Improvements in Means or Apparatus to be Employed in Coating Metal Sheets with Tin, Terne, and other Metals or Alloys.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus to be Employed in Coating
Metal Sheets with Tin, Terne, and other Metals or Alloys.
We JOHN GLYN THOMAS of Llangennech in the County of Carmarthen, South
Wales, Iron and Tin Plate Manufacturer, and GEORGE HENRY WHITE of Lliw Forge,
near Pontardulais, in the County of Glamorgan, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of said invention to be as follows:-
The principal object of our invention is to obtain a compact arrangement of
apparatus in which the several processes from the fluxing to the finishing are effected
in one continuous operation.
For this purpose we connect the tinning pot with the grease pot by means of a
narrow neck or way of such dimensions and in such position as will allow a plate to
pass freely therethrough and so that the molten metal or alloy will maintain the same
level in both pots.
Each pot is heated by means of a fire as is usual but in consequence of the small
area of the neck or way and by regulating the fires we are enabled to maintain
the metal in the two pots at different degrees of heat as is necessary for the proper
carrying out of the process.
In the upper part of the tinning pot we arrange a bottomless chamber or trough
and in this chamber upon the surface of the molten metal the flux is supported and
through this flux bath or chamber the metal plate is passed.
From the flux chamber or trough guides are arranged to conduct the metal plate
through the molten metal to the first pair of rolls and the plate thence passes through
the neck or way to the grease pot at the entrance to which it is received between
another pair of rolls.
Between this second pair of rolls and the next pair or finishing rolls which are
arranged above the level of the molten metal an enclosed guide or way is provided to
conduct the metal plate in the desired path.
This guide passes above the level of the molten metal and enters a short distance
into the grease which grease is supported upon the surface of the molten metal and
such guide is provided with doors or shutters at each side through which a scraper
or cleaner at the times desired removes any dross which may have accumulated upon
the surface of the molten metal and which would be injurious to the plate the doors or
shutters preventing the return of the dross within the guide or way.
The scraper or cleaner is operated by levers or connections so as to move to and
fro across the surface of the molten metal and the doors or shutters are so connected
therewith and timed that when the scraper or cleaner commences its traverse from one
side to the other of the enclosed guide the door behind it is closed and that in front
of it is opened so that any dross in front of the scraper is forced out there-
through.
An important feature of this enclosed guide is that it encloses the surface of the
molten metal through which the plate passes and thus leaves only a very small surface
upon which dross can form and we are thus enabled to readily remove such deleterious
matter as hereinbefore described.
It will be evident that we may obtain the same effect by employing only a short
enclosed guide entering a short distance into the molten metal and rising a short
distance into the grease and other means than the doors and scraper might be employed
to remove the dross.
We may employ enclosed or other guides to conduct the plates from any one
nair of rolls to another nair

page_text: After passing through this enclosed guide and the first pair of finishing rolls the
metal plate passes to another pair of such rolls whence it is conducted away as
desired.
We preferably employ scrapers, cleaners or brushes in connection with the various
rolls in order to keep their surfaces in good working order and we if necessary
employ rolls made of copper or other non-oxidizible metal or alloy in order to avoid
chemical action as much as possible.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus to be Employed in Coating
Metal Sheets with Tin, Terne, and other Metals or Alloys.
We, JOHN GLYN THOMAS of Llangennech in the County of Carmarthen, South
Wales, Iron and Tin Plate Manufacturer, and GEORGE HENRY WHITE of Lliw Forge,
near Pontardulais in the County of Glamorgan, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to he performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The principal object of our invention is to obtain a compact arrangement of apparatus
in which the several processes from the fluxing or tinning to the finishing are effected
in one continuous operation and in a better manner than heretofore.
For this purpose we connect the tinning pot with the grease pot by means of a
narrow neck or way of such dimensions and in such position as will allow a plate to
pass freely therethrough and so that the molten metal or alloy will maintain the same
level in both pots.
Each pot is beated by means of a fire as is usual, but by reason of the small
area of the neck or way and by regulating the fires we are enabled to maintain
the metal in the two pots at different degrees of heat as is necessary for the proper
carrying out of the process.
In the upper part of the tinning pot we arrange a bottomless box and in this box
upon the surface of the 'molten metal the flux or tinning composition is supported
and through this box the metal plate is passed.
From the flux or tinning composition box, guides are arranged to conduct the
metal plate through the molten metal to the first pair of rolls and the plate thence
passes through the neck or way to the grease pot at the entrance to which it is
received between another pair of rolls.
Between this second pair of rolls and the next pair or finishing rolls which are
arranged above the level of the molten metal an enclosed guide or way is provided to
conduct the metal plate in the desired path.
This guide rises above the level of the molten metal and enters a short distance into
the grease which grease is supported upon the surface of the molten metal and such
guide is provided with doors or shutters at each side covering openings through
which a scraper or cleaner at the times desired removes any dross which may have
accumulated upon the surface of the molten metal within the enclosed guide and which
would be injurious to the plate, the doors or shutters preventing the return of the
dross within the guide or way.
The scraper or cleaner is operated by levers or connections so as to move it to and
fro across the surface of the molten metal and the doors or shutters are so connected
therewith and timed that when the scraper or cleaner commences its traverse from
one side to the other of the enclosed guide the door behind it is closed and that
in front of it is opened so that any dross in front of the scraper is forced out
therethrough.

page_text: normally meeting at their lower edges in a √ form so that they will brush the surfaces
of the plates after they have passed through the flux or tinning composition and thus
remove therefrom any dross or scruff that may be adherent thereto.
From the flux box 6 the guides c conduct the metal plates through the molten
metal in the tinning pot a to the first pair of rolls d,e which grip them and feed or
carry them forward.
The feed rolls d. e are mounted in suitable bearings d¹ e¹ carried by a framing g,
formed with a supporting returned flange h, within the tinning pot a and the
bearings of the upper roll d are capable of slight vertical movement to allow of
the rolls being forced together in order that they may obtain a proper grip of the
plates.
The feed roll d is held in contact with the corresponding roll e with a spring
pressure by means of spring levers d² which are mounted upon centres of motion d³
at each end of the frame g and at their lower ends bear upon the upper sides of the
bearings and these levers d2 are at their upper ends formed with holes therethrough
to receive screws d' carried by the framing 9 and upon which are screwed nuts d
which act upon the ends of the levers d² and exert the necessary force thereon.
The feed rolls d, e, are caused to revolve at the same speed by means of toothed
wheels de fixed on the axes at one end thereof and geared together and motion is
communicated thereto by means of a toothed wheel d** fixed upon the other end
thereof engaging a toothed wheel v mounted upon a stud v* carried by the tinning
pot a said wheel v engaging a toothed wheel v¹ fixed upon the end of a shaft 2 provided
with cone pulleys v³ to receive a band w which conveys the necessary motion to the
parts.
Scrapers or doctors are employed to act upon the rolls d. e and free them from
any scruff or dross or other impurities that may adhere to the surface thereof and
these doctors or scrapers fare mounted upon pivots or axes of motion f* centred in the
frame g and are acted upon by the lower ends of spring arms or bars f¹ the upper
ends of which are formed with holes therethrough to receive screws f³ upon which are
screwed nuts which act upon the upper ends of the arms f' and thus regulate the
pressure of the doctors or scrapers f.
The plates are fed forward by the rolls d. e through the neck or way a¹ where they
are guided by rails or bars i to another pair of feed rolls j. k situated at the lower part
of the grease pot a².
These feed rolls j, k are mounted in bearings j¹, k¹ supported in a framing / which
also carries the whole of the working parts hereinafter described.
The bearings of the upper roll; are moveable vertically as described with respect
to the roll d and with the same object and the upper roll is similarly pressed upon
the lower roll k by means of spring levers 2 mounted upon centres of motion ³
carried by the framing 7 and at their lower ends bearing upon the bearings whilst
at their upper ends they are formed with slots j to receive screws upon which are
screwed nuts je which act upon the ends of the levers 7 to give the necessary
adjustment.
The rolls j, k are at one end provided with toothed wheels j* * by means of which
they are geared together and the roll j is at its other end fitted with a larger toothed
wheel which engages a toothed wheel u carried by the framing and from which
it receives motion.
***
*
These rolls j, k are also acted upon by doctors or scrapers m, n mounted upon pivots
or axes m n centred in the frame and such scrapers are acted upon by the lower
ends of spring arms or bars m¹³ n¹ whose upper ends are formed with holes there-
through to receive screws o upon which are screwed nuts m², n² so that by revolving
the screw nuts m², n² in the one or the other direction the pressure of the doctors or
scrapers m, n upon the rolls j, k can be regulated as desired.
Between the feed rolls j. k and the next pair or finishing rolls s¹ which are
situated above the level of the molten metal which is indicated by the dotted line
in the grease pot a² an enclosed guide tube or way p is provided to conduct the metal
plate in the desired path and within the grip of the finishing rolls 81.

page_text: This guide p rises above the level of the molten metal and enters a short distance
into the grease the level of which is indicated by the dotted line which is supported
upon the surface of the molten metal and such guide is at its upper end formed with
openings pat each side thereof through which is removed any scruff or dross which
may have accumulated upon the surface of the molten metal within the guide p and
which would be injurious to the plate.
The openings p in the enclosed guide p are normally both closed by means of
sliding shutters or doors p² but such doors p² are formed with openings p³ therein
corresponding with the openings p' in the guide p so that one or other of the
openings pl of the guide p may be opened at the times desired by bringing the
corresponding opening p³ of one of the shutters p² into alignment therewith as
hereinafter more fully described.
Within the upper part of the enclosed guide p works a scraper or cleaner which
is by a cranked arm connected with a horizontal sliding bar supported in guides /¹
and furnished at its end with a handle bar 3 by which it may be operated at the
times desired to move the scraper to and fro across the surface of the molten metal
within the enclosed gaide p and thus remove to the outside of the guide p any dross
or scruff that may have accumulated upon the surface of the metal the doors or
shutters 2 preventing the return of the scruff or dross within the enclosed
guide p.
In order that the necessary movements may be imparted to the doors or shutters r²
each door or shutter is by a pin joint p* connected with the lower end of a lever p
which is mounted upon a centre of motion p upon the framing and the upper
end of each lever p is acted upon by a spring q to keep the doors or shutters p³
normally closed.
Upon the upper end of each lever p® is fitted with capability of partial revolution
thereon a finger p8 and each finger is acted upon by a light spring q' to normally
force it outwards against a stop g when it assumes a position in line with the plane
of motion of its corresponding lever p®.
These fingers på are acted upon by a cam or enlargement of the sliding bar r² which
is at its ends formed with inclines and at the middle of its length with a notch or
recess situated over the scraper r.
The action of this device is as follows:-
When the parts are all in their normal position as represented at Figure 3 with the
doors or shutters p² closed the sliding bar will be in either of the extreme positions
of its traverse the scraper or cleaner r will be at rest at the corresponding side of
the enclosed guide p and the end of one of the fingers p³ will be within the notch or
recess of the sliding har r².
When however it is desired to remove the scruff or dross from the surface of the
metal within the enclosed guide the sliding bar is moved endwise and that finger p
which is within the recess is turned inwards and thus held by the cam or
enlargement as represented at Figure 2 so that its corresponding door or shutter p³
which is at the rear of the scraper remains closed by the influence of the spring q
whilst at the same time one of the inclines 7 acts upon the other finger på moving it
endwise in which position it rides upon and is held by the cam or enlargement *
thereby overcoming the influence of the spring 9 and opening the corresponding
door p in advance of the scraper r thus permitting the scruff or dross to be cleared
off the surface of the molten metal within and removed from the enclosed guide p.
Upon the arrival of the sliding bar and the scraper or cleaner r at the end of
their traverse in removing the scruff or dross as above described the finger på which
has been riding upon the cam or enlargement will by the influence of the spring q
snap into the notch or recess of the sliding bar thereby closing the door or
shutter p over the opening pl of the enclosed guide p through which the dross has
been expelled and preventing its return.
of
In this position of the parts the other finger på will be clear of the enlargement
the sliding bar² and will therefore be forced outwards by the spring q until it is

page_text: arrested by the stop 92 and is in position to be acted upon by one of the inclines
of the sliding bar when by moving such bar end wise in the opposite direction the
operations above described will be repeated.
The most important feature of the enclosed guide p is that it encloses the surface of
the molten metal through which the plate passes to the palm oil or other grease and
thus a very small area only of the molten metal is required to be kept free from
impurities and this can be effected very readily by the means herein before
described.
In practice it has been discovered that generally it is only necessary to clear the
surface of the metal immediately before commencing work as whilst the apparatus is
being continuously worked the formation of dross or scruff upon the small area of
molten metal within the guide p is so inappreciable that the removal thereof is
unnecessary.
It will be evident that provided the upper part of the guide pis formed enclosed the
lower part thereof may be of skeleton form or that a separate short enclosed guide p
may be employed entering a short distance into the molton metal and rising a short
distance into the grease separate guides being employed to conduct the plates from
the rolls j. k, to the enclosed guide p and if desired instead of employing a number of
separate guides or a skeleton guide c in the tinning pot such guide may be
formed enclosed.
If desired the scraper may be dispensed with and the scruff or dross may be
removed when required from the surface of the enclosed guide p by other means such
as a ladle or other hand tool.
After passing through the enclosed guide p, the plate passes between two pairs of
finishing rolls s s¹, tt, working in the grease whence the finished plate is conducted
away as desired.
are
The rolls s s are mounted in bearings s³, s³ carried by the framing and those
capable of slight horizontal movement and are acted upon by a spring lever st to press
the rolls with the necessary spring pressure upon the rolls and these rolls are at one
end fitted with toothed wheels s* by which they are geared together and one of them s
is at the other end fitted with a toothed wheels of larger diameter which engages
both the wheel u and a similar toothed wheel upon the roll t¹ which is the first
driven roll and engaging the wheel is another toothed wheel to fixed upon a shaft t
which is mounted in bearings carried by the grease pot a² and is provided with cone
pulleys which are driven by means of band x, and motion is thus communicated
through the entire train of wheels to the various rolls in the grease pot a² as will be
readily understood.
The final rolls tt are similarly mounted in bearings 23 and those t³ are acted
upon by a spring lever tas hereinbefore described with respect to the rolls s s' and
they are similarly fitted with toothed wheels t* upon the ends thereof to gear
them together.
If desired we may form any of the rolls of copper or other nonoxidizable metal or
alloy in order to avoid chemical action as much as possible and we may employ
enclosed or other guides to conduct the metal plates from any one pair of rolls to
another pair.
The entire frame / carrying the working parts within the grease pot is mounted
upon trunnions or centres of motion and is capable of regulation by means of a
set screw 13 for the purpose of adjusting the frame and rolls to a proper level.
In lieu of forming the tinning, pot a and grease pot a² as separate vessels connected
by the narrow neck or way a¹ such pots may if desired and as represented at Figure 9
be formed in one with a division wall a* to separate the molten metal into two parts
such division wall being formed at a suitable point with a narrow way a¹ therein for
the purposes herein before described.
We would here remark that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details of
construction hereinbefore shown and described as it is evident that the same may be
varied without departing from the spirit of our invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is ;-
1. In an apparatus employed in coating metal plates, a tinning pot and a grease
pot connected by a narrow neck or way, substantially as herein shown and described
and for the purpose stated.
2. In an apparatus employed in coating metal plates, a tinning pot and a grease pot,
a suitable arrangement of guides and rolls to conduct the plates through both pots
beneath the surface of the metal, and doctors or scrapers to act upon said rolls,
substantially as herein shewn and described.
3. In an apparatus employed in coating metal plates, an enclosed guide or tube
descending into the molten metal and rising into the grease, substantially as herein
shewn and described and for the purpose stated.
4. In an apparatus employed in coating metal plates, an enclosed guide or tube
descending into the molten metal and rising into the grease, such guide being provided
with openings at each side thereof and suitable doors or shutters, substantially as
herein shewn and described and for the purpose stated.
5. In an apparatus employed in coating metal plates, an enclosed guide or tube
descending into the metal and rising into the grease such guide being provided with
openings at each side thereof, suitable doors or shutters to close such openings and
a scraper or cleaner working in the guide or tube, the doors or shutters and the
scraper being relatively operated in manner substantially as herein shown and described
and for the purpose stated.
6. In an apparatus employed in coating metal plates, a tinning pot and a greaso
pot connected by a narrow neck or way, an arrangement of guides and rolls to
conduct the plates through both pots beneath the surface of the metal, doctors or
scrapers to act upon said rolls, an enclosed guide or tube descending into the metal and
rising into the grease, such guide being provided with openings at each side thereof,
suitable doors or shutters to close such openings, and a scraper or cleaner working in
the guide or tube, all in manner substantially as herein shewn and described and for
the purposes stated.
Dated this 17th day of 1000
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, Agents.