US3826227A

US3826227A - Tinning machine

Info

Publication number: US3826227A
Application number: US00314589A
Authority: US
Inventors: S Allison
Original assignee: D T AND G Ltd
Current assignee: D T AND G Ltd
Priority date: 1972-12-13
Filing date: 1972-12-13
Publication date: 1974-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1991-07-30

Abstract

The present specification describes a tinning machine and a method for tinning at least one edge of a strip of metal. The machine comprises a supply station for storing said strip in the form of a coil the axis of the coil being vertical, a heated drum being arranged to be rotatably driven and to heat at least part of the width of said strip as said strip is uncoiled and passed from the supply station. A flux bath is arranged to receive the heated strip from said drum and to coat the strip with flux in the region of lower edge of said strip, a constant flow tinner being arranged to tin the strip where coated with flux. An arrangement of knives is provided for removing excess tin, together with a hot water washer arranged to receive and wash the tinned strip, a de-wetting station for drying the strip passing from the washer, a polishing and a further drying station and a bollard adapted to receive and coil the tinned strip at a constant torque.

Description

Allison ]v TINNING MACHINE [.75] lnventorz Stanley Watson Allison, Formby,

near Liverpool, England [73] Assigneez" D. T. & G. (Designs, Tools & Gauges) Limited, Seacombe, Wallasey, Cheshire, England [22] Filed; Dec. 13, 1972- [21]. Appl. No.: 314,589

52 us. c1 1 18/60, 118/67, 1l8/74,

, 118/111, 118/122, 118/429, 219/388, 219/469 151 mm. B05c3/l2 5s FieldofSearch ..-118/419,160,423,424,

1 References Cited- UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,167,417 1/1916 Leathbee 118/122 1,291,866 1/1919 Harrison 118/419 X 1,321,977 ll/1919 Burg 118/122 2,062,389 12/1936 Bleibler l 18/122 2,225,778; 12/1940 Hallman .1. 117/43 2,588,973 3/1952 Fitch et a1.;.. 118/419 X 2,605,741 Q 8/1952 Field... 118/4l9 2,894,850 7/1959 Greene et a1 .1 17/1 14 AX 3,149,987 9/1964 Crandall, 117/114 A X 3,713,876' Lavric 117/1 14 B X 1451' July 31), 1974 3,726,465 4/1973 Boynton et a1,.'. 117/114 BX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 995,857 a 8/1951 France., 118/620 X Primary Examiner-' Morris Kaplan Attor'ney, Agent, or Firm--Diller, Brown, Ramik & Wight [5 .7 ABSTRACT The present specificationdescribes a tinning machine and a method for tinning at least one edge of a strip of metal. Themachine comprises a supply station for storing said strip in the form of a coil the axis of the coil being vertical, a heated drum being arranged to be rotatably driven and to heat atleast part of the Widthof said strip as said strip is uncoiled and passed from the supply station. A flux bath is arranged to receive the heated strip from said drum and to coat the strip with flux in the regionof lower edge of said strip,

a constant flow tinner being arranged to tin the strip 1 where coatedflwith flux. An arrangement of knives is provided for removing excess tin, together with a hot water washer arranged to receive and wash the tinned strip, a'de-wetting station for drying the strip passing from the washer, a polishing and a further drying station and a bolla'rd adaptedto receive and coil the tinned strip at a constant torque. 1

20 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures Pmammuuwo Y 3.826.227

* summer 12 PAIENIEU Juwman sum 02 0F 12 PAlENIEnJulso'lm I v -v -3,826,227

saw an or 13 Pmmrma wmw 3.826.227

sum 01 or 12 PATENTEDJULBOIQH v 3,826'227 sum cam 12 PAIENTEmuLamm sum "um 13 TINNING MACHINE The present invention relates to a tinning machine for use in the production of electrical terminal components, the components having a tinned region or regions for providing goodelectrical connection thereto, and methods 'oftinning. I

Electrical terminal components aremore thanoften stampedout of sheet metal tothe required shape and it is usuallyan end regionor regions which are required to be tinned. This necessitates each individual terminal component being dipped into or passed through, respectively aflux 'bathand a molten tin bath. This is a tedious and lengthy process requiring the handling of individualterminal components. i

lt is-an object of the present invention to provide an apparatusforftinning at least one edge of a strip of metal from which terminal components of desired shape may be produced already tinned. The termstrip as used hereinafter means eithera length of metalsheet of greater length than width and from which terminal components may be stamped or cut, or a sheet of metal or greater length than width, which has been stamped, preessed or cut so that it comprises a series of juxtaposed identical terminal components interconnected at certain points. .Inthe second case, the edges of the strip can be tinned and the terminal components separated as and when required.

The present invention provides a tinning machinefor tinning at least one edge of a strip of metal, comprising a heated drum arranged to be rotatably driven and to heatat least part of the width of said strip as said strip is passed in a vertical plane into the machine, a flux batharr'anged to receive the heatedstripfrom said drum and to coat the strip with flux material in the region of the lower edge of said strip, a constant flow tinner arranged to tin the strip where coated with flux, an arrangement of knives for removing excessttin, a hot water washer arranged to receive. and wash the tinned strip, a tie-wetting station for drying the strip passing from the washer, anda polishing and further drying'station. v

Thus the tinning machine of the present invention may be arranged in a plant system to directly receive degreased strip from alprior stage and to pass tinned strip to a subsequent stage. Preferably, the machine is an independent entity and further includes a supply station for storingsaid strip in the form of a coil, the strip being uncoiled and passed to the heated drum. Also, a constant torque bollard is provided for receiving and coiling the tinned strip from the machine.

in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a cleaner in the form of a scraper is provided between the heated drum and the flux bath, the cleaner being arranged to scour the bottom edge of the strip to be tinned. Also, hydraulically operable nip rollers are arranged between the polishing and further drying station and saidconstant torque bollard, the nip rollers drawing the tinned strip through the machine. Alternatively the nip rollers maybe located at a different position in the machine e.g. immediately after the tinner. These nip rollers are interconnected with drive means arranged to drive the heated drum. The drive means are so arranged as to drive the heated drum as the start of the strip passes round the drum, clamp means operable to frictionally engagethe strip against the heated drum. The heated drum is rotatably driven until the start of the strip has Passed throug theistages ofthe chine and reaches the nip rollers. Once the strip is gripped bythe nip rollers, the drive switches from the heated drum to the nip rollers.

The supply station preferably comprises a tapered bollard, a coil of strip to be tinned being located over a central spindle of the bollard and an inverted frustoconical centralising weight is mounted on the spindle. This weight by virtue of its taper centralises the coil of strip about the spindle. Also, a detachable guard is provided around the centralising bollard to safeguard an operator from any kick back from acoil.

. The heated drumis mountedifor rotation about a central spindle which is chain driven, only the lower part of the drum being provided with a heating surface so that only the lower edge of a the strip will be heated as it passes'around'the drum. This lower part of the drum is electrically heated, current being supplied to a resistive part of the drum surface, via a systemof brushes which engage rotary contacts mounted on the spindle. Also, temperature sensitive members control the current supplied so that the temperature of the drum is maintained substantially constant. The temperature sensitive members are preferably thermocouples which are arranged inthe surface of thedrum andconnected also by rotary contacts and brushes, to means for controlling the heating current.

The strip may pass from the heated drum to a scraper which effectively cleans the lower edge region of the stripwhich has been heated. This lower heated edge of the strip then passes through a constant wave height flux bath, the flux being a chemically free flux. The lower edge of the strip is thus coated with flux, the height of theflux coating depending upon the actual height of the flux i.e., the height of the flux bath. This wave height of the flux may be increased or decreased by raisingor lowering the bath relative to the strip.

The strip with its lower edge coated in flux then passes to a flow tinner, various models of which are already on the. market. As with the fluxing bath, the flow tinner may be adjusted, coarse adjustment being. effected by varying the pump motor speed, the pump controlling the flow of molten tin through the tinner. Fine adjustment in the height of the tinner is preferably provided by complementary wedge-shaped supports which may be moved relatively to each other to effectively increase the height of the actual flow tinner and thus the height of the molten tin relative to the lower edge of the strip.

The lower edge of the strip passing from the tinner, then passes through an arrangement of knives which are adjustable to provide for any desired thickness of tin on the strip. The knives are arranged to remove surplus tin from the sides of the strip and a further knife may be provided to trim the lower edge. If desired, rigid knives may be replaced by hot air knives i.e., jets of hot air. After the knives the strip passes to a hot water washer where the strip is cleaned and any spirits are removed from the surface of the tin, this action preventing. staining of the strip. The hot water washer sprays- I From the washer, the strip passes to a de-wetting station where a de-wetting agent e.g. a soluble oil, is gravity fed onto the sides of the strip via absorbent pads which extend over the full height of the strip. The strip then passes between a series of brushes which polish the strip, the strip proceeding through a heated chamber which further and completely dries the strip.

From the drying chamber, the tinned strip in this preferred embodiment, passes through press nip rollers whichin fact draw the strip through the machine. One roller of the press nip is rotatably driven as previously mentioned, in conjunction with the heated drum, a second roller of the press nip being movable in a direction transverse to its rotational axis about which it is freely' rotatable, by means of a hydraulic ram. Thus, as the strip passes between the rollers the freely rotating roller is moved into contact with the strip pressing it against the driven roller.

The tinned strip is received and coiled on the constant torque bollard which has a variable geometry enabling a completed coil to be easily removed therefrom. This bollard is designed to decrease in rotating speed e.g. r.p.rn. as the reel fills up giving a constant linearspeed of collection for the incoming tinned strip.

This bollard is constructed in segmentsand the bollard has a generally conically shaped interior which coacts with wedge members so that as said members are moved axially of the bollard, the radius of the bollard hinges. This arrangement is mounted on a spindle which is chain driven.

Thus, one edge of a metal strip can be tinned by a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention. If required, the tinned strip may be removed from the constant torque bollard, inverted and placed on the centralising bollard, whence the other edge of the strip may be tinned.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of tinning at least one edge "of a strip of metal comprising passing the metal strip in a vertical plane around a heated drum arranged to heat at least the lower edge of the strip, feeding the strip in a vertical plane through a cleaning station, ap-

plying flux to the lower edge of the strip, applying tin to the region coated with flux, trimming the tinned edge to a predetermined configuration, washing the strip with hot water, applying a de-wetting agent to the strip after washing, polishing the strip and passing the strip through a heating cabinet. Further, the strip may be first coiled and located at a supply station prior to being passed around the heated drum and also the strip may be collected in a coiled form after tinning.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a preferred embodiment of a tinning machine constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine in FIG. 1 in block form,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through the supply station,

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view through the heated drum,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the machine in FIG. 1 in the region of the supply stationand heated drum,

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the flux bath,

FIG. 7 is a plan view, partially cut away, of the hot water washer,

FIG. 8 is a plan view in part of the de-wetting station, a frontal view of the gravity feed tank being illustrated,

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the polishing arrangement,

FIG. 10 is a side view of a press nip as used in the embodiment in FIG. 1,

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view through the constant torque bollard,

FIG. 12 is a side view of the fine adjustment arrangement for the flow tinner, and

FIGS. 13 and 13a are different view of the blade arrangement for trimming the tinned strip.

A preferred embodiment of a tinning machine constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1, with a block plan view thereof in FIG. 2. A supply station 1 in the form of a centralising bollard, is arranged to receive a coil of metal strip, the lower edge of which is to be tinned. The strip is fed around a heated drum 2 through a flux bath 3 and a flow tinner 4, the strip in the region of its lower edge being first coated with flux and then tinned thereover. Following the flow tinner 4, the strip then passes to a hot water washer 5 where spirits etc., are removed to prevent staining of the strip. A gravity fed de-wetting station 6 applies through two pads, a de-wetting agent to the sides of the strip, the strip then passing through a polishing unit 7 and a further drying cabinet 8. The tinned, polished and dried strip then is drawn through nip rollers 9 and collected and coiled on constant torque bollard l0.

The centralising bollard l is illustrated in cross section in FIG. 3. The bollard has a central spindle 11 which is arranged nonnally to the surface of support table 12. The spindle is freely rotatable about its longitudinal axis in

bearings

13 and 14. In use, a coil of metal strip 15 is located over the spindle 11 and centralising weight 16 is mounted on the spindle 11. The weight 16 has an inverted frust-conical configuration, the tapered surface 17 engaging against the inner circumference 18 of the metal coil thus centralising the coil about spindle 11. A detachable guard 19 (FIGS. 3 and 5) is mounted on the support table 12 around the coil during a tinning operation. The guard 19 may be removed to locate a fresh coil to be tinned on the table, as and when required.

The metal strip is drawn from the supply station and passes around the heated drum 2 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The heated drum is rotatably mounted on a central shaft 20 in

bearings

21 and 22. A sprocket 23 is fixidly mounted on the shaft 20 between the

bearings

21 and 22 and receives a chain (not shown) which connects the shaft 20 to drive means (not shown). The actual drum 2 is mounted on the upper end of the shaft 20 and presents an outer circumferential surface 24, the region 25 of which is electrically heated and maintained at a substantially constant temperature. The current to heat the drum is supplied via wires passing through the spindle .20, the wires connecting to ring-like terminals 26 mounted on a drum generally designated 27, the drum being constructed of insulating material and fixed to the bottom end of shaft 20. Brush contacts 28 connect with the circular contacts on the drum 27 and are connected to the current source. Thermocouples (not shown) are provided in the wall 24'of the drum 2 to determine the actual temperature of the drum, these ther- 2' 5 mocouples connecting with a heating current control via further terminals 26 and brushes 28.

A clamping arrangement generally designated 29 and illustrated in FIG. 5, holds the bottom edge of the'metal strip against the heated region 25 of the drum 2, when the start of the strip of a fresh coil is first fed around the heated drum. The clamping arrangement 29 comprises two

elongate members

30 and 31 which are respectively pivotally mounted at points 32 and 33. Each member (30,31) has a roller 34 mounted at its free end, the

members

30, 31 and rollers 34 being so arranged that by their pivotal movement towards one another about points 32 and 33, the rollers 34 engage the circumference of the heated drum 2. This pivotal movement is controlled by two hydraulic rams 35. Also controlled by these rams 35 is a further clamping member 36 which has'an arcuate surface of complimentary curvature to the heated drum 2. This clamping member 36 is arranged between the

members

30 and 31 and is fixed on an elongate support 27 which is pivotally con-v nected at either end to

linkages

38 and 39 which are in turn pivotally connected to

members

30 and 31. Thus, by the rams 35 drawing the

members

30 and 31 together, the clamping member 36is moved against the surface of the heated drum. This clamping arrangement 29 is utilised to feed the metal strip through the machine, the heated drum 2 at this stage being driven via sprocket 23, .the frictional grip between the drum 2 and the strip uncoiling the strip from the supply station and passing it to subsequent stages in the machine. A scraper 40 is provided adjacent the surface of heated drum 2to prevent the strip from adhering to the heated drum and coiling thereon.

The strip is fed through the machine via a guide 41 (FIG. 1) which is adjustable in height and which receives the upper edge of the strip. This guide is adjustable in height to adapt the machine for various width strips, knurled knob 42 and vertical support 43 enabling the necessary adjustment tofbe made.

The strip passesfrom the heated drum through a cleaner 44 (FIG. 5) which scours at least the .bottom edge ofthe strip. The lower edge of the strip subsequently passes through flux bath 3, the lower edge of the strip being thus coated in flux. The flux used is a chemical free flux e.g. bakers tluid, and the flux bath 3 is a constant wave height bath, FIG. 6 diagrammatically illustrating the flux bath in enlarged detail. The flux bath has an outer container 45 and an inner container 46 which projects above the open top end of container 45. Opposed faces of the inner container 46,

.in line with the path of travel of the lower edge of the strip, are provided with V section cut outs 47, these being lined with felt. An electrically driven pump (not shown) pumps the flux upwards through theinner container 46, the flux overflowing into the outer container 45 and being then recirculated. Due to surface tension and the pressure of the pump, a wave of constant height is produced in the inner container 46. The lower edge of the strip is drawn'through the V section cut outs and is-thus coated with flux, the height of the flux coating on the strip, dependingupon the actual height of the bath relative to the strip.- a

The flow tinner 4, has a similar construction to the flux bath in that it has-an inner and outer container, though at this stage molten tin overflows from the inner container-to the outer container, but again a variable wave height can be produced by varying the height of 6. the tinning bath or the actual pump speed. The varia tion of the pump speed is however a coarse adjustment and a fine adjustment maybe achieved by moving the flow tinner as a whole, this being effected by the manual operation of wheel 48 (FIGS. 1 and 12). Considering FIG. 12, the flow tinner 4 tests on the surface 49 of the upper wedge member 50. The wedge member 50 has an extension 51 which is provided with a hole which locates over pin 52. The wedge member 50 can thus not move in a horizontal plane but can be moved vertically. Wedge member 53 is arranged beneath wedge member 50 so that their inclined surfaces mate, their inclinations being complimentary so that relative movementin the direction of arrow A in FIG. 12, results in surface 49 remaining horizontal but moving vertically. By rotating handle 48, this being freely rotatably mounted in a base support 54, screw thread 55 causes wedge member 53 to move in a horizontal plane causing surface 49 to move upwardly. Thus, the flow tinner may be finely adjustedas regards height.

The hot water washer Sis illustrated in plan in FIG. 7, and-comprises two coaxial rotatable brushes 56 and 57. The brushes are driven synchronously and wash with hot water, opposed side faces of the strip. Brush 56 is fixed in its axial position, but brush 57 can be moved axially by sliding the motor x and thus the spindle y and brushhead 57 over slideway 58. This facilitates the start of a strip being tinned, being 'passed through the hot water washer. The motor x may be movable over slideway 58 by hydraulic or pneumatic means. The strip is guided into the hot water washer 5 via .V-shaped guides 59, its exit from the washer being guided by V guides 60. The latter guides 60 are provided with rubber projections toremove excess water from the strip, outlet 61 draining the water from the washer cabinet 62. The water for use in the washer is heated by a self-contained immersion heater (not illustrated) and sprayed onto the strip as it passes through the cabinet 62.

Prior to the strip passing through the hot water washer 5 and immediately after the strip has left the flow tinner 4, the lower edge of the strip passes between angledtrimmer blades 63 and 64 (FIGS. 13 and l3a).As can be seen from FIG. 13 blade 63 is fixed in position whilst .blade 64 is pivotally mounted about point 65, set screws 66 being provided for adjusting the gap between the two blades, (63,64). Spring 67 biases the blade 64 to the illustrated position i.e., with the gap between the blades at a set distance. However, when the start of the metal strip is first passed between the

blades

63 and 64, the blade 64 can be pivoted away from blade 63 against the force of spring 67 by means of handle 68, and may be returned to the set position once the strip has been located in the gap. As seen from FIG. 13a,

blades

63 and 64 are arranged at an obtuse angle to the direction of travel B of the metal strip. Thus, the

blades

63 and 64 trim the tinned lower edge of the strip directing the trimmings downwards. The gap between the

blades

63 and 64 is preferably set to provide a tinned thickness on the strip of 10 to 10 cm. The spring biasing of the blade 64 also prevents jamming of the strip between the blades in the event that the strip is of non uniform thickness. A third blade can be provided to trim the actual edge of the strip through it is found in practice that this is effected by the normal passage of the strip through the machine past various guides.

Following the hot water washer 5, the strip is passed through a de-wetting station 6 (FIG. 8) which comprises two pads 69 which extend over the full height i.e., the width, of the strip and are fed with a de-wetting agent e.g. a water soluble oil via pipe 70 from tank 71. The pads 69 areeach supported on an angled member 72.

A polishing unit 7 (FIG. 9) comprises three pairs of

opposed brushes

73, 74 and 75. The brushes are driven through

gears

76 and 77 from a common electrical motor 78.

Gears

76 and 77 are arranged to drive brush pairs 73 and 75 in the same rotational direction and brush pair 74 in the opposite rotational direction. Brush pairs 73 and 75 rotate in a direction as illustrated by. the arrows .in FIG. 9, which aids the movement of the metal strip in the direction indicated by the arrow c. This arrangement of brushes polishes the metal strip which is then passed to the further drying cabinet 8 wherein hot water is blown onto the metal strip thus drying the strip to the maximumpossible extent.

Nip rollers 9 (FIG. comprise rollers 79 and 80. Roller 79 is mounted on a spindle 81 which can be directly driven by electric motor 82. Roller 80 is freely rotatably mounted on axle 83 which is itself mounted on a slide 84 and can be moved away from roller 79 by means of hydraulic ram 85. Thus, by extending the ram 85, roller 80 can be moved into engagement with roller 79. Thus, with the strip between rollers 79 and 80, ram 85 can be actuated and the motor 82 may be also actuated,the friction grip of the press nip between the rollers drawing the strip throughthe tinning machineLThe drive of roller 79 is, however, interconnected with the drive to heated drum 2 and as soon as heated drum 2 has fed the strip through to the press nip 9 and the press nip rollers have been actuated to draw the strip through the machine, the drive to heated drum 2 is discontinued.

The tinned strip drawn through the press nip 9 is collected and coiled on constant torque bollard 10 (FIG. '11). This bollard has a drum-like configuration formed from arcuate segments 86. The bollard is hollow and each segment has a tapered inner surface 87 which coacts with radial spacer members 88 which are freely rotatably mounted on spindle 89 though not axially movable thereon. Springs 90 bias the segments 86 against spacers 88 providing for a specified radius of the bollard. However, spindle 89 is axially movable within

bearings

91 and 92, sprocket 23 connecting shaft 89 to a drive sprocket 94 of motor 95 by means of a chain (not shown). By axially moving the shaft 89 the spacer members 88 are moved axially relative to the bollard segments 86 and due to the tapered inner surface 87 of the segments, such axial movement of the shaft 89 changes the diameter of the bollard. Thus, prior to the strip being first coiled on the bollard 10 the shaft 89 is moved axially downwards as viewed in FIG. 11, increasing the diameter of the bollard to a maximum. As the coil of metal strip grows on the bollard 10, the rotational speed of the bollard is decreased so as to maintain a constant linear speed of collection of the strip, thus preventing any tension on the strip as it is drawn through the machine. When a coil has been completed the shaft 89 is moved axially upwards as viewed in FIG. 11, reducing the diameter of the bollard and enabling the coil to be easily removed from the machine.

In use, the guard 19 is first removed from the support table 12 and a coil of metal strip to be tinned is located over the spindle 11. After locating the weight 16 on the spindle 11 thus centralising the coil the guard 19 is replaced and the start of the coil is fed around the heated drum 2, clamping arrangement 29 holding the strip to the drum and providing the necessary frictional contact for the heated drum 2 to draw the strip from the coil and feed it through the machine. The lower edge of the strip passes sequentially through the flux bath, the flow tinner and between the

blades

63 and 64. Then the strip passes through the hot water washer 5, the de-wetting station 6, polisher 7, drying cabinet 8 and the press nip 9. As the start of the strip passes through the press nip 9, the roller 79 is actuated and roller moves into contact with the strip, the drive to heated drum 2 simultaneously being discontinued. The metal sheet is then coiled around constant torque bollard 10, which bollard can be reduced in diameter when the strip has been completely coiled, thus facilitating the easy removal of the coil from the machine.

By inverting the tinned coil and reprocessing the strip, the metal strip can be tinned on opposed edges.

1 claim:

1. A tinning machine for tinning an edge of a strip of metal comprising: supply means for storing a coil of the strip on a vertical axis; means for un uncoiling and drawing the vertically oriented strip in a horizontal direction through said machine; a heated drum rotatably driven on a vertical axis; means for heating only a peripheral end of said drum; guide and clamp means for operatively conforming the moving strip and edge to said drum and to said heated peripheral end, respectively; standing wave flux bath means for receiving and treating only the heated edge of the vertically oriented moving strip; vertically adjustable standing wave tinner bath means for receiving and tinning said treated edge; doctor blade means pivotally mounted for facilitating threading of' the strip and for receiving and metering the tinned edge thereof; hot water wash means including opposed, adjustably mounted scrub brushes for receiving at least said doctored edge of the tinned strip; additional wash means for treating the tinned edge of the strip; de-wetting means for applying a de-wetting agent to the additionally washed tinned edge of the strip to dry the same; polishing and further drying means for polishing and further drying the tinned edge of the strip; and collapsible bollard means for coiling the fully treated strip.

2. A tinning machine according to'claim 1 wherein said bollard means includes a constant torque bollard.

3. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein a cleaner scraper is arranged between the heating drum and the flux bath means to clean the edge of the strip prior to it passing to said flux bath means.

4. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the means-for drawing the strip includes nip rollers, at least one of which is driven, are arranged between the further drying station and the collapsible bollard and are arranged to draw the metal strip through the machine.

5. A tinning machine according to claim 4 wherein an electric motor directly drives said one nip roller, the second nip roller is freely rotatably mounted, and there are hydraulic ram means for moving said second nip 9 roller towards and away from saiddriven one nip roller.

6.A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein said supply means include a centralizing bollard, the

centralizing bollard comprising a freely rotatable spin- 4 about the spindle. v

' 7. A tinningmachine according to claim 6 wherein a semi-circular guard is detachably mounted on the support table. I i

8. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein a hollow shaft freely rotatably mounted in bearings supports the heater drum, an insulated cylinder is mounted on part of said Sh ft, and said'means for heating said drum includes annular ring terminals provided on the surface of said cylinder, brushcontacts engaging said annular ring terminals, and electrical conductors connecting said annular ringj terminals with the surface of saiddrum. J

9. A tinning, machine according to claim 1 wherein said clamp means includes a clamping arrangement having an arcuate surface of complimentary curvature to the heater drum, and ram means for pressing the metal strip against the surface of the heater drum at least in the region of the one edge of the strip.

10. A tinning machine'according to claim 1 wherein the flux bath means comprises an inner container and an outer container, both containers being open at their upper end, the open upper end of said inner container projecting above the openend of said outer container, a pump being arranged to pump flux up the inner container to overflow into the outer container, slits being provided in the edge of the open end ofthe inner container to allow the passage of the lower edge of a metal strip.

11. A tinning machineaccording to claim 1 whereinsaid vertically adjustable tinner bath means includes a height adjustment mechanism comprising two complimentary wedge-shaped members, one of which members is afforded onlyvertical motion effected by the relative movementof the two wedge-shaped members, a

screw thread providing for the said. relative movement;

'12, A tinning machine according to claim l'wherein said doctor blade means includes trimmingblades,the trimming blades being adjustable in spacing to provide for a desired thickness of tinning on a strip. a

13. A tinning machine according .to claim 12 wherein one trimming blade is fixed in position, the other trimming blade being spring biased to a preset and adjustable position, said other trimming blade being manually movable away from said one trimming blade to allow for the easy passage of a start of the metal strip.

14. A flow tinner according to claim 13 wherein the trimming blades present parallel trimming edges, but are angled to the direction of travel of said strip.

15. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the hot water wash means comprises a common motor driving said brushes, one brush being axially fixed, the other brush being axially movable,-an immersion heater providing a hot water supply to the strip. 16. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein thed'e-wetting means comprises a pair of elongate absorbent pads between which and in contact with the strip passes, each pad being gravitationally fed from a tank of de wetting agent. I

"117. A tinning machine accordingtoclaim I- wherein the polishing means comprises three pairs of brushes the brushes of each pair being coaxially arranged and said pairs of brushes being arranged so that a metal strip passing through the polishing station passes sequentially between the opposed brushes of each pair.

18. A tinning machine according to claim '17 wherein a common motor drives the three pairs of brushes, the brushes being arranged so that adjacent pairs of brushes rotate in opposed directions.

'19. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the collapsible bollard means for receiving and coiling the tinned strip has a drum-like configuration, a shaft supporting the drum, three arcuate segments having tapered inner surfaces constituting said drum, radial I spacer members fixidly'mounted on the shaft being provided within the drum, spring means biasing the segments into engagement with the spacer members, the shaft and spacer members being axially movable relative to the drum wherein such axial movement alters the diameter of said drum.

i wherein the drum can be rotatably driven. i k i

Claims

1. A tinning machine for tinning an edge of a strip of metal comprising: supply means for storing a coil of the strip on a vertical axis; means for un uncoiling and drawing the vertically oriented strip in a horizontal direction through said machine; a heated drum rotatably driven on a vertical axis; means for heating only a peripheral end of said drum; guide and clamp means for operatively conforming the moving strip and edge to said drum and to said heated peripheral end, respectively; standing wave flux bath mEans for receiving and treating only the heated edge of the vertically oriented moving strip; vertically adjustable standing wave tinner bath means for receiving and tinning said treated edge; doctor blade means pivotally mounted for facilitating threading of the strip and for receiving and metering the tinned edge thereof; hot water wash means including opposed, adjustably mounted scrub brushes for receiving at least said doctored edge of the tinned strip; additional wash means for treating the tinned edge of the strip; de-wetting means for applying a de-wetting agent to the additionally washed tinned edge of the strip to dry the same; polishing and further drying means for polishing and further drying the tinned edge of the strip; and collapsible bollard means for coiling the fully treated strip.

2. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein said bollard means includes a constant torque bollard.

4. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the means for drawing the strip includes nip rollers, at least one of which is driven, are arranged between the further drying station and the collapsible bollard and are arranged to draw the metal strip through the machine.

5. A tinning machine according to claim 4 wherein an electric motor directly drives said one nip roller, the second nip roller is freely rotatably mounted, and there are hydraulic ram means for moving said second nip roller towards and away from said driven one nip roller.

6. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein said supply means include a centralizing bollard, the centralizing bollard comprising a freely rotatable spindle mounted on a support table, a centralizing weight having an inverted frusto-conical configuration being coaxially mountable on said spindle wherein the tapered surface of the weight engages against the inner surface of a coil of metal strip centralizing the coil about the spindle.

7. A tinning machine according to claim 6 wherein a semi-circular guard is detachably mounted on the support table.

8. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein a hollow shaft freely rotatably mounted in bearings supports the heater drum, an insulated cylinder is mounted on part of said shaft, and said means for heating said drum includes annular ring terminals provided on the surface of said cylinder, brush contacts engaging said annular ring terminals, and electrical conductors connecting said annular ring terminals with the surface of said drum.

9. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein said clamp means includes a clamping arrangement having an arcuate surface of complimentary curvature to the heater drum, and ram means for pressing the metal strip against the surface of the heater drum at least in the region of the one edge of the strip.

10. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the flux bath means comprises an inner container and an outer container, both containers being open at their upper end, the open upper end of said inner container projecting above the open end of said outer container, a pump being arranged to pump flux up the inner container to overflow into the outer container, slits being provided in the edge of the open end of the inner container to allow the passage of the lower edge of a metal strip.

11. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein said vertically adjustable tinner bath means includes a height adjustment mechanism comprising two complimentary wedge-shaped members, one of which members is afforded only vertical motion effected by the relative movement of the two wedge-shaped members, a screw thread providing for the said relative movement.

12. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein said doctor blade means includes trimming blades, the trimming blades being adjustable in spacing to provide for a desired thiCkness of tinning on a strip.

13. A tinning machine according to claim 12 wherein one trimming blade is fixed in position, the other trimming blade being spring biased to a preset and adjustable position, said other trimming blade being manually movable away from said one trimming blade to allow for the easy passage of a start of the metal strip.

15. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the hot water wash means comprises a common motor driving said brushes, one brush being axially fixed, the other brush being axially movable, an immersion heater providing a hot water supply to the strip.

16. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the de-wetting means comprises a pair of elongate absorbent pads between which and in contact with the strip passes, each pad being gravitationally fed from a tank of de-wetting agent.

17. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the polishing means comprises three pairs of brushes the brushes of each pair being coaxially arranged and said pairs of brushes being arranged so that a metal strip passing through the polishing station passes sequentially between the opposed brushes of each pair.

18. A tinning machine according to claim 17 wherein a common motor drives the three pairs of brushes, the brushes being arranged so that adjacent pairs of brushes rotate in opposed directions.

19. A tinning machine according to claim 1 wherein the collapsible bollard means for receiving and coiling the tinned strip has a drum-like configuration, a shaft supporting the drum, three arcuate segments having tapered inner surfaces constituting said drum, radial spacer members fixidly mounted on the shaft being provided within the drum, spring means biasing the segments into engagement with the spacer members, the shaft and spacer members being axially movable relative to the drum wherein such axial movement alters the diameter of said drum.

20. A tinning machine according to claim 19 wherein a chain drive connects the shaft to a drive motor wherein the drum can be rotatably driven.