IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TIN, TERNE, AND SIMILAR PLATES, AND IN APPARATUS AND MACHINERY THEREFOR.
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Daniel Whitehouse at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1878.
DANIEL WHITEHOUSE, of the Abercarne Iron and Tin Plate Works, near Newport,
in the County of Monmouth, Tin Plate Manufacturer. * IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF TIN, TERNE, AND SIMILAR PLATES, AND IN APPARATUS AND
MACHINERY THEREFOR.'
"
My Invention relates chiefly to the treatment of tin and terne plates in the
process of manufacturing the same, and comprises special apparatus and machinery
for effecting the objects desired to be accomplished.
In the manufacture of tin and terne plates, the iron plate has to undergo the
process of pickling before it can be coated with the tin or mixture, which is to
form the outside covering. This pickling is generally effected in a vessel which is
called the trough, the plates being placed in a suitable solution contained within
the said trough.
After the plates have been thus pickled, they are passed into a bath of molten
tin or of tin combined with some other metal, according to whether tin or terne plates
are being manufactured, and in this bath they receive the coating or covering which
it is desired to give to them. The vessel in which the said coating is effected
is usually called the "tinning pot."
The passing of the plates into and out of the pickling trough and tinning pot
is sometimes done by hand, which method occupies a great deal of time, and some-
times it is done by means of apparatus more or less cumbersome and costly, and
liable to derangement.
The first part of my said improvements is designed to provide simple and
inexpensive means, whereby the said plates may be readily introduced into and
passed through the pickling trough and tinning pot, the pickling or tinning
taking place during the passage of the plates.
As the apparatus or appliance I employ for effecting this object is substantially
the same, whether applied to a tinning pot or to a pickling trough, I will in
the following description confine myself to the tinning pot.
In carrying this part of my said Invention into practice, I provide within the
said tinning pot four longitudinal guides which extend from one ond of the pot

page_text: to the other, and serve to guide and hold the plates in their passage from the end
at which they enter the pot to the opposite end thereof, whence they are discharged
to the ordinary finishing rolls used in the manufacture of such plates. The said
guides are curved upward at both ends, namely, the ends at which the plates are
fed into and discharged from the tinning pot. The said longitudinal guides are
made preferably of iron, and may be of tubular form. There is an opening or
groove in each guide extending from one end to the other of the same, these grooves
being provided to receive the edges of the plates and to permit of the latter sliding
therein. Two of the said guides are placed parallel with each other near the
bottom of the tinning pot, and the two other guides are also placed parallel with
each other, and above the two first named guides. The relative distances of the
four guides from each other are so arranged, that ench plate may be placed in and
supported at the top by one of the upper guides, and at the bottom by the lower
guide on the opposite side, the plate thus resting in an inclined position. An
attendant stands at the feeding or receiving end of the tinning pot and inserts a
plate within two of the guides as above described, the upper part of the plate being,
say, in the right hand upper guide, and the lower part in the left hand lower guide.
This plate is then pushed forward by the attendant far enough to enable him to
insert another plate which is then introduced, so that its upper part rests in the
left hand upper guide, and its lower part in the right hand lower guide. The end
edges of the two plates thus cross each other, and when the attendant pushes the
second plate forward, the first one is also caused to advance. The two plates having
been thus pushed forward a sufficient distance, a third plate is then inserted in the
guides in the same position as the first one, so that the end edges of the second and
third plates will cross each other in the same manner as the end edges of the first
and second plates. The attendant continues to insert onc plate after another in
the same manner, so that each fresh one crosses the one preceding it, and so by
pushing forward the one last inserted the attendant causes the whole train of
plates already inserted to be urged forward the distance of one plate every time a
fresh one enters. There is thus a continual train of plates passing through the
bath of molten tin, each one of which is discharged to the finishing rolls when it
arrives at the end of the tinning pot where the said rolls are situated. If found
desirable, I may provide the guides with small rollers at intervals to facilitate the
passage of the plates.
When my Invention is applied to a pickling trough, the plates are discharged
therefrom at one end, and are removed by hand or otherwise, and the longitudinal
guides should be made of brass or copper.
I prefer to insert in the pickling trough and in the tinning pot a vessel
conforming somewhat to the shape of the said pot and trough, and which serves
the purpose of filling up a portion of the interior thereof, in order that a smaller
body of molten metal or pickling solution, as the case may be, will be necessary in
the bath, and the said interior vessel will also provide means for facilitating the
inspection of the guides and repairing the same, as by removing the said vessel the
guides can be readily seen and reached.
In some cases I may have two or more tiers of guides in the same pot, and when
treating wide plates I may provide central longitudinal guides in addition to the
others above described, which central guides will provide the plates with additional
support.
Other than tin and terne plates may be treated in the same manner with great
advantage. In order to regulate at will the temperature of the grease in which the
finishing rolls work. I provide a pipe or pipes passing through the grease through
which water may be caused to flow.
My said Invention also comprises apparatus or machinery for cleaning tin or
terne plates after the coating has been effected, which apparatus is constructed as
follows, that is to say,-
I provide a series of rollers through which the plates aro passed, some of these
rollers being designed to push or draw the plate forward, and others to rub and

page_text: clean the same. The rollers are arranged as follows, that is to say :-There are two
rollers placed one above the other, the peripheries of which are pressed tightly
together. The plate is inserted between them, and as the rollers revolve it is caused
to move forward, coming then between two other rollers of larger diameter, also
placed one above the other, which both rotate in a contrary direction to that taken
by the plate in its forward movement. The last named rollers are placed within a
box or case, the lower part of which is filled with bran, or lime and saw dust, or
other material suitable for cleaning the plate. There is also a hopper at the upper
part of this box or case through which some of the same material falls continually
whilst the apparatus is in operation. Beyond this box or case there is another
pair of rollers similar to the pair first hercin mentioned, and beyond these there is
also another case or box similar to the one first named, this second box or case
also containing a pair of rollers similar to those in the first named case, also
being provided with bran or other material and a hopper, as herein before described.
There is also a third pair of small rollers, and a third pair of large rollers, but
there is no bran or similar material in connection with the latter.
The plate is drawn forward by the first pair of small rollers, and on passing
through the first pair of large rollers both its surfaces are rubbed by the action of
the said rollers combined with the bran or other material, which will be kept in
agitation. This operation takes off a great part of the dirt or grease from the
plate, and the latter being seized at the proper moment by the second pair of small
rollers is drawn forward until it reaches the second pair of large rollers, where it is
again rubbed by the action of the rollers and bran as before, and thus any remaining
grease or dirt is removed. The plate then passes to the third pair of small rollers,
and is drawn forward until it reaches the third pair of large rollers whose function
is to remove any dust that may remain upon the plate after the previous operations
have been effected. When the plate issues from the third pair of large rollers it is
perfectly free from any dirt or dust, and is ready to be packed.
The rollers are connected by suitable gearing so as to rotate at whatever speed
may be necessary, and any suitable motor may be employed.
I prefer to cover the peripheries of the small rollers with india-rubber, and the
large ones with sheep skin.
I provide guides for the plates from one end of the apparatus to the other up to
and from the rollers, and I furnish these guides with small india-rubber rollers to
avoid any risk of scratching the plates. The drawing and rubbing rollers are
mounted upon suitable bearings in a frame, and in order that the larger rollers
which revolve in an opposite direction to the travel of the plates may not impede
the passage of the same, I provide these rollers with light springs so that the plate
will not be pressed sufficiently to cause any impediment.
The boxes or cases containing the bran or similar material will be provided with
an outlet at the bottom, so that this material may always be kept at a suitable
level, and I may employ a travelling band so arranged and fitted as to carry the
bran up to the hopper again as it escapes from the bottom of the box.
It may be desirable to allow the plates to become cool after passing through the
first and second sets of drawing and rubbing rollers before subjecting them to the
action of the third pair of large rollers, and in this case I may fit the said third
rollers in a separate frame as a distinct apparatus, and pass the plates through them
as a separate operation.