Improvements in the Means of and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Wire, Metallic Strips, Tape, or Rod.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1888
Improvements in the Means of and Apparatus for the Manufacture
of Wire, Metallic Strips, Tape, or Rod.
We, FRANK, (FRANCIS EDWARD) ELMORE, and ALEXANDER STANLEY ELMORE,
of Cockermouth, in the County of Cumberland, Electro-Metallurgists, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the obtainment of long continuous bars, strips, or
wires of metal of high electrical conductivity and of great strength.
It is well known that by the ordinary process of wire drawing the length of the
"piece" is limited by certain practical difficulties, and that the electrical conductivity
of the resulting wire depends chiefly upon the degree of refinement that the metal of
the original wire bar has received.
It is also well known that electrolytic copper (deposited under proper conditions)
has the highest obtainable conductivity for copper.
Up to the present time, in all attempts to use electrolytic copper for the manufacture
of wire, the copper has first been melted and then cast into a wire bar to be
ultimately made into wire and by this process of melting it is found that small
quantities of impurities are conveyed into the copper thus reducing its conductivity
and leaving it very little, if any, better than copper carefully made in the usual way
and as the cast bar of electrolytic copper is in a very similar state, both chemically and
mechanically as compared to a cast bar of ordinary copper and as both the bars receive
a similar subsequent treatment the mechanical properties of the resultant wire,―
tensile strength and so forth, will be about the same.
By the application of this Invention the intermediate operation of melting, between
the electro-deposition of the copper and the ultimate operation of drawing into wire,
is dispensed with, thus precluding the possibility of the absorbtion of any impurities
and the highest conductivity is thereby obtained.

page_text: In carrying our invention into effect we proceed as follows :-
A cylindrical core, mould or mandril to act as cathode or negative electrode in the
electrolytic depositing tank, is prepared to receive a non-adhesive deposit as is well
understood, but where such core, mould, or mandril is to be used in an acid electrolyte
and is made of iron or other metal than of lead or alloys of lead, then we
prefer to give such core, mould or mandril a coating of lead, or an alloy of lead,
either by electrolysis, or by immersing the core, mould or mandril in a molten
lead bath similarly to the manner they would be galvanized or tinned as is well
understood, such lead coating serves the double purpose of preventing adhesion
between the deposit and core, mould or mandril and as a protection for iron core,
mould, or mandril from the acid of the electrolyte.
Such cylindrical core, mould or mandril having previously been fitted with
suitable gear to impart a rotary motion thereto when adjusted in its proper
position in the depositing tank (said depositing tank being fitted with anodes or
positive plates).
Such core, mould or mandril may, during the process of deposition, be submitted to
the action of a burnishing device according to the method set forth in the specification
of Frank Elmore, No. 4499, dated 11th April 1885.
The said tank is then filled with a suitable electrolyte-sulphate of copper for
instance the cylindrical core, mould, or mandril being connected to the negative pole
and the anodes or positive plates connected to the positive pole of the same generator
of electricity as is well understood.
After this combination of apparatus has been in operation for a sufficient length of
time and a sufficient thickness of copper has been deposited upon the cathode or
negative pole of the electrolytic cell, the said cathode is removed from the tank and
the shell or cylinder of deposited copper is removed from its core, mould or mandril
by any of the methods set forth in such former specification herein before referred to,
the shell or cylinder of deposited copper obtained as above described is mounted in
a machine for the purpose of cutting the said cylinder circumferentially into a con-
tinuous strip or rod, such strip or rod to be ultimately drawn into wire, rolled, or used
as cut as may be most convenient for the purpose to which it is intended to apply said
strip or rod.
A suitable machine for cutting said shell or cylinder of deposited copper is con-
structed as follows:-
Upon a suitable bed is mounted at one end, a vertical standard carrying three or
more rollers, running in bearings adjustable radially to suit tubes or cylinders of
differing diameters. A pair of circular shears, or other cutting device, is also
mounted upon such standard in such manner as to allow of their adjustment
vertically to operate upon tubes of different diameter or thickness, and adjustable
also in a horizontal direction to allow any width of such strip or band to be cut.
Upon the opposite end of the bed there is mounted a moveable headstock, fitted
with speed cone, or
other driving gear, and carrying a suitable chuck or
face plate to which the ends of the tubes or cylinders may be secured; such
headstock being provided with suitable means for traversing horizontally the
length of the bed.
The tube to be cut, being mounted between such moveable headstock at one end and
the adjustable rollers on the fixed standard at the other end of the bed, is there caused
to rotate and being fed continuously up to the shears or other cutting device, is thus
cut up into a coil or continuous strip or band of any width and of any length according
to the length of the tube or cylinder.
Or the cathode may consist of a flat circular plate, prepared as before mentioned to
receive a non-adhesive deposit and mounted in the depositing tank upon a revolving
shaft and rotating between anodes or positive plates so that a deposit may be obtained
upon both sides of said cathode, which cathode faces may be burnished during the
operation of deposition as before mentioned.
Such sheets or discs, when of a sufficient thickness are to be removed from the
cathode plates and fixed to a revolving table; a pair of circular shears overlapping

page_text: the edge of said sheet so that when said sheet is revolved around its axis and is kept
pressed against a stop, the shears will remove from its periphery a strip or band of any
desired width.
We wish it to be clearly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
cutting of electro-deposits of copper, as electro-deposits of other metals and
alloys, such as tin or brass, may be obtained and treated in a similar manner.
Also we do not confine ourselves to the particular form or class of cutting machine
herein before described as any suitable cutting device such for instance as a circular
saw properly mounted, or a cutting tool in a lathe may be used as will be readily
understood.

page_text: Anpparat
of Wire, Metallic Strips, Tape, or Rod.
We, FRANK (FRANCIS EDWARD) ELMORE, and ALEXANDER STANLEY ELMORE,
both of Armaside, Cockermouth in the County of Cumberland, Electro-Metallurgists,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
This Invention has for its object the obtainment of long continuous bars, strips or
wires of metal of high electrical conductivity and of great strength.
Up to the present time, in all attempts to use electrolytic copper for the manufacture
of wire, the copper has first been melted and then cast into a wire bar to be ultimately
made into wire and by this process of melting it is found that small quantities of
impurities are conveyed into the copper, thus reducing its conductivity and leaving it
very little, if any better than copper carefully made by the usual method of refining
in a furnace and as the cast bar of electrolytic copper is in a very similar state, hoth
chemically and mechanically as compared to a cast bar of ordinary copper, and as
both the bars receive a similar subsequent treatment, the mechanical properties of the
resultant wire,-tensile strength and so forth--will be about the same.
By the application of this Invention, the intermediate operation of melting between
the electro-deposition of the copper and the ultimate operation of drawing into wire
is dispensed with, thus precluding the possibility of the absorbtion of any impurities
and the highest conductivity is thereby obtained.
In carrying our Invention into effect we proceed as follows:-
A cylindrical core, mould, or mandrel to act as cathode or negative electrode in the
electrolytic depositing tank is prepared to receive a non-adhesive deposit as is well
understood.
The cylindrical core, mould or mandrel having previously been fitted with suitable
gear to impart a rotary motion thereto when adjusted in its proper position in the
depositing tank (said depositing tank being fitted" with anodes or positive plates), the
said tank is then filled with a suitable electrolyte-sulphate of copper for instance ;-
the cylindrical core, mould or mandrel being connected to the negative pole, and the
anodes or positive plates connected to the positive pole of the same generator of
electricity as is well understood.
Such core, mould or mandrel may, during the process of deposition, be submitted
to the action of a burnishing device according to the method set forth in the specifi-
cation of Letters Patent No. 4499, dated the 11th April 1885, granted to Francis
Edward Elmore.
After this combination of apparatus has been in operation for a sufficient length of
time, and a sufficient thickness of copper has been deposited upon the cathode or

page_text: negative pole of the electrolytic cell, the said cathode is removed from the tank, and
the shell or cylinder of deposited copper is removed from its core, mould or mandrel
by any of the methods set forth in the first of such specifications hereinbefore referred
to and in the specification of Letters Patent No. $707 dated the 18th July 1885,
granted to Francis Edward Elmore.
The shell or cylinder of deposited copper obtained as above described is mounted
in a machine for the purpose of cutting the said cylinder circumferentially into a
continuous strip or rod, such strip or rod to be ultimately drawn into wire, rolled, or
used as cut, as may be most convenient for the purpose to which it is intended to apply
said strip or rod.
A machine for cutting such shell or cylinder is shown in sheet 1 of the accom-
panying drawings wherein; Fig. 1, is a side view (partly in section). Fig. 2, is a
face view of the fixed headstock or standard; Fig. 3, is a back view of the same;
Fig. 4 is an end view of the travelling headstock and Fig. 5 is a sectional
plan through the vertical slide of the fixed headstock at line, 1. 2, of Figs. 1; 2;
and 3.
Upon a suitable bed, a, is mounted at one end a vertical standard, b, carrying three
or more flanged rollers, c, for supporting one end of the shell or tube to be operated
upon. The rollers, c, are by their bearings, d, adjustable radially in slots, e, of the
standard, b, by means of the screws, and hand wheels, g, to suit tubes or cylinders
of various diameters.
A pair of circular shears (or other cutting device), h, is also mounted upon the
standard, b, in such manner as to allow of their adjustment vertically to operate upon
tubes of different diameters or thickness, and are adjustable likewise in a horizontal as
well as in an angular or oblique direction to allow any width of such strip or band
to be cut; such vertical adjustment of the cutting device being obtained by means of
the vertical slide, i and the slide piece, j, provided at the back of the standard, bas
shown in Figs. 1. 3 and 5 ;-The horizontal adjustment of the cutting device being
effected by the horizontal slide, k formed on the upper part of the vertical slide piece, j
(see figs. 1 and 3.), and the very slight angular or oblique adjustment required to be
given to the cutting device is obtained by two radial slots, 1, formed in the base of the
frame of the cutting device, by means of which slots, l, the cutting device may be
set at the required angle of obliquity and may be secured in such position by the bolts
and nuts, m, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 6. The cutting device being
geared up in the usual manner and driven from an overhead motion as shown in
Fig. 1.
Upon the opposite end of the bed, a, there is mounted upon a travelling saddle, n, a
sliding headstock, n¹, fitted with driving pulley, o, and carrying a suitable chuck or
face plate, p, to which the other end of the tube or cylinder, y, is secured, the saddle, n
or the headstock n', being provided with suitable means for traversing same bori-
zontally along the bed, a. For the purpose of illustration, a means of traversing the
moveable saddle n, and headstock n¹, by a weight or weights, r, and ropes, s, attached
to the saddle, and guide pullies, t, is shown in the drawings, but the sliding saddle
and headstock may be traversed by a screw and change wheels the same as the saddle
or slide rest of a lathe, or by any other convenient method. Upon the driving
spindle of the moveable headstock, n', is a friction clutch, u, with spring fingers, u',
by which motion can be taken up from the driving pulley, o, as required.
The cylinder, shell or tube 7, to be operated upon, being mounted in position
between such moveable headstock n' at one end and the adjustable flanged rollers, e on
the fixed headstock or standard b, at the other end of the bed. a, there caused to
rotate by the driving gear and by means of the weight (or other method employed
for traversing the sliding headstock, n', the one end of the said tube is kept constantly
pressed against the stop flanges of the rollers, c and being so continuously fed up to
the cutters or cutting device, h, is thus cut circumferentially into a coil or continuous
band, strip or tape of any required width and of any length according to the length
of the tube or cylinder, and the coil so cut may be wound away in any convenient
manner as it is cut from the rotating cylinder shell or tube.

page_text: Or the cathode may consist of a flat circular plate, prepared as before mentioned to
receive a non-adhesive deposit and mounted in the depositing tank upon a revolving
shaft and rotating between anodes or positive plates so that a deposit may be obtained
upon both sides of said cathode, which cathode may, during the operation of deposition,
be burnished as before mentioned.
Such sheets or discs when of sufficient thickness are then removed from the cathode
plates and are fixed to a revolving table or spindle; a pair of circular shears or other
cutting device overlapping the edge of said sheet, so that when said sheet is revolved
around its axis and is kept pressed against a stop or stops, the shears or other cutting
device will remove from its periphery a continuous strip or band of any desired
width.
An arrangement of apparatus for cutting a continuous strip, band or tape from
such circular discs, sheets, or plates prepared as above described, is shown in sheet 2
of the drawings annexed, wherein Fig. 7 is a side view of the machine; Fig. 8 a
plan view; Fig. 9 a right hand end view of Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is an opposite end
view showing the revolving spindle to which is attached the plate to be operated upon
when mounted in the machine.
a, is the bed of the machine, upon one end of which is mounted a fixed saddle
piece, . On the saddle piece b, is mounted the cutting device, h, here shown as a
pair of revolving cutters as before. Upon the saddle b, there is also mounted on the
one side, a pair of feed rollers, c, driven by gearing direct from the cutting device
and geared to rotate at the same speed as the revolving cutters or other cutting
device h. On the other side of the cutting device there is mounted upon the saddle,,
a pair of guide rollers, d as shown in Figs. 8 and 9-but not in Fig. 7. The standards
or supports of the feed rollers e, and of the guide rollers d, carry also small stop
rollers, e, (flanged or otherwise), said stop rollers being adjustable horizontally in their
sockets, by the arms g.
Upon the bed a, is also mounted a sliding saddle, », which by means of a weight or
weights, , a ropes, and guide pullies, t, is made to traverse along the bed a... Upon
the saddle n, there is mounted a vertical spindle p, to which the circular plate or
sheet to be operated upon, is attached by means of the washer u and the nut v.
The plate 7, being so mounted on the spindle p, is propelled forward by the weight
or weights towards the cutting device ; the edge of the plate being so kept
constantly pressed against the stop rollers e, and engaging with the feed rollers c, the
plate
is by them rotated and kept, continuously fed up to the cutters or cutting
device, and the continuous band, strip or tape of metal as it is cut from the rotated
plate by the cutting device, may be coiled or wound away from the machine in any
convenient manner. By a simple adjustment of the stop rollers, e, by their arms y,
in the sockets f, any width of hand, strip or tapo of metal may be readily cut from
the plate as required.
Having now particularly described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, we wish it to be clearly understood that we do
not confine ourselves to the cutting of electro-deposits of copper, as electro-deposits
of other metals and alloys, such as tin or brass may be obtained and treated in a
similar manner; Also we do not confine ourselves to the particular form or kind of
cutting device herein described and shown in the drawings, as any suitable cutting
device such for instance as a circular saw, properly mounted or a cutting tool in a
lathe may be employed as will be readily understood. Neither do we confine ourselves
to the precise arrangement of devices or combination of devices described and
shown since any mere modification or change may be made without departing from the
spirit or scope of our Invention; but what we do claim in respect of our said
Invention is :-
Firstly. In the manufacture of wire the obtainment of long continuous bars bands,
strips or tapes of metal from an electro-deposited cylinder, shell or tube, or from an
electro-deposited plate or sheet as berein set forth

page_text: Secondly. In the manufacture of wire metallic strips tapes or rods, the use of
cylinders shells or tubes or of sheets or plates to be cut into long continuous strips as
and for the purpose herein set forth.
Thirdly. In the manufacture of wire the use of cylinders, shells or tubes, or of
plates or sheets of metal, to be cut into strips, tapes or rods for the purpose of being
ultimately drawn into wire as herein set forth and described in reference to and shown
by the drawings.
Fourthly. In the manufacture of wire, metallic strips, tapes or rods, the obtainment
of long continuous bars, bands, strips or wires of metal by cutting same circum-
ferentially from an electro deposited cylinder shell or tube as herein set forth.
Fifthly. In the manufacture of wire, metallic strips tapes or rods, the obtainment of
long continuous bars, bands, strips, tapes or wires of metal by cutting same from an
electro deposited plate or sheet as herein set forth.
Sixthly. In the manufacture of wire-the cutting circumferentially from an electro-
deposited cylinder, shell or tube of long continuous bars, bands, strips, tapes or wires
by means of revolving circular shears, saws or other cutting device as herein set forth
and shown by the drawings.
Seventhly. In the manufacture of continuous lengths of wire, the cutting of long
continuous bars, bands, strips, tapes or wires of metal from an electro-deposited plate
or sheet, by means of revolving circular shears, saws, or other cutting device as herein
set forth and shown by the drawings.
Eighthly. The improved means and apparatus for obtaining from a cylinder, shell
or tube, long continuous bars, bands, strips, tapes, or wires of metal, combined and
operating as and for the purpose herein set forth, and shown in Figs. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5
and 6 of the drawings.
Ninthly. The improved means and apparatus for obtaining from a plate or sheet-
long continuous bars, bands strips, tapes or wires of metal, combined and operating as
and for the purpose herein set forth and shown in Figs. 7. 8. 9 and 10 of the
drawings.