Improved Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of Galvanized Sheets of Metal and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of Galvanized
Sheets of Metal and the like.
I, DAVID GREY, of Maesteg, near Bridgend, Glamorganshire, Consulting
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for use in the manufacture of
galvanized sheets of metal and the like, the invention having special reference to
the improved construction and arrangement of apparatus used for pickling and
swilling or preparing and cleaning the surfaces of iron or other metal sheets
preparatory to their being coated with zinc or other metal, alloy or composition,
and will be hereinafter described in connection with the manufacture of galvanized
sheets.
In accordance with the invention, an overhead or suspended single-track rail or
travelling-way having a straight portion and a looped portion branching from and
returning into said straight portion, is arranged with its straight portion crossing
over a series of stocking tanks and with the branching out portion of its loop
crossing over a series of three juxtaposed pickling and swilling tanks the first two
of which contain the pickling acid and the third of which contains the swilling or
washing water. Around the pickling and swilling tanks is erected a strong framing
preferably consisting of angle iron uprights supporting a horizontal framing of
timber which serves to support the branching track of the loop of travelling-way at
a suitable distance above the level of the pickling and swilling tanks to permit of
the traverse along the railway and over the tanks of the carriers of the plates to be
treated hereinafter referred to, said framing also serving to support the means by
which the carriers and contained plates are repeatedly raised and lowered into and
from out of the tanks when over the same.
The part of the loop of travelling track immediately above the tanks is connected
to a frame guided by the said timber framing and is supported by chains depending
from the overhead ends of sectoral levers which are mounted (one above each tank)
on a horizontal shaft running parallel with the railway and carried in bearings
supported by the upper part of said timber framing, the other ends of the two outer
ones of said levers being connected by depending chains to guided counterbalance
weights, and the corresponding end of the middle one of said levers being connected
by a chain to a piston-rod of a vertically arranged steam or other motive power
cylinder supported by adjacent uprights.
On the travelling-way are placed a series of (say 5) cages or carriers made
preferably of incorrodible metal, with a bottom adapted to support the plates to be
treated, and with series of vertical pins adapted to separate the load of plates into
batches of any suitable numbers, and with slings suspending the same from a
travelling frame fitted with two carrier-wheels adapted to travel on the aforesaid
travelling-way.
In practice, the sheets to be prepared for galvanizing, after leaving the mills and
and annealing departments are placed on their edges on the said carriers in from
5 to 20 batches of from 5 to 20 plates in each batch for each carrier, the batches
being kept separate by the means aforesaid. When loaded, the first carrier is
rolled onto the movable portion of the track over the first pickling tank, and when
thereover, steam is admitted to the cylinder and by the conjoint action thereof and
of the said counterbalance weights the carrier and its contents are plunged up and
down in the first pickling tank until the sheets have been about half treated.
Thereupon, the steam is turned off and the movable portion of the track (with the

page_text: carrier it supports) is brought to the level of the loop of travelling way and the
plunging is stopped. Thereupon, the first carrier is shifted to over the second
tank, and the second loaded carrier to over the first tank, and the plunging operation
is repeated until the first set of plates is sufficiently cleaned and the second set is
about half cleaned, when the plunging is again stopped as aforesaid, the first carrier
being then shifted to over the third tank, the second carrier to over the second tank
and the third loaded carrier to over the first tank when the plunging operation is
repeated, the first carrier now being plunged into the washing or swilling tank, and
the second and third carriers being plunged into the pickling tanks as aforesaid.
When the second set of plates have been sufficiently cleaned the plunging is again
stopped, and all of the carriers are shifted one step forward as aforesaid, the first
carrier being now sent forward onto one of the stocking tanks, and a fourth loaded
carrier being rolled to over the first pickling tank, and so on.
When unloaded at the stocking-tank, the first carrier is rolled onto the loading
position and is again brought into use as aforesaid for pickling and swilling.
By the aforesaid improved arrangement of apparatus, the sheets or plates can be
conveyed from any part of the works to the pickling and swilling apparatus and
fully and effectually operated on therein, and conveyed therefrom to the galvanizing
or tinning machines without discharging, reloading or any other handling whatever
beyond the first loading and final discharging to the galvanizing or tinning machines
or to the stocking tank or tanks adjacent thereto.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1893.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of Galvanized
Sheets of Metal and the like.
I, DAVID GREY, of Maesteg, near Bridgend, Glamorganshire, Consulting
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for use in the manufacture of
galvanized, tinned or similarly coated sheets or plates of metal and the like, the
invention having special reference to the improved construction and arrangement of
apparatus used for pickling and swilling or preparing and cleaning the surface of
iron or other metal sheets or plates preparatory to their being coated with zinc, tin
or other metal, alloy or composition, and will be hereinafter described in connection
with the manufacture of galvanized sheets.
On the accompanying drawings ;-
Fig. 1. represents the improved apparatus in front elevation.
Fig. 2. represents the same in end elevation ;
Fig. 3. represents the same in plan; and
Fig. 4 and 5 are detail views.
In accordance with the invention, an overhead or suspended single-track rail- or
travelling-way having a straight portion a¹, and a looped portion a branching from
and returning into said portion a¹, and other branches a, communicating with any
desired part of the works, is suspended from girders a, supported by pillars a",
vide Fig. 3, and is arranged with its straight portion crossing over a series of
stocking tanks b, and with one track of its looped portion crossing over a series of
juxtaposed pickling and swilling tanks c, c', o², the first two of which contain the
hydrochloric, sulphuric or other pickling acid used, and the third of which contains
the swilling or washing water.

page_text: Around the pickling and swilling tanks is erected a strong framing preferably
consisting of angle-iron uprights d', supporting a horizontal framing d² of timber,
which serves to support part of the track of the looped portion of the railway at a
suitable height above the level of the pickling, swilling and stocking tanks to
permit of the traverse along the railway and over the tanks of the carriers of the
plates f, to be treated hereinafter referred to, said framing also serving to support
the means by which the carriers and contained plates are repeatedly raised from out
of and lowered into the tanks when over the same, as also hereinafter referred to.
The part 3 of the loop a² of railway immediately above the tanks c, c¹, c² is
connected to a frame g, which is guided by the said framing d², and is supported by
chains g¹, depending from the overhead ends of sectoral levers g², which are
mounted (one above each of the tanks c, c', c²) fast on a horizontal shaft g³ running
parallel with the railway and carried in bearings 9* supported by the upper part of
said framing d², the other ends of the two outer ones of said levers being connected
by depending chains (Fig. 2) to adjustable counter-weights, and the corre
sponding end of the middle one of said levers being connected by a chain g', to a
guided piston-rod (Fig. 4) of a vertically arranged steam or other motive-power
cylinder h, supported by the adjacent uprights d'.
On the railway are placed a series (say five,) of carriers or cages (Figs. 1 and 2)
made preferably of incorrodible metal, with a bottom e¹, adapted to support the
sheets or plates, to be treated, and with series of vertical pins e², adapted to
separate the load of sheets into batches of convenient number, and with slings e³,
suspending the same from a travelling frame e¹, fitted with two carrier wheels e³,
adapted to travel on the railway.
The sheets to be prepared for galvanizing, after leaving the mills and annealing
departments, are placed on their edges on the carriers, in from 5 to 20 batches of
from 5 to 20 sheets in each batch, for each carrier, the batches being kept separate
by the means aforesaid.
In practice, steam is firstly admitted by a balanced valve 2, Fig. 4, to the top
end of the cylinder, which forces the piston-rod down and raises the movable
track a³, into alignment with the overhead railway. Thereupon, the first loaded
carrier is shifted onto said movable track, and is maintained in position by suitable
latch like appliances e a', vide Fig. 5, and by an adjustable strut 9³, upon which,
the steam is cut off from the cylinder; whereupon, the excess weight of the carrier
and its load over said counterbalance weights 9, causes the plunging thereof into
said tank. Just before the load reaches the bottom of the tank, a tappet 3 on the
piston-rod engages with a balanced lever *, and again shifts the valve ², so as to
admit steam to the cylinder; when, the piston-rod will again be forced down,
causing the upstroke of the carrier and its load, immediately before the completion
of which the tappet h³ will again engage with the lever h and shift the valve h², so
as to open the cylinder to the exhaust, whereupon, the cage and its contents will
again plunge into the tank, and so on, until the sheets have become about half
treated, when the steam is taken off the cylinder and the plunging is stopped.
Thus, steam is only admitted to the cylinder above the piston to give the upstroke
to the carrier, the down stroke of which is caused by the excess of weight of the
carriers and their loads over that of the balance weights 96, which are applied or
removed according to the load of sheets to be operated on, whereby the quantity of
steam required is only such as will overcome the excess weight required to effect
the down-stroke of the carriers.
The continuance of the treatment is effected by again bringing the movable
track as, with the carrier it supports to the level of the looped track a². Thereupon,
such first carrier is shifted to over the second pickling tank, and the second loaded
carrier is shifted to over the first pickling tank, when the plunging operation is
repeated until the first set of sheets is sufficiently cleaned and the second set is
about half cleaned, when the plunging is again stopped, as aforesaid, the first
carrier being then shifted to over the third or swilling tank, the second carrier to

page_text: over the second pickling tank and the third loaded carrier to over the first pickling
tank, when the plunging operation is again repeated, the first carrier now being
plunged into the washing or swilling tank, and the second and third carriers being
plunged into the pickling tanks, as aforesaid. When the second set of plates has
been sufficiently cleaned, the plunging is again stopped, and all of the carriers are
shifted one step forward as aforesaid, the first carrier being now sent forward onto
one of the stocking tanks b, and a fourth loaded carrier being rolled to over the
first pickling tank, and so on.
When unloaded at the stocking-tank, the first carrier is rolled onto the loading
position, and is then again brought into use as aforesaid for pickling and
swilling.
By the aforesaid improved arrangement of apparatus, the sheets or plates f, can
be conveyed from any part of the works to the pickling and swilling apparatus and
fully and effectually operated on therein, and conveyed therefrom to the galvanizing,
tinning or other coating machines without discharging, reloading or any other
handling whatever beyond the first loading, and the final discharging to the
galvanizing, tinning or other coating machines or to the stocking tank or tanks
adjacent thereto.
I also propose to use, in lieu of the two independent pickling tanks, a series of a
greater convenient number thereof, say three, or one sufficiently large to admit of
two or such other number of the carriers being simultaneously plunged therein,
firstly one, then two, and so on as aforesaid, the same being progressively advanced
at each shifting operation as hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In apparatus used for pickling and swilling or preparing and cleaning the
surface of iron or other metal sheets, plates or the like preparatory to their being
coated with zinc, tin or other metal, alloy or composition; the use, in combination,
of an overhead or suspended railway, having a straight portion and a looped
portion formed with a vertically movable portion respectively arranged as aforesaid
and branches leading wherever required, a series of stocking tanks arranged
adjacent to the galvanizing, tinning or other coating machines and below the
straight portion of the railway, a series of pickling tanks or one large tank and a
juxtaposed swilling tank in which two or more carriers of the sheets or plates to be
cleaned or prepared for coating can be plunged at one and the same time, all such
pickling and swilling tanks forming part of one and the same machine and being
arranged below the movable portion of the looped portion of the railway;-a
framing erected about such pickling and swilling tanks and supporting the looped
portion of the railway, and guiding a vertically operating frame to which the
movable portion thereof is suspended-an overhead series of sectoral levers fast
on a shaft supported by the framing and connected at the one end to the frame
supporting the movable portion of the railway, and at the other end to counter-
balance weights and the piston rod of a motive cylinder; and a series of travelling
carriers adapted as aforesaid to carry the sheets or plates in batches of any
convenient number; the whole arranged to co-operate as aforesaid.
2. In such apparatus, the use in combination of an overhead railway formed
with a vertically movable portion; a series of pickling tanks or one large tank
and a juxtaposed swilling tank in which two or more carriers of the sheets or
plates to be cleaned or prepared for coating can be plunged at one and the same
time, all such pickling and swilling tanks forming part of one and the same machine
and being arranged below the movable portion of the railway;-a framing erected
about such pickling and swilling tanks and supporting the looped portion of the
railway, and guiding a vertically operating frame to which the movable portion
thereof is suspended ;-an overhead series of sectoral levers fast on a shaft supported

page_text: by the framing and connected at the one end to the frame supporting the movable
portion of the railway, and at the other end to counterbalance weights and the
piston rod of a motive cylinder; the whole arranged to co-operate as aforesaid.
3. In such apparatus the use in combination of an overhead railway formed
with a vertically movable portion; a series of travelling carriers adapted to carry
the sheets to be prepared in batches of any convenient number;-a series of pickling
tanks or one large tank and a juxtaposed swilling tank in which two or more of
such carriers of such sheets can be plunged at one and the same time, all such
pickling and swilling tanks being arranged below the movable portion of the
railway; and means of plunging such carriers at one and the same time and in one
and the same machine in such pickling and swilling tanks.
4. In such apparatus, the use in combination of an overhead or suspended
railway, having a straight portion and a looped portion formed with a vertically
movable portion respectively arranged as aforesaid and branches as aforesaid ;-a
series of stocking tanks arranged adjacent to the galvanizing, tinning or other
coating machine and below the straight portion of the railway;-a series of
pickling tanks or one large tank and a juxtaposed swilling tank in which two or
more carriers of the sheets or plates to be cleaned or prepared for coating can be
plunged at one and the same time, all such pickling and swilling tanks forming
part of one and the same machine and being arranged below the movable portion
of the looped portion of the railway;-and a series of travelling carriers adapted
as aforesaid to carry the sheets or plates in batches of any convenient number;
the whole enabling the sheets to be conveyed from any part of the works to the
pickling and swilling apparatus and fully and effectually operated on therein, and
conveyed therefrom to the galvanizing, tinning or other coating machines without
discharging, reloading or any other handling whatever beyond the first loading,
and the final discharging to the galvanizing, tinning or other coating machines or
to the stocking tank or tanks adjacent thereto.
Dated this 6th day of November 1893.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.