IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR COATING AND FINISHING TIN, TERNE, OR OTHER METALLIC SHEETS OR PLATES, AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF SUCH PLATES OR SHEETS PASSING THROUGH SUCH APPARATUS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Stuart of Bletchley Iron Works Fenny Stratford
in the County of Bucks Mechanical Engineer for an Invention of “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR COATING AND FINISHING TIN,
TERNE, OR OTHER METALLIC SHEETS OR PLATES, AND REGISTERING THE
NUMBER OF SUCH PLATES OR SHEETS PASSING THROUGH SUCH APPARATUS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Stuart at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1883.
4
CHARLES STUART of Bletchley Iron Works, Fenny Stratford in the County of
Bucks, Mechanical Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS
FOR COATING AND FINISHING TIN, TERNE, AND OTHER METALLIC SHEETS, OR
PLATES AND REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF SUCH PLATES OR SHEETS PASSING
THROUGH SUCH APPARATUS
"
A Bath of peculiar form is employed containing both molten metal and grease
through which the metallic sheets pass to receive their coating of tin or other
metal. In this bath are arranged parallel guides capable of lateral motion to suit
various sized plates which are cross fed into them in such a manner that each
succeeding plate crosses the edge of the preceding one and pushes it forward.
With this object the plates are first passed through rollers revolving in fixed
bearings or through slots cut in a plate of iron or other suitable material. On
passing from the rollers or slots the plates act upon switches or tongue pieces
arranged in or outside the guides as may be convenient These switches or tongue
pieces are capable of oscillating so that a sheet or plate passing through the rollers
or slots will bear upon the front of one switch and the back of another and while
the motion of feeding is carried on the sheets will hold the switches crossways
in the guides so that when the first sheet has passed the switches the second
sheet acts upon their opposite sides and works them back to their normal position
or the return motion may be effected by means of springs or other suitable
contrivance.
}

page_text: The movement of the switches as produced by the sheets or otherwise is so
arranged as to work an Indicator by which the number of sheets or plates passing
the switches is registered.
The above mentioned rollers through which the sheets pass before entering the
guides have loose flanges on them held in position by light springs. The sheets
when put into the rollers fit tight between the flanges which carry them below the
nip of the rollers whence the sheets pass into the switches and are thus auto-
matically crossed in the guides. By this arrangement of moveable switches it will
be seen that any time may elapse.between feeding the sheets through the rollers
without any injury as it is impossible to put two sheets successively the same way
into the guides which is often done with swivelling feed rollers which are worked
by means of machinery first to one angle then the other necessitating the stoppage
of the machine to remove the plates
At the finishing end of the coating bath is formed a chamber or recess into
which the scruff is passed when taken off the sheets by the Planishers hereafter
described before they enter the finishing rolls. This chamber is reached by an
opening or door at the top used by the workman when necessary to clean off the
planishers which are thus always kept in working order.
Opposite or near to the above mentioned chamber there are placed asbestos
planishers or surface cleaners which may be in form of rollers or otherwise through.
which the sheets pass before entering the finishing rolls. These planishers take the
scruff off the plates-done at present by hand with a flax brush-whilst at the
same time they are adjustable to gauge so as to regulate the quantity of metal on
the plates, by which means there is not only a great saving of metal but plates are
produced of superior finish.
Above of beyond the rollers which take the plates from the planishers another
pair or more if found useful-of rollers is arranged covered with asbestos or other
suitable material by which any remaining grease or moisture is thoroughly wiped
off the plates. By these arrangements the sheets which can be of any reasonable size
-after being pickled in the ordinary manner-may by passing them through the
one bath as above described receive their coating of metal in a much shorter time
than by any of the present systems while a better and more perfect surface is
produced with a far less expenditure of metal and the plates issue from the finishing
rollers bright and clean without requiring further manipulation by rice husks or
otherwise thus effecting a very large total saving both of time and labour and
consequent expence.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Stuart in the Patent Office on the 3rd January 1884.
CHARLES STUART of Bletchley Iron Works Fenny Stratford in the County of
Bucks Mechanical Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR
COATING AND FINISHING TIN, TERNE OR OTHER METALLIC SHEETS OR PLATES AND
REGISTERING THE NUMBER OF SUCH PLATES OR SHEETS PASSING THROUGH SUCH
APPARATUS
"
This Invention has for its object To dispense with all necessity for the aid of
skilled labor in the finishing of tin terne and other metal plates thus greatly
reducing the cost of manufacture
And in order that my said invention may be better understood and readily
carried into effect I will now with the aid of the accompanying drawings proceed
more particularly to describe and ascertain the same
Figure 1 of such drawings shews a longitudinal vertical section of a metal bath
through which the plates are passed to be coated with tin or terne metal This
bath is of any suitable construction and is fitted at the finishing end with a suitable
receiving chamber a into which the scruff falls when removed from the surface of
the plates as presently described
Access is obtained to such receiving chamber through a suitable opening placed
either at the top or in any other convenient position to allow of the planishers
hereafter mentioned being cleansed from the accumulated scruff and so kept clean.
and in working order.
Such bath is provided with parallel curvilinear guides b which are capable
of being regulated according to the size of the plates they have to carry
Such plates are crossfed into these guides in such a manner that the fore end of
each succeeding plate butts crosswise against the rear end of the preceding one and
so pushes the latter forward
Before cross feeding the plates into the guides such plates pass through revolving.
rollers mounted in fixed bearings Upon passing from the rollers the plates act
upon switches & fitted either inside or outside the guides
Such switches are fitted in and pivotted to a suitable frame e and are free to
move to and fro so that upon a plate being fed through the rollers such plato
will bear upon the front of one switch and the back of another and while the
plates continue to be fed such plates will hold the switches cross wise in
the guides so that when the first plate has passed the switches the succeeding
plate will act upon their opposite sides and so bring them back to their normal
position
Fitted in any convenient position outside the bath is an indicator which is
connected with either one or both the switches by a wire or otherwise and
is actuated and controlled by them This indicator serves to register the number of
plates which pass the switches
The rollers through which the plates are passed before entering the guides
are fitted with loose flanges which are held in position by means of springs-The
plates fit tightly between these flanges which carry them below the nip of the
rollers whence the sheets pass into the switches and are thus automatically crossfed
to the guides
By this improved arrangement of the switches it will be obvious that if needed
any desired length of time may elapse between feeding the sheets through the
rollers without any mistake arising as it is impossible to put two sheets successively
the same way into the guides as is often the case with swivelling feed rollers which

page_text: are worked by machinery first to one angle and then to another thus necessitating
the stoppage of the machine to remove the plates
Opposite the herein before mentioned chamber at the finishing end of the coating
bath there are arranged asbestos planishers c preferably in the form of rollers
between which the sheets pass before entering the finishing rollers-In fixing the
planishers fibrous asbestos is taken and placed vertically in au iron or metal box
ór holder the asbestos projecting a little above the iron and then pressed into a
nearly compact mass by means of screws at the ends-The ends of the asbestos
fibre are then cut to a smooth and even surface-When formed as rollers a series of
these boxes or holders are arranged upon a spindle so as to form a cylindrical
surface These asbestos planishers remove the scruff from the plates more effectually
than can at present be done by hand while at the same time they are adjustable
to gauge so as to regulate the quantity of metal left upon the plates This is a
most important feature of the invention as by this means not only is there a great
saving in metal but plates are produced of a superior finish Above or beyond the
rollers which take the plates from these asbestos planishers one or more pairs of
rollers is or are placed covered with asbestos cloth which thoroughly cleanses the
plates from any residium of any grease, oil or moisture remaining thereon-By
this means all necessity for skilled labor in the finishing of the plates is dispensed
with By these arrangements the plates after being first pickled in the ordinary
manner are by being passed through the one bath coated with metal far more
speedily and effectually than by the present process while a superior surface is
produced with less expenditure of metal and the plates issue from the finishing
rollers bright and clean without needing any further manipulation thus effecting
a considerable economy in the cost of production
Having thus particularly described my said invention and the manner of carrying
the same into effect I would have it understood that I claim as novel and of my
invention
1. The fitting a metal bath with switches for the purpose of automatically con-
trolling the travel of the plates substantially in the manner hereinbefore described
and shewn
2. The employment of asbestos planishers and rollers in the manufacture of tin,
terne and other metal plates substantially in the manner and for the purposes.
herein before described and shewn
•
3. The combination in a metal bath of the, switches, planishers, finishers and
indicator substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before specified
In witness whereof I the said Charles Stuart have hereunto set my hand and
seal this third day of January in the Year of Our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four
CUT & TV