IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIZING OR COVERING WIRE OR OTHER CONTINUOUS LENGTHS OF METAL WITH ZINC, TIN, COPPER, BRASS, NICKEL, or other METAL, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Fox, of 10, Castle Street, Sheffield, in the County
of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIZING OR COVERING
WIRE OR OTHER CONTINUOUS LENGTHS OF METAL WITH ZINC, TIN, COPPER,
BRASS, NICKEL, or other METAL, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THIS
PURPOSE"
Sealed the 23rd January 1880, and dated the 27th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Fox at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th August 1879.
EDWIN Fox, of 10, Castle Street, Sheffield, in the County of York. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GALVANIZING OR COVERING WIRE OR OTHER CONTINUOUS LENGTHS OF
METAL WITH ZINC, TIN, COPPER, BRASS, NICKEL, OR OTHER METAL, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE."
According to this Invention wire, or it might be other continuous length of
metal, is coated with zinc or other metal by electro deposition, and this is effected
by causing the wire to pass slowly and continuously through a depositing bath.
The wire where it enters and leaves the bath is led under or over metallic rollers
which are both put in electrical connection with a wire from one pole of a dynamo
electric machine; other non-metallic rollers may also be used to hold the wire down
into the bath. The anodes are supported at the top and bottom of the bath, and
are in electrical connection with a wire from the other pole of the machine, and the
wire is led through the bath along the intermediate space between the top and
bottom anodes.
A number of wires may be simultaneously passed side by side through the
bath, and be thus coated simultaneously.
The wires are led off from reels at one end of the bath, and after passing through
the bath are wound slowly on to other reels at the opposite end of the bath.
The rollers at the two ends of the bath have a number of parallel grooves formed
around them, and the wires lie in the grooves, so that they are kept at the requisite
distance apart.
Cyanide sulphate or double sulphate solutions may be used in the depositing
bath according to the nature of the metal to be deposited and to be coated.
'

page_text: '
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
'
the said Edwin Fox in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th February
1880.
EDWIN Fox, of 10, Castle Street, Sheffield, in the County of York, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GALVANIZING OR COVERING WIRE, OR OTHER CONTINUOUS LENGTHS OF
METAL WITH ZINC, TIN, COPPER, BRASS, NICKEL, OR OTHER METAL, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE."
According to this Invention wire, or it might be other continuous length of
metal, is coated with zinc or other metal by electro deposition, and this is effected
by causing the wire to pass slowly and continuously through a depositing bath.
The wire where it enters and leaves the bath is led under or over metallic rollers
which are both put in electrical connection with a wire from one pole of a dynamo
electric machine; other non metallic rollers may also be used to hold the wire down
into the bath. The anodes are supported at the top and bottom of the bath, and
are in electrical connection with a wire from the other pole of the machine, and the
wire is led through the bath along the intermediate space between the top and
bottom anodes.
A number of wires may be simultaneously passed side by side through the bath,
and be thus coated simultaneously.
The wires are led off from reels at one end of the bath, and after passing through
the bath are wound slowly on to other reels at the opposite end of the bath.
The rollers at the two ends of the bath have a number of parallel grooves formed
around them, and the wires lie in the grooves, so that they are kept at the requisite
distance apart.
Cyanide sulphate or double sulphate solutions may be used in the depositing
bath according to the nature of the metal to be deposited and to be coated.
In the Drawing hereunto annexed I have shewn an arrangement of apparatus
suitable for galvanizing or covering wire in the manner above described.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus. In this Figure A is a long
trough or vat containing a solution suitable for being used in the electro deposition
of the metal the wire is to be coated with; B, B, are metallic rollers, one at each
end of the trough, these rollers are carried by bearings entirely insulated from the
trough or vat, and they are both coupled up with the positive pole of a battery
or dynamo electrical machine; C, C, are plates of zinc or of other metal required
to be deposited on the wire. These plates are as shewn at Figure 2, which is a
cross section of the depositing trough or vat supported at the sides and top and
bottom of the vat, and they are coupled at both ends of the bath to the negative
pole of the battery or dynamo electric machine.
Each of the upper plates is connected near one of its sides to a chain by which
it can be raised and tilted into a vertical position to give access to the interior of
the vat whenever fresh lengths of wire have to be passed into it. These chains are
not shewn in the Drawings.
The wires to be coated are led off from reels D, one only of which is shewn, and
are passed over the metallic roller B which is at one end of the vat, then under
and over wooden rollers E within the vat, and then over the other metallic roller
B at the opposite end of the vat. By passing over the rollers B the wires are
placed in electrical connection with the positive pole of the battery or electrical
machine. The rollers B have a number of grooves formed around them for the
wires to lie in, there being a separate groove for each wire, as shewn in the separate
view of one of these rollers at Figure 3, thus the several wires are kept separated
from one another. One end of each roller is also formed at B' in such manner that
it can be embraced by a metallic clip, which serves to couple it up with the pole of
the battery or electrical machine.

page_text: After the wires have passed out from the end of the bath and over the metallic
roller B they are led under a roller contained in a tank F, which is kept filled with
hot water to cleanse the wires, and by heating them facilitate their drying quickly
as they leave the tank. Afterwards the wires are wound up on to the drum of
winding machinery, as shewn at G. This drum has a slow revolving motion given
to it so that the wires are caused to be drawn slowly and continuously through the
depositing vat; the speed at which they are drawn through the vat will vary with
the thickness of coating required to be deposited on the wires and the strength of
the battery or electrical machine used. For most purposes a sufficiently thick
coating is obtained by allowing each portion of wire to remain from one minute to
a minute and a half in the depositing vat.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. Galvanizing or covering wire or other continuous lengths of metal with
zine, tin, copper, brass, nickel, or other metal, by the means substantially as herein
before described.
Second. The combined arrangement of apparatus, substantially as herein before
described, for galvanizing or covering wire or other continuous lengths of metal
with zinc, tin, copper, brass, nickel, or other metal.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Fox, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
EDWIN FOX. · (L.S.)