IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS PROVISIONAL SPFICATION- TION OF APPARATUS FOR CLEANING, POLISHING, AND DUSTING TIN AND TERNE PLATES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Griffiths and Thomas Griffiths, both of
Workington, in the County of Cumberland, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Griffiths and
Thomas Griffiths at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 6th September 1875.
We, WILLIAM GRIFFITHS and THOMAS GRIFFITHS, both of Working-
ton, in the County of Cumberland, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN THE CONSTRUC-
TION OF APPARATUS FOR CLEANING, POLISHING, AND DUSTING TIN AND TERNE
PLATES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the method of and
in the construction of apparatus for cleaning, polishing, and dusting tin
and terne plates, and whereby such operations can be performed in a

page_text: continuous manner and more effectually than by the methods and
arrangements previously employed for those purposes.
The operative parts of the apparatus for effecting the above-mentioned
objects-are-enclosed within a suitable casing, such parts consisting
essentially of rollers through and between which the plates-are-passed.;_
revolving wheels provided with fans or arms, by means of which bran is
worked against the surfaces of the plates for the purpose of cleaning the
same; guides for keeping the plates in a proper position; and rollers for
dusting and polishing the surfaces of the plates.
The plates are carried to the machine by means of a cradle mounted on:
and attached to a horizontal travelling endless grate, such cradle being
constructed so as to carry any desired number of plates, which are
placed vertically therein. The travelling grate works over two rollers,
that nearest to the operative parts of the machine being provided with
ratchet teeth, into which a stop or pawl actuated by a treadle and
balance weight, or in any other suitable and well-known manner, and
by which the motion of the grate and cradle can be arrested at pleasure,
and by which, by acting upon a lever connected with the cradle, the
respective plates contained therein can be caused to rise as they suc-.
cessively reach the operative parts of the machine. The plates having a
arrived by
means of the travelling grate beneath the operative parts of
the machine, are successively raised by the action of the before-men-
tioned' lever, and thereby passed between two revolving rollers in a
vertical direction. They then pass between two wheels, which revolve
within-a-chamber_partially filled with bran. The said last-mentioned
wheels are provided-with..radial fans or arms, whereby the bran during
the revolution of the same is worked against the plates as they pass-
upwards, and which are thereby cleaned.
Guides are provided for keeping the plates in a proper position, and
also hoppers for holding a sufficient quantity of bran, and shores or

page_text: portion of the process a to-and-fro motion with sliding rubbers may be
used, as well as a continuous rolling motion, as will be well understood
by persons conversant with mechanism and mechanical appliances.
By the use of this Invention the bulgings and inequalities in the
5-surfaces of the plates which are incident thereto when cleaned or
polished by the means hitherto employed are entirely obviated.
FEST
1
T
1.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Griffiths and Thomas Griffiths in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
GRIFFITHS and THOMAS GRIFFITHS, both of Workington, in the County
of Cumberland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said William Griffiths and Thomas Griffiths,
Her special licence that we, the said William Griffiths and Thomas
Griffiths, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said William Griffiths, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with and no others, from time"
to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR CLEANING, POLISHING,
AND DUSTING TIN AND TERNE PLATES," upon the condition (amongst .
others) that we, the said William Griffiths and Thomas Griffiths,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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' .
•
r

page_text: in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Griffiths and Thomas
Griffiths, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
Our said Invention consists in certain improvements in the method of
and in the construction of apparatus for cleaning, polishing, and dusting
tin and terne plates, and whereby such operations can be performed in
a continuous manner and more effectually than by the methods and
arrangements previously employed for those purposes.
The operative parts of the apparatus for effecting the above-mentioned
objects are enclosed within a suitable casing, such parts consisting
essentially of rollers through and between which the plates are passed;
revolving wheels provided with fans or arms, by means of which bran is
worked against the surfaces of the plates for the purpose of cleaning the
same; guides for keeping the plates in proper position; and rollers for
dusting and polishing the surfaces of the plates.
The plates are carried to the machine by means of a cradle mounted on
and attached to a horizontal travelling endless grate, such cradle being
constructed so as to carry any desired number of plates, which are
placed vertically therein. The travelling grate works over two rollers,
that nearest to the operative parts of the machine being provided with
ratchet teeth, into which a stop or pawl actuated by a treadle and
balance weight, or in any other suitable and well-known manner, and
by which the motion of the grate and cradle can be arrested at pleasure,
and by which, by acting upon a lever connected with the cradle, the
respective plates contained therein can be caused to rise as they suc-
cessively reach the operative parts of the machine. The plates having
arrived by means of the travelling grate beneath the operative parts of
the machine are successively raised by the action of the before-men-
tioned lever, and thereby passed between two revolving rollers in a
vertical direction. They then pass between two wheels, which revolve
within a chamber partially filled with bran. The said last-mentioned
wheels are provided with radial fans or arms, whereby the bran during
the revolution of the same is worked against the plates as they pass
upwards, and which are thereby cleaned.

page_text: Guides are provided for keeping the plates in a proper position, and
also hoppers for holding a sufficient quantity of bran, and shores or
suitable contrivances for keeping the latter level.
Any desired number or series of rollers and cleaning fans can of course
be employed in succession
The plates having been cleaned by means of the bran, as before
mentioned, are then passed between revolving rollers, and thence to
dusting and polishing cylinders covered with fine and soft leather, sheep
skin, or other suitable material, whereby the surfaces are effectually
dusted and polished. In this portion of the process a to-and-fro motion
with sliding rubbers may be used, as well as a continuous rolling
motion, as will be well understood by persons conversant with mechanism
and mechanical appliances.
.
One great advantage which results from the use of our said Invention
is that the bulgings and inequalities in the surfaces of the plates which
are incident thereto when cleaned or polished by the means hitherto
employed are entirely obviated and avoided.
The apparatus embraced by our said Invention may be actuated by
means of any suitable motive power, as will be well understood.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would
observe in conclusion that what we consider novel and original and
therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to us by the said
berein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and
arrangement of parts and mechanism, substantially as and for the
purposes herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof we, the said William Griffiths and Thomas
Griffiths, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day
of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
"
WILLIAM GRIFFITHS. (L.S.)
THOMAS GRIFFITHS.
(L.S.)