Today in 1889, US Patent 410994 A was issued, an invention of Charles Sommer, for his “Stave Dressing Machine.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:
My invention relates to improvements in that class of machines by which staves used in the manufacture of cooperage, such as beer kegs, barrels, etc. are dressed. Its object is to dress the staves on both sides at once, giving them at the same time the desired curve corresponding with the curve of the keg or barrel and providing at the two ends additional thickness, allowing depth for the croze.
