Improvements in and relating to the Coating of Metal Plates, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1892—Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
[Communicated from abroad by JAMES GOULD, Junior, 34 and 36, Main
Street, San Francisco, California, United States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in and relating to the Coating of Metal Plates, and to
Apparatus therefor.
"
t
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to the coating of metal plates and to apparatus therefor
and the object of the said invention is to prevent tin from forming upon the plate
in uneven thicknesses. In other words, it is sought to apply the tin to the sides of
the metal plates in such manner as to prevent the said tin from settling to or toward
one edge of the plate.
As far as the communicator is aware all the tin plate now made has an excessive
quantity of tin along one margin (called by the trade "the salvage edge") of the
plate when the latter has been completed. This results from the fact that when
the plates are taken from the bath they are set on edge. At this time, the tin
received by the plate in passing through the bath is not sufficiently cooled to be
hardened, consequently, more or less of the tin settles to or toward the lower
margin of the plate, so that when the plate is cooled, its faces along the lower
margin have along them considerably more tin than is required, the upper portion
of the plate having an insufficient coating of tin, unless the plate has been put
through the bathi in such manner as to apply to it more tin than would be required
were the distribution even.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the ordinary bath through which the metal
plates are passed to receive the coating of tin.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of an apparatus for treating the plates after they
leave the bath.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are details of plate holders constituting a part of said
apparatus.
Figure 7 shows an alternate form of guide for the plate holders.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 show a modification of the apparatus for treating
the plates after leaving the bath.
In Figure 1, 1 is the bath of tin. I is a feed tube 12 is a latch, and 13 13 delivery
rolls. 1 is a rotating plate receiver moved progressively by a hook 1' and the
crank 1 acting upon the teeth around the hub of said plate receiver. The
latch 1 is disconnected by an arm 17 as the latter passes said latch, so that
the plate in the feed tube will slide into the receiver 1. The hook 1 is recipro-
cated by a crank 1 on the shaft J. J is a cam arranged to oscillate a bell-
crank Jhaving one of its arms extending to a point above the hub of the plate
receiver and below the lower edge of the plates as the latter are turned into a
vertical position below the rolls 1. When one of said plates is brought to this
vertical position, the cam J is so turned as to bring its depression' opposite the
bell-crank J, and the spring J³ then tilts said bell-crank so as to lift the metal
plate into engagement with the rolls 13. When this has been accomplished the
extended portion of said cam reverses said bell-crank so that the horizontal line of
the latter descends to its lower limit to make room for another of the metal plates.

page_text: When the plates are engaged by the rolls ³, said plates are passed upward between
said rolls and placed into mechanism which alternates the elevation of the edges of
said plates until the molten metal upon their surfaces has cooled sufficiently to
harden. Said apparatus will be next described.
AA (Figures 2 and 3) are parallel, endless chains separated a suitable distance
and extending around the vertical wheels B B supported on shafts B1 B. CC are
plate holders adapted to receive the metal plates as they come from the bath.
These plate holders may be formed in a variety of ways, but I deem it necessary
to show only one form. C₁ is the lower section of said holder and is the upper
section of said holder. These sections are each in the form of a parallelogram and
each has on the face which is to meet the other, preferably along the margin.
several points S of slate or other suitable material which is repellant to molten tin
rising equal distances above the other portions of said sections. The sheet when
coming from the bath is laid upon the slate points S of the section C', and the
section C is then folded upon the section C¹ so that the slate points S of the
section C³ bear upon the plate above the slate points of the section (as shown in
the upper portion of Figure 1. The object of the repellant points S is to prevent
the adhesion of the molten tin to any portion of the holders. I prefer to so place
said points that they will bear only upon the margins of the tin-plate, to the end
that the tin coating upon the body of the sheet may not be disturbed. The
impressions made by said points at the margins or edges of the plate will usually
be cut away as waste in working the plate into sheet-metal ware. Another reason
for so placing said points as to bear upon the edges of the plate is that the plate is
thus the better supported. Tin plates are usually thin, and if they were not thus
held by the edges, but by the middle instead, they would collapse or fold upon
each other.
Each holder rests between the chains A A and is supported thereon by a shaft D
extending into bearings A' in the chain A. It is obvious that instead of extending
the shaft B from one chain A continuously to the other of said chains, short
sections of said shaft may be attached one to each side of the lower section of the
holder C and extended into or through the bearing-links A' of the chain A. This
is the same in principle. The lower section of said holder becoming in effect a
part of the shaft D. When the shaft D is made distinct from said section, it may
be attached to said section in any suitable manner, as by extending it through
ears D extending downward from the lower side of said section, as shown in the
drawings. In this case, the section C¹ should be prevented from rotating upon the
shaft D by set-bolts D' extending through said ears D', or otherwise.
The chains A are preferably continuously in motion in the direction indicated
by the arrows by power suitably supplied, as by a band-wheel B² mounted upon
the shafts B' of the wheels 13, and while the chains A are thus in motion the
holders C should continuously change their inclination until the plates carried
thereby are cooled sufficiently to harden.
At one side of the pair of chains A is located a rack E having in its side toward
said chains a channel E' which is undulating particularly opposite the upper
portion of said chains, and from the adjacent end of the shaft D a crank D extends
rearward and outward into the channel E'. It will be seen that the outer end of
said crank will move up and down as the holders progress, whereby the latter are
oscillated. When the holder has passed over the upper portion of its circuit, it
turns with its mouth downward in going around the wheels B, until the section C.
of the holder is turned bottom-side-up and the section C² has fallen away from the
section C into a vertical position, as shown in Figure 2. By this automatic
opening of the holder, the tin plate is discharged. Said section C2 remains in its.
vertical position until the holder passes around the wheels at the opposite end of
the machine and then in going around said wheels it assumes the position shown in
Figure 4, it being prevented from falling backward by a lug C³ or otherwise.
When the holder has assumed this position it is ready to receive a new plate, and
when such plate has been placed on said lower section, the upper section is to be

page_text: thrown forward manually or automatically.
The drawings show an arm C+
extending downward from the section C below the hinge by which said section is
joined to the lower section, and the stop E2 is mounted upon the rack E so as to
extend into the path of said arm a little before the section is changed from the
horizontal position at the right end of the machine, whereby said arm is tripped
and the section C thrown forward upon the plate lying upon the section C³.
At the right end of the machine, the upper portion of the channel E' is to be
horizontal and of proper elevation to hold the extension C in the horizontal
position, in order that said holder may receive the plate. If the plates be placed
upon the holder with the edge coming last out of the bath directed rearward, the
channel E should then rise and proceed a short distance in the horizontal position.
so as to elevate the crank B and the rear edge of the tin-plate a sufficient length
of time to reverse the flow of tin upon the plate. Thereafter the channel E should
reach above and below the height required for bringing the holder into the
horizontal position, until the left end of the machine is reached. It is to be under-
stood that the guide for controlling the inclination of the plate holder is not
necessarily in the form of a channel. It may be a flange or bar with two wheels.
supported by the crank D2 bearing one on each side of said flange or bar, as shown
in Figure 6.
And
In the form of mechanism illustrated in Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 the
endless, parallel chains A A are used as in the other form and they are mounted
upon wheels B B supported by shafts B' B'. But the plate holders C C are
arranged in a vertical instead of a horizontal plane, cach section of each of said
holders being attached to a horizontal shaft D and such shaft being supported by
one of the chains A in a bearing A' in said chain. The outer end of each shaft D
has a button-head D³, and at the outer side of the upper portion of each of said
chains A and at the outside of said button-heads is a stationary bar D such bars
being sufficiently near each other to bear against the outer sides of said button-
heads and press said shafts D toward each other, thus pressing the sections C'
and C2 of the plate holders C tightly against each other. At the point at which it
is desired to have the plate-holders open to discharge the plates, the bars C* cease
or diverge. The drawings show this as being at the left end of the machine.
at such point suitably supported bars D' should engage the inner faces of the
button-heads D³, so as to separate the sections of the plate-holders, and such
bars D may or may not extend along the lower portion of the machine to and
around the right end thereof to the point of which the bars D engage said button-
heads. Short bars D' may be placed at the right end of the machine so as to
insure the opening of the holders. And the bar or bars D may be located at only
one side of the machine so as to draw the holder sections at one side only. Thus
the sections of each plate holder are separated at the time of the discharge of a
plate and are separated when a new plate is to be inserted, and after such plate has
been inserted, the holder is closed so as to grasp said plate, and this latter condition.
continues until the holder has carried the plate to the left end of the machine. It
will be seen that the same result may be accomplished by thus moving only one of
the sections of the plate holders C in a direction transverse to the chains A. This
is the form shown by the drawings, the sections C' being arranged to travel
constantly in the same plane, while the bar D' at the front of the machine, draws
the sections C away from the other sections and the bar C forces said sections C
toward the sections C¹. The inner faces of the section C' and C should be
provided with points S or other material which is repellant to tin, as described in
the holders illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. Furthermore, a pin P should extend
through both sections of the holder at two adjacent corners of the latter and be
secured to one of said sections and lie loosely in the other, as illustrated in
Figures 8, 9 and 10. The edge of the holder bearing these points is to stand
lowermost when the plate is inserted, so that said plate may be allowed to rest upon.
said pins until the holder is clasped or closed. Thus said pins constitute rests
between said sections. Automatic means for bringing this edge of each holder

page_text: into the lowermost position at the point in the machine at which the plates are to
be inserted will be hereinafter described.
Provision must be made for rotating the holders C upon the shafts D.while said
holders contain plates. In the construction illustrated by Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
and 13, the chaius A. A are normally stationary, so that the plate holders are
normally not progressing, but they rotate upon their axes after leaving the right
end of the machine. To this end, sprocket or other suitable wheels Fare located
upon one of the shafts D of each plate-holder, and above or below said wheels is
located an endless sprocket-chain F1 parallel to the chain A and at such height as
to engage the sprocket-chain F', said sprocket-chain F is supported by'sprocket-
wheels which sprocket-wheels are in turn supported by standards rising.
from the floor or- from the bed of the machine. Said sprocket chain is driven.
continuously by a belt or chain F applied to wheel mounted upon the shaft F.
of one of the wheels. F. Said belt or chain is in turn driven from the power-
shaft G by means of a sprocket or other wheel F' mounted upon said shaft G.
The sprocket-chain F is preferably made to progress in the direction indicated by
the arrow.
From the foregoing it will be seen that each plate-holder having its wheel F
cngaged by the sprocket-chain F1 will be continuously rotated upon its axis, though
it may be making no progress with reference to the path of the chains A. Thus
an empty and open plate-holder opening at the upper portion of the right end of..
the machine may be stationary at the right end of the machine in order that a
plate may be the more conveniently inserted, and yet plates newly'inserted.in other
holders and having the molten metal upon them not yet hardened from cooling
will not be stationary so as to allow the molten metal to settle to one edge of the
plate.
It is desirable always to direct the same edge of the plate holders upward at the
part of the machine at which the plates are inserted. This is accomplished by
means of segment-wheels H located upon the shafts D' of the plate-holders and a
guide beginning near the middle of the lower portion of the machine and
extending upward around the right end of the latter to the highest portions of the
adjacent wheels B. The guide H is so placed as to be partially in the path of
the segment-wheels H, preferably above the middle line of said path, so that when
said segment-wheel is carried to the end of said guide by the chains A, the upper
portion of the segment-wheel will be met by the lower face of the guide Hand
pressed downward, and as said chain progresses, said segment-wheel will roll upon
said guide until the straight edge h of said segment-wheels falls upon said guide.
The said segment wheel will slide upon and in contact with the lower face of
said guide and no longer rotate, so that the holder to which said segment-wheel is
applied no longer rotates. The straight edge of said segment wheel is properly
located radially to the shaft D to bring the two points P of the holder parallel to
the chains A A and toward a line extending through the axes of the wheels B.
The guide Hextending around the right end of the machine at a proper distance
from the axis of the wheels B to preserve the engagement of the straight edge h
of the segment-wheel H, the holder C must arrive at the top of the machine with
the points P downward as indicated in Figure 7. The guide H may be a continuous,
stationary bar or the curved portion of it may consist of a wheel H² located upon
the shaft B' and having its periphery meeting the horizontal portion of said guide,
so that as the cam wheel H reaches said curved portion it will, slide upon the,
periphery of said wheel H and be carried with the latter around the shaft B' to
the point at which the chains A leave the wheels B.
.
After the insertion of each plate, the chains A may be progressed manually a
.sufficient distance to bring the next holder into position to receive a new plate,
but I have devised means for effecting such intermittent progression by the power,
used to drive the chain F. For this purpose a spur-gear Gis located. upon the
power-shaft G and made to intermesh with a larger spur-gear G located loosely
upon the adjacent shaft B'. The power shaft G being rotated continuously, it

page_text: follows that the wheel G must rotate continuously, and to rotate the shaft B and
progress the chains A A it is only necessary to effect a temporary engagement
between the wheel G' and the shaft B'. This is done by means of a clutch G³,
one member of which is attached to the wheel G and the other member feathered
in the well-known way to the shaft B3 and provided with a hand-lever G' for
ahifting the second section of said clutch. As is obvious from an inspection of
the drawings, the engagement of the wheel G and the shaft B' is effected by
throwing the upper end of the lever G toward the wheel G2. When the operator
has placed a tin plate into the holder C, he throws said lever toward the wheel G,
so that the clutch G³, is set into engagement, and the chains A A are thereby set
into motion and all the plate-holders progressed. The operator may throw the
lever away from the wheel G when the next holder C has been carried to the
position for receiving a plate, but I have provided for an automatic reversal of said
lever, to the end that the operator may turn from the machine as soon as he has
set said lever into the operative position. This is effected by putting upon the
outer face of the wheel Glugs 92 extending into the path of said lever when the
latter is in the operative position, and being located at suitable points upon said.
wheel to engage and force said lever outward out of engagement as often
as one of the holders reaches the point at which it is to receive a plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :--
First. The herein-described method of tinning, which method consists in
immersing the plate to be tinned in a bath of molten tin, then passing said plate
out of said bath and pressing the excess of the molten tin back into the bath at the
surface of the latter, then placing such plates in a vertical plane and alternating
the elevation of the edges of said plates while in such vertical plane until the
tin upon the faces of the plates, has hardened substantially as shown and
described.
Second. The hereiu-described method of tinning, which method consists in
immersing the plate to be tinned in a bath of molten tin, then passing said plate
out of said bath and pressing the excess of the molten tin back into the bath at
the surface of the latter, then placing said plates in a vertical plane and rotating
them in such plane upon a horizontal axis extending through said plate until
the tin upon the faces of said plates has hardened, substantially as shown and
described.
Third. The herein-described method of tinning, which method consists in
immersing the plate to be tinned in a bath of molten tin, then passing said plate
out of said bath and pressing the excess of the molten tin back into the bath at
the surface of the latter, then placing said plates in a vertical plane and rotating
and progressing said plates in such vertical plane until the tin upon the faces of
said plates has hardened, substantially as shown and described.
Fourth. A holder for treating a metal plate coated with molten metal, said
holder being of proper size to extend to the several edges of the plate and having
opposing points at its margins only to bear upon said plate at its edges, substantially
as shown and described.
Fifth. A holder for treating a metal plate coated with molten metal, said holder
being of proper size to extend to the several edges of the plate and having opposing
slate points along its margins only to bear upon said plate at its edges; substantially
as shown and described.
Sixth. A holder for treating a metal plate coated with molten metal, said holder
being of proper size to extend to the several edges of the plate and having opposing
slate points to bear upon said: plate at its edges. 'substantially as shown and
described.
i
Seventh. A holder for treating metal plate coated with molten metal, which
•

page_text: holder consists of two separable sections having opposing slate points along their
edges only, substantially as shown and described.
Eighth. In a machine for treating metal. plates coated with molten metal, the
combination of a holder for receiving and retaining such a plate, said holder being
of proper size to extend to the several edges of the plates and having opposing
points to bear upon said plate at its edges, and meaus for alternating the elevation
of the edges of said holder whereby the edges of said plate are alternately elevated,
substantially as shown and described.
Ninth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal, the
combination of a holder for receiving and retaining such a plate, said holder being
of proper size to extend to the several edges of the plates and having opposing
points to bear upon said plate at its edges, means for alternating the elevation of
the edges of said holder whereby the edges of said plate are alternately elevated,
and means for simultaneously progressing said holder and alternating the elevation
of its edges, substantially as shown and described.
Tenth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal, the
combination of a holder composed of two separable sections for receiving and
retaining such a plate, said holder being of proper size to extend to the several
edges of the plates and having opposing points to bear upon said plate at its edges,
and means for alternating the elevation of the edges of said holder whereby the
edges of said plate are alternately elevated, substantially as shown and described.
Eleventh. In a machine for treating metal plate coated with molten metal, the
combination of holders for said plates, said holder being of proper size to extend to
the several edges of the plates and having opposing points to bear upon said plate
at its edges, and an endless carrier supporting and carrying said holders, and means
for alternating the elevation of the edges of said holders, substantially as shown
and described.
Twelfth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal, the
combination of holders for receiving the plates, such holders being composed of
separable sections and being of proper size to extend to the several edges of the
plates and having opposing points to bear upon said plate at its edges, means
for closing the sections together after receiving the plate and means for separating
said sections for the discharge of the plate, substantially as shown and described.
Thirteenth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal, the
combination of holders for receiving said plates, and an endless carrier supporting
and carrying said holders, means for turning and retaining said holders in a chosen
radial position at the beginning of the circuit which they traverse and thereafter
alternating the edges of said holders, substantially as shown and described.
Fourteenth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of the holder composed of two separable vertical sections mounted-
in horizontal bearings, and means for rotating said holder, substantially as shown
and described.
Fifteenth. In a machine for treating metal plate coated with molten metal, an
endless carrier, vertical rotatable holders having suitably-spaced points for bearing
upon the edges of the metal plate, and means for rotating said holders, substantially
as shown and described.
Sixteenth. In a machine for treating metal plate coated with molten metal, the
combination of holders for receiving the plates, such holders being composed of
vertical separable sections supported in horizontal bearings, said holder being of
proper size to extend to the several edges of the plates and having opposing points
to bear upon said plate at its edges, means for closing the sections together after
receiving the plate, and means for separating said sections to discharge the plates,
substantially as shown and described.
Seventeenth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of holders for receiving said plates and an endless carrier supporting
and carrying said holders, means for turning and retaining said holders in a chosen

page_text: radial position at the beginning of the circuit which they traverse, and thereafter
rotating said holders, substantially as shown and described.
Eighteenth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of a holder for receiving and retaining such a plate, means for
intermittently progressing said holder, and means for alternately rotating said
holder and turning the same into a chosen radial position, substantially as shown
and described.
Nineteenth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of holders for said plates and an endless carrier supporting and
carrying said holders, means for rotating said holders independently of the
movement of said carriers, substantially as shown and described.
Twentieth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of holders for receiving the plates such holders being composed of
separable sections, an endless carrier rotatably supporting and carrying said holders,
guides located adjacent to said endless carrier for pressing said sections together
when the plates are inserted into said holders, an endless travelling chain for turning.
said holders on their axes, and means for intermittently progressing said carrier,
substantially as shown and described.
Twenty-first.. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of holders for receiving the plates, such holders being composed of
separable sections, an endless carrier rotatably supporting and carrying said holders,
an endless, continuously-moving chain arranged to enter into suitable engagement
with said holders to rotate the latter, substantially as shown and described.
Twenty-second. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of holders for receiving the plates, such holders being composed of
separable sections, an endless carrier rotatably supporting and carrying said
holders, an endless, continuously moving chain arranged to enter into suitable
engagement with said holders to rotate the latter, and means for intermittently
progressing said endless carriers, substantially as shown and described.
Twenty-third. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of holders for receiving the plates, such holders being composed of
vertical, separable sections joined to each other at one side by yielding means, an
endless carrier supporting said holders in horizontal bearings, means for securing
said holders with the open portions upward at a chosen point in their circuit, means
for closing said holders upon the metal plates, and means for thereafter rotating
said holders independently of said endless carriers, substantially as shown and
described.
Twenty-fourth. A holder for treating metal plate coated with molten metal,
said holder being of proper size to extend to the several edges of the plate and
having opposing points at its margins only to bear upon the sides of said plate at
its edges, and rests at one edge for supporting said plate before said opposing
points engage said plate, substantially as shown and described.
Twenty-fifth. A holder for treating metal plate coated with molten metal, which
holder consists of two separable sections having opposing points along their edges
only and rests between them at one edge of the holder for supporting the plate
before said sections are driven together, substantially as shown and described.
Twenty-sixth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of holders for receiving the plates, an endless carrier rotatably
supporting and carrying said holders, means for engaging and rotating said holders
during a portion of the circuit of said endless carrier, and means for turning said
holders on their axes into a chosen position prior to reaching said portion of said
circuit, substantially as shown and described.
Twenty-seventh. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten
metal, the combination of holders for receiving the plates, said holders having
opposing points for engaging the sides of the plates and haring at one side rests
for supporting said plates before the latter are engaged by said opposing
points, an endless carrier rotatably supported and carrying said holders, means

page_text: for engaging and rotating said holders along a portion of the circuit of said endless
carrier, and means for engaging and turning said holders upon their axes to bring
said rests into the desired position in advance of said portion of said circuit,
substantially as shown and described.
Twenty-eighth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal,
the combination of holders for receiving said plates and an endless carrier
supporting said holders, gears on the axes of said holders, and an endless travelling
gear extending into a portion of the path of the gears on the axes of said holders,
substantially as shown and described.
Twenty-ninth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal
the combination of holders for said plates and an endless carrier supporting and
carrying said holders, automatic means combined with said endless carrier for
stopping the latter, and non-automatic means for starting said carrier, substantially
as shown and described.
Thirtieth. In a machine for treating metal plates coated with molten metal the
combination of holders for said plates and an endless carrier supporting and
carrying said holders, means for rotating said holders in a portion of the path of the
latter, and automatic means for stopping said endless carrier and non-automatic
means for starting said carrier substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 26th day of January 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.