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692 Report on the Exhibition of Implements, 
the machinery is intended to deal with sawn staves, which are 
now generally employed, although if riven staves are fairly 
straight and equal as to thickness, they can be worked ; but the 
figures given refer to sawn staves. It must be further under- 
stood that the material is planed on that side which is to form 
the inside of the keg. The outside is left rough, as there is 
no object in having it smooth. The stave-jointing machine 
is constructed with two discs of conical section, each fitted with 
four cutting-knives, and revolving at a high velocity. The stave 
is secured by a cramp at each end to a plate pivoted to the arms 
of a swinging frame, which allows of the angle of the edge of 
the stave being altered to suit its width and the nature of the 
required joint. It is evident that as the staves are of different 
widths, a varying amount of stuff has to be removed from each 
end. The adjustment for this purpose is obtained by means of a 
hand-wheel and screw. This is a very efficient machine, and can 
be worked by two lads, who can prepare the staves for a firkin 
in two minutes. The staves are next laid for a few minutes on 
a hot plate, in order that they may be rendered sufficiently 
flexible for the operation of trussing. The plate is heated by a 
coke fire underneath, and is marked so as to give the outside 
circumference of the cask ; and it is the duty of the lad who 
warms the staves to see that he has sufficient staves for each keg. 
The trussing machine is very ingenious. It comprises a 
bell-shaped casting in two sections, one of which can be opened 
outwards on a hinge, and can be secured by a hand-wheel and 
clamping screw. Three trussing hoops of iron lie in grooves on 
the inside of the casting. Underneath the cone is an iron table, 
which can be raised and lowered by a screw. The hoops being 
fixed in the bell, another is placed on the table, and a set of 
staves hot from the stove are placed with their lower ends resting 
in the hoops, and the upper on the bottom portion of the cone. 
The table is made to rise, bringing the staves tightly together 
and forcing them into the truss hoops. The lad, with a hammer, 
watches the settling of the staves into their places, and taps 
them back as required. The bell is now opened, the table run 
down, and the cask reversed, when the other end is submitted 
to a similar process, and the operation of trussing is completed. 
The control of the screw by means of a friction clutch is very 
perfect. One lad can truss 30 casks per hour. 
The cask is next placed in the chiming, crozing, and dowel- 
ling machine, by which both ends are cut to length, and the 
operations for preparing the cask to receive the head and bottom 
are completed. All this is done so rapidly, that 80 tubs are 
finished per hour. The cask is now ready for heading and 
hooping. The next machine deals with the heads ; these are 
