought
thereby between the dies or stamps A, A¹, and receives the impressions. The said

page_text: wheel F on the driving shaft has four teeth occupying about one fourth of its
periphery, the remaining three fourths being plain, and the toothed and plain
portions upon the holder are so alternated and arranged that when the holder
has rotated to the extent of one sixth part of its circumference, the plain part of
the pinion F falls into a corresponding circular hollow g¹ in the holder E, and the
rotation of the holder consequently ceases until the teeth of the wheel again reach
a toothed portion and give the holder E a further sixth of a revolution.
The feeding of the corks to the revolving holder E from a hopper P at the
upper part of the apparatus is operated as follows:-
His a tube divided into three parts, two of which, h, h, Figures 9, 10, and 11,
form by means of hinges, movable covers permitting the diameter of the tube to
be varied according to the diameter of the corks. A surrounding spring L keeps
the parts together, and a screw I enables the same to be separated as may be desired.
A piece m at the lower end of the tube serves to adjust the same to suit corks of
different lengths.
In order that the corks may not fall through the apertures in the holder, a
plate N is provided upon the same, being screwed to the spindle o of the said
holder. This plate N extends slightly above the stamps or dies, so that it does not
cover the cork at the parts to be impressed or marked. At the lower part of
the hopper P two milled rollers Q and q are provided, the roller Q is revolved by
strap or cord from the main shaft B, and the roller q is revolved from the spindle
of Q; they revolve in an opposite direction to that in which the corks travel, so
that the latter are thereby prevented from getting into a wrong position in front of
the tubo H, or from causing the feeding to be arrested. To provide means for
accurately adjusting the distance between the roller Q and the tube H, and upon
which the regular feeding of the corks depends, the said roller Qworks in an
adjustable frame aº which by means of a wheel and screw a² may be raised or
lowered. The said frame is secured or fastened by thumb screws 0%. The dies or
stamps A, A², are heated by lamps placed beneath the same, and the corks as they
are stamped or impressed fall into a suitable receptacle.
The registration or counting of the corks stamped or impressed is effected
automatically by the mechanism R, which is placed on a ledge on the side of
the machine. It consists mainly of a number of discs, in this case six of them,
j to je, Figures 4 to 7, which are placed side by side, each disc (excepting the
first one j) being provided with a ratchet wheel having ten teeth, which are acted
upon by a pawl upon the adjacent disc, that is to say, the pawl for operating the
second disc is upon the first one j¹, and so on; each disc has upon its periphery
the numbers from 0 to 9. The pawls are pivotted on pins K, and each is provided
with a spring T which acts against the inner rim of and prevents the pawl from
falling between the teeth of the ratchet wheel, but cams n are arranged upon the
spindle which carries the discs, and a projection n¹ upon the cam engages at
certain times with a curved extension V of the pawl, which extension, so long as it
is under the influence of the cam, engages with the wheel and causes it to rotate,
that is to say, the cam operates for a sufficient length of time to cause the disc to
rotate one tenth part of an entire revolution. The first disc has upon its outer
side ten pins placed in a circle, and these pins are means whereby the motion of
the machine is communicated to the discs. A pin or stud s³ comes in contact at
each revolution of the driving shaft B with one of the said pins r, and thereby the
first disc is caused to turn one tenth of a complete revolution, and when this disc
has made a complete revolution the aforesaid curved extension V meets the projection
n¹ on the cam r, and is thus pressed between the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and
thus the second disc is rotated one tenth of its circumference, and in like manner
the movement is communicated to the other discs as the work proceeds, with six
discs 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, corks can be registered or counted, and then the indication
commences again at zero.
The pin or stud 82 for operating the discs is so arranged that should a cork be
missed in the stamping, this pin will not operate the said discs. The arrangement

page_text: is as follows, viz. :-The said pin 8' is fixed upon a ring movable upon a pivot z, and
is pressed by a spring &¹ against the counting apparatus R. On the opposite side
of the ring there is another pin or stud z³, and on the die shaft a¹ there is a ring
with an inclined plane, against which the said second pin 2 strikes.
If a cork is missed the dies A, A¹, approach each other as much as the cams b
and-6¹ permit, and the inclined plane ring will act upon the tooth 2³ on the
other ring, so that the pin s designed to operate the discs is lifted and passes over
the pins on the disc instead of operating the same.
To keep the discs in position disc-brakes v are fixed on springs, one for each
disc. These brakes are arranged on the driving shaft and fall into depressions v²
' in the discs.
In order to completely brake the counter between the strokes the shaft B is
furnished with the cam x, which falls into parts a¹, cut out on the periphery of the
discs j,j, the cam has itself a cut out part a³ to allow of the revolving of the
discs when turned against them. The six brakes are connected by means of a screw
clamp w fitted with a handle w¹ that can be held fast by means of a screw w³.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention, and
in what manner the same is performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The construction of the revolving holder having holes for conveying the
corks, and formed so as to be periodically held and revolved by means of a
correspondingly formed pinion, and with a plate for holding up the corks, all
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The construction of the feed tube for supplying the revolving. holder,
that is to say, formed with movable covers, clamping spring, and means for adapting
it for corks of various sizes, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination of the hopper, the relatively adjustable feed rollers, and
´the feed tube, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination of the intermittently revolving holder, the reciprocating
stamps supplied with corks thereby, and the means for actuating the stamps,
substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination of parts forming the counting or registering apparatus
with its brake appliance, and also the combination of said apparatus with the
means for actuating it, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination of parts forming the improved cork stamping and
counting machine, substantially as shewn on the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)