Improvements in Enamel Dredgers or Sifters.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Enamel Dredgers or Sifters.
I, JAMES WEST ARROTT, the Younger, of Alleghany, in the County of Alleghany
and State of Pennsylvania, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
27
This invention has relation to dredgers for sifting and distributing
powdered enamelling material on the surface of bath tubs and other vessels.
The ordinary "dredger" consists simply of a large sieve or other screen of
fine mesh having a long handle by which it is held and manipulated.
As the pulverent material does not freely pass through the sieve or evenly
distribute itself spontaneously, it is necessary, in dredging, to continuously
agitate the dredger with the hand or with some object held in the hand, by
tapping or striking the dredger, or by striking the dredger against the edge of
the article to be enamelled, this renders the labor of dredging or sifting, very
tiresome and slow and requires considerable skill in manipulating the dredger,
so as to insure an even delivery of the enamelling material.
The object of this invention is to provide an automatic tapper or agitator
which will deliver a succession of rapid blows against the side or end of the
dredger and while relieving the workman of a great deal of labor will keep the
pulverent material or powder evenly distributed and cause it to be uniformly
discharged.
The device which I employ for this purpose is a pneumatic hammer, the
piston or plunger of which is elongated and fitted to the hollow handle of
a dredger so as to reciprocate within the latter and strike the end or side of
the dredger with every forward stroke.
In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the
dredger constructed according to my invention and Figure 2 is a top view of
the same.
A designates the sieve or dredger consisting of a box-like receptacle or trough
having a wire cloth screen at the bottom, through which the enamelling material
is shaken. B designates a tubular handle consisting of a section of pipe
attached to the end of the sifter. C designates the body or casing of the
pneumatic hammer coupled to the end of the handle and of any suitable
construction. The piston a is either extended through the handle or is connected
to a rod d, which operates in unison with the piston, and which may be formed
with enlargements at the end to fit the bore of the handle and the end of the
casing.
The end of the handle, next to the dredger, is plugged to receive the stroke of
the rod or piston. The air tube is coupled to the outer end of the casing and
a suitable valve E, is provided within easy reach of the workman to control the
admission of air and regulate the force of the blow.
By the use of this pneumatic hammer the operator is enabled to distribute and
deposit the enamel more quickly and evenly and has the use of both hands to
carry and manipulate the dredger, relieving him of a great deal of hard work

page_text: and enabling him to turn out more work in a given time than is possible by
the use of the present style of dredger.
The pneumatic hammer forming part of the agitator is of the ordinary and
well known construction in which the piston has a rapid reciprocating motion
automatically produced by the action of compressed air, lead to the hammer
through an air tube F, leading from a compressed air reservoir G.
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:-
First A dredger or sifter consisting of a screen or sieve and a supporting
handle, in combination with a pneumatic agitator attached to the dredger and
adapted to vibrate the sieve substantially as described.
Secondly: A dredger or sifter consisting of a sieve and a handle, in com-
bination with an automatic agitator secured to and carried by the dredger and
adapted to agitate or vibrate the same, substantially as described.
Thirdly A dredger or sifter and handle and an automatic agitator secured
thereto with means for controlling the operation of said agitator, substantially
as described.
JAMES WEST ARROTT.
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.