Improvements in Apparatus Used for Coating Sheets of Iron and Steel and Articles of Iron and Steel with Zinc or Alloys of Zinc or other Coating Metal or Alloy.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 23rd Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 5th July, 1887.
Improvements in Apparatus Used for Coating Sheets of Iron and
Steel and Articles of Iron and Steel with Zinc or Alloys of Zinc
or other Coating Metal or Alloy.
I RICHARD HEATHFIELD of Lion Galvanizing Works Wiggin Street Birmingham
in the County of Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows :—
My invention consists of the improvements herein after described whereby the
coating of sheets of iron and steel and articles of iron and steel with zinc or alloys
of zinc or other coating metal or alloy is so effected that the quantity of the coating
metal or alloy may be conveniently regulated.
I will describe my invention in its application to the coating of sheet iron or steel
with zinc.
The bath of melted zinc which I employ may either have a pair of horizontal rolls
or the said bath may preferably be provided with the additional pair of partly
immersed horizontal rolls having their axes in the same horizontal plane described
and represented in the specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated June 9th
1877 No. 2243. Or a bath having but one pair of rolls as described and represented
in the specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated June 27th No. 2480 may
be employed but I do not limit myself to the use of any particular kind of bath and
bath appliances.
Over the bath of melted zinc and at a short distance above the rolls by which the
sheet is delivered from the bath in a vertical plane is a pair of flat or nearly flat
brushes or scrubbers between which the coated sheet passes as it rises from the
bath. Or if the bath is without rolls or with rolls wholly immersed the said flat
brushes or scrubbers are arranged a convenient distance above the coating metal.
These brushes may either be stationary or have a reciprocating horizontal motion.
When they are stationary I make them of a length somewhat greater than the width
or as the case may be of the length of the sheet operated upon. When they have
a reciprocating horizontal motion I prefer to make them of considerably greater
length than the breadth or as the case may be of the length of the sheet operated
upon so that during their motion every part of the sheet is being acted upon. The

page_text: reciprocating motion of the brushes is preferably in opposite directions that is as
the brush on one side of the sheet moves to the right the brush on the other side
of the sheet moves to the left and the reverse hence there is no tendency in the
sheet to leave the vertical path in which it rises from the bath.
Instead of giving to the moveable flat brushes a horizontal motion they may have a
vertical reciprocating motion or an angular motion. In this case the brushes are
made preferably to move in opposite directions in their reciprocating or angular
motion.
Instead of one pair of flat brushes two or more pairs of the said brushes may be
employed either fixed or movable or one pair fixed and the other pair movable.
When they are movable I prefer to give one pair a horizontal motion and the other
pair or pairs a vertical motion.
I give to the moveable brushes the required reciprocating motion by means of
connecting rods jointed at one end to the brushes and connected at the other end to
cranks or eccentrics situated on a shaft to which a rotary motion is given by a steam
or other motive power engine.
By the action of the brushes described the quantity of zinc left on the coated sheet
may be regulated and a smooth surface is given to the sheet.
Although I have described the use of flat brushes I wish it to be understood that
the brushes I employ may have a slightly curved acting face and that their lower
parts may be curved outwards so as to serve as guides to the sheet introduced
between them.
In coating iron or steel articles other than sheet iron and steel one or more brushes
as before described may be used means being taken to ensure the coated article on its
removal from the bath of coating metal being brought in contact with the brush or
brushes and the coated articles may thus be either treated wholly or in part and one
or more sides may be brushed or scrubbed while other parts which it is not deemed
desirable to brush or scrub may be left coated in the ordinary manner.
Dated the Sith day at A1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus Used for Coating Sheets of Iron and
Steel and Articles of Iron and Steel with Zinc or Alloys of Zinc
or other Coating Metal or Alloy.
I RICHARD HEATHFIELD of Lion Galvanizing Works Wiggin Street Birmingham
in the County of Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described whereby the
coating of sheets of iron and steel and articles of iron and steel with zinc or alloys
of zinc or other coating metal or alloy is so effected that the quantity of the coating
metal or alloy may be conveniently regulated.
I will describe my invention in its application to the coating of sheet iron or steel
with zinc. The bath of melted zinc which I employ may either have a pair of
horizontal rolls or the said bath may preferably be provided with the additional pair
of partly immersed horizontal rolls having their axes in the same horizontal plane
described and represented in the specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated
June 9th 1877 No. 2243. Or a bath having but one pair of rolls as described and
represented in the specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated June 27th 1877
No. 2480 may be employed but I do not limit myself to the use of any particular kind
of bath and hath appliances.
Over the bath of melted zinc and at a short distance above the rolls by which the
sheet is delivered from the bath in a vertical or nearly vertical plane is a pair of flat
or nearly flat brushes or scrubbers between which the coated sheet passes as it rises
from the bath the acting faces of the said brushes or scrubbers being situated
respectively in planes parallel to the surfaces of the sheet being coated. The lower
horizontal edges of the said brushes or scrubbers may be situated two or three inches
above the level of the melted metal in the bath. Or if the bath is without rolls or with
rolls wholly immersed the said flat brushes or scrubbers are arranged a convenient
distance above the coating metal.
When the bath has no rolls the lower horizontal edges of the brushes or scrubbers
may be situated two or three inches above the surface of the metal in the bath.
When the bath has rolls partly immersed the lower horizontal edges of the brushes
may be situated two or three inches higher than the highest points of the said rolls
but I do not limit myself to any particular height of the said brushes or scrubbers
above the bath or rolls.
These brushes may either be stationary or have a reciprocating horizontal motion.
When they are stationary I make them of a length somewhat greater than the width
or as the case may be of the length of the sheet operated upon. When they have a
reciprocating horizontal motion I prefer to make them of considerably greater length
than the breadth or as the case may be of the length of the sheet operated upon so that

page_text: during their motion every part of the sheet is being acted upon. The breadth or
depth of the brushes may be five or six inches but I do not limit myself to any
particular breadth or depth. The reciprocating motion of the brushes is preferably in
opposite directions that is as the brush on one side of the sheet moves to the right the
brush on the other side of the sheet moves to the left and the reverse hence there is no
tendency in the sheet to leave the vertical path in which it rises from the bath.
In
Instead of giving to the movable flat brushes a horizontal motion they may have a
vertical reciprocating motion or an angular motion or a curvilinear motion.
this case the brushes are made preferably to move in opposite directions in their
reciprocating or angular or curvilinear motion.
Instead of one pair of flat brushes two or more pairs of the said brushes may be
employed either fixed or movable or one pair fixed and the other pair movable. When
they are movable I prefer to give one pair a horizontal motion and the other pair or
pairs a vertical motion.
I give to the movable brushes the required reciprocating motion by means of
connecting rods jointed at one end to the brushes and connected at the other end to
cranks or eccentrics situated on a shaft to which a rotary motion is given by a steam
or other motive power engine.
By the action of the brushes described the quantity of zinc left on the coated sheet
may be regulated and a smooth surface is given to the sheet.
Although I have described the use of flat brushes I wish it to be understood that
the brushes I employ may have a slightly curved acting face and that their lower
parts may be curved outwards so as to serve as guides to the sheet introduced
between them.
In all cases the brushes or scrubbers are pressed against the faces of the coated
sheet with an equal pressure. This pressure may be given either by springs the
tension of which is regulated by screws or otherwise or the said pressure may be
given by weighted levers or by means of the combination of levers commonly called a
toggle joint or by other equivalent means.
In coating iron or steel articles other than sheet iron and steel one or more brushes
as before described may be used and by means of guides or rollers between which the
coated article on its removal from the bath of coating metal passes the said coated
article is brought in contact with the brush or brushes and the coated articles may
thus be either treated wholly or in part and one or more. sides may be brushed or
scrubbed while other parts which it is not deemed desirable to brush or scrub may be
left coated in the ordinary manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my invention of
Improvements in apparatus used for coating sheets of iron and steel and articles of
iron and steel with zinc or alloys of zinc or other coating metal or alloy "
66
First The employment of one or more pairs of flat or nearly flat brushes or
scrubbers over the bath of melted zinc or other coating metal or alloy the said brushes
or scrubbers being stationary or having a horizontal vertical angular or curvilinear
motion between which brushes the coated plate or sheet passes as it rises from the said
bath the said brushes or scrubbers bearing upon and removing more or less of the
coating metal or alloy from the said sheet substantially as hereinbefore described.
Secondly-The employment of one or more brushes or scrubbers either stationary
or having a horizontal vertical angular or curvilinear motion for operating upon the
whole or parts of coated iron or steel articles other than sheet iron and steel.
Deted this Twenty third do of April 1987
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.