Improvements in the Method of and Means for Forming a Protective Coating on Iron and Steel Wire, Rods, and the like Articles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1900-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1900
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Forming a Protective
Coating on Iron and Steel Wire, Rods, and the like Articles.
I, OSWALD GRANGE MOSELEY, of The Chapelfield Works, Ardwick, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Indiarubber Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
16
و,
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It is well known that if a coating of the magnetic oxide of iron be produced
by the Barft process upon the surfaces of articles constructed of iron and
steel, this coating is very adherent, protective and durable.
According to my present invention, I produce such a coating upon iron or steel
wires, rods, bars and the like, by passing them through a chamber or tube in
which they are locally and internally heated and into which the "barffing'
agents are passed or have access.
As an example, I will describe a method of procedure with relation to con-
tinuous iron wire. The wire is wound upon a reel from which it is wound and
transferred to a second reel. Between the two reels the wire travels through a
tube, which may be made of glass. At or near each end of the tube, good electric
contact is made with the travelling wire by brushes or the like respectively con-
nected with terminals of opposite polarity connected with a dynamo or battery.
Thus, that part of the wire which is temporarily within the tube may be heated
to any desired degree locally, by controlling the electric current passing through
it.
During the passage of the wire through the tube, "barffing" agents are intro-
duced, such as superheated steam, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and the
like. A special "barffing" agent may be introduced in the following manner.
An annular series of gas jets, surrounds a central steam jet. When the gas jets
have been lighted, the steam is turned on, and the products of combustion
together with the steam pass into the tube and into contact with the wire. Some
unconsumed gas may be admitted with the steam and products of combustion,
especially if the wire be at all rusty. Oil burners may be substituted for the
gas burners, and unconsumed oil or oil vapour may be admitted with the steam
in substitution for gas. By this means, the necessity for superheating the steam
is avoided.
I do not limit myself to the described method of procedure, which has only
been given by way of example, and which may obviously be variously modified."
Dated this 8th day of December A.D. 1899.
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Method of and Means for Forming a Protective
Coating on Iron and Steel Wire, Rods, and the like Articles.
I, OSWALD GRANge Moseley, of The Chapelfield Works, Ardwick, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Indiarubber Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
It is well known that if a coating of the magnetic oxide of iron be produced
by the Barff process upon the surfaces of articles constructed of iron or steel,
this coating is very adherent, protective and durable.
According to my present invention, I produce such a coating upon iron or
steel wires, rods, bars and the like, by treating them in a chamber or tube in
which they can be completely enveloped by the "barffing" agent, and in which,
while so enveloped, they can be internally heated by an electric current.
By way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawing, I will
describe a method of procedure which I adopt in coating a continuous length of
iron or steel wire.
The wire is first wound upon the drum or reel ₁, from which, during the
operation, it is unwound and rewound upon the reel . Between the two reels,
the wire travels through a tube t, which, or a portion of which is constructed of
glass if it be desired to be able to inspect the wire during the operation. Other-
wise, the tube may be constructed of any suitable material.
At or near each end of the tube, good electrical contacts c + c -
are made
with the wire w, so that that part of the wire which is temporarily within the
tube forms part of a dynamo or electric battery circuit which includes a variable
resistance or rheostat whereby the density of the current in the wire may be
adjusted and regulated. The current passed through the wire is sufficient to
bring it to the same temperature as would be employed for the same purpose in
the ordinary Bower-Barff process. The speed at which the wire is passed
through the tube will be determined in each case by the initial result desired to
be produced, bearing in mind that if a comparatively thick coating be desired,
it is best to produce it during two or more successive passages of the wire through
the tube.
<
The barffing agent may, as in the ordinary Bower-Barff process, be hot producer
gas, and the treatment with the producer gas may, as in that process, be followed
by treatment with gaseous carbon monoxide if "lobster" results, that is to say,
if ferric oxide be produced on the wire.
Instead of employing ordinary producer gas as in the Bower-Barff process, I
may advantageously use a special barffing agent produced as hereinafter de-
scribed with reference to the accompanying diagram. An injector i, supplied
with dry high-pressure steam through the pipe s, has its inlet surrounded by
the gas jets j, which may however be substituted by oil burners. The injector
is connected by the pipe with the tube t, so that the products of combustion
from the gas jets or oil burners are conveyed into the tube together with the
injector steam which has become superheated by contact and mixture with the
hot gases. The gaseous agent, after having done its work in the tube, escapes
through the outlet o.
A single injector, with branch pipes therefrom, may be employed in con-
junction with a plurality of the tubes t. In such a case, that is to say when a
number of wires are being treated simultaneously, a common chamber may be
substituted for the several tubes, but this arrangement is generally less advan-
tageous, because it is then more difficult to control the treatment of individual
wires,

page_text: Precautions are taken in connection with the admission of air to the gas j
oil burners, such as will avoid the passage into the tube t, of an excess of air
yond that which is absolutely necessary for combustion. Means for this pur-
ose may include a hood h, in which there may be a tale window, with or with-
ut known means for controlling admission of air thereto.
Provision may be made for conveying unconsumed gas into the tube as a com-
onent of the barffing agent.
In the illustrated horizontal arrangement of the tube t, its ends are shewn to
This closure may be at that
e closed save for small passages for the wire w.
nd only at which the barffing agent enters, the outlet o being omitted and the
pposite end of the tube being open.
The hereinbefore described process of barffing wires may be conveniently and
advantageously used in connection with the process for hardening and tempering
steel wires, in which the wire is heated within a tube or chamber and is thence
passed into a cold liquid, as described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to Joseph Moseley, No. 18197 of 1893.
When, in carrying out my invention, I use the heated producer gas employed
in the ordinary bartting process, I may force or draw this gas into the tube or
heated and treated, by fans or other known and
chamber in which the wire
suitable devices.
The tube or chamber t, instead of being arranged horizontally as indicated by
the diagram, may be arranged diagonally or vertically, especially when my
new process is used in conjunction with the tempering and hardening processes
herein before referred to. In these cases the barffing agent will best be admitted
at the lower end of the tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The hereinbefore described production of a protective coating on iron and
steel wires, rods and like articles, by enclosing the article within a tube or cham-
ber, heating it by a current of electricity passing through it, and surrounding it
with a bartling agent, substantially as set forth.
2. The herein before described production of a protective coating on iron and
steel wires, rods and the like articles, by enclosing the articles within a tube or
5 chamber, heating them by currents of electricity passing through them, and
injecting into the tube or chamber hot products of combustion by means of a
steam jet, substantially as set forth.
3. Apparatus for use in barffing iron or steel wires, rods and the like articles
consisting of a tube or chamber for containing the articles, means for including
10 the articles in an electric circuit while in the tube or chamber, and means fo
enveloping the articles in the tube or chamber with a barffing agent, substantiall
as set forth.
4. Apparatus for use in barffing iron or steel wires rods and the like article
consisting of a tube or chamber for containing the articles, means for includin
45 the articles in electric circuits while under treatment, an injector fed by d
steam under pressure, and fuel burners so arranged with reference to the i
jector that their hot products of combustion are mixed with the steam an
injected into the tube or chamber as the barffing agent, substantially as s
forth.
AD 1900.