" First, the machinery for cutting the stave consists of a stout bench, having a board or platform annexed to it, capable of being moved endways, to which another board is connected, so arranged as to be moved across steadily by racks and pinions, or screws. The last board has a hollow part made in it, in which the stave-board may be laid, so that one edge of it may project clear beyond the edge of the first-mentioned board ; a circular saw is placed either above or below the bench, having its axis at right angles to the line of motion of the first mentioned board, and opposed to the direction of the course of the projecting part of the stave-board ; this circular saw is made flat when the straight-edged staves are to be cut, and is dished, or of a spherical shape, when staves with curved edges are wanted. The board first mentioned is moved either in a right line, or is made to assume a curved course, by being confined in its motion by curved grooves, or by curved rods moving against pins; and by the proper management of these sliding-boards, the stave-board is cut by the circular saw of the shape desired. The machinery next used consists of a large lathe, in which the cask is turned in a vertical position when it ib of a large size (after it is formed in the usual manner from the staves prepared as above described), being either fixed in a great chuck placed beneath it, or in a cylindrical cage which surrounds it, fixed upon a strong upright arbor, and revolving between collars, where it serves the office of a mandrill. In this lathe the chime and groove for receiving the head are turned in the cask by the application of a proper tool. When the cask is small, the cage is made to turn in a horizontal position instead of revolving vertically. The third opera tion is to form the head, which is pinioned together as usual, after having the pin-holes made by piercers projecting from the mandrill of a lathe, the dis tances and depths of which holes are correctly regulated by gauges ; it is then turned on a flat revolving table, from which points project to hold it fast, and against which it is held by another revolving piece that is screwed towards the first, where it is brought to the proper size of the cask by fit tools. The fourth
operation is to turn the whole cask at the outside, for which purpose it is placed in a large lathe between two chucks, made to fit into the chines, and attached to the head by points ; and then the surface of the cask is turned smooth by a spokeshave, or other fit instrument, held against it by a rest properly placed for the purpose. The patentees bend their wooden hoops for their casks in an expeditious manner, by fastening one end of them to the circumference of a wheel, and pressing them against the wheel as it is turned round ; they also describe a method of forming the projecting part in the bung-staves of the small casks called bottles, by flat or concave circular saws, which cut the face of the stave on each side close up to the projection ; and lastly, in giving motion to this machinery, the inventors use any of the usual first movers and millwork as may be necessary." It is due to Mr. George Smart, of Westminster Bridge, to state, that, for some years previous to the date of the patent granted to Messrs. Plasket and Brown, he had in actual operation, on a very extensive scale, a similar arrange INent of machinery for making small casks, particularly canteens for the army. The saws and other apparatus were of course more diminutive, but the accu racy of their work may be judged of when it is stated that there was no occa sion to plane the edges of the staves to render the bottles water-tight, although submitted to a severe test.