The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-22

II is now practically assured that
Scranton will have a tin plate factory
and that the work of erecting the
plant will be undertaken in the course
of a few weeks. A. d. Blackinton, for
mer chief engineer of the Erie ana
wyoming Valley railroad, who has
taken a large block OF the stock and
is talked of for the presidency OF the
tin plate company, has actively joined
with l.. X. Torbet, the chief promoter
of the enterprise in the work OF CLOS
ing up the subscription books, arrang-
ing for the formation of the company,
and attending to the preliminary work
attendant upon construction. Inc de-
nreciation of iron has made 1t fortu-
nate that the work of building the
plant was not undertaken when hrst
contemplated, and all in all the pro-
iect is in very satisfactory conul-
ton A..
Anent the assurance that the tin
Mate plant is soon to be aSreality, the
Following description of what tin plate
is will be read with interest:
Tin nlotc is divided into three general classes,
viz. Charcoal Bright Plates Coke Bright Plates
and Roofing or Terne Plates. Charcoal and COKE
Plates are thin sheets Of steel, covered WIN
pure tin. Roofing or Tcrne Plates are thin sheet'
NJ stool covered with a mixture of tin and lGad
consisting OF from 20 per cent to 3" J." per CENT
Tin and so per cent to &C % per cent lead
The steel used for the better class OF imported
plates is Scmcns. Martins open hearth, and the
cheaper plates are Bessemer. Most Of the Amer
can plates are Bcssemer steel, but it is gen
erallv accepted fact that American BesSener II
far supcrior to English Bcssemer, if not full!
equal to the best Siemcns.Martins steel
The terms "Charcoal" and Cooke as used ir
connection with tin plate do not indicate wha'
they did several years ago when this article Wa'
made of iron, which was smelted with 'lthe'
charcoal or coke. Practically all tin plates are
now made of steel, the only difference betweer
charcoal and coke being the amount OF coating
allowed to remain on the sheet The steel sheet
from which tin plates are made are called blact
plates.
In the process Of manufacture the steel is ROLLED
from billcts into bars and from bars into blaoi
plates and cut to the size required The blacl
plates are then taken to picking room an'
washed in diluted sulphuric acid to remove tn
scale and then in clean water TO remove tn
acid If the scale is not removed 1t will maxi
defects or rough places on the finished plates. !
the aCld Is not removed, IL Will Hdhc Dl"'l
spots on the finished plate. After picking, tn
plates are annealed to soften them. and cold
rolled to give smooth surface. After cold
rolling they again anncalcd then picked AM
washed and are ready to be coated. The las
picking leaves the plates bright and clean. II
this condition they taken to the tinnn
house, where they are kept submerged in clea
running water, to prevent oXidization, until tn
"tn.man' is ready to receive them. Up to thi
point, charcoalS cokcs and terncs are handled i
exactly the same manner. From the water tn
plates arc passed through pot containing
very hot fuN of pure palm oil or an acid mix
turc. The fluX removes the water and any Of tn
picking acid that may be on the plates. Pair
oil is by far the best fux known, but it is NOR
expensive than an acid fux.
From the pot of fux the plates are immerse
in several spots Of pure tin, or terne mixture, 4
the last are submerged sets of rolls throug
which the plates pass. and come out either char
coal, coke roofing Tin.
The amount of coating allowed to remain O
the plates is regulated by the speed with whic
they are passed through the rolls. After passin
through the rolls, the oil which adheres to tn
plates is removed by rubbing them in bran, O
something similar, after which they are duste
and sent to the sorting room, where all imper
feet Sheets called 'Waster" are taken out an
packed separately, when the goods are ready fo
the market.