More Details on Cylinder Filling Machine

Here is some more info, for those who want to try to build their own. I will give the specs on mine, but it's possible dimensions varied with different "lots" of these.
Here is the machine and the cylinders and bat:

Here is the machine in use:

When in use, the cone on the side of the machine fits down into the top of one of the cylinders, standing in its holder. The overlap is small, maybe 1/4"-1/2".

In my machine, the bottom of the cylinder is about 9 1/2" off the floor. The needed height would be a combination of the length of a cylinder plus the thickness of the wood used in the box for cyliners, minus that 1/4" or 1/2", so the cone will slip down inside the cylinder slightly.

Here is a closer view of the "business" part of the machine:

The fabric strip goes up through eyebolt to the left of the rim of the cone, which is 18" off the floor. Then it goes over the left wheel, between the 2 wheels, and down through the cone.

The 2 wheels are each about 4 1/4" in diameter, by 1 1/8" thick. One has been machined so it has a convex rim, the other has a concave rim. So, the convex one fits into the concave one.

Here is a better view of that:

The convex wheel is on an arm that can be pivoted out of the way for threading:

Next is a closer view of the cylinder itself. It is made of tin and held in place with a tin strip, and a screw at the top. It is 9 1/4" tall, and smashed sort of flat, so the top rim is 5 1/4" x 3 1/4". The bottom rim is round (more or less).

Here is a view from the back of this whole assembly:

The concave-rimmed wheel, shown in the pic above, is on a wooden axle that runs through the uprights and also holds a pulley which is in line with the top wheel:

The top wheel & pulley are both 1 1/8" thick. The top wheel is about 9" in diameter, and the pulley about 2". The drive belt is leather, with a metal staple holding it together.
I think all of these parts & dimensions could be adapted to what you have on hand or can find. The important things are:

• The cone bottom needs to be at the right height for the top of the cylinder. This will depend on how you are holding your cylinders upright.
• The wheel at the front needs to be concave, to hold the fabric, and its partner convex, to keep the fabric in place. Both need to move freely. It took a lot of oil to get them moving, for me (not ideal for wood-against-metal, but wax wasn't working).
• The ring needs to be at a good height off the floor as wells as in relation to the front wheel, so the fabric doesn't have much space in which to get off-course.

The little seat is handy & keeps the whole thing from tipping. It's 6 1/4" across & 12 1/2" back from the axles of the big wheel & the one with the pulley. But it doesn't need to be round!

The main plank is 1 1/4" x 2 7/8", and 24" long. The back legs are 20 1/2" long, and angled. A bolt goes through both legs & the plank. The front leg is 21 1/2" long and also angled. It gets wider toward the top & at the top it is forked to take the main plank, which stands on edge. A bolt goes through both sides of the fork, as well as the main plank.

The front upright is 20 1/2", and you can see that the axle for the wheel has been moved. It must have worn loose, or else the band stretched, so they raised it & put a small piece of wood into the slot left behind. There are wear marks in the lower position on the inside, where the big wheel rubbed.

I hope this info helps!