A Process of Tapering and Shaping Small Metallic Articles and Goods, and Means to be employed in connection therewith.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1894.
Complete Specification Left; 11th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1895′
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Process of Tapering and Shaping Small Metallic Articles and
Goods, and Means to be employed in connection therewith.
I, WILLIAM HALL, of Sherlock Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a new process, or a combined chemical and mechanical
process, for gradually reducing the thickness of small metallic articles, and giving
unto them a tapering or other suitable figure.
My invention is particularly applicable to the tapering of wires for the making
of needles, knitting pins, toilet pins, hat pins, bodkins, hair pins, meat skewers,
probes and like surgical instruments, small piercing tools, top-joints for fishing-
rods, umbrella ribs, fencing foils, stilettos, whip cores, spindles for cops, and
bangles and other articles of jewellery, also to the tapering of cutlery, forks, swords,
bayonets, rods and wires in short and long lengths, also to the inside and outsidė
tapering of metallic tubes and hollow articles, and to a variety of other purposes.
In carrying out one form of my invention in connection with the tapering of wire
rods with parallel sides, I take two vats or vessels and fill one of them with an
eating-away acid solution, such as a solution composed of water, and nitric.and
sulphuric acid in certain proportions with the addition thereto of a quantity of
metallic zinc.
Articles to be tapered are placed upright or vertically within both yats, and the
solution is gradually run-out or removed, preferably drop by drop, by syphoning
or otherwise, from one vat to the other, thus gradually reducing the height of the
liquid in the one vessel and increasing it in the other, and the longer a part of an
article is exposed to the acid, the greater is the reduction of the diameter.
Thus, as the solution is gradually run from the one vessel, so the height of
the liquid falls, and the rods under treatment are gradually eaten away more
and more from the top downwards, until the liquid falls to the ends of the rods,
which, during the said falling have been progressively eaten away taper, and the
amount of such taper will depend upon the time which the emptying of the
vessel takes. If the running out has been excessively slow, and timed to eat
away the entire thickness of a rod, then the falling of the liquid from the
greatest to the lowest level will impart to the rod a gradual taper, with a needle.
point at the one end and the original thickness at the other end.
From this it will be seen that as the exposure of the upper parts of the rods
is only small, the said ends are only eaten away to a slight extent, whilst the
other ends and parts, which are a longer time exposed are eaten away propor
tionally to a greater extent according to the exposure.
It will be obvious that the dripping of the solution into the other vessel will
cause the liquid therein to rise proportionally with the rate of its flowing-out from
the first-named, and that the tapering will be conducted in exactly the same way,
other than that the eating away process will start at the bottom or point ends,
instead of at the tops or butt ends.
The articles under treatment may be suspended in bulk within the vessels, and
one vessel only may be employed at a time, the employment of two vessels being
only more economical and expeditious where a, double quantity of articles require
to be tanered

page_text: In inside-tapering hollow goods, which may be done by the same process as the
outside-tapering of solid goods, I propose to agitate the solution, or to heat the same
to any degree as may be found necessary.
In steel goods, I propose to harden and temper the same prior to tapering, so
that the temper of the article remains constant, whereby tapered articles acquire a
perfect temper, unattainable by the usual process of hardening and tempering
after tapering by mechanical means, such as filing, drawing, rolling and the like.
In cases where solid parts are to be left at the ends or other portions of the
articles under treatment, this may be accomplished by coating the said parts with
shellac or the like, and to prevent under-eating, the parts may be nicked and the
nicks filled with shellac, so that the resist thus envelopes the whole of the parts
which are to be left.
"
Stepped tapers may be made by periodically drawing off depths of solution.
Instead of running the liquid into or from out of a vessel for time eating-away of
parts of metallic articles under treatment, we may gradually raise the said articles
from a vat containing a fixed or given height of liquid, by mechanical means, such
83 running-down weights, clock-work or the like, which will gradually or otherwise
lift or draw-out the said articles from the solution, or on the other hand, the said
articles may be gradually lowered or immersed into the liquid by time-controlled
mechanical means.
To accelerate the eating-away of the metal, I employ in connection with the
acid, a magnetic current produced either from a battery of an improved construction,
or from a dynamo. The articles under treatment take the place of the anode.
Thus; in a Bunsen's battery, the wire to the zinc plate is connected to the anode,
and the wire from the carbon in the battery is connected to the cathode.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the kind of battery
described, or to the particular acid or eating-away solution described, as any well-
known chemical corrosive solutions may be employed.
The articles, after tapering, may be washed, and if necessary, scoured, dressed,
planished or otherwise mechanically operated upon.
Dated this 8th day of June 1894.
WILLIAM HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant..
A Process of Tapering and Shaping Small Metallic Articles and
Goods, and Means to be employed in connection therewith.
"I, WILLIAM HALL, of Sherlock Street, in the City of Birmingham,
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 :-
My invention relates to a process of reducing the thickness of parts of small
metallic articles, by giving unto them a taper or other desired figure.
My said process is particularly applicable to the tapering of metallic wires or
rods employed in the making of bodkins and needles; knitting, toilet, hat, hair and
other pins; meat skewers; surgical and like. instruments; small piercing tools;
top joints of fishing rods; umbrella ribs ; fencing foils; stilettos; whip cores; cop
spindles cycle and other wheel spokes; cutlery; forks; swords and bayonets;
rods and wires in short and long lengths and other articles and objects; also to the
outside tapering, or both: outside and inside tapering, of tubes and other hollow
metallic articles, also to a variety of other purposes.
:

page_text: In carrying out one form of my invention in connection with lengths of wire or
metallic rods having a uniform diameter, I take a vat or vessel containing a con-
suming or dissolving solution, such as nitric or sulphuric acid of any desired
strength, either alone or with the addition of a small quantity of metallic zinc.
The articles to be tapered are then suspended in the solution and form the anode
or anodes of an ordinary battery; that is to say, a wire or a frame directed across
the vat has suspended from it, through the medium of clips or otherwise, a series
of articles to be tapered or shaped, whilst connected with this metallic frame is the
positive wire of an electric current generated from a battery or from a dynamo.
The negative wire of the electric current is connected with a block of carbon
suspended within the solution in the vat, and forming the cathode, through which
the current leaves the solution and upon which the metal dissolved from the rods
is deposited through the medium of the solution.
Thus the rods being shaped and forming anodes to the battery are gradually
dissolved through the agency of the solution and of an electric current passing
through them and entering the solution, the iron dissolved thereby is deposited in
a metallic state on the carbon cathode and a part may be also precipitated, with
carbon, upon the bottom of the vat.
Now the solution in the vat is gradually drawn off or removed, preferably drop
by drop, either by syphoning or otherwise, and the articles are gradually reduced
in diameter to the lower end.
Thus, as the solution is gradually run out from the tank, its height necessarily
falls, and the rods under treatment are progressively dissolved or consumed, more
and more from the top downwards until the said solution falls below the ends of
the wires or rods, hence the tapering. The amount of such taper depends upon the
time occupied in the emptying of the tank, and if the running out has been
excessively slow and timed to consume or dissolve away the entire thickness of a
rod, then the falling of the solution from its greatest height to its lowest level will
give unto the wire or rod a gradual taper and a needle point at one end and the
original thickness of the rod at the other end..
From this it will be seen that as the upper part of a rod is immersed in the
solution for a short period only, the said ends are only dissolved or consumed to a
slight extent, whilst the other end and parts which are exposed for a longer time
to the consuming solution are dissolved away to a greater extent, proportionally to
the time of exposure.
The drippings from one vessel may be conducted into a second one, having wires
or rods suspended therein alike unto the first, so that as the solution falls in oue
vessel, it rises proportionally in the other and the times of exposure in both vats
are equal, but in the second vessel the consuming and tapering commences from the
bottom.
I propose that a large number of articles should be under treatment at the same
time, whilst the employing of two rats is only advantageous in economically
conducting the process...
The inside and outside tapering of hollow articles such as tubes is conducted
by the same process as the outside tapering of solid goods as already referred to,
and in order to accelerate the tapering, the solution may, if necessary, be heated.
In steel goods, 1 propose to harden and temper the same prior to tapering,
so that the temper of the whole of the tapered article remains constant, which
is a desideratum unattainable when steel tapered articles are hardened and tempered
after tapering.
Where a taper is to be followed by an enlarged part, or an enlargement, swell or
the like is to come solid within the taper, then I propose to cover up or mask those
portions requiring to be left intact with varnish, shellac or the like, and in order
to prevent the dissolving or, consuming of the metal in a lateral direction to the
tapering, I propose to nick or incise the metal up to the parts to be left, and to fill
the same with varnish or shellac.
Step tapers or other such figures may be formed by periodically or

page_text: intermittently drawing off the solution instead of drawing it off continuously and
gradually.
Instead of running the consuming solution into or from out of vats for time
dissolving or consumption, the said articles under treatment may be caused to rise
from out of the solution, or they may be gradually immersed into it by mechanical
means such as running down weights, clock-work, hydraulic power or the like,
which will gradually and continuously or intermittently draw the said articles under
treatment out of, or lower them into, the solution.
I wish it to be understood that the consumption or dissolving of the metal for
tapering or shaping by acids may be conducted without the aid of electrical energy,
but the results are much less satisfactory, and further, I do not limit myself to the
particular dissolving solutions herein before mentioned; as, without departing from
the nature of my invention, I may employ solutions of any acid, alkaline or neutral
salt with like effect, but in this case it is absolutely essential that electric current
should be employed.
After the articles have been tapered or shaped, they may be washed, scoured,
dressed, planished or otherwise mechanically operated upon.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a series of wires or rods under
the process of tapering by the gradual withdrawal of the solution from the vat,
and also the appliances or means for conducting the current.
Figure 2 is a plan of the said apparatus.
Figure 3 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a length of wire tapered by my
process.
Figure 4 represents an unoperated-upon wire, upon the same scale as the partly
tapered ones represented in Figure 1.
Figure 5 represents, upon a large scale, one of the clips for securing an end of a
wire or rod to the suspension framing.
a is a vat, containing the electrolyte or dissolving solution b, having, if necessary,
metallic zinc added thereto, and a' is a drip-cock for running the solution from the
vat. c and d are current conductors, forming an electric circuit, and receiving their
electrical energy from a battery or from a dynamo connected with these said
conductors, of which c is the negative and d the positive, are circuit wires c¹, d',
and coupling wires d', whilst the ends of the rods d, rest upon insulated supports d².
Strung upon the conducting rods d, are clips d'; for securing the upper ends of the
suspended wires or rods f, which constitute the anode electrodes, whilst connected
with the negative rod c, which is insulated at its end, is a carbon block e, consti-
tuting the cathode, so that the electric current enters the electrolyte by the anodes
and leaves it by the cathode.
The immersion of the wires in the dissolving solution impregnates the same with
iron, which is either precipitated or deposited upon the cathode by the electrolysis
established by the current.
Instead of employing only one block of carbon as the cathode, I may employ a
series, which are circuit connected to the negative conducting rod of the system.
Figure 6 represents my invention as applied to the pointing of pins or like
articles.
Figure 7 is a plan of the apparatus.
Figure 8 is a pin before being tapered or pointed.
Figure 9 represents a series of taper-ended hair pins strung upon the positive
conductor of the electric circuit. Instead of the points being tapered, the return
ends may be tapered in like manner.
Figure 10 represents how sewing needles may be suspended for tapering by the
process described.
á is the tank or vat, at the drip cock, fare the articles; which are tapered by the
gradual withdrawal of the solution b, from the tank. d. is the positive conductor
and support for the articles being treated, whilst eis the: cathode suspended from
the return circuit wire c.
Figure 11 represents a diagramatic view of a process of' simultaneous tapering

page_text: in two vats, by the lowering of the solution in the one and giving a corresponding ·
rise in the other.
Figure 12 is a diagramatic view of the apparatus employed in tapering or shaping
by lifting the articles bodily from the solution instead of adding to or running off
the solution in the vat.
a is the vat containing the dissolving or consuming solution b, having suspended
within it, a carbon block e, which constitutes the cathode, and is supported from
the negative conducting wire c, in connection with the circuit wire c. f are the
articles under treatment, suspended from positive connecting rods. d, supported.
within a frame g, electrically connected by a circuit wire d', and raised and lowered.
for lifting out and immersing the articles by a cord j or other expedient connected.
with a pulley h, controlled by chronometric or other running-down mechanism i,.
which regulates the lifting or lowering of the rods f, under operation, which
constitute the anodes.
Figure 13 represents a simultaneous process conducted in two vats by drawing
in and out, that is, tapering from the bottom and the top at the same time.
a are the vats, g are the rising and falling frames and is the chronometric or
time mechanism, whilst fare the articles under treatment.
It will be seen that by the raising of the one frame, the other is correspondingly
lowered.
Figure 14 represents a further form of apparatus, in which the liquid is taken
away from or brought up to the articles to be tapered through the medium of a
displacer, which is either drawn out of, or allowed to fall gradually by gravity into.
the solution, hence the rising or sinking of the same for tapering from the top or
bottom.
a is the vat containing the necessary solution, and fare articles under treatment.
d is the positive conductor and c the negative conductor. ; is a displacer, allowed
by chronometric or time mechanism, to fall into or be raised from the solution and
thus raise or lower the level of the same.
Figure 15 is an illustration of a garden fork, the prongs of which are tapered by
my improvements. The prongs, before being immersed in the solution
parallel.
are.
Figure 16 is an illustration of a fencing foil tapered down to the button, which.
is left intact by being masked with varnish or shellac.
Figure 17 represents a tapered umbrella or other rib, with an enlargement left at
the end, either to form a knob or for other purposes.
Figure 18 represents the blank or length from which the said rib is made
showing the neck at the junction of the taper and left parts.
Figure 19 represents a sword reduced taper in the direction of its length. In
this case the edges are protected by a coating of varnish or shellac, which is
subsequently removed and the article is cross tapered to form the cutting edge..
This process is applicable to the tapering, lengthwise and crosswise, of knife blades,.
hollow or straight faced razors and other cutlery.
Figure 20 represents a tube to which an inside and outside taper is given by my
process.
Figure 21 is a hollow tube or article inside tapered by my process.
Figure 22 represents a step-tapered rod, the steps of which are formed by inter-
mittently drawing off the solution or by raising the article from the solution by
intermittent stages.
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:
1st. The process of tapering and shaping metallic lengths, or metallic articles, by
degree or timed exposure to the action of a solution, or a dissolving or consuming
solution under the influence of an electric current, as set forth.
2ndly. The process of tapering and shaping metallic lengths, or metallic articles,

page_text: or a part or parts thereof, by exposing the same to the action of an uniformally or
an intermittently retiring or advancing, or an ascending or descending solution, or
dissolving or consuming solution, under the influence of, or in conjunction with an
electric current, entering the said solution by an article, or the articles under
treatment, substantially as described and set forth and illustrated in Figures 1, 2,
6, 7, 11 and 14 of the drawings.
3rdly. The process of tapering and shaping metallic lengths, or metallic articles,
or a part or parts thereof, by lowering them into, or lifting them from (in a
continuous, or gradual or intermittent manner) a solution, or a dissolving or
consuming solution under the influence of an electric current, which enters the said
solution by the articles under treatment, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 12 and 13.
4thly. The process of tapering and shaping metallic lengths, or metallic articles,
by degree or timed exposure to the action of a dissolving or consuming solution,
substantially as set forth.
...
5thly. The tapering or shaping of metallic articles or lengths by the process or
processes and ineans, substantially as described & set forth.
Dated this 7th day of March One thousand eight hundred and ninetz-five
WILLIAM HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.