Improvements in Machinery for Scaling Sheet Metals.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1889
. Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Scaling Sheet Metals.
1, GEORGE CLARK of Bridge Street Sheffield in the County of York Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is to enable the scaling of sheets of steel and other metals to be
accomplished in a rapid and efficient manner, and to dispense with the arduous
manual labour entailed by the present method carrying out this operation as now
practised in rolling mills.
According to the method now in use, before the sheet of steel (for example) is
passed through the rolls after being taken from the heating furnace, it is necessary to
get rid of the particles or scales that are more or less loose, and adhering to the sheet
so that they may not be pressed into and disfigure the surface which it is very
desirable to keep clean and smooth; such dross, oxide, rust or scale is usually
detached by one or more men seizing the hot sheet with their tongs and first raising
and then dashing the sheet upon the iron plates composing the mill floor, first
on one side of the sheet and then on the other, during which operation the roller is
often idle.
My invention consists in the construction of a scaling-machine, through which the
sheet is drawn automatically and cleaned from scale and other extraneous substance
by the action of revolving wire brushes or scrapers.
I propose to make a suitable framework, for example, a base plate or foundation,
with metal colums or like supports carrying a top plate, on which I fix suitable
pedestals or bearings to carry the driving gear. I arrange two vertical shafts between
the base and the top plate, upon or through which they are capable of revolving in
bearings or necks, and are driven by suitable gearing in connection with the driving
shaft. On these shafts I fix any desired number of discs, the edges of each set of
discs being opposite the interspaces of the other set of discs, and so arranged as to
grip the sheet when it is passed between them.
At the back of the said disc shafts, I fix another pair of vertical shafts, carrying
each a set of steel wire brushes, or somewhat similar form of elastic heaters, which
may be fixed spirally or otherwise, but always so that the whole surface of the sheet
will be operated upon by the said brushes or beaters as it is passed through them by
the action of the discs.
I propose to revolve the shafts carrying the brushes in the opposite direction to
the disc shafts and to run them at a higher speed, and I apply water to the sheet of
metal during the brushing or scaling process, through pipes or jets conveniently
placed for that purpose.
The machine may be stationary until it is required, when the roller or his labourer
can start it by means of a lever and clutch motion, and it will be understood that I
prefer that the sheets are operated upon vertically and so that the scale will fall to the
ground clear of the sheet and the brushes.
I do not bind myself to one set of brushes as more than one may be used if
required.
Dated the 11th day of May 1889

page_text: "
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Scaling Sheet Metals.
1 GEORGE CLARK of Bridge Street, Sheffield in the County of York, 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:
This invention is to enable the scaling of sheets of steel and other metals to be
accomplished in a rapid and efficient manner, and to dispense with the arduous manual
labour entailed by the present method in carrying out this operation, as now practised
in rolling mills.
The annexed sheet of drawings illustrates my invention, and represents a machine
capable of carrying out my object; similar letters of reference indicate similar parts
in any of the figures.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of the machine.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation of same.
According to the method now, in use, before the sheet of steel (for example) is
passed through the rolls after being taken from the heating furnace, it is necessary
to get rid of the scale or particles that are more or less loose but adhering to the
surface of the sheet, so that they may not be pressed into the heated metal by
the action of the rolls and thus disfigure the surface which it is very desirable to keep
clean and smooth.
Such dross, oxide, scale or the like foreign adhering substances are usually
detached by one or more men, who seize the sheet with their tongs and raising the
sheet aloft, dash it upon the iron plates which usually compose the mill floor, repeating
the operation first upon one side and then upon the other, during which operation the
rolls are often idle.
1
In carrying out my invention I construct a machine such as illustrated in the
sheet of drawings, which I call a scaling machine,) and through which the sheet
is drawn automatically, and in passing through it is cleaned from scale and
other extraneous substances by the action of revolving discs and brushes or
scrapers.
It is constructed as follows, upon a strong foundation or base plate A-I erect
four columns B, or equivalent supports to carry a top plate C, and pedestals or like
bearings D, to support a driving shaft E.
I arrange two vertical shafts F, supported in bearings in the top plate, and the
base plate, and carrying any desired number of discs G, the edges of each set of discs
being opposite the inter spaces of the oposite series of discs.
The diameter of the discs is so arranged that the edges of the discs, when the
shafts are revolving in opposite directions, will grip the sheet of steel or the like,
when it is passed into or between them.
These two shafts are driven by means of two geared wheels H, H¹, which engage,
and the two bevil wheels I, I¹, one of which is upon the driving shaft E which may
be actuated by a belt passed round the flywheel J, or a fast and a loose pulley may be
employed as preferred.
At the back of the said disc shafts F, I fix a second pair of vertical shafts K,
each shaft carrying a set of steel wire brushes, or flexible metallic scrapers or
beaters L, which may be arranged as shown, or spirally or otherwise, but always
so that the whole surface of both sides of the sheet will be operated upon by
the brushes or scrapers or beaters as it is forced through them by the action of
the discs G.
'
I drive the brush shafts K, by the same first motion as the shafts F, by gearing
the wheel M on the first driven shaft F, into a pinion fixed upon the top of the shaft K,
and the opposite brush shaft, by a pinion fixed upon its lower end gearing into a
wheel such as M fixed upon the lower end of the second driven shaft F.
The brushes so driven will revolve at a higher rate of speed than the discs, and to

page_text: enable them to do the work thoroughly, I apply water to the sheet of steel as it passes
through the brushes by means of jets or nozzles conveniently placed.
The sheets are passed into the machine in a vertical position, so that the scale will
fall to the ground clear of the sheet and of the brushes.
The machine may be arranged to be started and stopped by means of a clutch
motion, and there may be two or more sets of brushes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:
•
A machine, for scaling sheets of metal, having two vertical shafts provided with
discs between which the sheet is passed, and two vertical shafts provided with brushes
or scrapers and situated behind the firstnamed shafts, all the said shafts being
caused to revolve by suitable gearing substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated.
sted the lotnday or rebruary 100.
ROBT. F. DRURY, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.