IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING METAL PLATES, AND IN APPARATUS USED THEREIN
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Morewood, of Cheam, in the County
-
of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING METAL
PLATES, AND IN APPARATUS USED THEREIN."
Sealed the 5th September 1868, and dated the 9th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Morewood at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th March 1868.
I, EDMUND MOREWOOD, of Cheam, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING
METAL PLATES, AND IN APPARATUS USED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists in having a pot or vessel
containing hot grease, flux, or melted coating metal arranged with
frames or carrying instruments for conveying the plates or pieces of
metal immersed or placed in such pot or vessel from the point at which
they are deposited to the point at which they are withdrawn in a
horizontal direction; and such frames or carrying instruments cause

page_text: the plates or pieces of metal to be coated to make a circuit or have a
circular travel in such pot or vessel whilst immersed in the coating
metal or flux. When I use this pot or vessel one workman loads or feeds
this frame or instrument, which having received its load moves on by
means of a handle or suitable arrangement to the point where another
workman stands and removes the plates which have arrived near him.
Then the frame or instrument is caused still to move on to the point
from which it started and is there fed afresh; or such pot may contain
several frames which travel in circuit in succession from the point at
which they are loaded to the point at which the plates are withdrawn
in succession and then move on to the point at which they are loaded
afresh. These frames or carrying instruments make their circuit in a
horizontal direction, and when the frames travel in melted coating metal
I load them with plates through flux confined to the surface of such
melted coating metal at the point of loading. or feeding, and I cover the
surface of the melted metal between the points of entrance and exit with
sand or other matter, which hinders evaporation and radiation of heat.
In practice I withdraw the plates at a stage in the circuit just before
the frames reach the point at which they are loaded. I also find it
important to arrange the frames so that the plates travel edge first
through the melted metal or flux. And by means of a piece of iron
slanting upward from the bottom of the pot near the point of withdrawal
of the plates I cause the frame with its contents to rise somewhat when
it reaches the point of withdrawal so that the tops of the plates are
visible to the workman who takes them out. After passing the point
at which the frame is fed with plates it moves on and again descends
by a slide.
Other arrangements may be substituted for a slide for thus raising the
frames with their loads at these points. If I use these frames in the
preparatory grease or flux pot in which the plates are immersed before
entering the coating metal I keep the part at which the plates enter
cooler than that at which they are withdrawn. If I use such a frame
in the pot of grease or finishing flux with rectifying rollers I keep the
point at which the plates make their exit so hot that the coating metal
is fluid on the surface of the equalizing or rectifying rollers between
which I withdraw them, whilst the other parts of the grease are com-
paratively cool. When I use the said frames or carrying instruments
for conveying plates in circuit in grease one object is to be able to

page_text: regulate better the heat of the different parts of the grease pot, and to
enable the workmen to be at the same time feeding and withdrawing
plates from the same grease pot. In practise I keep a cover over that
part of the grease pot which is not required to be open for the con-
venience of the workmen. In practise I attach the frames by arms to
an upright spindle or round bar of iron, and which works in a socket
which the workmen can turn by a handle, or other means may be '
adopted for causing it to revolve. In travelling thus in circuit the frames
with the plates are alternately moving and stopping in the coating metal
or grease. If I still find it desirable to have additional means of getting
rid of objectionable flux or foreign matter from the surface of the plates
before they arrive at the point of withdrawal I give a jogging or back-
ward and forward motion to the frames. Beyond the getting rid of the
flux or objectionable matter I aim to give the plates or pieces so long
a travel under the coating metal that a good sound coating is insured,
and empty frames are so constantly presented for fresh supply to the
workman putting in, and frames full of plates to the workman who
withdraws, that they are both kept fully employed.
Another part of my Invention consists in having a pot containing
melted coating metal, it may be the before-mentioned pot, so arranged
on one side or portion of a side that one part of the flange or rim shall be
lower than the other, and that if additional metal or matter is introduced
into this vessel it may have a tendency to run over and out at the lower
side, my object in this case being readily to get rid of such flux or
objectionable matter as the plates which are immersed in this pot may
have brought with them from a previous part of the coating process, and
which may rise up to the surface of the melted coating metal whilst the
plates remain immersed. In practice I use a double or divided pot and
make the top of the division or partition somewhat lower than the flange.
I cause a supply of melted coating metal to be constantly or from time
to time entering or flowing into that part in which the plates are
immersed so that there may be a constant flow over and out of it into
the adjoining pot or vessel, and this overflow carries with it the flux on
the surface of the melted metal, or the flux on the surface may be
readily and easily swept over or otherwise removed when the pot is thus
arranged with a low rim or flange on one side. In the division into
which the metal with the flux on its surface flows or is swept over from
the pot of immersion I place a pump by means of which the metal is

page_text: the flux or objectionable matter on its surface may be caused to run out
of the pot in which the plates are deposited into the division for receiving
it by means of a pipe.
In coating with tin or terne metal, when I immerse the plates in a
second pot of coating metal for the purpose of rectifying and improving
the coating and assisting in getting rid of any flux or matter which may
cling to the plates up to that stage I find it desirable to place a rack
with upright pins in this second coating metal pot so as to enable me to
place plates between such upright pins under the melted metal and
withdraw them in rotation, my object being to give the plates a longer
immersion than heretofore in this second pot. In practice I arrange
this second pot so that the flange or rim of one side shall be lower than
the other so as to make it more convenient to remove such flux or
foreign matter as may rise to the surface and does not flow off of itself,
as herein elsewhere described; or the pot just described may be used
before a pot. containing coating metal and having within it rotating
frames or carrying instruments; or it may be used before a pot containing
rollers revolving in coating metal. In order to avoid the wearing of the
necks of revolving rollers, which takes place when such necks revolve
in or upon bearings in hot grease or flux, and when plates pass between
or against them for the purpose of equalizing or rectifying the molten
coating upon such plates, and to avoid the irregular working and want
of uniformity in the pressure of pairs of such rollers which must take
place when the necks wear by revolving in bearings in hot grease or
flux, also to enable me to cause the rollers (between or against which
the plates pass) to turn or revolve so readily as to make it convenient to
dispense with wheels on such rollers or necks, and when advantageous
to use rollers of smaller diameter than I could conveniently if I worked
with tooth wheels, I fit the end of a tapering spindle into a hole let into
the end of the neck of the roller or into the roller itself, and the roller
is caused to revolve upon the end of such tapering spindle. Such
tapering spindle has a screw at the other end by which it can be screwed
forward towards the hole in the roller or neck as a portion of the end
upon which the roller revolves wears away. When the neck of a driving
roller revolves in a bearing I find it advantageous to cause it to pass
through a stuffing box in the side of a grease pot, so that the part of the
neck which revolves in or on the bearing is outside the pot of hot grease;

page_text: and I shape the spindle or neck or end of the driving roller so that it
has grooves or projections and hollows which dovetail into other grooves
or projections and hollows on the neck or end of such spindle, and so
that the spindle or neck and roller are readily connected and discon-
nected, whereby I am enabled to withdraw the rollers from the grease
pot although the spindle passes through the side. I have a vessel
attached or close to the grease pot in case of any of the grease escaping
through the stuffing box, and from this vessel I return the grease which
may escape by means of a pump, or dispose of it in other convenient
manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edmund Morewood in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
MOREWOOD, of Cheam, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edmund Morewood, Her special licence
that I, the said Edmund Morewood, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edmund Morewood, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COATING METAL PLATES, AND IN APPARATUS USED THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edmund Morewood, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, 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 months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW I, that 1, the said Edmund Morewood, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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, that is to say:-
The first part of my Invention consists in having a pot or vessel
containing hot grease, flux, or melted coating metal, arranged with
frames or carrying instruments for conveying the plates or pieces of
metal immersed or placed in such pot or vessel from the point at which
they are deposited to the point at which they are withdrawn in a
horizontal direction, and such frames or carrying instruments cause the
plates or pieces of metal to be coated to make a circuit or have a circular
travel in such pot or vessel whilst immersed in the coating metal or flux.
When I use this pot or vessel one workman loads or feeds this frame
or instrument which having received its load moves on by means of a
handle or suitable arrangement to the point where another workman
stands and removes the plates which have arrived near him. Then the
frame or instrument is caused still to move on to the point from which
it started and is there fed afresh; or such pot may contain several frames
which travel in circuit in succession from the point at which they are
loaded to the point at which the plates are withdrawn in succession and
then move on to the point at which they are loaded afresh. These
frames or carrying instruments make their circuit in a horizontal
direction, and when the frames travel in melted coating metal I load
them with plates through flux confined to the surface of such melted
coating metal at the point of loading or feeding. And I cover the
surface of the melted metal between the points of entrance and exit
with sand or other matter which hinders evaporation and radiation of
heat. In practice I withdraw the plates at a stage in the circuit just
before the frames reach the point at which they are loaded. I also find
it important to arrange the frames so that the plates travel edge first
through the melted metal or flux. In practice I make these frames of
rod iron with a grating as a floor or bottom upon or against which the
plates stand or rest when they are in their places. Each frame may be
arranged with dividing rods so placed as to keep each plate separate, or
several plates may be placed together in one compartment or frame
without dividing rods to keep the plates apart. When I place several
plates together in a frame in the coating metal or grease for the purpose
of being coated, I occasionally move them about so as to separate them

page_text: whilst they are under the coating metal with a pair of tongs or other
instrument in order to cause every part of the plate to be brought
more or less into contact with the coating metal or grease. If I still
find that the surfaces of the plates in process of coating are such
that they are not thus sufficiently brought into contact with the grease
or coating metal, I use divisions which I make of rod iron as before
mentioned so as to keep the plates separate in the frame. I make the
frames or compartments suitable in size and shape to the size and shape
of the plates which stand upright with their lower edges resting upon
the grating or floor of the frames. In order to economize space in that
part of the pot which contains grease or coating metal, in which also the
frames travel, and which I make circular in shape, in practice I place
the plates so that their narrower side rests upon the floor of the frame.
Thus when I place a plate 20 inches by 14 inches in the frame, the 14 inch
side rests upon the floor or grating, and the plate stands upward to the
height of 20 inches in the frame. When the loaded frame has so far mad.
its circuit as to have arrived at the point at which the plates are to be
withdrawn it rises up somewhat by causing its bottom to pass over a
slide or piece of iron slanting up from the bottom of the pot so far
as to raise the frame to the desired height; or I raise the frame with
the plates by means of a lever to such a height that the workman
is able readily to take and remove the plates with tongs.
In the annexed Drawings I shew the arrangement which I prefer.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the pot and apparatus connected
therewith; Figure 2. is a plan of the pot with the moving parts
removed.
a, a, is an annular pot with a ring table 6 around it. The pot is
set with a furnace underneath to keep the metal or flux at the desired
temperature; c is an upright axis capable of turning in a socket at
the centre of the pot; d, d, are arms on this axis to which the vertical
guide stems e, e, are fixed. Four such arms and guide stems may
conveniently be arranged around the axis equidistant the one from
the other; ff, are rings capable of sliding up and down on the
guide stems e, and from these rings the baskets or plate holders g
are suspended; a horizontal section of one of these is shown at Figure 3,
it is formed of iron bars rivetted together, but these frames or carrying
instruments may be otherwise constructed. The basket or plate
holder represented in the Drawings is suitable to receive a number of

page_text: plates resting one against the other, in some cases however, I fix pins
so as to project up from the bottom of the basket or plate holder, and
form a rack capable of holding a few plates separate the one from
the other. The plate holders or baskets are each connected with a
rod passing to a lever handle i jointed at its inner end to the axis c,
as is shown. By means of the lever handles the baskets or plate
holders can be raised sufficiently high to enable the workman readily
to take out the plates. The lever handles i, i, are also used to move
the baskets or plate holders round the pot; k, k, are racks carried by
arms 1, 1, fixed to the axis c, they serve to support the lever handles
when raised at any desired height. In place of using the lever
handles i, an incline or slide slanting upwards may be arranged at the
bottom of the pot to cause the basket or plate holder to rise when
it comes round to the place at which the plates are to be removed;
m is the flux box through which the plates are passed down through
flux in loading the baskets or plate holders; n is an outer wall or
fence to prevent any flux which may spirt out of the flux box
passing to the surface of the metal at the point where the plates
are removed, and which is just to the left hand of the wall or fence n.
When I use coating metal in this round pot I make the flux box so
that it has a double wall or an outer fence on the side at which I
withdraw the plates from the frames, and thus I form an intermediate
space between the point at which the plates enter the coating metal
through the flux and that at which the plates are withdrawn. I make
this outer wall or fence of the flux box 15 inches high, and the space
between the inner and outer wall or fence about 6 inches. The height
of the inner wall of the flux box is only 8 inches to 10 inches, my
object being that any flux spurting over from the flux box should escape
into this intermediate space, and by means of the outer wall or fence
of the flux box I prevent it from travelling to or reaching the surface of
the coating metal at the point where the plates are withdrawn. When
I find that some of the flux or the remains of it travels round with the
plates from the entrance to the exit side or rises there to the surface, I
make the outer wall or fence of the flux box so low that the workman
whose duty it is to keep the surface of the coating metal at that point
clean or in good order can readily sweep away or remove any remains
of flux with other objectionable matter by sweeping or passing it over
such wall or fence to the space between the exit side or point of with-
drawal of the plates, and the point at which they enter the coating metal

page_text: or flux. If the outer wall or fence is low I make the space between the
inner and outer wall greater than when the outer wall is high, say 9
inches instead of 6 inches as the spurting flux will travel farther than
when liable to be caught by the higher wall. If I use such a pot and
frame with grease or finishing flux, and with equalizing or rectifying
rollers in the grease or flux, I keep the point at which the plates make
their exit so hot that the coating metal is fluid on the surface of the
equalizing or rectifying rollers between which I withdraw them whilst
the other parts of the grease are comparatively cool. When I use the
said frames or carrying instruments for conveying plates in circuit in
grease, one object is to be able to regulate better the heat of the different
parts of the grease pot and to enable the workman to be at the same
time feeding and withdrawing plates from the same grease pot. In
practice I keep a cover over that part of the grease pot which is not
required to be open for the convenience of the workman. This cover I
make of iron and shape so as to keep it covered with sand or other
matter which hinders the radiation of heat. In practice as already
mentioned I attach the frames by arms to an upright spindle or round
bar of iron which works in a socket which the workman can turn by a
handle, or other means may be adopted for causing it to revolve. In
travelling thus in circuit the frames with the plates are alternately
moving and stopping in the coating metal or grease. If I still find it
desirable to have additional means of getting rid of objectionable flux or
foreign matter from the surface of the plates before they arrive at the
point of withdrawal I give a jogging or backward and forward motion
to the frames. Beyond the getting rid of the flux or objectionable
matter I aim to give the plates so long a travel under the coating
metal that a good sound coating is insured, and empty frames are so
constantly presented for fresh supply to the workman putting in, and
frames full of plates to the workman who withdraws, that they are both
kept fully employed.
Another part of my Invention consists in having a pot containing
melted coating metal, it may be the before-mentioned pot so arranged
on one side or portion of a side that one part of a flange or rim
shall be lower than the other, and that if additional metal or matter
is introduced into this vessel it may have a tendency to run over
and out at the lower side, my object in this case being readily to get
rid of such flux or obiectionable matter as the plates which are im-

page_text: mersed in this pot may have brought with them from a previous part
of the coating process, and which may rise up to the surface of the
melted coating metal whilst the plates remain immersed. In practice
I use a double or divided pot, and make the top of the division or
partition somewhat lower than the flange. I cause a supply of melted
coating metal to be constantly or from time to time entering or flowing
into that part in which the plates are immersed, so that there may be
a constant flow over and out of it into the adjoining pot or vessel, and
this overflow carries with it the flux on the surface of the melted
metal, or the flux on the surface may be readily and easily swept
over or otherwise removed, when the pot is thus arranged with a low
rim or flange on one side. Or a small stream of metal with the
flux or objectionable matter on its surface may be caused to run out
of the pot in which the plates are deposited into the division for
receiving it by means of a pipe. I place a pump in the division or
pot which receives the flux or objectionable matter from the other
division or pot in which the plates in process of coating are immersed.
This pump
is for the purpose of pumping back the clear melted coating
metal into the pot or division in which the plates are immersed. In
doing this I take care that the bottom of the tube of the pump dips into
clear melted metal, and below any flux or objectionable matter which
has been received into this division. In coating with tin or terne metal
when I immerse the plates in a second pot of coating metal for the
purpose of rectifying and improving the coating and assisting in getting
rid of any flux or matter which may cling to the plates up to that
stage, I find it desirable to place a rack with upright pins in this
second coating metal pot, so as to enable me to place plates between
such upright pins under the melted metal, and withdraw them in
rotation, my object being to give the plates a longer immersion than
heretofore in this second pot. In practice I arrange this second pot so
that the flange or rim of one side shall be lower than the other, so
as to make it more convenient to remove such flux or foreign matter
as may rise to the surface, and does not flow off of itself, as herein
elsewhere described; or the pot just described may be used as a first
coating metal pot. In order to avoid the wearing of the necks of
revolving rollers which takes place when such necks revolve in or
upon bearings in hot grease or flux, and when plates of metal pass
between or against them for the purpose of equalizing or rectifying the
molten coating upon such plates, and to avoid the irregular working

page_text: and want of uniformity in the pressure of pairs of such rollers which
must take place when the necks wear, as in the case of iron necks
revolving in bearings in hot grease or flux, also to enable me to cause
the rollers (between or against which the plates in process of coating
pass) to turn or revolve so readily as to make it convenient to dispense
with wheels on such rollers or necks as in case of withdrawing rollers
when in contact with the melted metal in coating with tin; and
when advantageous to use rollers of smaller diameter than I could
conveniently if I worked with tooth wheels, I fit the end of a
tapering spindle into a hole let into the end of the neck of the roller or
into. the roller itself, and the roller is caused to revolve upon the end
of such tapering spindle; such tapering spindle has a screw at the other
end by which it can be screwed forward towards the hole in the
roller or neck as a portion of the end upon which the roller revolves
wears away. When I work with withdrawing rollers turning upon
tapering spindles, such as lathe points or centres, I cause the rollers to
revolve by placing them against or between other rollers which are
driven by tooth wheels or suitable gearing, or so that the friction of other
revolving rollers revolving by means of gearing causes those turning
upon tapering spindles to revolve; or one roller may be so mounted
while the other is a roller driven in the ordinary way. When the neck
of a driving roller revolves in a bearing in contact with hot grease
I find it advantageous to cause it to pass through a stuffing box in the
side of a grease pot, so that the part of the neck which revolves in or on
the bearing is outside the pot of hot grease. And I shape the spindle
or neck or end of the driving roller so that it has grooves or projections
and hollows which dovetail into other grooves or projections and hollows
on the neck or end of such spindle, and so that the spindle or neck
and roller are readily connected and disconnected, whereby I am enabled
to withdraw the rollers from the grease pot although the spindle passes
through the side. I have a vessel attached or close to the grease pot
in case of any of the grease escaping through the stuffing box, and
from this vessel I return the grease which may escape by means of a
pump, or dispose of it in other convenient manner.

page_text: in melted coating metal or flux contained in a suitable pot for the
purpose of obtaining a metallic coating or of improving or equalizing
the same, as described.
Secondly. The use of a pot containing melted coating metal having
some part of the flange or division arranged so as to facilitate the
overflow or removal of floating flux or objectionable matter into
another pot or division in combination with a pump for returning
such clear melted metal as may have passed over with the objectionable
matter, as described. Also the use of racks with pins or divisions in
such pot containing coating metal, as described.
Thirdly. The use of a roller or rollers turning upon lathe points
or the end of a tapering spindle, and revolving in contact with
coating metal or greasy or fatty matter or suitable flux, for the purposes
as described.
Fourthly. The combining with the grease pot with rollers and
stuffing box as described a vessel or compartment so arranged as to
receive any of the grease which may escape through the stuffing box,
such vessel or compartment being furnished with a pump by which the
grease may be drawn off clear and fit to be again used.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Morewood, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.