Method and Machine for Cleaning Tin Plate and similar Materials.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1394
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Method and Machine for Cleaning Tin Plate and similar Materials.
I, GEORGE JOHN RECORD, of Conneaut, in the County of Ashtabula and
State of Ohio, United States of America, 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 and
accompanying drawings that is to say :-
The chief object of my invention is to provide a method and mechanism for
cleaning grease from tin plate. To this end the said invention consists in subjecting
such plates to the action of wheat shorts, commonly called bran, compressed by
centrifugal action, the said plates being preferably in motion whilst the bran is
rubbed on them. My said invention also consists in the machine operating in
accordance with this method as hereinafter described and claimed.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of my invention, in which :—
Figure 1 is a front view of my machine; Figure 2, a side view;
Figure 3, a front view of the interior frame and the pulleys;
Figure 4, a transverse, vertical section of the said machine;
Figure 5, a bottom view of the small drums;
Figure 6, an enlarged view of one of the plows;
Figure 7 a top view of the cleaner for the grooves in the drums;
Figure 8, a perspective view of the trough used to remove the bran from the
large drum;
Figures 9 and 10, front and side views of a chain, and
Figure 11, a top view of the table.
Similar figures of reference designate like parts in the drawings and Specification.
The shaft 1 has its bearings secured to the external frame 2 and supports the
internal frame 3. The large, hollow drum 4 is rigidly attached to the shaft 1 and
said shaft turns loose in the frame 3. The drum 4 is open in front with the
exception of the flange 4 which prevents the bran 5 from escaping when said
drum is in motion. The drum 4 is connected, by the belt 6, with the pulley 7 on
the main driving shaft 8.
On the rear end of the shaft 1, outside of the frame 2, is the sprocket-wheel 9
connected, by the chain 10, with the sprocket-wheel 11, on the shaft 12. The friction
clutch 13 engages or disengages the sprocket-wheel 9 with or from the shaft 1.
The shaft 12 is secured to the outside of the frame 2, across one end, and has the
bevelled gear 14 fast to the front end thereof. The gear 14 meshes with the
gear 15 rigid on the end of the shaft 16. The shaft 16 is attached to the front end
of the frame 2, and is provided with the two bevelled-gears 17 and 17.
The shafts 18 and 18, having their bearings in the frame 3, and attached to the
frame 2, support the drums 19 and 19" respectively. Fast on the front end of each
of the shafts 18 and 18 is the gear 20 meshing with one of the gears 17 on the
shaft 16.
The drums 19 and 19ª are provided with the grooves 196, as best shewn in
Figure 4, in which run the endless wire-cords 21. The cords 21 pass over the
rum 22 on the shaft 23, said shaft being journalled in the frames 2 and 3. The
drum 22 is provided with the grooves 22ª. The nearest points between the interior
of the periphery of the drum 4 and the peripheries of the drums 19 and 19 are
separated by a very narrow space, as shewn in Figure 1, for the purpose hereinafter
xulained

page_text: Journalled in the frame 3 and the projecting portions 2*, 2ª of the frame 2 are
the shafts 24 and 24 supporting respectively the drums 25 and 25. Said drums 25
and 25 are provided with the grooves 25. Bolted to the upper part of the
frames 2 and 3, each side of the centre, are the supports 26 and 26 and the pulley-
boxes 27 rest upon said supports. Each box 27 has the pulley 28 pivotted therein.
The endless cords 29 pass over the pulleys 28, down through the grooves 25 in
the drums 25 and 25, around the druins 19 and 19 and through the grooves 22* in
the drum 22, in the manner best illustrated in Figure 1.
The shafts 24 and 24 are provided with the collars 24" and 24 and set-screws for
the purpose of laterally adjusting said shafts and the drums 25 and 25"-thereon to
give the proper direction to the cords 29. Said shafts 24 and 24 may be adjusted
longitudinally by means of the screws 30, thereby giving the desired pitch to the
plate in its passage between the drums 19 and 19 and the cords 29. The pulley-
boxes 27 may also be adjusted, through the medium of the screws 31 which extend
through the sides of the U-shaped bar 32, said bar being bolted to the top of the
frames 2 and 3. The supports 26, 26 and the bar 32 prevent any rocking motion
of the frame 3 when the shaft 1 is revolved.
The table 33 is supported, by the projections 3*, 3° (Figure 3) on the frame 3,
and the brackets 34, 34, above the shaft 1 and the ends of said table are deflected
downward at an angle of about 35 degrees until they just clear the peripheries of
the drums 19 and 19. The brackets 34, 34 are secured to the frame 2.
The plow 35 is attached at one end to the horizontal arm of the frame 3 back of
the drum 25, and at the other end to the arm 2 extending downward from the
projecting portion 2, forward of the drum 19. The blade 35 of the plow 35, lies
near the inside of the periphery of the drum 4 and is for the purpose of breaking
up the bran 5, which would otherwise become tightly packed in between said drum
and the drum 19". A. similar plow 36, is shewn in Figure 3 for the purpose of
breaking up the bran 5 forward of the drum 19 and other plows may be employed
if deemed necessary. The cleaner 37 extends from the frame 3 to the frame 2,
between the drums 19 and 19ª, and is provided with the fingers 37" which extend
into the grooves 19 in said drums and clear said grooves of the bran 5. Other
cleaners may be used in connection with the drums 22, 25 and 25*.
The rod 38 extends upward from the frame 3, back of the drum 25ª, across the
interior of the drum 4 with a slight downward pitch and then turns upward to be
attached to the frame 2, outside of said drum 4. The rod 38 is provided with the
ring 39.
The trough 40, shewn in Figure 8, has the hook 41, at one end, and the
handle 42, at the other end. When it is desired to remove the bran 5 from the
drum 4, the hook 41 is passed through the ring 39, on the rod 38, and the trough 40
is reciprocated by hand on said rod until said bran is entirely drawn out of the
revolving drum 4.
The chain 43, shewn in Figures 9 and 10, is preferable for use in place of the
wire-cords 21 and 29. I do not wish to confine myself to the means set forth for
adjusting the drums 25 and 25" and the pulleys 28 as any other suitable device may
be utilized for that purpose.
The operation of my machine is as follows:-Revolve the drum 4 in the
direction of the arrow 44, by means of the pulley 7 on the main shaft 8 and the
belt 6, and throw into said drum the desired amount of bran 5. The rapid, rotary
motion of the drum 4 distributes the bran 5, by centrifugal force, evenly around the
inside of the drum's periphery. By means of the clutch 13 engage the mechanism
which actuates the drums 19 and 19 with the shaft 1. Motion is now imparted to
the drums 19 and 19 in the direction of the arrows 45, but since the gears 17
and 17 are smaller than the gears 14 and 15 the speed of said drums is much less
than the speed of the drum 4. The tin-plate 46 is placed on the table 33 and
moved over the inclined end of said table until it is caught between the drum 195
and the chains or cords 29. The plate 46 is now carried slowly around the
drum 19" and against the bran 5 in the rapidly revolving drum 4. The grooves 22*,

page_text: n the drum 22, are out of alignment with the grooves 25° in either of the drums 25
r 25, as will be readily seen by referring to Figure 5, hence the cords 29 pass
liagonally around the drums 19 and 19, for the purpose of exposing the
parts of the plate 46, which had been covered by said cords in its passage
round the drum 19%, to the action of the bran 5 when the drum 19 is reached.
The plate 46 moves on, guided by the cords 21 and 29, from the drum 19" over the
Irum 22 and around the drum 19, when it is thrown upon the table 33 with one
side thoroughly cleaned and polished. The plate 46 is now turned over and carried
around the drums 19 and 19, against the bran 5 again, to clean and polish the
opposite side. The bran 5 becomes heated by the introduction of the hot plates 46
and for that reason more readily and thoroughly removes the grease adhering to
the said plates. One of the stops 47, is attached, between each pair of cords 29, to
the underside of the support 26 over the drums 19 and 25, to prevent any plate 46
from following the chains or cords 29 up over the pulleys 28. When the bran 5
becomes foul it is drawn off by means of the trough 40, as before explained, and a
fresh supply introduced into the drum 4. The object of placing the drums 19
and 19 so that their peripheries are close to the periphery of the drum 4 is to
augment the friction at those points between the bran 5 and the tin-plate 46,
whereby the cleansing process is more complete.
The rotation of the drum causes the bran to press outward against the inner
face by centrifugal action thereby becoming packed into a mass of soft material
practically a new substance for such uses, which is found to be far better than loose
bran as a plate cleanser.
I do not wish to confine myself to the exact means herein shewn and described
for imparting motion to the drums 19 and 19ª from the drum 4, as any suitable
device may be employed for this purpose without departing from the nature of my
invention. Nor do I wish to restrict my machine to the use of bran, as a cleansing
agent, since other substances which are the equivalents of bran may be utilized,
with equally good results, if desired.
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
1. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, an external frame, a shaft
supported by said frame, and a hollow rotary drum having a front flange, fast_on
said shaft, in combination with an internal frame supported by said shaft, and a
U-shaped bar and supports connecting said frames, in the manner substantially as
described.
2. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, two shafts, the grooved
drums 19 and 19" and two bevelled-gears fast on said shafts, said gears meshing
with bevelled gears on the shaft 16, in combination with said shaft 16 and bevelled-
gears, the gear 15, the shaft 12 having at one end a bevelled-gear meshing with
said gear 15 and at the other end a sprocket-wheel, a shaft supported by an
external frame, a hollow rotary drum, friction-clutch and sprocket-wheel on said
shaft, a chain connecting said sprocket-wheels, and an internal frame supported
by said shaft, in the manner substantially as specified.
3. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, an external frame, a shaft
supported by said frame, a hollow rotary drum fast on said shaft, and an internal
stationary frame supported by said shaft, in combination with the grooved
drums 19 and 19, 25 and 25°, pulleys and pulley-boxes, the shafts of said drums
supported by said frames; the supports for said pulleys and pulley-boxes, chains
or cords connecting said drums and pulleys, and the driving mechanism between
the drums 19 and 19 and the hollow drum shaft, in the manner substantially as set
forth.
4. In combination with a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, the pulleys 28
and the adjustable pulley-boxes 27 on the supports 26 and 26, the U-shaped bar 32,
the drums 19 and 19ª, the adjustable grooved drums 25 and 25ª and a series of

page_text: chains or cords passing over said pullies, through the grooves in said drums 25
and 25 and around said drums 19 and 19, in the manner substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
5. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, the grooved drums 19 and 19
in combination with a groove cleaner having fingers and secured between said
drums, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, an external frame, a shaft
supported by said frame, an internal frame stationary on said shaft, and one or
nore plows secured to said frames, in combination with a hollow, rotary drum fast
on said shaft and having a front flange, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
7. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, an external frame, a shaft
supported by said frame, an internal frame stationary on said shaft, and one or
more plows secured to said frames, in combination with a hollow drum fast on said
shaft and having a front flange, the means for rotating said drum, and a quantity
of bran within the same, for the purpose set forth.
8. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, an external frame, a shaft
supported by said frame, an internal frame stationary on said shaft, a bent rod
attached to said frames, and a ring on said rod, in combination with a hollow drum
fast on said shaft and having a front flange, the means for revolving said drum,
a quantity of bran within the same, and a trough provided at one end with a hook
for attaching said trough to said ring whereby said bran may be removed from said
drum when in motion, substantially as described.
9. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, an external frame, a shaft
supported by said frame, an internal stationary frame on said shaft, and a table
secured to said frames, in combination with the grooved drums 22, 25 and 25", 19
and 19ª, the pulleys 28, the chains or cords connecting said drums and pulleys, a
hollow rotary drum fast on said shaft, and the intermediate driving mechanism, in
the manner substantially as specified.
10. In a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, the drums 22, 25 and 25ª
having grooves therein arranged to carry the chains or cords 29 diagonally around
the drums 19 and 19", for the purpose specified.
11. The combination, in a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, of a hollow
rotary drum, with a series of rotary drums and pulleys within said hollow drum, in
the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12. The combination, in a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, of a hollow
rotary drum, having a front flange and containing bran, with a series of rotary
drums and pulleys connected by chains or cords within the said hollow drum, in
the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
13. In combination with a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, the grooved
drums 19 and 19ª connected by a series of chains or cords, the grooved drum 22
below and the adjustable grooved drums 25 and 25* above said drums 19 and 19",
the adjustable pulleys 28 above said drums 25 and 25ª, and a series of chains or
cords connecting all of said drums and pulleys, substantially as specified.
14. In combination with a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, the grooved
drums 19 and 19", connected by a series of chains or cords, the grooved drun 22
below and the adjustable grooved drums 25 and 25", above said drums 19 and 19",
the adjustable pulleys 28 above said drums 25 and 25ª, a second series of chains or
cords connecting said drums and pulleys, a table, the supports for the pulleys, and
the stops 47 attached to one of said supports above the drums 19 and 25, in the
manner and for the purpose set forth.
15. The combination, in a tin-plate cleaning and polishing machine, of an
external frame, a shaft supported by said frame, a hollow drum having a front
flange, tight on said shaft, and means for revolving said drum, an internal frame
on said shaft secured by supports and a U-shaped bar to said external frame, a
series of internal grooved drums and pulleys connected by chains or cords, a table,
one or more plows and cleaners, and a bent rod having a ring thereon, supported

page_text: by and attached to said frames; the actuating mechanism connecting the shafts of
the two larger of said internal drums with said hollow-drum shaft, the stops 47,
and a quantity of bran within said hollow drum, in the manner substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
16. The process of cleaning and polishing tin-plates, consisting in subjecting
the same to the action of bran or other soft comminuted material while the latter
is under pressure by centrifugal action substantially as set forth.
17. The process of cleaning and polishing tin plates consisting in subjecting the
same to the action of bran or other soft comminuted material under centrifugal
pressure, the said plates being simultaneously moved in contact with the said bran
substantially as set forth.
the 8th day of August 1894.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.