Patent GB-428866-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the art of continuously coating metal members with metal
IPC: C23C2/28
Filed: 1933-11-15
Abstract: 428,866. Coating with metals. SCHUELER, J. L., 319, Forest Drive, Kokomo, Indiana, U.S.A. Nov. 15, 1933, No. 31890. [Class 82 (ii)] A continuous process for coating metal articles, e.g. wires, with metal, e.g. zinc, comprises passing the article, preferably after the usual annealing, cleaning, washing, fluxing, &c., through a bath of the molten metal the temperature of which is controlled so that it remains approximately constant, then passing the article through a regulator to remove excess coating metal, and finally smoothing and redistributing the remaining coating by means of a flame wiper. The control of the bath temperature renders the coating of uniform fluidity. Fig. 2A shows a bath of molten metal A heated by burners 130, the fuel supply to which is controlled by means 132 electrically energized through a control 133 responsive to temperature variations in the bath. The wires leaving the bath pass through a regulator R, Fig. 2, the construction of which is shown in Figs. 7 and 9. A cross-bar 25 carries a bar 26 in the upper surface of which is a plurality of V-shaped notches. Coacting with each of the notches is a blade 27 slidably adjustable in guides 28, 29 carried by a lever 30 pivotally mounted on a shaft 31. A spring 34 connects the upper end of the lever 30 to a frame member 35. The lower surface of each blade is formed with a V-shaped notch and the blades are adjusted so that the notches co-operate with the notches in the bar 26 to form passages for the wires, the diameter of the passages being such that dross and excess coating metal is removed from the wires. The blades are kept pressed down against stop members 42 by weighted levers 40 pivoted at 41 and bearing on the top edges of the blades, and the notches in the blades and the bar 26 are preferably provided with inserts 44, 45 of wear-resisting material, e.g. the alloy known under the Registered Trade Mark " Stellite." Any enlargements in the wires, such as joints, cause the blades 27 to swing away from the bar 26, allowing the enlargements to pass and permitting accumulated dross, coating metal, &c. to fall from the regulator down the sloping surface 43 of the cross-bar 25. The wires pass from the regulator R to the flame wiper F, Figs. 2 and 3. The wiper consists of a lower deflecting surface comprising a number of refractory blocks 50 with a shallow wall 52 round the outer edges of the surface. Above the entry end of the lower deflecting surface are mounted flame projector blocks 55 extending in a row transversely across the apparatus, each block having a dependent wall 56 at the entry end and having a socket 65 into which extends a tube 66 having an opening 67 leading into a passage 68 which opens on the under face of the projector block. A mixture of gaseous or liquid fuel and air is supplied to the tube 66 so that a flame issues from the passage 68, acts on the wire, and rebounds from the lower blocks 50. Upper deflector blocks 80 are provided extending forwardly from the projector blocks 65 so that the flames are deflected between the upper and lower surfaces throughout the length of the wiper. The blocks 80 are mounted so that each block can be raised and lowered independently, and each longitudinal row of blocks is carried by a bar 87 which can be raised or lowered near the entry end by means of a nut on a threaded rod 88, and at the exit end by similar means 91, so that each longitudinal row of blocks can be adjusted as a unit. The upper blocks are preferably adjusted so that the upper and lower surfaces approach one another towards the exit end and if desired the blocks may be curved to allow for sag in the wires. Whipping of the wires as they pass through the wiper is minimised by the provision of a guide G, Fig. 2, consisting of a series of vertically adjustable grooved rollers 95, one for each wire, the guide G being spaced several feet from the exit end of the wiper. Other forms of flame wipers may be used. A modified form of flame wiper comprises a lower deflecting surface and a series of vertical refractory walls, the flames issuing from burners in longitudinally extending pipes, one pipe being provided between each pair of vertical walls. A wire travels adjacent each vertical wall towards which flames are directed. Another form of wiper comprises a series of double concave vertical walls between each pair of which is a fuel pipe, jacketed to cause the flames to rebound on to the wire or wires which travel between the fuel pipe and the concave walls. Upper and lower reflecting surfaces may also be provided if desired. In another form the blocks constituting the upper deflecting surface are arched transversely and provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced flame passages, the flames issuing from the passages rebounding from a lower deflecting surface as in the form shown in Fig. 3. Specification 382,274 is referred to.