IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING TIN, TERNE, AND METAL PLATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard James Hutchings, of Treforest, in the County
of Glamorgan, South Wales, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING TIN, TERNE, AND METAL
PLATES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard James Hutchings at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1876.
RICHARD JAMES HUTCHINGS, of Treforest, in the County of Glamorgan, South
Wales. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING
TIN, TERNE, AND METAL PLATES."
My present Invention refers to machinery or apparatus for coating metal plates
with tin, terne, or other metal after they have been pickled and annealed or
otherwise prepared for coating.
The Invention consists in causing the metal plates to be coated to be passed
through a pot or pots or suitable vessel containing palm oil, grease, oil, or flux
by means of rolls or rollers covered with felt or other suitable material to cause
the plates to be thoroughly painted with the oil, grease, or flux; afterwards they
are carried through the metal bath or baths automatically by means of endless
chain, chains, travelling carriage, carriages, frames, rollers, sheaves, or other suit-
able mechanism, afterwards finished in grease, oil, or flux, by means of rolls or
other suitable mechanism at end of said metal pot, or may not be finished in
same pot.
Guides and cradles may or may not be employed; also wash pot and brushing
may or may not be used as found advisable. I do not confine myself to any
number or shape of pot or pots. Covers may or may not be used.
This Invention may be used alone or in combination with one or more or all of
my several other Inventions for which Provisional Protection has been granted me
dated respectively 18 March 1876, No. 1171, the 12 June 1876, No. 2421, and the
26th June 1876, No. 2632.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard James Hutchings in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1877.
RICHARD JAMES HUTCHINGS, of Treforest, in the County of Glamorgan, South
Wales. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING
TIN, TERNE, AND METAL PLATES."
My said Invention refers to machinery or apparatus for coating plates with tin,
terne, or other metal, after they have been pickled and annealed or otherwise pre-
pared, and consists in causing the said plates to pass mechanically and continuously
through the greasing or fluxing pots and metal baths or bath. This is effected by
the employment of endless chains, travelling carriages, rollers, sheaves, or other
suitable mechanism actuated in the metal bath or baths, and if necessary put in
automatic connection with the fluxing and delivery rollers so as to receive and
deliver the plates.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I will now
proceed to describe the same, with reference to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one modification of an arrangement of apparatus
constructed according to my Invention, whereby I am enabled to grease or flux,
coat, and deliver a sheet of metal without the intervention of hand labour during
the process. Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus ; Figure 3 is a longitudinal
vertical section; Figure 4 is a sectional plan at the line A, B, Figure 3; Figure 5,
a cross vertical section at the line C, D, Fig. 1, while Figure 6. is a similar section
at the line E, F, Fig. 3.
As particularly shewn by these views, the apparatus includes three distinct
receptacles in communication with one another; that is to say, the lower part or
metal bath a has at each end a superposed grease pot b and c. The plates to be
coated are caused to enter at the pot b, and they are delivered in a coated state
through the pot c.
C
It is to be understood that the bath a is filled or partially filled with tin or
terne imetal which is kept in a molten state by a furnace beneath and around the
bath, but not shown in the Drawings. The pots band also contain palm oil
or other flux which floats upon the surface of the molten metal, but is prevented
from spreading away from the grease pots by means of ledges d which dip
down into the tin or terne metal as shown, and thus seal the grease pots at the
lower parts.
A pair of rollers are provided in the grease pot b, and between them the plates
are passed to the endless travelling chain or frame f, which is stretched between
and actuated by chain pulleys upon the upright shafts and i. The lower
range of the chain is provided with any suitable number of toes or projections
upon which the plate is supported, while the upper range of chain (as shewn at
Figure 4) has projecting stops j, between which the plate is dropped in the position
shewn in dotted lines (Figures 3 and 4) and by which it is prevented from slipping
backwards as the chain or frame advances. Both the upper and lower range of
projections on the chain f travel between fences %, attached to the side of the
bath (as shewn at Fig. 5), and whereby the chain is steadied and prevented from
canting with the weight of the plates at the saine time that the plates cannot
escape from the chain f, imprisoned as they are between the bars 6 on the onc
side, and the side of the bath and fences on the other. An elevator or cradle m
is placed at the delivery end of the chain and in such a position as to receive and
retain the plate when it has been delivered by the chain f. The grease pot c is
provided with rollers n and guides o, through which the plate is drawn and
delivered to the revolving sheaves 1, by which it is lifted quite clear of the greaso
and delivered to the attendant.
Now as the travelling chain is divided into equal compartments for the recep-
tion of the plates, one of which compartments must, when the plate is being fed

page_text: between the rollers e, occupy a certain relative position thereto, and as a certain
space of time must be allowed to elapse between the delivery of each plate to the
cradle or elevator m, so as to allow the latter to rise and deliver the plate to the
rollers n, it is evident that the movement of the chain must be intermittent
and timed according to the regularity with which the plates are fed to the rollers e,
at the same time that it is advisable to establish automatic communication between
the movement of the chain fand that of the elevator m, so as to make the one
dependent upon the other, both of these conditions I fulful by the herein-after
described arrangement of mechanism, at the same time tracing the progress of a
plate through the apparatus. A properly prepared plate is fed by the operator
between the rollers e (which I would here remark may or may not be provided
with guides similar to those in the grease pot c). I prefer that the rollers should
be covered with felt or other suitable material, so as more thoroughly to flux or
grease the plates, which are by the revolving action of the rollers carried down-
wards and deposited in an upright position upon or in the chain f. When this has
'been effected the attendant pulls the clutch lever q so as to cause the clutch "
(keyed by a slip feather and groove upon the roller shaft) to engage with the bevel
wheels, which is loose upon the same shaft. The bevel wheels is thus caused to
revolve and drive the wheel t fixed upon the intermediate shaft u, which in its turn
actuates the chain pulley shaft / through the gearing 7. The chain fis thus caused
to advance with the plate just fed into it, and I provide that it shall advance no
further than is necessary to present a new compartment in the chain beneath the
rollers c. This result is obtained by the following means: -A spiral or other
spring wis provided near the upper end of the lever 2, the normal condition of
which will tend to draw the clutch r out of gear with the wheel s. When the
lever is pulled forward so as to cause the clutch to gear, it (the lever) is held in
that position by means of the hook or hasp, which seizes a pin y projecting from
the side of the lever 7, and prevents the lever from being drawn back by the
spring w. It will be seen that the intermediate shaft u has a screw thread formed
upon a portion of its length; opposite to this threaded portion I arrange a half
nut connected by a link z to the lever, q. The links is made of such a length that
when the clutch lever and clutch are not in gear with the wheels the half nut is
clear of the screw and rests upon the top of the bath, but when the lever g is
pulled inwards until the clutch is in gear, and the hasp has seized the pin y, the
half nut is at the same time put in gear with the screw thread, which in, say, two
revolutions of the shaft u, raises the half nut sufficiently to come into contact
with and elevate the weighted end of the hasp x, thereby causing the opposite and
hooked end to lose its hold upon the pin y, whereupon the spring w pulls back
the lever 7, throwing the clutch out of gear with the wheel s, and stopping at once
the movement of the chain fat the same time that the half nut being pulled clear
of the screw thread falls to its original position ready to be again pushed into gear
with the screw. The pitch of the screw thread or the distance between the half
mut and tho hasp can be so regulated as to bring about the exact travel of chain
required. The plate thus traversed through the bath a is at last transferred to
the cradle or elevator m, which is caused to rise with the plate as soon as the chain
has come to a standstill. An automatic connection is obtained as follows:—The
upright shaft i has a bevel wheel 1 at its upper end which gears with another
carried on a horizontal shaft 2 lying at right angles to the length of the bath, and
shown at Fig. 2. At the outer end of the shaft 2 there is a disc 3, against the face
of which one end of a clutch lever is held by the tension of a spiral or other
spring 5. The lever 4 is centred at the point 6 and at its further end embraces
a clutch 7 working by a slip feather and groove on the shaft 8. The bevel wheel
9 runs loose upon the shaft S, and is formed with a clutch boss into which the
clutch 7 at times takes. The cradle or elevator m is suspended by a chain passing
over the pulley 10, and secured to the cranked part of the shaft S, where it is
attached to the disc 11. Suitable gearing is arranged, as shewn, whereby the wheel
9 is driven constantly from one of the roller shafts, or it might be so driven from

page_text: any other suitable source. As will be seen by a reference to Fig. 1 that the disc 3
has upon its face, and at or near the circumference, a step or projection which in
the normal position of the disc is just beneath the clutch lever 4. When the chain
f is put in inotion, as herein-before described, and is in the act of delivering a
plate to the cradle or elevator m the disc 3 revolves without altering the position
of the lever 4 until when the plate has been delivered to the cradle and the chain
is about to come to a standstill, the projection on the disc ncts upon the lever and
pushing out that end causes the other end to thrust the clutch 7 into gear
with the wheel 9 whereby the shaft 8 is caused to revolve with the disc 11, and
thus raise and lower the cradle or elevator m. The spring 5 is prevonted
from drawing the clutch lever 4 back until the proper time by a catch or hasp 12,
which holds the clutch lever in gear until the disc 11 has accomplished exactly onc
revolution, when a tooth or projection upon the periphery of the said disc engages
with the free end of the catch or hasp 12 and by depressing the free end elevates
the hooked or notched end and disengages the lever 4 which is thereupon drawn
back by the spring 5, thus placing the clutch 7 out of gear with the wheel 9 and
putting a stop to the revolution of the shaft 8 and disc 11, which are left in their
original positions.
The sheaves p are driven from the rollers, as shewn, and revolve continuously.
Their use is to lift the plate clear of the grease and deliver it to the attendant who
removes it for further treatment.
By the means just described the plates are carried edgeways and in an upright
position through the metal bath, and I can thus employ a comparatively economical
form of metal bath, since from the diminished area of metal surface exposed
evaporation and scruff are reduced to a minimum and the metal is more easily kept
at the proper temperature, I would again observe that although no guides are shewn
in the grease pot b that such inay be beneficially employed to direct the plate into
the travelling chain f, and also although only one pair of rollers and guides are
shewn on the herein-before referred to Figures, it is to be understood that a greater
number of such rollers and guides may be employed, as for example, two pairs of
rollers and three sets of guides, as shewn at Fig. 7 of the Drawings.
In certain cases the hercin-beforo described apparatus may be constructed to
carry plates through the metal bath in both directions instead of in one direction
only, as shewn in the Drawings and described. When such a double acting
arrangement is employed the plates are fed and delivered at both ends of the bath
by an easily conceivable modification of the apparatus, shewn in the heroin-before
described Figures as well as of the following arrangements'
Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of another arrangement of apparatus for
carrying my Invention into effect. Figure 9 is a sectional plan at the line G, H,
Figure 8, and Figure 10 a cross vertical section at the line I, J, Fig. 8.
According to this arrangement revolving and adjustable pulleys or sheaves are
employed as a substitute for the travelling chain or frame herein-before described.
There is a set at the top and one at the bottom of the bath, the top set being
carried in a frame g capable of being raised and lowered to suit different breadths
of plate by means of jack screws 1. Both sets of sheaves f are driven from an
upright shaft situated at the end of the bath and operating the horizontal
shafts i, i, through the bevel gearing p, p¹. As the frame is raised and lowered
the driving bevel wheel 2 slips up and down upon the shaft h, a slip foather and
groove being provided to cause it to partake of the rotation of the shaft h. The
short shafts carrying the sheaves fare at their outer ends provided with tangent
screw or worm wheels g which are operated by tangent screws or worms on the
shafts i, i¹.
In this arrangement I have shown the fluxing or grease pot b detached from the
mictal bath, as might in certain cases be desirable. The plate is placed in an
ordinary cradle m and raised and passed through the rollors e to the attendant who
takes hold of it with tongs, and passing it through the secondary grense pot 61
(which may or may not be provided with rollers) deposits it upon the sheaves f, by

page_text: which it is carried forward to the cradle m¹ and raised through the rollers n, where
it may be further raised by the herein-before referred to sheaves or delivered direct
to the attendant.
The level of the palm oil or flux in the grease pot. b is maintained by the spouts,
for each plate as it is plunged into the grease pot b¹ displaces a certain amount of
the flux equivalent to what it has carried away from the pot b, so that the pot b is
continually being replenished by supplies of hot flux.
Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of a metal pot A provided with an endless
chain B arranged in a vertical position so as to carry the plate downwards and
deposit it in the cradle C after it has passed between the rollers D. The cradle is
made to cant as it ascends by means of a curved groove or projection in or on the
side of the pot as shewn, and the contained plate is thus delivered into the nip of
one, two, or any greater number of delivery rollers E contained in a partitioned
off part of the pot. When such a movement is desirable or necessary the plate
may be tipped over into an inclined position in the cradle as it leaves the endless
chain B. This may be done by means of fixed guides or revolving eccentrics or
pushers not shewn on the Drawing.
The endless chain B is of the construction shewn more clearly at Figs. 12 and 13,
from which it will be seen that the steps a of the chain are loosely hinged thereto
so as to allow the plate 6 to rest on one of the steps without being displaced by
the others.
Figure 14 is a section of a metal pot wherein revolving sheaves B are employed
instead of the vertical chain. This arrangement is specially applicable to the
coating of plates with terne metal owing to its great specific gravity and the
consequent difficulty in sinking the plates into it.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the system, mode, or
manner in which the same may be carried practically into effect, I do not limit
inyself to the precise details of mechanism herein-before set forth, as the same are
given only as illustrations of how the Invention may be carried into effect, neither
do I confine myself to the number of rollers or number and form of guides described
and shown, as the same must be varied and arranged according to circumstances
without in any way departing from my said Invention, but I claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent―
First. The coating of metal plates with tin, terne, or other metal after they have
been pickled and annealed in and by a continuous method or system for fluxing
and coating the said metal plates with tin or terne metal, and the form of inetal
bath, in combination with an endless chain or frame or sets of revolving pulleys or
sheaves, all substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Second. The particular arrangements of mechanism herein-before described, con-
structed and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard James Hutchings, have. hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of January in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
DTA