A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Treating and Annealing Sheet Metal.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Apparatus for Treating and
Annealing Sheet Metal.
A communication by WILLIAM EDWIN HARRIS, of Niles, in the County of
Trumbull and State of Ohio, United States of America, Metal Worker.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick, and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 an improved method of treating and annealing metallic
sheets and apparatus therefor, whereby there is imparted to the sheets, without
mechanical treatment, the appearance of Russia or hammered sheets or plates.
In carrying out the improved method, my correspondent first rolls the metal
into sheets while in a heated form, then anneals the sheets, then cold rolls the
sheets, then stacks the sheets again in the annealing box with a mineral medium
interposed between the different sheets, and then anneals the sheets for a second
time. The interposed medium that he prefers and has found to be practicable is
mineral, such as a mixture of copper filings, soapstone and pulverised iron ore, but
he does not desire to be limited to these particular mineral matters, nor does he
desire to be limited to any particular medium for keeping the sheets apart. He
has discovered that by separating the individual sheets, and holding them a short
distance apart while in the annealing oven, that there is imparted to the sheets a
gloss and finish resembling very much the gloss and finish of Russia iron.
By separating the individual sheets, the heat is permitted to pass readily in-
between the sheets, imparting to them the gloss and finish that has been
referred to.
The following is a description of the apparatus and means shown in the
drawings for annealing and separating the individual sheets and for separating
these again into separate bunches.
Figure I is a view, partly in side elevation, and partly in vertical longitudinal
section of the annealing box and the sheets of metal piled in said box;
Figure II is a plan of the annealing box with one end of the cover removed to
show the interior of the box in plan;
Figure III is a vertical transverse section taken on line III-III, Figure I;
Figure IV is a perspective view of one of the intermediate plates that are
inserted between the piles of sheets, a portion of it being shown in section;
Figure Villustrates a variation of the plate shown in Figure IV, in which
knobs or studs are provided on both sides of the plate, a portion of this plate also
being shown in section;
Figure VI is a view illustrating a number of sheets covered with a suitable agent
for separating them and whereby there is imparted to the sheets a highly desirable
gloss and finish;
Figure VII illustrates a top view of a portion of one of the sheets shown in
ח ....!D

page_text: Figures VIII and IX are views illustrating the employment of two or more of
the plates shown in Figures IV and V in place of one plate;
Figure X is a sectional view of a separating box designed for employment in
place of the plates illustrated in detail in Figures IV and V.
Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bed of the annealing box which is
carried upon balls or rollers 2 that travel on grooved rails 3, and 4 designates the
box cover which rests in the groove 5 of the bed 1, and is provided with pro-
jections 6 for the connection of a bail 7 that may be attached as usual to a crane
for the purpose of elevating said cover.
8 designates a plate which may be of cast iron, or other suitable material, and
is provided on its sides with knobs or studs 9 located a suitable distance apart.
In Figure IV these studs are shown on one side only of the plate 8, but in
Figure V a variation is shown in which they are provided on both sides of a
plate 8. These plates are employed between the piles of metallic sheets for the
purpose of providing an air space through which the heat may enter to reach the
central portions of the sheets and anneal the sheets uniformly.
In Figure X is shown a box 8 provided with partitions 8°, and in its walls and
partitions are openings 8d. This box is designed as a modification of the plates 8
and 8 and is adapted to hold the charcoal or equivalent filling 10 as in the
instance of said plates, the heat having free access into the filling through the
openings 8ª.
In carrying out this invention, one of the plates 8 is first placed in position on
the bed of the annealing box, and next wood charcoal or charcoal dust distributed
over the plate in the spaces between the studs 9, or an analogous or equivalent
beat conducting material, which is designated in the drawings by 10, next there is
laid upon the plate 8 a flat plate 11 and on the plate 11 as many sheets 12 are
piled with the interposed fine particles of mineral matter, as hereinafter described,
as may be desired or deemed proper in order to attain the best results in annealing
them.
When as many sheets as desired have been placed in pile a second plate 8 is laid
upon the pile of sheets and covered with wood charcoal, as in the first instance,
and a plate 11 placed upon it, and another pile of sheets built up as before, and
thus the process of building the piles of sheets goes on until the height of the
interior of the cover 4 is reached, and the box has received all it cau accommodate
at one time. The box is then run on a track into a suitable furnace, and the
furnace is fired as usual.
In Figures I and III is shown, for illustration, at the bottom a series of small
sheets between which is a circulation space a, and at the top a series of larger
sheets in position, and in the same figures the plates 8 are shown at the bottom,
while the topmost plate is one of those referred to as 8ª which are provided with
knobs or studs on both sides.
It has been discovered that by separating the individual sheets in annealing, that
a gloss and finish can be imparted to them, thus producing what my correspondent
terms colored sheets. In Figures VI and VII, this part of the invention is
illustrated. To thus color them, over the sheets 12 is sprinkled (see Figures VI
and VII) a mixture composed approximately of one-half copper filings and one-
half of pulverised soapstone. The placing of said substance is done during the
process of piling the sheets, as hereinbefore set forth, and the substance is placed
between all of the sheets which it is desired to color.
When the box is ready to enter the furnace, au embankment of sand is placed
around the outside of the cover designated by 14 in Figure I, so as to exclude
the air from the interior of the box, in order that the sheets being annealed will
not scale. The box is then rolled into the furnace which may be of any usual
construction and fired up to a cherry red heat, and as soon as such heat is attained,
the fire is allowed to subside, and when the furnace is cooled down to a black
heat, the box is removed from the furnace, and the sheets will be found to be
annealed and will have an attractive gloss imparted to them.

page_text: This method might be carried out to a certain extent by applying the
separating medium to the sheets before they are put into the annealing oven for
the first time.
A very important result of this improved method which has been established
by practical demonstration, is that the finished sheets do not break when bent
at an acute angle or bent back and forth, as is the case with Russia iron or
iron which has been given its finished appearance and gloss by the hammering
method.
In carrying out this improved method for the better grade of sheet metal, the
metal is first rolled into sheets while in a heated form, after they are rolled and
sheared to the desired size, the sheets are put into a bath of suitable acid, such as
sulphuric, and water to take off the impurities that may be on the surface of the
sheets. The sheets are then annealed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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 :-
1. The improved method of treating and annealing metallic sheets, which
consists in annealing the sheets, then cold rolling the sheets, then stacking the
sheets with a separating medium of copper filings and pulverised soapstone inter-
posed between the respective sheets, and then annealing the sheets a second time,
substantially as set forth.
2. The improved method of treating and annealing metallic sheets, which
consists in first annealing the sheets, then cold rolling the sheets, then stacking
the sheets with interposed layers of copper filings and pulverised soapstone between
the respective sheets, and then annealing the sheets a second time, substantially as
set forth.
3. The improved method of annealing metallic sheets herein described, which
consists in placing upon the sheets a coating of copper filings, and pulverised
soapstone, and then annealing the sheets, substantially as described.
4. The improved method of annealing metallic sheets herein described, which
consists in placing upon the sheets a coating of copper filings, pulverised soapstone
and iron ore, and then annealing the sheets, substantially as described.
Dated thie 4th day of May 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.