Improvements in Apparatus for Coating Metal Plates or Sheets with Tin and other Metals.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1898--Accepted, 26th Mar., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Coating Metal Plates or Sheets with
Tin and other Metals.
I, WYNDHAM PARTRIDGE THOMAS, of Abercarn, in the County of Monmouth,
Tinplate Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present usual procedure in passing metal plates or sheets into and through
the coating pot wherein is the molten tin or other metal consists in entering
such plate or sheet into a fluxing chamber at one end of such coating pot and
by hand or through a convenient appliance manually actuated pushing this plate
or sheet through such fluxing chamber into the molten tin or metal in this pot
and through and along the same until it is caught by a pair of rolls mounted
near the exit end of this pot.
The object of my invention is to remedy the many evils that are experienced
in this procedure as also it may be afterwards in the dipping and the grease pots
by so fitting and constructing and arranging these pots and providing therewith
such appliances and devices that the plates or sheets shall be duly coated with
tin or other metal in an extremely regular speedy and efficient manner with a
minimum of labour and a great economy in the quantity of molten metal that is
required.
To carry out this object the apparatus may be made in the usual manner and
of any desired breadth whether to accommodate one two three or more plates edge
to edge but the coating pot is made much shorter longitudinally than is customary
having however the desired curved or rounded off bottom. At and a little above
the entering end of this coating pot are mounted across the same a pair of rolls
parallel with all the other pairs of rolls in the apparatus the axes of which pair
of rolls are not in a vertical line but this line is duly inclined inwardly and
forasmuch as the plates will as is usual be entered into the coating pot whilst
wet this pair of rolls may be made of metal and may be provided with a supply
of water or the like to prevent them unduly drying the plate as it passes between
them or they may be made of or covered by india rubber or other suitable
material properly moistened if requisite for the same purpose and in all cases
they ought to be guarded by suitable covers from attack or damage by any
extraneous matter especially perhaps the flux in the fluxing chamber. A table
is provided before this pair of rolls whereon the plates can be laid and wherefrom
they can one by one be entered between these rolls by hand and on the table
are preferably fitted a number of longitudinal and vertical guides adjustable
in all directions whereby to ensure that the plates shall be presented to and
entered between the rolls truly and exactly in the desired positions. In the
proper positions in respect of this pair of rolls are fitted near this entering end
of the pot it may be two transverse partitions extending the whole breadth of
the pot which dip into the molten metal in the pot a certain distance and extend
upwards so far as needful and the space between these partitions constitutes the

page_text: Auxing chamber wherein the desired flux can be placed or when desired that
partition that is the nearer to the end of the pot can be dispensed with and the
partitions are arranged at the required inclination and are provided with any
desired guides so that when a sheet is being passed along by the pair of rolls it
may be properly deflected downwards through the flux into the molten metal.
At or about the middle of this pot are mounted another pair of rolls well below
the surface of the molten metal and the plate after passing through the fluxing
chamber into the metal is directed by suitable guides in between this pair of rolls
wherefrom also by suitable guides it is further directed in between the ordinary
pair of rolls near the exit end of this coating pot. The pair of rolls mounted
at or about the middle of this coating pot can conveniently be supported by
brackets made in one with the brackets by which the ordinary pair of rolls are
supported so that both pair of rolls can simultaneously be lifted out of the pot
when required.
Thus the plates are passed mechanically and regularly at the desired speed
very truly and exactly into and along this coating pot with a minimum of labour
and it is obvious that when only one bath of molten metal is to be used these
two pairs of rolls and their accessories can be similarly applied to the one pot.
To revolve these pairs of rolls as also the other pairs of rolls that are needed
in this apparatus a longitudinal shaft is mounted near the same on which shaft
in the desired positions are fitted worm screw threads. One of these worm screw
threads gears into a toothed wheel mounted on a transverse shaft which can
cause one of the uppermost pair of rolls in the grease pot to revolve which
through other toothed wheels revolves the other pairs of rolls in the grease pot.
Another of these worm screw threads gears into a toothed wheel mounted on a
transverse shaft which can cause one of the pair of rolls at the entering end of
the dipping pot to revolve. Another of these worm screw threads gears into a
toothed wheel mounted on a transverse shaft whereon may be another toothed
wheel gearing into certain other toothed wheels one of which can cause one of the
pair of rolls at the exit end of the coating pot to revolve another can cause one
of the pair of rolls in the middle of the coating pot to revolve and another may
also cause one of the pair of rolls at the entering end of the coating pot to revolve
or as is perhaps preferable a chain or a band wheel may be secured on this trans-
verse shaft and another similar wheel on the axis of one of this pair of rolls
wherearound is a chain or band. On the longitudinal shaft may be a series of
step pulleys or otherwise the speed of revolution of this shaft may be varied but
the one longitudinal shaft will correspondingly revolve all the pairs of rolls as
aforesaid.
When in this apparatus the coating pot and the dipping pot are in immediate
juxtaposition the trough described in my Patent, No. 5224 of 1893, may be used
to guide the plates from the former to the latter pot or this trough may be
inverted and constitute a single curved plate or guide secured over the adjacent
edges of the two pots the edges of which plate might dip into the metal in both
pots and be sealed thereby which would allow this inverted trough to hold a flux
if desired or this trough might be divided into a number of curved bars which also
could guide the plate over the adjacent edges of the two pots.
To reduce the surface of metal in the pots and especially in the coating pot
that is exposed to oxidation or it may be to reduce the quantity of metal in the
pots a bottomless or a closed chamber may be placed in a pot extending preferably
right across the same the sides of which chamber would dip into the metal in
the pot a certain distance and the surface of the molten metal inside the open
chamber could be covered with a thin layer of grease or other suitable material
as also could the similar surface between that partition if any of the fluxing
chamber that is between the same and the entering end of the coating pot
and the entering end of such pot.
A number of adjustable longitudinal and vertical guides may if desired be

page_text: fitted between each two pairs of rolls to ensure that the plates shall always be
retained and caused to move in their due and proper course.
The uppermost pair of rolls in the grease pot can preferably have a proper
number proportionate to the number of plates the apparatus accommodates of
narrow circumferential grooves in their surfaces as for example when three plates
are to be treated simultaneously two grooves are so made where the adjacent
edges of the plates will pass.
Improvements in Apparatus for Coating Metal Plates or Sheets with
Tin and other Metals.
I, WYNDHAM PARTRIDGE THOMAS, of Abercarn, in the County of Monmouth,
Tinplate Manufacturer, 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:-
The present ordinary course of procedure in the operation of passing metal
plates or sheets into and through the coating pot wherein is the molten tin or
other metal for the purpose of coating the same therewith consists in entering
such plate or sheet into a fluxing chamber at one end of such coating pot and
by hand or by means of a convenient appliance manually actuated pushing this
plate or sheet through such fluxing chamber into the molten tin or metal in this
coating pot and through and along the same until it is caught by and between
a pair of rolls mounted near the exit end of this coating pot.
Now the object of this my invention is to remedy the many evils that are
experienced in this course of procedure by so fitting and constructing and
arranging this coating pot and providing therewith such appliances and devices
that the plates or sheets shall therein be duly coated with tin or other metal in
an extremely regular speedy and efficient manner with a minimum of labour
and a great economy in the quantity of molten metal that is required in such
coating pot and therefore also in the necessary expenditure of heat.
In order the more clearly to explain this my invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a coating pot as fitted and constructed and
arranged according to my invention and provided with my improvements in a
most convenient and efficient style and manner and Figure 2 is a plan of the
same as and when formed to accommodate two plates or sheets edge to edge.
The coating pot A may be made in the usual or other manner and of the desired
breadth whether to accommodate one plate or two or more plates edge to edge
but it is made much shorter longitudinally than is customary having most
conveniently however a curved or rounded off bottom. At and a little above
the entering end of this pot A are mounted in suitable brackets B₁ fitted thereon
and supported thereby or otherwise a pair of rolls B parallel with all the other
pairs of of rolls in the whole apparatus the axes of which pair of rolls B are not
in a vertical line but this line is duly inclined inwardly as shewn in Figure
the brackets B being arranged accordingly. Forasmuch as the plates will
generally as is usual be entered into the coating pot whilst wet this feeding pair
of rolls B either may be made of metal and be provided in any ordinary and

page_text: convenient manner with an intermittent or a continuous supply of water or the
like to prevent the plate being unduly dried as it passes between them or they
may be made of or covered by india rubber or other suitable material kept
properly moistened if requisite for the same purpose and in all cases they may
be and preferably would be guarded or shielded in any ordinary manner by any
suitable covers or the like from attack or damage by any extraneous matter and
especially perhaps by the flux in the fluxing chamber. A table C is provided
before this pair of feeding rolls B being supported by standards C¹ it may be on
the edge of the pot A or otherwise on which table C the plates to be treated can be
placed and wherefrom they can one by one be entered between these rolls B by
hand or otherwise and on this table Care fitted in all cases most preferably and
when the apparatus accommodates more than one plate almost necessarily and
in any ordinary manner a number of longitudinal and vertical guides 1) in such
wise that they are adjustable and alterable in all directions whereby to ensure
in every case that each plate shall and must be presented to and entered between
the rolls B truly and exactly and certainly in its desired position.
In the proper position in respect of and below the pair of rolls B is arranged
near or at the entering end of the pot A a fluxing chamber E which may perhaps
preferably be an entirely separate construction as shewn in the drawing with
two end walls and the two transverse walls F and F extending the whole breadth
of the pot A all which walls dip into the molten metal in such pot A a certain
desired distance and extend upwards so far as may be needful and in this
chamber E the desired flux can be placed in the desired quantity. The walls F
and F of this chamber E are preferably formed in profile as is shewn in Figure 1
whereby the quantity of the flux that is needed will be reduced to a minimum
while the required depth of such flux will still be maintained and they are arranged
at the required inclination so that when a plate is being passed along by the
pair of rolls B it may be properly deflected downwards through the flux in this
chamber E into the molten metal in the pot A and to still further ensure this
result and to prevent any possible damage to the plate it is perhaps most conve-
nient to provide a suitable number of guides G which will cause the plate to pass
down at or about the middle of the somewhat narrow mouth of the fluxing
chamber E.
At or about or near the middle of the coating pot A are mounted another pair
of rolls H well below the surface of the molten metal in such pot A and the plate
after passing through the fluxing chamber E is directed it may be by the wall F
of such chamber E or perhaps preferably by suitable guides G in between this
pair of rolls H wherefrom also by suitable guides K it is further directed in
between the ordinary pair of rolls L near the exit end of this coating pot A. The
pair of rolls H can most conveniently be supported in and by brackets M made
in one with or rigidly connected to the brackets N by which as is usual the
ordinary pair of rolls L are supported so that both pairs of rolls H and L can
simultaneously be lifted out of the pot A when required and with and for all
the pairs of rolls any ordinary appliances can be provided to cause each pair of
rolls duly to be and remain in the necessary close proximity to each other.
To cause these rolls herein before described properly to revolve I may arrange
and use any ordinary and convenient apparatus or and perhaps even preferably
I can provide therefor the appliances and devices shewn in the drawing.
According to this arrangement a longitudinal shaft P is mounted at the appro-
priate elevation near the pot A on which shaft P is fitted in the proper position
a worm gearing into a corresponding toothed wheel R secured on a transverse
shaft S also properly mounted in respect of the pot A. On this transverse shaft S
is also secured in the proper position an ordinary toothed wheel T gearing into
two toothed wheels H and L¹ each of which is secured on the axis of one of each
of the pairs of rolls H and L which pairs of rolls H and L are further respectively
geared together in the usual manner by toothed wheels H³ and L2 at their other
ends. A chain or band wheel V is also secured on the transverse shaft S in the

page_text: proper position and a corresponding chain or band wheel W is secured on the
axis of one of the pair of rolls B which pair of rolls B are further geared together
in the usual manner by toothed wheels at their other ends and a chain or band
or the like X can be passed round these two wheels V and W in the usual manner.
Step pulleys or suchlike devices can be mounted in the customary manner on
the longitudinal shaft P to cause the speed of revolution of the same to be varied
when desired and the worm Q the worm wheel R the toothed wheels T, H' and L'
and the chain or band wheels V and W or any of them or other appropriate parts
of these appliances may be fitted in any ordinary manner with clutches or other
suchlike devices whereby any part or parts thereof can be immediately thrown
out of gear when desired. According to this arrangement therefore it is evident
that when the several gearing wheels are properly proportioned and when the
longitudinal shaft is revolved by any convenient power at the desired speed all
the pairs of rolls on and in this coating pot can be revolved at the desired speed
and in the desired directions with a minimum expenditure of power and with
great smoothness and regularity.
The manner of using this apparatus is as follows. The guides 1) are secured
on the table C in their required positions having regard to the numbers sizes and
shapes or other features of the plates that are to be treated and then a desired
number of such plates are placed on this table C or in any other position whence
they can easily and quickly be removed to be so placed and the shaft P is revolved
at the proper speed in the proper direction. The plates on the table Care then
one by one sequentially entered between the rolls B and are passed mechanically
and regularly at the desired speed very truly and exactly into and through the
chamber E and thence into and along and through the pot A with a minimum
of labour as is desired.
To further ensure the truth and exactness of this passage of the plates it may
sometimes be desirable and perhaps more especially when the pot is formed to
accommodate more than two plates edge to edge to provide the necessary number
of adjustable longitudinal and vertical guides between each two pairs of rolls
whereby the plates will be compelled to keep and move in their due and proper
course.
When the plate has been so passed through and properly treated in this coating
pot it can be further treated if desired in any customary manner and in and by
any ordinary apparatus. For example if the plate is to be passed through a
dipping pot and then through a grease pot as is frequently the case it may be
most convenient to place the dipping pot in immediate juxtaposition with the
coating pot and the grease pot on the top of the exit end of the dipping pot and
then I should or might use the trough described in the specification of the Patent
granted unto me in conjunction with another dated the 10th day of Marchi
A.D. 1893 and numbered 5224 of 1893 to guide the plate from the coating pot
into the dipping pot. In this case also as further in other cases when it may
be possible and appropriate so to do I should or could conveniently prolong the
longitudinal shaft P and fit thereon in the proper position or positions a worm Q
or two or more worms Q which could in manner as is herein before described
cause the rolls at the entering end of the dipping pot and the rolls in the grease
pot and the other rolls if any to revolve as is required.
To reduce the surface of metal in the pot that is exposed to oxidation and it
may also be to still further reduce the quantity of metal in the same a bottomless
or it may be a closed chamber Y may be placed in the pot A preferably extending
right across the same and dipping into the molten metal in such pot A a certain
desired distance and when this chamber Y is a bottomless one as is shewn in the
drawing the surface of the metal inside the walls Z thereof could be covered with
a thin layer of grease or other suitable material as also could the similar surface
between the wall F of the fluxing chamber E and the walls of the pot A.

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 an apparatus for coating metal plates or sheets with tin and other metals
a coating pot A a fluxing chamber E at the entering end of the pot A and a
pair of rolls B above the fluxing chamber E in combination with a pair of rolls H
below the fluxing chamber E a pair of rolls L at the exit end of the pot A. and
guides to lead the plates or sheets from the one pair of rolls to the next pair of
rolls means being provided for properly revolving all the rolls substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and declared.
2. The combination with a coating pot A provided with a fluxing chamber E
and a pair of feeding rolls B of a table C preferably provided with adjustable
guides I substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
declared.
3. In an apparatus for coating metal plates or sheets with tin and other metals
the combination with a coating pot A provided with pairs of rolls B, H and L
of a revoluble longitudinal shaft P carrying a worm Q a transverse shaft S carrying
worm wheel R. gearing into such worm Q a toothed wheel T gearing into
wheels H and L' on the rolls H and L and the band or chain wheels V being
on the shaft S and W being on the roll B with a band or chain X substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and declared.
a
HART & Co.,
Agents, 168, Fleet Street, London, E.C.
Lan ION
BRANC