IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Nevill, of Ferryside, in' the County of
"
Caermarthen, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF
ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Nevill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1880.
WILLIAM HENRY NEVILL, of Ferryside, in the County of Caermarthen.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
In the manufacture of metals, such as iron or steel, for tinplates and other
purposes where they require to be annealed, it is necessary after rolling to submit
them to heat, either in closed or open vessels and thereby soften them.
According to the process hitherto employed for annealing tin plates the sheets
are after having been sheared to the requisite size and washed in diluted sulphuric
acid placed in piles on stands while still wet; an iron cover is then put over
them, and they are afterwards heated for the requisite time in an annealing
furnace.
According to my Invention I propose to assist this annealing process by sub-.
mitting the metal, either before or after being rolled, to screw, hydraulic, or other
pressure, such pressure being continued whilst the metal is being heated, and
sometimes until it subsequently has cooled. I will now proceed to give an
example of the mode in which my Invention may be put into practice. 1 place
the sheets after being sheared and washed on an iron plate, perforated with a
sufficient number of holes round the edge, through which bolts of the requisite
length and strength have been passed. When a sufficient number of sheets have
been placed on the plate I cover the pile with a second plate, perforated with holes
to match those on the lower one. I then apply pressure either by means of a
powerful screw or hydraulic action, and when the pile of sheets has been thoroughly

page_text: compressed I secure the ends of the bolt which have passed through the upper
plate by nuts or cotters. The pile of sheets in the shape of a solid block is then put
into an annealing furnace and heated as before, either with or without an iron cover.
Being in a solid state the effect of the heat on the sheets is much greater than
when they are heated in a loose pile, and the sheets are consequently much softer, 5
producing when finished a less number of waste sheets, and requiring less tin in
⚫ tinning.
In the case of steel, which is largely used in the manufacture of tin plates, the
combined effect of heat and compression is such as to enable the manufacturer to
avail himself of classes of the metal he cannot at present use with advantage.
The above described process is also applicable with some slight modifications to
iron and steel sheets to be used for galvanising and other purposes.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry Nevill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
March 1881.
WILLIAM HENRY NEVILL, of Ferryside, in the County of Caermarthen.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL For the
MANUFACTURE OF TIN PLATES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
In the manufacture of metals, such as iron or steel, for tin plates and other
purposes where they require to be annealed, it is necessary after rolling to submit
them to heat, either in closed or open vessels, and thereby soften them.
According to the process hitherto employed for annealing tin plates the sheets
are after having been sheared to the requisite size and washed in diluted sulphuric
acid placed in piles on stands while still wot; an iron cover is then put over them,
and they are afterwards heated for the requisite time in an annealing furnace.
According to my Invention I proposo to assist this annealing process by sub-
mitting the metal, either before or after being rolled into sheets, and sometimes
while it is in a heated state to screw, hydraulic, or other pressure, such prossuro
being continued whilst the metal is being heated, and sometimes until it subsequently
has cooled.
I will now proceed to give an example of the mode in which my Invention may
be put into practice in the case of sheets for tin plate manufacture.
I place the sheets after being sheared and washed on an iron plate, perforated
with a sufficient number of holes around the edge, through which bolts of the
requisite length and strength have been passed. When a sufficient number of
sheets has been placed on the plate I cover the pile with a second plate, perforated
with holes to match those in the lower plate, and I then apply pressure, either by
means of a powerful scrow, or by hydraulic action, or otherwise, and when the pilo
of sheets has been compressed I secure the ends of the bolts which have passed
through the upper plate by nuts or cotters.
The pile of sheets in the state of a solid block is then put into an annealing
furnace and heated as before, either with or without an iron cover.
Being in a solid state the effect of the heat on the sheets is much greater than
when they are heated in a loose pile, and the sheets are consequently much softer,
producing when finished a less number of waste sheets, and requiring less tin in
tinning. In the case of steel, which is largely used in the manufacture of tin plates,
the combined effect of heat and compression is such as to enable the manufacturer
to avail himself of classes of the metal he cannot at present use with advantage.
In the case of applying my Invention to metal before being rolled into sheets
I submit the metal after being cut into bars or pieces of requisite length to a
similar process to the one already described.
The above described process is also applicable, with some slight modifications, to
iron and steel sheets to be used for galvanizing and other purposes.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode in which
the same may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim
is,-
The herein described improvements in the process of annealing iron and steel for
the manufacture of tin plates and for other other purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Nevill, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.