Improvements in the Process of Coating or Galvanizing Wire, and Apparatus Used therein.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1895-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process of Coating or Galvanizing Wire,
and Apparatus Used therein.
I KARL BERKENHOFF of Herborn in the Province of Nassau, Germany,
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 :-
The manner of galvanizing wire, or rather of covering wire with a thin layer
of metal such as zink, tin, lead, has been performed hitherto in the following way:
The wire after having been annealed and cleaned by acid to readily take the
metal is led through the molten zink or tin and thence through a layer of sand or
through some suitable packing as of asbestos, which regulates the quantity of zinc
to be taken up. This manner however of proceeding has many disadvantges as it
is not possible to get the wire equally coated; at the lower side especially generally
more metal is hanging and gathers in drops.
These drawsbacks I have overcome by my new galvanizing process and apparatus
which not only secures quite a regular coating, but which also gives a great saving
in metal and enables me to make the coating thicker or thinner.
I proceed as follows:
The wire after being annealed and cleaned in the usual way is led into a bath of
molten metal, which may be covered by a layer of sand or other material to take
away the largest surplus of metal; for this special purpose however I use my new
process and apparatus.
I lead the wire into a hollow spindle having at its front end adjustable dies
similar to the brasses of ordinary plummer blocks.
The diameter of the hole of the dies corresponds exactly to the thickness of the
coated wire. I cause this spindle to rotate round the wire while it passes through
it. I have it thus in my hand to give the coating any thickness and it receives
the same thickness all over.
In order to make the wire smooth and give it a highly polished appearance it
may be exposed, when leaving the hollow spindle, to a jet of water.
For carrying out the new process 1 have constructed the apparatus shown on the
accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a plan of the same;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section ;
Figure 3 is a front view seen from the left side;
Figure 3B is a front view seen from the right side;
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are details of construction.
The wire B is conducted at one side into the bath A of molten zinc, tin or other
metal, which is heated by furnaces A¹ at its sides; then at the bottom of the
melting kettle it is led round a bar C and in an oblique direction to the bollow
spindles D. These spindles reaching nearly into the metal bath are provided at
their front ends with adjustable dies E, Figures 5 and 6, similar to the brasses of
plummer blocks, which have holes that correspond exactly to the thickness of the
wire plus the coating metal.
At their back ends the spindles D are journalled in brackets F and at their front
Lands show am suided in huahan which ann aanwind in brackets H

page_text: The bushes G form part of worm wheels I and are made to turn round the
spindle D by a worm K gearing into the worm wheel I.
The right side of the bush G of the worm wheel I forms the half of a coupling
clutsch which may be coupled to the other half L by shifting this lengthways or
its spindle by means of a lever P thus setting the bush G in or out of gear.
The motion of the bush has to be stopped for instance, when the end of a piece
of wire approaches the dies.
The hooks by means of which both ends are joined together are then cut off and
the back end as well as the front end of the following piece are pulled through the
dies E to be reunited at the other side of the apparatus and a continuous working
with little stoppages is thus possible.
In the machine shown, a number of spindles D D are arranged side by side all of
same construction differing only in the positions of the worm wheels, which for the
sake of gaining space and of being able to place a large number in the smallest
space, are arranged alternately once at the front side and once at the back side of
the spindles.
For this purpose at the side of the shaft M a second shaft N is placed, both
shafts working together by spur wheels O.
At the right side of the apparatus is placed before the spindles a water pipe P¹
which is provided with cocks Q opposite to each wire, so that a jet of water may
be led upon the wires for the sake of giving it a high finish.
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:
in
1.) A process for coating wire with other metal in molten state, as zinc, tin, lead,
any desired thickness and perfectly equal and round outside, by leading the wire
on its way from the molten metal-bath through a rotating hollow spindle with
adjustable die which strips off the superfluous metal.
2.) In combination with the process as in 1.) the process of throwing a jet of
liquid upon the wire leaving the hollow spindles, for the purpose of giving the coat
on the wire a polished or clean surface.
3.) For carrying out the process as specified under 1.) and 2.) the mechanical
apparatus consisting in a frame carrying a set of hollow spindles (D) in an inclined
position close to the bath of metal, the spindles being journalled in double
chairs (F) and (H) on the frame, one alongside the other, and having common
motion cross shafts M N, imparting rotation to them by suitable means like
worms and worm-wheels, each spindle being provided with a stop and start-
clutch L with handle P for separately controlling of each, and each spindle having
at the wire entrance end an adjustable die E for stripping off the spare metal,
and a jet pipe above it at the outgoing end of the wire, with adjustable cock Q
connected to a liquid-main P¹ for the purpose of throwing a jet of liquid on the
issuing wires for cleaning and polishing, all substantially as described and for the
purpose set forth.
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