IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING METALS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Morewood,, of Llanelly, in the County of Car-
marthen, for the Invention of." IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING METALS, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 7th October 1876, and dated the 21st April 1876.
" IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Morewood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1876.
EDMUND MOREWOOD, of Llanelly, in the County of Carmarthen.
MENTS IN COATING METALS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
This Invention has for its object improvements in coating metals, and in
apparatus employed therein.
In the Specification of a Patent, No. 3126, dated 24th September 1873, granted
to me and one John Henry Rogers, we have described rollers revolving in melted
coating metal for the purpose of acting upon the surface of the plates which pass
between such rollers in the process of coating or finishing with melted metal and
the melted coating metal is contained in troughs so arranged as to enclose a hot
air space in which the coated plates may drain before they reach the nip of the
rollers.
Now one part of my Invention consists in arranging ends or boxes attached to
such troughs for the purpose of receiving any grease or other flux which may
escape from the troughs, I then use such ends or boxes as reservoirs or receivers
for hot grease or other flux, and return it from time to time as I find it desirable
to the back of the rollers in the trough or to such place as may be suitable. Such
ends or boxes may also be used for melting or retaining the flux until it is in
proper condition for putting upon the rollers or into the trough.
I have an
opening in the wall or side of such end or box which I can open or close and
through which when open I can pass a rod or suitable instrument into the hot air
chamber or draining space for the purpose of cleaning the grease or removing
anything on the surface of the metal or any matter between the troughs or the
two parts or legs of the double trough if, as may be convenient, they be cast in
one.
Another part of my Invention consists in the arrangement of a finishing trough
containing melted metal or grease and rollers therein, as described in our Patent,
No. 3126, 24th September 1873, so that another pair of rollers may be placed and
Drive 6d 1

page_text: revolve under or between the legs of such trough and close to the surface of the
coating metal or grease from which the plates in process of coating emerge. And
such plates are assisted in emerging vertically by passing up between such lower
rollers. The coating on the surface of such plates is also improved by passing up
between such lower rollers. I find it desirable to have a supply of flux above the
nip of such lower rollers. And the plate in process of coating is caused to travel
through such flux on its journey from the lower to the upper trough rollers.
Another part of my Invention consists in carrying the plates in process of
coating from one side of the coating or finishing pot or vessel to the other into or
out of such pots or vessels, and from one pot or vessel to another in racks, baskets,
or carriers which hang or swing from a frame or other travelling instrument
which moves in a circular or up-and-down direction, so that while the travelling
instrument is changing its line of travel the plates remain without any change of
incline in the same position in the rack as when they started. And they are
delivered on the exit side in such a position that they can be conveniently received
either by a workman or by rollers which act as carriers or as rectifyers and finishers
of the surface coating.
When I have a circular frame and use grease or other flux on the surface of the
coating metal I find it desirable to cause the axle on which the circular frame
revolves to pass through the pot, so that the moving power may act on outside
driving machinery. And I have ends, as already described, to receive any leakage.
I make the baskets, racks, or carriers in which the plates in process of coating
thus travel so that when more than one plate is in the same basket, rack, or
carrier, the top of one plate is somewhat above that of another, and enters the
rollers before the other, so it is more easy for the workman to withdraw them
separately or in rotation. This swinging basket, rack, or carrier may be used in
passing plates or articles in process of coating from one pot or vessel to another, or
through the acid contained in a pickling or scouring or water tank for preparing
the iron plates or pieces for the process of coating.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by a
the said Edmund Morewood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
October 1876.
EDMUND MOREWOOD, of Llanelly, in the County of Carmarthen. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COATING METALS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
This Invention has for its object improvements in coating metals and in apparatus :
employed therein.
In the Specification of a Patent, No. 3120, dated 24th September 1873, granted
to me and one John Henry Rogers, we have described rollers revolving in melted
coating metal for the purpose of acting upon the surface of the plates which pass
between such rollers in the process of coating or finishing with inelted metal, and
the melted coating metal is contained in troughs so arranged as to form a hot air
space in which the coated plates may drain before they reach the nip of the
rollers.
Now one part of my present Invention consists in arranging ends or boxes
attached to such troughs for the purpose of receiving any grease or other flux which
may escape from the troughs. I then use such ends or boxes as reservoirs or
receivers for hot grease or other flux, and return it from time to time as I find it
desirable to the back of the rollers in the trough or to such place as may be
suitable. Such ends or boxes may also be used for melting or retaining the flux
until it is in proper condition for putting upon the rollers or into the trough, also
according to my present Invention I have an opening in the wall or side of such
end or box, which I can open or close, and through which when open I can pass a
rod or suitable instrument into the hot air chamber or draining space for the

page_text: purpose of cleaning the grease or removing anything on the surface of the metal, or
any matter between the troughs or the two parts or legs of the double trough if, as
may be convenient, they be cast in one.
Another part of my Invention consists in the arrangement of a finishing trough,
containing inelted metal or grease and rollers therein, as described in our said
Patent, No. 3126, 24th September 1873, so that another pair of rollers may be
placed and revolve between the legs of such trough and close to the surface of the
coating metal or grease from which the plates in process of coating emerge. And
such plates are assisted in emerging vertically by passing up between such lower
rollers. The coating on the surface of such plates is also improved by passing up
between such lower rollers, and they act as a regulator to the weight of coating
carried up from the surface of the coating metal. I find it desirable to liave a
supply of flux above the nip of such lower rollers, and this I am enabled to do by
closing in the ends of the space between the two troughs as above described, the
lower part of the ends or boxes being carried down below the level of the melted
coating metal in the coating pot, and so confining the grease and preventing it from
spreading over the whole surface of the metal in the pot. The plate in process of
coating is caused to travel up through such grease or flux on its journey from the
lower to the upper trough rollers. I am enabled by means of the lower trough
rollers to keep the line of travel of the sheet or plate in process of coating cooler or
cleaner, and to regulate the quantity of coating on the sheet or plate better than if
such sheets or plates rose directly from the surface of the coating metal. As a rule
I find it desirable to have about half an inch to an inch of the melted coating metal
above the centre of such lower rollers. If the plates or sheets have a longer travel
through the coating metal after leaving the centre of these lower rollers they carry
up with them a heavier coating (other circumstances being equal). If they pass
through less than half an inch or through none at all they carry up with them a
lighter coating of melted metal. Therefore, I sometimes place these lower or
regulating rollers so that their centre is on a level with or slightly above the surface
of the coating metal. I consider it desirable to make the space between the legs
of the troughs sufficiently wide to admit of a pair of rollers 41/2 to 5 inch diameter,
with adjusting springs to the screws or bearings, such springs to be arranged as far
as possible out of the heat. If the plates or sheets enter these finishing troughs
from carrying instruments, racks, or baskets swinging from a revolving frame as
herein-after described, I make the surface speed of the rollers such that the plates
travel more rapidly (say from 30 to 50 per cent.) as soon as they enter the nip of the
trough rollers than whilst in the rack, basket, or carrying instrument.
The parts of my Invention above referred to are illustrated by the Figures 1,
2, and 3 in the annexed Drawing. Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 is an
end elevation, and Figure 3 is a transverse section of a double trough thus
arranged.
a² and a² are the two parts of the double trough; b¹ and be are tinned rollers
contained in the troughs a¹, a²; c, c², are other rollers mounted between the
troughs a, a. The rollers of each pair are held together by spring pressure and are
driven by spur gear, as the Drawing indicates.
By preference I place the centre or nip of the lower pair of rollers below the sur-
face of the coating metal in the pot in which the double trough stands, and their
centres then are about half to one inch below the metal which it contains. If one
inch of coating metal be above the nip or centre of the lower rollers the coating
produced, othe circumstances being the same, will be lighter than if there are two
or three inches of metal above the centre. A portion of the pot is shown at d in
Figure 3; e, e, are the boxes at the ends of the troughs a¹, ², they are by preference
open at the bottom and scaled when at work by dipping into the melted metal
which the pot d contains, as described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me
and bearing even date herewith. f is an opening provided with a door giving
access to the hot air space between the rollers b₁, b² When the space between
the two troughs is used as a grease bath so that the plates have to rise up

page_text: through the grease before passing through the rollers 61, 62, the ends of the boxes
need not rise up much above the level of the grease; the top of the space between
the troughs being left open for the insertion, when necessary, of a rake or clawing
tool for drawing all dross or dirt away from the rollers and into the box at their
end. An arrangement of this kind is shewn at Figure 3*. The space between the
. troughs may be arranged to contain grease in this manner, whether the lower pair
of rollers c¹, c², are used or not; f is a spout for allowing frothy and surplus grease
to flow away.
Another part of my Invention consists in carrying the plates in procees of coating
from one side of the coating or finishing pot or vessel to the other into or out of
such pots or vessels, and from one pot or vessel to another in racks, baskets, or
carriers which hang or swing from a frame or other travelling instrument which
moves in a circular or up-and-down direction, so that while the travelling instru-
ment is changing its line of travel the plates may remain without change of incline
in the same position in the rack as when they started. And they are delivered on
the exit side in such a position that they can be conveniently received either by
a workman or by rollers which act as carriers or as rectifiers and finishers of
the surface coating.
When I have a circular frame and use grease or other flux on the surface of the coat-
ing metal I find it desirable to cause the axle on which the circular frame revolves
to pass through the pot so that the moving power may act on outside driving
machinery. And I have ends, as already described, to receive any leakage. If the
frame and carriers are used for conveying plates through the grease of a finishing
pot I have also the arrangement described in my Patent, No. 1694, for keeping the
grease in the pot clean and free from dirt and settlings.
In coating with metal or travelling through grease I find it well to make the
racks or baskets or carrying instruments of wrought iron sufficiently thick and
heavy at the bottom to avoid warping or unsteadiness.
Figures 4 and 5 shew one arrangement, and Figures 6 and 7 another arrange-
ment of a series of baskets or carriers carried by a revolving wheel as above
described for carrying plates into and out of a coating or finishing pot or vessel.
In the arrangements shewn at Figures 4 and 5 the baskets or carriers a are sus-
pended from bars b carried at their ends by discs c fixed on an axis d. The baskets
or carriers are formed of metal bars in the manner shewn, they swing freely on the
bars b, so that they always hang vertically or nearly so; the plates are inserted into
the baskets or carriers on one side of the wheel at one side of the coating or finishing
pot, and as the wheel revolves it carries the plates down and into the metal or
grease and afterwards lifts them out on the opposite end of the pot. The plates as
they are lifted out may either be taken from the baskets or carriers by hand, or
they may be delivered by the baskets or carriers into the nip of a pair of rollers, as
shewn by the Drawing. The rollers are driven at a surface speed to carry up the
plates more quickly than the carriers or baskets raise them. The hook by which
the carriers swing is so shaped that the carriers cannot be raised up from and off the
stud on which they swing by any upward thrust of the melted coating metal as
they carry the plates down and through the metal. I also use a guiding rod
or piece e, which I make of iron, for guiding these swinging racks, cradles, or carriers
in their desired travel through and from the coating metal or grease; x is a stop for
short arms at the top of carriers to strike and free the carriers from the plates after
they have been seized by the rollers.
In the arrangement shewn at Figures 6 and 7, the plates in place of being carried
in a position crosswise of the pot, as in the arrangement just described, are carried
through the pot edgewise. In these Figures a, a, are the baskets or carriers; b, b,
are the plates; ca disc or wheel carrying pivots from which the baskets or carriers
are suspended; d, d, are rollers which withdraw the plates from the baskets or
carriers. These rollers are situated between two troughs such as are herein-before
described, containing melted metal for supplying to other rollers e at the top of the
troughs. Other suitable arrangements may, however, be adopted for taking the

page_text: plates away from the carriers; there is a stop fat the back end of each basket for
the back edge of the plates to rest against.
In some cases I make the baskets, racks, or carriers in which the plates in process
of coating thus travel so that when more than one plate is in the saine basket, rack,
or carrier the top of one plate is somewhat above that of another, so that it is more
easy for a workman to withdraw them separately or in rotation. Figure 8 shews
a carrier so adapted to carry three plates.
Swinging baskets, racks, or carriers, such as herein-before described, may be used
in passing plates or articles in process of coating from one pot or vessel to another,
or through the acid contained in a pickling or scouring or water tank for preparing
the iron plates or pieces for the process of coating.
In passing these racks, baskets, or carrying instruments through acid or pickle
I make the rack, cradle, or carrying instrument of copper or of wood weighted with
lead. In place of the pivots from which the racks, baskets, or carriers are suspended,
being carried as above described by revolving frames, they might be carried by
endless chains caused to travel in a continuous curved course, the advantage of
the swinging carriers practically maintaining the same position whilst carrying the
plates in a curved course from one point to another being still retained.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim-
First. The combination with the troughs a, a, and rollers b', b², of the ends, boxes,
or receivers e, e, substantially as described.
Second. The combination with the troughs a¹, a², and the rollers 61, 62, of closed
ends or boxes to the hot air space beneath the rollers a¹, a, so as to allow of grease
being retained in this space, and with openings to give access to this space, sub-
stantially as described.
Third. The combination with the troughs a¹, a², and the rollers 61, 62, of a second
pair of rollers c¹, c, substantially as described.
Fourth. The employment of a continuous series of carriers swinging upon pivots
travelling in a curved course, substantially as described, for carrying plates through
the coating or finishing pots or through pickling or scouring tanks.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Morewood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
HAD THAAD
EDMUND MORE
ND MOREWOOD. (L.D.)