Apparatus and method for the continuous production of hogsheads and the like

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING HOGSHEADS FROM PANELS HAVING HOOPS AND HOOPS-AND-LINERS TEMPORARILY SECURED THERETO, LOADING MECHANISM FOR MOVING A STACK OF SAID PANELS, FEED MECHANISM TO RECEIVE THE SAID STACK FROM SAID LOADING MECHANISM, PANEL RECEIVING SUPPORTS BENEATH SAID FEED MECHANISM, SAID FEED MECHANISM INCLUDING MEANS TO DROP PANELS ONE BY ONE FROM SAID STACK ONTO SAID SUPPORTS, FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS TO MOVE A PANEL FROM BENEATH SAID STACK ON SAID SUPPORTS, STAPLING MEANS TO DRIVE STAPLES THROUGH SAID HOOPS-AND-LINERS INTO SAID PANEL AS IT IS MOVED BY SAID FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS WHEREBY TO SECURE THEM PERMANENTLY, SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS TO MOVE SAID PERMANENTLY STAPLED PANEL FROM SAID FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID STAPLING MEANS, A SUPPORT TABLE TO RECEIVE THE PANEL AS MOVED BY SAID SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS, A DRAG TO ENGAGE SAID PANEL AND MOVE IT AT RIGHT ANGLES TO ITS LAST LINE OF MOVEMENT, THIRD CONVEYOR MEANS TO EFFECT CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF SAID PANEL, ROTATING SAW BLADES TO ENGAGE SAID PANEL AS MOVED BY SAID THIRD CONVEYORS MEANS, AND CAM MEANS TO RAISE PERIODICALLY SAID