IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING METAL (BLACK) PLATES TO BE COATED WITH TIN OR LEAD,
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Nurse, of Pen-y-Van, near Pontymister,
in the County of Monmouth, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PREPARING METAL (BLACK) PLATES TO BE COATED WITH TIN OR LEAD,

page_text: The treatment consists in placing black plates in a bath in series that
can be removed into a second bath, and from that to a third or drying
chamber, this treatment being carried on after the plates have been
annealed. The first-named bath contains a revolving platform, on which
sectional racks are placed during the rotation, each sectional rack
having, say, 15 plates put into it, the plates with the sectional racks
being arranged tangentially in the rotating one that the liquor (pickling)
may flow between and thoroughly wet to prepare or pickle the surfaces.
From this first bath the sectional racks with their plates (pickled) are
removed into a neighbouring bath similarly provided with a rotating
platform, and containing water only to wash off the excess of acid that
may be in the pores of the plates from the first bath. The plates with
the sectional racks are removed from the second bath (water) and
inserted into a vessel similarly fitted, this vessel being heated that the
plates may be dried of all moisture. The liquor in the first-named bath
is heated by steam pipes arranged in a coil at the bottom, or in other
convenient manner, the second bath being kept heated by the same or
similar means.
The drying chamber is preferably heated by fire direct or by gas
flames, the heat of each bath being regulated to suit the plates under
operation. The plates are then removed from the sectional racks and
sent to the cold rolls for polishing or surfacing, as is ordinarily done, the
sectional racks being returned for recharging with the first bath as
desired.
The plates after being cold rolled are annealed to soften them, and
then they are passed through the white pickling operation, the drying
off either being done in a drying chamber as before, or the plates are
put direct into cold water to make the plates ready for being tinned or
coated.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
3 successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Nurse, Her
special license that I, the said George Nurse, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Nurse,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING METAL (BLACK) PLATES TO BE COATED WITH
TIN OR LEAD, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREWITH OR THEREFOR,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Nurse, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Nurse, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a special treatment of black plates previously
to being tinned or coated with tin, or with lead and tin combined, and
known as terne plates; also to arrangements of appliances to be used
therewith or therefor..
The treatment consists in placing black plates in a bath in series that
can be removed into a second bath, and from that to a third or drying
chamber, this treatment being carried on either before or after the
plates have been annealed. The first-named bath contains a revolving
platform, on which sectional racks are placed during the rotation, each
sectional rack having, say, 15 plates put into it, the plates with the
sectional racks being arranged tangentially in the rotating one that the
liquor (pickling) may flow between and thoroughly-wet to prepare or

page_text: pickle the surfaces. From this first bath the sectional racks with their
plates (pickled) are removed into a neighbouring bath similarly provided
with a rotating platform, and containing water only to wash off the
excess of acid that may be in the pores of the plates from the first
bath. The plates with the sectional racks are removed from the second
.bath (water) and inserted into a vessel similarly fitted, this vessel being
heated that the plates may be dried of all moisture, or be sent wet to
the annealing furnace as is usual. The liquor in the first-named bath
is heated by steam pipes arranged in a coil at the bottom, or in other
convenient manner, the second bath being kept heated by the same or
similar means.
The drying chamber is preferably heated by fire direct or by gas
flames, the heat of each bath being regulated to suit the plates under
operation. The plates are then removed from the sectional racks and
sent to the cold rolls (or direct to the annealing furnace as usual) for
polishing or surfacing, as is ordinarily done, the sectional racks being
returned for recharging into the first bath as desired.
The plates after being cold rolled and annealed to soften them are
passed through the white pickling operation with a similar apparatus,
the drying off either being done in a drying chamber as before, or the
plates are put direct into cold water to make the plates ready for being
tinned or coated.
My Invention will be well understood by the following description
and the annexed Drawing, although I do not confine myself to the exact
shape or dimensions of the apparatus shown.
A, B, are two tubs, or a composite tub or vessel, between the walls of
which a platform C can be rotated slowly in a continuous manner or
intermittently by mechanism or by hand by an attendant pushing the
frame D round by the handles E, which are within his reach. The
frame is mounted upon a central upright F stepped upon a cross beam G.
H is a pipe furnished with a tap for supplying steam to the coil I within
the tub A, which steam escapes through orifices into and among the
vitriol and water that is within the space between the tubs A, B, to heat
the liquor therein, and to maintain the desired agitation of it that the
plates as black plates to be pickled or deprived of superfluous oxide that
are placed upon the rotating or revolving platform C can be thus
prepared by the liquor.

page_text: The black plates are arranged in single order between the rails or
ribs a, a, of a separate cage or sectional rack composed of a base rail
and the ribs, one of which forms a handle, by which the cage and the
plates can be lifted in and out of the tub A, B. J is a board on the end
of the tub A, on to which the cages can be temporarily placed after the
black pickling has been completed, and previous to the cages with the
plates c being inserted into the next or adjoining tub K, L, which is
provided with a revolving platform M, and supplied with water only
heated by steam from a coil as described for the tub A, B, the heated
water in the tub K, L, being used for washing off or removing any
excess of acid there may be upon the plates c after the pickling
operation; the cages with the plates are then removed from the tub K, L,
into a drying room, or upon an endless chain belt fitted in a kind of
furnace chamber heated from below by gas or other agent, or as before
mentioned sent wet to the annealing furnace.
"
The operation or treatment of black plates for the pickling process by
my Invention is as follows:-The plates are arranged in the cages or
sectional racks, one of which is then dropped into the tub A, B, on to
the platform C, a partial rotation is given to the frame, and another
charged cage or rack is placed in, another partial rotation is effected,
and then another charged cage is put, these being continued until nearly
the whole surface of the platform is covered. The cages are put in at
one portion, say, near the back part of the board, and are taken out
near the front end, so that each of them travels nearly the full circle of
rotation. The liquor in the travel of the platform becomes agitated at
each movement, and passes up between the plates to thoroughly wet
and act upon to pickle them. The cages as they are taken out are put
upon the board to allow the vitriol drips to fall and flow back into the
tank or tub A, B, to prevent loss and contamination of the water; they
are then put into the water tank or tub at the front for the washing
process, and taken out at the back ready to be removed to the drying
chamber, and from there to be annealed; or they may be taken direct
to the annealing furnace previous to being cold rolled in the usual
manner.
The tubs or tanks singly or combined can be used for the second or
white pickling process.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim.-—

page_text: Firstly. Pickling black plates (i.e., plates to be coated with tin or
terne) in a vitriol bath, in which is a platform capable of being rotated
as described, and substantially as shown in the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. I claim the employment of portable cages or segment racks
for holding plates apart when such are used in tubs or tanks, whether
such tubs or tanks contain a travelling platform as described or not.
Thirdly. I claim the combination of two tubs or tanks, each con-
taining a travelling platform, and holding plates to be pickled and
washed, as and for the purpose described, and substantially as shown in
the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly. I claim preparing plates to be coated with tin or with
terne in tubs or tanks provided with travelling platforms as described
for what is known as white pickling.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Nurse, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, One thousand 1
eight hundred and seventy-six.