Can Lacquering Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Can Lacquering Machines.
I, ROBERT DENISTON HUME, of Gold Beach, County of Curry, State of
Oregon, U.S.A., Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
n and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an apparatus which is adapted to apply lacquer to the
exterior surfaces of cans containing hermetically sealed goods, the lacquer being
applied after the cans are filled and sealed for the purpose of giving the proper
finish to them.
It consists in certain details of construction which will be more fully explained
by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :--
Figure 1 is a general view of my machine.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical cross section through the end of the heating
drum, the register and the cooling chamber with brushes.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the chain.
A are standards or supports of any suitable character upon which the parts of the
apparatus are mounted.
Upon the support are journaled two chain-wheels B, one being considerably
lower than the other.
C is a trough containing the lacquer which is to be applied to the cans, and D'is
a chute through which the cans are delivered to the lower end of this trough.
The lower end of the trough C is shaped approximately to the curvature of the
exterior of the chain-wheel B, so that as the cans roll down the chute D they will
be delivered into the curved end of the lacquer trough, following its curvature until
they arrive at the lowest point, which is approximately beneath the centre of the
carrying wheels B.
I have
The lacquer may be delivered into this trough in any suitable manner.
found that a very suitable way of doing this, is to lead it from the cask, or other
containing vessel into a chamber, at a lower level, by means of a pipe, and using a
stop-cock with a lever and a float by which the cock is opened when the amount of
lacquer in the chamber is reduced, and is closed by the rising of the ball when there
is a sufficient amount in the chamber.
A pipe from this chamber leads directly into the lacquer trough, and thus
supplies the lacquer as fast as it becomes exhausted, and no more is exposed to
the action of the air than is necessary for the work.
E is an endless chain passing around the wheels B. This chain is composed of
two sets of jointed side bars connected together by transverse pins between which
the cans are carried and delivered from the chute D.
Power is applied from any suitable source to rotate the wheels B, and cause the
chain E to travel upward from the lacquer trough C, the cans being delivered from
the upper end of the trough.
In order to remove any surplus lacquer from the cans, I have shown a line of
brushes a fixed to a suitable support so that the brushes may either be removed
separately for cleansing, or the support with the series of brushes may be taken out,
and another one substituted.
As the cans pass beneath these brushes the surplus lacquer upon the cans will be
removed.
From the upper end of the lacquer trough they are delivered upon a second
carrying belt G: This belt is composed of a pair of endless chains passing around
bulleys H and travelling in an approximately horizontal position.

page_text: Between the sides of the chain are transverse pins ) which unite the ends of each
pair of links and the intermediate pins J'.
These pins are turned with projecting flanges J', and when the cans are delivered
from the first chain E they fall upon these flanges of the pins J and J2 which thus
support them with the smallest possible points touching the sufficiently lacquered
surface. The ends of the pins J2 pass through slots in the side bars of the chain,
and they are held at any point by clamping ends, so that they may be adjusted to
suit the size of the cans which are being treated. The cans delivered upon this
chain then rest upon the flanges J¹ and in order to further relieve the cans of any
superfluous lacquer which may still remain upon them, I have shown another series
of brushes b, beneath or above which the cans pass during their travel over this
portion of the apparatus.
K is a drying drum which consists of a double casing surrounding the carrying
chain for a considerable distance, the inner casing being open at both ends to allow
the chain and cans to enter and pass out.
The exterior casing is closed, and steam is admitted into the annular space
between the two through an outlet pipe L' and the water of condensation is dis-
charged by a pipe at the opposite end of the casing.
From this portion of the casing, which may be as long as is found necessary or
desirable, the cans pass into another casing M through which a blast of air is
delivered from any suitable fan or blast apparatus as shown at N.
In the present case I have shown this blast of air as being delivered so as to
travel in the same direction with the cans, but it will be manifest that it may be
reversed and travel in the opposite direction if found desirable.
P is a register or other means for admitting air at a point between the drying
drum or casing and the one in which the blast acts to cool the cans.
This register
is opened or closed to regulate the temperature within the casing M as may be
desired, during the cooling process.
In order to cleanse the cans of any small amount of superfluous lacquer which
may still remain upon them, and which during the travel through the horizontal
portions of the apparatus will have settled upon the lower surfaces of the cans,
I have shown a final series of cleansing brushes O supported in a suitable frame,
so that they may be removed from time to time to be themselves cleansed.
These brushes project up into the cooling tube through which the air-blast passes
sufficiently to just brush over the lower surfaces of the cans as they pass.
The different movable parts of the apparatus may be driven from any suitable
source of power by intermediate gearing as herein shown.
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 :-
1. An apparatus for lacquering cans consisting of the inclined lacquer containing
trough, endless open link carrying chains dipping into said trough, chutes by which
the cans are delivered to the lower end of the trough between the links of the chain
by which they are carried to the upper and discharge end, a second belt consisting
of open-link chains having transversely adjustable pins with raised flanges upon
which the cans are received, an enclosed annular drying chamber through which
the carrying chain passes, a second cylindrical chamber forming a continuation of
the drying chamber, an air-blast apparatus and pipes leading from said air-blast
into the second cylindrical chamber whereby the caus are cooled while passing
through said chamber, and a series of brushes situated at intervals with relation to
the carrying chains whereby the surplus lacquer is removed from the cans as they
pass, substantially as herein described.
2. An apparatus for lacquering cans consisting of an inclined lacquer containing
trough, endless open-link chains by which the cans are passed through the lacquer
and then transmitted through successive drying and cooling chambers, brushes
situated at intervals with reference to the transmitting chains, whereby the surplus

page_text: lacquer is removed from the cans, an air-blast apparatus and a pipe delivering air
therefrom into the cooling chamber, and gate-controlled openings between the
drying and cooling chambers, whereby a regulated amount of air is admitted to the
cooling chamber independent of that supplied from the blast apparatus, substantially
5 as herein described.