Improved Machine for Making Baskets or Receptacles for Grain, Vegetables, and like Products.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for Making Baskets or Receptacles for Grain,
Vegetables, and like Products.
I, ANDREW SMITII, of Traverse City, County of Grand Traverse, State of
Michigan, U.S.A., Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a machine for making baskets or receptacles for
grain, vegetables, and like products and it is of that class in which the
basket is constructed of strips or slats of veneer held together by wire staples
or like fastening devices; and the purpose of this invention is to provide a
machine in which the parts for pressing and clenching the elements of
the basket may be guided with more effectiveness and certainty than heretofore,
such object being attained as will now be set forth.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 plan view
of the clutch mechanism for operating the stapling machinery. Fig. 3 end view
showing the relative arrangement of the air reservoir and air cylinder; Fig. 4
enlarged view of the pulley showing a friction clutch, partly in section; and
Figure 5, side view, partly in section, of a basket such as is made by the
mechanism herein described.
The apparatus has a base 10, which may be hollow, so as to form a compressed
air chamber. Standing rigidly on the base 10 is a columa 11, at the head of
which is carried a stapling and driving mechanism 12, of any desired construc-
tion. This mechanism 12 is driven by a belt over a pulley 14 on the primary
movement-shaft 15 of the apparatus, such shaft also carrying a pulley 16, over
which should pass a belt from the source of power. The pulley 14 has a friction
clutch 17 associated therewith and controlled by a lever 18, pivoted at 19, behind
the pulley 16, and the opposite end of this lever is hinged to a piston 23, which
is operated by the air cylinder 20. The lever 18 is operated by means of a rod 21,
controlled by the lever 22 which opens the three-way valve 23", so as to supply
air to the cylinder 20. A belt should be run from the pulley 14 to the pulley 24
of the staple forming and driving mechanism.
On the top of the base 10 is mounted a carriage 25, the carriage being adapted
to slide longitudinally on the base. Fastened rigidly to the inner end of the
carriage 25 is a standard 26, which carries at its upper end a box 27. In this
box is mounted a bushing-like extension for the hub of the basket-form 30. The
shaft 31 is mounted horizontally in the column 11 and driven with a step-by-
step movement by means of a ratchet-wheel 32, fast on the shaft 31 and engaged
by a pawl 33. The shaft extends through the hub of the basket-form, as
shown by the dotted lines 28, and the basket-form slides on this shaft. The
pawl 33 is carried on an arm 34, swinging on the shaft 31, and the said arm 34
is driven by a link 35, attached to the web of the pulley 24. By this con-
struction the carriage 25 is free to reciprocate on the base 10, carrying with it
the standard 26 and basket-form 30, while at the same time the basket-form is
given a step-by-step rotary movement, owing to the action of the shaft 31,
which slides through the basket-form simultaneously with its revolution.

page_text: Air is compressed in the tank in the base 10 by means of two compressor cylin-
ders for pumps 36, or by any other means which it is not necessary to set forth.
The carriage 25, with its attached parts, is driven by means of mechanism of
which a main portion is the motor-cylinder 37, mounted in column 11.
on
Mounted rigidly
the outer end of the carriage 25 is a
standard 45, which carries at its upper end a web 46, in turn supporting a
motor-cylinder 47. The cylinder 47 carries a piston to which is attached a rod 48,
having a disk 50 revolubly mounted on its outer end, and this disk. 50 carries
the basket-mold 51, which conforms to the shape of the form 30, and which is
adapted to embrace the same, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to bend the basket veneer
into the proper shape. The cylinder 47 is provided with a valve chest 54, from
which lead five ports, two of which are ingress ports and the other three are egress
ports, and are operated by the lever 60.
The cylinder 37 is similar to the cylinder 47 and is provided with analogous
valve-gear. The valve of the cylinder 37 is actuated by an arm 40, connected
with a link 41, led to the right hand side of the machine, and joined to an
arm 42, swinging on a center, and actuated by a handle 43, located in proximity
to the parts 22 and 60, so that the operator may stand with the various valves
and clutches under his direct control. The cylinder 37 communicates with the
reservoir in the base 10 by means of a pipe, (not shown), or it may be connected
with the air reservoir 55. This air reservoir, is specially located in these draw-
ings, in order to more clearly illustrate the working of the clutch 17.
A pipe 56
leads from the reservoir 55 to the cylinder 20, although, of course, the air for this
cylinder can be drawn from the reservoir in the base 10.
The operation of the machine may be traced as follows: The shaft 15 being
started to revolve, the valve-operating arm 43 should be moved so that the
cylinder 37 will be filled with compressed air and the piston thereof caused to
push the rod 44 outward, moving the carriage 25 with its attached parts. The
material forming the basket should now be placed on the form 30 and the arm 60
operated to throw the cylinder 47 into action in such a way as to push outward
the rod 48 and cause the mold 51 to embrace the form 30 and press the veneer
into proper shape. The arm 43 should again be operated to cause the cylinder 37
to draw the carriage 25, with its attached parts, back into the position shown in
Fig. 1. Then by operating the clutch 17 the stapling and driving mechanism
may be thrown into action and the form 30 caused to revolve slowly by successive
steps, and the parts of the basket are thus secured.
Dated this 10th day of August 1899
ANDREW SMITH.
Improved Machine for Making Baskets or Receptacles for Grain,
Vegetables, and like Froducts.
I, ANDREW SMITH, of Traverse City, in the County of Grand Traverse, State of
Michigan, U.S.A., 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 relates to an improved machine for making baskets or recep-
tacle, for grain, vegetables and like products, and it is of that class in which
the basket is constructed of strips or slats of veneer, forming staves, which are
held together by wire staples or like fastening devices; and the purpose of this
invention is to provide a machine in which the parts for pressing and clenching
the elements of the basket may be guided with more effectiveness and certainty
than heretofore, such object being attained as will now be set forth.

page_text: In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Figure 2 is a
side view of the same. Figure 3 plan view of the bed with the pumping and
cylinder operating mechanism. Figure 4 view of one side of the base, showing
the cylinders and connections. Figure 5 longitudinal section of the pulley and
clutch mechanism. Figure 6 longitudinal section of the air cylinder for operating
the clutch. Figure 7 side view of the stapling mechanism. Figure S front
view of the same. Figure 9 side view of the interior mechanism of the stapler.
Figure 10 front view of the same. Figure 11 front view of the mechanism shown
in Fig.
10, showing the position when the staple has been driven home
Figure 12 detail view of the plunger rod or bar. Figure 13 horizontal cross
section of the lower end of the stapler. Figure 14, 15, and 16 detail portions
of the stapler. Figure 17 top view of the hoop guides and relative arrange-
ments of the basket form and staplers. Figure 18 front view of the same.
Figure 19 end view of same. Figure 20 top view, enlarged, of the hoop guide.
Figure 21 side view in section, of the hoop guide. Figure 22 end view of the
basket form. Figure 23 side view of the form. Figure 24 side view of the
bracket for supporting the form. Figure 25 side view of a basket, partly in
section, showing construction of same. Figure 26 plan view of the slats, staves or
veneers arranged to form a basket, and Figure 27 view of the stapling mechanism
viewed from the end of the machine, together with a detached view of the clamp
on the bracket, shown in section.
The machine has a base 27, which may be hollow, so as to form a compressed
air reservoir, or the hollowed base may have one or more compressed air reser-
voirs 28, and air is supplied to the reservoirs by means of air pumps 29, driven
by the shaft 30 and pulley 31.
Standing rigidly on the base 27 is a column 51, at the head of which is carried
a stapling and driving mechanism which will be fully described hereinafter.
This stapling mechanism is driven by a belt 52 from the pulley 32 on the
main shaft 30, to a pulley 53 on the stapling operating shaft 54. The pulley 32,
with the friction clutch associated therewith, is controlled by the lever 50,
so that the shaft 54, for operating the stapling mechanism, is operated by
this train of mechanism.
The shaft 30 carries at its projecting end a loose pulley 32, having at one side
a clutch 33, and this clutch is operated by a horizontal lever 31, which extends
along the end of the machine base, and is pivoted to a bracket 35 close to the
pulley 32. The rear end of the lever 34 has a rod 36 hinged thereto, said rod
being extended along the rear side of the base 27, passing through a keeper 37.
The end of this rod is screw-threaded, and provided with a nut 38, and between
this nut and the keeper 37, is a spiral spring 39, so that the free end of the
lever 34 will, normally, be moved toward the end of the base 27.
Secured to the end of the base 27, near the end of the lever 34, is an air
cylinder 40, shown in detail in Figure 6. This cylinder has therein a packed
plunger 41 provided with a stem 42, which is hinged to the lever 34, at 43. The
tubular connection 44, from this cylinder to the air reservoirs 28, has therein a
three-way valve 45, and the stem of this valve has an upwardly-projecting
crank 46, from which a horizontal rod 47 extends alongside of the base to the
other end, where it is hinged to an upwardly projecting crank 48 on a horizontal
shaft 49, at the end of the base, and the upwardly projecting lever 50 is attached
to this shaft, so that the cylinder 40 can be operated.
The stapling mechanism is operated by the crank 55, the pin of which oscillates
in the horizontal slide-way 50 of the head 57. This head is attached to the
vertically movable carriage 58, to the lower end of which the stapling devices are
attached, the latter being held by brackets 60 which depend from the stationary
frame G1, in which the carriage 58 operates. The clamp 60, shown in detached
Figure 27, is for the purpose of adjusting the stapler 59 to any desired angle.
The upper ends of the brackets 60 are also capable of adjustment along the
frame 61, so as to provide different spacings for the hoops, and the heads of the

page_text: small brackets 59, to which the staplers 59 are attached, are also provided with
means for adjusting them along the base of the carriage to correspond with the
positions of the brackets 60.
The stapling mechanism is composed of a hollow, rectangularly-formed shell 59,
closed at one side by a plate 62. The lower end of this shell has a lateral pro-
jection 63, at one side, as shown. On the rear side of this shell, at its lower
end, is a vertically disposed bar 64, forming one side of a guide-way 65, the
lower half of the guide run having an off-set, as shown at 66. The front side
of this shell, directly opposite the upper end of the guide-way 65, is slotted, as
shown at 67.
Within the shell thus formed is a plunger, composed of a bar, rectangular in
cross section, 68, to the lower end of which is secured the staple-driving blade 69.
The lower end of this blade has a cross notch 70, said notch being close to one of
its edges, and this notch corresponds in shape and in position with the horizontal
groove 71 in the lower end of the die 73. A block 72 fits snugly within the
shell 59, at its lower end, and below the die 73 a round, horizontal cutting-die 74
is placed, said die passing through an aperture in the side extension 63 of the
shell 59. The inner end of this die piece is angled, or slightly curved, as shown,
and on the upper side of this die is a groove 75, shown more fully in Figure 7,
said groove being designed to receive the wire 76 from which the staples are
made. The block 72 has a vertical, aperture 77 through which the staple-
driver 69 passes, so that the notch 70 will be on a line or coincident with the
groove 71 in the die 73.
Directly on a line with the staple-driver 69 is a rectangularly formed bar or
staple-forming plunger 78, which passes out through the front side of the shell 59,
and its outer end is hinged to a vertical lever 79, which projects up to a point
near the upper end of the shell, where a coiled spring 80 is interposed between
the shell and lever. Centrally is a yoke 81, on this lever 79, the arms of which
are hinged, at 82, to the sides of the shell 59. Behind this lever 79 is a vertical
arm 83, secured rigidly, at its upper end, by means of the bolt 84, to the
plunger 68, whilst its lower end terminates a short distance above the lower end
of the lever 79, where the latter is bent towards and rests against the shell 59.
In action, when the arm 83 moves downwardly, the tapering or wedge-shaped
lower end 85, passes behind the lower end of the lever 79, thus moving out
the pin 78.
As
The block 72 has on its rear side, near its upper end, a transverse recess 86,
and it will be observed that the plunger 68 has also at its lower end, on the
corresponding side, a similar transverse recess 87. Two fingers 88, shown in
Figure 14, are adapted to have their upper ends secured to this gain, by suitable
screws through the holes 89, and at their lower ends they are provided with
short right-angled hooks 90, which rest within the recess 86 of the block 72.
these fingers are separated a short distance there is room to place between
them an L-shaped lever 91. The upper end of the vertical limb of this lever,
is hinged, at 92, to the plunger, at a point slightly above the upper ends of the
fingers 88, while the horizontal limb of the lever projects out through a slot
in the rear side of the case, directly above the block 72, and the outer end of
this limb has an anti-friction roller 93 which operates in the guide-way 65.
It will thus be seen that the block 72 is entirely disconnected from the plunger
68, except by means of the fingers 88, which latter serve to hold the block from
moving downwardly within the limit of the recess 86, and when the block 72
has been moved downwardly to its lowest limit the heel of the L-shaped lever 91
rests against the upper end of the block, as shown at 95, Figure 9, thus preventing
the block 72 from moving upwardly until the lower half of the guide-way, as at 66,
Figure 7, draws out the lever 91, and thus disengages the heel from the
top of the block. Special springs 96 are interposed between the lower end of
the plunger 68 and the upper end of the block 72, so as to keep them separated
normally.

page_text: The upper end, or shank, 97, of the plunger 68, is tubular in form, and within
this tube is placed a coiled spring 98. The stem 99 has a head 100 which
rests on the spring 98, and the stem is held within the shank by means of a
nut 101. The upper end of the stem is threaded, and provided with one or
more nuts 102 whereby it may be attached to the brackets 59 of the vertically
movable carriage 58, and properly adjusted. The stapler body 59 has a round
shank 103 at its upper end, at which point the bracket clamp 60 is attached, so
that, while the shell 59, or body of the stapler, is held rigidly by means of said
bracket, the plunger is reciprocated by the carriage 58, driven by the crank 55.
It is also necessary, in the process of manufacturing the basket, to provide a
means for holding and guiding the hoops or bands which are stapled to the
staves. In Figure 25 I show a basket in which the staves 105 are stapled to
three hoops. The wide, inner hoop 106 is made up in the shape of a hoop, and
placed over the basket form 107, and after the staves 105 have been bent around
this form the two outer hoops 108, 109 are applied. These latter are placed in
the hoop-guide and holder, which is composed of a flat, rectangular body of
metal 110, having at its rear end an enlargement 111, to provide for a transverse
hole 112, by means of which it may be secured to a stationary support, and
held by a set screw 113. The lower side of this plate 110 has a rib 114 along
one edge, and on this rib and extending forward flush with the opposite edge, is
a thin plate 115, held in position by two screws 123. The rear end of this
plate 115 projects past the body of the plate 110 and is slightly curved down-
wardly, as at 117, so as to form an apron. There is thus a space 118 between
the upper plate 110 and the lower plate 115 in which I place a flat plate 119,
said plate having two transverse slots 120 for the screws or pins 123. On top
of the plate 110 is a spring 121, the right-angled limb 123 of which passes
down and rests against the edge of the plate 119, thus giving the plate sufficient
tension to hold the hoop when it is passed through the aperture 118, and at the
same time automatically regulating itself so as to provide for any inequalities in
the width of the hoops.
These hoop guides and holders are secured to the machine by means of a
bracket 124, that is bolted to the standard 51. This bracket is carried forward
and provided with a horizontal arm 125, at right angles to the bracket, through
which is placed a round bar 126, and secured therein in such a way that it has a
slight rocking motion. This bar projects alongside the basket form 107, and on
this is mounted the two hoop guides and holders 110. The upper surface of the
bar 126 has a spline 128, and the sockets 112 are adapted to receive this spline,
so that the holders 110 are rigidly attached to the bar by means of the set
screws 113 and spline.
Between the holder 110, at the head of the basket, and the arm 125 of the
bracket, is a forwardly projecting lever 128, to the outer end of which is attached
a rod or link 129, and the lower end of this link is connected up with any
suitable foot-treadle and operating mechanism, as at 130. In practice, the foot
lever, when in operation, raises the outer end of the lever 128, thus rocking the
bar 126, so that the point, or forward end of the hoop guide, moves downward
toward the basket-form 107. The end of the bar 126, behind the bracket 124,
has a downwardly-projecting lever 132, to which is attached an arm 133 at right
angles and extending parallel with the bar 126. To the end of this arm 133
is a link 134, which extends back to a short lever 135 which is projected
upwardly, at a slight inclination, and the upper end of this lever has a bar or
arm 136 that extends over the basket-form 107, and is used as a stop for the
ends of the hoops 108, 109, when they are first placed in the hoop guide. When
the hoop guide 110 is in a horizontal position before the machine is set in opera-
tion the arm 136 is directly in front of the end of the hoop, as shown by the dotted
lines 109, Figure 19, but as soon as the foot is placed on the treadle 130 the
bar 126 is rocked so that the lower end of the lever 132 is moved to the left, thus
moving the upper end of the lever 135, carrying the arm 136 upwardly, and

page_text: thus removing the arm from the ends of the hoops, so they can move along
around the basket.
The basket form 107 is made of metal, and has two annular grooves therein,
one of them 138 being at the head of the basket form, and the other 139 midway
between the head and base of the basket form. This form is mounted loosely
on the shaft 140, but the shaft is provided with a spline, not shown, so that the
form will move longitudinally on the shaft, but at the same time be rotated
thereby. The shaft 140 is journeled in the standard 51, and in order to be
able to hold the form while the stapling process is being performed, I have a
frictional mechanism, which is composed of a frame 142, mounted on the
standard 143, attached to the bed or carriage 160, and to this frame 142, which
is within the hollowed form 107, I hinge, eccentrically, two oppositely disposed
friction brakes 144, the upper ends of the friction brakes being provided with a
cross-rod 145 having thereon, at each end, a nut 146, and an interposed spiral
spring 147, whereby any desired degree of pressure may be applied to the basket
form as it is being rotated.
At the base of the basket form is a horizontally movable head 148, held, normally
in a projecting position as shown in Figure 23. A spring 149 is placed behind
this head, so that when the basket web is put on the base of the form and forced
up against the said form, by the action of the plunger, or piston, 169 and the
crate-form 170, the head 148 is pressed in and when the basket is completed
and the exterior basket form, or crate, is withdrawn, the head 148 will be
forced out by the action of the spring 149, and thus release the basket from the
form.
The mechanism for turning the basket form while the stapling process is
going on, is shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 2. The horizontal shaft 140,
which carries the basket form 107, has at its outer end a toothed wheel. 150.
There is also a lever 151 loosely held on the shaft 140, by the side of the
toothed wheel 150, and a link 152 is hinged to this lever and extends up to the
pulley 53, where it is secured to a crank pin on the pulley. A pawl 153 hinged
to the end of the lever 151, engages with the toothed wheel 150, so that at
each revolution of the pulley 53 the basket form will be moved around a limited
distance so as to provide the requisite spacing for the staples.
The movable bed, or carriage, of the machine, is composed of the bed 160,
which is placed on top of the machine base 27, and moves on the rollers 166,
so that it travels longitudinally thereon a limited distance. This base has the
Air
standard 143, to which is secured the plunger 161 of the air cylinder 162.
is supplied to this cylinder from the air reservoirs 28, by means of the three-
way valve 163, and the valve is regulated by the link 164 and lever 165.
At the opposite end of the carriage 160 is a standard 167, on which is mounted
an air cylinder 168, the piston 169 of which is on a line with the shaft 140.
The end of the piston 169 carries a crate 170 for the exterior side or form of the
basket, so that when the basket web, composed of the staves, is placed against the
end of the form 107, the crate form 170 will bend the staves around the form 107
and hold same in that position until the hoops are stapled and the basket is com-
pleted. The air cylinder 168 performs this operation of moving forward the
crate 170, and the air for this purpose is supplied from the reservoir 28 through
the flexible hose 171 and three-way valve 172, and the movement of the piston
is regulated by the lever 173.
The operation of the machine is as follows: In Figure 1 it will be noted that
the basket form 107 is directly below the stapler 59. In order to perform the
operation of setting up and stapling the basket, the lever 173 is turned so that
the exterior crate form 170 is drawn back to the position indicated by the dotted
lines 180, and the bed 160, carrying therewith the basket form 107, is moved
back to the position indicated by the dotted lines 181, so that the basket form is
clear of the staplers 59. The web of staves or veneers, shown in Figure 26,
is now placed on the end or base of the form 107, and the lever 173 is turned so

page_text: that the piston 169 moves forward the forming crate 170, forcing the projecting
ends of the staves of this around the body of the basket form 107. It should be
observed, however, that prior to doing this, a wide hoop 106 is placed on the
form 107, at the head of the basket, so that when the staves 105 are bent over,
their ends will rest on this hoop. The web having now been formed into a
basket shape, the lever 165 is operated so that the piston 161 is set into action to
draw the carriage 160 and basket form 107, together with the cylinder 168 and
the crate 170, to the position shown in Figure 1, so that the staplers 59 are
directly above the basket form 107. The next operation is to place the hoops 108
and 109 in position. These hoops are simply straight strips of veneer, the ends
of which are inserted in the slotted apertures 118 of the hoop guides 110, and the
ends of these hoops emerge from the rear ends of the guides 110 until they rest
against the arm 136, Figure 17, this arm being the stop heretofore referred to,
and it will be observed that the ends of these hoops are, therefore, directly
beneath the staplers 59. The stapling operation is now ready to be performed,
and the first action of the operator is to place his foot on the treadle 130,
which throws up the stop 136 so as to clear it of the ends of the hoops 108, 109,
this motion being performed by the rocking motion of the bar 126, lever 132
link 134 and vertical lever 135, which carries the stop 136. At the same time
the rear ends of the hoop guides are moved downwardly so that the projecting
ends of the hoops will be pressed firmly against the basket web. The lever 50
is now manipulated so as to cause the plunger 41, of the cylinder 40, to carry
out the end of the lever 34, bringing the friction clutch 33 in engagement with
the pulley 32, and thus communicating motion to the shaft 54 which imparts
reciprocating motion to the staplers 59.
The operation of the staplers is as follows: The wire 76, from which the
staples are formed, is placed in the groove 75 of the horizontal cutting die 74
so that its end projects a short distance beyond the staple-forming pin 78,
as shown in Figure 10. The plunger 68 is then moved downwardly and the
first action is produced by the cutting die 73, acting in conjunction with the
die 74, cutting off the wire 76. It will be noticed that the end of the die 74
is formed at an angle, and the die 73 corresponds with this angle so that the wire
is sheared off and thus provides pointed ends for the staples formed therefrom.
The ends of the die 73 thus turn down the ends of the wire so that the down-
turned-ends are on opposite sides of the staple-forming pin 78, as shown in
Figure 13, and the end of the block 72 now rests on the outer hoop of the
basket, and as the plunger 68 still continues its downward motion the lower end
of the blade 69 reaches the staple thus formed preparatory to driving it through
the hoops and staves. Before the blade 69 can thus act the anti-friction wheel 93,
on the horizontal limb of the lever 91, has reached the off-set 66 of the guide-
way 65, and thereby causing the heel of the lever, as at 95, to be withdrawn from
the upper end of the block 72, permitting the block 72 to remain stationary
while the plunger 68 and blade 69 travel downwardly and drives the staple
through the hoops and staves, and as the pointed ends of the staples strike
the grooved metallic basket form 107 they are bent around the inner surface of
the hoop and clenched. Before the plunger blade 69 commences the operation
of driving, however, the lower angled end 85, of the finger 83, has reached the
inner surface of the lever 79, and forced out its lower end, thus withdrawing the
staple-forming pin 78, so that there is nothing to obstruct the downward motion
of the blade 69 in its driving operation. The spring 98 is of sufficient tension
to perform the driving operation so that should the thickness of the staves
and hoops vary the spring will adjust the blow without causing any injury to
the parts of the stapler. A staple is thus driven at each revolution of the
shaft 54, and during the period that the plunger 59 is moving upwardly the
link 152, connected with the pulley 53, operates the shaft 140, through the
notched wheel 150, so that the basket form is rotated a sufficient distance for the
next staple.

page_text: It will be observed that the brackets 60 which hold the staplers 59, the
brackets 59 to which the plungers GS are attached, and the hoop guides 110, are
all capable of being adjusted laterally, so that they will correspond in position
with each other or be adapted for any size of basket, or for baskets having
hoops which are differently spaced; and the plungers 68, and staplers 59 are also
capable of vertical adjustment.
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. A machine for making baskets, composed of a basket-forming apparatus,
in combination with a stapling mechanism and a means for holding and guiding
the hoops which hold the basket, as and in the manner herein set forth.
2. A machine for making baskets, composed of a base having therein an air
reservoir and pump for compressing air therein, in combination with a basket-
forming and a stapling mechanism operated and controlled by compressed air
mechanism, as herein set forth.
3. In a machine for making baskets, an air reservoir and a pump for compress-
ing air therein, a traveling carriage on the base of the machine which is
moved to and fro by an air cylinder, a standard on one end of this movable
carriage carrying a basket form, and on the other end of said carriage a standard
carrying an air cylinder, which operates a piston rod carrying the outer or
exterior basket form, substantially as set forth.
4. In a basket making machine, a base having therein a reservoir and a pump
for compressing air therein, and operated from the main driving shaft, a pulley
on said main shaft and a belt for communicating motion to a shaft which operates
the stapling mechanism, a cylinder connected with the air reservoirs having a
piston rod secured to a lever, which operates a friction clutch, whereby the
stapling mechanism can be thrown in and out of operation through the medium
of the compressed air, substantially as shown.
5. In a basket making machine, a base having therein a reservoir, and a pump
for compressing air therein, in combination with a main shaft for operating
said pump, a pulley on said main shaft, having in connection therewith a
friction clutch, a forked lever hinged to an arm on the base, and in engagement
with said clutch, and at the opposite end of said lever an air operated cylinder
with its piston rod in connection with said lever, a rod extending from the end
of the lever having a retractile spring thereon, and a three-way valve between
the cylinder and air reservoir, and levers for controlling the same, substantially
as set forth.
6. In a machine for making baskets, a traveling carriage on the base of the
machine, having a standard at one end carrying a hollowed basket form, said
form being mounted on said standard but traveling along on and revolved by
an independent shaft, said basket form having within two eccentrically hinged
brakes provided with springs for giving a braking tension, substantially as
set forth.
7. In a basket making machine, a traveling carriage on the base of the
machine having at one end a standard for carrying a basket form, said form
having centrally within its base a horizontally movable head against a spring in
combination with a standard at the opposite end of the carriage, carrying a
cylinder, and a piston therein provided with an exterior basket form to operate
in connection with the interior basket form on the other end of the machine,
substantially as shown.
8. In a machine for making baskets, a base having thereon a movable carriage,
with a standard at one end carrying a basket form, said basket form being
adapted to travel on and revolve with a shaft, on the outer end of which shaft is
a toothed wheel operated by a lever and a pawl, and a link from the shaft which

page_text: communicates motion to the basket staplers, whereby a step-by-step motion is
imparted to the basket form, substantially as shown.
9. In a machine for making baskets, a hoop guide composed of a flat, rectan-
gularly-formed holder having a thin longitudinal opening from one side, con-
taining therein a blade which is held in said opening by a spring, whereby the
veneer forming the hoop is held firmly within the opening by frictional contact,
as shown.
10. In a machine for making baskets, a hoop guide and holder held in a hori-
zontal position by a horizontally disposed rocking bar, said rocking bar having
in combination therewith and operated thereby, a stop for the inner ends of the
hoops, and a lever and link connected with a foot operated mechanism, whereby,
when the operator presses the foot lever the hoop guides will be brought into
contact with the basket form, and the stops for the hoops will be thrown up to
clear the ends of the hoops, substantially as shown.
11. In a machine for making baskets, a base containing reservoirs and pumps
for compressing air therein, a main shaft for operating said pumps and a pulley
thereon, in combination with a shaft on the upper end of the machine frame,
carrying at one end a pulley for deriving power from the main shaft by a belt,
the opposite end of said upper shaft having a crank and a vertically movable
carriage driven by a rod from said crank the plungers of the stapling mechanism
adjustably secured to the lower end of said carriage, and the rigid portions of
said stapling mechanism attached to the frame of the machine, substantially as
set forth.
12. In a machine for making baskets, a pair of staple drivers, in combination
with a metallic basket form, having therein, directly beneath the staple-drivers,
annular grooves to receive the pointed ends of the staples as they are driven
through the basket hoops and staves, substantially as set forth.
13. In a machine for making baskets, the combination of a base having therein
air reservoirs, pumps for compressing air therein, a main shaft for operating said
pumps, a pulley having a friction clutch in connection therewith, an air cylinder
and lever for operating said friction clutch, a shaft on the upper end of the
frame driven by a belt from the main shaft, a link on the upper pulley actuating
a lever and pawl on the shaft which carries the basket form to rotate said form,
a vertically movable carriage carrying the plungers of the stapling mechanism,
and a traveling carriage on the base of the machine, carrying at one end the form
for the interior of the basket, and at the other end of the carriage an air
cylinder provided with a piston which carries the form for the outer side of the
basket, all the mechanism being operated or controlled by the compressed air in
the base of the machine, as set forth.
1000