IMPROVEMENTS IN TIN AND TERNE PLATES AND IN THE PROCESS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PÄTENT to William Albert Johns of Tower Chambers in the City of
London, Tin Plate Manufacturer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TIN
AND TERNE PLATES AND IN THE PROCESS AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO
BE EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Albert Johns at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1883.
WILLIAM ALBERT JOHNS of Tower Chambers in the City of London, Tin Plate
Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN TIN AND TERNE PLATES AND IN THE PROCESS
AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE
"
This invention relates partly to a new or improved tin or terne plate consisting
of a "black plate" first coated with lead alone or coated with the usual alloy of
lead and tin used for terne plates and then coated with a final and much thinner
coating of pure tin applied by passing it between one or more pairs of pressing or
squeezing rollers over which a small quantity of molten tin is allowed to trickle
during the passage of the plates. I thus obtain a new article. of manufacture which
is much cheaper and more durable than ordinary tin and terne plates as the iron is
first effectually protected by the lead or lead and tin coating whilst the said
coating is again protected by the outer coating of pure tin.
My invention further relates to improved apparatus for coating and finishing tin
and terne plates whether of the ordinary or my improved manufacture. One of
the chief objects of my improved apparatus is to obviate the tendency the plates
have to stick in the guides in the metal bath on their way to the finishing
apparatus; for this purpose I employ an improved form of guide whether straight
or curved the said guide consisting of two bars mounted in a frame and adjustable
to accomodate different widths of. plates without being removed from the bath by
an adjustable screw spindle or otherwise, these two adjustable guide bars having
two or more longitudinal deep guiding. grooves formed therein. The sides of these
grooves are angled inclined to correspond to the angles of the plates passing along them

page_text: uga.
such plates being made to cross each other successively so that the one plate shall
push the other forward. The longitudinal partition between the several guiding
grooves or channels extends only to within say about eight to ten inches of the
bottom pair of finishing rollers whilst the outer sides of the main guide bar
gradually converge beyond the end or ends of the said partition up to the said
rollers so as to guide the ends of the plates thereto. The entering ends of the said
guides are kept well below the surface of the molten metal whilst the lower ends
of other guides in the grease box terminate some distance above the surface of the
molten metal but correspond. with the guides beneath the surface. The object of
this is to prevent the clogging of the guides in the grease box by the splashing of
the metal thereon! when the plates are entering the molten metal. At the
delivery end the improved guides converge so as to guide the plates into the nip of
the first pair of finishing .rollers in the grease bath or between a pair of well.
tinned curved sheets which are hung on centres and weighted so as to keep them
in contact with each other such curved sheets being situate above or below the
rollers and having for their object to remove any impurities or scruff from the
plates on their way through the rollers When the molten metal is below the nip
of the first pair of finishing rollers these sheets will be situate below such rollers
but when the metal is above the nip they' would be placed between the two pairs
of rollers. The weight of each plate as it is dropped into the guides by the
workman serves to deliver the last plate at the opposite end to the finishing rollers
in the grease bath and where several grooves are used the attendant has simply to
drop in the plates in each groove as required. I make the before mentioned
guiding grooves in the main guides considerably deeper than heretofore so as to
overlap say about one eighth the width of the plate at each side and thereby
prevent buckling. When using guides with two grooves only I gradually taper off
and continue the longitudinal central partition at the entering end between a pair
of light feed rollers which are grooved to receive such tapered extensions of the
partitions and in combination with the said guides I use an upper and a lower
longitudinal guide bar mounted centrally in the frame which connects the two main
guides together their object being to prevent any tendency to buckling of the
plates. In entering the plates between the feed rollers the attendant places the
edges of the plates on opposite sides alternately of the extended tapered ends of
the longitudinal partitions of the guide bars so as to cross them at a slight angle.
In arranging my improved combined apparatus for coating and finishing at one
operation I combine two metal baths with one grease bath common to the two
and situate between the two delivery ends of the metal baths whether the grease
bath be provided or not with a lifting cradle or equivalent arrangement. I enclose
the metal and grease baths in a surrounding metal casing so as to render the
complete apparatus self contained and avoid the neccessity for brick work. Within
this casing are the heating furnaces, ventilating doors being further provided for
the admission of air for regulating the temperature at different parts of the baths
as required. In order to afford ready access to the metal in the bath I employ a
vertical tubular opening communicating with the central part of the bath through
which metal can be fed in as required whilst at the same time it affords facility
for guaging the amount of metal that has been used. The finishing apparatus in
the grease bath comprises the combination of a pair of hollow steel rubbing rollers
with the finishing rollers such rubbing rollers revolving in the same direction as
but having a greater surface speed than the finishing rollers the object of the
hollow rollers is to rub down any scruff on the plates and to allow of the escape of.
the superfluous metal through openings in the circumference of the said rollers. I'
also sometimes use a smaller pair of finishing rollers so as to have a close nip
above the upper pair of ordinary finishing rollers by which combination I am.
enabled to effect a considerable economy in tin. These several rollers may be'
mounted in the two sides of a frame, hinged together at the lower end and fitted
with a tightening screw and nut above for regulating the grip of the several
rollers without the necessity for the complicated arrangement of springs hitherto

page_text: employed for that purpose.
The entire frame with its rollers is free to be lifted
in or out of the grease bath-When working with a cradle or other appliance for
effecting a second dip into the grease bath I employ a pair of rubbing bars pressed
together by a weighted lever and situate above the top pair of finishing rollers for
the purpose of removing a still further quantity of the metal or grease as the
plate leaves the last finishing rollers. In order to prevent the marking of the
surfaces of the plates by the tongs at present in use I employ an improved
instrument which grips the opposite edges of the plate in lieu of its surface. This
instrument consists of a spring fork the prongs of which are wide enough apart to
take the width of plate and by a cam or other motion worked by the attendant
these forks are caused to close upon the edges of the plate and hold it firmly whilst
being transferred to the rack; the forks being hinged if desired to a vertically
adjustable support for facilitating the said transfer
- J

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Albert Johns in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th August 1883.
.
WILLIAM ALBERT JOHNS of Tower Chambers in the City of London Tin Plate
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TIN AND TERNE PLATES AND IN THE PROCESS
AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE"
.
:
My said Invention relates partly to a new or improved tin or terne plate which
I produce by the following process; I first take an ordinary "black plate" and
coat it in any well known manner with lead alone or I coat it with the usual alloy
of lead and tin used for terne plates, I then apply to the already coated plate a
final and much thinner protective coating of pure tin by passing it between one or
more pairs of pressing or squeezing rollers over which a small quantity of molten
tin is allowed to trickle during the passage of the plate. By this process I obtain
a new article of manufacture which is much cheaper and more durable than
ordinary tin and terne plates as the iron is first effectually protected by the lead
or lead and tin coating whilst the said coating is again protected by the outer
coating of pure tin.
My invention also relates to improved apparatus for coating and finishing tin
and terne plates whether of the ordinary or my improved manufacture whereby I
obviate the tendency of the plates to stick in the guides in the metal bath on their
way to the finishing apparatus.
Also to an improved instrument for handling the plates whereby I prevent
the marking the surface of the plates produced by the tongs at present in use
by gripping the plate at its opposite edges only in lieu of gripping it on its
surface.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the explanatory sheet of drawings hereunto annexed the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
figures.
Figure 1 of my drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section of my
improved combined apparatus for coating and finishing tin and terne plates at one
operation. Figure 2 is a detail transverse section of my improved arrangement of
adjustable guides intended to be fixed in any convenient manner inside the metal
bath for the purpose of guiding the plates through the said bath to the finishing
grease bath and rollers the said guides being here shown as adapted for accomo-
dating two series of plates at the same time. Figure 3 is a similar view of a fixed
guide shown as adapted for receiving a single series of plates only and provided
with longitudinally disposed central guide bars for preventing undue bending or
buckling of the plates as they pass along. Figure 4 is a detail transverse vertical
section showing on an enlarged scale the combination with the finishing rollers of
a pair of adjustable thin curved plates for removing surplus metal and any
impurities or scruff from the sheets under treatment on their way to the first pair
of fin-finishing or delivery rollers also the combination therewith of a pair of
rubbing bars for removing a still further quantity of the metal or grease as the
sheet or plate leaves the last pair of finishing rollers. Figure 5 is a detail vertical
section taken along the line 1-2 in figure 6 of a single finishing grease bath and
removeable adjustable frame for carrying the finishing rollers and apparatus
regulating their grip. Figure 6 is a horizontal section of the same taken along
the line 3-4 in figure 5. Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged details of the feed rollers
combined with tapered guide bars for facilitating the crossing of the successive

page_text: plates at opposite angles when being fed into the guides in the metal bath as
hereinafter explained and figures 9 and 10 represent in side elevation and plan my
improved instrument or fork for handling the plates.
-
A A' (figure 1) are two metal baths here shown of a curved or semicircular form
in vertical section although they may be straight if desired but I prefer the form
shown as affording greater facility for the feeding and delivery of the plates and
their passage through the inolten metal. Both these baths open at their delivery
ends into one central finishing grease bath B common to the two or into separate
grease baths. The said metal and grease baths are enclosed in a surrounding closed
metal casing or jacket C containing the heating furnaces the fire doors of which are
shown at D and provided with ventilating doors E for regulating the temperature
at different parts of the bath or baths as required by which arrangement the
complete apparatus is rendered self contained and the necessity for brickwork is
avoided. I have not considered it necessary to show the actual furnaces and their
flues as their construction and arrangement will be readily understood by the
practical engineer. In order to afford ready access to the metal in the bath I
provide the same with a vertical tubular opening F communicating with the lowest
or central part of the metal bath as shown in figure 1 through which opening or
well fresh metal can be readily fed in as required whilst facility is also afforded for.
accurately guaging the quantity of metal that has been used. B' B' are the
entering grease baths and G G¹ (figure 1) are the guides disposed on opposite
sides of the metal baths for guiding the plates p to be operated upon through them
to the finishing grease bath. These guides consist of adjustable straps a (figure 2)
mounted in frames 6 the straps a being made adjustable towards or from each other
in any convenient manner along the said frames as for example by a right and left
hand screw spindle c working through lugs d attached to the straps a and passing-
through longitudinal slots in the frames. These straps a are bolted at suitable
intervals to the backs of the guiding bars e each group of bars.e being cast or
inade in one piece so as to avoid all joints inside the actual guides. The bars e
form guiding grooves which receive the edges of the plates the number of such
guiding bars varying according as one or more series of plates are to be passed
through the bath at the same time. These bars may be either curved as shown at
figure 1 or straight according to the formation of the bath, the frames b with the
strap a and bars c attached being fitted inside the bath complete in any convenient
manner In order to afford a better support to the plates the sides of the guiding
grooves or the bars e are inclined to correspond to the angled position of the crossed
plates in each series passing along them such plates being made to cross each other
successively as shown in figures 2 and 3 so that one plate shall push the other
forward: In figure 2 four guiding grooves are shown so as to accomodate two
series of plates at one time and in figure 3 two guiding grooves are shown for
accomodating a single series of plates only. I make the guiding grooves con-
siderably deeper than heretofore so as to embrace at least one eighth the width of
the plate at each side whereby I prevent buckling. When using single guides as
shown in the bath A¹ (figure 1) and in the detail figure 3 I gradually taper off and
continue the longitudinal central partition or bar e at the entering end of the
guide between a pair of light feed rollers H (see figure 1 and in enlarged details at
figures 7 and 8) which are grooved or cut away to receive the tapered ends of the
said bars e and allow them to project slightly above the rollers. The object of
this arrangement is to enable the attendant when entering the plates between the
feed rollers to place the edges of the plates on opposite sides alternately of the
tapered projections as shown more clearly in fig. 8 and thus ensure the crossing of
the successive plates p whereby one plate is caused to push the preceding ones of
the series along the guides. I prevent buckling of the plates p by the use of upper
and under longitudinal guide bars f (figure 3) mounted centrally in the frame b so
as to support the several plates more or less along the centre as they are passing
through the bath. The entering ends of the guides G G¹ in the metal bath are
kept well below the surface g of the, molten metal as shown in figure 1 whilst the

page_text: lower ends of the guides G² G² in the preparing grease boxes B¹ B and which
correspond with the guides beneath the surface of the metal terminate some
distance above the surface of the molten metal. The object of this arrangement, is
to prevent the setting of the surface of the molten metal in the guides and thereby
clogging the same. At the delivery ends of, the guides the longitudinal partitions
or bars e between the guiding grooves or channels terminate at a distance of
about eight to ten inches from the bottom pair of finishing rollers I in the finishing
grease bath but the two outer guiding bars are continued up to, and converge
towards the nip of the said rollers so as to guide the ends of the plates thereto
from any of the guiding grooves when more than two series of plates are being
passed along the guides. In combination with the finishing rollers I employ a pair
of well tinned curved plates h (figure 4), hung on centres at hand weighted at i
to keep them in contact with each other a lever or rod k serving to open or
separate the two plates more or less as required. Or these curved plates may be
fixed at top and bottom (see figure 5) their inherent elasticity allowing them to
yield' slightly during the passage of the plate between them their object being to
remove surplus metal or any impurities or scruff from the plates on their way
through the finishing rollers. When the level of the molten metal is below the
nip of the first or lowest pair of finishing rollers these curved sheets will be situate
below such rollers (see figure 4) but when the level of the metal is above the nip
they would be placed between the two pairs I and of the finishing rollers as
shown in figure 5. The finishing apparatus in the grease bath comprises the
combination of a pair of hollow steel perforated rubbing rollers L with the
usual finishing rollers such rubbing rollers revolving in the same direction as
but having a greater surface speed than the finishing rollers. The object of
these hollow perforated rubbing rollers is to rub down any scuff on the plates
whilst allowing of the escape of the superfluous metal through the openings in
the circumference of the said rollers-In some cases I also use a smaller pair of
finishing rollers M having a close nip above the upper pair I' of ordinary finishing
rollers (see figure 4) by which combination I effect a considerable economy in tin.
These several rollers may be mounted in the two sides of a frame N (6gure 5)
hinged together at the lower end and fitted with a tightening'screw and nut?
above for regulating the grip of the rollers without necessitating the complicated
arrangement of springs hitherto employed for that purpose. The entire frame
with its rollers and curved plates is free to be lifted in or out of the grease
bath as required and in the case of a double apparatus as shown in figure 1
the grease bath will be provided with two such frames and sets of rollers When
working with a cradle or other appliance for effecting a second dip into the grease
bath I employ a pair of rubbing bars 0 (figure 4) pressed together by weighted
levers or otherwise and situate above the top pair of finishing rollers for the
purpose of removing a still further quantity of the metal or grease as the plate
leaves the last finishing rollers. The weight of each plate as it is dropped into the
guides G by the workman suffices to deliver the foremost plate at the opposite end
of the series to the finishing rollers at I and where several grooves and series of
plates are used the attendant has simply to drop the plates into their respective
grooves as required.
In order to prevent, the marking of the surfaces of the plates by the tongs at
present in use I employ an improved instrument which grips the opposite edges
only of the plates in lieu of their surfaces. This instrument which is illustrated
by figures 9 and 10 consists of a fork a the prongs of which are wide enough apart
to take the width of plate to be handled and are caused to open or, to close upon
the edges of the plate p and hold it firmly whilst being transferred to the rack by
a cam, screw, or other arrangement as shown at b worked by the attendant.. Or
the forks may be made to grip the edges of the plate by their inherent, elasticity
and be simply opened by any 'convenient mechanical contrivance: These forks
may be hinged if desired at c to a vertically adjustable slide or collar on an upright
support or standard d as shown in the drawings..

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is:-.
"
First. The new or improved process of manufacture of tin or terne plates
consisting in first coating the black-plate" with lead or with an alloy of lead
and tin and then adding an outer thin coating of pure tin as specified.
Second. As a new article of manufacture tin and terne- plates having a first
coating of lead or of an alloy of lead and tin and a final and outer thin
coating of tin alone as specified.
Third. In an apparatus for coating and finishing tin and terne plates the com-
bination of two metal baths with a single grease bath as specified.
Fourth. Enclosing the metal baths and grease bath or baths in a metal jacket
or casing containing the heating furnaces so as to render the apparatus self
contained and avoid the necessity for brick work as specified.
Fifth. The application and use of guides in the preparing grease bath so.
arranged that their lower ends shall be some distance above the surface of the
molten metal in the metal bath in combination with corresponding guides in the
metal bath the entering ends of which are submerged below the surface of the
molten metal as specified.
Sixth. The application and use of adjustable guides for guiding plates of any
width through the molten metal bath substantially as herein before described with
reference to figure 2 of my drawings.
Seventh. Making each guide in the metal bath in one piece either by casting or
by cutting the grooves out of a solid bar as specified.
Eighth. Tapering the partitions or centre bars between the guiding grooves to
the angle formed by the crossed plates in the said groove as specified.
Ninth. The use of guides wherein the division bars between the grooves
terminate some distance from the nip of the first pair of finishing rollers as
specified.
Tenth. In single guides the extension of the central division bar between the
rollers which serve to feed in the plates as and for the purpose specified.
Eleventh. The application and use of longitudinal central guide bars disposed
along each side of the plates in the longitudinal centre line thereof as and for the
purpose specified.
Twelfth The combination with the finishing rollers of a pair of curved plates
arranged and caused to operate substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Thirteenth. The combination with the finishing rollers of a pair of hollow
perforated rubbing rollers as and for the purpose specified.
Fourteenth. The combination of a pair of rubbing bars pressed together by
weighted levers or otherwise with the finishing rollers and a cradle or other
appliance for effecting a second dip as specified.
Fifteenth. The application and use of an instrument for gripping the plates
whereby the plates are gripped at their edges only in lieu of on their faces as
specified.
In Witness whereof I the said William Albert Johns have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 23rd day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
WA JOHNS (L.S.)