Improved Apparatus for use in the Manufacture of Lead Fibre.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by NORMAN KELSEY MORRIS, of Denver, County
of Arapahoe, State of Colorado, United States of America, Physician.]
Improved Apparatus for use in the Manufacture of Lead Fibre.
I, ABNER TORKINGTON, of Moorgate Rotherham, in the County of York,
Retired Major, 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for use in the manufacture of lead fibre.
In the Specification of Letters Patent dated October 7th 1890 No. 15903
there is described a process or method and apparatus for forming metallic lead
into strips shreds or threads, or in other words for making lead-fibre. The said
apparatus or that part of the apparatus forming the nozzle or cap is expensive
to manufacture and is objectionable in practice by reason of the great liability of
the fine holes through which the molten lead is forced becoming choked. The
present invention is intended to overcome these objections by providing an apparatus
which is less expensive to make, and which can be easily kept in efficient order,
that is to say, in which the thread forming holes can be expeditiously cleaned.
Moreover in my improved apparatus the fibre forming holes may be made of much
greater fineness than is possible in the cap or nozzle as heretofore constructed.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown how my invention may be
conveniently carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the melting furnace showing the melting
vessel in elevation and one of the fibre forming apparatuses.
Figure 2 is a front elevation, and
Figure 3 is a plan, both on an enlarged scale, of my fibre forming apparatus
detached.
Figures 4 and 5 show parts of the apparatus separately in central section and
clevation respectively.
Like letters represent corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the melting furnace, B the melting vessel, and C one of the outlet pipes
from the said vessel leading to the fibre forming apparatus D. The furnace
chamber is built up to surround nearly the whole of the melting vessel, the hot
gases being thereby enabled to play around the said vessel and thoroughly heat
the same before escaping at the chimney E. F is the water tank or basin into
which the streams of lead fibre fall as they issue from the apparatus D in the
manner described in the aforesaid Specification. The lead is caused to flow
through the apparatus D by the pressure of the head of molten metal in the
vessel B, and the heat is regulated to the requirements, that is to say, so that the
metal will flow freely without being too fluid.
The construction of the apparatus D for dividing the lead into fine threads
will be readily understood from Figures 2 to 5. a is a metal cap or cylindrical
shell screw-threaded internally and adapted to fit the screwed end of the pipe C
Figure 1. The said cap may be otherwise fixed on the pipe C. In the outer
end of the cap is formed an aperture Figure 4 in which is adapted to fit
accurately a metal plug c. I make the said aperture band the plug c slightly
conical. d is a clip provided with ears d¹ formed to engage with the inner end or
flange of the cap a and having a screw which may be screwed inwards to press
on the plug c and thereby to retain the said plug in position. By removing the
said clip, the plug may be released and its withdrawal from the cap permitted. I
form in the face or edge of the said aperture 6 by means of a file or by other
suitable means a number of very fine grooves or creases 6' parallel with the axis of
C

page_text: the cap.
The said creases or grooves form the openings through which thic molten
lead coming from the melting vessel issues. The issuing lead thus assumes a fibrous
character which is fixed or retained-by the sudden plunging of the lead in water
as described in the aforesaid Specification.
It is obvious that the creases or grooves may be very easily and cheaply made,
and that they may be readily cleaned on taking out the plugc.
If desired I may
form the said grooves or creases in the edge of the plug instead of in the face or
edge of the opening b.
(;
Instead of melting the lead in the vessel B it is obvious that I may melt the
lead in a separate vessel and allow the molten metal to flow into the vessel B. where
it is kept at the proper heat by the furnace A. In all cases wliether the lead. is
melted in the vessel B or in a separate vessel and allowed to run into the vessel B,
the head of molten metal is maintained approximately constant so that the
pressure forcing the metal out through the holes in the cap does not materially
vary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. An apparatus for use in the manufacture of lead fibre comprising two
pieces, one accurately fitting within the other, and having creases or grooves
formed in one or other of the adjoining faces of the said pieces, for the purpose
specified.
Second. The apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawings, and operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 29th day of May 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.