IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET METAL
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jabez Jones, of Southwark, in tho County of Surrey,
for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET
METAL"
Sealed the 1st July 1879, and dated the 3rd January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jabez Jones at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd January 1879.
JABEZ JONES, of Southwark, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SHEET METAL."
My Invention relates to improvements in the method of manufacturing sheet
metal or foil, such as lead foil or tin foil, in which a cylindrical block of the metal
from which the sheet is to be made is placed in a lathe, and a continuous sheet
or film is cut from its circumference by means of a knife, which is made at the
same time to approach gradually towards the centre of the cylindrical block
of metal.
In the method heretofore employed for so making sheet metal the lead, tin, or
other metal from which the sheet or foil is to be cut has been cast in a mould
before being placed in a lathe as described. It has been found that the metal so
cast in a mould in the ordinary way is unfit for making thin sheet or foil from its
want of homogeneity and density, and from its being too porous and weak to
allow solder to be applied to it for the purpose of making linings for tea chests or
for other like purposes.
My improvements consist in submitting to great pressure the lead, tin, or other
metal or compound or alloy of metals, which is to be used for making into sheets
in the way described, before it was solidified after having been cast. For this
purpose I prepare a cylindrical metal mould of great strength, and fitted at one end
with a closely fitting ram or plunger, which can be forced into it with very great
pressure, preferably by hydraulic power. I pour the lead, tin, or other metal into
this mould, and whilst it is solidifying and hardening I subject. it to very great
pressure by means of the ram or plunger, as above described, and when it is
sufficiently solidified I remove the cylindrical block from the mould, either by
making the latter in two or more parts strongly bolted or otherwise held together,
which parts can be separated in order to remove the block, or by making the end
I Drine R71

page_text: or bottom of the cylindrical mould movable, so that when it has been removed tho
block can be forced out by continuing the action of the ram or plunger.
The block of metal thus formed is placed in a lathe of a kind similar to that
described above, and a continuous sheet of any desired thickness is removed from
its circumference by means of a knife.
By my improved method the block of metal produced is of great and uniform
solidity and density, free from porousness or defects, and the foil or sheet produced
from it is free froin the defects of foil or sheet produced from blocks of metal cast
in the ordinary way without pressure.
The blocks may be made hollow or with a central axis, by which they can be
fixed in the lathe, and made to revolve, suitable provision being made for such axis
in the mould and in the ram or plunger. I sometimes arrange two or more knife
blades, instead of one, at convenient points of the circumference of the revolving
block of metal, so that two or more continuous sheets are removed from it, the
speed at which the knife blades are made to approach the centre of the cylindrical
block as the latter revolves being increased in the proper proportion. In some
cases I coat the surface of the continuous sheet or sheets of metal which pass from
the knife blades with tin or other suitable alloy or metal, by first treating them in
any convenient way, and then passing them through a bath of melted tin or other
such alloy; or the sheets may be electro-plated with tin or other inetal.
The continuous sheet after it passes from the knife blade may be made to pass
round or between rollers made to revolve at the proper speed, by which its surface
is improved. The rollers round or between which it so passes, or other rollers, may
have ornamental or other designs formed upon them, by means of which corro-
sponding designs are printed or embossed upon the sheet. Rectangular or other
blocks may also be made under pressure in a similar way, from the surface of which
sheets may be obtained by the action of moveable knives or planes, or of fixed
knives against or under which the blocks are made to travel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jabez Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd July
1879.
JABEZ JONES, of Southwark, in the County of Surrey.
MANUFACTURE OF SHEET METAL."
"
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
This Invention relates to improvements in the method of and apparatus for
manufacturing sheet metal or foil, such as lead foil or tin foil, in which a cylindrical
block of the inetal from which the sheet or foil is to be made is placed in a lathe
and a continuous sheet or film of any desired thickness is cut from its circumference
by means of a knife or blade which is made to approach gradually toward the centre
of the cylindrical block of metal whilst the latter revolves.
A method has been heretofore sometimes employed for so making sheet metal or
foil in which the lead, tin, or other inetal from which the sheet or foil is to be cut
has been cast in a mould in the ordinary way before being placed in a lathe, as
before described.
It has been found however that the metal so cast in a mould in the ordinary way
is unfit for making thin sheet or foil from its want of homogeneousness and density,
and froin its being when cut too porous and weak to allow solder to be applied to
it for the purpose of making linings for tea chests, or for other like purposes, and my
present Invention has for one of its objects improved methods of obtaining the
sheet or foil by which the defects herein before stated are obviated.
For this purpose I submit the lead, tin, or other metal or compound or alloy of
metals, or other sufficiently soft material which is to be used for making sheet or
foil, to great pressure before it has solidified after having been cast.
I take a
cylindrical metal mould of great strength, and of suitable diameter and length, and
into one end I fit a closely fitting ram or plunger, which can be forced into it when
required with very great pressure, preferably by hydraulic power.
I pour the lead, tin, or other metal into this mould from a suitable furnace in
which it has been melted, and whilst it is hardening and solidifying I subject it to
very great pressure by means of the ram or plunger operated as above described.
When the metal is sufficiently set or hardened I remove it from the cylindrical metal
mould, either by making the latter in two or more parts strongly bolted or otherwiso
held together, which parts can be separated in order to remove the cylindrical block
of metal; or preferably by making the end or bottom of the mould moveable, so
that when it has been removed the metal block can be forced out by continuing the
action of the ram or plunger.
a is the
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 illustrates this arrangement.
cylindrical mould (shown in section), b is a ram actuated by means of the hydraulic
cylinders c, into which water is forced through one or other of the pipes d, d'. Tho
mould a has a very strong bottom piece e bolted to it, and the melted metal f, having
been run into the mould, is allowed to solidify under pressure from the ram b, and
the bottom e being then removed, the compressed block of metal is forced out by
continuing the action of the ram b.
The cylindrical block of compressed metal thus obtained is then centred in a
suitable lathe, in which it is caused to revolve whilst one or more continuous sheets
of any desired thickness are cut from its circumference by means of knife blades
made gradually to approach the centre of the cylinder as the latter revolves.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate this arrangement, in which two knife blades are
used simultaneously to cut two continuous sheets from the surface of the cylindrical
block; Figure 3 is a transverse section, and Figures 4 and 5 cnd views. f is the
cylindrical metal block compressed as already described, and centred in the lathe so
as to be made to revolve between the bearings g, gl, by means of the tangent
toothed wheel and endless screw h and the band pullies i, or in any other
convenient way.

page_text: For the purpose of centreing the metal block and carrying it in the lathe a metal
centre bar may be introduced into the moulds, in which the metal block is cast and
compressed, provision being made for the ends of such bar in the end of the mould
and of the ram (as shewn in Figure 2).
1, 1', are two knives adjusted upon opposite sides of the metal cylinder f in the
sliding rests m, m³, which are shown operated by the right and left handed screw n'
driven by the endless screw and worm wheel o, and the band pullies and band p
from the axis r. The knife blades 1, 1, are adjusted by the screws 8, 8'.
Figure 6 shews the method in which the two knives operate simultaneously
upon the cylindrical compressed metal block. Three or more knives may be used
instead of two, as shown..
I sometimes coat the surface of the continuous sheet or sheets of metal which pass
from the knife blades with tin or other suitable metal or alloy by first heating the
sheets sufficiently in any convenient way, and then passing them through a solution
or bath of melted tin or other such alloy.
Or the sheet may be electro plated with any suitable metal.
The continuous sheet or sheets of metal as they pass from the knife blades may bo
wound upon drums or rollers made to revolve at the proper speed by hand or other
convenient power, but I prefer to make them pass between metal or other suffi-
ciently hard rollers (as shewn in Figure 3 in dotted lines) made to revolve at a
suitable speed, by which the surface of the sheets is rolled and improved.
The rollers between which the sheets so pass, or other rollers, may have orna-
mental or other designs formed upon their surface, by means of which corresponding
designs are printed or embossed upon the surface of the sheets of metal.
Instead of cylindrical blocks rectangular or flat blocks may be cast and solidified
under pressure in a similar way, and from their surface sheets may be obtained by
the action of inovable knife blades or planes, or of fixed knife blades, against or
under which the blocks of compressed metal or other material are made to travel.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which it is to be per-
formed, I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement of apparatus described
and shewn, but I claim,-
The method of consolidating by pressure lead, tin, or other metal or alloy of
metals (or material) from which sheet or foil is to be cut. Also, the combination
with such method of consolidating such metal (or material) of a lathe or other
apparatus, by which the sheets or foil are cut from it. Also, the methods of cutting
two or more sheets simultaneously from metal or material so consolidated by pres-
sure by means of two or more knife blades.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jabez Jones, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Second day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.