IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TINFOIL AND IN THE COVERING OF OTHER METALS WITH TIN, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EM- PLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TINFOIL AND IN THE COVERING
OF OTHER METALS WITH TIN, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EM-
PLOYED THEREIN.”—-A communication from abroad by Jean Baptiste
Ferdinand Masson, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
Scaled the 22nd July 1873, and dated the 3rd February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd February 1873.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TINFOIL AND IN
THE COVERING OF OTHER METALS WITH TIN, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS

page_text: EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication to me from abroad by Jean Baptisto
Ferdinand Masson, of Paris, in the Republic of France, to be as follows :—
This Invention relates to a peculiar process of and apparatus for manu-
facturing at one and the same time, and in one apparatus, two sheets of
tinfoil of any desired thickness, or of coating, if desired, a plato or
sheet of lead or other metal with tin. According to this Invention it is
proposed to employ a peculiar apparatus consisting on the one part of a
reservoir divided vertically down tho middle for the reception of the
molten tin, one of the two halves of the divided reservoir being bolted
or otherwise fixed to the surface of the table or platform of the machine,
whilst the other half is moveable or adjustable towards or from the fixed
half by the aid of racks and segments worked by a lover and counter-
weight or by springs. In the longitudinal division or opening between
these two halves of the reservoir there is placed an upright plato herein-
after described, capable of being drawn up through the molten tin by a
chain and pulley or otherwise, and of taking up with it on each sido or
face a thin layer of tin, which as it leaves the bath becomes cooled on
the surfaces of the plate and is subsequently removed therefrom, or
peeled off in the form of sheets of tinfoil. The said moveable plate should
be clastic or yielding on its surface and may consist of a metal or other
core or foundation, covered with woollen or felted fabric which is
again covered by a starched fabric coated externally with a composition
of ochre and albumen or of lampblack, that is to say, with a substanco
which shall take up the molten tin readily, and as readily allow of its
removal when cool. It is also in some cases proposed to make the body
or core of the said plate of two metallic plates of different metals
capable of generating an electric currrent, as for example, a sheet of
copper and a sheet of zinc, such plates being covered as before described
with the woollen or felt covering, starched cloth, and composition.
By substituting for the above described plate, covered as set forth, of
a sheet of lead or other metal, which has been previously well cleaned
and scoured on its surfaces, a coating of tin of any desired thickness
may be readily applied to each surface of the plate simultaneously
by simply drawing it up through the bath. Tho coated or compound
metal sheet thus obtained may be subsequently rolled into thin slicets
suitable for manufacture into metallic capsules for bottles, or for other
purposes where tinned sheet lead can be usefully applied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Jolm Henry Johnson in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 31st July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOIN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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,
excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TINFOIL, AND IN THE COVERING OF
OTHER METALS WITH TIN, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
TUEREIN," a communication to me from abroad by Jean Baptiste Fer-
dinand Masson, of Paris, in the Republic of France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:-

page_text: is movable and may be moved towards or from the part B by means of
rods C which are maintained in bearings D. These rods or axes are
provided with a rack at about the middle of their length, in the teeth
of which engage segments E mounted on the ends of a transverso
shaft F, at the centre of which shaft there is situate a screwed rod G
carrying a counterweight H, the position of which is regulated by means
of nuts. This counterweight has thus a tendency to bring the movable
part of the reservoir constantly towards the stationary part. K is
the clastic partition or plate to the sides of which the sheets of tinfoil
are applied; this clastic partition which performs a very important part
in this Invention may be formed of a body or core of any suitable
material, but by preference of metal; such for example as wrought iron,
lead, copper, and the like. This body or core is covered with one or
more coverings composed of wool or felt, and with a covering of
cloth coated externally with starch, and with a compound of ochre and
albumen or with lampblack.
The use of a body or core formed of a single plate of metal gives
good results, but the Inventor has ascertained that shects of tinfoil of a
minimum thickness are obtained by forming the body or core of the
clastic partition, either of two plates of metal, such as copper and zinc
for example, capable of inducing an electric current, or of a plate of zinc
between two sheets of copper. This body or core is always covered with
the coverings composed of wool or felt, and with the band of cloth
prepared in the manner herein-before described. The clastic partition
is connected at its upper end with any suitable device which will admit
of such partition being raised with facility for the purpose of causing it
to traverse throughout its entire height the molton tin placed in the
reservoir.
The apparatus herein-before described is most simple and operates
with the greatest regularity. It is simply necessary to place the molten
metal in the reservoir, after having so disposed the prepared clastic par-
tition, that its upper part is level with the bath of molten metal. It is
then simply necessary to raise the partition which by traversing the
bath becomes coated on each side with a sheet of tinfoil (very thin and
uniform) requiring neither rolling nor hammering after it has been
detached from the partition.

page_text: When it is desired to utilize the machine for the tinning of sheets of
lead it is simply necessary to scour the sheets and substitute them for
the clastic partition. On leaving the reservoir the sheet of lead would
be coated on each side with a layer of tin, the thickness of which may
be regulated with facility by means of this apparatus.
The above is the process of manufacture which has been invented by
the communicator for the purpose of obtaining two sheets of tinfoil
simultaneously in an economical and regular manner, or for coating both
sides of a metallic plate with tin.
E
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the 1
said Invention, and what manner 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 hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The employment for the manufacture of tinfoil of a machine 1
consisting on the one hand of a reservoir of molten metal formed of two
parts, ono of which is stationary and the other rendered movablo
towards or from the former either by means of the arrangement shown
in the Drawing or by the aid of helical springs; and on the other
hand of a vertical plate or board passing in the space between the two 2
parts of the reservoir, and on each side of which plate or board the
sheets of tinfoil are formed under the conditions herein-before de-
scribed.
Secondly. The employment in machines for casting tinfoil of an
elastic partition or plate formed of a body or core of metal, or any 2
suitable material covered with or enclosed in a covering composed of
wool or felt, such covering being surrounded with cloth starched and
coated with a compound of ochro and albumen, or with lampblack, that
is to say, with a substance which admits of the taking of the tin without
hindering its being subsequently detached.
3
Thirdly. The special combination of a partition the body or core of
which in lieu of being formed of a single plate of mictal is composed
of two metals one of which is clectro-positive, and the other electro-
negative, such body or core being always covered with the woollen or
felt covering and with the cloth covering prepared as herein-before 3
described.

page_text: Fourthly. The general arrangement of the machine as hercin-before
described and illustrated by the Drawing, with a view to obtain simul-
tancously and in the same machine two sheets of tinfoil at a time, or to
coat on both sides a plate of lead or other metal for the preparation,
for example, of metallic foil suitable for the manufacture of the capsules
of bottles, as a preservative against damp, for the silvering of looking
glasses, and for other purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and scal, this Thirtieth day
of July One thousand cight hundred and seventy-three.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)