IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOLDER WIRE, RIBBON, OR ROD, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SOLDER WIRE, RIBBON, OR ROD, AND IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad by Hiland George
Hulburd, of Placerville, El Dorado County, State of California, United States
of America.
Sealed the 31st May 1878, and dated the 1st January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st January 1878.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOLDER WIRE,
RIBBON, OR ROD, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." [A communication from
abroad by Hiland George Hulburd, of Placerville, El Dorado County, State of
California, United States of America.]
The improvement in manufacturing solder wire consists,-
First. Of a process of passing the melted commingled metals forming the solder
through a funnel-shaped kettle having a taper tube (inserted by means of a screw
thread) and solidifying the continuous stream of metal in a body of water, into
which it is passed to form a wire, ribbon, or rod of solder. The outlet orifice from
the kettle is of the same size and shape as the intended wire, ribbon, or rod, and
the supply of melted metal in the funnel-shaped kettle is maintained by adding
from a convenient melting pot, so that the pressure of metal is uniform at the point
of exit.
The second part of the Invention consists in the apparatus for carrying out said
process. Said apparatus embodies a funnel-shaped kettle in which the solder is
poured from the melting pot. This kettle should be of a capacity sufficient to hold
one hundred pounds of metal, and a depth of metal not less than eight or ten inches
[Price 6d1

page_text: that the temperature may be easily and correctly maintained without sudden
changes, and that the stream may issue with force and solidity. The outlet tube is
removable, and different sizes and shapes may be inserted.
The water tank is preferably of circular form, a straight cylinder with smooth
interior, and should be of a depth not less than four feet, and three feet
diameter.
It is essential that the stream of wire should be unimpeded, and that the solidified
metal below the surface of the water shall have sufficient length to be flexible and
pass away without being retarded at the surface of the water. The distance from
the surface of the water to the outlet tube ranges from one fourth of an inch to
four or five inches, the latter being the distance for making the largest sizes of
solder wire. The distance between the tube and water may be increased or
varied at will.
The kettle may be supported by means of rests, or may be suspended from
above.
For the reason that the outlet tube is sometimes stopped by the cooling of the
metal through the loss of heat caused by radiation from the tube, the application of
a jet or flame of gas or other regular source of heat is advantageous. This applica-
tion of gas flame is effected by a burner supplied with gas by a flexible tube,
which causes the flame to impinge on the tube and maintain the requisite heat.
To manufacture solder wire in the above manner, attention is required to the
following details:-The admixture of antimony with the tin and lead is detrimental.
The lead and tin should be thoroughly mixed, and the temperature of the metal
should be little above the melting point; if too hot, the metal is thrown into spongy
fragments on striking the water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st July 1878.
WIRE,
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOLDER
RIBBON, OR ROD, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from
abroad by Hiland George Hulburd, of Placerville, El Dorado County, State of
California, United States of America.
This improvement in manufacturing solder wire consists,-
First. Of a process of passing the melted commingled metals forming the solder
through a funnel-shaped kettle having a taper tube (inserted by means of screw
thread), and solidifying the continuous stream of metal in a body of water, into
which it is passed to form a wire, ribbon, or rod of solder. The outlet orifice from
the kettle is of the same size and shape as the intended wire, ribbon, or rod, and the
supply of melted metal in the funnel-shaped kettle is maintained by adding from
a convenient melting pot so that the pressure of metal is uniform at the point of
exit.
The second part of the Invention consists in the apparatus for carrying out said
process. Said apparatus embodies a funnel-shaped kettle, in which the solder is
poured from the melting pot. This kettle should be of capacity sufficient to hold
one hundred pounds of metal, and a depth of metal not less than eight or ten inches,
that the temperature may be easily and correctly maintained without sudden
changes, and that the stream may issue with force and solidity. The outlet tube is
removable, and different sizes and shapes may be inserted.
The water tank is preferably of circular form, a straight cylinder with smooth
interior, and should be of a depth not less than four feet, and three feet
diameter.
It is essential that the stream of wire shall be unimpeded, and that the solidified
metal below the surface of the water shall have sufficient length to be flexible and
pass away without being retarded at the surface of the water. The distance from
the surface of the water to the outlet tube ranges from one fourth of an inch to
four or five inches, the latter being the distance for making the largest sizes of
solder wire. The distance between the tube and water may be increased or varied
at will.
The kettle may be supported by means of rests, or may be suspended from
above.
For the reason that the outlet tube is sometimes stopped by the cooling of the
metal through the loss of heat, caused by radiation from the tube, the application
of a jet of flame of gas or other regular source of heat is advantageous. This appli-
cation of gas flame is effected by a burner supplied with gas by a flexible tube,
which causes the flame to impinge on the tube and maintain the requisite heat.
To manufacture solder wire in the above manner, attention is required to the
following details:-The admixture of antimony with the tin and lead is detrimental.
The lead and tin should be thoroughly mixed, and the temperature of the metal
should be but little above the melting point; if too hot, the metal is thrown into
spongy fragments on striking the water.
In the accompanying Drawing, which shows a vertical section, A represents the
kettle containing the melted solder; B is the subjacent body of water which cools
the stream of melted solder to form the solder wire C; D is the tank containing
the same; E, the cover to the tank sustaining the kettle; F is a gas-cock and
burner, and G a gas pipe, which are employed to direct a flame K against the outlet
from the kettle to keep up a constant heat at this point and prevent clogging; H
is a removable outlet nozzle from the kettle, any number of which may be employed
having different orifices, to give size or form to the stream of solder.

page_text: Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The process of forming solder wire or ribbons, which consists in cooling and
solidifying a molten stream of solder by passing the same into a body of water,
substantially as set forth.
2nd. The combination with a kettle having an outlet for the molten metal of a
subjacent tank for containing water, substantially as set forth.
3rd. The kettle for the molten metal having detachable outlet nozzles of different
form and size of orifice, for the purpose described.
4th. The combination with the kettle, having an outlet for the molten metal, of a
constant source of heat applied at or near the said outlet to prevent the clogging of
the same, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)