IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPLIANCES FOR TREATINg Tin and TERNE PLATES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hopkins and Joseph Rees, of Aberdulais,
and John Thomas, of Court Herbert, Neath, in the County of
Glamorgan, for the Invention of "IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPLIANCES
FOR TREATINg Tin and TERNE PLATES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas. Hopkins,
Joseph Rees, and John Thomas at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd March 1874.
We, TпомAS HOPKINS and JOSEPH REES, of Aberdulais, and Jonn
THOMAS, of Court Herbert, Neath, in the County of Glamorgan, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED METHOD
OF AND APPLIANCES FOR TREATING TIN AND TERNE PLATES," to be as
follows:-
-
In the usual method of treating tin and terne plates in what is known
as the pickling process it is the general practice to place the plates in
an open bath of diluted vitriol with a portion of sawdust or bran

page_text: between them to keep them apart in the bath, and so that the liquor
in a heated state can percolate and prepare the surfaces for the reception
of the molten tin.
Now the object of our Invention is,--
1st. To dispense with the sawdust or bran treatment.
2ndly. To reduce the labour attending the operation.
3rdly. To obviate the formation of specks or spots upon plates which
are generally discovered after the annealing operation, and to expedite
the whole operation of the pickling process, whereby better results are
obtained with less risk.
In carrying our Invention into effect we take the ordinary prepared
plates and arrange them in any suitable manner in a vessel, which can
be closed by a lid or cover; steam or hot air is then injected through a
pipe or casing in which a series of apertures or nozzles are arranged at
an angle to cause the issuing steam or hot air to spread itself as much as
possible over and through the entire body of liquor and also between
the plates, effecting a vibration of the same, whereby the liquor becomes
heated and the plates prepared for the annealing operation.
The steam pipe may be arranged in serpentine or zig-zag form, or
thero may be a series of separate pipes leading from one main, the pipe
or pipes with the outlets being arranged upon or near the bottom of the
troughs containing the liquor.
Instead of pipes channels or passages can be formed on the bottom
of the trough itself, and perforations can be made by drilling or
otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Hopkins, Joseph Rees, and John Thomas
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, THOMAS
HOPKINS and JOSEPH REES, of Aberdulais, and JOHN THOMAS, of Court 30
Herbert, Neath, in the County of Glamorgan, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Hopkins, Joseph
Rees, and John Thomas, Her special licence that we, the said
Thomas Hopkins, Joseph Rees, and John Thomas, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas
Hopkins, Joseph Rees, and John Thomas, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPLIANCES
FOR TREATING TIN AND TERNE PLATES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Thomas Hopkins, Joseph Recs, and John Thomas, or
5 one of us, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or one of our or their, or one of their hands and scals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
1 months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Hopkins, Joseph Recs,
and John Thomas, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to
say:―
In the usual method of treating tin and torne plates (those aro plates
to be coated with tin or with lead) in what is known as the pickling
process it is the general practice to place the plates in an open bath of
diluted vitriol heated by steam with a portion of sawdust or bran
between the plates to keep them apart in the bath, and so that the
liquor in a heated state can percolate or flow between them and prepare
the surfaces for the reception of the molten tin or the lead, as the case
may be, the plates being agitated by a workman using tongs to ensure
the liquor going into and between them to wet them all over, the
sawdust then escaping from between the plates and rising to the
surface of the liquor, where the particles float; and as the plates are

page_text: being removed some of the particles are attracted to and adhere to the
plates unnoticed by the workmen, the plates being afterwards annealed
with the particles on the surface, which produce specks or bad spots, to
which the molten tin or molten lead will not adhere when they are
submitted to the tin bath. The specks are however generally discovered
after the plates are withdrawn from the annealing furnace, and the
plates are set aside as "wasters," from which the specks are ultimately
removed by friction, and the plates repickled, a process in which they
are again liable to the same disadvantages.
with the particles on the surface, which produce specks or bad spots, to
which the molten tin or molten lead will not adhere when they are
submitted to the tin bath. The specks are however generally discovered
after the plates are withdrawn from the annealing furnace, and the
plates are set aside as "wasters," from which the specks are ultimately
removed by friction, and the plates repickled, a process in which they
are again liable to the same disadvantages.
Now the objects of our Invention are,-
Firstly. To dispense with the sawdust or bran treatment.
Secondly. To reduce the labour attending the pickling operation.
Thirdly. To obviate the formation of specks or spots upon plates
occasioned as above described, and to expedite in the manner herein-
after fully explained the whole operation of the pickling process,
whereby better results are obtained with less risk than heretofore.
In carrying our Invention into effect we take the ordinary rolled or
otherwise prepared "black" plates and arrange them preferably on edge
in a vessel, which can be closed by a lid or cover; steam or air (hot or
not) under pressure is then injected through a pipe or casing, in which
a series of apertures or nozzles are so arranged that the streams or
currents of issuing steam or air under pressure spread themselves as
much as possible over and through the entire body of liquor vertically,
and also between the plates to effect a vibration or tremulous motion of
the same, whereby the heated liquor becomes agitated, and passes up
between the plates to prepare them for the annealing operation, or the
dipping operation, as the case may be.
Though we prefer to arrange the plates on their edges they may be
arranged in other positions if it be found advisable in some cases to do
so, care being taken that the plates may be allowed sufficient freedom to
vibrate when acted on by the currents of steam, which may be made
to act on the plates at an angle or in any direction that may be found
to produce the desired effect under the circumstances of any particular
case.
The steam or air pipe or pipes may be arranged in serpentine or zig-
of nonavate ninos Loading firm nus

page_text: main, the pipe or pipes with the outlets being arranged upon or near the
bottom of the trough containing the liquor.
Instead of pipes channels or passages aro formed in the bottom
of the trough itself, and perforations can be made by drilling or
.otherwise.
The Invention will be particularly understood by the following
description and the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus with appliances.
arranged according to our Invention, and in which our method of
treating or pickling plates to be coated with tin or with Icad can bo
carried into effect. A is a tank, in the bottom of which a series of looso
partitions B, B, are placed, and with pipes C, C, between them, the
pipes having apertures or nozzles in them at distances apart to direct
stcam or hot air in an upward direction for producing a vibratory or
tremulous motion of the plates D, D, as they rest upon edge upon the
tops of the partition pieces B, B, the top edges of the partitions being.
comparatively thin to limit the amount of surface exposed for holding
the plates D, D. The angled sides of the partitions serve to permit of
the expansion or spread of the steam or air, so that when the tank is
charged with liquor (say water and vitriol) the plates to be operated
upon inserted, and the lid E closed, the opening of one or all of the
cocks F, F, near the main steam or air pipe G causes a sudden rush of
stcam or air into the liquor and produces a bubbling of it; also a slight
lift and a separation of the plates sufficient for the liquor to entér
between them for wetting the entire surface on both sides, and thereby
pickle or prepare them for the annealing operation or for the reception
of the molten tin or lead by dipping in the usual manner.
In the view we have shown a cistern or overflow receiver H at one
side of the tank A, because we have found in practice that when the
steam or air is at very high pressure its sudden entrance into the liquor
through so many apertures lifts the liquor bodily and causes it to splash
against the cover or lid E, and ooze over the edges of the tank, causing
inconveniences to the workmen engaged.
The side of our tank A, on which the cistern H is arranged, is not so
high as the other sides, consequently the body of liquor when lifted does
not reach the lid E, but flows over into the cistern H, all splashing or
waste of the liquor being thereby prevented.

page_text: down, but in most cases its own weight will be sufficient to prevent it
opening to any inconvenient distance by the lift of the liquor.
The tank and all parts exposed to the action of the vitriol is of lead
or lined with lead as a resister of acids, as is usual, but the
partitions B, B, may be of glass or pottery ware, solid or hollow, which
in case of breaking from any cause can be easily removed and another
inserted.
In the case of using existing dipping tanks a long slot or aperture 1
can be made below the level of the top edge on one side, and a projecting
lip M can lead the overflow liquor into an adjoining cistern or receiver
arranged at the side, from which the liquor to resupply the tank can be
taken when desired.
One of the advantages derived by the use of our Invention is an equal 1
pickling of the surfaces of the plates is effected, because the vitriol,
which is heavier than water when it subsides, finds its way into the pipes
from which it is ejected in fine streams, and caused to mingle with the
water by the sudden inrush of steam or air.
2
Another advantage is obtained from the employment of the adjoining
vessel to receive the overflow, since the dust floating in the atmosphere
(which is very considerable in tin plate works) settles upon the surface
of the liquor, and much of this dust adheres to the plates when they are
lifted in the ordinary manner, whereas by our method the dust goes over
into the adjoining vessel with the overflow, and the plates are removed 2
perfectly clean from the bath.
The vitriol, which may have subsided on the surface of the pipes and
upon the partition, is cut up, so to speak, and made to spread itself
throughout the body of water, and caused to act upon the upper parts
of the plates as well as upon the lower parts, whereby we produce a
automatically that which has only heretofore been produced by manual
labour.
In using sax three steam on air ninos wo
nenoמוומ
opening only one of

page_text: опе time I desired, the aures of the three COCKS DCig under тве
control of one lever.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a tank with channels or passages in
the bottom by casting or otherwise; steam or air, hot or at a low
temperature, being admitted to them under high pressure from a pipe G
at the side. Some of the apertures or nozzles are formed vertically, and
some at an angle or at different angles for the proper and complete
distribution of the vitriol through the body of water, and for the purpose
before explained. In this case the lid is suspended by a chain K and
counterpoise L from the back, and when the lid is down upon the top
edges of the tank it can be held firmly by excentric lugs or catches, or
in any convenient manner.
In some cases also the lid can be dispensed with, its main purpose
being to prevent splashing of the liquor when the steam or air is
injected. Again, when we employ two or more feed pipes C, C, one of
them can be employed permanently for heating the liquor, and the other
or others for the injection of steam or air under great pressure to
produce the agitation of the liquor and of the plates as before explained.
In this case no material change need be made in adopting our Invention
to existing pickling tanks, since the bottom partitions can be dropped
in and arranged, and also the nozzled or other feed pipes for producing
the tremulous motion and separation of the plates D, which rest upon
the partitions B, B, which may be of skeleton or grating form, and stand
up higher or to the same height as the feed pipes.
Figures 3 and 4 represent one of our tanks in section and in plan
with the down leads of the steam or air pipe C, C, protected against
injury by vertical ribs K, K, preferably formed in the back wall in the
casting, but they may be fixed on if desired. The tank may have a
horizontal rib T on cach of its side walls, as in Figure 6, for the steam
or air with the liquor at the sides to strike against, and be thrown off
towards the edges of the plates D, D, and to pass between them from
the ends or edges.
Instead of ribs being formed on the back or other wall recesses
can be formed in such wall to receive the down leads of the pipes O, O.
In some cases the parts of the feed pipes which rest upon the bottom
of the tank may have a rail or ledge upon them or over them for the

page_text: r
1.
plates to rest upon, and the feed channels or the pipe or pipes C may be
arranged in zig-zag order, as in Figure 5, or all round the bottom, as in
Figure 6, with or without intermediate cross pipes or channels, and
the steam or air, hot or not, can be caused to flow through from the
bottom, the sides, or from the top, so long as the plates or sheets of
metal to be coated with tin or with lead are treated or operated upon in
a bath of pickling liquor, in the manner substantially as and for the
purposes set forth. <
Figures 7 and 8 represent a tank in which a frame X is pivotted.
This frame is intended to hold the plates to be treated or pickled, and
then rocked mechanically or by hand by a motion of the lever Y. By
this means if the action or strength of the steam or air is not sufficient
to vibrate the plates when it is injected into the liquor the vibration can
be effected and the plates be caused to separate by such rock motion, or
the rock motion can be used in conjunction with the steam action, a
method tending to expedite the pickling operation.
In cases where the inflowing or the injected steam or air causes the
liquor to be overheated we arrange a cistern at the side of a tank, or we
build a cistern outside the tank all round it liko a jacket, into which
cold water can be run to reduce the temperature of the liquor, and
thereby maintain an uniformity of heat in the liquor, in which the
metal plates to be afterwards coated with tin or with lead are pickled or
prepared..
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,―
Firstly. The improved method of treating tin and terne plates by
causing the plates proposed to be coated with tin or with lead to vibrate
by means of currents of steam or air, or their equivalents, while under-
going the pickling process in a bath of ordinary pickling liquor, sub-
stantially as herein-before described as and for the purposes set forth.
Secondly. We claim the use of appliances such as are hercin-before
described, that is to say, steam or air pipes and partitions or their
equivalents so arranged and used in pickling tanks that the liquor can
be heated and agitated, and that plates or sheets of metal proposed to be
coated with tin or terne metal can, while being treated with pickling
liquor, be separated and made to vibrate or tremble in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before set forth.

page_text: Thirdly. We claim the construction of closed or open tanks with an
overflow cistern, or with an opening through which the overflow liquor.
can pass, constructed and arranged substantially as described with
reference to the annexed Drawings for the purposes set forth.
7
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Hopkins, Joseph Rees,
and John Thomas, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this
First day of September, Onc. thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
THOMAS HOPKINS. (L.S.)
"
JOSEPH REES.
JOHN THOMAS.
(L.B.)
(L.S.)