IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING IRON AND STEEL WIRE WITH OTHER METALS OR ALLOYS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING IRON AND STEEL WIRE
WITH OTHER METALS OR ALLOYS."-A communication from Alexandre
Désiré Eugene Boucher and Adrien Muller.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th March 1855.
I, WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING IRON AND STEEL
WIRE WITH OTHER METALS OR ALLOYS," communicated to me from Alexandre
Désiré Eugene Boucher and Adrien Muller, foreigners resident abroad, to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement of apparatus for effecting
the coating of iron or steel wire of all thicknesses with tin or zinc or metallic
alloys, by which arrangement the operation is accomplished with greater
regularity than bitherto, with economy in manual labor and material. One
great feature in the Invention is, that the wire is instantly cooled after leaving

page_text: the bath; a most essential point as regards the production of a good result,
& the prevention of a roughness on the surface of the wire when the opera-
tion of coating is completed. The machine for effecting the coating is capable
of operating upon several wires or lines of wire at one time, and may be varied
in its dimensions according to circumstances. The wires to be operated upon
are wound upon vertical reels situated at one extremity of the machine; from
these reels they pass through a double vessel containing a solution of double
chloride of zinc and ammonia, or a simple solution of chlorhydric acid diluted
with water. The second portion of this vessel serves to receive any acid which
may drop from the wires after immersion, and during their passage through
cushions attached to the vessel. From these cushions the wires proceed to the
metal bath, whether of zinc or tin, the molten metal being contained in a cast
iron or other suitable vessel placed immediately over a furnace. On leaving
this bath the wires are entirely coated with metal, and they are then passed
through two steel gauge plates, which remove any superabundant amount of
metal, and produce the smoothness of surface desired. The wires thus coated
are then instantly cooled by a number of jets of cold water, which arrange-
ment is of very great advantage in the process of tinning, as it materially
improves the appearance of the work, by imparting a smoothness, brilliancy,
and whiteness not hitherto obtained, and preventing oxydation. The water is
applied by passing the wires through tubes through which a current of cold
water is kept constantly flowing. After the cooling process, the wires are
immediately dried, for which purpose they pass over or through a series of
bands or cushions, and thence into and through the series of tubes which are
enclosed in a metal casing heated by the waste heat from the furnace. After
emerging from the drying chambers the wires are wound on to drums.
It will be easily understood, that if it is desired to harden the wires, they
may be passed one or more times through the gauge plates with soap suds or
fatty matter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 8
by the said William Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and of
Glasgow, North Britain, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Johnson, Her special license that I, the said William Johnson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COATING IRON AND STEEL WIRE WITH OTHER METALS OR ALLOYS," a
communication from Alexandre Désiré Eugene Boucher and Adrien Muller,
foreigners resident abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Johnson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 dato of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement of apparatus for
effecting the coating of iron or steel wire of all thicknesses, with tin or zinc or
metallic alloys, by which arrangement the operation is accomplished with
greater regularity than hitherto, and with considerable economy in manual
labor and material. One great feature in the Invention is, that the wire is
instantly cooled after leaving the bath; a most essential point as regards the
production of a good result, and the prevention of all roughness on the
surface of the wire when the operation of coating is completed. The machine
for effecting the coating is capable of operating upon several wires or lines of
wire at one time, and may be varied in its dimensions according to circum-
stances. The wires to be operated upon are wound upon vertical reels situated
at one extremity of the machine; from these reels they pass through a double
vessel containing a solution of double chloride of zinc and ammonia, or a
simple solution of chlorhydric otherwise hydrochloric acid diluted with water.

page_text: The second portion of this vessel serves to receive any acid which may drop
from the wires after immersion, and during their passage through cushions
attached to the vessel. From these cushions the wires proceed to the metal
bath, whether of zinc or tin or other metallic alloy, the molten metal being con-
tained in a cast-iron or other suitable vessel placed immediately over a furnace.
On leaving this bath the wires are entirely coated with metal, and they are
then passed through two steel guage plates, which remove any superabundant
amount of metal, and produce the smoothness of surface desired. The wires
thus coated are then instantly cooled by a number of jets of cold water; which
arrangement is of very great advantage in the process of tinning, as it
materially improves the appearance of the work, by imparting a smoothness,
brilliancy, and whiteness not hitherto obtained, and oxydation is prevented.
The cold water may be applied by keeping a current constantly flowing
through tubes through which the wires are passed, or by throwing the water
upon the wires in the form of jets. After the cooling process the wires are
immediately dried, for which purpose they pass over or through a series of
bands or cushions, and thence into and through a series of tubes, which are
enclosed in a metal casing heated by the waste heat from the furnace. After
emerging from the drying chambers the wires are wound on to drums. It will
be easily understood, that if it is desired to harden the wires, they may be
passed one or more times through the guage plates or draw plates, with soap
suds or fatty matter.
And in order that the said Invention may be more readily understood, I
shall now proceed to describe and refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, the same letters of reference indicating corre-
sponding parts throughout all the Figures.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings represents a general plan of the apparatus in
working order; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same, taken
through the line 1, 2, in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section through
the bath, taken along the line 3, 4.
It will be seen on referring to the Drawings, that the wires a, colored blue,
are arranged in bundles as in the ordinary process, and are placed upon the
bobbins or winders A, which turn freely upon their axes.
On being wound off from the circumference of these winders, the wire
passes through a species of double vessel C, filled with a solution of the double
chloride of zinc and ammonia, or simply with a dilution of chlorhydric other-
wise hydrochloric acid.
A roller D is fitted into the vessel, and partly immersed in this solution or

page_text: of
dilute acid, thereby forcing the wires to pass through the solution or acid, in
order to cleanse them. The outer basin or vessel is employed to catch
any
the solution or dilute acid that may fall from the wires as they pass through
the cushions F, which wipe them dry, and which are simply formed of wool
or other similar material.
. The interior of this second vessel, as well as that of the first vessel, is
sheathed or coated with lead. After leaving the cushions, the wires are caused,
by the upright forks G, to pass through the bath of melted tin, zinc, or other
alloy contained in the cast-iron vessel H, placed directly over the furnace J,
which supplies sufficient heat to maintain the metal of the bath in a molten
state. This vessel may obviously be made of other materials, such as sheet
iron surrounded with fire clay. On leaving this metallic bath the wires
are completely coated throughout their entire length and over all their
surface, and in order that they may not take away more of the metal
than is necessary, they are made to pass through the steel guage or draw
plates K and K', which, besides relieving them of their excess of metal,
smoothens the surface, and renders it free from inequalities. Thus coated,
the wires are instantaneously cooled by passing them through tubes of tin
plate N, along which currents of cold water are kept constantly flowing,
or cold water may be thrown upon them in the form of jets as they
leave the guage or draw plates. This arrangement is very advantageous, as,
by the sudden cooling to which the tin or other metal or alloy is subjected, it
cannot form or run into drops or knobs, and consequently the coating remains
perfectly smooth, white and brilliant, and all oxydation is prevented.
The water is supplied to the apparatus by means of a metal pipe M. The
tubes through which the cold water flows are terminated at one end by a
contracted mouth piece, and at the other by a small. glass tube v, this
material being used in order that the wire coating may not be to scratched.
The flow of water is regulated by means of the small cocks o, which may
be opened to the required extent, or closed altogether, when necessary.
All the water which is used falls upon a metal plate q, which carries it
away. After the wires have been cooled they should be properly dried. This
is effected by passing them through the cushions R, composed of vulcanized
india-rubber, and then through the drier S, consisting of six parallel tubes t, t,
of sheet iron, enclosed in an exterior pipe or jacket.
It will be seen on referring to the Drawing, that this drier is of a very simple
construction, and is heated by the waste heat from the furnace, in which any
kind of fuel may be employed.

page_text: The heat is conducted to the pipe or jacket enclosing the drying tubes by
means of the pipe U, whilst the smoke is carried off through the pipe V, in
connexion with the chimney X, which chimney serves also to carry away the
vapours arising from the acid employed. After the wire has passed through
the drier, it encounters the roller Y, the object of which is to change the
direction of the wire, and enable it to be wound upon the vertical bobbins Z,
after passing through the combs or straighteners P. These bobbins, instead
of turning freely like those previously mentioned, should have a continued
rotatory motion imparted to them. This is accomplished by prolonging
the axle below the bobbin to receive a grooved pulley J, and driving cord,
which is in communication with a similar pulley upon a shaft driven by any
suitable motive power. A handle B serves to start the bobbins gradually
by means of a friction pulley, and when necessary they may be stopped
by pushing forward the wedge E against the bottom of the pulley J'. The
bobbins are usually driven at a speed of from 150 to 200 revolutions in a
minute, and the length of wire coated with tin, zinc, or other alloy can thus
be casily calculated from the circumference of the bobbins. When the
wires leave these bobbins they are perfectly dry, and, as I have hercin-
before stated, smooth, regular, and brilliant, and ready for use. If it is
desired to harden the wire it is simply necessary to pass it one or more
times through the guage or draw plate, at the same time applying thereto
some greasy substance, soap suds, or other suitable material of a like
nature.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom with-
out deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention;
but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,―
First, the system or mode of coating iron or steel wire with other metals
or alloys, as herein-before described.
Second, the general construction and arrangement of apparatus for coating
iron and steel wire with other metals or alloys, as herein-before described.
Third, the systom or mode of instantaneously cooling the newly coated wire
by means of cold water applied in the manner herein-before described.

page_text: Fourth, the peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus for drying
the coated wire as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Johnson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of September, One thousand eight hun-
dred and fifty-five.