Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Tin and Terne Plates.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Tin and Terne Plates.
I, THOMAS JENKINS of Messrs. E. Moorewood & Co.'s South Wales Steel
Iron and Tin Plate Works, Llanelly in the County of Carmarthen, Fitter do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :--
For cleaning tin and terne plates after they have been taken from the finishing
grease pot I cause the plates to be delivered one by one from an endless revolving
chain to hinged holders constructed as hereinafter described ranged around the
circumference of a horizontal revolving drum the lower part of which is immersed
in a vessel filled with bran or other cleaning material. As the drum revolves the
plates are carried down within the holders into and through the cleaning material
and when they have been raised up from it the holders open and the plates are
discharged one after the other in a cleaned state.
The drum I form of rings carried concentrically at a distance apart from one.
another from an axis to which a continuous revolving motion imparted. Each
of the holders which are ranged around the circumference of the drum I form of a
number of curved parallel bars set side by side at a distance apart from one
another. These at one end are free to turn upon a spindle which is parallel with
the axis of the drum and is carried by the drum rings. At their other end the
bars are secured to a rod the ends of which are made to enter into cam grooves
formed in two fixed plates which are one on either side of the drum. As the drum
revolves, the cam grooves cause the holder to turn somewhat outwards from the
drum to allow of a plate being inserted between them or to turn into a position
concentric with the drum to retain the plate. Inward projections from the ends of
the curved bars which form the holder serve as stops for the plate to rest against
when the holder is closed.
The drum is revolved in such a direction that the ends of the holders which are
hinged to the drum first enter the vessel which holds the bran or cleaning material.
As the hinged end of each holder is carried down towards the vessel containing
the cleaning material the holder is held open by the action of the cam groove and
a plate is dropped between it and the drum. The holder is then by the action of
the cam groove caused to close and retain the plate and the plate is carried round
with the drum through the cleaning material. When the plate has been carried
up out of the vessel the cam grooves cause the holder to open and the cleaned
plate drops away clear of the vessel whilst the holder remains open until it has
come into position for another plate to have been delivered into it.
To feed the plates one by one to the holders on the drum I employ a broad
horizontal endless revolving chain or chains mounted on two rollers which are
parallel with the drum. One of these rollers is close to the drum so that as the
chain passes around it any plate resting on the chain and being carried forward
with it towards the drum slips off from the chain and drops into one or other of
the drum holders. The chain is formed with rods or projections standing up from
some of its links. The boy who takes the plates from the finishing pot places
them one by one on to the top of the chain so that the edge which is towards the
drum rests on the chain just in rear of one of the projections which stand up from
it whilst the rear end of the plate rests upon the next projection which stands up
from the chain. The plates are so carried forward by the chain separate one
from the other and each in an inclined position. The chain is driven at such a
speed relatively to the drum that there is always one of the holders on the drum
ready to receive each plate as it drops from the chain. The chain also is of such
length that each plate placed upon it has just time to cool sufficiently for the

page_text: coating metal upon it to set before the plate is delivered to the drum to be carried
through the cleaning material.
If desired two or more drums may be used in succession to carry the plates
successively through two or more baths of bran or cleaning material.
Dated this 4th day of May 1891.
THOMAS JENKINS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Tin and Terne Plates.
I, THOMAS JENKINS, of Messrs. E. Morewood & Co.'s South Wales Steel
Iron and Tin Plate Works, Llanelly, in the County of Carmarthen, Fitter, 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:-
For cleaning tin and terne plates after they have been taken from the finishing
grease pot I cause the plates to be delivered one by one to hinged holders
constructed as hereinafter described ranged around the circumference of a
horizontal revolving drum the lower part of which is immersed in a vessel filled
with bran or other cleaning material. As the drum revolves the plates are
carried down within the holders into and through the cleaning material and when
they have been raised up from it the holders open and the plates are discharged
one after the other in a cleaned state.
The drum I form of rings or segments carried concentrically at a distance apart
from one another from an axis to which a continuous revolving motion is imparted.
Each of the holders which are ranged around the circumference of the drum I
form of a number of curved parallel bars set side by side at a distance apart from
one another. These at one end are free to turn upon a spindle which is parallel
with the axis of the drum and is carried by the drum rings. At their other end
the bars are secured to a rod the ends of which are made to enter into cam grooves
formed in two fixed plates which are one on either side of the drum. As the drum
revolves, the cam grooves cause the holder to turn somewhat outwards from the
drum to allow of a plate being inserted between them or to turn into a position
concentric with the drum to retain the plate. Inward projections from the ends
of the curved bars which form the holder serve as stops for the plate to rest
against when the holder is closed.
The drum is revolved in such a direction that the ends of the holders which are
hinged to the drum first enter the vessel which holds the bran or cleaning material.
As the hinged end of each holder is carried down towards the vessel containing
the cleaning material the holder is held open by the action of the cam groove and
a plate is dropped between it and the drum. The holder is then by the action of
the cam groove caused to close and retain the plate and the plate is carried round
with the drum through the cleaning material. When the plate has been carried up
out of the vessel the cam grooves cause the holder to open and the cleaned plate
drops away clear of the vessel whilst the holder remains open until it has come
into position for another plate to have been delivered into it.
In some cases I employ endless chains to convey the plates from the finishing
pot and deliver them one by one to the holders. The boy who takes the plates
from the finishing pot places them one by one on to the top of the chains with
that edge foremost which comes first from the pot. Each plate therefore as it
passes from off the chains into the holders has still the same edge foremost and is
carried through the cleaning material still with this edge foremost so that the
grease which always remains accumulated along the edge which last leaves the
finishing pot is at once brushed off away from the plate and not smeared over it.
The chains are driven at such a speed relatively to the drum that there is always
one of the holders on the drum ready to receive each plate as it is tilted from

page_text: off the chains. The chains also are of such length that each plate placed upon it
has just time to cool sufficiently for the coating metal upon it to set before the
plate is delivered to the drum to be carried through the cleaning material. When
working with thin plates the endless chains are unnecessary and the boy who takes
the plates from the pot can at once drop them on to a table with that edge which
came first from the pot towards the drum to be at once delivered with that edge
foremost into the cleaning machine so soon as one of the holders comes into
position for a plate to be dropped into it.
If desired two or more drums may be used in succession to carry the plates
Buccessively through two or more baths of bran or cleaning material.
The drawings annexed shew apparatus constructed as above described.
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections and Figure 3 a plan view.
A is a revolving shaft, B B are arms radiating from it each carrying at its end
a bar C parallel with the shaft-each bar has radial projections C' standing out
from it at a distance apart from one another. To each radial projection is rivetted
a plate D the outer edge of which is curved concentrically with the shaft. To one
end of each plate is pin jointed one end of a bar E the other end of which is
formed into a hook E'. A rod F is passed through the hooked ends of all the bars
and its ends enter into cam grooves G¹ formed in fixed side frames G. H is a
trough containing bran or other cleaning material and H' a door to allow of the
cleaning material being readily emptied out from the trough whenever required.
The cam grooves G' are at the point I formed as shewn to move the hooked
ends E' of the bars E away from the shaft A so that any plate previously held
between the bars E and the segments D is allowed to drop away and fall on to an
inclined table J. At the point K the cam grooves are formed to move the hooked
ends of the bars E towards the shaft and to make these hooked ends enter
between the segments D so as to prevent any plate which has been placed between
the bars E and the segments from escaping from between them.
In order to drop a plate between the segments and hooked bars as each set of
segments and bars is carried past the point K an axis L is mounted in bearings
just above this point and carries a table M composed of parallel bars which
stand out from it. Normally the table rests in an inclined position as shewn in
Figure and whilst in this position a plate is placed on to it. Projecting from the
axis which carries the table are fingers N against which the rods F strike as they
are carried round past them. As each rod strikes the fingers it gives a partial
turn to the axis and tilts the table into the position shewn by dotted lines-the
plate then slips off from the table and drops between the bars and segments and
then gets held between them as above described and is carried through the bran or
cleaning material in the trough H and discharged from the trough when it has
been carried past the point I.
For many purposes the plates when discharged from the trough and subsequently
dusted or brushed will be sufficiently cleaned but if desired they may as they are
discharged from the holders of one cleaning machine be dropped into the holders
of a second similar machine and be by them carried through a further quantity of
cleaning material.
If endless chains are employed to convey the plates from the finishing pot to
the cleaning machine the chains are mounted. on polygonal pulleys on two axes
which are parallel with the drum and one near to it." When a plate resting on the
chains conies above this axis it can be lifted off from the chains and dropped into
one or other of the holders or carriers of the cleaning machine by bars M which
work between the chains and which are carried on an axis L rocked by fingers N
as in the arrangement shewn in the drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :--
The combination of the endless chain carrier conveving plates to the

page_text: cleaning machine and mechanism for delivering the plates from the chains into the
holders or carriers which are to convey them through the cleaning material sub-
stantially as described.
2. The tilting bars or table M rocked by pins or projections on the revolving
drum and feeding the plates into the holders or carriers which are to convey them
through the cleaning material whereby the plates can readily be fed into the
holders or carriers with their clean edge foremost substantially as described.
3. The plate holders for carrying plates through a trough of cleaning material
each composed of parallel plates D and hinged hooked bars E the hooked ends of
which are made alternately to enter between and to move away from the plates D
so as first to take hold of and subsequently release a plate substantially as
described.
4. The combination of the plates D hooked bars E can grooves G¹ and
trough H substantially as described.
5. The construction of apparatus substantially as herein before described for
cleaning tin and terne plates.
Dated this 1st day of February 1892.
THOMAS JENKINS.