IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANING TIN AND TERNE PLATES, AND IN THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Jenkins, of Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Millwright and Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANING
TIN AND TERNE PLATES, AND IN THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS TO
BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
"
Sealed the Sth September 1877, and dated the 15th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Jenkins at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th May 1877.
JAMES JENKINS, of Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan, Millwright and
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANING TIN AND TERNE PLATES, AND IN THE
MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
This Invention relates to a novel system or mode of and machinery for cleaning
or removing the oil and grease (whether hot or cold) from tin and terne plates after
the process of coating or tinning.
According to my Invention I employ one or more vertically disposed revolving
barrels of wood, metal, or other suitable material placed inside a surrounding casing,
such casing being filled with bran," sharps," or other suitable cleansing material of like
character. The surfaces of the said barrels are fluted or made with hollows or teeth
disposed at any convenient angle to the axis of the barrel, or parallel to the said
axis, as found most convenient in practice. The said barrels are caused to rotate by
the aid of gearing or otherwise, and by the act of rotation in the bran they take up
a portion of such bran, which, by adhering to the teeth or hollows, forms a sub-
stantial jacket, tyre, or covering to the said barrel of bran or " 'sharps," which
covering serves as a most effectual cleansing medium.
The angle of the flutings, hollows, or teeth is so arranged as not to compress or
solidify in any way the bran in the surrounding casing, but to keep up a constant
change of the bran upon the surface of the plate to be cleaned.
The barrels when used in pairs may be adjusted towards or from each other by
adjusting screw spindles and nuts, or other equivalent mechanical contrivance, acting
upon the bearings of the said barrels.
In front of the barrels there is provided a pair of feed rollers, which are driven at
a slower rate than the cleaning barrels, or if the barrels revolve in a contrary direc-
tion to the feed rollers, then the difference in speed is not material,

page_text: The feed rollers may, if preferred, be dispensed with, the plates being simply fed
through the machine by hand between guides, it being simply necessary that the
surface or surfaces of such plates shall be brought in contact with the bran-coated
surface of the cleaning barrels.
The cleaned plates may or may not be dusted by sheep-skin rollers or other suitable
dusters, and they issue in a perfectly clean condition from the opposite side of the
machine ready for sorting and packing.
A portion of the bran or "sharps" falls through one or more openings in the
bottom of the casing, and is again elevated and fed into the casing at the top, so as
to keep up a constant change in the mass of bran, whilst still ensuring the casing
being always full.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Jenkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th November
1877.
JAMES JENKINS, of Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan, Millwright and
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANING TIN AND TERNE PLATES, AND IN THE
MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN.'
My said Invntion relates to a novel system or mode of and machinery or appliances
for cleaning or removing the oil and grease (whether hot or cold) from tin and terne
plates after the process of coating or tinning.
According to my Invention I employ one or more revolving barrels of wood,
inetal, or other suitable material placed (by preference vertically) inside a sur-
rounding casing, such casing being filled with bran, "sharps," sawdust, or other
suitable cleansing material of like character. The surfaces of the said barrels may
be smooth, but I prefer to make them grooved, fluted, or with hollows, teeth, or pro-
jections disposed either spirally at any convenient angle to the axis of the barrel, or
parallel to the said axis, or both combined, as found most convenient in practice.
The said barrels are caused to rotate by the aid of gearing or otherwise, and by the
act of rotation in the bran, "sharps," or other cleaning material, they take up a
portion of such bran or cleaning material, which, by adhering to the teeth or
hollows on the surface of the barrel or barrels, forms a substantial jacket, tyre, or
covering thereto, which covering of bran, "sharps," or the like serves as a most
effectual cleansing medium.
The angle of the flutings, hollows, or teeth tends to maintain a constant change
of the bran or other cleaning material in the surrounding casing upon the surface of
the plate to be cleaned.
The barrels when used in pairs may be adjusted towards or from each other by
adjusting screw spindles and nuts, or other equivalent mechanical contrivance, acting
upon the bearings of the said barrels.
In front of the barrels there may be provided, if desired, a pair of feed rollers,
which are driven at a slower rate than the cleaning barrels, or if the barrels revolve
in a contrary direction to the feed' rollers, then the difference in speed is not
material.
The feed rollers may, if preferred, be dispensed with, the plates being simply fed
through the machine by hand between guides, it being simply necessary that the

page_text: surface or surfaces of such plates shall be brought in contact with the bran-coated
surfaces of the cleaning barrels.
The cleaned plates, which may or may not be dusted by sheep-skin rollers or other
suitable dusters, issue in a perfectly clean condition from the opposite side of the
machine ready for sorting and packing.
A portion of the bran or "sharps" falls through one or more openings in the
bottom of the casing, and is again elevated and fed into the top of the said casing,
thus maintaining a constant change in the mass of bran, whilst still ensuring the
casing being always full.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the same letters
of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents one of the simplest forms of my apparatus,
embracing the essential features of the Invention, in front elevation and partial
section.
Figure 2 is a corresponding vertical section taken between the cleaning barrels
and at right angles to Figure 1, showing a plate in the act of being passed through
the machine.
Figure 3 is a plan of the top of the machine corresponding to Figure 1.
And Figure 4 is a plan of one of the barrels showing the best form of grooves or
flutings when used.
A is a, metal or other casing provided with a narrow vertical slit a, a, on opposite
sides thereof, and corresponding with the line of junction or contact between the
two vertically disposed cleaning barrels B, B. The spindles of these barrels work in
top and bottom bearings at C, C, and C¹, C¹, which bearings are made adjustable
towards or from each other by the screw spindles D, D', each having a right and a
left hand screw thread made thereon, and working in travelling nuts forming part
of or screwed to the said bearings. E, E, are the driving pullies for imparting a
rotary motion in any desired direction to the barrels B, B. F is a strap and pullies
for turning the two adjusting screw spindles D, D', by hand as required. The dots
in Figures 1 and 2 represent the bran, "sharps," or other cleaning material with
which the whole of the surrounding space between the barrels and the casing and
between the barrels themselves is filled. G represents a plate in the act of being
passed through the machine in the direction of the arrow.
In order that the barrels may the more effectually take up the bran or "sharps,"
and become completely coated thereby, so as in fact to present a jacket or surface of
the said cleaning material, I prefer to make their surfaces grooved, or fluted, or with
hollows or projections, the said grooves or flutings having the rear side flat or
shaped after the manner of ratchet teeth, as shown clearly at b, b, Figure 4. Some
of these flutings may be made spiral (see Figures 1 and 2), and I prefer that they
should each make about one turn in the length of the barrel; whilst others are
made straight or parallel to the axis of the barrels from end to end thereof,
and crossing the spiral grooves, as shown by the vertical lines on the barrels in my
Drawings.
I also, if found requisite, employ guides in front of the slits a, a, for guiding in
the plates to be cleaned, and I sometimes use a pair of feed rollers driven by a
positive motion for feeding the plates through the machine.
I also propose to combine with the said machine an ordinary elevator, of any well
known construction, for the purpose of taking up the bran or "sharps" as it dis-
charges itself froin the lower part of the casing through a spout c, and returning the
same to the top of the casing through the aperture d (Figure 3). By this means I
ensure a continual change or renewal of the coating of bran or "sharps" on the
cleaning barrels, and hence the plates are more expeditiously and perfectly
cleansed.
As the above parts will be readily understood by the practical man, I have not
considered it necessary to illustrate them in my Drawings.

page_text: The chief advantages to be obtained by the use of my said Invention are economy
in labour and material, also greater expedition in the work, and a more thorough
and perfect cleansing of the plates.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The system or mode of cleaning or removing the oil and grease from tin
and terne plates by the action thereon of revolving barrels coated or covered with
bran. "sharps," or other like cleaning material, as herein-before described.
Secondly. The application and use of revolving barrels contained inside a casing,
and surrounded by and covered with a coating or jacket of bran, "sharps," or
other like substance, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described.
Thirdly. The mode of ensuring a constant change of position or circulation of
the bran, "sharps," or other cleaning material in the said machine or apparatus by
the combined action of the revolving barrels and of the elevator, substantially as
herein-before described.
Fourthly. The peculiar construction and arrangement of machinery or apparatus
for cleaning tin and terne plates, as herein-before described and illustrated by my
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Jenkins, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.