Improved Machine for Cleaning Tin and Terne Plates from the Oil or Grease used in the Manufacture.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 28th May, 1892
Improved Machine for Cleaning Tin and Terne Plates from the Oil
or Grease used in the Manufacture.
I, THOMAS EVANS of Springfield Terrace Morriston in the County of Glamorgan
Tin-plate Assorter. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cleaning tin and terne
plates from the grease used in the process of manufacture.
It consists of a bin or
trough of wood or other suitable material in which is fixed curved guides of metal
The bin or trough is to contain bran or other similar cleansing material through
which the tin or terne plate to be cleaned is to be pushed and the object of these
guides is to direct the motion of the plates through the bran or other material used.
The guides are semicircular, or approaching this curve, and in section present a narrow
edge to the concave side-the side on which the plate slides-so as to touch or cover
the plate as little as possible. The planes of the semicircles are vertical, convex edge
downwards. There are two sets of them placed end to end meeting in the middle of
the bin or trough and each set consists of two or more guides lying parallel to each
other. There is a central partition to which they are attached for support. The
other ends of the guides are suitably supported at the ends of the bin. Shafts are
carried across the bin or trough at or near the centre of curvature of the guides.
These carry two or more radial arms which are provided at their ends with rakes or
forks the teeth of which-there may be two or more-dip a little lower than and
between the guides so that when the arms revolve they push before them any plate
that may be lying in the guides.
It will be seen that as the guides dip into the bran or other cleaning material the
plate will be pushed through this material by the pusher in its passage along the
curve. The plates are fed into the machine by an improved device. I provide a
rotating rack-that is an axis having a number of radial arms. This rack which is at
one end of the bin with its axis parallel to those carrying the pushing arms is geared
with the machine and rotates slowly. When the plates hot from the tinning pot
are placed in the rack at the top they have time to cool to the proper temperature
before passing into the cleaning machine. The rack is so placed that when a sheet
in the rack the lower sheet-comes into proper position through the rotation of the
rack it slides out by gravity on to the guides then down the guides and into the
cleaning material. The pushers now advance and push it through the bran and up
the other side of the curved guides. There are also provided side guides so that plates
of different sizes may be delivered properly into the cleaning machine
It will be noticed that the list edge of the plate enters last.

page_text: A cross piece is attached to the middle of the bin at the end and above the first
set of semicircular guides and at the beginning of the second set
To this is attached a tilting piece or pieces. When the pushers raise the plate
above the end of the first set of guides the top of the plate comes in contact with
this tilter or tilting pieces
This pushes the top of the plate towards the centre. The pushing arms are either
curved or suitable pieces are attached thereto so that when the top of the plate is"
raised and thrown centrewards by the tilter the sheet is pushed against the arın or
other piece provided for the purpose, and the bottom of the sheet or plate is thus
made to slide off the teeth of the rake or fork which supports it. The curved arms
or the pieces attached to the arms may be provided with rollers where the sheet
touches to prevent scraping.
The sheet or plate then slides on to the second set of guides through an opening
left for the purpose and is pushed in a similar manner on this second set of guides
till it reaches the end of the bin or trough. At the end are provided a pair of dusting
rolls covered with suitable material which may revolve in either direction, but so
arranged that if moving in the same direction as the plate to be dusted they revolve
at a different surface speed to that of the plate. When the plate arrive at the end
it is pushed between these dusting rolls suitable guides being placed to secure its enter-
ing between them. Immediately behind these dusting rolls is placed a pair of gripping
rolls, these seize hold of the plate and pull it out, and are arranged to move at a
greater speed to remove the plate and allow the pushers to pass without damaging it.
It will be observed that the plates are dusted before passing through the gripping and
delivering rolls
The various shafts are rotated by suitable gearing, such as an endless chain on
suitable cogs, or a longtitudinal shaft with bevel wheels, or other of the well known
mechanical arrangements.
The whole may be covered if desired
Improved Machine for Cleaning Tin and Terne Plates from the Oil
or Grease used in the Manufacture.
I THOMAS EVANS of Springfield Terrace Morriston in the County of Glamorgan
Tin Plate Assorter 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
My invention is intended to provide a more efficient means for cleaning tin and
terne plates after manufacture and for removing from their surfaces the grease used
during such process of manufacture and in describing the machine constructed
a ccording to my invention I shall refer to the accompanying sheet of drawings and
to the figures and letters of reference thereon and on this sheet.
Figure 1. Is a plan of the machine looking downwards
Figure 2, a side elevation
Figure 3. an end view shewing the dusting and withdrawing rolls and
Figure 4. is an enlarged diagram shewing the gearing of the dusting and with-
drawing rolls.
In carrying out my invention I provide a bin or trough A of any suitable con-
struction and material and in which are fixed curved metallic guides B. B semi-
circular or approaching thereto. These guides are arranged in two sets end to end

page_text: and meeting when in position at or near the centre of the bin or trough each set
consisting of two or more guides lying parallel to each other and formed so as to
present a fine edge to the plates passing over them. A partition may be erected in
the centre or thereabouts dividing the bin or trough into two sections or lengths
and to this the ends of the guides may be fixed or secured the opposite ends being
supported by the ends of the bins or troughs. The bin or trough to contain bran
or cleansing material through which the tin or terne plates are passed as hereafter
described and the object of the guides is to direct the course of the plates as they
are pushed through the bran or cleansing material. Adjustable side guides may be
also provided Shafts C. C are mounted in bearings D. D. D. D and carry radial
arins E. E &e so as to rotate the same at or near the centre of each division or set
of guides B. B. the arms E. E. &c are provided at their ends with rakes or
forks F. F &c the teeth or projections of which G G may dip a little below and
between the guides B. B so that on the arms being revolved they push before them
any plate that may be lying on the guides.
A rotating rack H provided with radial arms and holders I. receives the plates hot
from the tinning pot and is arranged by suitable gearing to rotate at slow speed
and so that as the plates are placed thereon they have time to cool to proper
temperature before passing into the cleaning trough into which each sheet slides
by gravity as the arm on which it rests comes into position by the rotation of the
rack.
Any suitable gearing may be employed to actuate the various portions of the
machine which are all geared together and speeded so as to act automatically but I
prefer to use a shaft such as K driven by any motive power on which are mounted
worms L. M. N and toothed wheel the worm L giving the necessary speed and
motion to the rack H by means shewn on drawing (or equivalent means) and the
worms M. N to the pushing devices E. E as shewn or by similar well known means.
The toothed wheel O has its teeth cut to an angle of 45° and gears with similarly
cut wheel P attached to shaft Q carrying one of the dusting rolls hereafter
described and driving these and withdrawing rolls U. U. as will be more fully
set forth.
At or about the centre of the bin and supported by curved standards a. a I fix a
tilting-bar 6 so that when a plate has been pushed along one set of guides it is
turned over by its end coming in contact with this bar (or like device) before
dropping upon the second set of guides along which it is now carried by the second
set of pushers E and their forks before being delivered between the scrapers and
dusting rolls which I will now describe.
In suitable bearings at or near the end of the bin or trough opposite to the
rack H I mount shafts or spindles Q. R (the relative positions of which are shewn
by Figure 4.) carrying dusting rolls S. St. covered with desirable material and these
receive and dust each plate as it emerges from the bin or trough, it having pre-
viously passed through scrapers such as T. T which may be of soft material such as
sheep or goats' skin. Immediately behind the dusting rolls I place a pair of
gripping rolls U. U which seize and draw out the plate from the dusting rolls, and
these gripping rolls are arranged and geared so as to move at a greater speed than
the pushers E. and so withdraw the plates without their being damaged by the
passing of the said pushers
The dusting rolls S. S. and the gripping or withdrawing rolls U. U are geared
together and operate as follows. The shaft or spindle of the upper dusting roll Q
is extended at opposite end to wheel P and carries an inner and an outer cog-
wheel V and W. Figure 3. The inner, V, gears with corresponding wheel X on the
spindle of lower dusting roll and drives it; the outer, W, gears with a similar
wheel Y on end of shaft or spindle of lower gripping roll U₁ which is extended
outwardly in order to carry same.
The gripping rolls are covered with an elastic substance and so the upper one is
frictionally actuated by the lower. I make no claim, however, either to the dusting
rolls or to the gripping rolls.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a machine for cleaning tin and terne plates the means for pushing and
guiding such plates in their passage through the bins or troughs containing the
cleansing material substantially as described and illustrated by reference to parts
lettered B. C. D. E. F. G. on the accompanying drawings.
12. The arrangement-and-construction-of-parts-constituting-the-means-for-dusting
and-finally-cleansing-tin-and--terne--plates--on-their--emerging--from--a-cleaning
machine--substantially--as--deseribed--and--ns--illustrated--by--reference--to--letters
PQRSTU V W X Y eн-necompanying-drawings.
2.-3. The general arrangement and construction of parts constituting a machine for
cleaning tin and terne plates substantially as berein before described and as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
1
100%
POPPLEWELL & Co.
Agents for the Applicant.