IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR HEATING, PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, PICKLING, AND SWILLING METAL PLATES, METAL- GOODS AND METAL WARES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard James Hutchings, of The Mayalls, near Mumbles,
in the County of Glamorgan, Gentleman, and Henry Francis Taylor and
William Peddie Struvé, both of Neath, in the said County, Mechanical
Engineers, trading under the style or Firm of Taylor, Struvé, & Co., for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR HEATING,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard James Hutchings,
Henry Francis Taylor, and William Peddie Struvé at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1880.
RICHARD JAMES HUTCHINGS, of the Mayalls, near Mumbles, in the County of
Glamorgan, Gentleman, and HENRY FRANCIS TAYLOR and WILLIAM PEDDIE
STORVÉ, both of Neath, in the said County, Mechanical Engineers, trading under
the style or Firm of Taylor, Sturvé, & Co. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR HEATING, PICKLING, AND SWILLING METAL PLATES, METAL-
GOODS AND METAL WARES."
"
Our Invention refers to machinery constructed as hereafter explained for cleaning
metal plates, goods, or wares by pickling and swilling them preparatory to their
receiving a coating of tin or terne metal.
According to our Invention the plates, goods, or wares to be treated are placed
in a cradle or cradles, crate or crates, rack or racks, or other suitable receptacle or
receptacles, which may be mounted on wheels, shoes, guides, or other suitable
contrivance or arrangement for reducing the friction while at work; the whole or
any of the said wheels, shoes, guides, or other contrivance may be placed above,
below, or at the sides or ends of the said cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles;
or the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles may be placed on separate
carriages or suitable vehicles for conveying the same, and which may also have
wheels, shoes, guides, or other contrivance placed in manner above described.
Convenient ways of arranging apparatus constructed according to our Invention
D

page_text: s
are as follows:-We provide the baths for containing the pickling ingredients at
or near the base of a diagonal or inclined platform; the summit, which forms a
turntable, carrying a bracket, winch, or other appliance for guiding the movements
of the vessels going into and coming out of the respective baths, the power for
driving such vessels being obtained through a steam cylinder or other convenient
power placed in some suitable and convenient position adjacent to the turn table.
When the vessels containing the plates are brought up from the bath the same
vessels are or can be transferred by means of the turn table into the direction
required. The turntable may be made in any approved manner; for example, it
may be cast with hollow spaces therein for the sake of lightness, and filled up
with wood or otherwise, or of wrought iron, or even of wood or combinations of
wood and iron. Instead of the turntable we sometimes use a railway with
shunting devices for directing the cars in the particular direction that may be
required.
Provision is made for allowing the bath ingredients which drip from the plates
as they leave the baths to run back to the baths themselves from which the plates
have issued; the acid, for example, back to the acid bath, the water to the water
bath; but of course the most important point is to prevent the acid getting into
the water bath, and for this purpose we prefer the wheels of the cars or their
flanges to run in grooves, or we provide special grooves or holes through the
grooves for the drippings to run off. Where we employ a rail or tramway with
shunting devices as aforesaid, the hooking on of the chain to the truck should be
automatic, and for this purpose we arrange the hook with a bar for it to rest on,
so that it may be always in position to catch the truck when the latter is in
position to be hooked to same. The driving cylinder may be under the turn table
or railway, or on the central portion thereof near the winch or other guiding
appliance independent of the turn table.
Instead of the arrangement just described we sometimes impart the motion to
the cradles, crates, or racks, or other suitable receptacles, by the employment of a
standard or standards working at bottom with ball and socket or other joint or
joints, and carrying bobs or levers, say, two, three, or more, according to the work.
The outer ends of these bobs carry sheeves for chains, to which the plate carrying
vessels are attached. The chains pass diagonally to a sleeve free to travel on the
standard, and to this sleeve a chain is attached leading off to a steam or other
cylinder; the top end of standard may work in a guide. By the movement of the
piston in the cylinder the required motion is imparted to the bob on the standard
or standards, and thence to the plate carriers. This apparatus may be used alone
or in combination with tram or railway, and with turn tables or turn table if
necessary, or by the use of a continuous or terminable railway, or such as that
before described.
The carriages or vehicles for conveying the cradles, crates, racks, or other recep-
tacles, either laden or empty, are in the manner before described thus driven or
moved mechanically, manually, or in any other suitable or convenient manner, along
the diagonal or other line or lines, either straight or curved, the motion being
carried along a straight or curved line, or a series of curved lines or angles; such
diagonal line or lines may be at any angle or angles between the perpendicular
and the horizontal, but it is to be distinctly understood that the movement is not
to be either perpendicular or horizontal. And it is to be further understood that
if the curved line be used that the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacle,
carriages, vehicles, are not to be suspended from a centre and worked circum-
ferentially like a pendulum or swinging carriage.
"
The plates, goods, or wares to be treated are placed in the cradles, crates, racks,
or other receptacles, and are "heated" (or not "heated," at discretion), and
pickled," by being placed in the bath containing acid or other suitable liquid, and
for that purpose the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles (or may not at
discretion) be placed on the carriages or other vehicles, and after being sufficiently

page_text: treated are conveyed bodily in the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles, to a
water bath, there to be "swilled."
One of our chief objects in working the vessels, viz., the cradles, crates, racks, or
other receptacles, is that by the motions before described the vessels and plates
can be very easily drawn out of the pickling and swilling baths. The plates may
be placed on edge, ends, sides, or flat, or the same may be inclined in any approved
direction, or at any angle, as may be found best suited to the size or shape of
the plates, or to the numbers it might be required to pickle them in. The metal
goods may also be placed in any desired position in the cradles to be treated.
We do not restrict ourselves to any specific number of cradles, crates, racks, or
other receptacles, baths, carriages, or vehicles.
The cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles, carriages, or vehicles, may be
driven or moved as above stated either by a drum, sheeve, eccentric, crank, lever,
tooth wheel or rack, steam or hydraulic cylinder, or by any other convenient or
suitable arrangement or contrivance; the motion may be communicated or conveyed
from the motor by means of any such chain, rod, or other suitable combination or
connection, between the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles, and the
carriages or vehicles, as may be deemed best adapted for the plates, goods, or
wares to be treated, or to the locality in which the machinery may be placed.
The machinery for moving or driving the apparatus may be worked by steam or
any other suitable power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard James Hutchings, Henry Francis Taylor, and William Peddie
Struvé, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st May 1881.
RICHARD JAMES HUTCHINGS, of the Mayalls, near Mumbles, in the County of
Glamorgan, Gentleman, and HENRY FRANCIS TAYLOR and WILLIAM PEDDIE
STRUVE, both of Neath, in the said County, Mechanical Engineers, trading under
the style or Firm of Taylor, Struve, & Co. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR HEATING, PICKLING, AND SWILLING METAL PLATES, METAL
GOODS, AND METAL WARES."
"
Our Invention refers to machinery constructed as hereafter described for cleaning
metal plates, goods, or wares by pickling and swilling them preparatory to their
receiving a coating of tin or terne metal.
.
According to our Invention the plates, goods, or wares, to be treated are placed
in a cradle or cradles, crate or crates, rack or racks, or other suitable receptable or
receptacles which may be mounted on wheels, shoes, guides, or other suitable
contrivance or arrangement for reducing the friction while at work; the whole or
any of the said wheels, shoes, guides, or other contrivance may be placed above,
below, or at the sides or ends of the said cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles;
or the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles may be placed on separate carriages
or suitable vehicles for conveying the saine, and which may also have wheels, shoes,
guides, or other contrivance placed in manner above described. Convenient ways
of arranging apparatus constructed according to our Invention are as follows:-We
provide the baths for containing the pickling ingredients at or near the base of a
diagonal or inclined platform, the summit of which forms a turntable carrying a
bracket, winch, or other appliance for guiding the movements of the vessels going
into aud coming out of the respective baths; the power for driving such vessels
being obtained through a steam cylinder or other convenient power placed in some
suitable and convenient position adjacent to the turntable. When the vessels
containing the plates are brought up from the bath the same vessels are or can be
transferred by means of a turntable into the direction required. The turntable
may be made in any approved manner; for example, it may be cast with hollow
spaces therein for the sake of lightness, and filled up with wood or otherwise, or of
wrought iron or even of wood or combinations of wood and iron. Instead of the
turntable we sometimes use a railway with shunting devices for directing the cars
in the particular direction that may be required.
Provision is made for allowing the bath ingredients which drip from the plates
as they leave the baths to run back to the baths themselves from which the plates
have issued; the acid, for example, back to the acid bath, the water to the water
bath; but of course the most important point is to prevent the acid getting into the
water bath, and for this purpose we prefer the wheels of the cars or their flanges to
run in grooves, or we provide special grooves or holes through the grooves for the
drippings to run off. Where we employ a rail or tramway with shunting devices
as aforesaid, the hooking on of the chain to the truck should be automatic, and for
this purpose we arrange the hook with a bar for it to rest on, so that it may be
always in position to catch the truck when the latter is in position to be hooked to
same. The driving cylinder may be under the turntable or railway or on the
central portion thereof near the winch or other guiding appliance independent of
the turntable.
This part of our Invention will be best understood by reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a contional oloration through line se
of tim
G
hich in
nort

page_text: plan of Figure 1 of machinery constructed according to one arrangement for
carrying our Invention into effect.
A, A, are the cradles; B and B¹, the vats or baths.
The said baths B and B¹ are slanting, and at the top there is a turntable r for
conveying cradles, racks, or other carriages or receptacles, to either the pickling
bath B or swilling bath B', or to the delivery side, as may be required.
The cradles A are each provided with two chains or equivalent, the upper ones
being actuated by levers from a steam cylinder t, which is secured to a column i
bolted centrally to the turntable r. The lower chains e¹, which are for raising the
cradles A out of the baths, pass around drums e, e, geared together and actuated
by windlass or otherwise. The upper chains e² are for actuating the cradles in the
baths B and B, and when one cradle descends, for example, in the bath B, the
cradle in the other or opposite bath B₁ ascends to the distance shewn, so
counterbalancing each other; d, d, are guide pulleys for carrying and guiding the
lower chains when lowering or raising the cradles into or out of the baths.
The cradles or carriages A. are provided with wheels, which run on rails m, and
serve to guide the cradles in their reciprocatory travel, or the rails m may, if
desired, be arranged outside the baths B, B¹, the cradles being then detachably
connected to wheel frames or carriages working on or between such rails.
The turntable is slanting, so that acid from the bath B or water from the
bath B' may return to them by the rails or grooves.
I is a bed plate carrying the step or bearing.j to receive the pivot g for supporting
the central portion and guiding the travel of the turntable r; f, f, are friction
wheels for supporting the turntable towards its outer edge.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a modified arrangement of machinery for
actuating the cradles in the inclined baths.
The power is communicated by belt or otherwise to fast and loose pulleys S, on
the shaft of which is a crank S¹ imparting motion by a connecting rod S² to a
grooved segment S³.
The lower chains e¹ for actuating the cradles pass around the pulleys d, and
thence to the segment S³, on which they are connected, and the rocking motion is
imparted to this segment, which raises one cradle whilst the other or opposite one
is descending, so counterbalancing the lift of the one cradle and rendering the
operation more perfect.
The cradles A, A, are raised out of or lowered into the baths B, B¹, by the
windlass or other equivalent arrangement on the capstan or standard i. In the
ascent of the cradles they are automatically, if desired, uncoupled from the driving
chain e', and also automatically coupled in their descent into the baths, as shown
separately to a larger scale in the plan view, Fig. 3a and side view, Fig. 3b. The
driving chains e¹ are at the one end provided with a T headed hook e, which (as
the cradle is about to be immersed or withdrawn) comes against a jaw or
standard m¹, wherein it is held until the cradle is again lowered on to the said
jaw m², and so on.
The driving cylinder may be under the turntable or railway, or on the central
portion thereof near the winch or other guiding appliance independent of the.
turntable.
The carriages or vehicles for conveying the cradles, crates, racks, or other
receptacles, either laden or empty, are in the manner before described thus driven
or moved mechanically, manually, or in any other suitable or convenient manner
along a diagonal or other line or lines, either straight or curved, the motion being
carried along a straight or curved line or a series of curved lines or angles; such
diagonal line or lines may be at any angle or angles between the perpendicular and
the horizontal, and as will be hereafter more fully described.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a bath and attachments; in this example the
cradle in the said bath receives a curved motion.
A is the vat; B, framework for supporting cradles or crates; C, C, are wheels or
trucks which run on the curved trucks or rails D. The required reciprocatory

page_text: motion is in this case communicated to the cradle and crate carrier B by a
connecting rod E worked from the crank shaft F, but any other wellknown
mechanical appliance for producing such motion may be used if desired. Instead
of the cradle dipping more in the centre it may dip at each end, which
movement may be produced by having a convex rail, as shewn by dotted lines in
Figure 4.
Two cradles may be worked in opposite directions in one bath.
In order to show the apparatus more clearly, we have shown a perspective view
at Figure 5 where there are two baths, one for pickling and one for swilling; they
are provided with the curved rails on each side for imparting to the cradles and
carriers a continued reciprocatory and curved motion.
.
It will be observed that there are arms a, a, a, mounted on the piston or
plunger C; these arms, as will be hereafter more particularly referred to, are for
the conveying the cradles and contents from one bath to the other, at the same
time allowing of the reloading of one cradle at one end. The cradles are coupled
to the triangular arms a, a, a, by links or chains, and in order to allow of the play
of the cradle, the said cradles are provided with a long slot to allow of the said
movement of the cradle and the free play of the chain or link from the arms a,
but when the machinery is stopped, steam or other pressure is admitted to the
cylinder D, and both cradles are withdrawn from and transferred from the pickling
to the swilling bath, and the one in the swilling bath from thence to the outside
of apparatus for emptying and reloading, and then being put in the pickling bath
by the next operation.
E is a counterpoise to assist the piston in the lift of the cradles; a¹ is a
continuation of the piston rod working through the guide a².
Instead of using a curved, or concave, or convex rail, we may provide the rollers
or wheels C with projections C', as shewn in Fig. 6, so that a jerk motion. is
imparted to the cradle and its attachments on its backward and forward travel.
Figure 7 is a view of wheel C running on a rail D that is provided with slight
projections, or it may be indentations, to impart a jerk motion to the cradle.
Figure 8 is a diagram of another form of rail D, where the rail is so curved that
in all positions the cradles will be horizontal or nearly so.
Figure 9 is another modification for imparting a rising and falling motion to the
cradle during its reciprocatory travel.
In this example the wheels are mounted eccentrically on the axis, and provided
with teeth engaging with corresponding teeth on the rails.
Figure 9a shews a rail in which the cradle receives a backward and forward and
rising and falling motion alternately.
Figure 9b shews a pair of rails bent in the horizontal direction for imparting a
lateral motion to the cradle..
It is obvious that there are many ways in which an irregular motion may be
given to the cradles or in a similar manner to the baths, but we have shewn only
some of the ways of effecting this motion as it may be by guides or by sheaves or
other equivalents.
The wheels C need only be segments of circles, and provided with teeth on their
periphery gearing with corresponding teeth on the rails D on each (or the said
teeth may be on only one) side of the vat A.
Where there are several or a series of vats of the before described construction
the motion may be imparted to all of them simultaneously by coupling the cradle
or crate carriers together by additional links on connecting rods E', that is, providing
that all the baths are in a line, when they would of course be driven by the
connecting rod E actuated by the crank shaft F.
Instead of the arrangement just described, we sometimes impart the motion to the
cradles, crates, or racks, or other suitable receptacles, by the employment of a standard
or standards working at bottom with ball socket or other joint or joints, and
either carrying bobs or levers, say, two, three, or more, according to the work,
the outer ends of these bobs carrying sheeves for chains to which the plate carrying

page_text: vessels are attached, or arranged without such bobs and with the crates attached to
the said standard direct. The chains in the former case pass diagonally to a
sleeve free to travel on the standard, and to this sleeve a chain is attached leading
off to a steam or other cylinder; the top end of standard may work in a guide. By
the movement of the piston in the cylinder the required motion is imparted to the
bob or to the standard or standards, and thence to the plate carriers or cradles. This
apparatus may be used alone or in combination with tram or railway, and with
turntables or turntable if necessary, or by the use of a continuous or terminable
railway, or such as that before described.
Figure 10 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 11 is an end view in section of an
apparatus constructed according to this part of our Invention.
The cradles or racks are held in suitable carriers, and driven, for instance, as here
shewn, by crank F and connecting rod E as before; but instead of the said cradles
or racks and carriers being supported by wheels, as before described, they are in
this case held or supported on each side by levers, preferably forked, and at the
lower part of which are clutches diverging from the main lever; A' is the chain
for suspending the cradles or crates, which chain may be in connection with any
suitable hoisting appliance, or it may be attached to a triangular or other support,
above which latter may be elevated in any convenient way, or in a manner that
will be hereafter referred to.
B, B, is the cradle or crate or parts thereof.
C, C, receptacle or carrier for cradles or crates.
This receptacle is made preferably of brass, as are also the cradles (or of a metal
or material that will withstand the action of the acid), but the said receptacle or
carrier C may be of iron, or any material for the swilling bath, it only being
necessary to make the said carrier, preferably of brass, where it is used and
immersed in and subject to the action of the acid in the acid or pickling bath.
A is the vat of wood, or lead, or both combined; H, H, are beams for supporting the
vats; K, K, are the standards or crutches on which the cradle carriers Care
connected or fixed. There are preferably two crutches for each vat, one on each
side as shown (Figure 11), and are preferably made with spreading, forked, or
diverging extensions F', FL. The cradles are by this means easier to work, as at
or about the end of each stroke one or other of the extensions bears on its
corresponding shoe F*, F*, thus raising the other end, giving a start to the cradle
and attachments, and so giving the plates a shake each time the toes of the
extension F¹ touch the shoe F* in the downward stroke, and also facilitates the
bringing of the receptacles or carriers C to their proper position to receive cradles, or
for their removal. We may dispense with the intermediate leg F2, which imparts
a double curve from the shoes F*, and gives a jerk to the plates midway at the
centre of the vat, and at the same times gives the plates a slight dip. The crates
may be stationary, and the standards or crutches may be attached to the vat or
vats if necessary; E is the connecting rod, and F is the crank shaft. There may
be also two or more comprising a series actuated by the one crank as before.
Instead of supporting the cradle by the carriers C, as shewn at Figures 10 and 11,
the cradle may be provided with cups or projections C2 to fit over the pin or
carrier C³, as shewn at Figure 12 in sectional end elevation, and detached side
view at Figure 13. By this means the cradle itself is only immersed, but at the
same time being of easy of withdrawal. The cradle does not oscillate like a pendulum
in the bath, as we have found that such a swinging motion causes a greater agitation
of the liquor at the bottom of the bath than at the top, thus making blisters on the
plates under treatment; such an arrangement is described in Howell's Specification,
No. 1929, A.D. 1880, which arrangement is a modification of Hutching's Invention,
Patented in 1876, No. 1171.
The bath may work and the cradle be stationary as stated, or both may work in
opposite directions.
Figure 13. shews an arrangement in which the cradle receives a gradually

page_text: dipping and rising motion by means of two revolving cranks F and a correcting
rod E, having the same motion as the "side rods" on a locomotive engine.
The plates, goods, or wares to be treated are placed in the cradles, crates, racks, or
other receptacles, and are "heated," (or not "heated" at discretion) and "pickled," by
being placed in the bath containing acid, or other suitable liquid, and for that
purpose the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles, may or may not at discretion)
be placed on the carriages or other vehicles, and after being sufficiently treated,
conveyed bodily in the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles to a water bath
there to be "swilled."
A more complete and automatic apparatus constructed according to our Invention,
is illustrated at Figure 14, which is a front elevation, where two baths are shewn
used side by side, one of which is shewn in section; Figure 15 is a plan of such
apparatus, in which the crates receive a gradually ascending and descending motion
like in Figure 1, but in a curved instead of a straight line.
A, A, are the cradles, suspended by chains or rods, or otherwise (to allow of the
oscillatory screw motion) to the triangular arms a, a, a; B is the pickling bath, and B¹
the swilling bath; C is the plunger of the elevator, and D the cylinder for same;
E (Figure 15) is an accumulator in connection with the pumps and elevator D, as
indicated by dotted lines; a¹ is a stem above the triangular frame a, working
through a bearing a² for giving additional guidance to the plunger, when raising
the cradles out of the baths, or for lowering them; A' is a sleeve (Figure 14)
projecting from the underside of the triangular arms forming part of the cradle A.
On the top of each of the central wells or shafts through each bath are preferably
two cam tracks; 8, 8, are friction wheels or trucks running on the said cam tracks
and connected to the sleeve. A¹, or to the underside of the arms carrying the
cradles A, which during the part revolution receive both an upward and a
circumferential screw like motion; F, F, are two central shafts with their teeth
engaged with those on the underside of the sleeve A', and are of such a length as to
allow of the rising and falling of the sleeve A¹ and its connections, and at the same
time in gear with the shaft F. When the cradles A are raised out of the baths B, B¹,
a third part of a revolution is given to the arms a, a, a, in the direction of the
arrows, Figure 15, so that the crate carrying the plates that were being pickled in
the bath B, are transferred to the swilling bath B¹, and those that were being
swilled in the bath B' occupy the space behind the baths B, B', where they are
unloaded and reloaded with plates to be treated, which when loaded is transferred
to the pickling bath B, and then to the swilling bath B', and then unloaded and so
on.
G is an arm or lever, keyed or otherwise secured to each shaft F, and to which
is connected a spring box H, shown detached, and on an enlarged scale at Figure 16.
The springs, which may be of steel or india rubber, serve to lessen the jar on the
return strokes, and act on the end of the connecting rod I, but this arrangement
may be varied.
J is a single, or it may be a double, throw crank to which both connecting
rods I are connected; K is a bevil wheel and pinion, and L, L, are fast and loose
pulleys driven from an engine or from an intermediate pulley in any convenient
position, for example, the crank axis of the pumps, which latter are for forcing or
from which the pressure is derived by which the accumulator E is raised, and on
the descent of the said accumulator E the plunger C and arms a, a, a, with
cradles A, A, are raised when they receive the partial rotation, and when in
position again are lowered by a cock on the pressure pipe or other convenient
part.
The bevil gearing K, pulleys L, and framing therewith, are covered by a slope
or platform M, shown broken in Figure 15, for preventing the injurious action of
the acid that may drop from the cradles on to the machinery. When the cradles
are raised and turned in the direction indicated, the acid droppings from the plates

page_text: in the cradle A that was in the acid bath B drops on to the said platform M, from
whence it runs back into the acid bath B.
Figure 17 shews an arrangement whereby the two cradles may be operated
direct from one crank; F, F, are the centre shafts; G, G, the arms keyed thereon.
The connecting rods L are pivoted to the said arms G, and at the other end to
crosshead N sliding on and along the guide bars N¹; O is the connecting rod
jointed to the crosshead N and driven by crank O¹, the shaft of which is driven by
spur wheel and pinion P; Q, Q, are fast and loose pulleys.
Instead of motion being derived from a rotating crank, it may be obtained direct
from a fixed steam cylinder, such as is shown at Figure 18; F are the shafts, and
G the arms thereon; t is the steam cylinder; u, the piston rod, the other end of
which serves as a plunger in the pump v. The arms G are coupled together by a
rod I, and one arm G is connected to the piston rod u by link and pin w, as shewn,
or the motion may be derived from an oscillating cylinder, such as is shewn at
Figure 19, where t is the cylinder and u the piston rod connected to one arm G,
which is connected to the opposite arm by a rod I.
Figure 20 is a vertical section of another arrangement of one bath, or it may
be two, such as before described. A is the cradle or frame for carrying the plates
to be heated; B is the bath; C, C, are ribs or projections on the inner side of the
bath, there may be any number of these ribs or projections, or they be dispensed
with; D is a shaft in a well arranged in the centre of the bath and open at top
and bottom; this well is (in the bath) provided with projections C³, and the
shaft Dx gears with a clutch on a lower shaft D'; E is the driving shaft or
spindle, and gearing with a vertical shaft E. The oscillatory screw motion is
imparted to the cradle A through the medium of this shaft E¹ by a crank J
thereon;. G is the arm keyed on to the shaft D¹, and I the connecting rod coupling
the crank J and the arm G. The lifting of the cradles is effected in a similar
manner to that before described with reference to Figure 14. The well in the
centre of the bath in this case carries the rollers, and the cam track or tracks are
on the underside of the arms which carry the cradles, C2 is a ring by which the
cradle and its contents may be raised or lowered out of or into the bath.
Instead of arranging the crate driving gear below the bath and in a central well
or shaft through the bath, we may arrange the driving gear and the rails or cam
tracks in any convenient places outside the bath, which latter may then rest on the
ground, thus doing away with pillars and other foundation parts, and doing away
with the central shaft through the bath.
By the addition of the ribs or projections C and C¹ which act as obstructions,
the liquor is still further agitated, and conflicting currents are caused to impinge
upon the sides of the plates. When the plates have been sufficiently immersed and
heated in the bath B, the cradle A and its clutch shaft D is raised and transferred
with its contents to another similar bath containing water, where the plates are
washed and swilled in a similar manner.
Another arrangement of apparatus with a similar screw motion to that shown at
Figures 14 and 15 is shown at Figure 21, which is a front elevation, and at
Figure 22 which is a part plan.
A, A, are the cradles; B, the pickling bath; B¹, the swilling bath; C is a steam
cylinder, and D is a continuation of the piston rod-carrying a counterbalance
weight D'; a, a, a, are the triangularly disposed arms, and at the extremity of
each is a nut a', through which the screw A' passes; from the cradles A chains are
connected to the continuation of the piston rod D and pass over grooved guide
pulleys a², as, so that as the cradle is raised by the descent of the piston a screw-
like motion is imparted to the cradle by reason of raising the screw A' through
the fixed nut a¹. The screws A¹ are for square bars twisted into screw form; they
are each fastened to a crate or series of crates. Instead of raising the cradles out
of the baths, as before described, we have in this example shown the baths B, B',
moveable, that is, when it is desired to transfer the cradles from one bath to
another, we lower the baths B, B',

page_text: For this purpose the baths are provided with plungers E, E¹, working in,
preferably, hydraulic cylinders F, F, shown in dotted lines. The baths are kept
elevated by pumps driven by the engine, and on the opening of a cock the pressure
escapes and the vats are consequently lowered. The operation is otherwise similar
to that shown at Figures 14 and 15.
One of our chief objects in working the vessels, viz., the cradles or equivalent, is
that by the motions before described the vessels and plates can be very easily drawn
out of the pickling and swilling baths and changed. The plates may be placed on
edge, ends, sides, or flat, or the same may be inclined in any approved direction or
at any angle, as may be found best suited to the size or shape of the plates, or to
the numbers it might be required to pickle them in. The metal goods may also be
placed in any desired position in the cradles to be treated.
In the aforesaid description we have described and illustrated several modes and
means of carrying our Invention into effect, but we do not limit ourselves to the
precise arrangements described and shown; for example, what may be termed
equivalent mechanical arrangements could be employed without departing from
the Invention.
The cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles, carriages, or vehicles, may thus be
driven or moved, as above stated, either by a drum, sheeve, eccentric, crank, lever,
tooth wheel, or rack, steam or hydraulic cylinder, or by any other convenient or
suitable arrangement or contrivance; the motion may be communicated or conveyed
from the motor by means of any such chain, rod, or other suitable combination or
connection between the cradles, crates, racks, or other receptacles and the carriages
or vehicles, as may be deemed best adapted for the plates, goods, or wares to be
treated, or to the locality in which the machinery may be placed.
The machinery for moving or driving the apparatus may be worked by steam or
any other suitable power.
It is to be understood that we lay no special claim to the use of a merely
horizontal movement of the crates, inasmuch as apparatus working in such a
manner are described in the Specification of Richard James Hutchings' Patent,
No. 1171, of 1876, and in the Specification of Hatton's Patent, No. 1785, of 1878,
of which said Inventions the present Invention may be said to be a development
and improvement. It is also further to be understood that we for the same reason
lay no special claim to the suspending of the cradles, crates, racks, or other
receptacles, carriages, or baths, from a centre, and imparting to them a merely
circumferential swinging or oscillating motion like a swinging pendulous or lever
escapement movement.
We are also aware that attempts have been made since the date of "Hutchings" "
Patent of 18 March 1876, No. 1171, to produce machinery for the mechanical
pickling and swilling of metal plates, but we believe that up to the present time
no so called improvement has been produced, except such as would be held to be an
infringement of the Patent before referred to.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our Invention, and in what
manner the same is or may be performed, we would have it understood that we
claim,―
First. One or more pairs of baths containing pickling or swilling liquor arranged
at a convenient angle, and in which the cradles, crates, or racks, are reciprocated or
otherwise moved and guided and supported by rails or other guiding appliance
whilst they are under treatment, substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Second. The employment of a turntable in combination with cradles, crates, or
racks, or their carriers, for transferring them from one bath to another, or for
loading and unloading them, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2,
and 3.
Third. Imparting any desired rising and falling, and if desired, jerky motion to
crates, which receive a back and forth motion in pickling or swilling baths,
substantially as described with reference to Dicum 4 5 6 7 8
Ob e

page_text: Fourth. Imparting a rocking and a rising and falling, and if desired, jerking
motion to crates in pickling and swilling baths, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 10, 11, 12, and 13, and 13º.
Fifth. The construction of pickling and swilling baths with a rail or rails or
cam tracks or screws, or equivalent means for imparting to the crates or receptacles
the part rotary and rising and falling motion, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 14 to 22.
Sixth. The means described for automatically disengaging and for shifting and
changing the crates or other receptacles, substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 21 and 22.
Seventh. The combinations of parts constituting the various pickling and swilling
apparatus, as shown in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard James Hutchings, for myself and on
behalf of the said Henry Francis Taylor and William Peddie Struve, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty first day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
R. J. HUTCHINGS. (L.S.)