AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR PICKLING' PLATES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND OTHER MANUFACTURES IN METALS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Howel Walters and Isaiah Rees, of the Derwent
Tin Plate Works, Workington, in the County of Cumberland, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR PICKLING'
PLATES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND OTHER MANUFACTURES IN
METALS."
Tin Plate Works, Workington, in the County of Cumberland, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR 'PICKLING'
PLATES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND OTHER MANUFACTURES IN
METALS."
Sealed the 17th March 1874, and dated the 28th October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Howel Walters and
Isaiah Rees at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 28th October 1873.
We, HOWEL WALTERS and ISAIAH REES, of the Derwent Tin Plate
Works, Workington, in the County of Cumberland, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS
FOR PICKLING' PLATES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND OTHER MANU-
FACTURES IN METALS," to be as follows:-

page_text: and other acids, and is intended for use in the manufacture of tin plates
and in other manufactures in metals.
The improved apparatus consists of a leaden pot or receptacle for
containing the pickling liquor and the plates or other metallic articles
required to be operated upon. The pot is provided with a suitable
overhanging or projecting flanged cover, which working on hinges, and
is made capable of being raised and lowered by means of a rack and
pinion, this cover being intended for preventing any waste or escape of
the liquor.
The pot is divided into compartments by leäden divisions, and is
supported by an iron framing, which by a crank or other suitable means
is caused to vibrate or rock to and fro on side trunnions or rockers
having their bearings in suitable pedestals or supports.
The rocking motion of the pot insures a more regular action of the
pickling liquor on the plates under treatment, as the exhausted and
unexhausted liquors will be more thoroughly mixed than by the very
injurious hand processes hitherto in use; and further, the motion or
rubbing of the plates against each other (cleaning off the affected
surfaces) will effect a considerable saving in liquor and labour."
A further advantage to be derived from the use of this improved
apparatus or mechanical pickler will be the doing away, with the
unhealthy hand labour of the pickler, using iron tongs to open the
plates during the process, which is known to damage the edges, of, the
plates and affects the strength of the acid, and in addition to this no
"branning" or using sawdust between the plates (as at present) will be
required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
i
filed by the said Howel Walters and Isaiah Rees in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HowEl
WALTERS and ISAIAH REES, of the Derwent Tin Plate Works, Working..
ton, Cumberland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of. October, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto us, the said Howel Walters and Isaiah Rees,
Her special licence that we, the said Howel Walters and Isaiah Recs,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Howel Walters and Isaiah Rees, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS
FOR 'PICKLING PLATES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND OTHER MANU-
FACTURES IN METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Howel Walters and Isaiah Rees, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands.
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,.
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Howel Walters and Isaiah Rees,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The objects intended to be accomplished and the advantages to be
obtained by the adoption of our said Invention are,-
1. Doing away with the unhealthy hand labour of the pickler using
iron tongs to open the plates while in the acid, the edges of the plates
being not damaged.
2. Dispensing with branning or placing sawdust between the plates,
consequently avoiding black spots in the annealing process, which is
the cause of a large amount of wasters arising in the tin house; also
preventing the acid being absorbed uselessly by bran or sawdust..
3. So thoroughly keeping up motion of the acid that sulphate of iron
does not form so quickly as by hand labor, which will enable the pickler
to draw out a larger quantity of plates without changing the liquid, the
:

page_text: plates being pickled in less time than by hand pickling, and the waste of
acid much diminished, resulting in better yield.
4. Economizing labor, branning being dispensed with, and the picklers'
productive power increased.
The nature of the means whereby we accomplish the above objects
consist in the use of a machine or apparatus for pickling plates in oil of
vitriol and other acids used in the manufacture of tin and terne plates
and other manufactures in metals.
This apparatus consists of a leaden or wooden pot and cover with
grating or dividers inside. This pot is placed upon a frame worked on
spindle or rockers for giving to the pot a rocking motion. When the
acid is placed in the pot and heated the plates are put in the grating or
compartments with a handful of common sand on top of the plates;
then the pot is connected with the motive power and is made to rock,
the oscillation opening the plates so that their surface is affected. In
eight or ten minutes, more or less, according to the strength of the acid,
the plates are taken out and treated in the usual way.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven- ·|
tion, and intimated in what manner the same is to be performed, we will
now in compliance with the aforesaid condition in the said Letters
Patent contained proceed to more fully and to particularly describe and
ascertain in what manner the said Invention is to be performed or
carried out in practice, which we shall do by referring to the accom-
panying Drawings (craving the aid (if necessary) of the foregoing state-
mantal no fallas

page_text: framing with bearings E, E, through which is passed the rod or spindle F,
which supports the frame A¹ (in which the pot A. is placed), such spindle
being actuated by any suitable mechanism for tilting or rocking the pot
as before explained. G is a tube fitted with a capule for letting out
exhausted acid when necessary; and pipe H fitted on the lid or cover A³
of the pot is for letting off the gas and steam.. When the plates are
being taken out the cover or lid is opened and is held up by slot on
catch I falling on to rest or bearing K. The plates in process of pickling
are situate as shown in dotted lines L, Fig. 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of our Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed
or put in practice, we hereby declare that we claim the herein described
Invention of "An Improved Machine or Apparatus for 'Pickling' Plates
in the Manufacture of Tin and Terne Plates, Plates, and other Manufac-
tures in Metals," as the same is herein-before described and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Howel Walters and Isaiah Rees,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth day of
April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four.
Witness,
WALTER WINSTON WILLIAMS,
Derwent Tin Plate Works,
Workington.
HOWEL WALTERS. (L.S.)
ISAIAH REES.
(L.S.)