IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND MEANS OF HEATING, HARDENING, AND TEMPERING STEEL WIRE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sykes, of Acre Mills, Lindley, near Huddersfield, in
the County of York, Card Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR AND MEANS OF HEATING, HARDENING, AND TEMPERING
STEEL WIRE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sykes at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1880.
JOHN SYKES, of Acre Mills, Lindley, near Huddersfield, in the County of York,
Card Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND MEANS OF HEATING,
HARDENING, AND TEMPERING STEEL WIRE"
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for and means of heating, hardening,
and tempering steel wire to be employed in the manufacture of card teeth and for
other purposes or uses.
According to this my Invention I employ for the purpose of heating the wire a
contrivance consisting of a revolving cylinder having an internal axis or shaft,
around which lamp wick or other absorbent material is wound; this is saturated
by petroleum spirit or other volatile bydro-carbon oils or spirits, which as the
cylinder revolves gives off gas or spirit, a fan at the same time discharging air into
the cylinder; the gas and air are forced into a receiver, to which additional
atmospheric air is also admitted by air tubes. The top of the receiver is covered
with wire gauze, over or on the upper surface and air burns when fired, after
the manner of the Davy lamp, giving a regular and instense heat, above or
through which the wire is passed, thence into a bath of oil or water, whereby the
wire is hardened, from thence passing to a heated copper or other metallic plate, or
over a slab of fire clay heated so that on the wire passing over or in contact with
the plate just referred to the wire becomes tempered or reduced in degree of
hardness. A pyrometer is applied in connection with the plate referred to in order
to ensure its being maintained at uniform heat or temperature; this tempering plate
is heated by gas and air and wire gauge covered receiver of construction as described
in relation to the heating of the wire.
Although I describe the use of gas made or arising from petroleum spirits or from
hydro-carbon oils, it will be understood that coal gas may be employed, but I
prefer the gas first referred to as being of greater hont and purity.
I am aware that tho use of coal gas for heating wire is not new per se and in
connection with gas burners, such appliances having been also employed in the
singeing of yarn and fabrics.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Sykes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th December
1880.
JOHN SYKES, of Acre Mills, Lindley, near Huddersfield, in the County of York,
Card Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND MEANS OF HEATING, 5
HARDENING, AND TEMPERING STEEL WIRE."
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for and means of heating,
hardening, and tempering steel wire to be employed in the manufacture of card
teeth and for other purposes or uses.
According to this my Invention I employ for the purpose of heating the wire a 1
contrivance consisting of a cylinder having an internal axis or shaft, around which
lamp wick or other absorbent material is wound and revolves. The wick is saturated
by petroleum spirit or other volatile hydro-carbon oils or spirits, which as the
cylinder of wick revolves gives off gas or spirit, a fan at the same time discharging air
into the cylinder. The gas and air are forced into a receiver, to which additional 1
atmospheric air is also admitted by air tubes or slits. The top of tho receiver is
covered with wire gauze, over or on the upper surface of which the gas and air
burns when fired, after the manner of the Davy lanp, giving a regular and intense
heat, above or through which flame and heat the wire is passed, thence into a bath
of oil or water, whereby the wire is hardened, from thenco passing to a heated 2
copper or other metallic plato, or over a slab of fire clay heated so that on the wire
passing over or in contact with the plate just referred to the wire becomes tempered
or reduced in degree of hardness. A pyrometer is applied in connection with the
plate referred to in order to ensure its being maintained at uniform heat or
temperature. This tempering plate is heated by gas and air and wire gauze
covered receiver of construction as described in relation to the heating of wire.
Although I describe the use of the gas made or arising from petroleum spirits or
from hydro-carbon oils, it will be understood that coal gas may be employed (in
the latter case the revolving wick would be dispensed with), but I prefer the gas
first referred to as being of greater heat and purity.
Such being the nature and object of this my said Invention, I will now proceed
to describe the samo in detail, and in order that same may be fully understood I
have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrating the apparatus and appliances
used
Fig. 1 is an end elovation partly in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view; and Fig 3 is
a detail.
At 1 is a vessel containing petroleum spirit or other volatilo hydro-carbon, passing
by way of pipe 2 through the shell of cylinder 3, the latter being carried on
supports or feet 4. Within the cylinder is the axis and lags 5, around which the
lamp wick of cotton or other absorbant material 5¹ is wound. At 6 is a pulley for
imparting rotation to the axis and wick, thereby presenting changing surface of
wick to the supply of petroleum spirit or hydro-carbon and securing free evapora-
tion, a fan supplying by way of the pipes 7 atmospheric air, the latter and the gas
from the petroleum spirit passing through a series of sheets of wire gauze contained
in the dome 72, ensuring a thorough admixture of the gas and air, which by way of
the pipe 8 pass to the receiver 9, additional air being supplied by means of fan and
pipes 10 and by openings or slits 11, the admixture of gas and air being
discharged within the receiver 9 through the perforations formed in the under part
of the pipe at 91, and fired and consumed on the surface of the wire gauze at 9; the

page_text: wire from swifts 13-13, passing through the flame is beated, thence into and through
the bath of oil or water 14 for hardening, forwards to the heated metal plate 15 (by
preference copper), this plate being heated by supply of gas and air, as described in
relation to the receiver 9, whereby the wire is tempered or reduced in degree of
hardness, thence to the finished creel 16. A pyrometer is used in connection with the
plate 15 in order to ensure the plate being maintained at uniform heat or
temperaturo, and in practice I find that about 1200 degrees is suitable, the wire
being drawn over this tempering plate quicker for fine wire and slower for thicker
wire, according to the gauge or time required to absorb the necessary heat to temper
or reduce the hardness.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, I would have it understood that I lay no claim
per se to the heating or tempering wire by means of heat from gas flame, such
having long been in use for hardening and tempering wire, crinoline steels, steel
tapes, and other such articles, nor do I claim separately the use of wire gauze as a
'burner"; what I do claim is-
"
Firstly. The combination of apparatus comprising gas generator, air supply
apparatus, and gauze burners, for purpose herein described and illustrated, or any
Inere modification thereof.
Secondly. I claim the use of the copper plate 15 in combination with the receiver 9,
herein described for purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sykes, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
cight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Blackburn.
JOHN SYKES. (L.S.)